February 2015 Volume 35, Issue 2
TRUCK NEWS Ray Camball recalls the design of a city-friendly custom trailer that Molson Coors put into service.
Power in the pit
We test drive a Mack Pinnacle with MP8 505C+ engine with an Ontario aggregates hauler.
Delivering daily news at trucknews.com
Page 52
Quebec’s first diamond mine has proven to be a boon for trucking companies who’ve been servicing it.
The urban warrior
Page 41
Northern riches
Page 26
Page 16
Canada’s Trucking Newspaper Since 1981
Smart tire choices
There are now 150 tire makers with a SmartWay tire. So, how do you choose the right one?
US HoS rules rolled back WASHINGTON, D.C. It’s official. Two of the more contentious elements of the US hours-of-service regulations put into place in 2013 have been suspended for two years as part of an omnibus spending bill. Drivers no longer have to include two overnight periods of 1-5 a.m. during their 34-hour reset. They will also no longer be limited to one reset period per week. The American Trucking Associations, one of the most vocal critics of those aspects of the regulations, which it argues force drivers to end their reset when traffic tends to be busier, applauded the development. “We have known since the beginning that the federal government did not properly evaluate the potential impacts of the changes it made in July 2013,” said ATA president and CEO Bill Graves. “Now, thanks to the hard work of Senator (Susan) Collins and many others, we have a common sense solution. Suspending these restrictions until all the proper research can be done is a reasonable step.” Sen. Collins tabled the amendments, which were part of a broader $1-trillion spending bill. The ATA in recent months has brought forward many reasons why the existing rules were flawed – and continued to do so even after Congress and the Senate approved the bill.
Premay Equipment helped move this 140,000 kg crystallizer to a potash mine in Saskatchewan recently.
One massive move
Two years of planning went into this oversized haul recently completed by Premay Equipment in Saskatchewan. The trek took three days and involved multiple escorts to ensure a safe delivery.
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By Sonia Straface SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN A rather large delivery was made this month in Saskatchewan. Premay Equipment, a specialized transportation company located in Western Canada, helped move a giant crystallizer from JNE Welding of Saskatoon to K+S Potash Canada’s potash mine near Bethune, Sask. The move began on Jan. 6. The crystallizer, which brings potash to the surface during the solution process, is more than 10 metres wide, 10 metres high, close to 20 metres long and weighs nearly 140,000 kilograms. “It’s geographically one of the biggest moves that has happened in Saskatchewan,” said Lockie McKinnon, terminal director of Premay Equipment who helped plan the trek for two years. McKinnon said that the move took two years of planning to execute because of all the organization involved. “You have to check with all the infrastructure, like the highways and power and utilities and you have to find a route, as well,” he said. “You’ve got to look at the infrastructure to make
sure it can handle (the weight). The biggest thing is getting everything organized and getting all the people in place. And making sure the power crews and police are in place and making sure there is a lot of communication.” Because of the dimensions of the crystallizer, McKinnon said Premay had to run the route several times in the months leading up to the move to ensure a smooth ride once the trek got started. “We probably ran the route once a month just to make sure there was no change,” he said. The size of the crystallizer means the commute was a slow one – travelling 75-100 kms a day going around 30-40 km/h. McKinnon added that the delivery was contained between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to avoid causing traffic backups and so school buses weren’t disturbed. There were also a multitude of escort vehicles assisting with the trek. “There’s a truck pulling it at the front, and two trucks behind pushing it,” McKinnon said. “I also have four pilot cars on it and a police escort.”
15-01-19 10:24 AM