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Rig of The Month Featuring Luke Phillips Starting on Page 16 Do you hAvE somEthinG to sAy? EmAil John@PtmAG.cA
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PRO-TRUCKER MAGAZINE
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK... BY JOHN WHITE
VOLUME 20, ISSUE 11 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 • Scott Casey Greg Evasiuk • Mel McConaghy Ed Murdoch • Colin Black • Cyn Tobin Bill Weatherstone • Lane Kranenburg PHOTOGRAPHY Ben Proudley David Benjatschek wowtrucks.com HEAD OFFICE Phone: 604-580-2092 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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There are a good number of military veterans working in the trucking industry. Companies like them for their “get it done come hell or high water” attitude which was instilled in them through their military training. When our veterans return to civilian life many are able to resume where they left off. They have jobs, families and for the most part are able to lead normal lives. But for many others who have been injured physically and/or mentally the return home is far from easy. For some - in their tortured minds - it is impossible. Physical scars can be seen and hopefully dealt with but mental ones are the unseen killers that continue to take the lives of our veterans for years after they have left the military. After my November editorial concerning the routine of leaving hundreds of millions of dollars unspent at Veterans Affairs each year, I was pleased to see that on November 6th the House of Commons unanimously approved the NDP’s motion to end this practice. The motion states that the government should carry forward all money not spent at the Department of Veterans Affairs into the next fiscal year. The motion also says that the money carried forward should be used specifically in areas that the DVA is failing now such as improving wait times for disability benefits, vocational training and rehabilitation programs. We have a broken system. Currently, the DVA’s self-imposed target timeline of 16 weeks to process a claim is a failure. Last year over 3,000 veterans waited over a year for their disability claims to be processed, reassessed or reviewed. Too many could not wait and tragically took their own lives. Don Leonardo, a former peacekeeping soldier said, “The system is built for no. It’s not built for yes.” While Veteran’s Affairs will not release accurate numbers of those who commit suicide while still in the armed forces they do not even keep track of or take responsibility for, the many more who take their own lives after they have left the military. While the NDP’s motion is a good start there is a problem in that the motion is not binding - the government has no legal obligation to stick to the plan. But over and above that, why was this not put forth by the Liberals themselves in order to fulfill their campaign promise? Why did the NDP have to force them to vote on their motion? Could it be that on next year’s campaign trail Trudeau will announce a plan to make the motion binding – after the next election? Wouldn’t that be a nice 2 for 1? One promise that covers 2 elections! It brings to mind a favourite quote of mine, “Politicians are like diapers: they should be changed often, and for the same reason.” My Christmas wish list: That the Honorable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will live up to his promises to our veterans. That veterans suffering from PTSD will contact their brothers at www. militarymindsinc.com That the Honorable Transportation Minister Marc Garneau will make Truck Driver a Red Seal Trade with a full graduated apprenticeship program. To all drivers who will be out on the road over Christmas and to the lucky ones who will make it home, we at Pro-Trucker wish you a very Merry Christmas and to you and yours, a safe and prosperous New Year. r
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LETTERS to the EDITOR
e Whit John azine
Mag cker u r T Pro
John White Magazine Pro-Trucker
Good Morning, John and fellow readers of Pro-Trucker Magazine. I am a new driver in the industry, and in lieu of all the chatter and concern regarding more standardized training, I believe the training program through Mountain Transport Institute (MTI) in Castlegar, BC is deeply deserving of due recognition. The minimum course they offer is 180 hours, 1 month, with 40+ of those hours being road time, (which goes above and beyond the Ontario standard). And, the cost is no more or less than it would be to take a 60 hour, 2-week course, in which you are only taught the road test route and nothing more. Andy, and the instructors, Mike and Rob, are all great guys and true professionals who care about you, your families, their families and all other users of the road. With a focus on safety and truck control, their intention is to see you not just pass the road test, but to KNOW the
truck, inside and out. MTI produces true professionals who are ready for the road. (The only reason I can think of for wannabe drivers to choose any other course, is to gain their license as quickly as possible and have complete disregard for actually learning the rules and regulations of commercial driving). This is why I chose MTI and not some other course, I wanted to be a professional driver, not a semi-professional driver. I was employed within the first week after successful completion of training and have been thoroughly enjoying the flatbedder experience, having travelled all over BC, AB, WA, ID, and OR hauling anything from steel to lumber to peat moss to roofing and siding materials. Though new to the industry I am striving for professionalism and safety both on and off the road. I plan to enjoy the truck driving experience for many years to come. N.P. (Beartooth) Poore Editor’s note: I have been an avid supporter of Andy Roberts and MTI for many years. As long as I have known him (1999) he has worked tirelessly advocating for a national minimum standard for entry-level truck drivers. The tragic crash involving the Humboldt hockey team is just one of many examples of a tragedy that may have been avoided if our politicians had acted on advice from industry.
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There have been some changes in the industry of late but it is too often smoke and mirrors to placate the public and at best is just a slight improvement on a standard 2 week quickie course. Changes have to be made on a Federal level to ensure all drivers are fully trained or the provincial politicians will continue to rule their own little kingdoms and we all know how that is working. Currently, they do not even allow student loans for advanced training. What is most surprising to me is that our Federal Transportation Minister Marc Garneau, the first Canadian astronaut in space and the one man who could make a difference, would so soon forget how important proper training is when safety is involved. Trade certification would fix the problem. I’m quite sure Mr. Garneau did not have a back alley mechanic beside him working on the space station. I asked Andy Roberts for a brief summary of the Earning Your Wheels Course that was originally developed to be the basic entry-level training course for Canadian truck drivers. Here is his reply: Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council The CTHRC was founded under the Government of Canada’s sector council program in 1994 and was disbanded at the end of 2012 being replaced by the Trucking Human Resources Canada organization. All of the property of the CTRHC was passed over to THRC.
