Pro-Trucker Magazine September 2016

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SEPTEMBER 2016

ALBERTA BIG RIG WEEKEND SPECIAL EDITION “A Trucker’s Dream” Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProTruckerMagazine

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VOLUmE 18, IssUE 8 of 11 PUBLISHER/EDITOR John White john@ptmag.ca PRODUCTION/CIRCULATION Tori Proudley tori@ptmag.ca ADMIN/SPECIAL EVENTS 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 Prooudley • 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.

PUbLICAtIONs mAIL AGrEEmENt #40033055 rEtUrN UNDELIVErAbLE CANADIAN ADDrEssEs tO CIrCULAtION DEPt. 9693 129th street. sUrrEY, b.C. V3t 3G3 Email: tori@ptmag.ca

PrO-trUCKErmAGAZINE mAGAZINEe PrO-trUCKEr

Sixteen years ago, in our August 2001 issue - the first BC Big Rig Weekend issue – we wrote about Gord Cooper’s ‘68 Kenworth, the “Smokin’ Gun”. Originally an old broken framed tandem water truck, it was owned and rebuilt as a design project by his good friend Tristan Jackson from Strathmore AB. Tristan tore it down, rebuilt it from the ground up, doing all the custom design work himself. For his efforts, Tristan won the “Best John White Engineered” trophy with it at the World of Wheels competition in Calgary in 1997.

When Tristan put it up for sale Gord bought it with the intention of using it for his son, Glen’s, grade 12 grad limo. They spent many hours together detailing the truck and when they pulled up at grad the kids all surrounded it to get their pictures taken.

Gord hauled the Smokin’ Gun out to our first BC Big Rig Weekend on a trailer. I’m sure that he got a lot of attention on the way out as not only did he have the Smokin’ Gun, a truck like no other, but he hauled it with his beautiful 1957 Kenworth. Gord took the first Big Rig Weekend Best in Show trophy with his ’57 Kenworth which also earned him the honour of his name being the first one placed on the Dale Feechuck Memorial Trophy. (You can read more about the Dale Feechuck Memorial Trophy in this issue’s letters to the editor.)

Gord has been a big supporter of Big Rig Weekends right from the start. He was instrumental, along with Peter Vaudry of the AMTA and Tim Boychuk of Boychuk Transport, with bringing first Big Rig Weekend to Alberta.

What Gord did not realize at the time was how life changing the first BC Big Rig Weekend would be for him. After watching George Neilson in the Class of ’65 and Joe Maser in the Cornfield Corvette square off against each other in the main event he was hooked. In 2001 Gord ran his approximately 400hp Smokin’ Gun down the track in a respectable time of 18 sec. Since then, with many modifications and help from seasoned race truck drivers like George Neilson, Joe Maser and Wayne and Pop Talkington, and a double shot of Nitrous Oxide, the Smokin’ Gun is now pushing out about 3500hp.

All the hard work finally paid off for Gord when in August he lifted his front wheels off the track for the first 50 feet as he set a NHRDA World Record of 11.403 seconds in the NHRDA Hot Rod Semi Class with a top speed of 119.17 mph. Congratulations Gord! You really meant it when you said back in 2001 that you were going to, “Go big or go home.” And a word of caution too Gord, Wayne Talkington, (with Pops in the jump seat) isn’t going to let this go…

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LETTERS to the EDITOR

White e John agazin

ker M Truc Prote

John Whi r Magazine Pro-Trucke

Hi John!

My apologies for missing the Pro-Trucker BC Big Rig Weekend this year, with no excuse except a tight work budget & diesel race schedule. Wendy & I enjoyed our too short visit with everyone at the AB Big Rig Show, visiting with many friends that we see only once a year at these BC & AB Truck Family gatherings. Great to see all the younger truck enthusiasts proudly displaying their shiny iron, as well as the older stalwarts who keep these family gatherings popular!

Thanks for the positive PR that you have always provided in Pro-Trucker Magazine, referring to my diesel racing affliction, that you are possibly to blame for. My story at least, considering that you invited me down to BC Big Rig Weekend in 2001 at Mission Raceway.

Watching George Neilson & Joe Maser perform their dizzy diesel deeds on the quarter mile just might be the

inspiration behind Smokin’ Gun rallying from 18 second ET’s to mid-11 second ET’s. Not to mention the diesel fun across Canada that we have had for many years, with Davey B. & various crew along the way!

Thanks for keeping all your Big Rig Weekends about family, with a healthy family atmosphere at all your Shows.

Gord Cooper Editor’s note: Thank you for all your support through the years Gord. Concerning holding a family event some of our readers may not know that the Dale Feechuck Memorial Trophy, that you won at our first Big Rig Weekend, is in memory of the trucker who first approached Pro-Trucker with the idea of a trucker’s family weekend. Dale was concerned about all the bad press that truckers got in the papers especially when the trucker was automatically blamed for any accident involving a truck. His dream was for a family weekend where truckers and their families could socialize with each other and in doing so show the public that truckers are their neighbours, families and friends.

Unfortunately Dale passed away just before the first show but, at the insistence of Randy Peluso, we held the show in his honour. Dale’s enthusiasm and dedication to the industry was the inspiration behind the tag line, “A Trucker’s Dream.”

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John, I am a German immigrant and was a mason technician for over 26 years. I owned my own masonry company in Germany. If you are in that kind of trade, you work with heavy machinery like excavators, cranes, and drive trucks. The trade and responsibility that comes with it as you climb up the career ladder in Germany is totally different and much more involved than it is in Canada.

