Talbot Saunders is presented with an award for 3 years of accident free driving, by Dave McIlmoyl, Glen Ertell, and Robin Dalshaug.

June marked the 28th annual Safety and Service awards at Northern Resource Trucking. The Safety and Service

awards were started July 1, 1990, when NRT was four years old. Safety Awards are presented to full time company drivers, hourly laborers, permanent leased operators and their drivers who have worked a minimum of 1600 hours and not had a preventable accident during the calendar year. NRT warehouse employees are eligible for Safety who have ‘no job related injuries requiring medical aid’ specified on Workers’ Compensation Board claims and/or ‘no injuries caused to fellow workers that could have been prevented’. The awards are for one year through twenty-five years accident free! Employees receive a gold-

plated NRT pin every year that they are eligible, a plaque at three years, and a plaque and gift certificate of their choice at five, ten, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five years.

The Long Service Awards are in celebration of all of NRT’s employees as they stick with us through the years; these awards are given at five year intervals, from five years to twenty-five years. A list of the awards are reviewed by the Operations Manager and Branch Manager to ensure validity each year. Awards are presented by the Senior Manager at the NRT Awards BBQ, held each June. The weather was fabulous this year, so we took the celebration outside. Beneath a tent in the truck yard, employees were

Trailblazer Summer/Fall 2014

Safety First!: NRT presents the 24th annual Safety and Service Awards

Partnership at WorkContinued on page 2

A Note from the Editor: Fall is upon us, and NRT is getting ready for another busy winter season!

Here’s a little of what we’ve been up to this summer: The Saskatoon office has been undergoing some renovations, and NRT is excited to be putting a fresh face forward this winter. We also celebrated the annual Safety and Service Awards, National Transportation Week, and NRT President, Dave McIlmoyl, and Branch Manager, Glen Ertell, were recognized for their efforts in the industry by the Saskatoon Transportation Club. Go team!

I hope everyone took advantage of this fabulous summer, because it looks like we’re in for a colder than average winter season! According to the mysteriously accurate Farmer’s Almanac, we can look forward to crisper temperatures and higher than average snowfall from December through February. I hope those snowplow operators and graders are ready!

As always, please send your questions, suggestions feedback and photos to Sarah Jensen at nrt.trailblazer@outlook.com. Or if email is not your style, leave a note for me with Jenny Cook or Jessica McMillan in the front office, and they’ll be sure to pass it on.

Front Page con’t: treated to a fabulous lunch catered by Country Style BBQ in Saskatoon. There were BBQ burgers, as well as an array of salads, sides and desserts to choose from. Congratulations to all of the recipients and thanks for another great year at NRT!

