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Page 12 — Aalion Hills This Wéek: Truck drive Editor’s note: It seems truckers, engaged in all Sorts of short-haul and long-haul jobs are increas- ingly coming under flack from both car drivers and the general public. We sent intrepid HHTW reporter Oksana Buhel onan overnight trek to Toledo with Georgetown trucker Dale Holman and she filed this report, By Oksana Buhel istening to Dale Holman criticize “those cow- boys,” you would never guess he shares his profession with the same “cowboys” who are racing down highways, Passing without signaling and dri- ving in the Passing lane. Holman, of Georgetown and in his early 30s, is indeed a truck driver and Proud of his profession, but would also be the first to denounce such drivers, and he assured me he is only Ss rT ae saat] 53 CANADA | $1099 E&£<<<__ truckers who feel this way. He listed all his griev- ances while we bounced along to Toledo, Ohio (I don’t care if those seats have air cushions ~ I felt like I was bustin’ a bronco at the local rodeo), to drop off one load and Pick up another. Holman drives down to Toledo five times a week — an 11-hour run, assuming, of course, a friendly customs. officer does not want to chat for an extended period of time. Holman has been driving for 16 years, During this time, he says he’s seen a lot, heard a lot and learned a lot. “Everyday on the road, I learn something new,” Holman said. “Not like those cowboys who think they know everything.” Holman’s beef with the cowboys ranged from speeding to driving through residential areas with their “jake brake” on. NOW S699 Satitrday; Noveiniber'20, 1998 rs more tha one of a growing number of Holman showed me how a “jake brake” — an exhaust brake which takes wear off brake pads, creates a con- siderab amount of noise. “Sure “Every day n earn their fair share Transportation (DOT) will impress its common sense on the drivers, “Things have really changed over the last three I . years, it has its bene- on the road i011 man fits,” Holman explained admitted, but I learn Drivers are is ‘ me, g now required ig fal something | 10 fi ou a apne nth 99. log book of mine off when new. sen dri through a residential-area.” He acknow-ledged con- cerns of speeding, and said truck drivers should use common sense to interpret speed limits. “Just because a speed limit says 50,” Holman said, “doesn’t mean you have to go 50 — you can go 40. You can’t just stop on a dime in one of these things.” For those truck drivers who are reluctant to use their common sense, the Department of room. [ae eet] e035 CANADA | $899 This traditional it individually. * FAST DELIVERY - THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT a Pieces may also be Purchased FREE LAYAWAYS.- 'Y PAYMENT PLANS - THAT ELEGANT. TOUCH! This stylish living room sofa features solid hardwood frame, no-sag springs and’ high density foam cush- ions. The centre-matched fabric will accentuate any NOW S599 NOW #249 be able to present it on Tequest. A driver is not allowed to be in the vicinity of his truck more than 15 hours a day, which includes 13 hours driving time and two hours warming up the truck, doing repairs or hay- ing anything to do with the vehicle. After that time, it’s eight hours sleep — like it or Not, tired or not. Late night 401 drivers may see tractor ‘trailers pulled off on the shoulder of the highway with brake lights on, but no driver in . This recliner combines solid construction with a traditional attractive and functional. Available in achoice of colours. Sight. These drivers are more than likely curled up in the their beds in the back of the cab, catching enough winks to enable them to safely continue on their journey. (And don’t be fooled — those beds are pret- ty darned cozy as I learned during our trip when my eyelids somehow became magnetically attracted to one another.) “It (the DOT) is cleaning up the industry and forcing us to improve,” Holman Pointed out. “We must get everybody on a level set of tules, not a different set for the cowboys.” Holman is aware that Cowboys or not, truckers are Not regarded highly by the of the road my side, painting her nails. Holman listed various activities he had seen dri- vers perform while driving: coffee drinking, cellular phoning, lap-top computer typing, newspaper Teading (he pointed out these activi- ties were often done simul- taneously), pantyhose changing, and “romantic adventuring.” “For some Treason, people are most frisky around Baltimore,” he claimed. For us less frisky Canadians, Holman. blames technology as the greatest diversion. Holman assumes most Conflicts of interest between truck drivers, automobile drivers and residents can be solved through mutual average auto- respect. mobile driver. Pr PRR Spence! Regarding “Some people For anyone, the local ay we just =g5 Problem of whip along, It sa trucks on tearing up the rae Maple Ave. road, but it's’ Privilege to a not true,” he . Georgetown said. “We pay drive Sa not a which resi- our fair share . ” dents are of road tax right. trying to (included in the price of gasoline) to maintain the highways — just like salespersons who drive a lot.” Holman admitted that to drive such a large vehicle, you must be in good physi- cal shape and know. the Tules of the road. As Part of the DOT’s. more rigid enforcement of safe truck driving, drivers are expect- €d to havea medical exami- nation’every two years and a written test every three years. “For anyone, it’s a Privilege to drive — not a right,” Holman said. “But for truckers, we have to earn it and keep earning it.” Although. Holman is adamantly against the “cow- boys,” he admitted not all them. “You’d be surprised what I’ve seen car drivers do on the road,” he told me, as a female driver passed on Furniture Cleaning * Professionally cleaned on-location Fire, Water & Smoke Damage Restorati * Clean /restore building contents ST. the total cleaning service FREE Wp * ESTIMATES x; © RESIDENTIAL © COMMERCIAL ¢ INDUSTRIAL ban, Holman believes drivers should slow down and turn off their “jake brake.” Residents, on the other hand, should real- ize that as long as business- ¢s are located in the down- town area, trucks will have to come into town. “It’s almost impossible to find a Toute which does not go by a school or a residential area,” Holman added. At the end, of our 14-hour trip, our friendly customs officer did want to chat for an extended period of time), I got out of the truck (my bottom was still vibrating) “tireder,” but wiser. 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