In 2009, I received a sponsorship provided by the

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Editor’s note: Thank you Jan, yes I remember you and the great job you did when producing the video of our show. I just watched the video you did on the show in Assen and it is amazing. The number of trucks, spectators and space needed to do all this is incredible.

Come back and visit us any time.

Canadian government to obtain my class 1 because, like many others in the construction industry, I had been laid off. My sponsor asked me to bring brochures from at least 3 different driving schools. Fearing to be getting ripped off by the driving schools (even with them telling me I already had great knowledge and skills) and then not be able to find a job – which meant I would have to go back to Germany, I gave them 3 brochures from well-known driving schools.

In the end I was asked which course I would like to take. Not knowing how much money the government was willing to spend I asked to take the most comprehensive course which cost $9800 and it was approved.

The full course consisted of 80 driving hours. All other courses, Defensive Driving, Load Securement, Air Brake course, Log book laws and rules, etc. had to be paid separately.

So I started to study all the theoretical stuff which was really difficult for me because my English skills didn’t exceed basic knowledge. I failed the theoretical knowledge course twice before I finally passed.

It wasn’t about the driving rules as I had been holding a driver’s license for 23 years in Germany and 3 years in Canada at that point. It was because I was not able to understand the questions and multiple-choice answers.

Now I would like to come to the point.

IC

Hello John, 5 years ago I was at your truck show in Chilliwack and made a film for the Dutch Mack Fan Club, maybe you remember, well today we have the truck show in Assen the Netherlands. I think it is fun to see the movie on you tube, there are 2,200 trucks and 55,000 guests to see this event. https://youtu.be/fzdxvN-NDb4 Greetings from Holland, Jan Land

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After I had completed 55 hours of driving, including mountain driving over snow and ice with a loaded 53 foot trailer, I did not get scheduled for more. I asked my driving instructor why? And he said:” You have consumed all your hours that the government has paid for. He also added the hours I had taken for the technical courses into my driving account - despite the fact that I paid extra for those.

During my 55 hours of driving I asked many questions like the restriction of axle weight in Canada, how to secure a load (pipes, coils, decks and steel plates) and so on, in accordance with the rules in Canada and at least in one of the near states in the U.S. No answers were provided.

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I did, for example, the Air Brake Course and the Practical Load Securement twice, at two different driving schools in order to compare the training. I struggled with the same problem. All the special questions I asked, for example about caging out a brake chamber, weight axle restrictions, permits for over height restrictions, proper use of engine brakes, weren’t answered. Chaining up using single and doubles training was not even provided. Even with enough unused driving hours, they were not teaching me those important skills and I don’t know why!

After I passed my final road test, the next battle began as I tried to find employment. Even with those comprehensive driving skills that I had gained, I

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was refused. If I hadn’t been persistent I would have returned to Germany. Finally I got a job and my co-workers generously taught me all the missing skills.

I started as a local driver and the circle got bigger and bigger. I worked my way up and drove through 3 winters and I have now been all over BC, Alberta, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

I don’t know how some driving schools can exist with their attitude toward students and the poor equipment some provide. I am still in contact with my driving instructor and it seems that nothing has changed with the driving schools. I fear that many accidents will happen in the future, if schools are not more concerned with teaching proper skills to help keep the “rookies” safe in this business. It all starts at the driving schools and it seems that there is still much for them to learn.

Sincerely yours, Name with-held by request.

Editor’s note: All the more reason for a structured apprenticeship with red seal certification upon completion. Currently the only responsibility the schools have is to make sure their students pass a very basic test. As I have said many times, there are some very good schools out there but without oversight the others keep pumping out unqualified drivers.

FROM

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DRIVERS SEAT

By Ben Proudley Ben has been a Class 1 driver for 17 years. He started out driving wreckers and currently heavy hauls for Hertz Equipment Rentals. Ben was our Rig of the Month in March of 2008

As the years have gone on it seems to get harder to write about trucking. Too often I, like many people, get caught up in the negativity of it all. Not just trucking but life and the world as a whole. We start to look at everything in a negative way. We find it easier to grab the negativity of a situation and run with it instead of being the positive voice.

I was talking with a good friend of mine, saying how I think I have lost the spark for trucking as well as writing. I told him how in the trucking industry the rates are down, freight volumes are down and overall moral among the drivers is down. It makes it hard to try and write a positive story. He laughed and asked if that was all that trucking is to me? I thought about it for a minute, and then realized what he was really saying. There is more to trucking than just trucking, much more to it.

Trucking has had a major impact on my life as well as many other drivers. It has made a lot of us who we are as a people. By the choices we have made, that advice we have received from older drivers and followed or in some

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cases wish we had followed. For me because of trucking I have met my beautiful wife and have become a writer and a photographer. I have had photos published in calendars and magazines.

I have met a lot of really good men and women because of trucking. I have had many a great driver pass though my yard at work and chatted with many on the radio on road trips. Still some of whom I have met at truck shows and trade shows. For me truck shows are all about having a chance to sit down and talk with fellow drivers about the trucking life, and family life. To hear the more experienced guys tell stories of the good old days and listen to them when they see an older truck and they share the memories it brings back for them.

I can admire some beautiful iron, new as well as old.

