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From the Editor’s desk... by John White
VOLuME 19, ISSuE 01 of 11 PUBLISHER/EDITOR John White john@ptmag.ca PRODUCTION/CIRCULATION Tori Proudley tori@ptmag.ca ADMINISTRATION Donna White donna@ptmag.ca ADVERTISING/MARKETING John White john@ptmag.ca Tori Proudley tori@ptmag.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dave Madill • Ben Proudley Scott Casey • Mel McConaghy Ed Murdoch • Colin Black Tamara Weston • Bill Weatherstone Lane Kranenburg PHOTOGRAPHY David Benjatschek wowtrucks.com Ben Proudley • Brad Demelo HEAD OFFICE Ph: 604-580-2092 Toll Free / Fax: 1-800-331-8127 Published eleven times a year by Pro-Trucker Magazine Inc.,
The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher. The advertiser agrees to protect the publisher against legal action based upon libelous or inaccurate statements; the unauthorized use of materials or photographs; and/or any other errors or omissions in connection with advertisements placed in Pro-Trucker Magazine. The publisher can and will refuse any advertising which in his opinion is misleading or in poor taste. The publisher does not endorse or make claim or guarantee the validity or accuracy of any advertisement herein contained. All materials submitted for publication are subject to editing at the publisher’s discretion. The act of mailing or e-mailing material shall be considered an expressed warranty by the contributor that the material is original and in no way an infringement on the rights of others.
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Hail to the Chief??? On January 20th the reality show called the 2016 Presidential Election finally came to an end with the inauguration of Donald Trump as the President of the United States. After winning the election, some Republicans, who had originally denounced Trump and his policies, were found shamelessly prostrating themselves at his feet hoping for one of the coveted John White cabinet positions. Some, it is rumoured, sustained whiplash as they quickly did an about face… What does this election mean to Canada and the movement of goods to and from the U.S.? With little information other than Trump’s declaration to renegotiate NAFTA, it is still difficult to say. In some areas like the Keystone XL Pipeline, which he has endorsed, it will mean jobs in pipe plants and construction jobs building the line. Once the pipeline is built it will also allow for increased production and of course more jobs in the oil sector. In other areas, like forestry and the automotive industry, the jury is still out. Stephen Schwarzman, one of Trump’s top advisors, is well versed in the complexities of international trade. He has said he does not believe things will change too much between Canada and the U.S. The reason being that we are their largest trading partner and the amount of goods imported and exported between Canada and the U.S. is very close to the same. That being said the softwood lumber agreement has to be renewed and many of the Senators who have fought for sanctions on the import of Canadian lumber are from strong Republican States. While various arbitration boards and courts have managed to settle disputes in the past their future rulings may have little effect on Trump who sees any opposition as a direct personal attack and vicously pushes back discrediting the source . On another note, after seeing the incredible number of people who came out for the Women’s March, all across the States and around the world, I couldn’t help but think of a quote attributed to Japanese Admiral Yamamoto. He was the person who came up with the idea of the infamous surprise attack on Pearl Harbour after which he was reputed to have said, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” Don’t Poke the Bear and Let Sleeping Dogs Lie are two other phrases that also came to mind. I am quite sure that many of the 435 Congressmen and 34 Senators who are up for re-election during the midterms in 2018 are currently thinking along the same lines. The Bear, that you could say has been in hibernation for a while, is the Feminist movement and it has seen an increase in numbers like never before. After seeing some of the polarizing signs carried during the march like: ‘Keep Your Laws off My Body’; ‘Fight Like a Girl’ and my favourite play on words, ‘We are not Ovary Acting - we are demanding fundamental human rights.’ I would suggest that if they stick together they will be a force to be reckoned with in the midterms.
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LETTERS to the EDITOR
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help Christophe with this request please contact us here at Pro-Trucker Magazine and we will put you in touch with him.
e Whit e John agazin
ker M Truc Prote
John Whi r Magazine Pro-Trucke
Dear Sir, I’m a 57 year old French man and I have worked in transport industry in France since 1982. I have done various jobs as both a company driver and owner-operator. I’ll be in the Canmore Alberta area from July 24th to August 14th 2017, and I would like to be able to spend one day (short distance trip) with a Canadian trucker company driver or owner operator. I am a serious guy, married with 2 children, I don’t smoke, have medium English level and I especially like Volvo Trucks. Could you help me to carry out this wish? Best regards, I’m waiting for your answer. Christophe Rougnon-Glasson.
Hi John & Tori, Thought you would enjoy our very limited calendar that was created graphically by our talented Marcee who works in Guy’s office with me. We used a combination of photos which Bernie (Big boss), myself and Marcee have taken. Happy New Year and thank you for all that you both and team do to keep the Transportation Industry love for the iron being shared. Sincerely, Denise – for all of us at Guy’s Freightways.
