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Like Father, Like Sons
by Steve Macleod
 John Dyck and his two sons - Murray, on the left, and Barry - combine for nearly a century of accident-free driving. Most parents try to encourage positive habits in their children. As a long-haul trucker it's not always easy, but John Dyck did his best to teach his two boys about hard work, commitment and safety. It worked. Barry and Murray Dyck learned those lessons well, in fact, and followed in their father's tread marks, literally. The brothers joined their father in the trucking industry as soon as they were old enough to work. Now, this trio of Manitoba truckers has racked up 94 years of accident-free driving, accumulating more than 7 million miles in that span. Not to mention, Reimer Express Lines in Winnipeg is the only carrier any of them has ever hauled for.  John Dyck has been trucking for a long time, but being behind the wheel still puts a smile on his face. Back in 1956, John answered a Reimer classified ad that was advertising for a mechanic job. He did that briefly, but moved to a job on the loading docks once a spot opened up. He was really just biding his time until he got a chance to go trucking, which soon came, and he's been behind the wheel ever since. “I'm not the oldest driver here, but I've been here the longest,” says John proudly. After about 15 years as a company driver, John became a lease-operator in the mid-‘70s with a Kenworth W900 day cab. Over the years, his boys spent time in the passenger seat of John's big rigs and took their passion for trucking out to the playground in their small town. The boys grew up in Lowe Farm, a highway town of about 300 people an hour south of Winnipeg. Murray recalls being out on the schoolyard and getting a rush from the smell of diesel as the big rigs drove by. The boys started mimicking the passing truckers, and their dad, early on. “As kids we pretended we were truckers, hauling our wagons behind our bikes,” Murrays recalls. “When we got speedometers on our bikes, we started racking up the miles.” Of course, when both Murray and Barry were old enough to really start pil-ing up the miles they both turned to Reimer. “We basically came straight to Reimer,” says Barry. “Dad worked there all those years and seemed to like it.” “Dad has many brothers who are in trucking too and work at different trucking companies, so at family gatherings we'd hear them compare stories,” adds Murray. And just like their father, neither Barry or Murray got behind the wheel of a truck right away. Barry started at Reimer in 1978 and worked on the dock, as a forklift operator and as a shunt driver. He got his licence a couple of years later and did pick-up-and-delivery work in Winnipeg before moving to the highway in 1982. He went to work for his father as a driver before they eventually became partners on the truck. For 29 years the pair ran a route from Winnipeg to Regina and back every other day. John and Barry now run LCVs between Winnipeg and Calgary in a 2008 International ProStar. I ask Murray if he hauls LCVs too and he says he's trained and licensed for it, but prefers not to. “He's afraid his truck can't do it,” Barry tells me with a chuckle. Murray joined Reimer in 1980, two years after his older brother, and spent three years on the dock – often loading his father and brother's trailer. In 1983, Murray was able to join the driving team at Reimer and became a lease-operator right off the bat. After about 10 years leasing, Murray purchased a used 2001 Kenworth W900, which he still runs today. Although it took a bit of time before the boys were able to follow in their father's footsteps, they both credit their time working up the ladder as helpful to being better truckers. “We both would've liked to drive sooner, but you had to be 21 to drive at Reimer,” explains Murray. “I have no regrets of having to work on the dock and it gives you a better understanding of loading and unloading a trailer.” At 77 years old, John leads the way with 45 years of accident-free driving and 4 million consecutive safe driving miles. It's a mark shared with five other truckers in the driving pool throughout Reimer's parent company, YRC, and only one driver has bested the milestone, reaching 5 million miles. The oldest son at 50, Barry has 29 years of accident-free driving and 3 million consecutive safe driving miles, which he hit in March 2009. Murray, at 48, had 20 years of accident-free driving and reached 1 million consecutive safe driving miles. As he was closing in on 2 million miles, he was involved in an accident in June 2008. All three drivers institute similar philosophies for safety when out on the road: make sure your equipment is up to snuff before leaving the yard, be patient, keep an eye on traffic all around you, anticipate other drivers' moves, keep a safe following distance, and drive at a safe speed. “You have to have peace of mind when you come to work, and leave on a good note at home,” adds Barry. “[If not] that can ruin your whole trip and affect how you drive, even your personal vehicle.” It's a comment that strikes not only to having the mentality of being a safe driver, but being able to be a successful trucker. “It's important to have your family behind you,” notes Barry. Having family support at home really is a key for a successful driving career, and the Dyck family is proof that having it on the road beside you is just that much better. ★
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