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By John White
Our December/January Rig of the month is Cameron Betts from
Victoria BC. We can only hope that there are a lot more young guys
coming up with the same love and enthusiasm for trucking as he has.
This is his story.
Some of you may know me as “Pinky.” (If you don’t, that’s
probably a good thing!) I was born and raised in Victoria BC, by my
parents Ron and Gayle. I often wonder if they realized the damage
they caused me by giving me toy trucks as a child. I really liked
the ones with trailers that I could back up in the sand box.
Dad is a foundry man with his own business, Achinback
Industries. He would often talk about the physical requirements of
his job, and I remember the burns in his clothing and body from all
the molten metal. I think that is why I started driving.
I fell in love with tow trucks, and despite everybody’s best
efforts, I started driving when I was sixteen. I remember backing
up my very first trailer, a Chevette hooked to the wrecker. I found
myself muttering that this was a lot easier in the sandbox. It took
me a while but with determination, a rag to wipe my brow, and some
confusing advice; steer off the bottom of the wheel; open the door;
turn around and use the rear window; use your
mirrors…What…Mirrors?... I finally I learned how to back up.
I remember my first tow with a customer, a nice middle aged lady
with a Volkswagen van. She asked how long I had been driving a
wrecker and with my big sixteen year old smile I told her, “About
ten minutes.” She looked a little concerned, but put aside her
fears and encouraged me by saying I was doing fine. I told her,
“That may be true; but I haven’t had to back up yet.” She turned
forward and didn’t say another word until I was finished. I guess I
did alright though because she gave me a dollar tip.
I drove tow trucks for many years until one day I met a fellow
named Ron Moreland who was to be our new tow yard general manager.
Ron and I did not start off our relationship well as I was a twenty
year old know it all. I give much credit to him because at that
time I wasn’t really aware of just how knowledgeable he was. Ron
was patient and kept offering me advice until, slowly, I began to
accept it. The turning point in our relationship was the day I
towed a pickup to our compound with a horse trailer still attached.
I was an experienced tow truck operator by now and I had towed
combinations before but I had just towed them forward. I showed up
on the street with this rig and Ron looked at me and said “You’re
pretty good going forward; now let’s see you back it in the
yard.”
I knocked the dust off my boots, puffed up my chest, and said,
“No problem.” Just like a rooster in the henhouse, I strutted
off to back this rig into the yard. Fifteen minutes later I
wiped my brow for the seventh or eighth time, climbed out of the
truck and mockingly said to Peter, the other guy who was there,
“Pretty good Going Forward am I?” Not impressed Peter said, “I
didn’t think you’d ever get it in.”
Ronny came over and said, “Well you got it in - mind if I
try?”
I said, “If you think you can do better.” Big mistake! I’ve
never seen anyone pull out, do a loop and back a combination in as
straight and as fast as that before. Ron climbed out of the wrecker
and hesitated and then said to me, “Maybe you don’t like it
straight like that; maybe you want the trailer on the wall between
the lines?”
I said, “That’s impossible, nobody could do that. Second
Mistake! Ronny pulled out did another loop and backed it right in
straight and turned the horse trailer between the lines at a right
angle to the pickup. Right then and there I realized this old guy
knew a lot more than I did and I had better listen up. I guess he
really did have more miles in reverse than I had in forward.
After a few months Ron suggested I get my air brakes and class
one. I put it off for a few weeks, but finally went in. During the
course I realized that there just may be something to this trucking
thing so I decided to get my licence.
Ron and I would go out together in his 1988 Freightliner Classic
with a 425 Cat and fifteen over transmission. One time we
went out to one of Ron’s old friends’ place, the late Butch Taylor,
to get a lowbed trailer. I had never met Butch before, and must
admit I was quite surprised when he welcomed me into the house and
treated me as though he had known me for years. Ron told Butch,
“Young fella wants to learn how to drive.” Butch looked me over and
replied, “What the hell you want to do that for?”
He paused a moment and looked at Ron and said, “Well if you want
to learn - at least you’re gonna learn from a good driver.” We
loaded the trailer and off we went into town. Somewhere along the
route Ron lit a cigarette and looked over at me and said that he
hoped I was comfortable, as we really should have picked up an over
width permit to tow this trailer. Those must have been the magic
words, as I started to lose my nerve and began driving terrible. At
that moment the shotgun seat never looked so good!
The more I drove, the more I became a great fan of the driver
friendly Cat engine, and Ron was sure to promote it when he could.
“Nothin’ sounds as good as a Cat,” he’d say, “unless it’s a Cat
with straight pipes!”
Ron and I became good friends and he suggested I quit driving
wrecker, but at first I wouldn’t listen.
I needed to get some official lessons for my class one, so I
contacted Ron Basi of CSTT in Sidney. This was a great experience
as I was able to schedule lessons around my towing job. Taking my
road test was great up until I stalled the truck and failed. It was
the typical young and cocky vs. age and experience scenario. Round
two worked out much better.
Ron Moreland went to work for Quicksilver Hauling and he soon
called me up to take a ride in his gravel truck. Well here we go
again; I was bitten by the trucking bug again - real hard. He
suggested I talk to Don the owner and go for a drive. I did that
and although Don wasn’t terribly impressed with my lack of
experience, he said I was welcome to come back when I had some more
time under my belt.
