(Getting started & Border Crossing)

Izzy, at Regent Battery, had the contract and owned the trucks. I spent 5 years at Griffith Labs, and set everything up, drivers, trucks, service and suggestions when required.

In 1966, Izzy sent me up to the Griffith Laboratories, in Scarborough, (Toronto) to organize and set up a company fleet. I took my red "B" 61 to Griffith's, and then started a plant-to-plant scheduled run (Toronto - Montreal). A year and a half later, we acquired a dry bulk tanker to service one particular customer in New England. (USA). The tank designed, and built by Truck engineering. (King Trailers) The product hauled, was breadcrumbs, or called breading, for fish products. It was equipped with twin compressors that could run in either series or parallel. That way, it could not only blow off the light powders of flour or breading, but had the force to blow off a load of heavy salt. The blower, powered by electric motors, and plugged into the customer's service, at 600 volts. It was a lot quieter running system than a gas engine. It would run instantly at outside temperatures of well below zero Fahrenheit.

When we took delivery of the new units, I began scouting for a driver to operate it. Being on the Toronto-Montreal run for the last few years, you tend to meet drivers on the same route and schedule as yourself. It really gave me a chance to pick, and choose from the best drivers out there.

One driver in particular, stood out and above the others. We had been running together and he was just the type I was looking for. He was an exceptional driver, and could get a unit into some very tight places in Montreal, without damaging anything. He was diplomatic with all of his customers, and never had a problem that he could not cure. He was just what I was looking for.

I approached Bill with an offer he could not refuse. It was a great family run company, offering uniforms, benefit plans, social clubs and events. The greatest thing about the company was that even the president would listen, and talk to the drivers about any of our suggestions, for improving the service and customer relations. Bill jumped on my offer and we both came up winners.

Griffiths had a personality test, required by everyone before signing up. If I remember correctly, it is an A.V.A. tests. It consisted of about 10 or more pages, and could be intimidating. There were other people, who were exceptionally qualified to do what they applied for, and still this test rejected them. It seemed as though this was the company bible, and there were no exceptions.

Bill past with flying colours, but remained with one problem. All of our tractors were equipped with two stick transmissions. Bill had never used a multi-transmission before. He wanted to beg out of the job. He had such a high score on the A.V.A. test that they did not want to lose him. They asked if I could train him, and would I do so? Yes definitely, was my answer, and then he was hired with full pay rate. Good people can be very hard to come by.

We ran double for a couple weeks, with the COE MACK, and tanker. Not the best of time for a trainee, the dead of winter, and snow storms almost daily.

Our first trip was to pick up a load of salt in Goderich, Ontario. It was snowing a real blizzard, and the temperature was well below zero. I called Bill and had him meet me at the yard, about 8:00 pm. I started out driving and instructing him on the two stick shift pattern. It was his turn at the wheel, and between the heavy snow blinding his vision, and missing gears. Being confused between the two sticks, grinding and missing shifts, he was getting frustrated, and began to lose his temper. I drove again for about an hour, and then switched back after he regained his composure. To make things easier for him, I jumped in the bunk and closed the curtain. I always felt that after instructing a driver, he would learn much faster on his own, without a pair of eyes watching his every move. Between the blizzard, and the shifting, and stopping a couple times, to be restarted, he picked up on it quite well. I sort of faked sleep, and gave him a chance to swear at himself in private.

I had no fear of his driving he was exceptional. He just needed some shifting practice. He also failed to notify me of one thing that got us into a situation, and almost freezing to death. His wife was notorious for cooking up homemade beans, Bill's favourite. It was in the snowstorm and around 2:30 am. I was in the bunk, and during one of his frustrating fits, he started to cut the air with the most horrid smell. I just could not believe it. It was bad enough that I could no longer stay in the bunk. He just could not stop. We looked at each other in disbelief, and then started laughing. He still carried on polluting the air. Finally, it was bad enough that we had to open both widows all the way down. The cold and snow flowed into the cab. It was almost another hour, before his dinner wore off. The can of pop on the dash froze solid. I swore that I was going to attach his next pay cheque for danger pay. Eventually, he picked up, on the shifting procedure, and became a long-term driver.

The company had purchased this tanker unit for the benefit of a particular customer, Booth Fisheries in Portsmouth, NH, USA.

Bill had been running steady and they needed an extra load in a hurry. I went along with him for this trip. Therefore, we could get there none stop. We entered the United States at Gananoque, Ontario, at the 1,000 islands bridge. Normally we cross over in very short order. This trip, in the US Customs, we had an officer that seemed to be worried about spies, or bad guys getting past him. We had been crossing there for years with no problems. This trip, he made us go inside and take the third degree. We put our uniform jackets on and went inside. We were both Bill, and had identical styled uniforms, with our first names emblazed on the front. He interrogated us for quite a while, then popped a question, are you brothers? Twins? How am I supposed to know, if you are telling the truth or not. You could switch jackets, and not tell me.

We were dumbfounded, started to laugh aloud, and could not stop. --- I was 280 lbs and six feet four inches, Bill was about a hundred pounds lighter, and half a foot shorter. I asked, are you serious? He started to throw a fit, screaming loud enough to bring in officers that are more curious. I quickly remembered where we were. It was in no man's land, out of Canada, but not allowed into the US yet. That is one place where your rights do not exist, until allowed in to the country. Things were starting to get a little hairy around there for a time. Eventually a superior officer interceded, and we got things straightened out and finally on our way. You could use the movie "TWINS" as a comparison, between Bill, and me, with Arnold Swartzenager, and Danny Devito. (Those were the original twins)

 ------------ William (Diesel Gypsy) Weatherstone.              RETURN TO STORY MENU