99th Canadian Trucking Magazine Web Edition

Dave brings 40 years of valuable and interesting experience in transportation, management, safety, business and compliance. Dave has driven in every condition across North America and overseas as Military, Police, Company Driver to an Owner Operator to transportation management. Now our Celebrity Editor Publisher of Canadian Trucking Magazine bringing you articles and entertainment in print and on the web. Join Dave on Face Book for real time updates and meet at your favorite stop or truck show! Be Happy to say Hi and maybe get a picture or two. See you down the road.

What an exciting month with hitting all the truck stops and talking to you on “TRUCKERS BUZZ�, on FaceBook and Trucking across NA. HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!

Here we are 2017 and the first month into it and what a month for weather.

On the COVER is Todd Dewey from Ice Road Truckers & Axe Men with his awesome wife Jeannette, with more in the Expanded Web Edition.

Todd a real life Trucker and awesome person if you follow him on FaceBook or his blog he puts out.

Centerfold is again my friend from IRT Mike Bad Apple Simmons with Breanne, Of course they are sitting on the AutoSock as tis the season for Snow & Ice and AutoSock is there if you need it.

I like them as they are not heavy, dirty, fast to put on or take off and legal in NA for the chain up laws. More about AutoSock on page 44 in your CTM as AutoSock supports your magazine.

To the bottom right my friend again from IRT Lisa Kelly as we were joking around on the set one day when she was shooting.

I hank you for supporting CTM in 2016 and looking forward to growing more together in 2017 and please share it with your friends and family as Canadian Trucking Magazine was built with something for everyone..

See more in the digital magazine and the next few pages, digital does not limit the amount of good stuff we can provide you!

So every month we print you a 48 page hold in your hand glossy magazine and then add to it on the Web Edition up to 120 pages of entertainment and detail, built for you!

Next month is our 100th Edition and thinking of something special we should do in it. If you have any ideas, this being your magazine, please let us know.

I will be on the open road a lot in January & February meeting up with you and yes driving a Big Truck looking forward to seeing you. Read on ,,,,,

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To the right at the top here are 3 awesome people at the Oakpoint Restaurant!

Joey Barnes the King of Obsolete in the middle you may have seen on IRT and really lives in the north and rescues truckers off the Ice Roads.

Check out our interview on Truckers BUZZ on FaceBook, just click on the video.

June 3rd 2017 another Convoy this time in Winnipeg, Truckers fight back!!!!

At the Canadian Trucking Show one day only Saturday June 3rd a Convoy of trucks will raise funds to fight Cancer, watch for more details.

To the right a Truckers Buzz interview with Amber Balcaen front cover of the December Magazine 98th Edition.

Amber has made History as the first Female Canadian Born Race Car Driver to win a NASCAR sanctioned Race. A title she will own for all her life.

We did an hour long interview at the Oakpoint Restaurant in a town house setting broadcasting on LIVE Video on FaceBook.

If you are not on our Facebook, you would not know, CTM has hit a reach of over 1.5 million viewers on FaceBook with over 258,000+ fully engaged at times. WOW Hard to wrap my mind around that and now 24,000+ LIKES to the CTM FaceBook Page, if you have not, Please do LIKE it and invite friends to join us and set the notifications so you know when we are LIVE with special guests.

For the last decade we have broadcasted live videos on the FaceBook Pages & YouTube from the events we attend, now for your entertainment on “TRUCKERS BUZZ’ on Facebook, please LIKE it if you are on FaceBook, real Truckers to Truckers building entertainment for Transport people.

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Above at world of wheels enjoying Bamm Bamm Vandersteens Bike.

So many great things to see there from bikes to Cars to displays and celebrities.

This year Autorama World of Wheels is back at Edmonton AB. Check out page 32 for dates and Cities in western Canada with more to come on the CTM FaceBook.

Above BIG DADDY TAZZ and I doing a Truckers BUZZ Radio broadcast from the Fionn McCools in Wpg MB. A townhall way to have a conversation with our Brothers & Sisters of the Highway and help make your day better with a few laughs.

Big Daddy Tazz, known right across Canada for comedy and his great work with Kids and people that suffer from depression shared great tips during this hour long LIVE video you can view on the Truckers BUZZ FaceBook Page anytime.

