November 2011 Volume 31, Issue 11 Delivering daily news to Canada’s trucking industry at www.trucknews.com
Best of the best National Driving
Convoy is a record Breaker! Breaker!
Championships showcase elite driver skill
By Jim Bray CALGARY, Alta. – Everyone makes rookie mistakes, but when push came to shove at the 2011 National Professional Truck Driving Championships, it was a rookie who made the fewest errors – and ended up driving off with the title of Grand Champion. The rookie in question was Claude Tessier who, while he may have been a “Roadeo rookie,” has actually been driving trucks for the best part of 30 years – 22 of them with Groupe Robert out of Montreal, Que. Tessier hauls a bit of everything to the Midwest and east coast of the US – including hospital and bathroom products – and he told Truck News via an interpreter that what finally got him to enter the championships in his home province was pretty much a dare from a friend. “It started when (a previous champion) and I arrived from a trip and it took him two or three times to back the load into the dock straight,” Tessier says. “I teased him that for a champion he had problems and that he should watch
By Adam Ledlow PARIS, Ont. – The delighted laughs of the athletes, the roar of engine after engine filing down the highway, and the hooting and cheering from family, friends and industry folk lining the driveway filled the air near the Paris Fairgrounds on Sept. 17, signalling the start of the seventh annual World’s Largest Truck Convoy. The event was once again raising money in support of the Special Olympics, with organizers setting a goal to beat last year’s tally of $40,000. And beat it they did, with total donations reaching $54,000 by day’s end with the aid of 57 participating drivers. “From a meagre beginning of 17 registered drivers (in the week leading up to the event), we are thrilled to have the 57 trucks turn out, and are once again astounded by the drivers’ determination to collect pledges for Special Olympics,” said Tammy Blackwell, event coordinator for the southern Ontario convoy. “While they enjoy the friendly competition for lead truck, they genuinely applaud each others’ efforts for the best
leader of the pack: Don Poll earned the lead position at this year’s World’s Largest Truck Convoy for Special Olympics in Paris, Ont. The Ontario leg of the event raised $54,000 while a similar event in Manitoba raised another $45,000 for Special Olympics. Photo by Adam Ledlow
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Introducing ‘downspeeding’ Taking ‘run slow’ to a new low
Inside This Issue...
• Aero trailer: There was an interesting piece of equipment
at this year’s Energotest track trials: a sloped van trailer that Manac is hoping delivers 6% fuel savings. Page 12
• HVAC how-to:
Your air conditioning system may be the last thing on your mind this time of year. But there are some easy maintenance tips anyone with two hands can do. Page 36
Our mufflers are stronger, last longer and save you $$$!
• Cat on track: We take the new Cat CT660 for a spin. Does it live up to the hype?
Page 64
• The Good Shepherd: Mark Dalton hands over the wheel and awakes in a surprising location.
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