It also gives us a chance to put a face to the name and to the truck. For most guys and gals it is a great place to sit back and relax for a weekend. Sure if you win a trophy it is nice, but if not we as an industry have shown the public what real professionals are like. We have shown the public that we have true pride in what we do. We have also shown them we do not do it for the fame or the money, we do it for the love of the open road. We have provided them with a snapshot of our industry. A great picture has been painted. Great friendships are born, and thanks to social media we are able to stay in much better touch with each other.

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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 Many keep up the friendships long after the truck shows and often see each other on the road. For me some of these people have helped to shape me as a person.

Others have played a big part in my life and getting me to where I am today. We as truckers all share a skill that many people can only imagine having. This is a bond that unites us all as one. We help to supply the world with everything. We are skilled at what we do. Many cannot truly understand the skill we have and the sacrifices we all make to provide for not only our families but theirs as well.

Many of us give back to our communities by donating our skills and trucks for shows, parades and fund raisers. For me trucking is much more than just a job. It

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has helped to shape me as a man and a father. I sit here a big smile and lovingly asked, “Well Dear, what was it writing this in my living room, watching my twins being like being eight again”? kids, it has helped to remind me of what it means to have Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly fun and enjoy life. Do not sweat the small things. At changed. the end of the day, they mean so very little in the grand “I meant my dress size, you idiot!!!!” scheme of life. *****

To Be 8 Again!

DRIVING THROUGH MY MEMORIES

A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching his wife, who was looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off he asked what she’d like to have for her birthday.

“I’d like to be eight again”, she replied, still looking in the mirror.

On the morning of her Birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Coco Pops, and then took her to Adventure World theme park. What a day! He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Roller Coaster, everything there was. Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down. He then took her to a McDonald’s where he ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a chocolate shake.

Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favorite candy, M&M’s. What a fabulous adventure!

Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed exhausted. He leaned over his wife with

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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 Once again the CVSA is conducting a brake blitz during Brake Safety Week Sept. 11–17 and then a super blitz in October. Unfortunately it is publishing the dates so that anyone who is driving an unsafe vehicle or doesn’t want to get stopped in a random check will now know that from October 16 to 22 they’d best stay off the roads or avoid detection by taking a circuitous route to their destination ... sheeeesh!

It’s the annual Operation Safe Driver Enforcement Blitz and maybe the authorities want the culprits to just run away and hide. I really don’t know what they’re thinking!

To give them credit though there was a “surprise” brake

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blitz on May 4 in the US and Canada when 6,128 commercial vehicles were inspected with 12.4% placed OOS for brake violations. Now this could be a single brake out of adjustment or worn brake shoes on one or more axles or just a chaffing air hose. There were 13.9% for other violations which could be anything from a light out to a broken spring, loose steering joints or any number of other malfunctions. That’s still a pretty low number so drivers & carriers are taking the problem seriously. The September blitz focus will be to create and improve brake safety and awareness through education and enforcement, while the one in October will target every aspect of safe driving and will include all road and highway users, not just commercial vehicles.

The CVSA’s big roadside inspection program this year from June 7-9 concentrated on wheels and tires you might remember. Here are the results from that blitz. There were 57,404 inspections completed in 3 days. 5,203 tire violations were recorded, 2,222 of them for tread depth of less than 2/32 of an inch. There were an additional 246 citations issued for steering tires less than 4/32 of an inch, 743 for running a flat or a tire with an audible air leak, 641 for tire fabric exposed and 518 for tread or sidewall separation.

Texas had the highest rate of violations, likely at those locations closer to the Mexican border, California had the 2nd highest rate and New Mexico came 3rd. The same 3 days during the week prior to the big blitz there were

36,030 inspections and the following week 35,159, pretty much normal, bringing the total to 128,593 for those three weeks. That’s a lot of inspections and it behooves all of us to take road safety seriously … very seriously.

Before we go I want to touch on another topic of controversy and that is ELDs, electronic logging devices designed to capture real time hours of service. It has been noted that carriers & owner-operators with 20 or fewer trucks on the road make up less than 30% of registrations but account for over 60% of hours of service violations. The use of ELDs seems to favour large carriers since it is assumed that there is no way to cheat on an ELD so because larger carriers can afford and have largely adopted ELDs for their own benefit, their units often get waved thru inspections

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while the little guy is more carefully scrutinized. It has also been noted that “form and manner” violations which are the most frequent of all HoS infractions just disappear when using e-logs. It has infiltrated the thinking in the industry to the extent that some truckers have posted messages on the doors of their cabs that say “Powered by e-logs” in the hopes of receiving a “wave through” from the DoT officers on duty. It would appear that for the little guy installing ELDs would be a simple method of reducing the problem they have with compliance using paper logs, which as we mentioned is mostly a problem of form and manner which is how a driver interprets his/her ‘On Duty Not Driving’ activities correctly … a problem that is solved by electronic recording in real time.

Many small carriers and owner-ops however are still waiting to see if the OOIDA challenge to ELDs will win in court. Personally I think it’s a losing battle and that the advantages, in respect of drivers earning compensation for realistic activity, far outweigh any disadvantages of the protocol. The guys and gals that go up and down the highways really need to stop shooting themselves in the feet by balking at installing an ELD in the cab of their trucks. They are the best way to make the authorities pay attention to the little things that affect their wages. I’m talking detention times, all the little things one does that are related to the operation of the commercial vehicle but are rarely recorded. ELD’s record them.