The great thing about these LIVE Videos we do, is if you do not have the time to join in and comment when we are LIVE, you can watch these in your spare FB time.

Another thing I recommend is listening to them on your Blue tooth while going down the road, a great way to kill a few hours or in our langauge a couple of hundred miles.

After a decade of doing these Videos for you, first on YouTube and now LIVE on FaceBook, I have learned how to act like a goof, throw some jokes in so it is not just a dry talk radio.

The LIVE FaceBook Videos are built for you and your Entertainment.

Just like your Canadian Trucking Magazine Small enough to fit your pocket but big enough to entertain.

I travel in a big truck pulling a load so I can feel what is happening in our industry and broadcast right from the trail.

This way we are up to date.

Plus I have Diesel in my viens and love the road and trucking.

Plus I get to meet good friends on OTR like here in Woodstock to the right.

Freight might be down a bit now and lot of you are spending more time sitting than turning wheels but that will change, it always does, because everything moves by truck.

The weather on the Road everywhere right now is cold and hazardous conditions making our jobs more than interesting.

Slow down and drive safe or park please if you feel like you can snap a 2x4 in half with your butt cheeks.

Also dont forget to lock your doors all the time as there has been too many Truckers being robbed in thier trucks with violence.

Hey even Lot lizards jumping in making demands.

Hoping you enjoy Truckers BUZZ on FaceBook as much as your CTM. I like to say again thanks for reading CTM and I look forward to hearing from you, than about you.

See you on the road.....

Be safe my friends!

Keep On Trucking, All the Best!!!!!!

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See a great joke you want to share, send it to CTM to print this is your magazine, and enjoy more jokes on the next pages and extra on the web

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Bill Weaver The Man,, The Legend

Born into a military family, and having lived all over the United States, as well as having spent his life around a variety of musicians, singers, and an incredibly strong musical influence from many family friends, it was only natural that music, and travel would be in his blood and in his heart.

As a very small child, writing poems, songs, and words, and have always had a passion for singing and writing, and an insatiable passion for others who do the same.

At around the age of five years, his Dad and Grandpa bought Bill a second hand guitar at a yard sale, and from that moment, he was hooked on learning to play the guitar and keep time while singing.

This experience would grow while spending hours in front of the television playing along with Buck owens, Roy Clark, all of the Hee Haw musicians, as well as the Johnny cash show, Glen Campbell show, and all of the popular music shows of the 1970s and 1980s.

Picking and choosing from all of the sounds that fascinated Bill, including the sounds

of the Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker band, the Allman Brothers, and many other Southern Rock and alternative rock and country groups, he learned to frame words and put them to his own style of music, which is a mix of every sound that is pleasing to me.

Bill experiences on stage, and driving a truck, the long periods away from home, the lonliness and emptiness, give him a perfect canvas on which to paint a picture that all of us can relate to, and derive a sense of pride in what we do, and where we are going in life.

Bill writes all kinds of songs, many are love songs, many are primarily trucking songs, which is what the "Every Mile I Drive" album consists of.

All of these songs are true to life, and truly amazing musically, being crafted by the finest musicians to grace any stage.

His goal is to bring some pride back to the working man and woman, because we are what keeps the world turning, and great music makes it better. www.billweavermusic.com Our kind of Music!

Look what Bruce Querel & Richard Wiebe has at Querel Trailers!

Trailers for work or home of all sizes. We had this one at the Canadian Trucking Show and it worked great! Thanks Querel

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WARNING - This is a guide, make sure you know your HOS

Authorities said they busted a tractor trailer attempting to move $11 million worth of heroin through Victorville on Thursday.

By Dave MacKENZIE over 30 years LawEnforcement

Authorities said they made quite the haul when they busted a tractor trailer attempting to move $11 million worth of heroin through Victorville on Thursday.

The California Highway Patrol said a tractor trailer was stopped for speeding on the northbound 15 Freeway just north of the 395 Freeway at about 8 a.m.

The driver seemed to be acting suspiciously.

"The story and his nervousness brought on the attention - that there's something going on here," Officer Robert Mendenhall said. "What we call his criminal indicators led us to believe there's more going on here than just a truck driver heading to Canada."