EST. 1965
During the life of the CTHRC, they created many National Occupational Standards for various truckingrelated jobs. With the NOS for professional drivers, the CTHRC created a driver training program called Earning Your Wheels (EYW) with the initial version supported by input from industry coming out in 1995. The CTHRC required schools to become accredited to deliver the EYW course through an onsite audit as well as receive training through their master trainers. The EYW curriculum was updated in 2006 again with a committee of carriers and driver training schools. The EYW program was 8 weeks training full time at the school with a 4-week mentorship program (finishing program) provided by the trucking companies who were hiring the graduates. With the transition from the CTHRC to the THRC the curriculum was passed over but as far as I know has sat on a shelf ever since. Mountain Transport Institute carried on the 12-week training course model using our own curriculum called The MTI Way starting in 2013. MTI also offers a “Standard Class 1” training program that is 4 weeks long and doesn’t meet the NOS for Professional Drivers, this program came about due to a cut in government funding for driver training. If we want to help new drivers train to meet NOS for entry-level professional drivers then there needs to be training dollars (loans or grants) made available for Canadians to access the appropriate level of driver training. r
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THE DIESEL GYPSY By Bill Weatherstone Bill is a true pioneer of the trucking industry. This is an excerpt from his book, “The Life and Times of William John Weatherstone” MEXICAN OVERDRIVE Where the expression, MEXICAN OVERDRIVE came from, I do not know. In my case, it just seems to have always been there. It originated about 50 or more years ago when the trucks were all low powered and the hills were higher, steeper and not cut down as they are today. The trucks did not have all the power assists that are now commonly used, such as high horsepower, engine brakes, power steering and spring brakes. You had to rely on multi transmissions with the maximum number of gears squeezed into the box, to give your engine more assistance to pull you up and over these steep, high hills, and to help you control your downhill descents. The odd time you would come to a fairly straight but long downgrade that could tempt you to kick it out of gear and run loose. This procedure was what was commonly called Mexican Overdrive. Trucks were usually geared for 65/68 mph max speed. The condition of the roads and the available horsepower really didn’t give you much of a chance to make good travel Dec 2018 / Jan 2019
time. When you came to a high hill with a fairly straight down run, the temptation would sometimes take over your common sense, and put you in a dangerous situation. It could pull you like a magnet to cut it loose and just go. There have been countless times when drivers have let her go. There have also been drivers who did not make it back alive, after losing control and having this activity change into a wild runaway. This type of incident (Mexican overdrive) happened to me in 1957, on the building of the Trans-Canada Highway along the North Shore of Lake Superior, in the mountains. In my case, I was driving a “B-61” Mack pulling a tanker with hot liquid asphalt. This particular hill was a couple miles down to the bottom on curves, and just south of Terrace Bay, Ontario, Canada. I was in a hurry this day, as we were being pushed pretty hard. I broke over the hill and said to hell with it and cut her loose. The hot liquid was sloshing around in the tank and was becoming unstable to control, pushing me from side to side and picking up speed by the second. The truck was going too fast to get it back into gear. It would normally run at about 68 mph, flat out. I was well beyond that, and the Speedo would max out at 80 mph. The Speedo needle went beyond 80 and kept going completely around again. Between the 15 and 20 mph, the Speedo cable broke and the needle dropped straight down and just sat there swinging freely, pointing down. (Is this an omen, pointing to where I would end up?) The brakes would not do anything but smoke and fire, they were useless.
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The truck started to shake and vibrate so bad that it took both hands to try and hold it steady. I went around a couple of bad curves on the way down and had the feeling that this was my last ride. I barely made the curves and started to climb uphill, and that was when the vibration on the front end started to smooth out again. One of our other trucks, going the other way, saw me coming and pulled over onto the narrow shoulder, otherwise, we both would have connected and ended right there. It was that close. It was an old narrow high crowned road with barely enough room to pass at normal speeds. I began losing speed up the other side of the hill, and when I was slow enough to get it back into high gear, I would be going about 70 mph. I finally got stopped at the top of the hill and sat for about 1/2 hour before I could go again. Morris walked back up the hill to see if I was alright. He was the old man of the fleet and knew about runaways. He said that as long as the front end was vibrating, I had a good chance of making it, if I could keep it on the road. Once it went past the vibration stage, continuing to pick up speed and starting to smooth out again, just say your prayers and wait for the end, because the wheels would be flying off, and possibly the running gear exploding apart at any second. All this is happening, with no maxi brakes or power steering, to help control the situation. Old style bias tires would not help anything either. That was the last time I ever kicked any truck out of gear. You don’t press your luck a second time.
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REFLECTIONS THRU mY WINDSHIELD 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.
Christmas Surprise It was going on into November and this had been a BAD summer and fall. Over the year we had lost three trucks, one to a turnover and fire and two to accidents. To top it all off the dozer engine had packed it in and it was in our shop where Dad and I were struggling to rebuild it. Mom and Grandpa had pretty well taken over running the farm and were keeping things running but there was no cash coming in. Dad and I had bid on a county contract to supply cedar fence posts for the next year but they would not be delivered until spring. We were busy cutting them in the swamp but had slow going with just a bow saw and hand axe. Things still had to be bought so we went to town on a Saturday to do our shopping. Mom and I went into the clothing store as I needed new jeans, shirts and other stuff as I would not stop growing and clothes did wear out. After buying what I needed Mom was looking around and she came across a ladies winter coat, knee length with a fur collar and in a shade of green that Mom just fell in love with
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Call Al 604-882-7623 but the coat was $78.00 and this was a LOT of money back then. She almost cried on the way home telling Dad about the coat and how much she wanted it. A week later we were back in town and Dad and I were looking at buying a chainsaw for our fence post job when we ran into Ernie from the clothing store and he told Dad that Mom had put the coat she wanted on layaway and had paid him $12.00 so far. We never bought the chainsaw and both Dad and Mom were pretty quiet on the ride home but Mom had a little smile like she knew something we didn’t. We didn’t get back to town for a couple weeks so it was about December 15 or so when we finally went in and Dad made sure that everyone knew this would be a Christmas where you got practical gifts and no one was to expect any extras. Mom and I went into the grocery store and Dad disappeared but later when Mom went into the clothing store she came out with tears in her eyes. Seems like someone had paid full price for the coat and Ernie had given Mom her deposit back but she was devastated cause she had really wanted that coat. Flash forward to Christmas morning and there under the tree all wrapped up was what looked like a brand new rubber tired wheelbarrow with Moms name on it. Mom took one look and walked out of the room. Dad put his foot down and stated that no one was going to unwrap anything until Mom unwrapped her gift. Tears in her eyes Mom came back into the living room and slowly pulled the wrapping off a nice new wheelbarrow and there inside it was another large gift. Mom said it was probably a spare tire but Dad insisted she open it. There inside a box was Mom’s coat and right away it went on over her old gingham nightgown and her smile lit up the whole house. I don’t remember what the rest of us got that year but I do know Dad and I cut 500 fence posts that winter with a bow saw but you know something – It was all worth it as that was a Christmas that my mother never forgot. *****
Christmas Divorce
An old man in Miami calls his son in Vancouver and says, “I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; 35 years of misery is enough.”
