So I’m running Fort Nelson BC to Whitehorse Yukon, hauling groceries every day. I see some very beautiful scenery, climbing Steamboat, driving through Muncho Lake, etc. Gorgeous even on the worst days.
This is hard to see, but down in the shade is a grader cleaning the edges on Summit. There are usually sheep on this cliff, and it’s a stiff sharp hill, with a guardrail that has saved trucks from sliding off.
This post is for the hard working folk who take care of the roads so I can get you your food. I can’t do my job if you aren’t out there. You can’t eat if I don’t get out there. We work together to create a safe country where everyone has food, shelter, an education, meaningful employment and a worthy lifestyle. Thanks to the the guys who care enough to actually show up and do their job. It’s easy to do on a beautiful day like this. Not so easy when the road has 12″ of snow, and tractors are running off the road by the handful.
Our job is a whole lot easier when you four wheelers slow down, move over and let us pass in a SAFE PLACE. Please look ahead, and think is this a place I would just love to run off the road? If it’s not, then please maintain speed, do NOT STOP or pull over in a corner or on a hillside. If a truck is lining up to pass, they will be the judge of when it’s safe. Let them make that decision.
This moment (see picture) was a time for me to stop, as the road was blocked by someone doing their job.
I didn’t mind the wait. Please don’t criticize these hardworking drivers, they are making it safer for you.
After 10 years in the commercial livestock industry 6 months ago I decided I was done. Done with the late nights, snow storms I had to power through, last minute dispatch, missing holidays and bailing last minute on plans. I wanted a life. With my management experience finding a new career shouldn’t be that hard, right?
You’re just a truck driver…
I started to hear this a lot, I started to really believe it. A dispatch job came up with an established but rapidly growing company. They just werent ready for me yet. Wait til the new year. I wasn’t shy about my intentions and my coworkers knew it had nothing to do with the company or the industry, I was just tired. I was at the apex of my career. My company had spent 4 years building me a near show quality kenworth that always turned heads and it was no secret how much I loved that truck. I’m sure “Kenny” was the envy of many and I smiled every Monday when I pulled the shop door open. Hell I even talked to him like he was listening! I carried on doing my job like always and waited for the new year.
And then December 17, 2018 happened and it all changed. can’t even say the date without tearing up.
You’re just a truck driver…
December 17,2018 at 10:55 am a 78 year old woman failed to look and pulled out 300’ in front of my loaded cattle liner on a 100km/h stretch of busy highway. As I dove into the oncoming lane, full on the brakes, she noticed me and dove into the oncoming lane with me. I tagged her, caught the snow in the ditch, started down a 12’ embankment hitting a major cross road hydro pole just behind my head. The pole ripped the bunk of my truck in 1/2 and stopped me almost instantly and the truck laid over. I grabbed my dog, who was amazingly unharmed, and climbed out the roof of my truck and walked sockfeet in the snow to the front of my truck. Is she ok?? She was walking down the road in a daze. Ok whew!!
4 of my coworkers that I had been running with were minutes behind me and raced to help me. Big hugs all around, “here take my jacket” and “let me get you a cup of coffee!” It’s all gonna be ok. I was never so sure that I belonged.
Maybe I’m not just a truck driver? Maybe I’m family.
My small company (about 30 trucks, only 6 company trucks) commended me the next day!
The owner shook my hand, offered me his play toy – a jacked up little flat top Pete that rarely leaves the barn. Our shop manager sat down with me. “If you’re going to stick around, I need your wish list for your next truck” Wow…. I was on the spot. Stay or go, now was the time. All I could say was…. “there will be very be another Kenny, id like a Peterbilt”
So here I am, 6 weeks later. The flood of texts and phone calls, the hugs and handshakes from customers. Guys that genuinely cared. All my plans changed in a second and I cried every day for 3 weeks. I realized I’m not just a truck driver. I’m a valued member of an amazing team of drivers with a company that’s got my back!
Don’t be just a truck driver. Be a lady, be a gentleman. Be a teammate. Let people know that they matter because it means so much. This story isn’t about me, it’s about the people around me that help
Make my job amazing.
Ps the dispatch job came up and I politely declined. My Peterbilt has been bought and is currently being customized to my specifications. It’s amazing how things change in a second.
Hi my name is Jess Dutchak and I’m a woman in the transportation industry. When people see me in a truck the first question they ask me is “What made you want to get into driving trucks and equipment?”
And I hate that question because it’s sometimes hard to respond to, telling a stranger that my Dad passed away and I knew if I didn’t get behind the wheel myself I wouldn’t be in a truck ever again. The thought of that didn’t sit so well with me because I grew up going on trips across Canada with my Dad who drove long haul.
So that’s my reason for getting into it, but my reason for STAYING in the construction/transportation industry is a lot happier! Ever since I started working construction it’s changed my life completely! I started off majoring in auto tech in high school which is where my journey really started because it was the only class I ever actually liked we had a blast working on vehicles and my teacher was and still is the best you could ask for. A few years later I started in construction as a flag-person just to get my foot in the door and ever since doing that I’ve gotten my Class 3 license with air brakes, I’ve operated rock trucks, skid steers, loaders, plow trucks, I’ve hauled heavy equipment, backed up trailers, fixed potholes, paved roads, raked asphalt, greased drive shafts, cleaned shops times a million, and my favorite part of all keeping the roads safe! Every opportunity that came my way to jump into a new machine I gladly took it. I was nervous for every single one but once you try it and get used to it. It just came naturally. It wasn’t always easy, it took awhile to get jobs without experience it took everything I had to prove myself in a male dominated industry. The proving never stops, you have to be a real tough cookie sometimes! Through the breakdowns, the maintenance, operating, trying to never screw up and break things and doing everything in my power to NOT have to ask any of the guys for help! (Nothing against the boys!) I just prefer to do things myself so nobody can tell me I couldn’t do something. It took a lot of determination and dedication and a lot of frustration to get into this industry but it’s been so rewarding for me.
