February 2011 Volume 22, Issue 2 Delivering daily news to Canada’s trucking industry at www.trucknews.com
New hire ‘rocks’ AMTA
Don Wilson leaves govt. gig to guide AMTA
extra taxes and the additional cash “would amount to doubling the dollar output, about another $500 a month,” he says. All of which means the organization is scrambling to find another empty warehouse – in vain, as of this writing. The society was originally scheduled to be out of the Port Coquitlam location by the end of October, but managed to get some extra wiggle room to allow it to find a new place.
By Jim Bray CALGARY, Alta. – You could say the Alberta Motor Transport Association’s new executive director really rocks. In fact, when he isn’t performing his work duties or volunteering around town, Don Wilson is performing on the bass guitar as part of Nitelife, which bills itself as “Calgary’s Premiere Party Band.” Music has always been close to Wilson’s heart, but so has the transportation industry. “I grew up on a farm, so at age 12, you’re driving a grain truck,” he says. “And then my uncle had a general trucking firm so I ended up hauling for him for a while.” Wilson spent some time in Red Deer pursuing his musical career but eventually decided to put his Class 1 license to use driving pick-up and delivery in Calgary and, later, the Calgary-to-Edmonton run. Later still, he went into the office as dispatcher for Bow Valley Transport and eventually became terminal manager. Wilson went into business for himself around 1977, buying a Peterbilt and hauling triples between Calgary and Edmonton before joining the
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Vedder Transport’s Fred Zweep On being the cleanest agricultural fleet in the world, the triangle of success and how the company plans to be not only a consumer – but also a supplier – of LNG
See pg. 24
Antique truck collection looking for a new home By Jim Bray PORT COQUITLAM, B.C. – If you’ve built it, there’s a historical society that just might want to come – especially if you make them an offer they can’t refuse. The group, the Teamsters Freight Museum & Archives Society, is hoping a white knight will ride to their rescue and provide a new home for their vintage displays of transportation memorabilia. The reason, according to curator Norm Lynch, is that the owners
of the Port Coquitlam warehouse the museum called home for several years decided they wanted the rent paid in cash only, instead of partially in cash and partially via a charitable tax receipt as had been the status quo. That change, and the additional burden of the Harmonized Sales Tax, means the society can no longer afford to keep its doors open. “That HST kills us,” says Lynch, who’s been involved in the museum since before it was a museum. The
Spec’ing dry vans
More than just a box on wheels.
Inside This Issue...
Mark Dalton O/O
• New addition:
Introducing Mark Lee, a fourth generation trucker from the UK who has travelled to Canada to pursue his dream of driving a classic-styled longnose. Page 16
• Taking to the track:
The North American Big Rig Racing Series is once again revving up for another season. Page 22
• To the Maxx:
Test driving International’s ProStar+ with the 13L MaxxForce engine in EPA2010 trim. Page 26
• Cool idea: We check out a snow removal system for trailer tops developed by an Ontario fleet.
See pg. 20
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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To view list of advertisers see pg. 29
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