Ontario trucker reportedly murdered in Chicago

CHICAGO, Ill. -- An Ontario trucker has been shot to death in a parking lot after delivering a load to Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The driver, Gary Clarke of Courtice, Ont., had just delivered a load in the area and then was visiting his brother Tuesday night when he was approached by a group and asked for money, according to the report. When he said he didn’t have any cash, someone pulled out a gun and shot him in the hip. Clarke was found unresponsive inside his Peterbilt straight truck and died of his injuries, the report says.

A representative of his employer, Aberstar Fast Freight, told the Tribune that Clarke had dropped a load Tuesday night, before the incident.

”It’s a sad day for us here,” said the representative. “He was a gentle individual…He was one of those guys you wish you could clone and have more of.”

The shooting occurred in the Englewood area of Chicago, which is known for its violent crime. The Tribune report can be read here.

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BOOK REVIEW: Trucker Ghost Stories

A UFO abduction at Deacon’s Corner Truck Stop in Winnipeg and a female trucker gets French-kissed by a ghost in her Peterbilt bunk.  A trainee and his over-the-road mentor on a driving test run hit a mother and her baby, but there’s no body to be found. When the police arrive, the trainee explains breathlessly, “Thank God, I missed her.” The police officer says stone-faced, “Yeah, by about 28 years.”

These are a few examples of stories told by truckers in the new book Trucker Ghost Stories, compiled by author Annie Wilder and just released through Tor Books Inc.

Trucker Ghost Stories is Wilder’s third book, continuing her theme of ghosts and tales of the unknown.  She should know about ghosts and spirits. She lives in a haunted house in the small picturesque town of Hastings, Minn.

She suspected that it was haunted when she first toured the house with her realtor. She bought it anyway, and she was right.

Wilder’s first book was entitled House of Spirits & Whispers, which describes the strange events that occurred in the 120-year-old house immediately after she moved in.  She discovers that the house is inhabited by the spirit of the previous owner, Leon.

Wilder is fearful at first, but begins to learn to live peacefully with the spirit, who tends to be a rather benign ghost. She and her husband claim to have seen Leon and often feel his presence. I toured the house a month or so ago and sadly, I did not see or hear Leon but did experience a few anomalies, such as lights blinking on and off inexplicably.

Wilder’s motivation to write a book about true tales of haunted highways began while watching Ice Road Truckers.  She said, “Oh my gosh, I have an idea for the perfect mash-up of paranormal and uber-masculine profession: trucker ghost stories!”

She remembers the days back when she was a young girl answering phones at her father’s sand and gravel company.

While trucks loaded up, Wilder had a few minutes to meet the drivers but especially remembered trucker Bill Sykes, a tall rail-thin fellow who wore cowboy boots, black slicked-back hair and a long chain on his wallet. He loved to tell the story of a little ghost girl he saw on the highway. Wilder was hooked on ghost stories.

As she began to gather ghost stories from truckers around the world, she had a vivid dream about Sykes…or was it his ghost, because Bill has been gone for a few years?

In her dream, Sykes showed up with his black slicked-back hair and simply nodded to her and left. She took that as a sign that she had his blessing. It took a few years but Wilder’s book Trucker Ghost Stories is in book stores and online. I read it and loved it, but then I have enjoyed ghost stories since my father and his friends swapped spooky stories back in rural Cape Breton when I was a kid. I am still a bit of a skeptic, but I keep my mind open. After all, I have only seen one ghost. That’s a story for another time.

For bunk-time reading, if you aren’t easily spooked, pick up a copy of Trucker Ghost Stories. The Forward is beautifully written by trucker Terry Aldershof.  He has driven nearly six million miles.

He writes: “These are our stories – stories told by real truck drivers and by their families and colleagues in the transportation world. If you met us, you will be able to recognize us by what they call the thousand-yard stare in our eyes – for we have seen so much more than you ever will.”

– Stan Campbell is host of Trucker Radio, a syndicated radio show that can be heard on dozens of country music stations across Canada, the northern US and in Europe. For more info, visit
www.TruckerRadio.com.

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B.C. trucker injured after pumpkin tossed from overpass

KAMLOOPS, B.C. -- A B.C. trucker has been sporting cuts and bruises on his face since Monday night - but not because he forgot to wash off his Halloween make-up. Kamloops trucker Gary Henville, 55, a driver with Arrow Transportation, was driving east on the Trans Canada Highway around 9:30 p.m. on Halloween night when a pumpkin tossed over an overpass in Dallas came smashing through his windshield, according to The Kamploops Daily News.

The report says the pumpkin, estimated to be about a half-metre in diameter, shot through the truck's windshield and clean through the cabin's back window, causing broken glass to strike Henville in the right side of his face.