Year OneSteve Caisse

Cliff CoombsAndrew

FeatherlingJohn Harder

Gerald HunterClayton Lee

Robert MacAngusJustin McDougall

Paul NoonanKeven Rowlands

Hugh SheldonBrian Topping

Year TwoRobert Gibb

Martin GramlichArthur KingBrian KinzelVern Maltby

Joey Nicholson

Orlin PetersonSheldon Settee

Kirt SpechtJames WoodYear Three

Len ChevrierGary FreemontPaul Hrbachek

Phil JensenArmand Lajeunesse

Talbot SaundersYear Four

Ken ChesterKyle ChesterDave Doucet

Year FiveAllan CampbellGerry Dueker

Chad GundersonDoug Gunderson

John Jobb

Maurice KyplainAlan LaPlanteKen Murray

Zeljko PocrnicYear Six

Kelvin DrieschnerRoland Gareau

Dennis HovdeboLarry MisouriRay Richard

Chris SandersonYear SevenDonavon Atkinson

Brad CaisseDale Johnson

Wayne RobinsonJoey Tatlow

Phil Croisettiere Year Eight

Conrad Borycki

Leo GaudetTom Grimsdale

Wray SwiftYear Nine

Lyle ClouthierConrad Lehmond

Year TenEmile Frechette

Rene GareauYear Eleven

Lionel HeppnerYear TwelveKen Perlitz

Chris ThurberYear ThirteenJohn HardingLarry SmithTroy Webb

Year FifteenRobert Kustaski

Andy Lamontagne

Year SixteenStan Porter

Richard WilmYear SeventeenDave CampbellYear Eighteen

Larry BalonLawrence Matchee

Dwight TwiggeYear NineteenKelvin KitzulMerv StaceyRoss Wilson

Year Twenty-TwoRon Magee

Year Twenty-Three

Lloyd LaRoque

Recipients of the 2013 NRT Safety Awards

Above (clockwise from top left): The crowd waiting for the ceremony to begin, a 2013 Safety Award pin, the lunch spread by Country Fresh Meats, the display of plaques and pins to be awarded! Driver Awards (clockwise from far left): Paul Noonan, Jake Pocrnic, Chris Sanderson, Emile Frechette, and Wayne Robinson.

Spotlight on

The Trailblazer

NRT’s Dispatch

TeamWe’re here with Robin Dalshaug, Operations Manager, and NRT’s

dispatch team in an effort to get to know some of our most important “behind the scenes” crew. These folks are responsible for organizing over 100 NRT trucks and subcontractors to meet the needs of our customers. From food and fuel to equipment and yellowcake, the dispatch team has

got you covered!

We’ve got some pretty hard-hitting questions for them, today... I hope they did their homework!

Name: Ralph SetteePositioN: Bulk DispatchHow loNg Have you beeN at NRt?: About 18 years now.if you could be doiNg aNytHiNg else RigHt Now, wHat would it be?: I’d be a professional wrestler!wHat would youR wRestliNg Name be?: Probably “The Crazy Injun,” haha. wHat kiNd of music aRe you listeNiNg to RigHt Now?: Heavy Metal and Rock. do you Have a favouRite baNd?: Metallica.wHat kiNd of movies do you like?: I like Drama and Thrillers. wHat aRe youR favouRites?: I have two, The Shawshank Redemption and Saving Private Ryan.wHat do you oRdeR oN a timmy’s RuN?: An extra-large steeped tea with one sweetener and one milk.

Name: John NewellPositioN: Freight DispatchHow loNg Have you beeN at NRt?: Oh, two years and a bit.if you could be doiNg aNytHiNg else RigHt Now, wHat would it be?: My dream job is something where the only decision I have make will be about umbrellas. Like whether or not my drink will have an umbrella in it. Or whether or not I should sit under an umbrella while I have a drink.wHat kiNd of music aRe you listeNiNg to RigHt Now?: Modern Country, Classic Rock, Soft Rock, Pop...wHat kiNd of movies do you like?: Mostly I like action movieswHat do you oRdeR oN a timmy’s RuN?: An extra-large black coffee.

We at The Trailblazer would never suggest attempting to gain preferential treatment from one’s dispatcher by means of bribery. Mostly because it doesn’t work. Don’t ask me how I know that. However, with the Christmas season just around the corner (I’m sorry, but it’s true!), we hope our interview questions might give you some holiday shopping insight. Don’t forget the extra-special, hardworking dispatcher in your life this season! If nothing else, a nice, hot coffee

ATTENTION DRIvERS:

might help sweeten the deal if you’re thinking of asking for some extra time off... I took their orders already. You’re welcome.

Name: Dale LegarePositioN: Freight DispatchHow loNg Have you beeN at NRt?: Eight months now.if you could be doiNg aNytHiNg else RigHt Now, wHat would it be?: I’ve been working in this industry so long, I wouldn’t know what else to do!wHat kiNd of music aRe you listeNiNg to RigHt Now?: Mostly Rock.wHat kiNd of movies do you like?: Sci-fi, definitely.wHat do you oRdeR oN a timmy’s RuN?: I don’t drink a lot of coffee, except first thing in the morning, but I do like Iced Capps.

Name: Dale EssarPositioN: Bulk DispatchHow loNg Have you beeN at NRt?: Seven years!if you could be doiNg aNytHiNg else RigHt Now, wHat would it be?: My dream job is to be retired before I’m sixty.wHat kiNd of music aRe you listeNiNg to RigHt Now?: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal.wHat is youR favouRite baNd? W.A.S.P. wHat kiNd of movies do you like?: Mostly Comedy, but I do like Suspense/Thriller, and Action movies too.do you Have a favouRite movie? The Shawshank Redemption and Clerks. wHat do you oRdeR oN a timmy’s RuN?: Iced Capp, I guess. I’m not really a coffee drinker, though.