DEc 2018 / JAn 2019
“Pop, what are you talking about?!” the son screams. “We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer,” the old man says.“We’re sick of each other, and I’m sick of even talking about this, so you call your sister in Montreal and tell her.” Then he hangs up. Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. “Like hell they’re getting divorced,” she shouts, “I’ll take care of this.” She calls Miami immediately, and screams at the old man, “You are NOT getting divorced. Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back, and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?” The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. “Okay,” he says, “They’re coming for Christmas and they’re paying their own fares.”
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Time to Let 18-21 Year Old Truckers Cross State Lines Written by Joe Rajkovacz, director of governmental affairs and communications for the Western States Trucking Association. At eighteen I began driving tractor-trailers. The year was 1977 and I’d haul beer from Milwaukee’s many breweries to distributors within the state. I couldn’t cross a state line though. Federal law said I was too young and by extension unsafe. When I’d unload at a beer distributor in La Crosse, Wisc., and look across the Mississippi River to La Crescent, Minn., I thought about how ridiculous it was that somehow crossing over the I-90 bridge made me magically unsafe. Fast forward over 40-years and I spent nearly 30 of the last 40 years as a driver, accumulating 3.8 million accidentfree miles operating throughout the U.S. and Canada. I had absolutely zero formal driver training when I began. I am self-taught. The owner of my first trucking company said I’d be out of a job if I didn’t learn how to at least hook-up a truck to a trailer and pull the rig into a service bay. I also drove a school bus on regular routes and charters throughout southeast Wisconsin, not a rural environment. That’s how my commercial driving career began. It isn’t much different than the pathway of many older veteran drivers. Today the trucking industry has difficulty recruiting and
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retaining truck drivers. There are many reasons for this and way too much hyperbole blaming the situation solely on driver pay issues. Personally, the lifestyle of having to check-out from having a “normal life” of being around friends and family is a huge drawback to many younger (and older) people. However, the industry is still losing many potential new, young drivers simply because of an outdated federal prohibition against crossing a state line until age 21. California, which when it comes to trucking is one of the most highly regulated states in the nation, will allow an 18-year-old trucker to drive distances that are equivalent to crossing through multiple states in other regions. But the federal government prohibits the roughly 220-mile run from Boston to New York because the route cuts through four states. There’s no indication that allowing younger truckers on the road has made California a more dangerous place to drive. An Insurance Institute for Highway Safety analysis of federal highway data found that California had 0.99 traffic deaths per 100 million vehicle miles travelled in 2016. That tied California as the 14th lowest rate among the 50 states. California also has a lower rate of fatal crashes involving large trucks per total state vehicle miles travelled than the national, according to 2016 federal highway safety data – nearly 35 percent lower. At eighteen I was single and unattached and had the “wanderlust.” I wanted to see the country. Being apart from friends and family wasn’t high on my list as a career disqualifier. Running around doing “short-haul” work didn’t have the same appeal as hitting the open road. If the trucking industry wants to become a viable career path for younger people, the restriction against crossing state lines needs to be removed. H.R. 5358, the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy or DRIVE Safe Act introduced by California congressman, Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, Calif., would allow 18-21-year-old commercial driver’s license CDL holders to cross state lines. The bill establishes significant classroom and behind-thewheel training requirements, much more than current entrylevel driver training regulations. It establishes performance benchmarks and specific requirements on the type of
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equipment to be operated. Trainees must be accompanied by an experienced driver during their apprenticing. These are exactly the kinds of requirements certain safety advocates and trade groups have always wanted, but now oppose when it comes to allowing 18-21-year-old truck drivers to cross state lines. Many of my peers either side of 60 years old argue against allowing 18-21-year-olds to cross a state line in a truck. When we discuss our personal experiences of entering the industry, I hear the usual refrain, “it was a different time and we were more mature.” Really? The Wisconsin of the 1970s allowed 18-year-olds to go to bars and taverns. I was anything but a saint with that freedom and was no different than most of my peers. It’s ironic that many opponents of this bill hail from my generation and refer to younger people as kids. Two of my children serve in the military and were deployed in combat zones last year. They served with other “kids” in the most dangerous environments our country asks. Disparaging namecalling is offensive to young people and ignores those who are deserving of greater opportunities. Many opponents of this bill cite safety data gleaned from the general driving population of 18-21-year-olds, not specific to CDL holders. My personal experience tells me that at this age you are keenly aware that any crash will end your truck driving career. Another reason often cited to oppose lifting the restriction is economics. Many say access to a younger market is all about chasing lower cost drivers. This argument is a red herring.