It isn’t so much a case of privacy, since Big Brother is likely to know where you are at any given moment anyway via GPS tracking of your unit or your cell phone or computer and now even your wrist watch if you have one of those new-fangled timepieces and it ought to be reassuring that someone knows where you are far from home if something goes terribly wrong. And it is absolutely paramount that the category of commercial truck driver be elevated to a skilled trade … good grief! You read it right here in PTM. Enjoy and be safe … 10-4! *****

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The groom’s mother fainted. The groomsmen started to give each other looks, wondering how best to save the situation.

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DELIVERING THE GOODS, SAFELY

By Lane Kranenburg Lane is a former driver, fleet owner and former Executive Director of the AMTA What is the very most valuable and important transportation item!

Some Transport companies are not protecting and maintaining the very most valuable thing that creates the cash for their companies, and without it companies would simply not exist. The Professional Driver! When we had our fleet operating here in Alberta our drivers were treated as professionals and thanks to them we prospered and had a zero percent turnover rate. We paid them well, had benefit programs for them, and even started a pension program through the RRSP system. Uniforms were supplied and the drivers chose what they wanted the uniform to look and feel like. They were not drivers; they were profit center managers.

I asked once at an association meeting what is the most important thing that your trucking company has?

I received a variety of answers, like my accountant, my management team, my lawyer, and my cash flow and with-

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Please contact recruiting@monarchtransport.com or call Michelle or Ken at 1-800-661-9937

Monarch Transport (1975) Ltd. sEPtEmbEr 2016

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PrO-trUCKEr mAGAZINEe

out drivers none of the forgoing would exist. The driver is in face to face contact with your second most important item, your customer, and if your driver is not treated as a professional, how will he treat the customer.

My trucking company was put out of business by a rate cutter, and that mentality still exists within our industry, haul more for less. By the way, the rate cutter went out of business eighteen months into a five-year contract, leaving his drivers to fend for themselves. With our help, my drivers were all found employment with reputable companies within two weeks of our shutdown.

This industry is its own worst enemy, to get business one should have, trained drivers, service, clean equipment and offer a fair rate to move the product. I am finding however that the successful companies are starting to realize the importance of their most valuable asset, and treating them as such, lets hope that catches on!

A great boost to assist the trucking industry would be to have the Provincial and the Federal governments place the professional driver as a skilled occupation, not unskilled as they currently are listed. The skills that are required to become a professional driver are many, some of which are computer skills, dangerous goods knowledge, hours of service, regional and local regulations, and also the skill of putting up with traffic issues. This is a perfect occupation for consideration into an apprentice program. Efforts to date have failed but I refuse to give up hope for both. 

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Clean Well Maintained Equipment Medical Benefits • Dedicated/Assigned Tractors • Safety Bonus Drivers Earn 70,000 To 80,000 Per Year • Home Weekends Paid Per Mile + Paid Picks And Drops, Paid Wait Time (Ltl After 1 Hour, Full Load 2 Hours) Toll Transponders, Bridge Cards, Border Decal Etc.

Call 1-866-345-5501 or Email rcclark@bellnet.ca PAGE 16

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From the Patch

By Tamara Weston

Tamara and her husband Eric, were the Rig of the Month drivers in our October 2014 issue.

I just want to say that the out pouring of kindness and genuine heartfelt concern has been so over whelming from my pro trucker family. Thank you all for the love and well wishes. My surgery is booked for September and in my heart I know I will be ok, just the waiting that is a little difficult. I will keep you all posted.

But enough doom and gloom let’s talk toilets. As a female driver I can tell you without any doubt where to stop and other places where, under absolutely no circumstances, should you go anywhere near. I will not use any porta potty - nope - refuse! I will however stop at a Hwy rest are for instance but you sometimes have to steer clear of those bathrooms depending on where you are.

I run up and down between Fort Mac and Conklin and Edmonton. We have a few rest areas and while some of the bathrooms are newer there is just too much questionable traffic through them. I myself will pull up on an angle and tip the nose of my truck in, creating an arc

so that I cannot be seen from either direction creating my own personal squat area. Some of the gas stations along the way have gone out of their way to create clean beautiful bathrooms, like the Esso on 881 while others don’t regularly clean them. (Will not name names but a large fueling chain in grassland…) Now that I run up and down the highway I have more choices thankfully than when I was puddle jumping.

On one occasion I was training a new young guy in his twenties, he had driven for a few years but had never hauled fluids before. On our first day out we were being loaded by the floater truck as the lease was far too muddy for us to pull in to load without sinking out of sight. We were waiting for the floater to come back out with a second load to fill our tri-axle trailer and another truck pulled up to load. They were all standing around so I walked around the opposite side of my truck just to do a little mid trip check. When I came back around the new kid was standing with his back to me and as I came around I heard him ask “ but where does she go to the bathroom”. Boys sheesh! I told him wherever I want. He was so embarrassed I almost felt bad.....almost. He must not have had any sisters…

Perhaps as a group of professionals we should create a data base of bathrooms, to share with one another to avoid any disappointing movements or breaks.....Drive safe everyone. 

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Pro-Trucker Magazine Online!

Past Issues and Rig of the Month Archives Read the magazine right from your smart phone!

www.facebook.com/groups/7374383222/ and www.facebook.com/ProTruckerMagazine

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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.

The Wave There is a very good chance that if you haven’t participated in it, then you’ve more than likely seen, “the wave” at a sporting event or some other capacity crowd venue.

If you haven’t witnessed it, it is pretty interesting to watch as people throw their arms skyward consecutively around the arena creating a wave of arms like a wave on the water rolling along. I don’t know if there is a start point for where the wave originated. I’m going to suggest that it started at a sporting event, although I’m not entirely sure. It’s difficult not to join in though. When someone puts their hands up, you just instinctively follow.