Name: Robin DalshaugPositioN: Operations ManagerHow loNg Have you beeN at NRt?: Thirteen years, now.if you could be doiNg aNytHiNg else RigHt Now, wHat would it be?: My dream job? Something exciting... like a Heli-Skiing Guide.

Name: Bryan GerbrantPositioN: Special Dispatch, Over-Dimensional and Heavy HaulHow loNg Have you beeN at NRt?: Eight years.if you could be doiNg aNytHiNg else RigHt Now, wHat would it be?: I’d probably be a rocket scientist. But if that didn’t work out, I’d just retire.wHat kiNd of music aRe you listeNiNg to RigHt Now?: Anything but Rap and Heavy Metal, yuck!wHat kiNd of movies do you like?: B-Movies, any genre.wHat do you oRdeR oN a timmy’s RuN?: Extra Large black coffee.

Name: Shirley RempelPositioN: Non-Cameco and AREAvA Freight DispatchHow loNg Have you beeN at NRt?: Two years.if you could be doiNg aNytHiNg else RigHt Now, wHat would it be?: I have a Bachelor of Commerce with a Major in Accounting, so I guess that’s what I’d be doing. But I’ve done it before and I like this way better!wHat kiNd of music aRe you listeNiNg to RigHt Now?: Any kind of Rock music.wHat kiNd of movies do you like?: Mostly Action, sometimes Drama.wHat do you oRdeR oN a timmy’s RuN?: Plain coffee with cream.

wHat kiNd of music aRe you listeNiNg to RigHt Now?: Mostly Rock, but I’m starting to listen to some Country.wHat kiNd of movies do you like?: Usually Comedy.do you Have a favouRite? Yes, but it’s not a Comedy. Where Eagles Dare with Clint Eastwood! wHat do you oRdeR oN a timmy’s RuN?: Large coffee with two sugars and an old-fashioned plain donut.

When Diesel Dies: What is the Future of Fuel?

in an industry which so heavily relies upon its fuel source.

Although CNG has the support of Kenworth, LNG is also acquiring advocates in the Canadian trucking industry. According to Fleet Executive, in their July/August article “Green to Gold: Waiting for the Great Leap Forward,” there are currently at least three large scale operations running LNG highway tractors. “Groupe Robert of Coucherville, Que., has 115 LNG Peterbilts running along the 401 corridor between Quebec and Ontario; Vedder Transport of Abbotsford, B.C. tallies 50 LNG units; [and] Bison Transport of Winnipeg has 15 dedicated tractors on its LCV run between Calgary and Edmonton,” the article reports.

For the time being, LNG is not a viable option for remote trucking operations as the fuel isn’t as consistent at colder temperatures as diesel, and the range per LNG tank would leave NRT drivers stranded halfway to the mine. But as more highway fleets start converting, the infrastructure to support them is expanding as well, so LNG fueling stations may be a not-so-distant dream.

In the interim, NRT is piloting a propane injection system by National Energy Equipment Inc. on a handful of company tractors. There have been some supply issues with this system as well, but NRT President Dave McIlmoyl remains hopeful that the LPG assistance will boost mileage once we find a reliable way to source the diesel alternative. The trial is still in the early stages, so it is too soon to tell just how well LPG will work for us, but The Trailblazer will keep you posted!

Mounting pressure on diesel engine manufacturers to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations has got some folks in the industry wondering… To run truly green machines, maybe we need to look beyond the diesel engine. Diesel just doesn’t burn as clean as we need it to given the volume of trucks on the road these days, even with the advances currently being made with green engine technologies. Advancements in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) are starting to look viable for the future of fueling.

Today’s Trucking reports, in its August 2014 issue, that by the year 2020 one fifth of all vocational trucks will be natural gas powered. Kenworth is looking to expand the CNG truck market and is hoping to head off the alternative fuel trend with their own specialized engines.