It doesn’t matter at what age one decides to get their first CDL. Whether a new driver is 18 or 50, they will be paid less initially. If someone at 18 has to wait until they’re in their early 20’s in order to begin a trucking career, the economic effect is exactly the same. Many high school graduates do not go on to college. H.R. 5358 would give 18-21-year-olds a pathway to enter an industry under a very controlled process that would result in excellent, safe, well-trained drivers. Editor’s note: Joe Rajkovacz is director of governmental affairs and communications for the Western States Trucking Association based in Upland, Calif. His background includes spending nearly 30 years as an active driver before spending the past 12 years working as an association representative in the trucking industry. *****
Christmas Shopping
A couple were Christmas shopping when the wife suddenly noticed that her husband was missing so she called him on his cell phone. The wife said, “Where are you? You know we have lots to do” He said, “You remember the jewellers we went into about 10 years ago, and you fell in love with that diamond necklace. I could not afford it at the time and I said that one day I would get it for you?” Little tears started to flow down her cheek and she got all choked up. “Yes, I do remember that shop”, she replied. “Well, I am in the bar next to that.” r
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Rig of the Month
By Greg Evasiuk I always love it when John gives me the opportunity to I would like to see us get back to. Our rig of the month driver help tell you the story of a fellow gear jammer. When I was a would like to see that too and is proof positive that there are kid, truckers were considered knights of the road, something still young guys out there that really get it. Luke Phillips is a
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throwback and a very humble guy who didn’t think he really had any magazine worthy stories… well, that was the only thing this young man said to me that was wrong! After having a lengthy BS session, definitely not a formal interview, I can honestly say I have renewed hope that we can attract some great young people into trucking. Having known Luke mainly from his exploits I was surprised by his age, you will be too. Luke Phillips was born in Burnaby, BC and is almost sure he was brought home from the hospital in the cab of a truck. His dad Tim ran for NIC back then from Vancouver to Edmonton and that is where Luke spent his early years, riding along with his mom and dad in that old Western Star. I’m sure he would have been fine continuing his education from the front seat of the Star but his parents decided he should go to school so they moved up to Stony Plain around the time he was 4. His dad Tim continued to stay on with NIC for about a year before moving on to local work so he could be home with the family more. Fast forward to when he was close to being 18 and Luke picked up a job at the airport, which he was not fond of. He had to shovel snow, sweep up cigarette butts, pick garbage you know, all the glamorous stuff! But it wasn’t the hard work he didn’t like, it was the type of work. Luke said to me he has always known he was going to be in trucking and that’s what he was working towards even at the airport. He saved the money he earned there and took his courses so he could go out and get his class 1 on his 18th birthday. His father Tim had been working for John Whissell at Whissell Rock Products moving crushers and equipment around. John decided that, unlike most other companies, he would give an 18-year-old the chance to drive. There was a well worn T800 KW that nobody wanted to drive, almost nobody… Luke thought he’d died and gone to heaven to get that truck. He got set up hauling tridem end dump moving gravel in and around the Edmonton area. Many days he’d be back at the shop first and his dad would pull up with the super b gravel trailers. Tim would stop at the gate, jump out and say, “I’ve parked enough of these you back it in.” Young Luke would jump at the challenge! Of course, a tight yard and inexperience would have him somewhat cross up. When the next train driver came in, he too would pull the button and
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Luke Phillips head back for a smoke. At least once all the drivers were there sitting on lawn chairs smoking and hollering advice as one by one Luke worked on parking all of their b-trains! While some would be upset or just give up on the racket, Luke just takes it all in stride. Having those guys watch him and critique his budding skills only helped to make him a better driver because he knows thatScanned the onlywith wayCamScanner to learn is through doing and listening. I’m sure that’s what had John move him straight up to pulling super-b in just a matter of weeks. One day after getting his truck put away Luke’s dad pulled up with the 40 wheeler. “Do you wanna come with me to move a hoe?” Tim asked. His son naturally jumped at the chance to check out something new so Tim slid over to the pass side and Luke pulled his first set of wheels. They were headed out west near Seba Beach to move a 365 and the truck was pretty light for the job. Tim’s way of teaching was and is still the best, rather than telling his kid what to do he would watch and ask questions at the appropriate time. Allowing him to learn and make mistakes but making sure he wouldn’t make any that were costly. It was raining pretty hard that day and there was a long hill up from the river valley to climb with a 90-degree corner at the bottom.
Do you hAvE somEthinG to sAy? EmAil John@PtmAG.cA
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“Well what do you think,” said Tim “can you go up on your own” Luke thought for a quick minute and said: “No I think we’ll get a tow.” That was the right decision with a little Pete with Super 40’s pulling that kind of weight. Apparently, Tim thought so too because he gave Luke the phone and when it rang he was now the ‘guy’. Of course, he could and still would call his dad to ask questions but for all intents and purposes at 18 he was responsible for moving all the gear. He told me the boss, John, only found out when they ran into each other on-site at the pit one day. “Here I thought I was talking to Tim the whole time!?!” said John “Oh well you’re doing a great job if I never noticed yet!” Luke stayed on working for John until he got the bug to go bigger. The next logical step in heavy haul would be to move rear steers and platforms. He had a connection in Kenny Lowe at Entrec and got hired on to be a push truck driver. For the those of you who don’t know, heavy haul is almost like an apprenticeship (it actually should be one) you start with learning how to put trailers together and running the push truck, then you graduate to driving the pull truck with a mentor and finally you drive the truck and run the show. Like at Whissell Luke relished the chances he got to just move the trailers and back them up in the yard. He also pays keen attention to what the old hands have to say. “If you want help when an old boy is telling you something
don’t just say ‘I know’ even if you do. Pay attention and you may learn something. I’ve learned more from salt and pepper shaker situations than almost anywhere” When Luke said this to me I had to ask, “Salt and pepper shaker situations?” “You know when truckers are sitting around the coffee shop or lunch room and they use the condiments to tell the story?” he said. I knew exactly what he meant and I also wonder how many other young guys pay attention to the knowledge available in these BS sessions. While most stories get a little better with time Luke is right if you listen in there’s most likely some info that will help you when you’re in a tough spot. That said I don’t know if there is much of anything that would have prepared you to deal with what happened to him while pushing one mod up highway 36. They were moving a mod (a large pre-fab piece for a plant or processing project) it was about 300,000lbs and 20 feet wide. Now being in the push truck Luke is completely blind to what is in front of the load, his eyes are the pilot trucks and the pull truck or trucks. Really to drive the push truck you have to put a lot of faith in the people and equipment out ahead of you. Imagine for a second that you are staring at the back of a 20-foot wide steel structure, pushing it up the road at 45-50 miles an hour when you spot the truck that is supposed to be pulling you. That truck is facing the opposite way, bobtail in the ditch! When the hitch failed and broke the
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air was trapped in the trailer leaving the brakes off. You are now trying to stop a 300-ton 200-foot long land barge with a rowboat anchor! Oh, and you can’t steer it… Thankfully no one was coming when the Mod steered its way into the opposing ditch. Luke had a birds-eye view as the many half-inch chains snapped and it tipped over off the platform. While he walked away unscathed one can only imagine the rodeo ride he went on! Again most people probably would’ve packed it in after something like that but Luke took it as a learning experience. The Mod was hauled off to be reconstructed and he continued on the path to becoming a pull truck driver albeit with a huge appreciation for making sure of the integrity of the hitch. It was only a few months later Luke got his shot to be a pull truck operator again hauling a Mod of about 300,000lbs up highway 36 and on up 881 to a site near Fort Mac. Of the half dozen or so men facing the test, Luke was the only one to make it on his own. After setting the mod in place on site his mentor Kenny Lowe let him know it was the same one he had followed into the ditch months before! After it was rebuilt it was dumb luck but he got the chance to make sure it arrived this time. After a period of time at Entrec, Luke was given a golden opportunity by his old boss John. He was given a blank check and a clean slate to build the heavy haul truck of his dreams. John had a job to do hauling old draglines and heavy equipment to be scrapped. Most of it was inoperable so it would have to be winched and dragged on and off the trailer.
