by Leo Barros January 17, 2022

Driving 100,000 miles a year for 45 years, Brian Smith estimates he has amassed 4.5 million miles on the road. There are not many places he has not seen in Canada and the U.S.

He has brought several people into the industry, and they have done extremely well. “That’s when you can give yourself that tap on the back,” he said.

Smith, 63, an owner-operator for Sharp Transportation based in Cambridge, Ont., started in the business in 1977 at the age of 17, working for a moving company in Ottawa.

He first drove a 26-foot straight truck and graduated to a 32-foot vehicle. Smith then moved to a day-cab tractor hooked to a 36-foot trailer, running from Winnipeg to the East Coast – New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. He said the day-cab had a little diesel engine – a 238 Detroit.

By 1981 he got his CDL and was doing the job full time. He started buying his own trucks in 1985. The veteran driver takes pride in his work and equipment.

He has worked as a company driver too but prefers being an owner-operator. “It’s not that I couldn’t handle it, you kind of lose that edge. The pride, after owning your own equipment for so many years, somewhat being dictated to, wasn’t easy for me.”

Smith was in the moving business for 32 years. He’s also hauled equipment for the television sports industry. The company he worked for covered junior and college football, baseball, and soccer in the U.S. He not only hauled cameras and gear in his truck but also helped hook up cables at the venues.

Back from retirement

He convinced himself to retire a few years ago, but that lasted only a few months. This is his second stint with Sharp and has been with them for the past five years. The last time round, he worked for about eight years.

Smith is on the road for three to five weeks, then heads home to Gatineau, Que. for a week. He is a family man and being away for long periods of time has its challenges.

“Sometimes things work, sometimes they don’t,” he said. He has been with his wife for more than two-and-half decades. “From my first marriage I have two children – daughter and son, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren,” Smith said.

He said his wife ran the road with him for many years and knows what it’s like to be out here. “We look forward to spending time together when I am home.”

He has a great relationship with his kids and grandkids, and it makes it easier to be out driving.

Smith said if you are coming into trucking as a job, all it’s going to be is a job, if you are coming into it as a career, you’ll do well.

“There is no relaxation when you are driving. The phone is out of reach, satellite is out of reach. There is a time and place for it.”

Brian Smith, driver

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Professional Driver Interview

May 2020

Brian Steckley

Role: Long Haul Professional Company Driver

What do you love about driving?

- Freedom of the open road

- Building and maintaining relationships with clients and customers, meeting many new people

- The beauty of God's creation

Favorite Quotes, Personal Philosophies, Values that drive you:

When you get knocked off the horse, shake the dust off your chaps and climb back on that horse!

What is your proudest achievement(s) and why?

- Driving Commercial Truck/Highway Coach since 1985

- The experience acquired in both industries facilitated many interesting experiences and opportunities

Who is your hero and why?

- My parents, Roy and Bernice Steckley. I went through a difficult divorce which caused me to be alienated from my 4 children since 2008. They were there to help me "back on that horse" and to carry on.

What inspired you to join the Sharp family?

- The beautiful trucks that were new and well maintained which I saw going down the road

- My friends Rod Humphrey and Mark Davidson for their coaching and inspiration to "Join the Sharp family!"

Things that make you laugh?

My fiancee, Irene is Dutch. When her family speaks Dutch they all laugh (maybe at me)? Apparently Dutch phrases sound funny but can't always be translated into English. I just laugh with them.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

Fishing, camping, biking, walks, nature.

One or two things that nobody would know or guess about you?

Raised Mennonite (NOT Amish)

Your Story / What Did You Do Before?

I grew up on a hog farm operation 7 miles east of Listowel, Ontario. My parents are Roy & Bernice Steckley, I have an older brother Kevin (who presently works as an owner operator with his wife Heather at Sharp Transportation), and a younger sister, Yvonne (her and her husband Steve manage a feed mill), reside with their family near Petrolia. 

My uncle Mel Herrfort had a New Holland farm machinery shop located in Millbank Ontario and started a flatbed trucking company hauling lumber and farm equipment. Kevin & I would periodically go along with my uncle when he would jump in the truck for a lumber run to Pennsylvania and return with a load of New Holland farm equipment, or a run empty to Quebec to pick up farm equipment. My dreams of driving truck superseded the idea of maintaining my roots as a farmer. 

