McConnell Newsletter – October 2013

IN THIS ISSUE
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THE VIEW FROM MY SEAT
TRAINING WORLD
WORD? WORD. WORD!
Sergio Selejan, Driver
GREENER, RIGHT HERE
Where’s your view from these days?
At McConnell Transport in
Truck # 2629R. A Volvo truck
that has the SCR unit.
VIEW FROM OUR SCTRR
LIGHTER SIDE OF THE ROAD
IMPROVING COMMUNICATION
DID YOU SEE THAT SIGN?
EQUIPMENT
SAFETY TIPS
CURRENT EVENTS
FUEL SAVING MYTHS
WINNEMUCCA ROAD
FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK
Phone: 506-325-2211
Email:
[email protected]
While on a ladder
never step back to
admire your work.
How long have you been with
McConnell Transport? Almost
seven years.
What do you like about working at
McConnell? The Volvo trucks
and especially the truck I drive.
I take care of it and it takes
care of my fuel incentives. You
need to know how to get the
most out of it and let the truck
do what needs to be done.
Tell us about yourself.
I came to
Canada and McConnell
Transport at the same time,
after driving in Europe for a number of years. I was looking for a change and have
found the change I wanted, right here. It won’t be too long before I become a
Canadian citizen. I’m not one to want a lot of attention so there won’t be any big
celebrations. Just to keep on doing my job and enjoying it.
Yes! Regular training, online and in the classroom, continues.
Email [email protected] with your ideas for more training!
"Your mind can make you train, your body can create power, but only your heart can make you a champion.”
~ Joe Newton
Champion (cham-pe-on) noun. Synonyms: champ, titleholder, victor, winner.
1. Someone or something (such as a team) that has won a contest or competition, especially in sports.
2. Someone who fights or speaks publicly in support of a person or in favor of a cause.
Origin: Middle English, from Anglo-French. First Known Use: 1605.
~merriam-webster.com
Did you know 40% of all electricity used to power electronics is consumed when the products are
turned off? Unplug your cell and laptop chargers when you're not using them. Plug your computer, TV
and home entertainment centre into a power bar you can time or switch off so they won't use power
when you're sleeping or at work.
Though it's known by a laundry list of names-phantom load, idle current, vampire power and wall wart
are the most common-this "phantom energy" all does the same thing: sucks extra energy from the
grid into your home when you aren't looking and you don't need it. Many gadgets, electronic devices
and appliances draw power even when they're switched off or not in use, just by being plugged in,
and though it may seem trivial, it can add up over time.
Chargers for cell phones, digital cameras, power tools and other gadgets draw energy even when
they're not in use. Appliances like televisions, computer monitors, and DVD players can also draw
power whenever they're plugged into an outlet. Altogether, phantom energy can account for about 10
percent of an individual home's electricity use. It might not sound like much, until you consider that
cutting out that 10 percent will get you over a month of free electricity every year.
Taking quick action, like unplugging your devices when they aren't use, will cut back on phantom
power, though it can definitely be a hassle to crawl behind the TV every time you're done watching.
There are a handful of devices designed specifically to combat phantom energy, but plugging bundled
devices-think TV, DVD player, and DVR, or computer, monitor, and printer- into the same power strip
and then turning off the power strip will do the job.
Bell Boys Deliver Elephants Safe and Sound
By Peter Carter, Posted: Oct 21, 2013 05:29
SAN ANDREAS, CA - - For the family-owned Bell Cartage of Kitchener, ON, moving three adult
elephants from Toronto to California was all in a week’s work. It started late Thursday night
and wrapped up Sunday at suppertime.
The only trip-up along the road? When the two trucks with were near the giant I-80 truck stop
near Walcott, Iowa, a police officer stopped them to ensure the paperwork was in order.
Other than that, by the time todaystrucking.com talked to Bell’s Vice President Jason Bell
Monday morning, his trucks had found new loads and were headed home.
“It’s a bit of a stress relief, knowing it’s over with,” commented Bell. “But we’re pretty pleased
with how everything went.” And now it’s business as usual, right?
“Except,” Bell added, “there may be more work of this type in the future. They’re talking about
moving an elephant from Edmonton, so who knows, now that we can add this to the list of
things we can do well.”
It was typical for a livestock move, actually. The animals had to be fed and watered on a
regular basis and their custom-built crates were temperature controlled and teams of handlers
including two veterinarians (one named, aptly, Doctor Parrott) and three elephant trainers
followed the trucks.
But in the lead up to the cross-continent move, it appeared like it wouldn’t happen at all. The
controversy in Toronto involved two years of delays, arguments and accusations among
animal-rights activists, unions and politicians. The rancor got so bad one of the most
experienced elephant haulers in the world backed away from the job.
Stephen Fritz of Kingman, Ariz., has moved “73 or 74” elephants in the past 27 years.
Elephants, he says, are easy. It’s people that make things difficult.
Fritz came so close to signing on to the Toronto project that he and his wife Phyllis visited
Toronto to investigate the possibilities, but after he encountered all the political fighting, he