When officers deployed their K9, they said it alerted them to the rear of the trailer.

CHP searched the rear of the trailer and said they found more than 100 kilograms of heroin with an estimated street value of $11 million.

Authorities said they believed the truck was headed toward Canada.

The driver was arrested for possession and transportation of narcotics, according to officials.

Quick facts

• The CBSA plays an essential role in the prevention of drug smuggling and related criminal activities.

Hypophosphorous acid is a precursor chemical included in Schedule VI of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. • The CBSA enforces over 90 Acts of Parliament and takes this responsibility seriously.

Note from Dave!

If you see suspicious activity, persons asking you for a ride across the border in your vehicle, a loose lipped driver talking about smuggling loads of weapons or drugs, do us all a big favour and contact authorities. Try to get as much information as possible without becoming involved and shut these bad guys down. They are bad for our business.

CALL BORDER WATCH~ 1.888.502.9060

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All the Best in 2017 Happy New Year!!

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By; Ellen Voie CAE, President/CEO Women in Trucking

Someone once said, “walk a mile in my shoes.” Maybe they should have said, “drive a mile in my truck.” The best way for someone to understand your role is to experience it for themselves.

That’s what Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator (FMCSA) Scott Darling did this past week. He went for a ride with Women In Trucking (WIT) Association’s Stephanie Klang, a professional driver for CFI based in Joplin, MO. Administrator Darling met Klang, and WIT CEO, Ellen Voie, at a TA truck stop in Foristell, MO where he embarked on a two day trip, ending in Oklahoma City.

Darling rode with Klang to the CFI headquarters, where he was able to observe a truck inspection from the undercarriage. He was then given a tour of the facility, including the maintenance and repair facilities, customer service and operations areas as well as the recruiting areas.

“It was an honor to show FMCSA Administrator Darling that we are absolutely committed to safety on the highways and share with him that at CFI we walk the talk,” said Randy Cornell, Vice President of Maintenance, CFI. Klang had the opportunity to share her thoughts and concerns with the Administrator during the two day ride.

They discussed ELDs, speed limiters, safety techniques, and other everyday driver concerns. “This ride-along was another fantastic opportunity to obtain first-hand, on-the-road perspective of some of the challenges facing today’s professional

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drivers from an incredibly talented female driver with more than 3 million miles of accident-free experience,” said FMCSA Administrator Scott Darling. “I thank Women in Trucking, and their skilled and dedicated drivers, not only for promoting additional career opportunities for women, but also for their partnership in promoting roadway safety as they help move our nation’s economy,” Darling added.

Klang has been driving since January 1980 and a professional driver for CFI for the past 29 years. She even has over three million safe driving miles with the company. She has been a captain on the ATA America’s Road Team and currently serves on the Women In Trucking Image Team.

“Our goal in providing ride-alongs to our regulators and legislators is to give them the opportunity to experience a driver’s life in the cab of a truck,” said Voie.”

We wanted Administrator Darling to learn from Stephanie and to better understand the challenges a driver faces on the road each day, and to see it from a female driver’s perspective,” Voie added.

The Women In Trucking Association has provided ride-alongs to elected officials, including US Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), Congressman Reid Ribble (RWI), Former NTSB Chairwoman, Debora Hersman and CRASH safety Advocate, Ron Wood.

Women In Trucking Association, Inc. is a nonprofit association established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry.

Membership is not limited to women, as 17 percent of its members are men who support the mission. , Facebook, or LinkedIn. For more information, visit

http://www.womenintrucking.org

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CloudHawk

Accurate, Affordable GPS Tracking

By Dave MacKENZIE,

If your business has vehicles and other assets to manage, you know that having visibility into where they are, utilization, and overall efficient operations is hard to get right.

But yet it is a critical aspect of an efficient, profitable business.

Developed by Spark Tech Labs, CloudHawk is an innovative and trusted GPS tracking solution for monitoring vehicles, fleets, trailers, cargo and equipment.

With the ability to maintain a constant GPS signal on vehicles and assets while well concealed, CloudHawk provides valuable operational information, real-time visibility, and peace of mind.