Editor’s note: Thank you for thinking of us Christophe. As well as running your letter here we will also put your request on our Facebook page and see what we can come up with. This sounds like a great opportunity for a truck driver to interact with another and in doing so find out what trucking is like in France. If you would like to
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Editor’s note: Thank you so much Denise what a great gift. Thank you also for including some of the pictures of your fleet at Alberta Big Rig Weekend and the welldeserved 1st place Trophy for Best Fleet. Marcee did a great job of putting it all together. You are very lucky in that you have such a great crew both in the office and on the road. We look forward to seeing everyone again in August. Hi John, I was surprised to see your story about my friend Doug McIlwrick back in June 2005 when he was featured as your rig of the month. I wrote to you a few years ago and told you of Doug battling cancer in a big way. He recovered from his cancer I am sure because he was such a really tough and positive person. I am so glad I was able to travel from Ontario to Calgary and spend some quality time with him at that time. I am sure that you are aware of Doug’s death on Sunday Nov 27 and I want to thank you for printing his story. I just printed Doug’s name on google and up popped your story. Doug really was a professional driver in every sense of the word and he was also a very devoted family man and a lifelong friend of mine. My sincere condolences to his wife Angie, his daughters Liz and Patty, son Dave, Tina and all their families. Larry Bolton
Editor’s note: No Larry I had not heard about Doug’s passing. I too remember him as a very positive, upbeat person. We at Pro-Trucker would like to offer our condolences to Angie and the rest of his family. Below are some quotes from his June 2007 Rig of the Month story that show what a great laid back attitude he had and how much he loved his life. The full story can be found on our website. “As for snow storms we have all seen lots of them. Bad runs, well that’s all in your mind. The bad miles never come close to the good ones and you must look at the whole picture. I’ve had lots of things go wrong. Sometimes in a long row, but you learn to deal with them one at a time when they happen and then move on so when the next thing happens it’s only one incident.” “Four wheelers don’t bother me. I don’t care if they cut me off, don’t dim their lights, or even if they salute me as long as they don’t run into me and I don’t run into them. I’m a happy guy and when I get the salute I know they must have seen me. I firmly believe the best driving strategy will be your attitude.” “All in all trucking has been a good life and, to be honest, I feel like it’s just getting started. If the next 20 years are half as good as the last 40 then it’s going to be fantastic.” Rest in Peace my friend, the industry has lost another good man.
Douglas David McIlwrick 1948-2016
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TyRes AcRoss The Pond Colin Black lives in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland and has been driving truck for over 40 years. His story shows us once again that the problems drivers face are universal.
Ailments It doesn’t matter whether you’re a trucker or a shelf stacker, when you’re young you never think of getting old and the aches and pains that go with the job. I think I’ve been quite lucky as far as injuries and ailments are concerned. Some truckers have back and knee prob-
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lems after years of sitting on basic unsprung seats and jumping out of cabs, off trailers and loading docks. I did have some lower back pain years ago, but that was mainly due to eating the wrong things at the wrong time and putting an extra stone or two on. But that’s the trucking lifestyle again, you ate when you got the chance and it was usually all the tasty stuff that was bad for you. But the work was physical, so that usually kept most of the excess flab at bay. Back in the days before palletised loads and mechanical assistance truckers loaded and unloaded their trailer by hand, we call it handball, you guys call it handbomb. I worked at a flour mill called Snodgrass in the middle
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of Glasgow for a short time driving a tipper. I brought the grain from the docks to be milled, no physical work involved, just make sure the load was spread out evenly. One day a driver came in to load sacks of the finished product, flour. He was directed to reverse in with the rear of his flatbed trailer under the chute where the 100 pound bags of flour would slide down. When he was parked he went up on the trailer and moved his tarps away from the front of the trailer, then he went back to sit in his cab. The guys at the flour mill told him he needed to be up on the trailer to catch the sacks when they slid down the chute or there would be a large pile of flour on the back of his trailer. I never saw the driver so I don’t know if he was young or old, but I was told he was less than happy and felt his trailer should be loaded for him. Not surprising really, with twenty sacks to the ton and with twenty tons as a full load, lugging 400 sacks is a lot of work - who wouldn’t want their trailer loaded for them. My thoughts are the guy was younger, an old school driver would’ve been expecting the load to be handballed and just spat on his hands, rolled his sleeves up and got on with it. But the driver was eventually persuaded to bite the bullet and load his trailer, a couple of the mill workers helped him and made sure the load was stacked correctly. There was no point letting the driver load himself if it just collapsed onto the street at
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accepted the cabs would be cold and noisy all the time, now, with this constant ringing in my ears I’m thinking, I wonder if that wimp’s got tinnitus. Tori’s note: We recieved this picture and poem from Colin. As you may already know he along with his wife Isobel, traveled to Canada last summer and joined us at BC Big Rig Weekend.
I flew halfway around the world and drove your crazy roads. When I met some great Canadians, I knew I’d hit the motherlode. The scenery was fantastic like Scotland only bigger. The mountains and the forests and the trucks, and even sunny weather. So Merry Christmas Donna and John, you made me feel at home I can’t wait till the next trip, now I’ve got the bug to roam.
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Idle Time By Scott Casey Scott, our Rig of The Month for May 2003 has written “Ghostkeepers” a book about his years as a gun toting truck driver while serving as a Canadian Peacekeeper in the former Yugoslavia.
