August 2009 Volume 29, Issue 8 Delivering daily news to Canada’s trucking industry at www.trucknews.com
Maintenance not just for equipment Winner ‘a good mediator who values human relationships’
A grisly scene awaited them. Lying on his right side on the bloodspattered sleeper bunk, his arms twisted awkwardly behind his back,
By Julia Kuzeljevich MILTON, Ont. – It took two official ceremonies to award this year’s Volvo Trucks Canada 2009 Fleet Maintenance Manager of the Year, but he finally collected on all his prizes. Don Coldwell, district service manager with Volvo Trucks Canada, announced the name of the recipient, Ben Vandespyker, maintenance manager for Active Transport at the 46th Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar (CFMS) on May 28. Vandespyker, a father of two, was called out of the country unexpectedly at the time, and his daughter Lisa accepted a plaque on his behalf. So Volvo Trucks Canada, and our WebTV show Transportation Matters, followed up with Vandespyker on June 18 as he was awarded with a commemorative ring at Active Transport’s Milton, Ont. facilities. This official presentation was followed by a luncheon. Presenting the ring, Coldwell noted that mentorship, which he
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– Photo by Jeff Mitchell
NO CLOSURE: Nicole, wife of murdered truck driver Donald Woods, struggles to come to terms with his senseless killing.
Case closed
Three years after an unthinkable crime rocked the trucking community, justice is served. But there’s no closure for victim’s wife.
By Jeff Mitchell WHITBY, Ont. – The truck sat unnoticed for two days on an access lane behind a Wal-Mart store. Shoppers and workers came and went,
paying no mind to the rig. It was a humid Friday in June when police in Pickering, acting on a report of an apparently abandoned vehicle, arrived to investigate.
This year’s Truck News/Chevron Charity Golf Event raised over $17,980 And fulfilled the wishes of two deserving children!
Inside This Issue... • Are your reefers ready?: A California reefer rule has been delayed – but it’s coming. What you need to know.
See pages 24-25
Page 20
• Yard mules: On-road editor Harry Rudolfs leaves the open road
See our ad page 42
behind for a couple days to test drive shunt trucks from each of the manufacturers. How did they measure up? Page 34
• Head-turners:
Check out the winners of this year’s PMTC/3M competition awarding the best in fleet graphics – undoubtedly the industry’s most colourful awards. Page 38
• Thou shunt not kill:
Mark Dalton gets more than he bargained for when he lands a shunting gig. Page 44
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