Arrow Transportation's division manager Steve Gayfer said Henville's driving skills helped prevent a multi-vehicle accident that night, as traffic had been travelling in both directions at the time of the incident.

According to the report, Henville's truck had been struck while travelling under the same pedestrian overass in a previous incident.

Arrow Transportation's director of safety, Rick Viventi, says the company is considering making recommendations to City council, such as having a cage installed on the overpass.

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Trucker Nabbed Trying to Avoid Tolls in New York Area

A Virginia truck driver who used a device to hide his license plate as he passed through tolls in the New York metropolitan area was arrested, the Associated Press reported.

The driver, trying to evade a $65 toll on the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey into New York City, had rigged a system to retract his license plate as he passed through E-ZPass lanes, police said.

The arrest of the driver and his use of the contraption — which was compared to a James Bond-like device — was first reported by the New York Post.

The driver, who was spotted by a Port Authority officer, was arrested on charges of using a cable in his truck cab to flip up his front plate while going through a gateless toll lane on Interstate 95 without a toll transponder. He had also bent up his rear plate so it could not be read by cameras, AP reported, citing police.

Truckers have complained about steep toll increases that the New York / New Jersey Port Authority set in August. By 2016, a five-axle truck will have to pay $105 to cross the G.W. Bridge.

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Highway I-84 in Idaho: What a trucker might miss as you drive by

Snake River - Lindsay Godfree

If you think there is nothing to see while you drive through Idaho on I-84, look again. The road through Idaho follows the Snake River for most of the trip and there are ever changing views of this winding river as it passes through canyons and gorges that offer many photo opportunities in different seasons and lights. The scenery gets more interesting keeping you alert, the more that you know about the area, the geography, history, rock formations and the wildlife.

Highway I-84 and the Snake River follow the north shore ledge of the ancient Lake Bonneville, so many of the formations of the land are due to the thousands of years of water flow of rivers and the tides of the Lake. Ancient Lake Bonneville crested at Red Rock Pass creating what is known as the Bonneville Flood. As the soft soils eroded at the pass, the lake poured into the volcanic plain of the Snake River and its canyons. Today it is the evidence left behind by this tremendous flood to the Snake River area that left us the house-size boulders, box canyons, and other formations to explore.

The Snake River is a major tributary arm of the Columbia River flowing through the states of Wyoming, Idaho, into Oregon, and Washington. For those who like statistics; the river’s length is 1,040 miles, its watershed drains 108,000 square miles, and the average discharge at its mouth is 56,900 cubic feet per second.

Keep your eyes open for flying raptors as you make your way to the next stop. The ecosystem of the Snake River supports extraordinary numbers of predators and prey. More than 700 pairs of raptors, representing 15 different species, nest on the canyon walls. Along 81 miles of the Snake River is 484,873 acres of The National Conservation Area located 35 miles south of Boise which is home to the largest concentration of nesting raptors in North America.

The Snake River Canyon is a large canyon formed by the Snake River in the Magic Valley region of southern Idaho and is best seen in Twin Falls where there is a view of a beautiful golf course deep in the canyon. There is truck parking near the visitor center in an empty dirt lot where you can stop to look into the canyon. It is well known as the site of an unsuccessful 1974 attempt by Evel Knievel, to jump over the canyon. After exiting the Snake River Canyon, the Snake receives the waters of more tributaries including the Malad River that is also seen from the highway.

The Malad River Canyon is 250 feet deep and only 2.5 miles long. As you drive by, you can see the Malad Gorge State Park, located right off Interstate 84 at Exit 147 where you can view the canyon and walk along the rim. The highway crosses over Malad Gorge, but the angle of view hides the deep gorge where the river cascades into Devil’s Washbowl. Views of the gorge are best from the slender-but sturdy-bridge that arcs across the canyon from the parking area, but there is no room for a trailer. If you can make it there, take a short hike to discover nearby fingers of the gorge where crystal clear springs produce ponds and streams. I always say – a hard driving trucker needs every excuse to get out and get some fresh air and exercise in natural surroundings.

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How does a trucker end up on Alligator Alley?

American Alligator

As with every job, in over-the-road trucking there are good days and bad days, ups and downs. Some of the high points of life on the road so far have been the times spent exploring Florida. On one such trip with a day layover waiting for freight we looked for the closest rest stop to park the semi and get away from the crowds in Miami. As we drove along Interstate Highway 75 we realized we were on a road called Alligator Alley in the Florida Everglades. Looking out the window, the alligators were swimming in the canals right along the highway. How amazing is that for a first timer in Florida?

Alligator Alley is also known as Everglades Parkway and is also Interstate 75, State Road 93 and State Road 84 which runs from Naples on the west coast of Florida to Weston on the east. It was first opened in 1969 and was given its name by the American Automobile Association (AAA) because they thought no one would use it and it would only be used by alligators. Since then the alligators follow the highway swimming along the roadside canals, so the nickname now has a literal meaning.