In 1985, I graduated Listowel High School, and my first job was at Murray’s Electric, Moorefield Ontario for a while and led to an automotive metal fabricating factory in Kitchener; Zettel Mfg Ltd. My uncle Mel convinced me to work at his farm equipment shop and train with his 2 drivers on, “occasional runs”, to gain experience. I began trucking as a full-time long-distance truck driver in the fall of 1985. 

In 1988, my brother Kevin and I bought one of the trucks I was driving (1983 K100), from my uncle Mel, and became owner operators for the first time. In 1991 Kevin and I went on with Erb Transport, New Hamburg Ontario. We traded in the 1983 for a new 1993 model K100E Kenworth. 1 year later, beginning of 1994 (long story), through extensive warranty issues with the 1993 model, we stepped into the 1994 model that I still have today. Later in 1994, Kevin and Heather took over, and I sold my portion out, and they racked on many team miles at Erb Transport running many California runs. 

In 2000, I bought the 1994 K100E, back from Kevin and Heather when they purchased their new 1999 W900L. I was on at Little Rock Farm Trucking, Walkerton Ontario, hauling live flowers all over the US, and fresh chicken loads back as our main commodities. 

I had the K100E on at other companies since that time such as; Brenthill Farms Ltd., Drayton Ontario, hauling a hopper trailer with grain and feed commodities, then to CRH Branchton Ontario pulling oversize step deck loads until the truck was hit in a truck stop parking lot and had to deal with insurance issues. 

In 2005, I started driving company for Frankland Haulage Ltd., Whitby Ontario that was the main carrier for Energizer Canada, Walkerton Ontario hauling batteries from their plants in the US to Canada until 2008 when the battery production was outsourced to China. 

In 2008, I put the K100E back to work once again pulling oversized step deck loads for Floyd Gibbons Trucking, Ayr Ontario. Our main work was hauling steel from Cambridge to Omaha Ne., and return loads of John Deere from the many plants across Iowa back to Ontario. 

In 2010, I parked the truck because of the extensive family court commitments and went on with a new adventure. I started driving highway motor coach for Kunkel bus Lines, Hanover Ontario. I enjoyed this new adventure, which is similar to the trucking industry, only it involved the tourism industry. I enjoyed the different pace, learning about the tourism aspects and public relations. I did many Quebec/Ottawa school trips, Chinese eastern Canada tours, and spent almost 3 seasons driving the OHL team, “Owen Sound Attack.” I had the privilege to drive teams on weekends such as Saskatchewan Roughriders when then flew into Hamilton, and the Toronto FC soccer team for training at their facility in Toronto. 

In 2014, I gave up the Owen Sound Attack due to the extensive commute and late nights back to Milverton, Ontario where I presently reside. This decision made it difficult to find work between October and April when busing was slow, therefore I drove part-time for a trucking company out of Atwood Ontario, which then led me to Sharp Transportation, Cambridge Ontario January 2016. A year and a half later, I gave up busing and became a full-time driver at Sharp. I give many thanks to Rod Humphrey and Mark Davidson for their recommendation to become part of the, “Sharp team!” 

Professional Driver Interview

January 2020

Bob Wallace

Role: Long Haul Professional Company Driver

What do you love about driving?

I guess it's from riding with my Dad when I was young and observing the beautiful scenery among many of the routes I have driven on. Driving also allows me to meet many different people from different walks of life.

Favorite Quotes, Personal Philosophies, Values that drive you:

Quote: I always tell the young drivers: “to put their mind in gear before they put their truck in gear.”

Philosophy:  Just be a good person, treat others like you want to be treated.

Values: Honesty, reliability, respect

What is your proudest achievement(s) and why?

My Children and Grandchildren, I'm lucky to have two boys and two girls that I am very proud of. They have given my wife Pat and I five grandchildren; three boys and two girls.

Who is your hero and why?

My Dad, he also drove truck. He and my mother raised 11 children and we all turned out pretty good. Dad was strict but well respected by the family which helped developed strong values.

What inspired you to join the Sharp family?

I like working for a small company; good Equipment, good people and Sharp runs where I like to run, which is "Everywhere".

Things that make you laugh:

• My wife Pat, she is hilarious and provides good laughter.
• Watching the young grandchildren, they can be silly,
• Sitting around telling stories with old friends, the stories don't even have to be true they just need to be good stories

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

Spending time with my family which I don't get to do enough, watching Nascar, watching friends and family play baseball and hockey.

One or two things that nobody would know or guess about you?

Shocking to most, but I am actually very emotional.

Your Story / What Did You Do Before?