The wave is very similar on the highway. Truckers have waved at one another since the first trucks were on the road. Back in the day it was done because there was a good chance you knew the driver heading in the other direction. Days might go by before you saw him again, or anyone for that matter, depending on where our big

western highways took you. Our highways don’t meander as much as they used to. As an example it was common for a trip from Vancouver to Cache Creek to take all day to go one way; it only takes four hours today. A trip to Deas Lake or Whitehorse could take weeks. Many of those miles were spent without meeting another soul, sometimes for days. So the wave, back then, as much as it is today, is a hello and goodbye all in one friendly motion. Drivers waved because that was the only form of communication. The CB had not yet made its debut and it was decades before the VHF radio would make its way into the cab of a truck. So you waved.

Of course the wave is personal to each driver. There’s the single forefinger wave for those drivers you don’t know yet still want to offer a wishing of wellness.

There’s the two finger wave with a little flick of the wrist. If you want to make some driver scratch his head, you wave vigorously like you’ve known them for years.

They will spend the next few minutes trying to figure out how they know you. Personally, I was just happy when they waved all their fingers and not just the middle one.

Of course, if some did that, they were probably in my nearest circle of friends. ***** If anyone is having a bad day remember that in 1976 Ronald Wayne sold his 10% stake in Apple for $800.

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TRAILER-SAFEGUARD™ will stop spike/handbrake abuse immediately, saving you thousands of dollars in trailer-brake repairs every year!

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Other companies may say they have such a product coming but where is it? The simplicity and definition of the TRAILER-SAFEGUARD™ patent secures our product now and in the future.

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Pro- Trucker Magazine's

Big Rig Weekend “A Trucker’s Dream”

14TH ANNUAL ALBERTA BIG RIG WEEKEND MAJOR SPONSORS

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Best In Show

Non-Commercial

Trophy Sponsored By: N.P.P. Northern Provincial Pipelines

James Welburn Cruzin Corp.

1988 Peterbilt 379

1st Place: Show Truck - Non Working Trophy Sponsored By: First Truck Centre sEPtEmbEr 2016

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John Welburn Cruzin Corp 2005 Peterbilt 379

2nd Place: Sleeper Unit - 2009 & Older Trophy Sponsored By: Cruzin’ Corp 2nd Place: Owner Operator - Best Interior Trophy Sponsored By: Alberta Motor Transport Association 1st Place: Stock Antique - Non Working Trophy Sponsored By: AL Hoffman 2nd Place: Non Working - Best Lights Trophy Sponsored By: Y-Lee Trucking Ltd.

Dean Cornish D.W. Cornish Trucking 1980 Kenworth W900A PAGE 26

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Best In Show

Owner Operator

Trophy Sponsored By: McLean & Shaw Insurance

Murray Pokolm Pokolm Trucking 1995 Kenworth W900

1st Place: Owner Operator - Truck Trailer Trophy Sponsored By: Continental Cartage Inc. 1st Place: O/O- Lights - Truck Trailer Trophy Sponsored By: Yellowhead Inn 1st Place: Owner Operator - Best Interior Trophy Sponsored By: Kal Tire september 2016

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Allan Hoffman R-Bee Crushing 2015 Kenworth W900L

1st Place: Company - Best Lights 1st Place: Company - Best Interior Trophies Sponsored By: Pro-Trucker Magazine Rob Urquhart 2008 Kenworth T-800

1st Place: Day Cab Trophy Sponsored By: TransX 1st Place: Owner Operator - Best Lights Trophy Sponsored By: Guy’s Freightways Ltd PAGE 28

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Best In Show Company Truck

Trophy Sponsored By: Randa Transport

Axel Nossack Nossack Transport Ltd. 1993 Peterbilt 379 1st Place: Company Truck - Bob Tail Trophy Sponsored By: Key Towing and Storage

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2nd Place: Company Truck - Bob Tail Trophy Sponsored By: Daimler Trucks Canada Ltd. 2nd Place: Company - Best Interior Trophy Sponsored By: Clifford R. Smith Trucking Co Ltd.

Brent MacLennan Hughson Trucking Inc. 2016 Western Star 4900SF 2nd Place: Owner Operator - Truck Trailer Trophy Sponsored By: Advanced Engineered Products Ltd. 2nd Place: Owner Operator - Best Paint Trophy Sponsored By: TransX

Lane Wilson Addlee Ventures 2014 Kenworth W900L PAGE 30

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Peoples Choice Trophy Sponsored By: Trailer Wizards Calgary

Ryan Hastie Hastie Hauling 2015 Peterbilt 389

1st Place: Owner Operator - Best Paint Trophy Sponsored By: Freightliner of Red Deer

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2nd Place: Specialty Truck Trophy Sponsored By: Pro-Trucker Magazine 2nd Place: Company - Best Lights Trophy Sponsored By: Rosenau Transport Ltd.

Craig LeBeau LeBeau Bros. Logging 2014 Kenworth T800

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John Prankie Spectra Trucking 1981 Peterbilt COE 352H

Gerald Prankie Spectra Trucking Ltd. 1995 Peterbilt COE 362

1st Place: Cab Over Trophy Sponsored By: Feather River Transport

2nd Place: Cab Over Trophy Sponsored By: Y-Lee Trucking Ltd.