At the rest area we were able to get out right next to the water as if we were going to “fish” for some reptiles. Some water birds watched unconcerned as the “gator” looked up with those cold eyes bulging out of the water. I needed more information about alligators before being comfortable getting very close to the water.

We gathered information about the surrounding ecosystem at the Collier County rest area, half-way between Exits 49 & 80 (there are not many exits on this highway). For example the Everglades is not the proverbial swamp that many people think it is. It is actually a river, flowing southwest at a slow rate of about a quarter mile per day. There was also an interesting display about the endangered Wood Storks, large “Muppet” looking birds, kind of spooky but cute.

The American alligator was once on the endangered species list but now Florida lists them as “species of special concern” so alligators can be legally taken only with proper licenses and permits. This designation provides federal protection for alligators but allows state-approved management and control programs.

They sell little alligator heads as souvenirs at the gift shops and at the truck stops. I thought they were cute but had to get around an aversion to killing the wildlife. I had to remind myself that these alligators are farmed for harvest like beef and chicken. They are a natural resource and if grown for meat etc. are part of the exports of the area, locals would be able to grow and sell them.

At Exit #49 we turned north on State Road 833 locating the only truck stop where we could safely drop our trailer for a few hours. Continuing on for 15 miles, passing through part of a the Seminole Indian Nation, we arrived at the Billie Swamp Safari Everglades Eco-Tours hoping to get an airboat ride. The Billie Swamp Safari has a café, alligator wrestling, gifts, tours and does have parking for your bob-tail.

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WSJ trucker stereotype…

Today, there is a piece I read in The Wall Street Journal by Jeffrey Ball titled “Firms Put Brakes on Truckers”. Jeff decided to “profile” a company called Titan Transfer, LLC, operating out of Nashville, TN. If the company has a “cloud” site or Facebook presence, I could not find it. The article begins: “Gary Vann pines for the days when he could put the pedal to the metal in his 18-wheeler and hurtle down empty stretches of highway at 100 miles per hour. You talk about fun, man, the 34-year old Tennessean said.”

Jeff opines on:”To truckers across the U.S., the new controls – the industry’s latest attempt to wring better economy from its fleets – spell the end of a romantic age, powered by cheap-diesel, when drivers could pretty much do as they pleased on the open road. Gone are the days of open-throttled hauli9ng made famous by Smokey and the Bandit, the 1977 movie starring a suave Burt Reynolds, in which a tractor-trailer shreds the speed limit on a cross-country beer run.” Ball quotes trucker Terry Anderson, “I used to have three log books”.

The last paragraph states: “Since the trucking company he (trucker John Gilbert) works for recently trimmed its rigs’ top speed to 64 mph from 68 mph, driver John Newcomb has noticed more car drivers getting him with a universal hand signal he calls No. 1. To illustrate, the 52-year old, whose girth and white beard make him look a little like Santa Claus, stuck out his middle finger”. The link to the entire piece is here: WSJ/Stereotype/LOTR/MJG.

Jeff is on an airplane traveling on his next assignment, but I sent him this response:

"Several big companies have tweaked the computerized governors on their trucks’ engines in recent months dialing down the top speed". Which big companies? Titan? Titan who? Why profile them? Speed restrictions, because of increasing fuel prices, have been in effect for years now. The use of APU’s (auxiliary power units) to control idling costs by large carriers is widespread in the industry, but you don’t mention them.

What really irked me about the piece was your talking to unprofessional -  unsafe drivers. Is this who the WSJ still believes is behind the wheel of commercial vehicles?  You should have included that "your" drivers live in a double wide trailer, are NASCAR fans, can’t afford a membership in the NRA, but owns many guns and are hunters. They love Sara Palin and, of course, drink Bud Lite and use chew’n tobacco. That would have completed the stereotype.

With all due respect, this is a "fluff" piece, more suited to People Magazine or the National Enquirer, than the Wall St. Journal. It should have been, how do you put it in your piece, "snagged" by your superiors.

If your editors need a serious professional piece on trucking, have them contact me.

You to can send you opinion on the piece to Jeffrey Ball at jeffrey.ball@wsj.com

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Yet another journey for this trucker…

I hope this post finds you all well and prospering. On a rather quick personal note, I am still at home recovering from double knee replacement surgery. I am told the typical recovery time is anywhere from three to six months. As of today, I am unable to climb any steps with assistance, have difficulty getting in and out of a car – forget a truck – and require a cane to get out of the house. The looming issue will be a month from now when my disability and health insurance run out. At this point, the thought of using my right knee to clutch is highly questionable. Yes, I know there are auto transmission tractors, but I’m not sure if I want to drive for those carriers offering that equipment – for example, US Express. I came in off the road April 12th, and I can tell you, since then, this has been one heck of a journey. Before I move on, I should let you know I just  got a personally signed card from the President of my carrier, congratulating me on my 7th year anniversary with the company. I’m sure he has no clue of my predicament.