Words in the Wind As drivers we spend an enormous amount of time by ourselves. Not exactly a newsflash to those of us who have spent those hours whiling away the seconds of the clock. But for those who read these articles, and don’t drive, its an insight into our world. They only see the outside of the truck and trailer combination. The shining steel and fibreglass exterior of a world revolving around timelines, freight spoilage, traffic laws and other motorists. Only those within our profession know what goes on inside the cab. How many of you have found yourself in the middle of a conversation and just stopped dead…..? “What the heck am I even going on about?” These are the words we utter all too often as we realize we’ve begun an argument by ourselves. And to top it off, and add to the incredulous humour, we are also playing devil’s advocate in our own one-sided conversation. Oh yes,
the worlds problems or how difficult it is to get your 10 year old to brush her teeth after leaving home for another run. Trust me the worlds problems are easy compared to getting our kids to brush up. You know what I mean don’t you drivers? The satellite radio becomes just a bit of background noise to our political rants hollered at an invisible person that sits to our right or maybe out on the hood in front of us. Or the last dispatcher told you that your load must be tarped before you leave and you know full well that its going to be off loaded and stacked in three feet of mud. So, you tarp it and wait, wait till you’re alone in your cab; then and only then do you unleash a fury of words so venomous that cobra’s would slither away in fear. The most amazing part of driving is the time that we can spend working out our problems. It’s not always fun or peaches and cream, but it is the time we need to sort out the good from the bad, do our business figuring, expand our fleets and drum up new potential customers. It keeps us grounded and gives us a safe venting mechanism. We need that so we may remain professional in the face of some very idiotic events. The next time you see a driver and his gums flapping away in the cab, chances are he’s not on a Bluetooth phone call, he’s sorting out his life and what’s up next. Those words are important, they’re not just words in the wind. r
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dRIVInG ThRouGh my memoRIes
By Ed Murdoch
Ed has held a commercial drivers license for 65 years and has spent the better part of 50 years on the road. You can get Ed’s new book at www.drivingthroughmymemories.ca Despite all the hoopla, grandstanding, power-mongering, backroom deals, threats, counter-threats and an outlandish global war of words, the world did not come to a screeching halt after Donald Trump’s inauguration on Friday, January 20. It might have slowed a bit and there might have been a speed bump or two, a couple of 180’s, several red light infractions and many engine malfunctions, but the destination was achieved although the receivers have yet to verify that the goods being delivered are in good condition as ordered, before accepting the shipment and placing it in the warehouse ready for distribution. The plot thickens! The biggest threat the new POTUS (Pres. Of the US) faces in the unfamiliar role into which he has finagled himself is…well, himself. Other possible thorns in the flesh that might create some discomfort for him and his multi-billionaire cabinet could be public opinion, not just in the Excited States but world-wide. There will be more
massive protests guaranteed. Michael Moore, the intrepid American documentary filmmaker and author is planning an impeachment. The POTUS might also wish to look over his shoulder to watch for snipers from his own party whose many toes he tread upon to reach his ivory tower. And then there’s the Democrats who won the popular vote by almost 3 million but lost in the US Electoral College. They are far from defeated. And of course he must watch out for all the corporations in the business community that he has allegedly cheated and degraded over the years. And did I mention his conflict with the FBI, CIA and other spy agencies that he insulted on his way to the once white White House? And then there are the women, not just those he is alleged to have abused, but women worldwide who find his attitude toward them demeaning. Oh and of course, the media. Can’t forget the institution that forges the information, misinformation and disinformation that we inhale on a daily basis! The directors of the incoming administrative agencies all seem to be at odds with the rules and regulations involving the portfolios for which they have been chosen too, and the majority, like the Prez himself, have little or no political experience. It remains to be seen just how deeply this tendency will affect the transportation industry, specifically the over-the-road sector and that involving cross border transactions. Elaine Chao, the nominee for Secretary
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of Transportation is married to Mitch McConnell the Majority Leader of the Senate who also ‘enjoys’ the lowest approval rating of any US Senator and is known as an obstructionist even annoying members of his own party. She has no previous experience in this challenging portfolio. Unknown are the effects that the new administration might have on the trucking industry at large. It has been suggested that regulations such as the hours of service, electronic logging devices, the speed limiter and emissions legislation may be held up even though those bills were introduced by the Republican dominated Congress. That caucus is now in damage control resulting from the controversial campaign leading up to the current uncertainty. The FMCSA, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is in question as to how it will process new regulations and improve its relationship with the industry for which it is responsible. It will have a new director who will be appointed by the President since the previous boss Scott Darling has retired. He had nothing but accolades to say about truckers. “Trucking is a main component of U.S. economic progress,” he says. “Even with growing interest and advancement in automation, trucking’s not going anywhere. Trucks are the key linchpin to make sure this economy moves forward. I can’t see it being any different five years from now than it is today. I always say that safe
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trucking moves the economy. So safety and the economic commercial interests should not be two separate pieces. They should be together.” More confirmation that if you got it a truck brought it! And speaking of new technology worth looking at, Jost International of Grand Haven Michigan, a manufacturer of heavy duty truck parts, has come up with an electronic solution which notifies the driver by a dash mounted display when the kingpin of the trailer is in the lock position in the 5th wheel and again when it is safely locked and the release handle is properly secured. With so many aerodynamic accessories attached to the cab and trailer of a modern semi it is difficult to physically and visually confirm this connection and it’s never a happy day when one leaves his/her trailer in the middle of a busy intersection. So many of these technologies weren’t available in my time. One was more intimate with one’s rig and its features and I’m not convinced that separating oneself from the physical familiarity of one’s large car is moving in the right direction to achieve optimum safety, if you will. As I have said before, removing the ‘seat of the pants’ aspect of driving is creating a false sense of security especially for young drivers who have not been previously exposed to the old ways of doing things. Yes, I’m old! One last item and we’re outta here. Last year I came across this idea for making ‘friends’ outside of Facebook. Every day you tell everybody you meet how you are feel-
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ing at the moment, what you did a few moments ago, what you have eaten, what you did last night, what you will do later and with whom you will do it. Give out pictures of the family, your dog or cat, show them the scarf you just knit, selfies of you gardening or fixing something in your garage, watering the lawn, standing in front of some municipal landmark, driving around and having lunch … you know, stuff everyone does every day of their lives. Listen to their Comments, then give them a thumbs-up and tell them that you ‘Like’ them and ask them to ‘Share’ what you just said. It works just like Facebook. I now have four people ‘following’ me: two police officers, a private investigator and a psychiatrist. Be good to each other, drive safely and don’t give up hope! ***** There are times when my greatest accomplishment is just keeping my mouth shut… ***** ATTENTION Will the lady who left her six kids at the skating rink please pick them up? They are beating the Maple Leafs 3 – 1 ***** Son: “Dad did you know that in some countries you don’t know who your wife is until you get married?” Father: “It’s like that pretty much everywhere son…”
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Rig of the Month by John White
My name is Ed Wurz and I was born and raised in and I was third from the bottom so there was never a Shaunavon, Saskatchewan. My Dad, Daniel and Mom, problem being straightened out by my older siblings. Annie, had 9 of us kids in all. I had 5 sisters 3 brothers You had to learn fast or get left behind in my family.