decided it wasn’t worth it.
Enter Bell, which has been operating since 1985. Bell’s fleet consists of 70 tractors and over
225 trailers of various types.
Bell has considerable experience in flatbeds, oversize loads and hazmat. Their trucks roam the
continent. This was their first elephant move.
Jason Bell said his father (and company founder) W.S. Bell read a news story about the
Toronto zoo project and contacted the organizers to let them know he would be interested in
supplying trucks, drivers and trailers; one a step deck that would accommodate one elephant;
the other a double-drop.
“We’re feeling pretty good this morning,” Bell said. “Everything went great.”
submitted by David Jenkins.
Do you know how old ‘Mario’ is; from Nintendo?
First appearance was in Donkey Kong in 1981 and was supposedly named after
a warehouse landlord who had demanded back rent. Mario would be thirty-two this year.
Knock, Knock
• Doris.
• Doris who?
Who's there?
• Doris locked, that's why I'm knocking!
The morning coffee aroma comes from down the hall; the ringing of phones awakens the
stillness, the hustle and bustle of the staff hurrying to find their duties waiting. The early
morning planning team forms with the sound of the systems humming in the back ground.
You know this day will be a rush of phone calls and dispatches to be made. For all you men
and women, take 5 minutes each day and tell someone you understand and really take the
time to relax.
submitted by Agnes Jeddore
What do you do for customer
service?
McConnell Transport’s main office sits very close to Route 560 and the Lockhart Mill Road in
Jacksonville, New Brunswick, Canada. The McConnell Transport employees are very aware of
the speed limits of 50 km on these roads. These neighbourhoods appreciate that McConnell
Transport people care for the community they work in.
Warning
sign for a
camel are common
signs in the region
of the Arabian
Peninsula.
Sign
language.
Swedish elk
warning sign.
Reminder
sign.
The McConnell Transport signs and all signs are there for a reason!
Where is Winnemucca Road?
This song was a number one hit in Country Music in November 1962 in the United States for the recording
artist Hank Snow. Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was born on May 9th, 1914 in the fishing village of
Brooklyn, Queens County, on Nova Scotia's beautiful South Shore, just down from Liverpool.
I was totin' my pack along the dusty Winnemucca road
When along came a semi with high and canvas covered load
If you're going to Winnemucca Mack with me you can ride
So I climbed into the cab and then I settled down inside
He asked me if I seen a road with so much dust and sand
Then I said listen bud I've traveled every road in this here land
I've been everywhere man I've been everywhere man
Cross the deserts bare man I've breathed the mountain air man
Of travel I've had my share man I've been everywhere
I've been to Reno Chicago Fargo Minnesota Buffalo Toronto Winslow Sarasota
Wichita Tulsa Ottawa Oklahoma Tampa Panama Mattawa La Paloma
Bangor Baltimore Salvador Amarillo Tocopilla Barranquilla and Padilla I'm a killer
I've been everywhere man...
Boston Charleston Dayton Louisiana Washington Houston Kingston Texarkana
Monterey Ferriday Santa Fe Tallapoosa Glen Rock Black Rock Little Rock Oskaloosa
Tennessee Hennessey Chicopee Spirit Lake
Grand Lake Devil's Lake Crater Lake for Pete's sake
I've been everywhere man...
Louisville Nashville Knoxville Ombabika Shefferville Jacksonville Waterville Costa Rica
Pittsfield Springfield Bakersfield Shreveport Hackensack Cadillac Fond Du Lac Davenport
Idaho Jellicoe Argentina Diamontina Pasadena Catalina see what I mean-a
I've been everywhere man...
Pittsburgh Parkersburg Gravellburg Colorado Ellensburg Rexburg Vicksburg Eldorado
Larrimore Atmore Haverstraw Chattanika Chaska Nebraska Alaska Opelika
Baraboo Waterloo Kalamazoo Kansas City Sioux City Cedar City Dodge City what a pity
I've been everywhere man...
(I know some place you haven't been) I've been everywhere
.
Pintle Hook – C-Train LCVs must be equipped with a trailer converter dolly. No-slack pintle hitches are
required for connecting the C-Converter Dolly. The trailers on A or C-train combinations shall be joined together
by means of no-slack pintle hook(s), equipped with an air or hydraulic ram. The no-slack ram is to be incorporated
in either the pintle hook or the pintle hook eye of the coupling apparatus.
pintle hook
Watch out for highway construction. Stay alert. Work zone crashes are more likely to happen during the day.
Almost one-third of fatal crashes in work zones involved large trucks. Take your time going through work zones
and give yourself plenty of room. Expect the unexpected!
~from APTA.ca
Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, including at least 70 known chemicals
that cause, initiate or promote cancer. Many of these same chemicals are present in
second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke also causes many other diseases such as
heart disease, emphysema, and asthma.
Research shows that even in an outdoor setting, second-hand smoke can be hazardous.
Depending on conditions such as wind speed and the number and proximity of smokers,
non-smokers can be exposed to as much second-hand smoke as if they were indoors.
After months of work, our new trailer parking lot is
completed! A big thank you to all of our staff (drivers and
shop technicians especially) for their patience while we
undertook this huge expansion! You can easily see that the
lights are up and lit (a beautiful sight at night time)!