West Cole Omega Towing 2014 Freightliner Flat Deck

Corey Barnes 359 Trucking Ltd. 1981 Peterbilt 359

2nd Place: Tow Truck Trophy Sponsored By: Wajax Power Systems

1st Place: Sleeper Unit - 2009 & Older Trophy Sponsored By: Nortrux Inc.

Cody Pesklewis Denel Trucking 2016 Peterbilt 367

Kevin Lennie Lennie Trucking 1989 Mack R600

2nd Place: Company - Best Paint Trophy Sponsored By: Rosenau Transport

2nd Place: Day Cab Trophy Sponsored By: Pro-Trucker Magazine

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Best Fleet

Trophy Sponsored By: Kirk’s Tirecraft Guys Freightways Ltd. Brian Johanson 2012 Peterbilt 389 Kelly Nichols 2016 Peterbilt 389 Andrew Moffat 2010 Peterbilt 389 Murray Ediger 2012 Peterbilt 389 Nick Stanley 2012 Peterbilt 389 Russ Mappin 2004 Peterbilt 379 Les Anweiler 2007 Peterbilt 379

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Jim Sielski 1985 Peterbilt 359

Werner Moellenbeck Moellenbeck Transport 1985 Mack Superliner

2nd Place: O/O - Lights - Truck Trailer Trophy Sponsored By: Skiddd Wheel Indicator

1st Place: Non Working - Best Lights Trophy Sponsored By: Boychuk Ventures

Joe Heric 1962 Mack B75

Jared Harder Sundre Contracting 1976 Mack R

2nd Place: Show Truck - Non Working Trophy Sponsored By: R.J. Sheridan Transport

1st Place: Specialty Truck Trophy Sponsored By: M. Pidherney Trucking

Steven Kissinger Trio Towing 2009 Peterbilt 388

Todd Woitas R/T Woitas Trucking 2009 Peterbilt 389

1st Place: Tow Truck Trophy Sponsored By: Dawn Gordon Tractor Service

2nd Place: Owner Operator - Best Lights Trophy Sponsored By: Curtis Farms Lenore, Manitoba

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Tyler Spargo T.G. Spargo Trucking 1959 Mack B42

Darrell & Corey Wiersma D&B Wiersma Trucking 2012 Freightliner 122SD

2nd Place: Stock Antique - Non Working Trophy Sponsored By: Clifford R. Smith Trucking

1st Place: Sleeper Unit - 2010 - New Trophy Sponsored By: Westcan Bulk

Ed Wurz E&P Wurz Trucking Ltd. 2016 Peterbilt 389

Brian Johanson Guys Freightways Ltd. 2012 Peterbilt 389

2nd Place: Sleeper Unit - 2010 - New Trophy Sponsored By: K & P Drever Transport

2nd Place: Company - Truck Trailer Trophy Sponsored By: Great West Kenworth

Kelly Nichols Guys Freightways Ltd. 2016 Peterbilt 389

Andrew Moffat Guys Freightways Ltd. 2010 Peterbilt 389

1st Place: Company - Best Paint Trophy Sponsored By: Cliff’s Towing

1st Place: Company - Truck Trailer Trophy Sponsored By: Metalstrip & Coating

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THANK YOU OUR MAJOR SPONSORS:

Howes Lubricator • Glen West Express • Hertz Equipment Rentals Clover Towing • Britco • Fountain Tire • LeBeau Bros Logging

SHOW AND SHINE JUDGES: Jonas Cameron Dave Marson Debbie Stenhouse

SATURDAY NIGHT LIGHTS JUDGES: Dave Marson Shaun Legaarden Cory Rathburn

Debbie Stenhouse Heather Fraser Andrew Wesa

PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Ben Proudley Nathan Dueck David & Donna Benjatschek WOWTRUCKS.COM

OUR VOLUNTEERS: Shane White Ken Clarke Cindy Whyte Andrew Wesa Doug Lupino

Heather Fraser Jen & Nathan Dueck Cory Rathburn David & Donna Benjatschek Mike, Andrea, Brook & Brittney Tesletski

... and finally, thank YOU! Congratulations to all of you who come out year after year and have a great time!

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Hiring Qualified O/Ops & Drivers

TYRES ACROSS THE POND

Drivers 70-80 CENTS PER MILE!

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.

Events and Shows As all you Pro-Trucker Magazine readers will know, it’s Big Rig show time in your neck of the woods. Alberta and B.C. will be awash with shiny trucks for the next couple of months. But what some highway drivers might not realise is, some shows and events, not Pro-Trucker shows obviously, can disrupt the day to day working of multi-drop drivers. A few years ago when I worked for an Irish company called, Express Cargo Forwarding, there were three words guaranteed to strike fear in the heart of most multi-drop drivers, certainly mine. The Edinburgh Festival. When the Festival was on the normally narrow and congested back streets of old Edinburgh became even more congested. Street artists wearing clown outfits, jugglers and uni-cycle riders all competed for space with people thrusting leaflets in the faces of the passing public to entice them to their particular venue.

The comings and goings of all sorts of weird and wonderful people with painted faces was not good news for drivers though. Small venues, some only holding a few

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Call Al 604-882-7623 people popped up all over the place, there were also bigger shows in marquees that were covered by BBC radio. This of course meant an increase in deliveries as the artists brought their “stuff” with them, Edinburgh wasn’t my regular patch so it usually didn’t affect me. We had a regular Edinburgh man, Auld Geordie, and he took it all in his stride as only an experienced driver who knows every inch of his area can, but sometimes I was pressed into service when things were really busy.

