Transformers: Western Star shows off its real-life Optimus Prime, the Multi-Body Transformer.
Page 26
Road extension: Industry gets long-awaited extension to 61st Ave. S.E., improving access in area.
Page 17
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Western Canada’s Trucking Newspaper Since 1989
August 2016 Volume 27, Issue 8
Health/hiring: Healthy Worker outlines Top 3 health issues facing drivers, as well as best hiring practices.
truckwest.ca
RETAIL A DV E R T I SIN G PAGES 29 -4
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Responding to a spill B.C. government looks to create new land-based spill preparedness and response regime By Derek Clouthier
This 1967 Peterbilt 351 found its way from a California farm to Wild Rose Country and was on display at the Southern Alberta Truck Expo in Lethbridge, Alta. With less than 300 made, it could be the last remaining of its kind.
Last of its kind? Classic Peterbilt makes journey from California to Alberta
Reach us at our Western Canada news bureau
By Derek Clouthier
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Contact Derek Clouthier Derek@ Newcom.ca or call 403-969-1506
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LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Every truck has a story, but for some, there is more to their history than others. A 1967 Peterbilt 351 was on display in Lethbridge, Alta. for the second annual Southern Alberta Truck Expo June 17-18, and over the years, this rig has developed a story. Charles Nickol purchased the truck from California dairy farmer Art Van Beek. Van Beek, along with his family, is a well-known figure in The Golden State, owning El Monte Dairy in Tipton, Calif. The Van Beek family (Art, Doug, Bill, Rick and Raymond) was presented with the 52nd Farmer of the Year award in 2012 by the Kiwanis Club of Tulare. Nickol said the ’67 Peterbilt was originally a logging truck, with only 299 of its kind manufactured, and it was the only one to his knowledge left. He said Van Beek purchased the truck from another Californian, presumably from the individual who put the ‘Lopez’ name on the doors, which remain to this day, but Nickol said Van Beek never used the vehicle on his dairy farm. With a 355 horsepower Cummins engine measuring 855 cubic inches, Nickol said the truck is now mostly used as a farm truck to haul grain. “It’s a working truck,” he said. “It has one of the biggest engines you could get in (1967).” Nickol said the particular 351 model of Peterbilt was often referred to as a ‘needle nose,’ – a term he uttered reluctantly – as the size of the radiator was much narrower that most other models, giving it a ‘needle-like’ appearance.
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Due to increased horsepower in today’s trucks, most newer models must have larger radiators to allow for better airflow to cool the engine. The truck also features what Nickol called center-point steering, which he said was rare. The concept behind center-point steering is based on ‘Ackerman Angles,’ where there is a relationship between the front inside tire and front outside tire, with the inside turning tighter, as it makes up a much shorter distance on a corner or curve. Nickol said one of the issues with center-point steering is that unlike power steering, the wheels do not automatically return to a straight position, but rather remain turning even when the driver takes their hands off the steering wheel, which can pose a challenge to some. The truck also tests mechanics with a hood featuring a butterfly design, which Nickol said makes it difficult to get under to work on the engine. Despite its age, the truck does the job it’s intended to do, but it still takes some getting used to. “By the time you get this thing up to what you think is 80 mph, but is really 30,” he said, “you’re hanging on for dear life.” Saying he has never been a guy to trade things in, Nickol loves the vehicle’s originality and said he would never customize the truck. In an odd twist to the story behind the ’67 Peterbilt, after purchasing the truck from Van Beek, Nickol discovered that he lived right next to the California dairy farmer’s cousin, just outside Lethbridge. It is a small world indeed.
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VICTORIA, B.C. – In response to what it feels is a lack of adequate information being provided when a hazardous substance spill occurs, the British Columbia government is in the process of amending the province’s Environmental Management Act to ensure when a train, plane, boat or truck suffers a spill, proper response and recovery measures are being employed. The B.C. Trucking Association (BCTA) has voiced some concerns over the details of the amendment and what effects it would have on the trucking industry. “We have recommended no duplication of requirements, recognition of the voluntary measures trucking companies currently take and enhanced communication between federal and provincial agencies so they can exchange information directly rather than trucking companies potentially having to make multiple reports,” said BCTA CEO and president Louise Yako. “In other words, our emphasis has always been on identifying any gaps in current systems and finding ways to fill those gaps.” However, Yako said the provincial government has not yet provided the BCTA with the data it is using to influence its decision making process. On July 4, the BCTA submitted its third intensions paper to the Ministry of Environment (MoE) detailing its position and recommendations for the proposed new spill response regime. In that report, the BCTA states that when it comes to reporting a spill, the association agrees with the government that there should be some kind of standardized reporting requirements aligned with those of other regulators and industry best practices to avoid duplication, and that a single portal for all spill reporting would be ideal. The BCTA also recommends a preparedness and response organization (PRO) be established through a phased in approach to focus on communication, coordination and data management of a spill. The association, however, said the organization Continued on page 9
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