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My back ground is from a Colony. While growing up, us kids were taught pretty much everything that had to be done on a mixed farm. We started out pulling weeds and working with livestock then, as we got older, we learned to operate trucks and tractors and how to keep them running by welding and pulling wrenches. Back then the only trucks we had were smaller gas jobs that were 5 ton at the most. Then only time they were used a lot was during harvest when the older guys would operate them. Us young bucks would be put on the open cab swathers to eat bugs and dust. One good thing was that there was never a shortage of good home cooked meals. As youngsters we would jump in with dad every chance we could and head out to the combines watching and learning to see if maybe we could get a chance to drive. I think I knew from an early age that I wasn’t too interested in working with livestock but I’d be all over anything that had a steering wheel. Today things are a lot different on the Colony, all the equipment is massive, no more 5 ton trucks, now they use heavy spec Kenworth tridems and super bees. They haul everything themselves except for the livestock which is usually contracted out. When I was 19, about 25 years ago, I left home to go work on a fairly big farm in Warner, Alberta. I didn’t really know too much about being out on my own and at that time as young guys weren’t encouraged to leave
Left to right - Ed, Travis, Dylan, Derek, Penny is in front of Travis
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the Colony. There were a few struggles at first but the family that I went to stay with, and work for, were more than happy to give me a taste of life in the big world. It was more than I had ever imagined! I worked there for 6 months gaining some much needed experience but that fall I headed back to east Saskatchewan and went to work for a big feed lot. I was a little closer to home but still living on my own. I moved in with my cousin Ron who lived in town and all I can say is, let the party begin. I worked at the feed lot running both tractors and the feed mill for about a year but that started to get boring
It was a busy spring that year and since John had land spread out pretty much in every county we had lots time off while moving from place to place to get the crop in. I never really had a chance to inspect the W900 until one night after work when I went over for a look at this legend. I could see right away that it had seen better days and when I opened the driver’s door and jumped up inside I saw two sticks coming out of the floor! I’d never seen anything like that before. The next day I asked John about the two sticks in the KW and he explained what a five and a four was, then he fired it up and I realized it had a screaming Jimmy
so I went to work as a welder at Talon Tool Corporation in Frontier, Saskatchewan. I stayed in Frontier for about 9 months but being on concrete all day and inhaling welding smoke was getting to me and the wages were not helping my bank account either. About that time my cousin Ron got a call from his old boss to see if he’d be interested in coming to Lougheed, Alberta to work. He asked me if I was interested and I told him if it involved trucks and big equipment I’d be willing to go check it out cause I couldn’t really afford to stay in frontier any longer. So in the spring of 89 I left Talon Tool and headed to Lougheed. Again to work on a big mixed farm. I was hoping to maybe luck out and get to operate some heavy equipment and I wasn’t disappointed. John Burden had some big stuff as well as a lot of iron that needed some TLC. Amoung them was a red and white 1981 Kenworth Cabover in fairly good condition and a 1984 green, long nose, W900 Kenworth. As soon as I saw that KW I knew that one day I’d get around to driving that beast.
as well! I worked for John for 4 years and during that time I took every opportunity I could to get up in that truck to see if I could master those two sticks. That truck sounded awesome with a screaming jimmy and a kickass Jake! After practicing on the farm for some time, in the spring of 90 I got my class 1. I didn’t really have any choice as just using the back gravel roads when I drove the trucks wasn’t really cutting it! John arranged for me to use the neighbors truck, a day cab Peterbilt with five axle highboy, to take my test even though I was willing to use the W900 5 n 4. He said it was probably in my best interest to not scare the instructor. That summer was great. I spent it driving the KW down the highway with the window rolled down, holding that big steering wheel and shifting gears with a cigarette hanging out of my mouth. I worked with some Australians and Kiwis on the Burden farm that summer and they invited me to come and visit their countries. So my first time flying was in
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off the bat. Bob was a super nice guy and we landed up working together for about 6months until Bob got sick and couldn’t run south anymore. That was when H&R gave me my own truck to drive. I remember on one of my first solo trips to Vancouver I was headed through the mountains feeling pretty confident but still a little nervous. I got pulled into the scale at Kamloops for inspection and I was definitely vibrating as I never had to deal with the DOT before. Being on a team the senior driver had always done that and to be honest I hadn’t paid a lot of attention. The inspector was cool though, he told me that the only reason they redlighted me was they just wanted to check my license cause I didn’t look old enough to handle such a big unit! Things worked out pretty good at H&R and they had me running all over the country. From hauling hanging meat to Anaheim, California to a load of frozen products to an unforgettable trip to Chicoutimi, Quebec. That was an experience. When I got to Chicoutimi I found that nobody spoke a word of English. I had to use a lot of sign language, being careful not to use the one the odd four wheeler uses to communicate with us sometimes, but I finally got unloaded. That was my last trip out there. By the spring of ‘92 I was getting burnt out from running all those crazy miles so I decided to take a break and come back to work at Burdens to help put the crop