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It was also heavy, heavy iron and in inhospitable places. So with the help of KW and Lennox Welding, Miss April was born. If you have driven highway 63 or 881 you’ve seen her, a bright orange tri-drive W900B. Luke loved that truck and working for John Whissell. John was content letting him go out and get it done and was never concerned about his age. Unfortunately, that work started to dry up and he was forced to make a change to keep busy so Luke went to IRT leaving Miss April behind. John knew they had a connection though so when the time came he was going to send her to auction he called Luke and asked if he would get her cleaned up and drive her to RB. It just so happened that he was coming down from Ft. Mac with a broken tri-drive for IRT right then… so a call was made to his boss. If you’re a truck nerd like me you know how some of them are like the one that got away well Luke was lucky enough to get this one back. While there Luke and Miss April hauled all kinds of interesting loads most of the time on 48 or 72 wheels from shovels, to haul trucks, and even a vintage locomotive. I mention the number of wheels often because it takes a lot of poise and patience to haul that kinda weight. It’s the kind of poise that we often believe only comes with age. As we were chatting Luke recounted a toboggan ride on Beacon Hill at 24 wide on 72 wheels with a push truck! Well as he tells it you just remain calm and talk the push trucker through it and maybe you come down the hill a little hotter than you wanted to. Most people would expect a 23-year-old to hit the panic button when that happens and that’s the problem. Age and time are not the only ingredients that equal a safe trucker. Luke equates his success to hard work and his best friend; his father Tim. They talk at least an hour a day and he’s always been able to call at any hour for a little timely advice. In fact, Tim is in Luke’s phone as “ the guy with the knowledge”. His dad has always given him the freedom to figure things out but was there to offer that wisdom when things were a little sideways. Luke says he’s grateful for the times where things have gone wrong because it’s an opportunity to learn. It’s something that’s uncommon in the industry now and that needs to change. You can learn how to drive a truck from a book but you don’t really learn to drive until you are out there. As we talked that was what became more and more apparent. Young guys like Luke are out there, they may even be reading this, and we need to help them. We need more people like John Whissell to take the chance on a young guy or like Kenny Lowe. More of us in the industry need to offer ourselves up to help advise those kids that don’t have a great dad like Tim. If you are a young guy you need to take the time to learn in the city and in the yards. Spend some serious time in reverse and in the coffee shops really listening to us “old” hands you might just learn something. For that matter we all need to spend more time listening to one and other, trucking doesn’t have to be solitary, it should be a brotherhood. Now for those of you wondering why there’s a Pete on the cover when I told the story of the lovely Miss April, I wasn’t
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Do you hAvE somEthinG to sAy? EmAil John@PtmAG.cA
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gonna leave you hanging. Actually, I should probably explain that Miss April got her name from being a calendar truck, yup you guessed the month of April! Luke had a great offer to go drive for Ascent Transport so he once again had to leave Miss April behind but I don’t think the void is quite as big this time. The truck you see on the cover is “White Trash Beautiful” or WTB for short. WTB is a 2014 389 with heavy specs and when I asked about engine specs I was simply told it pulls like a freight train. So if you get passed in a white and orange flash by a train-load of mats while pulling your tridem… it might just be Luke. Hit him up on Instagram @ lukedirtphillips and maybe he’ll give you the lowdown on the name. If nothing else you’ll see some great truck pics! While doing all his heavy hauling he met Jessica Liske and the two are engaged to be married. They live on 5 acres out in the Alberta beach area together. With the job at Ascent, she doesn’t have to lead him around in the pilot truck and she can come along sometimes. Sounds reminiscent of another couple some 20 odd years earlier, doesn’t it? Although I have never met Tim I would say Luke is a chip off the old block. Nothing he says is boastful, he’s humble to a fault and really wants to just get the message out there that this can be a great industry to work in. From hauling equipment into Rogers Place to unloading huge haul trucks up north, at 23 years old Luke has done a lot of interesting things in this industry. I echo his sentiment that we are fortunate to have mentors like Tim and John to bring these young guys along in the industry.
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.
The Ballet Well winter is upon us and with it come all the joys of trucking in western Canada. The roadsides will fill up with snowbanks and the highways will see an increase of travellers going to visit family and friends for evenings of cheer and beverages. But those visits always come with some danger and not just frivolity. Our jobs don’t get any easier either. Just stepping out of the cab can leave us in a heap beside our fuel tanks from slipping on ice. Then comes banging ice and snow off the back doors or tie down winches. All tasks that can be dangerous. Make sure you take the time to do the simple things. There are a few tricks that can help you negotiate parking lots and loading areas and once you know them, you’ll use them all the time. The best part about them is they are cheap, and some are even free, yes free. Something you don’t hear in trucking very often unless it involves getting a bad time from one of your buddies.
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Find an old piece of carpet and cut it into 3ft long strips and about 1ft wide. These free bits of scrap carpet can be thrown under your tires to get rolling if you are stuck on flat ground in a parking lot. There are few things as frustrating as being stuck on flat ground. Another trick to avoid getting stuck like that in the first place is to roll in slowly and let your tires cool down as you glide in. Then to cool them down more simply roll forward and backwards for a minute or two to allow the tires to really cool down. This prevents them from creating ice pockets in the snow. When you come back out from your lunch stop or wake up from a sleep, you won’t have any issue pulling away. Another trick, but comes with a cost, is a jug of kitty litter. Its dry and won’t freeze in your jockey box like sand can often do. The kitty litter acts like sand does when you spread it in front of your tires. Keep in mind these are only gimmicks to get you rolling, but they will do that. Because rolling is how we make our money. When you park if possible in the winter whether it’s for the evening or to chain up, always try to find a location that faces slightly downhill. Not an 8%grade, but like a 2% grade. It’s easier to use gravity to get you going, and gravity is also free. So take these as an early Christmas gift and enjoy the winter as best you can. Once you roll out onto the highway you’ll need to leave the parking issues behind because in front of you, the ice ballet will once again produce some of the most entertaining and often ridiculous displays of winter driving.
mILE AFTER mILE By Cyn Tobin Cyn has been driving trucks for 34 years. She has hauled loads all across North America and specializes in expedited perishable freight.
