When a truck hit a cyclist and he lay injured on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway in Saskatchewan, Terry Walde did not hesitate to park his big rig and rush to his aid.
If he sees a driver struggling to tie or strap down a load at a yard, the veteran trucker is quick to lend a helping hand.
The 61-year-old who’s been hauling specialized and heavy freight for Winnipeg-based Searcy Trucking for the past nine years has a simple explanation for his actions, “I was taught we should help each other.”
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Walde grew up around trucks and farm equipment. Under the watchful eye of his grandfather, Walde learned to drive grain trucks and tractors on the farm when he was very young.
His father was a truck driver and the company he worked for was close to where they lived in Winnipeg. When he turned 16, Walde used to go to the yard on weekends to wash trucks and move them around.
Walde got his truck driver’s licence at the age 19 and began his driving career at the same company where his dad worked. He drove a 1979 Western Star, moving dry vans back and forth from Winnipeg to Calgary or Edmonton.
Hauling vans, reefers, flatbeds and livestock
His 42-year driving career has taken him to most parts of North America. He’s done longhaul and city work and pulled reefers, flat beds and even transported livestock to help a friend for a few months.
In 2013, Walde injured his shoulders and could not do flatbed work. He became a certified driving instructor and worked at a truck driving school for a year and enjoyed training aspiring truckers, but said the working hours were long.
He worked on trailer maintenance and dispatching at a carrier for a couple of years until his shoulders healed.
The call of the open road was too strong, and he returned to hauling specialized heavy freight in 2016 and has been at it ever since.
Walde said the job is gratifying because customers who include farmers are happy to see him arrive with their equipment, unlike when running van or reefer loads.
“When you show up at a warehouse, the shipper or receiver is usually grumpy,” he said. “They seem to be mad at you no matter if you are on time or if you are late.”
Communication key for successful marriage
Trucking is sometimes not kind to family life, but Walde said that he is blessed with a wife, two grown children and grandchildren. His key to a successful marriage is constant communication. “We talk on the phone, listen and make sure the communication line is always open.”
The veteran driver has seen his share of untrained drivers at yards and on the road. He feels that trucking companies should be training them properly before sending them out.
He recollects that when he was starting out with flatbeds in 1992, the company he worked for taught drivers how to secure their loads before letting them drive.
After orientation, there was graduated system. First, you were only given legal sized loads for flat and step decks. That was followed by small, oversized loads. Once a driver could prove they could secure and move those loads, they graduated to larger loads.
Lack of trip planning a concern
He’s also noticed how drivers now sit in their trucks and film others struggling to back into a spot at a truck stop or rest area. “Years ago, drivers would get out and help each other, now they want their 15 minutes of fame, will watch the guy hit someone’s truck, and laugh about it,” he said.
He is also concerned about the lack of trip planning. Drivers don’t need to use up all their drive time, he said, adding, “It is okay to shut down an hour early instead of racing to get to a truck stop or rest area as your clock ticks down,” he said.
Mentoring the next generation
The Truckload Carriers Association honored Walde with a Highway Angel award for helping the injured cyclist.
And although it’s not part of the job description, he said that he’ll continue helping and mentoring drivers.
Walde has been driving for 42 years, and he said it would be safe to say he’s driven between two and three million miles. The veteran trucker plans to keep trucking for a few more years. Combining old-school values with real-world experience, Walde is an industry resource that must be tapped before he drives off into the sunset.
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