“I’m a true believer,” Andy Douglas, Kenworth’s national sales manager for specialty vehicles, tells TT Magazine about the future of compressed natural gas. “It’s no longer a science experiment. It’s happening. The question is not if, but when.”

Sound crazy? Maybe not. “Eighty years ago, diesel was the alternative fuel. It took 25 years for it to become common,” Douglas reminds us. Although with the pace that modern technologies develop and industries adapt these days, it will likely be within a much shorter timeframe.

Relative to diesel, alternative fuels (like natural gas and propane) are inexpensive, clean burning, and plentiful, so it is understandably that they would be an attractive choice

Diesel Alternatives: The Rundown

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) — Natural gas is composed mostly of methane. It is a fossil fuel, formed when organic matter and gasses buried deep beneath the earth are exposed to intense heat and pressure for thousands of years. It is extracted from underground gas wells, often as a by-product of drilling for oil. As a part of a fuel system on a highway truck, CNG is stored in high-pressure tanks (3000-3600psi) on the vehicle. Because natural gas is lighter than air, it dissipates very quickly in the case of a gas leak. This makes it considerably safer than gasoline and Liquid Natural Gas.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) — LNG is natural gas that is cooled to -120° to -170°C until it assumes a cryogenic (super-cooled) liquid state. Transforming CNG into LNG is one way of dealing with excess gas extracted from active oil fields. As a fuel source, LNG is very efficient; it has an energy density similar to diesel fuel, with greater range and reduced refueling necessary as compared to other alternative fuels on the market. However, cryogenic storage on vehicles is very expensive and the system requires major infrastructure changes (dispensing stations, production plants, transportation facilities) before it is a viable option for most trucking companies. This infrastructure is evolving now in the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom, as well as some countries in Europe. But it is not yet an option of the developing world.

Liquefied petroleum Gas (LPG) — LPG (also known as propane injection) is also produced as a by-product of the natural gas and oil industries, however it is created during the processing of natural gas and the refining of petroleum. The gas consists mostly of propane, propylene, butane, and butylene, but it can vary widely in exact composition. This poses a problem for those using LPG as a fuel source, as it’s unpredictable make-up leads to variable engine performance and unreliability, especially in cold weather. LPG is stored in pressurized stainless steel canisters because it evaporates at normal temperatures and pressures. It is heavier than air, unlike CNG, which causes it to pool in low spots, flow over the ground, and accumulate to cause explosion hazards. LPG fuelled vehicles are prohibited from working indoors or in poorly ventilated areas, such as parkades, because of these risks.

What’s Your Friggin’

Problem?!?Dear Wendy, My sister and her kids live in a different province and decided to come for a visit. They have been here almost a month! I am slowly going broke and crazy. How do I politely tell them it is time to go? Overstayed in Saskatoon

Dear Overstayed, I am surprised that after this amount of time you still want to tell them anything politely. If you are so afraid of confrontation that a simple “The bus leaves at 3:00 and your bags will be on it” is too much for you, there are other, more subtle ways. You could start interacting with them in the nude, you could institute a limited menu of ketchup and tuna, you could become aggressively religious, or you could go with the routine late night emergency fire drills. No matter what you choose, you just have to ensure that ANY location is better than their current location. Dear Wendy, My husband and I need some advice to settle a dispute that has gone on in our house for years. What is the appropriate way for toilet paper to go on the roll? Over or under? Divided in Battleford Dear Divided, This is what you fight with your husband about? I don’t think your relationship is going to last. My advice is to get a lawyer.

NRT’s HR Manager, Wendy Featherstone, is especially qualified to “solve” your problems. If you have a problem you want some questionable advice on, send it Attn: “WYFP” to wfeatherstone@nrtlp. com

This fall our local philanthropists, Jenny Cook and Jessica McMillan, wrapped up the 1st Annual School

Supply Drive for Community Collection—a Saskatchewan focused charity which collects food, clothing, and household goods for individuals and families in need. St. Mary School in Moose Jaw was nominated as the recipient of CC’s 2014 School Supply

drive. The pre-K to Grade 8 school has about 160 students, over 70% of whom come from low socio-economic areas of the city and many who are living

well below the poverty line. The school utilizes a breakfast, lunch, and snack program which helps to feed some of the neediest children, and runs a

continuous collection of clothing and personal hygiene products. They are hoping to have a shower and laundry

facilities installed at the school for those students who do not have access to these amenities at home. Recently, the local Chapters store adopted St.