“If you see prices creeping higher for everything from cereal to socks in the next few months, you can probably blame this stark reality: There aren’t enough truck drivers delivering the goods to stores” How is it that there are not enough? Is there not enough drivers or not enough “cheap” freight movers? There is a difference... “A severe shortage of truckers is pushing up freight costs and, in turn, nudging up retail prices. And it’s occasionally leading to late deliveries that leave store shelves empty. Self-driving trucks eventually may provide some relief, but driver shortfalls are expected to only get worse over the next few years.” Its comments like this that I find misleading. They force the consumer into believing this is why prices keep increasing. Someone said to me just the other day, “Our hydro prices keep climbing because the truckers that bring it are wanting more” of course after I got over my few moments of stunned silence I was able to ask
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how we trucks move hydro? Well, the answer still has me confused about the mentality of some. That’s a story for another day. So once again... the retail, wholesale and well...every sector where goods are sold are seeing increases and that’s because of a driver shortage? I think not. There is, however, a shortage of QUALIFIED drivers who will work for mere pennies. I love hearing how the “shortage” is affecting the corporate marketplace. “The crunch also is affecting corporate profits and the stock market as higher transportation costs ding company earnings now being reported. It occasionally has forced manufacturers to shut down production if they don’t receive raw materials in time.” The driver shortage has been going on for years, with Baby Boomers retiring and few Millennials willing to endure hardships such as being away from home for weeks at a time on cross-country deliveries. But it has taken a bigger toll the past year as the economy has strengthened, increasing demand for items ranging from oil and housing supplies to clothing and consumer electronics. Fast-growing e-commerce shipments, particularly from Amazon, add to the congestion. And it’s likely to intensify in coming months as the holiday season draws closer, analysts say, with deliveries arriving as early as late spring. There’s a shortage of 51,000 truck drivers nationwide,
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the ATA says, up from 20,000 in 2013 and 36,500 in 2016. The ATA projects the driver gap will increase to nearly 100,000 by 2021. Meanwhile, the economy grew at more than a 3% annual pace during the last nine months of 2017, up from an average 2.2% since the Great Recession ended in 2009. The biggest impact is on freight costs. Trucking companies have increased rates 6% to 10% in the contracts they’ve signed with shippers over the past year to offset higher wages and take advantage of the strong demand and limited supplies, Cubitt Parker says rates have leaped at least 10%, and he expects a similar rise over the next year. In response to higher shipping costs, retailers raised shelf prices modestly early this year but pulled back after Walmart didn’t follow suit, says Scott Mushkin, an analyst with Wolfe Research. Walmart and Amazon, he says, have created a hypercompetitive environment that’s making it tough to boost retail prices. Yet he expects more retailers to pass higher freight costs to shoppers later this year. The increases are likely to be small, perhaps a few cents for a typical weekly grocery bill, says Joe Glauber, chief economist at the International Food Policy Research Institute. Shipping costs make up 3.6% of consumer food prices and 6% of overall retail prices, Glauber and Cubitt say. But retail prices are expected to increase further as the driver shortage intensifies.” Who buys into these fairy tales? All the desk jockey pencil pushed number crunchers in the world can’t account for what is clearly visible to anyone who has actually spent any time on our highways. Truck driving wages have actually increased over the years. Yes, they have. But... so has the cost of living. The latter so much so that it sees a truck driver now taking home less than they did a mere 5 years ago. How is this possible? The great North American industry failing to meet the demands? No... it has failed to maintain a safe and beneficial environment. So fix it! Yet it continues to crumble under a government generated falsehood of driver shortage. Fact is... trucking in all aspects is, in fact, the largest cash-generating sector of the workforce. On a monthly basis, millions if not billions of dollars are generated by way of taxes. Farfetched? Perhaps.... but with implemented electronic devices such as e-logs, the government now has a working nonstop Capitol to work with. Why would they not want the world to believe there’s a shortage? So how do they make even more from us? They can not..... unless they create a demand. Aka.... driver shortages. Stop bringing in cheap poorly trained skilled labour. Which in any unions eyes would amount to scab workers. Stop the mega companies from endorsing turnkey drivers. Regulate pay structures... A start? Perhaps. Clearly, things must change.
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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.
Winter Once again winter is upon us, and when I see photos of the snowy roads, it gets me wondering how these modern trucks with all their extra sensors will cope with the adverse weather. We all know how the snow gets packed into all the hard to reach places as you run along the road. So, can sensors like the collision avoidance system that applies the truck brakes when the gap between vehicles gets too small “see” through packed snow? What if the driver doesn’t want to use the brakes at all, can it be switched off? I know I use the brakes very sparingly in snowy conditions. And the lane departure warning system, how will the sensor know where the lane is when the road is completely white, with maybe two blackish ruts. We’ve had DEF fluid over here for quite a while now, we call it Ad Blue, rumour has it that it’s made from pigs’ urine, it certainly smells like it’s made from some kind of urine. As most drivers will know it’s to keep emissions to a minimum, one truck manufacturer, MAN, tried to avoid putting the
system in their trucks. But eventually, if they wanted to sell any trucks to companies that ran into the low emission zone in London, they had to conform like everybody else, now even some new diesel cars have an Ad Blue tank. It’s not supposed to freeze, in fact, I think the tank on the truck is supposed to be heated. But there were times when the warning light in my truck came on, and the only explanation I could see for it was the cold weather. The light usually went out of its own accord when the truck stopped, I think it was the heat from the engine defrosting parts that were in a cold air flow when the truck was moving. I was a company driver, and when a warning light comes on, I was not supposed to drive the truck without getting the ok from the maintenance squad or the office. But I’ve been caught out like that before. I’ve phoned in with a fault on the truck, waited for 90 minutes for a recovery-mechanic to arrive, and stood about as the guy went through a trial and error method of repairing the fault. As an old-school trucker, I usually made my own decision as to whether or not the truck would make it back to base in one piece. Now with these new trucks, you might not get the opportunity to nurse the truck back home. The trucks’ computer might decide you’re being irresponsible and shut down the power. In days gone by you could say the warning light had just come on before you got back to base, but now the maintenance guys can plug the truck into a diagnostic computer and that tells them when the fault started.