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January of 91 and I was nervous as hell as I was headed down under for 3months to see what farming and trucking was like there. What a great experience. When I got back home I settled back in to a somewhat normal routine again until later in the fall when truck driver Bernie Amundson came to work with us. They scheduled him to take a load of feed oats for the horse barns in California and I was asked to go along as a team driver. Bernie had a 88 Cabover Pete with a forty foot, five axle grain trailer and since feed oats are light we loaded that trailer pretty much to the lid and headed out the next morning. I was pumped! The next day we got to Vegas and when we hit those cement highways I thought it was gonna shake that Pete apart . On the way back Bernie told me he was thinking about parking his truck and just driving so we talked about running team together. We contacted H&R in Lethbridge and they hired us to run team from Calgary to Vancouver. They gave us a newer T800 Kenworth big shack and we drove that for few months until things started getting tense between us. We decided it was best to part ways before we ruined our friendship . I stayed with H&R and got teamed up with an older dispatcher/trucker. We made one trip to Toronto and we were ready to kill each other by the time we got back. A sucker for punishment I stayed and got teamed up with another older gentleman, Bob Gr. Well we hit it off right
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in. After that John suggested I try working the harvest run in the states which would leave in June. The harvest run is where a company travels around the country harvesting the crop for farmers. I went for an interview and hired on with H&A Custom Harvesting for the season. We hauled the combines, holiday trailers, and everything else that was needed for the job down to Kansas. That in itself was a great experience. I learned a lot about what it was like to be pulled into every scale and port of entry while hauling oversized equipment. It was a fun season, we had a great bunch of guys. That year there was a lot of rain so we spent a lot of time visiting the local drinking establishments. That was when I met the bosses daughter, Penny. We started going out and that made things a little awkward with the boss for a while but we finished the season on a good note. That fall I moved to Edmonton and went back to H&R as the highway was calling me again. Penny was going to school at the time so we decided to get a basement suite to see if that would work. It was right about that time that Penny got pregnant. It was a difficult time as being on the road kept me away for a week at a time. I didn’t have a cell phone back then as it was too expensive so my only way of communication was from the once famous truck stop phone’s or a pay phone at rest areas. How times have changed. I was in Toronto one day getting unloaded when dis-
patch called and told me Penny went into labour early. They said they would reload me as soon as possible. It was driving me crazy but needless to say there was nothing I could do at the time. I made it home a couple days later in time to see our son, Dylan, born 4 weeks early. It was on my last trip to Denver Colorado with hanging meat that I ran into trouble with the law. After a minor roadside infraction I was told that I could serve 30 days or pay a $1200 fine! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing from the judge – the county was obviously short of cash - but being 19 years old and naive as could be I pled guilty and paid the fine! After the birth of our son I decided to get off the big road and take our son on my 3rd harvest run so he could be closer to grandma and grandpa. At the same time I was offered a deal to buy into and grow within that business. So we made the decision to put everything on the line and buy our first body job, a grain truck. It was a 89 International Fleetstar with a 290hp Cummins 13speed. It was a beautiful truck and we ended up having a solid harvest run that year. That fall I found out that Doug Hackney from Hardisty, Alberta was looking for a driver in the oil patch. I went to work after getting all my tickets for hauling dangerous goods which took about a week. Doug had black Volvo body job with a three axle wagon
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and we pretty much worked every crappy lease out there. If we couldn’t get in with the wagon we’d drop that and go load the body job. We would have to bring it out twice to fill the wagon, then we would reload, hook up and leave. The work was hard, muddy and miserable but thankfully my paycheck reflected that. We decided to move to Hardisty that fall and rent a small trailer from the Crones. It turned out that Cathy Crone and Penny had been best friends in high school - something I didn’t find out until we were moving in. Penny and I got married on June. 5/95 at her parents farm, just two days before we were ready to leave for the states for the harvest run. What? No honeymoon? I didn’t really have a choice as I now had an obligation go back on the harvest run. That year we bought our own combine and took it south. Things were looking pretty good for us. Harvest in the spring/summer in the states and haul oil in the fall/winter in Alberta. When I came back that fall I found a job with Gordon Marlow who was hired on with Gibsons. This time I drove a Mack daycab 18spd, body job with a three axle wagon. Our second son, Derek, came in January of ‘96 and yes I was there for that one. In the spring of ‘97 I was approached by Gibson personal who said they were looking for someone to take over for an older lease operator who was selling
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his truck due to health issues. I had to make a decision within a few weeks if I wanted to become a lease operator or carry on with the harvest run each year. I talked it over with Penny and we decided it was in our best interest to give it a shot. In March of 97 we bought our first highway truck. It was a blue, low mileage, ‘94 International 9200 with a 425 cat, 18 speed tranny and 40 rear-ends. Suddenly I was busy being a new lease operator with limited days off. In fact I worked the first 70 days straight without a day off. One evening while working late I got to the battery to unload and did my normal routine - or at least I thought I did. I kicked the pump in and jumped into the truck to call Penny but as I was on the phone I looked in my mirror there was oil spraying everywhere! My pump was going the wrong way and I was loading a loaded trailer! That phone call ended in seconds as I called my battery operator Don Hampshire to tell him what happened. He told me to finish up and go home. The next day when I went back it was all cleaned up. Don was a great guy. I worked with him for 3 years and he never let me forget that run. In 98 I ordered a new black 9300 International flat top with 48” bunk, 475 cat and an 18sdp. It was a beautiful truck but hard to keep clean with all the gravel work I was doing - I was in the wash bay every second day. In December 98 our third son, Travis, came along