As a women in this industry I try to encourage people as much as I can, a lot of women and MEN have asked for advice since I’ve gotten into trucks and equipment and I just have so much good to say about it I can’t say enough to people when I start talking about my job and the experiences . And I tell everyone that asks me, you already have the tiny spark in you just by asking me these questions, that spark is gonna turn into a fire once you get into trucks or equipment. It’s a passion! It’s an adrenaline rush! The people are amazing, even though construction workers get labelled rugged/rough/dirty and cartoons and TV shows show us as all as cat calling pigs and red necks. It’s quite the total opposite, you’ll never find more caring people than the ones in trades/construction! I’ve worked with the most amazing kind hearted people, these people become a second family because in reality we spend more time with our crews/coworkers and our equipment then we spend with our own family! I’ve laughed enough for a lifetime in the 5 short years I’ve been in construction. Ive learned so much and I continue learning everyday the challenges have always been rewarding and I’ll gladly spend the rest of my life in this industry!
I’ve also gotten into the safety aspect of things since starting as a maintenance worker, I became a safety rep at my yard and then a regional safety rep for my region which has me now working towards an NCSO (National construction safety officer) certification. But I know if I become a safety officer I’m going to have to convince the construction company that I work for to let me play in the trucks and equipment once in awhile just to get my fix.
The opportunity’s are there, you just have to take that first step! Reach out, there is so many people willing to give advice and help someone who is ready to start in this industry. And don’t give up because it’s never going to be easy! Your gonna cry, swear, yell, laugh, smile, and be forever tired and everything else in between but it’s all worth it.
According to a survey completed and published by Insurance Business Canada only 15% of Canadians surveyed said that they were confident that they feel ‘very prepared’ financially if the get too sick to report for work. 23% of Canadians answered that they are not at all prepared financially if they pass away too soon, the study also discovered. Only 16% said that they have purchased life insurance that would cover their remaining mortgage payments should they ever pass away.
If like me you can sometimes feel somewhat sceptical about stats it does however strike me that far too many of us are not prepared for the unexpected, the chances of experiencing a financial loss if you are unable to work due to injury or illness are frankly very worrying. There are of course a number of reasons that can be attributed to this; perceived cost, understanding of coverage, availability, where to get it.
As someone who works largely with Income Protection Insurance and other living benefits my advice would be to work with a broker, a broker works for you their client and not a specific insurance company this means that they can take the time needed to understand your needs and then advise you as to the best options available from the very many insurance companies.
Insurance has to be exact and legally binding for your own protection but it does not need to be difficult to understand, when you work with the right broker it will be explained clearly and without jargon so that you have the peace of mind of knowing that if and when the time comes you and your loved ones will be properly protected.
We all know that at some point we will die and we hope that it is at a ripe old age and so we can more readily accept the need and payout of life insurance.
Income protection of the other hand is a different story because we are more easily swayed that we will be fine because; • ‘I’m a healthy person’ • ‘ I’d just carry on going to work’ • ‘I can’t afford it’ • ‘I’ll dip into my savings’ • ‘my family will help’
The reality is that if we lose our ability to work and earn a living everything else will suffer, friends and family while might be willing to help will usually themselves be using all of their income for their own needs. Savings will be depleted this will have a negative impact on the subsequently growth of any capital that was invested and there will also be tax implications of withdrawing from your RRSP.
The bills will continue to come in and the family needs will not be reduced in fact if you have a family member in need of medical care it is more likely that the other wage earner in the family may need to take time away from work to become a carer, long or short term. If you are self-employed you may need to employ someone to carry work load of the lost worker, you.
When I am speaking with clients about their need for Income Protection far too often I am asked to complete insurance for them for accident coverage only. It is my job and ethical responsibility to explain the pit falls of this choice, what if you get sick? It might be that you are newly starting in business and so may need to start at a lower amount than you would like in order to suit your budget or that money is tight. Start where you can and work your way up to where you need to be if you have to. Just don’t have nothing. If I were to ask you how many reasons do you think there could be for not being able to go to work what would you say?
The answer I give is easy, it’s 2, if you become injured or if you become ill. It’s that simple. If you can’t work how will you keep the lights on, put food on the table and keep your home warm or even just keep your home. I could quote stats again but I don’t need to, I have firsthand experience of having to remind clients or their partners that no they are not covered for the sickness that has befallen them because they wanted to wait and add it later or they just didn’t think they needed illness coverage. It is the worst, the very worst phone call because by the time I receive it it’s too late, there is absolutely nothing that I can do about it.
The solution to making sure this is not you is simple: 1. Work with a broker that you like and trust. 2. Get insurance while you are healthy if you can, but you can still get good coverage if you have pre-existing conditions. 3. Review your coverage regularly 4. Just don’t have NOTHING, please. Be prepared for the unexpected and rest easy with the peace of mind that you and your family will be financially secure when the time comes. Make the call today to speak to a trusted adviser.
Fiona Stone – Owner Contact Fiona at fiona@stoneinsurance.ca