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It also tells them whether it’s worth their while walking to the storeroom for a new Suzie to swap for your old one when you’ve got an ABS braking fault on the trailer. I’m glad I retired when I did, although trucks are far more warm, comfortable and less tiring to drive, I don’t like the fact that the driver is at the mercy of a computer program. So, as well as mechanical breakdowns and punctures he’s just waiting for the next red flashing light on the dashboard to shut him down. It’s just another arrow for Murphy’s Law to add to his quiver, you know, all the times when you want things to go smoothly so you can get home for a birthday, anniversary etc. and the truck breaks down. *****
When the Unthinkable Happens
By Dale Howard Dale Howard has been a Truck Driver, Armoured Truck Driver, and Alberta CVSE. He returned to driving truck because as he says, “The call of the road was too strong and in 2007 I left CVE and crossed over to the dark side or came to the light depending on who you talk to.” He now drives, “The Great Pumpkin.” With the holiday season upon us, lots of people are travelling, road conditions are not the greatest. The days are shorter and people are not paying attention to driving, so the chances of an accident go up. You really have to plan for the unthinkable because “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Become familiar with your carrier’s policies in case of the unthinkable. Okay, its finally happened, the unthinkable, you have been involved in a serious accident. Call 911, you want police, fire/rescue and an ambulance. If you are hauling hazardous goods MAKE sure you communicate that when you make the call and let the first responders know when they arrive what you are hauling as well as any potential issues they may encounter. Get everybody rolling. Due to the size of your vehicle, there is a good chance you will use all the services and it is way easier to call somebody off than have a first responder arrive on the scene to find they need more resources. Do a quick check on yourself for injuries, shock often sets in and you may not realize you are injured. If you are not injured put on your high visibility jacket or vest and check on everybody else involved. Usually people will stop to help so delegate them to comfort injured and render whatever aid you can. Now is a good time to remember “you have the right to remain silent” exercise that right. Do not admit guilt or apologize to anyone about what just took place, only talk to PAGE 26
police, your carrier, and your insurance company. Take lots of pictures, most of us have smartphones and you can never take too many photos. You will want pictures of the license plates of all vehicles and potential witnesses. Video the area, screenshot the weather for the area you are in and if you have a digital thermometer record the road surface temperature. Also, take pictures of the road surface. When it comes time to litigate the accident, the more information you can gather at the time will help you immensely later. When things settle down and you have all the information you can gather, if it’s safe, go back to your truck and wait for the police to arrive. Now is the time to get your documentation in order, license, registration, bill of lading, log book, and any other pertinent documents you have. Now is also as good a time as ever to call your carrier and let them know what has happened and what you have done up to this point. You will be asked to provide a statement later so think about the events and start to get your thoughts in order. If you are involved in a fatality accident and there is a better than average chance due to physics of the accident, and you are covered by the FMCSA rules of random drug testing you may be required to go for a drug test. The next few days will be tough. Try to have a plan in place prior to an accident of somebody you can call and talk to. Now is a good time to get in touch with a peer counsellor or have somebody in mind you can talk to in the event of an accident. Peer counselling is a great service as they are usually made up of drivers that understand the industry. If your carrier has a counselling service available take advantage of it and don’t be afraid of talking to a professional. Drink lots of water and limit caffeine, pop etc. and no alcoholic beverages. They will not make you feel better physically or mentally about what just happened. Light exercise will help you sleep at night and just be aware you are going to be in for a few crappy days. The media is not your friend, under no circumstances speak to the media about what has happened. Stay safe and I hope you never have to put any of this to practice. Have a great and wonderful holiday season and see you next year. *****
Hiring...
Sally Mulligan of New Westminster BC decided to take one of the jobs that most Canadians are not willing to do. Sally applied for a job in a lemon grove and seemed to be far too qualified for the job. She has a liberal arts degree from the University of Victoria and had worked as a social worker and a school teacher. The foreman frowned and said, “I have to ask you, have you had any actual experience in picking lemons ??” “Well, as a matter of fact, I have,” she said. “I’ve been divorced three times, owned two Jeeps, voted twice for the NDP, and once for Justin Trudeau. She starts in the morning.