Myth -- Filling your car up in the morning when the weather is hot will net you additional fuel is a false
statement. Unless the fuel is stored in above ground tanks, the fuel remains at a fairly constant temperature
and does not expand or contract with the ambient temperature.

Myth -- Filling your vehicle with higher octane fuel provides better fuel mileage is a false statement. Octane
ratings do not indicate the energy content in the fuel; they only provide a guideline for the ability to resist
detonation (engine ping). Most modern vehicles have engine controls that will allow vehicles to operate on
lower than factory recommended octane levels.

Myth -- The gas from all fuel stations is the same. Generally this statement is true, but a few discount
independent fuel stations sell low grade fuel that is termed "slop." All motor fuel (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel,
etc.) is transported in the same pipeline. A small amount of fuel between fuel types is mixed with the previous
fuel type and this fuel is dumped into a slop tank and sold to fuel vendors at discounts. You might be
purchasing a higher grade fuel, or lower grade fuel. Name brand fuels do add detergents or other additives to
their fuel, but generally these additives do not affect the vehicles fuel mileage.

Myth -- - Placing a cow magnet on the fuel line near the engine will improve fuel economy is false statement.
If a magnet on the fuel line reduced fuel consumption, vehicle manufacturers would list this as a factory
option or standard equipment.

Myth -- - Fuel mileage can be improved by placing a special device in the air filter or air intake that will create
a whirlwind, mixing the air and fuel better.

Myth -- Fuel additives (octane boosters, fuel line antifreeze, etc.) improve your fuel economy. Fuel additives
may help with vehicle performance, but do not improve the vehicles fuel economy. Taking advantage of the
added power from octane boosters will generally reduce your miles per gallon.
Where is Winnemucca Road? Winnemucca is a city in and the county seat of Humboldt County, Nevada, United
States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 7,396. Interstate 80 passes through the city, where it
meets U.S. Route 95.
The town received its name from a local Indian chief of the same name, which is loosely translated as "One Moccasin."
His daughter Sarah Winnemucca was an advocate for education and fair treatment of the Paiute and Shoshone tribes in the
area. On September 16, 1868, the Central Pacific Railroad reached Winnemucca, and was officially opened on October 1
of that year.
On September 19, 1900, Butch Cassidy's gang robbed the First National Bank of Winnemucca of $32,640.
Winnemucca is featured prominently in the novel Revoltingly Young by C.D. Payne, and is also a setting in More Tales of
the City by Armistead Maupin. The city is also referenced in the North American version of the (originally Australian)
song "I've Been Everywhere." The song begins, "I was totin' my pack along the dusty Winnemucca road."
Winnemucca's brothel district is known as "The Line" or "The Ring Circle" based on the layout of the street where the
brothels are located, and sex workers in the town must register their vehicles with the local police.
According to a billboard spotted along State Route 140 (the "Winnemucca to the Sea Highway"), Winnemucca styles
itself "The City of Paved Streets".