I kept driving wrecker until the winter of 2005 when one night I
got a phone call from Steve Lodge, a friend of my Uncle Greg. He
said that he and two of his buddies, Mike Adrian and Glen Crocker,
were thinking about getting a gravel truck and asked if I would be
interested in driving it. I told them I had no experience but if
they were cool with that, I would drive for them. Steve said no
problem, and he would call me in a few weeks when he knew what was
going on.
About a month later Steve called again to say that they were
having trouble locating a good used truck, and they were going new,
what did I want; a Mack or a Western Star? I told him I was in
absolutely no position to influence that decision, and we left it
at that. After a few days I got a call to come meet them and help
spec the truck. They had decided on a Western Star and I was asked
what color I wanted, how many lights, etc. Here I was a rookie with
no miles picking out options, how cool is this!
One Saturday I was wasting time in the wrecker, so I swung into
Butch Tailors shop. I walked in and Brian looked up and said, “When
does your truck get here?” I said I wasn’t sure and then I said
hello to Butch and asked if he remembered me. I was sure surprised
when he replied that of course he did. Ribbing me, he asked why we
got one of those Western Stars, when we could have had a real
truck; a Kenworth with Cat power. It was right then that I started
to learn about how fast word travels in this industry.
In May 2005 we took delivery of our truck. She is powered by a
450 horse Mercedes and is amazing on fuel consumption. A little
short in the torque department, but we have not turned a wrench on
it. She has been amazingly reliable, and I think she looks good. I
figure I’ll get around to customizing it one day - low to the
ground would be too cool but like I always say, “Not bad for a
working girl!”
The hardest part of driving a black truck is keeping it clean. I
love strolling around with a shine on; that’s a feeling you can
never replace. I often catch folks looking at my truck and I wave
at them all. I cannot resist giving the kids a big horn hello;
isn’t that why we all drive?
I have been able to attend many of the truck shows in the past
couple of years, including the BC Big Rig shows but the highlight
was collecting the first place gravel truck trophy at the first
annual Butch Taylor Memorial Truck Show. What a thrill! The quality
of competing trucks was outstanding, and I really was caught off
guard.
At the shows I often find myself in a conversation with a
spectator about the history of Western Star in BC. I find that many
folks used to work at the factory. I also find numerous people that
used to drive a Western Star. I love to converse with the folks, as
I’m rather famous for my ability to talk. (I’ve heard that I’m not
the only driver affected by this strange disease.)
These past couple of years have been pretty good to me. I have
met some great people and learned quite a lot. I give Ron a lot of
credit for my new-found ability to learn. He always said I would
learn better with my mouth shut and, when I remember, it seems to
work quite well. I’m happy that my company, ALC Trucking Ltd., has
been able to grow in our short years, having added a pup trailer.
As for the driver; let’s just say he has grown as well.
I was very fortunate to meet my wife on a street corner in the
spring of 2006. Easy now- she is a traffic controller. (What were
you folks thinking?). Jackie is the most amazing woman I’ve ever
met; so I just had to make her mine.
I can honestly say that I did not know how tough it would be to
balance work, a marriage, and three children. Our kids, Tyrell,
Brooke - Lyn, and James, love Daddy’s truck and I’m impressed by
how much they really know about trucks. Sometimes, okay -
oftentimes, Momma gets sick of hearing about trucks and she is
quick to put me in my place by telling me what real work
(motherhood) is all about. I’ve got to admit that I don’t have all
the answers to parenthood; but how much fun would it be if we knew
what we were doing?
I owe a great debt of gratitude to my bosses, Mike, Steve, and
Glen, for giving me the chance to prove myself in the industry.
While my experience may not be vast and varied; I’m pleased with
the results so far. I can honestly say that showing up on the job
site as the brand new driver in a brand new truck gave me a whole
new perspective and I soon found that I had quite the ladder to
climb.
Who am I kidding? I’m here for the party! Isn’t that why we do
what we do? To get the stories, to see the places, to haul the
loads, to work with great people, to go to Big Rig Weekend! Driving
a truck is a great job, I’m so glad I went back the second time to
pass my road test!
This past summer I was able to experience working away from
home, hauling gravel in Edmonton Alberta. Man they have some cool
trucks on the other side of the Rockies! Being from the Island I
was a bit overwhelmed by the size of the city, but I have got to
say that I enjoyed every minute. Even when I got buried in sand in
Fort Saskatchewan! I met some great people and I learned many new
things. I was even able to teach a few of the locals about my truck
as they had not seen a high lift tailgate before, let alone my
little old trailer!
Jackie brought out our newborn for a week long visit and we went
to Alberta Big Rig Weekend. As I pulled the truck through the gate
all I heard was a loud “Pinky!” I looked up to see Ben and Tori and
the biggest smiles on their faces. John and Donna came out to
welcome us, and we felt as though we were at home. I know my wife
will kill me but I’ve got to give a big shout out to Motor for
rectifying that little situation where she got lost in Calgary
driving Ray, Bob, and Linda to their hotel. Ahhh, memories!
Jackie, James, and I had a great time and we urge everyone to
attend the Alberta show; if not just for the cool iron, then for
the great people.
I would be nobody without my family and friends: Jackie, Tyrell,
Brooke - Lyn, James, I love you all so much. Mike Adrian, Steve
Lodge, Glen Crocker, Ron Moreland, Greg Milne, Mike Robertson,
Craig Jones (10- 4 Good Buddy!), Butch Taylor (I know you’re
watching); you have all helped along my “Lost Highway.”
Hey Ronny, remember those times I said I would stay driving a
wrecker forever? You called B.S. and you were right!
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