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COmmUNICATION By Greg Evasiuk Greg is a third generation trucker with over a million miles and 20 plus years in trucking. Getting back behind the wheel more lately I’ve been reminded of the importance of having good equipment. I’ve watched guys try to use the wrong equipment wasting time and money. Of course, there’s also always the guys with poorly maintained gear, I saw a couple of them at a recent visit to the Whitecourt scales. Then there’s the interior equipment, the gauges, shifter, switches and last but not least the seat. In all of the equipment on and in a truck this gets my vote as most important. This came to me as I lay flat on my back on my bedroom floor. Why was I laying on the bedroom floor? Anyone who has suffered back pain, spasms etc. already know the answer. Sitting was awful, standing was not good and moving from one to the other was excruciating! I got there because of a seat. I’ve known for a long time that if my posterior isn’t treated to the right amount of cushioning and support my hips and
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CANYON CABLE 1988 LTD. 930-6th Ave., Hope, BC 604-869-9036 Toll Free 1-800-588-8868 back will revolt! So as I lay nearly helpless, unable to do my job, I stumbled upon the most important piece of equipment in trucking. It’s not the seat, it’s our own bodies. There is no argument against this, without a healthy body, you cannot continue to do the job. That’s where I was, without a properly functioning body. So I started to think of what I could have done to prevent this breakdown. Obviously, I should’ve replaced that damn seat! Without that flat-bottomed rockin’ from side to side POS, I would be fine! That’s what I thought until I hobbled in to see a small old German lady for an adjustment of my back and muscles. Turns out while that seat would’ve helped, the maintenance I should’ve done was in me. I was thinking how could that be, I go to the gym… sporadically, I walk around the block… and not much more, heck I do better than plenty of guys my age. Well, it turns out it doesn’t matter what other guys my age do, it matters what I do (and don‘t). My “maintenance“ specialist informed me that I need to take breaks, that I need to stretch and I have a weak back. To me, this was the worst possible news. I know what you are thinking, how is this bad news? All of these things are pretty easy to fix. The reason this is bad news is I know better. Much like the maintenance on a truck if you look after your body it will last much longer and break down less. I know there’s eye-rolling going on right now, “Tell us something we don’t know..” and there is the other group “sure we’d love to do that but there’s no time” or “it’s too tough on the road”. Before you throw down this magazine or flip the page let me say this, those were my words. Yup, I have said all of these statements before. But I had a scare a few years back that forced me to change my habits. I had a small stroke. Now the details of that whole incident are enough to fill another 3 articles at a minimum so let me just say that I changed. I had to take a long look at how I slept, ate, exercised and stretched while out on the road. My maintenance habits were terrible and if I don’t want another catastrophic failure I have to look after me. It’s
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unfortunate that it took something that severe to show me and I want to help you avoid a similar or worse fate. Here’s the thing it’s not easy. If it was I wouldn’t have fallen off the wagon and landed with a messed up back. Do the hard work: • You have time, you just have to make it • Get out of the truck and move, there are exercises and stretches available for you to do on the road but you have to find them • Rest, when you can get the time to turn off the electronics lay down and close your eyes • Eat well, when I ran south I had a small deep freeze in my truck (Dometic or ARB make them) I froze meals from home so I wasn’t at the mercy of what I could find roadside Yes, it’s easier said than done but at the end of the day we all want to be able to go home and enjoy life and if you’re crippled up or worse yet don’t make it then what are you doing this for. We’ll all bust our asses to get to a shipper if they’ll load or unload us early. Same to get that load there in the morning for the customer or dispatcher. So let’s work that hard for ourselves, we only get this one body. I’ll have the resources and information to help you out. Let’s get this maintenance program going for 2019! Look after your most important piece of equipment!
Manitoulin Transport Strengthens Quebec Footprint with Express Havre St-Pierre Acquisition
Toronto, Ontario -- November 6, 2018 -- Manitoulin Transport has acquired Express Havre St-Pierre (EHSP) of Quebec, Canada. The acquisition builds out Manitoulin’s coverage in Central and Eastern Quebec, particularly in the province’s rural areas. Express Havre St-Pierre provides truckload (TL) and less-than-truckload (LTL), dangerous goods, temperature controlled, and white glove services, for a wide variety of industrial and commercial customers. Headquartered in Havre-St-Pierre, the company has terminals in Quebec City, Varennes, Baie-Comeau, Sept-Îles, and Chicoutimi in QC, and also in Labrador City, NL. “Express Havre St-Pierre has stood the test of time and built a solid name for itself as a well-run, customer-centric business,” said Jeff King, president, Manitoulin Transport. “Having served the Quebec marketplace for more than forty years, their knowledge of its communities, roads, and the unique needs of its industries, is second to none. This depth of experience, combined with their broad range of equipment and process-oriented operations have been key to EHSP providing consistent, quality service for many years.” “We look forward to combining our knowledge and
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experience with Manitoulin’s,” said Félix Bélanger, general manager, Express Havre St-Pierre. “We believe our customers will be delighted with their easy access to Manitoulin’s various transportation and logistics services and global reach.” “This acquisition demonstrates Manitoulin’s commitment to ensuring strong coverage in Quebec,” said Gord Smith, chief executive officer, Manitoulin Group of Companies. “Further, it is another example of our commitment to building out our coverage across Canada. Businesses in rural and remote communities need reliable transportation and logistics services just as much as those in cities. We are delighted that through the acquisition of EHSP, Manitoulin can provide enhanced coverage to our customers, with immediate effect.” EHSP will operate as a stand-alone entity with the current management team remaining in place. “Express Havre St-Pierre has been an important interline partner of Manitoulin Transport for many years,” said King. “We have experienced their commitment to service excellence first-hand and believe this to be an ideal fit for us, and for our customers.” About Manitoulin Transport Manitoulin Transport is a leading North American transportation and logistics solutions provider. As a singlesource carrier, it offers a wide array of transportation solutions, including; expedited less-than-truckload and
Out On The Road Just before Christmas and out on the road, A trucker was pushing to deliver his load. His tarps were all snug and his chains were all tight, His lights burned brightly as he pushed through the night. Then from above he heard such a clatter, He pulled to the shoulder to see what was the matter. The stars were all shining and the moon it did glow, The fields were all white from the new fallen snow.
NEW Extended Hours Mon-Fri 8 am- Midnight • Sat 8 am- 5pm truckload, trans-border, intermodal, private fleet, guaranteed service, heavy haul, temperature-controlled, dangerous goods and supply chain management. Manitoulin leverages its extensive network to service major urban and rural areas. In North America, its distribution coverage consists of 74 Canadian terminals and 200 U.S. service centres. All these solutions are assisted by its state-of-the-art technology that provides customers with 24 x 7 critical shipping information to manage and complete their supply chain processes. For more information visit www.manitoulintransport.com. Manitoulin Transport is a member of Manitoulin Group of Companies. Advertorial The toys were soon loaded, the drivers started each truck, Santa stood by the exit and wished them all luck. On Kenworth, on Volvo Gittyup Western Star, On Mack and Freightliner and you too Petercar. The trucks they all scattered in the cold winter night, Tires just a humming and lights burning bright. The toys got delivered to the good girls and boys, Some of the parents complained about the noise. Santa thanked all the drivers when they met up at first light, Wished them all MERRY CHRISTMAS and a very safe night.
A Chopper now landed by the side of the road, Blew snow all around and even whitened the road. Out stepped a pilot who looked like a hick, The driver knew right away that it must be Saint Nick. He said, “ I’ve got a problem, I’m stocked up with toys, But no way to deliver to good girls and boys,” The driver , he thought for a moment or two, Then nodded his head, said “I know what to do.” “There’s a truck stop I know just a mile down the road, Maybe the drivers can help with your load.” They met with the drivers who took a quick vote, All agreed that this load they could tote. DEc 2018 / JAn 2019
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
Do you hAvE somEthinG to sAy? EmAil John@PtmAG.cA
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