It is accessible anytime, on any browser or any mobile device.

CloudHawk trackers are compatible with cellular networks globally.

For customers in North America, standard subscription plans include coverage throughout Canada and US without roaming charges.

About Spark Tech Labs;

Spark Tech Labs is Waterloo, Ontario based technology company that got started in 2011 and is expanding thier product CloudHawk.

They make a high performance GPS tracking solution that provides the flexibility of adding various sensors for any fleet vehicle or asset, including transportation and logistics based businesses, or construction equipment that is intuitive to use and super-fast to deploy.

They help your business maximize productivity, and help increase efficiencies.

Spark Tech Labs leadership team is an experienced group of thought leaders in wireless technologies, software development, and antenna design.

The organization’s focus is on really listening and understanding the customer’s environment and business goals, and bringing together innovation and a differentiated in-house designed product than brings significant business value.

Check out CloudHawk today and protect your investments! www.cloudhawk.com

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Trucking group helps bring rescue animals to new homes in Canada

Furry Hobos and Hiway Heroes

By Jeff Walters, CBC News

Rescue dogs and lost pets who need a ride home have a new group of allies in Canada: truck drivers.

A group based in Thunder Bay, Ont., will help coordinate rides for animals who are heading from one part of the country to another.

Furry Hobos and Hiway Heroes is the creation of Margaret Foster. A former truck driver, she took it upon herself to help coordinate rides for those with four legs.

"It actually gives them something they feel good about.

I mean, you go up and down the road here, you see the accidents and everything else that happens," said Foster.

She said nearly 300 dogs have been transported through the group to their new homes, anywhere in Canada. She said some trucks in the United States are also now part of her 'network', allowing for international movement of the animals in need.

Foster said drivers are not compensated, but she asks for a donation of home baking, or a gift card for coffee.

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Truck driver Aimee and Sunny the dog, who was reunited with his owners in Kenora, Ont., after being stolen and found in London, Ont. (Facebook)

Margaret Foster, the founder of Furry Hobos and Hiway Heroes, along with her Ambassador Dog, Pickles pose outside of Thunder Bay, Ont. (Jeff Walters/CBC) Help from the community lay and sleep' and it just keeps Foster said many of the them really really calm and coldrivers have their own animals in lected. And, they enjoy it." their trucks, that they refer to as As for continuing to help 'An Ambassador.' ferry rescue animals, or those The one ambassador cat who are lost and found to their of the group, named Turtle, re- proper homes, Foster said most cently got out of a truck in drivers can't get enough of it.

Granby, QC. "[One driver], he gets a Foster said she's over- hold of me all the time and says, whelmed, as it seems the whole 'Margaret, I'm getting tired of community wants to find the cat. laughing at my own jokes, you'd She said the Ambassador better give me a dog.'" animals are a key part of the program.

Visit on FaceBook; "The dogs are so relaxed, Furry Hobos N Hiway Hero"s. they introduce them before they Dog gone Truckin! come into the truck." " They show them the Thank you Margaret!!! bunk, like 'this is where we can

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Blackthorn Safety Solutions Inc. was created with the vision to assist carriers with their ever demanding need to be compliant and to offer solutions tailored for their specific needs.

In the fast paced world of transportation, carriers are not only under extreme pressure to meet client demands and generate revenue but are held to very high regulatory standards.

Many small to medium sized carriers have challenges becoming compliant let alone staying compliant. Some carriers do not have the resources necessary to achieve what they need to and in turn find themselves facing audits or even worse, sanctions from governing authorities.

This is where Blackthorn Safety Solutions can help!

Blackthorn Safety Solutions is a business that is scalable to each carrier’s needs and can offer such services as consulting and fleet oversight from a very high level to driver training and compliance monitoring on a daily basis.

As stated, these solutions are scalable and individually crafted for each business model.

If preparing for a facility audit is needed, Blackthorn has very knowledgeable and experienced staff to assist in getting prepared.

If programs and policies are required, we have these solutions available as well.

We can also manage your day-today compliance needs too!

Do you need your logs managed and maintained? We have a solution for that!