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and wow, things were getting busy. We were running out of room in the 12x60 trailer so that year we moved into an acreage that was closer to town. It gave the boys more room to play and I could finally afford to build a shop to service and polish the truck. Life was good. We had a freak snow storm roll in one Halloween night. I finished unloading at the IPL terminal at Throne Alberta and was heading back empty to Consort to load for Hardisty. As I popped over a little knoll on highway 12 I lost traction due to some freezing sleet. I was sliding sideways down the road and my first reaction was Jack knife! Pull the spike! Well that back end of the trailer came all the way around and I did a complete 360 in the middle of the Rd finally ending up sitting in perfect straight line in the ditch! It was washroom time after that performance! In 2003 I lost most of the work I had been doing to competition and was now under Dispatch. Things changed a little after that as I now had some scheduled days off instead of working every day. I’ve always liked Kenworths so in 2006 I ordered a W900 long nose with a 72” flat top, a 565 Cummins, 18spd and 46 rears from Great West Kenworth in Calgary. They were awesome to deal with. My salesman helped me make some good choices. I also had my first hydraulic rig up installed by Drive Products. It took me about a year to get the bugs out like any new truck but it was the best
The
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truck I’ve ever owned. I had it for 8 years and it saw more than its share of mud, mountains, and muskeg! In mid-June 2007 Paperny Films, the company that produces “Ice Road Truckers,” came to Hardisty to shoot a miniseries called “The Week the Women Went”. The miniseries concerned a group of women packing up and leaving town and how the men coped with running a household without them. Eight one hour episodes were filmed and thirteen families from the Hardisty area, including ours, took part in it. At first I was hesitant to be involved as I wasn’t sure if I wanted a film crew riding with me in my Kenworth. I was concerned that it would be too much of a distraction while I worked but I finally gave in and it ended up being a neat experience to say the least! The nick names I got after the show was aired, like movie star and Hollywood, wore off fairly quickly as time went on. In 2009 we were running short of provincial work so I put on a prorate plate. It was time to spread my wings and the road oil and asphalt season kept me busy for the next 5 years. I bought a second truck from a friend of mine it was an ’05, 379 Pete, another legend, and then I hired my nephew Zack to come work for me . I was on a trip up to Tumbler Ridge BC for a customer one time and got a little screwed up with the roads running in every direction so I called the customer and tried to explain where I was. He told me not to worry
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i n fo @ t i m s t r a i l e r re p a i r. c o m that he would come find me. A couple minutes later I hear this noise and there he was, hovering right over me with his helicopter. He flew out in front with me following him. It was pretty hilarious . My current truck is a 2016 Peterbilt 389 long nose (Prides Class) 256 WB, with a 63”standup, 550 Cummins, 18spd, super 40s and disc brakes all around. I ordered it in the fall of ‘14 from Frontier Peterbilt in Lloydminster (great people) when the dollar was still around 86 cents. I wanted something that would be just a little different and I’m glad I did because they no longer make the limited edition Prides Class. Eventually somewhere down the line the truck makers will be forced to make nothing but ant eaters. Trucking has been good to me and my family but I couldn’t have done without the support of my wife Penny being there with me through the good and bad. I’m hoping that one day one of our boys will follow in my footsteps and be as proud of being a trucker as I am. I’ve been a spectator at truck shows for a few years now and I finally took the time last year to bring my truck to Big Rig Weekend in Red Deer. Wow what a great bunch of guys and gals to hang out with for a weekend just showing people what we love to do! Cleaning and polishing our Iron. If only we could keep it looking like that year round. But that’s trucking! *****
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On her first day at the senior complex, the new manager addressed all the seniors, pointing out some of her rules: “The female sleeping quarters will be out-of-bounds for all males, and the male dormitory to the females. Anybody caught breaking this rule will be fined $20 the first time.” She continued, “Anybody caught breaking this rule the second time will be fined $60. Being caught a third time will cost you a fine of $180. Are there any questions?” At this point, an older lady stood up in the crowd and inquired: “How much for a season’s pass?”
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Reflections Thru My Windshield By Dave Madill Dave was Pro-Trucker Magazine’s Rig of the Month in June of 2001 Ice Crossing It was one of the coldest winters that I had ever seen and my old B61 was so cold that there was no way I was crawling in that little coffin sleeper, so I had been making most of my trips as short as possible. I had just finished a round trip to Toronto and had dropped my trailer and pulled into Graves Restaurant in Barrie for a hot cup of coffee and to see what was happening with my friends. (Graves was our hangout on Friday Or Saturday nights.) I was sitting in a back booth with a couple of the guys when a crew of fishermen, (out of towners), came in and took the booth across from us. They immediately started spouting off about the poor ice conditions on the bay and how they were not going to take their pickup out on the ice as it was not safe. Now I had been out a couple of days before and knew that there was over 18 inches of ice on the Bay because my chainsaw had not cut through the ice with a single cut and it had an 18 inch bar on it.