With Express Cargo Forwarding I was more of a spare driver, some day’s class 1 bulk work, other day’s multidrop, sometimes with a 7.5 ton box van. Normally I liked the variety, Edinburgh though, was a city I hated, even on a non-festival day you had to have eyes in the back of your head looking out for the traffic wardens. Parking in the Capitol was, and still is, a nightmare, the edge of the roads and pavements, or kerbs as you call them, are painted with all sorts of colours, yellow, blue, red. No parking, parking only out-with peak hours, no loading or unloading, and all these regulations are rigorously enforced by a private company on behalf of the council.

Drivers have various names for these enforcers, most of which are not suitable for a family magazine. In most other cities traffic wardens walk their beat, so if you see your delivery point a quick scan up and down the street will tell you you’ve got a minute or so to check where to load or unload. Not in Edinburgh, the wardens there hare about on Lambretta type scooters, walk away from your truck and by the time you return a couple of minutes or so later the ticket is already on the windscreen and they’re halfway down the road to their next victim, as I’ve found to my cost.

If you’re lucky enough to catch them in the course of writing the ticket and try to explain you’re making a delivery, they might helpfully point to the loading/unloading area across the street you should’ve been in. Of course these truck bays are nearly always full of private cars with one Mini sized space left. Not to mention a hundred yards away from where you want to handbomb twenty or thirty parcels into.

But such is the life of a truck driver, at least Edinburgh doesn’t close any roads off as London and Glasgow did when the Olympics and the commonwealth games were on.

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Rare Blood Type An Arab Sheik was admitted to hospital for heart surgery, but prior to the surgery, the doctors needed to have some of his blood type stored in case the need arose. As the gentleman had an extremely rare type of blood that couldn’t be found locally, the call went out around the world. Finally a Scotsman was located who had the same rare blood type. After some coaxing, the Scot donated his blood for the Arab. After the surgery the Arab sent the Scotsman a new BMW, a diamond necklace for his wife, and $100,000 US dollars in appreciation for the blood NEW Extended Hours Mon-Fri 8 am- Midnight • Sat 8 am- 5pm donation.

A few months later, the Arab had to undergo a corrective surgery procedure. Once again, his doctor telephoned EFLECTIONS HRU Y INDSHIELD the Scotsman who this time was more than happy to donate his blood. After the second surgery, the Arab sent

By Dave Madill the Scotsman a thank-you card and a box of Quality Street Dave was Pro-Trucker chocolates. The Scotsman was shocked that the Arab did Magazine’s Rig of the Month not reciprocate his kind gesture as he had anticipated. in June of 2001 He phoned the Arab and asked him: “I thought you would be more generous than that - last time you sent me a BMW, diamonds and money, but this time you only sent Police I don’t usually do this but instead of getting a story this me a lousy thank-you card and a crappy box of chocolates .” time you get an opinion.

To this the Arab replied: “Aye laddie, but I now have I would have to be blind if I could not see what is happenScottish blood in me veins”. ing in the U.S.A. and to a lesser extent also here in Canada This joke approved by Colin Black

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and I began to wonder about it. Over my 30+ years on the highway I have been pulled over many times by police almost anywhere you can name and while I have had my problems with them I have always been treated with respect even when I deserved to have my butt kicked. Now I know I am not coloured but I have been with those that were when things went down and I never noticed them being treated any different than I was. Have I been thrown to the ground ---- Yep ---- have I been handcuffed – Yep. I was forcibly taken down by police with their guns drawn while they were looking for an active shooter who looked a lot like me and was also driving a blue Freightliner. They were in fear for their lives and while they had their guns drawn and pointed in my direction I was never in fear for my life as I did what I was ordered to do. After everything was over they apologized to me and thanked me for my cooperation. (By the way I do have a Concealed Carry Permit and was carrying at the time.)

Twice I was with a group of truckers, (mixed races), who were all taken into custody and I was never treated any different than any of the others and we all ended up in the same jail cell until seeing “The Judge” in the morning and I was the one that got the biggest fine because I was Canadian. I can also remember back to when I sent a letter to a State Police Department telling them how pleased I was to be treated as a professional by one of their officers and receiving a reply thanking me.

If you can’t do tomorrow what you can today, would you be interested in continuing to receive a pay cheque?

(604) 845-8837 | camran.bostanabad@dfsin.ca

Why is it that so many are being shot, injured or disrespected ? I maintain that it is because they themselves disrespect the Police who are only trying to do their job and thereby forcing the Police to escalate their response.

Are there “Bad” Police Officers ---- Yep – just as there are “bad” truckers or “bad” writers but the “bad” ones usually get weeded out pretty quick by their peers or by the public.

If you are stopped by police, do not run away or try to attack them. Do what you are asked to do, talk to them respectfully and 99.9999% of the time you will have no problems and even if you do get a ticket it will likely be reduced by the man on the scene. Run away or attack and you can expect to be chased, taken down with force, maced or possibly even shot.

It’s your choice but I know which way I prefer.

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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.

CLUTCHES TRANSMISSIONS • DIFFERENTIALS DRIVETRAIN REPAIR & REBUILDING

Drive Line Blues I don’t think there is anything more aggravating than to have a drive line start vibrating, not one of those loud clunk-clunk vibrations. Those you know you’re going to have to stop and fix or you’ll have drive line all over the highway, tangled up with the Maxi-pots and air lines that it takes with it when it leaves.

I’m talking about those elusive little vibrations that keep coming and disappearing as you change speed and no matter how long you spend under the truck, looking and shaking the drive shaft, you can’t find it.

