August 2010 Volume 21, Issue 8 Delivering daily news to Canada’s trucking industry at www.trucknews.com
It’s back! Alberta’s best compete in Truck Roadeo
By Jim Bray RED DEER, Alta. – Alberta’s best drivers came together at Westerner Park in Red Deer on June 19 to go cab to cab with their peers at the annual Alberta Provincial Truck Driving Championships, better known as the Truck Roadeo. Held under the auspices of the Alberta Motor Transport Association, when all the twists and turns – and “back-up plans” were done, Canada Safeway’s Paul Mills came away with the Grand Champion award, an honour with which he’s become quite familiar. “This is my eighth provincial championship,” he said afterward, “and three times I’ve won Grand Champion.” Mills, who’s in his 36th year driving for Safeway, has also won a national championship and participated in a team championship as well. Mills’ normal route these days is pulling turnpikes between Calgary and Edmonton. “I did Cranbrook for 13 years,” he said, “but then I got on this run and it was days rather than nights so I grabbed it.” He’s been doing this particular gig for about four years. As you might figure from his track
show season: Mark Brandt Trucking of Winnipeg, Man. had this Pete polished up for display at the Alberta Big Rig Weekend show’n’shine in Red Deer. Photo by Denise Pederson
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Alberta Big Rig Weekend draws’em in By Jim Bray RED DEER, Alta. – They came from across the prairies, big rigs festooned with the latest and greatest add-ons, accessories, gewgaws, and gadgets. They came to show off, to hang out, and to catch up. The Alberta Big Rig weekend, held this year in conjunction with the AMTA’s Alberta Provincial Truck Driv-
Good-bye T2, hello T700 We take Kenworth’s newest truck for a spin
ing Championships, staked out a location at Red Deer’s Westerner Park, a new venue for the event. But the concept – and the camaraderie – has been around for a while. “We don’t try to make it too formal,” says event organizer John White. “The weekend itself is a truckers’ family weekend. You’ll see trucks pull up and there’ll be someone sitting in the
jump seat and a couple of faces peeking out from the sleeper and they’ll stay all weekend.” White says the original concept, as proposed to him by a trucker, was for just such a family weekend, “and it’s worked out really well.” The Alberta event, which ran June 19-20, included such kid-friendly attractions as a
Inside This Issue...
Mark Dalton O/O
• Fresh look at leasing:
Expensive emissions requirements and an uncertain economy have some fleets taking a fresh look at full-service leasing. Page 12
• Outside the box:
A retired truck driver in Whitehorse has invented what he says is a safer truck cab design. But will it ever catch on? Page 18
• Colourful contest: The PMTC recently recognized some of Canada’s best fleet graphics.
• The new west:
See pgs. 10-11
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A landmark trade agreement between western provinces met with mixed reaction. Page 21
Reach us at our Western Canada news bureau E-mail Jim Bray at jim@transportationmedia.ca or call 403-453-5558
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