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NEW Extended Hours Mon-Fri 8 am- Midnight • Sat 8 am- 5pm Ken spoke up and told them it was safe as he had his Studebaker out there the day before and had no problems but they were adamant that the ice was not strong enough to hold a real truck like their Chevy. Never being one to keep quiet I had to speak up and tell them that I had a Mack B61 tandem out back and was not scared not only to drive out on the ice but to cross the Bay and then turn around to drive back. One thing led to another and one of them said he was willing to bet that I could not do it. The boys and I checked our wallets and managed to come up with $100.00 between us and told them to put up or shut up. They did not have that kind of cash but one of them said he was willing to put his little 12 1/2 horse Ski-doo up against our money. We quickly agreed but insisted that the Ski-doo and the $100.00 be kept in the garage under Mr. Graves care and they agreed. The Ski-doo was unloaded and our money was handed over but me being a bit of a smart-alec decided that I was going to the yard first to get a trailer just to make it “fair”. Wouldn’t you know it but the only empty in the yard was a double drop equipment trailer so I hooked up and away we went. Down to the City boat launch and because of the 4 inches of snow on the ice I chained up both sets of duels and started out. Launching was not a problem and clanking and rattling I started across while our bettors drove around the bay and waited for me on the other side. Crossing was no problem but when we got to the other side there was a bit of a pressure ridge and I did not think I could haul my double drop over the ridge without getting hung up and now our bettors insisted that if I did not land the bet was off. What to do ------- Well it became one of those “here hold my beer and watch this moments,” as I backed up a couple hundred feet and hit the pressure ridge at about 30 miles and hour and skidded the trailer over the ridge shearing off a lot of ice and opening a crack about 8 inches wide with water gushing up all over the ice. Now to win the bet I had to go back across so we quickly turned around and before I lost my nerve I shoved the throttle down and amid a cloud of spray, smoke and ice, jumped the crack, broke up a lot of ice and found myself back on the Bay. Crossing the Bay this
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time was no problem but the boat launch at the other side proved a challenge as I had to take one heck of a run at it to make it up the icy slope and back on to dry land. Back to the yard and drop the trailer and back to the restaurant where we had to decide how to divide a Ski-doo. Since the bulk of the money had been mine we figured I should keep the snow machine and pay the rest of the boys off. I ended up getting a very nice little Ski-doo for $48.00 and I drove that little machine for over 10 years before it died. Years later when I crossed the ice roads away up north and learned a little more about ice crossings I realized how lucky I had been with my pressure ridge crossing but I sure had fun with that Ski-doo. *****
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The Washington Redskins finally drop offensive name: Dan Snyder, owner of the NFL Redskins, has announced that the team is dropping “ Washington “ from the team name, and it will henceforth be simply known as, “The Redskins.” It was reported that he finds the word ‘Washington’ imparts a negative image of poor leadership, mismanagement, corruption, cheating, lying, and graft, and is not a fitting role-model for young fans of football.
delIVeRInG The Goods, sAfely By Lane Kranenburg Lane is a former driver, fleet owner and former Executive Director of the AMTA Winter and other Dangers The time has come again for drivers to heed the winter hazards that repeat every year at this time. Not only the ice and snow that impair the already dangerous conditions that prevail on our highways and byways, but now the added pressure of the other drivers and their precious cell phones. Now the professional driver must watch for the addition of the distracted driver, those four wheelers that think they can operate a motor vehicle while texting a friend or finding out what their bank balance is. I am amazed by the number of people that think that knowing what’s for dinner is more important than one’s life. Recently I was stopped behind a driver that was obviously texting as she had her head down and appeared preoccupied with something in her crotch. I tooted my horn to get her attention, and she looked up floored her SUV and gave me the finger. Now in my younger days I may have been upset and returned the gesture however my
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age and state of mind simply thought, how pathetic that a driver would be so rude and uncaring for her own wellbeing, and the safety of others on the road. The cell phone now is causing more deaths and injuries than the dreaded drunk driver, and it appears that fines and demerit points simply do not do the job of deterring the practice. I firmly believe that steps to be taken to reduce the practice of texting and talking while driving should be severe. Maybe the vehicle should be impounded and held for thirty days on the first offence and six months on a second offence if one is caught texting or using a cell phone. And if it is proven that a collision is the result of this practice a one year suspension and vehicle impounding should be in order. Authorities are not given the power to seize at this time however the powers to be (our illustrious government) should give police officers some tools to prevent this very dangerous practice. Our elected officials are much more focused on re-election than setting rules to prevent death and injuries on our highways. Professional drivers must be very cautious of other drivers on the roads, and realize that just being careful is not enough, one must drive as if the other cars are there to kill you, that is the mind set I had when I rode my motorcycle. As a professional driver, smile, wave and do not show any retaliation and have a great 2017!
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my lIfe ThRouGh A BRoKen WIndshIeld By Mel McConaghy
Mel is a retired veteran driver who has spent 40 years on the road. What Will Happen? The other day I happened to be at a truck stop, looking over a pretty outfit that was parked in the lot when this kid came out, unlocked the door and climbed in. “He can’t be old enough to be driving an Outfit like that,” I thought to myself, so out of curiosity I walked over and asked him if he was indeed the driver. When he said yes, I almost wet my pants. He didn’t look like he could be a day over sixteen at the very most. So I introduced myself and much to my surprise, he knew me from my stories in Pro-Trucker. I asked him how long he had been driving and he said two years. I asked him where he had learned to drive and he said that he had gotten his class one license from a driving school. I then asked him if he had started driving on something smaller. He said no, he got his first driving job driving five axle reefers for an outfit that ran junk and broke just about every law in the book. He said he looked around and then landed a job with this company. He went on to tell me he was twenty two years old and he had already graduated into a seven axle outfit. He took some time to show me the tractor he was driving. It was almost brand new with a big horse power engine and an automatic transmission. He didn’t seem to mind me asking questions so I kept asking. He informed me that he didn’t have to set his brakes, because they were automatic slack adjusters. I had assumed they would be because we had them while I was still on the road, but I still climbed under my outfit in case they weren’t working. I asked him if he had ever got pulled over at the scales, in a road side check and get a ticket for not having properly adjusted. “No,” he said, “But if it happened he would just get on his cell phone and have a mechanic come and
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fix them. “Do you carry any tools?” I asked. “Hell no, I have my cell Phone,” he replied. This conversation got me thinking, what would happen if this kid ever had to make a trip, back in the bush, into a mine or some isolated place, where there wasn’t any cell phone service and he had a break down. I remember when I broke a spaghetti line, on the gear selector, on a thirteen speed and I couldn’t find the spares I always carried. I searched through the jockey box looking for something that I could use to MacGyver it and ended up settling for the end of a blue butt connector as a replacement. When running off road we carried spare U-joints and even axes and a power saw to cut wind falls just in case there were any that blocked the road. The jockey boxes were full of lights, nuts, bolts and screws, and just about everything else that you may need to get you out of a jam, including spare airline and airline connecters and of course the ever present roll of hay wire. Now I’m not saying the newer generation of truckers aren’t good, there are plenty of jobs where the newer automatic transmissions are more than adequate and plenty of jobs where help is just a call away. I’m just concerned about what is going to happen when all the old time drivers like me have retired and all the tough, heavy, back woods jobs that we did, still have to be done. There are still lots of young people who grew up in
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Common Sence vs Fear
A police officer called the station on his radio to talk to the Chief of Police. “I have an unusual case here” he said, “An old lady shot her husband for stepping on the floor she just mopped.” “Have you arrested the woman?“ asked the Chief. “Not yet sir,” he replied, “the floor is still wet.”