Despite being home and confined to a big black chair most of the time, I have followed the trucking industry closely. I know of drivers troubles with I-29 closures in Iowa and have seen the many weather “situations” – wild fires, floods, tornadoes, etc. around the nation. I may have mentioned that our terminal in Birmingham was destroyed and is currently under reconstruction. As a far as trucking news, there isn’t much – what else is new. The USDOT FMCSA has appointed a new five member “safety advisory committee” with one appointee being a bus, excuse me, motor coach, driver. There are no truck drivers on the committee.

I was flipping around the 300+ channels my wife and I have available to us on our cable system – I think it was on C-Span – I paused and listened for a minute or so to Anne Ferro, the Obama appointed head of the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration). She was testifying before Congress about bus safety. I was unimpressed at her and got quickly bored. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, she is not a trucker and as such has no clue what OTR (over the road) drivers experience OTJ (on the job). She is a political paper pushing bureaucrat who, like the ATA, is no friend of truckers.

Being home these past two months, as I said earlier, has been a journey, but more (being sarcastic) it has been a real “trip”. I can’t count the amount of times I have lost my mind, drugged, unable to move, my mind playing a tape of the many places I used to pick up and deliver freight, wondering how my situation is going to “play out”. I have spend many hours following every minute of the Casey Anthony murder trial in Orlando, and have even managed to hook my wife and son on the proceedings. The last trial I followed this closely was the OJ case. I have watched more movies, reality shows and makeovers than in all my previous years on the road driving.

Now eating and shopping on the road is one thing, but going to into a local supermarket and not buying a box of graham crackers because they cost almost $5 or passing on a 1/2 lb. of turkey breast for $7 is a different frustration. Trying to check out with even a “small” order for less than $65 is tough. The price of food and everything else – other than what’s sold in the dollar store – is sky high. Some must be prospering, but not the truckers that deliver it all. I used to eat all the time, on the road, at Subway, now I can’t stomach even walking by one.

I don’t have to remind you all that it’s hot. It’s just about 100 degrees here in Clearwater, FL. Please stay hydrated and not with soda. With four surgeries this past year, I am more than qualified to tell you to take care of yourself and watch your BP. I personally have good days and bad days -  today – not so good. Tomorrow will be different. This is all part of recovery. I recently purchased a Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 (cigar) which I hope to lite up when I do my pool physical therapy later today. No, I’m not going to smoke it, just light it up and smell the aroma of Honduras while trying to walk around the pool without the walker.

Thanks for listening. Later.

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Trucker Pullover Protest Against Rising Diesel Prices Monday May 23 1-2 PM

New York NY – May 20, 2011 – On May 23rd, 2011 from 1:00-2:00pm Eastern truckers are being asked to pull their trucks to the side of the road for one hour to gain the attention of Washington and focus it on soaring fuel prices. Over regulation, the lack of new exploration, and the lack of refining capacity near Cushing, OK are believed to be responsible for the higher diesel prices.
Contact:

Bruce MacIsaac or David Webb
Teapartytrucker.org – Pullover Protest
Phone: Bruce MacIsaac 724-910-9225, David Webb 212-372-8008
Email: info@teapartytrucker.org

New York NY – May 20, 2011 – On May 23rd, 2011 from 1:00-2:00pm Eastern truckers are being asked to pull their trucks to the side of the road for one hour to gain the attention of Washington and focus it on soaring fuel prices. Over regulation, the lack of new exploration, and the lack of refining capacity near Cushing, OK are believed to be responsible for the higher diesel prices.

A caller to SiriusXM Patriot’s David Webb Show, on April 23, 2011 suggested a one hour demonstration protesting higher diesel prices. From that call, plans for a pullover have begun. As higher diesel prices fluctuate and have soared above $4.19 per gallon, truck drivers and companies are finding it increasingly difficult to deliver freight without increasing rates. Increased rates for freight, increases the price of everything else from milk to toilet paper.

Organizers hope that a highly visible pullover of one hour will be enough to put pressure on Washington to ease regulations. When trucks don’t move, nothing moves. Food, fuel, household items and raw materials for manufacturing are all carried over the nation’s highways by truck. It is hoped that a single hour will focus enough attention on the issue that longer pullover protests will be unnecessary.

SiriusXM Radio Personality and Tea Party leader David Webb has set up a website for truckers interested in communicating with other truckers about politics, the tea party, and trucking issues. It was on this site that the idea of a “Pullover Protest” was first mentioned. More information about the protest, as well as information about Tea Party Truckers in general can be found at the site: www.teapartytrucker.org.

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

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