This happened to me after I had been driving ‘Spike’, the 1993 Mack, for about a year and after I had taken it in to the dealer to get a leaky air bag changed on the air suspension.

I was hauling fish out of Prince Rupert that year and, after having been in the shop most of the day, I was dispatched to switch with a load out of Rupert early the next morning.

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I got my switch about 2 AM and was on my way, everything was running like a fine tuned Swiss watch, when I momentarily noticed a small vibration, but then it went away. Now I’m not a perpetual worrier, but I believe when you hear a strange noise in your truck it’s trying to tell you something, much like when you stand on some ones foot and they howl.

Now as some of you may know, when you’re trucking Highway 97 south out of Prince George there are not too many places where you’re either on the throttle or backing off so it wasn’t until I got on the freeway, with its long flats, that I discovered I was only getting the vibrations while driving in the sweet spot.

For the people that don’t know what I mean by the sweet spot, it is when you’re driving along at about 100 kph or so, on a nice level, straight stretch of highway, where the engine isn’t working, even a little. Nor is the engine holding back. It’s just purring along at a miserly 1300 rpm with the pyrometer kind of bunching around at the bottom of the gauge You may not call it that but all drivers know where it is. The problem was that the sweet spot on ‘Spike’ at this time, wasn’t so sweet. Every time I hit it, I got this annoying vibration and it was driving me crazy. I had to either be on the throttle or backing off to get rid of it. I would go like crazy with my boot in it and then back off; you know the routine - just like your average

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4 wheeler.

When I got into the fish plant and unloaded, I thought I might climb under the truck and check the drive line. I soon changed my mind when I realized that the water and moisture had come out of the trailer and the fish totes that would have given me an aroma that would make me an outcast until I had a shower and got changed.

They didn’t have a back haul for me on this trip so I was running empty, which compounded the problem because I was continually running in the sweet spot.

Then for some reason I can’t explain, maybe it was ‘Sparky’ talking to my sub-conscious, I reached down and flipped the switch dumping the air out of my suspension and miraculously the vibration went away, that is until the air drained completely out of the suspension.

I played around with this until I reached Hope where I stopped, got out my little 7/16th inch wrench and lowered the ride level. After that I stopped a few more times to fine tune it, but I continued to carry that little wrench in my back pocket, along with my comb just in case. Unlike like our editor John, I actually needed one (a comb) in those days.

When I got back to the dealership, I asked the mechanic what he had done to my truck. He told me that after he had changed the air bag he checked the ride level with the factory gauge and it was low, so he

18 Wheels of Christmas...

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If you would like a food collection box we will drop as many as you request and then collect them when they are full. Just give us a call at 1(800)640-9602 or email 18wheels.xmas@rosenau.ca changed it. I immediately made my own gauge and put it in their tool crib. Then I told the shop foreman, that if any one worked on my suspension; they were to use the one I made. Unless they wanted to drive me completely mad! *****

Experience

A ship engine failed, no one could fix it. Then they brought in a man with 40 yrs. on the job. He inspected the engine carefully from top to bottom. After looking things over, the guy reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. The engine was fixed! 7 Days later the owners got his bill for 10k.

“What?!” the owners said “You hardly did anything.

Send us an itemized bill.”

The man sent him an itemized bill that simply said: Tapping with a hammer. $2 Knowing where to tap? $9,998.

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Different Breed What is it in a driver that makes us choose this life, Could we be a different breed, that seems to feed on strife.

We were herders with the Romans when they went to foreign lands, Drovers with Marco Polo as he crossed the Gobi’s sands.

We were, I know, the daring ones that trekked across the plains, We also were the busy ones that built rails for all the trains.

Someday we’ll push freighters some place among the stars, Picking up a load somewhere and dropping it on Mars.

We have traveled every road and path, sailed all the seven seas, We are the ones that never stop; we are a different breed.

LARGEST RADIATOR & CHARGER AIR COOLER INVENTORY IN CANADA

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

RADIATORS CHARGE AIR COOLERS AIR CONDITIONING PARTS AIR CONDITIONING TOOLS GRILLS & HEADLIGHTS HEATERS & FANS A/C Hose Assembly Cascadia OE# A2259792004, A2260361001, EGR COOLERS A2257592000, A2259999003 $95 TURBOS Volvo OE# 82755363 $295

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Unstoppable. Times two.

PrO-trUCKEr mAGAZINEe

Meet your engine’s best friends. All year long, Howes Meaner Power Kleaner brings you BIG power by giving you superior cleaning and lubrication. Meanwhile, Howes Diesel Treat puts an end to gelling while boosting performance. Using either product on its own is one very smart move. Using both together? Now there’s really no stopping you!

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Rest In Peace Daryll Ward • 1952-2016 Darrell Ward came to fame with his role on the extremely popular History Channel’s reality show, Ice Road Truckers. Darrell just finished filming Season 8 for the show however, his most important role has always been father, and now, grandfather.

Trucking has always been a large part of Darrell’s life; from running the harvest rigs with his grandparents and family, to driving trucks from Montana to Alaska and all roads in between.

In his free time, Darrell enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, dirt bike riding and all things outdoors. A self-proclaimed “adrenaline junkie”, Darrell was up for any adventure.

(His motto, “Any road, any load” fits his personality perfectly.)

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Call Now: 1 (877) 452-9414 x.8706 Email: recruiting@continentalcartage.com Visit: www.continentalcartage.com OWNER OPERATORS

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