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How Truckers Can Keep Their New Year’s Resolutions
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~ Don’t give up smoking and junk food; don’t exercise more; and don’t quit smoking in 2017 – at least not all at once. January is the time when we resolve to quit bad habits and adopt good ones; resolutions that often last no longer than February. There’s a reason our good intentions melt away before the snow does; psychologists call it “willpower depletion.” Most of us have only so much willpower, the theory goes, and it can be drained from overuse. Your willpower can be depleted every time you have to exercise it to avoid temptation, like not smoking a cigarette or ordering a salad instead of a Big Mac. Confront too many of those situations and your willpower is likely to give out, no matter how determined you are. So does that mean you shouldn’t bother trying to change, that you’re doomed to failure? Not at all. Willpower is an amazingly powerful force; and the more you believe in it and yourself, the more likely you are to succeed at your resolution. But there are smart ways to go about it, methods that will make you more likely to succeed. Here are some tips that will help you turn those resolutions into permanent changes: Do one at a time – Quitting smoking, changing your diet and exercising more are all difficult; trying to do all three at once is nearly impossible because of our limited willpower. So pick one and pursue that. Don’t necessarily choose the one you think will be easiest or most difficult; pick the one where success will benefit you most and make you happiest and most proud. When you succeed at that, you can go after the others, armed with the knowledge that you can change. Set mini-goals along the way – If your ultimate goal is to lose 50 pounds, don’t make it all or nothing. Start by losing five pounds, then another five, then 10 and so on. Having goals along the way makes it easier and allows you to celebrate those accomplishments. And even if you don’t lose 50 pounds, maybe you’ll lose 35. Set a realistic timeframe – It’s rare for a smoker to quit cold turkey or for someone to start jogging 40 miles a week. Serious lifestyle changes take time, and a tooshort deadline doesn’t allow for that or for the occasional backsliding. Get help – There is a lot of free, helpful information out there to help you along the way. Find out what’s been proven the best ways to quit smoking or lose weight. See what’s worked for other people. There’s no need to go it alone. Make notes – It’s been proven that charting your fEbruAry 2017
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Call Al 604-882-7623 progress will help keep you on track. Count calories or the number of cigarettes you’ve smoked. Technology, such as apps and fitness bands, makes it easier than ever to monitor your progress. Don’t go it alone – Share your goals with others and look for a partner(s) who’s trying to accomplish the same thing. Discussing your resolution with someone – and maybe even competing with them – will keep you strong. Family and friends also can provide support. Forgive yourself – You’re going to slip up, skip a workout or have another smoke. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed; it just proves you’re human. Acknowledge the mistake and get back with the system. In fact, studies have shown that scheduling cheat days or small “rewards” will help keep you moving toward your goal. So, go ahead and resolve to get healthy this year, but go about it the smart way and you’re more likely to reach your goal. Good luck! *****
Clever, funny and Ingenious Signs From the Women’s March - My Body My Choice • We Shall Over Comb
- Can’t Comb Over Sexism • IKEA Has Better Cabinets - There Will Be Hell Toupee - Tweet Women With Respect - You Can’t Comb Over Misogyny • Just say Nyet - Keep Your Tiny Hands Off My Rights - I Will Not Go Quietly Back To The 1950’s - Tweet Others How You Want To Be Tweeted - Girls Just Want To Have Fun – damental rights - Super callous fragile ego Trump you are atrocious - Our Rights Aren’t Up For Grabs and Neither Are We - You’re So Vain You Probably Think This Sign Is About You • Not My Cheeto - Though shalt not mess with women’s reproductive rights.
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Another Trip Pavement stretches out ahead of him as he pulls out of the gate, The load he has just picked up is already one day late. The shipper, he blames dispatch, dispatch just don’t care, They all will blame the driver whenever he gets there. The driver grabs another gear as his rig comes up to speed, Coffee, time and diesel fuel, are the only things he needs. Linked now by the asphalt to others of his kind, The driver sits and ponders the questions in his mind. Thoughts of his friends and family and those that he holds dear, Pushed firmly to the side as he grabs another gear. The rhythm of the high road now has him in its grip, Another lonely driver on another lonely trip.
by Dave Madill Dave Madill was Pro-Trucker Magazine’s Rig of the Month in June of 2001 and he has been entertaining us with his poetry ever since. Dave has published three books of poems that are available by special order through Chapters Book Stores or amazon.com PAGE 38
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