Mary School and updated their library to encourage a love of reading in the

students.

Jenny and Jessica were thrilled at the opportunity to focus Community Collection’s efforts on a wonderful

school that would truly benefit from the supply drive. To raise money they set up a booth at the Langham Farmers’ Market, selling handmade goods and foods, donating 10% of all sales to the school supply collection. They had a garage sale, collected clothing, Canadian Tire money, cash, and

solicited the help of businesses in Saskatoon and Moose Jaw.

NRT and Trimac in Saskatoon each donated $500 to the drive, and ended up being the biggest sponsors. Impact Marketing Services donated t-shirts for the event. Walmart in Moose Jaw donated a $50 gift card, and Tim Horton’s donated coffee for the teachers on delivery day. Other donators

included NRT drivers, family and friends of Community Collection, and one anonymous gift of a laptop and $100 cash!

“In the end, we raised about $1300 in cash,” Jenny said. “We are still collecting Canadian Tire money, and will continue to send it to St. Mary as we discovered they use it to purchase sporting equipment. I would say we were able to get about 80% of everything they needed on their school supply list. When we went shopping we cleaned the store out of pencils, loose leaf, note books etc. We had two carts and many, many weird looks from the

people in Walmart.”

The school was thrilled with the donation, and the students were especially impressed by the donuts Jenny and Jessica brought on delivery day. Congratulations to Community Collection on the success of the first annual school supply drive. We can’t wait to hear about your next project!

Community Collection: 1st Annual School Supply Drive

Truck of Silver, Heart of Gold

NRT Driver, Ken Chester, showed us he’s not just a man with a big truck… he’s got a heart to match! Ken volunteered to deliver a van full of shoes donated by Frontrunner Footwear Shoes & Accessories in Prince Albert to the Calgary courthouse in support of an initiative to represent lives lost to impaired drivers. The shoes were displayed on the courthouse steps to remind us all of the people missing from our lives due to drunk or impaired drivers. Ken was recognized as one of the recipients of NRT’s “Thank -you Thursday” program. If you have a nomination for Thank-You Thursday, please let Jenny Cook or Jessica McMillan know!

Frank’s Corner NRT Driver Frank Harder has been entertaining us in the breakroom with his whiteboard cartoons for years. We’d like to share the laughs with a wider audience, so

“Frank’s Corner” will be a new feature in The Trailblazer. Thanks, Frank!

Trucker Hat Contest Winner!

Congratulations to Doug Gunderson, the winner of NRT’s latest Facebook Contest.

Check out the Facebook page for details on upcoming events and giveaways!

NRT’s 2015 calendar is getting a brand new look. If you would like one, please contact Jenny Cook in the NRT office,

jcook@nrtlp.com.

Lovely scenic shot taken by NRT owner/operator, Lloyd LaRocque.

Beary cute! This amazing photo was captured by NRT driver, Terry White.

Runner up in the NRT Trucker Hat Contest, little Harlyn (daughter of O/O Alan LaPlante) is too sweet not to share!

Great photo submitted by NRT driver. Jordan Carlson.

Northern Lens: Reader PicsDo you have a picture you would like to share with the Trailblazer? Submit them Attn: Northern Lens to nrt.trailblazer@outlook.com, or to the NRT Facebook page. It was tough to choose which images to include this

issue. Keep ‘em coming!

Saskatoon Office 2945 Millar Avenue Saskatoon, SK S7K 6P6 Ph: 306-933-3010 Fax: 306-242-3156 www.nrtlp.comnrtinquiry@nrtlp.com

Training Centre La Ronge, SK Ph: 306-425-2148 Fax: 306-425-5311 Fuel Division Toll Free: 866-425-2345 Fax: 306-425-2910