We offer driver hiring and due diligence services to assist you in making the right hire from criminal background checks, reference checks, PSP and abstract searches as well as US DOT and non-DOT drug and alcohol 20 testing solutions.

Maybe you need assistance with or an outright outsourced solution for fuel tax filings?

Blackthorn has very experienced fuel tax specialists that can relieve this burden, not to mention the ability to monitor and manage your permits and authorities.

Collisions and claims are one of the largest issues faced by all carriers in the industry. Blackthorn can help with offering services to assist in managing your losses, recognizing the true costs to your organization and put in place measurables to effectively manage the risks and effectively train your fleet.

Effective collision monitoring and management directly translates into lower risk with insurance providers which in turn, can translate into better insurance premiums and lower deductibles. This can be as little as consulting and recommending corrective measures to completely outsourcing the solution and have us manage the process for you!

Blackthorn Safety Solutions is serious about safety and we can be a valuable resource for your existing safety program.

If safety programs are an area that needs attention we can analyze your current program, identify gaps and assist in closing those gaps or can create a totally customizable solution for you.

The choice is yours but whatever solution you choose, Blackthorn will work with you to make it happen!

For more information contact Blackthorn Safety Solutions toll free at

1-844-323-6515

or visit us on the web at

www.blackthornsafety.com

Safety Solutions not just a good idea, a requirement!

By Dave MacKenzie Outsoucing, cost effective, best way to do business.

Within the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) Operational Model, the Safety Measurement System (SMS) quantifies the on-road safety performance of carriers and drivers to identify candidates for interventions, determine the specific safety problems that a carrier or driver exhibits, and to monitor whether safety problems are improving or worsening.

The large companies have extensive safety departments that handle all aspects of training and enforcement to ensure they meet the requirements of SMS. A great deal of skill and training is needed in order to maintain levels acceptable should an audit come in play.

Blackthorn on the following page offer services to those companies that seek to be compliant in a cost effective way with experience Blackthorn members to run programs that meet and exceed CSA requirement from the skills that have manifested in these Blackthorn members from years of being compliant.

SMS keeps you the driver safe on the road turning wheels making a living while not putting your health and safety at risk.

SMS has replaced SafeStat in the new Operational Model.

SMS uses a motor carrier’s data from roadside inspections, including all safety-based violations, State-reported crashes, and the Federal motor carrier census to quantify performance in the following Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs).

After a measurement is determined, the carrier is then placed in a peer group (e.g., other carriers with similar numbers of inspections).

Percentiles from 0 to 100 are then determined by comparing the BASIC measurements of the carrier to the measurements of other carriers in the peer group.

A percentile 100 indicates the worst performance.

Now that we have covered the SMS in these short pages if you don’t have a dedicated safety department to meet or exceed these requirements have your company contact Blackthorn and get those ducks in a row.

Blackthorn a CTM top rated Safety provider, talk to ownership today about outsourcing to Blackthorn a win win for everyone. .

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Todd Dewey TRUCKER

Todd Dewey has never had anything handed down to him.

The 42 year old has been driving truck since he was 16 years old.

A family man with his beautiful wife Jeanette and their four daughters, Todd Dewey brings a 25 year outstanding reputation in the logging and trucking industry.

Blood, sweat and tears made this man what he is today.

Todd began his celebrity career on the hit series Axmen and today is still a truck boss for Rygaard Logging.

It became immediately obvious that Todd’s special balance of toughness, experience, and a loving family man is the perfect fit to star in Ice Road Truckers.

In only three seasons, Todd emerged as the “go to” guy and his likability skyrocketed. His ability to solve any challenge with courage and “get his hands dirty” resulted in his fan base exploding!

Todd Dewey’s fan page is already on track to exceed 100,000 by 2017, and he will be the number one driver for Ice Road Truckers next season.

Todd is incredibly well connected in the logging and trucking industry and the Pacific Northwest area he lives in.

Todd is known as one of the most popular truckers in the world.

His work ethic and dedication is simply the best you will find.

Todd has made seven trips overseas this past year alone.

If asked to support a charity or cause such as visiting children with terminal cancer, Todd does not hesitate to be there.

Whether working with the production staff, meeting fans or representing companies and products Todd’s personality and likability shines.

