National Trucking Week

It's a sight we see often on the road, yet one we tend to take for granted: trucks hauling loads through the city, and across the country. Although truck drivers make it look easy to drive the big rigs, it takes exceptional skill to drive one. On any given day, a driver will navigate one or more trailers through traffic, down rough streets and highways, around tight corners and, ultimately, to their final destination: a loading dock in a cramped warehouse area fronted by a tight entrance. Not surprisingly, truck drivers take pride in driving well, and safely. Every province stages a regional competition to determine the best of the best, and then teams of five move on to the National Professional Truck Driving Championships. This year, the event will be held in Regina Sept. 10-12, with Team Manitoba entering the competition as two-time defending champion. Team captain Darcy Olson — who's competed in the provincial event himself — says it's a fun, intense weekend. "Everyone enjoys it, but yes, it can be quite intense," he says. "At the same time, everyone who comes here is a champion from his home province, so they're already winners. Coming here to compete is just icing on the cake. Once it's done, it's done, and then you enjoy spending time comparing notes and sharing stories with the other drivers from across the country." As usual, the competition will start off with everyone arriving in the host city to register at the Delta Regina hotel. Once everyone is in, there will be a meet and greet event with a gift exchange in the evening. The various teams will then be introduced, then everyone will depart to their rooms for — hopefully — a good night's sleep. It's then down to business on Friday morning, says Olson, who works for Safeway's Transportation Department. "There will be a written exam with 50 multiple choice questions relating to the driver's handbook, as well as a driver inspection where officials plant five defects within units that drivers have to identify for safety purposes," he explained. "Then, in the afternoon, there'll be a pre-arranged outing (to the RCMP Heritage Centre), and then dinner and entertainment at the hotel in the evening." Drivers will then put their driving skills on full display Saturday in five different categories: straight truck (two axles), single-axle tractor with small PUP trailer (three axles), single-axle tractor with 53-foot trailer (four axles), tandem-axle tractor with 53-foot trailer (five axles), and Super B — tandem axle tractor with two trailers (seven or eight axles) — are involved. "It's a real test," says Olson. "Obstacle courses with six to eight items are set up to correspond with vehicle class, and each run is timed. It's mostly an individual competition, but at the end, the team with the highest average wins the team competition. I've competed myself, and it's quite an experience, waiting to drive with your knees shaking and hands sweating. We walk through the course twice (captains, and then competitors), so you know what you're facing. But you still have to perform." At 61, Greg Muzychka — who won the single tandem division 14 - NATIONAL TRUCKING WEEK by Todd lewyS for The free preSS maniToba Trucking induSTry SnapShoT: Total companies: 7,394 82% operate 1-5 vehicles 16% operate 5-25 vehicles 2% operate 25-plus vehicles

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