Catalyst Strategic Consultants

Peterbilt is the star!

Dennis and Laurie are a power couple. They’re in the middle of daughter Jane and son in law Dennis in the picture. Together they roll that Peterbilt behind them.
Dennis doesn’t have to toe the line of a dress code at the office. Wears his hair long. Smokes. Laurie is not formal either. Dennis characterizes her as a bush girl. “Raised in BC you know…” So they’re looking for a place in Slocan: lots of fresh water tumbling by, a lake view and – gold! Gold is what these two do when they’re not driving.
Which is most – almost all – the time. Dennis says he’s allowed 14 hours in a 16 hour day. Unless he’s up on the ice highways out of Yellowknife like he was last winter. There he says “it’s like the old days. “. No log books no limits. Out and back the 325 kms to the mine over frozen Lake McKay. “Not like the TV truckers”, he says. 25 kph. “Wore shorts most of the time.” Really!
Not the picture I would have had of life in the dead of winter far north. Six weeks of solid work driving more hours than on the roads south.
Back to the Peterbilt. They’ve put 3.2 m kms on that baby since buying it in 08 with 750k on the clock. Two captains chairs. Bed behind. Shifter with 13 gears and a toggle for high/low range. Another splitter for finer grain adjustments of power to wheels.
Loves to drive. Good thing. That’s how he stays awake on long runs. Most times Laurie is sidekick – but they usually split shift – sleep/ drive – for weeks at a time.
Dennis heard about some off highway log hauling trucks near Hope. “Way overload. Never touch hardtop. Oil coolers for the transmission. I’d just love to run them!”
19.7 million cars, light trucks and vans; and 755,000 heavy trucks (gross weight of at least 4.5 tonnes
The heavy truck fleet was responsible for an estimated 30 billion kilometres (5% less than in 2008 due to the recession
Statistics Canada’s 2010 Annual Trucking Survey18 show that the national fleet in 2010 included 121,000 road tractors, 61,000 other power units and 302,000 non-powered units such as trailers, vans and flat beds.
Long-distance trucking firms reported $26.7 billion in operating revenue, up 3.0%, [2010 figures]
Away 3 weeks at a run, these folks are part of the special breed that make our world – what we eat, consume and what our economy requires – go round. Thank god they do!

Sincerely,
Doug Bouey
Catalyst Strategic Consultants Ltd.