When Todd is not hanging out with his wife and four daughters at home you will find him fishing on a lake, river or ocean.

He loves to take the family camping and hiking in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Nobody knows trucks better than Todd Dewey. If it’s broken, Todd Dewey will fix it!

Like Todd on FaceBook and follow his blog at; http://www.thetodddewey.com/

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MyDenny’s App Adds Value for Frequent Diners

It's all about you. Your preferences, your tastes, your cravings.

It's your Denny's, so why not have it all? Make Denny's yours with MyDenny's, the only app that earns you perks with every bite you take.

Denny’s Restaurants has been a staple of Canadian dining for the last 45 years, providing classic diner fare, an inviting atmosphere, and great value for all their guests. With 59 locations across the country, many located along major transit routes, Denny’s is a dining staple for drivers, providing a bit of comfort and familiarity when away from home.

Denny’s has always placed a high importance on being a good value, but with their recently relaunched Loyalty Program they have found a way to make dining an even better deal, especially for their loyal customers.

With a simple download from Google Play or the App store, the free MyDenny’s mobile app allows guests to earn points for every purchase at participating stores. Every purchase also earns a stamp on their digital loyalty card. Once the card has been filled in, members earn a special $5 reward coupon and a new card is started automatically.

One of the big questions about the app, has been how hard is it to get enough points to get the rewards? Well the answer is it’s easy, and there are lots of added incentives to sign up! New members automatically get 50 points for registering and there are opportunities to earn bonus points by completing polls on the app and entering promo codes that are posted on social media or emailed to their members. It doesn’t take long to earn enough points to redeem for rewards such discounts on purchases or free food and beverages. Every week Denny’s is giving away one thousand points to a new member, so there is an added incentive to sign up.

With over 45,000 members and growing quickly, the app is proving to be highly successful for both Denny’s and their customers.

One of the cool new upgrades to the app is the ability to scan a QR code on the bottom of each receipt, making it quick and easy to add the points to your account. Members can also use the app to send invitations to meet up with friends and share points back and forth with other members.

For the non-smartphone users, there is a desktop version of the loyalty program available at www.mydennys.ca providing all the perks, promotions, and contests available through the app. If you are a Blackberry user, you can use the mobile web version on your phone’s Internet browser, also at mydennys.ca.

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Want more NASCAR Action !

Canadian Trucking Magazine has it, on the Expanded Web Edition now enjoyed by over 570,000 readers a month and up to date events on the Canadian Trucking Magazine Face Book Page ~ LIKE US !

Top of the Page (L-R)NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Johnny Sauter, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson, and NASCAR XFINITY Series Champion Daniel Suarez pose for a portrait prior to the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards at Wynn Las Vegas on December 2, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

To the Right NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson and his wife Chandra pose for a portrait prior to the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards at Wynn Las Vegas on December 2, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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FIRST CLASS TRAINING CENTRE STARTING OR ON THE JOB FCTC HAS THE PROGRAM FOR YOU

Since opening our doors in January 2012, First Class Training Centre Inc. has been providing the highest standard of training to our clients in a personal relaxed learning environment.

From the beginning we recognized there was a need for a high quality Class 1 driver training program preparing the students for a promising career ahead of them.

Becoming a professional truck driver takes years of experience.

Any truck driving school can teach you how to drive a truck, but at First Class Training Centre we are interested in teaching you how to get industry ready.

All aspects of the job are covered in the training.

We don’t limit our instruction to the things that will help you get your licence; we want to help individuals to go out and get a job.

We’ll do this by sharing the kind of insight that can only be earned by spending years doing the job, and helping you prepare for a career in the industry, not just a road test.

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All of our instructors at First Class are career veteran truck drivers.

These instructors have combined on-the-road trucking experience that exceeds two centuries!

That’s a lot of experience teaching the students.

Our instructors will give you the training you will need to take on the challenges of the transportation industry.

Demand for our high standard of training and unique perspective on the trucking industry has been fuelling our growth, and we now have eight instructors on staff in Winnipeg and one in our new Brandon location.

As well as training locally, we have also done out of town projects as far north as Thompson, Manitoba, but the down fall to out of town training was to find a suitable location for a classroom and transporting our air-board to do proper air-brake training.

That’s when my partner, Jeff Esslinger and I, decided to custom build a mobile classroom for training that we can bring almost anywhere in Manitoba.

This 48 foot trailer has a classroom with 8 air-ride truck seat for the students, a fully functional tractor trailer air board system and a state of the art driving simulator.

Our passion at First Class is not just developing new drivers for the industry but we have a passion for the trucking industry as a whole.

We invite trucking firms to take advantage of our mobile training unit to refresh or enhance their drivers with the use of the driving simulator.

We will book and bring the trailer and instructor right to your work place almost anywhere in Manitoba for as many days as needed so you are able to assess your drivers.

With the driving simulator, First Class can develop a company specific curriculum to suit the organizations particular needs, including complete orientation programs for newly hired drivers.

For more information on First Class Training Centre and all that we offer, be sure to check out our website at

www.firstclasstrainingcentre.com

Click above for a video!!

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It seems like yesterday but 40 years ago Jack Shields and his 3 sons (Clarence, Jim & John) started their first restaurant an A&W, in a small northern town called Fort McMurray.

At that time there were less then 5,000 people living in that community. From there they expanded to include the Fort’s first Smitty’s Pancake House & Diary Queen franchises, the Garden Cafe, Willies and Oriellys & the Stags Head Inn. As Fort McMuuray continued to grow so did the Shields family business. In 1986 after the introduction of the Liberal National Energy Program the family lost all their business and were forced to start all over again.

Some 25 years ago Jack and Clarence started all over again by operating a restaurant located the Nisku Truck Stop.

From there they continued to grow acquiring the Airways Country Inn and numerous other business interests. Brother Jim and his wife Jody ventured off to start a successful greenhouse operation, while John continued on with an award winning career in radio.

Blackjacks Roadhouse and Games Room is a brand new building been created to host Clarence’s latest vision, this outstanding and beautiful building features amazing truss work and a 2nd floor grand stage over- looking our room.

They boast the best buffet in the area, as well as a great Canadian & Chinese cuisine menu. Our games room is furnished with 25 V.L.T.s, 5 Minute Keno, Sports Select. Watch and play all the sports from our comfortable lounge.

Trucker Friendly Please come by anytime and enjoy our menu and great service.

Open 24 hours a day featuring specials daily. Spend some time wandering around looking at one of the largest collection of oilfield, trucking and car racing memorabilia dating back some 100 + years.

BLACKJACKS always look forward to the opportunity to be of service.

Happy Trails 2017

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AutoSock by Dave MacKENZIE

Hey Folks I have been talking about the AutoSock since last winter!

I believe in them so much I have been taking a sock out to shows with me all year and giving a pair away and making it so you can see them and touch them.

Okay, 2 things straight off the bat!

AutoSocks are “LEGAL” in all of North America!

AutoSocks work!

Now after saying that, how many of you OTR Drivers really chain up?

As far as I am concerned if the chain up lights are on you should be parking.

But to run the rocks during the winter you need to have to be legal carrying socks or chains.

AutoSock weight about 6 pounds and chains around 400 pounds plus to be legal.

Now put those chains on hangers, add snow and ice and a driver weight showed 1,200 pounds extra.

On the cover & Centerfold a picture taken at the Lesco ~ Pro Show & Shine in Nisku this year, an awesome show and the Alberta Large Car Convoy which is Toys for Tots.

Just click on the picture for the Video.

When people actually got to see the AutoSock up close and realize the value, it was a hit.

And make so much sense!

They stow away taking little space and very little weight.

You can’t use these in the bush or oil patch as there are jobs chains are made for and should be used.

But to be legal and to use if caught in a chain up, and you must go.

On and off in minutes without breaking your back and they work.

Your Canadian Trucking Magazine tested these and promoted them long before AutoSock gave us an Ad like on page 44 showing AutoSock supports your magazine here!

Find AutoSock in Winnipeg at Sift Products, Edmonton at Lesco, Canada wide Fleet Brake and USA at McGee Company.

Get your Socks on.

http://www.shiftproducts.com/

http://www.mcgeecompany.com/

http://www.fleetbrake.com/

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