I was raised on a small hobby/necessity farm in Wellington County with my mom, dad, seven brothers and three sisters. All the boys took their turn milking cows and completing a variety of the farm chores. My dad had a straight job in that he would haul livestock to the local markets for neighboring farmers. When I was 14 or 15, I began driving my dad's truck then I would go to the Kitchener Stockyards on Thursdays so that I could make a few bucks there doing odd jobs for anyone. I then met Earl Baxter of G&E Baxter Transport, and when I received my driver's license at 16 in 1971, I started driving for him and some 48 years later I'm still trucking and still loving it. In that time, for about 11 years I was in a non-traditional trucking job, I was in the trucking industry, television industry and I traveled to a lot of special events. I was able take my truck to The Oscars, The Emmys, the Grammys, some NHL Stanley Cup playoff games, a World Series, the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. I have had a few brief encounters with some " Stars”, so parts of that job were pretty cool, but it was demanding job on your home time, and I knew that needed to change. My love for the job continues to be the opportunity to meet different people and unique and wonderful places I get to visit.

Professional Driver Interview

December 2019

Ron McCallum

Role: Long Haul Professional Company Driver

What do you love about driving?

I love the places I get to go because of it. The peace and serenity while out on the road can be breathtaking some days

Favorite Quotes, Personal Philosophies, Values that drive you:

The only thing that really drives me is my family. Keeping a decent roof over their heads and food in their stomachs. I only wish I got to enjoy it with them more

What is your proudest achievement(s) and why?

My proudest achievement would have to be my kids. Watching them grow and achieve the things they want makes me very happy!!

Who is your hero and why?

My hero?!?! Don't think I really have a hero as such. I watch my wife handle all the things that need to be done around the house while I'm not there and I'm very proud of her. If anyone is my hero it's her.

What inspired you to join the Sharp family?

Sharp has always run decent equipment and even though the pay isn't the best in the industry, the atmosphere in and out of the office suits my personality perfectly. Being able to have a coffee with the boss and walk into his office and chat at any time is very comforting

Things that make you laugh:

My kids, the way they interact with each other usually does it. My goofy mutt (Baron) can occasionally make me laugh with the goofy things he does in the truck, he has me trained well

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

I like movies, music, playing guitar occasionally, general spending time with my family but most of all my photography. I'm not the best photographer out there but I'm getting better every day. It takes me to a carefree place of relaxation and focus. Everything else goes away when I break out the camera gear. I also get to different locations because of it that I may not have gone to before. Airshows, car shows, zoos, landscapes. When we stop driving for any length of time, first thing I do is grab the camera, then the dog, then go exploring. Providing it's not too cold out.

One or two things that nobody would know or guess about you?

I have recently lost 55lbs and still counting? I care deeply about others around me, their feelings usually come before mine. I would do anything to help my kids get through whatever they are dealing with

Your Story / What Did You Do Before?

After leaving school early, in Thunder Bay, I started out life working in construction with my uncle's company doing plaster, stucco and drywall and epoxy flooring and various other finishing's. After a few years I went to work with my dad at a popular hotel bar and moved my up the ladder there for a few years. I met my wife working there and got married very shortly after meeting. I decided to go back to construction for a while but unfortunately my knees had a very different opinion so that had to end. I started my own business in the car audio, remote starter, security industry and built that up to a decent size. After a few years there I was recruited by Future Shop to come and run their installation bay. After 2 years there they promoted me and transferred me to Southern Ontario on their dime. I worked up to running several bays and even helped then develop the home theatre installations group. I was eventually restructured out of a job and did a couple small jobs until I decided to get into trucking. A few various companies led me to where I am now at Sharp.

Professional Driver Interview

July 2019

Susan Febbo

Role: Long Haul Professional Truck Driver

What do you love about driving?

I love the freedom of being in my truck with nobody looking over my shoulder and I love the independence of being able to travel all over the USA and Canada.

Favorite Quotes, Personal Philosophies, Values that drive you:

Shit happens so dust yourself off, get up, and get back in the saddle because tomorrow is a new day. Make the best of it and live life to the fullest.

What is your proudest achievement(s) and why?

There are so many. Going back to school in my late 30’s to get my grade 12 and then four years of college, graduating in Electro/ mechanical engineering. Buying my house myself; and getting my AZ license. Watching my daughter become an amazing mother.

Who is your hero and why?

My daughter is my hero because despite everything she has gone through in her life (which is more than most people in a lifetime) she continues to grow and change what no longer works in her life with determination.

What inspired you to join the Sharp family?

Shelley Uvanile-Hesch inspired me to join Sharp and what an amazing family it is.

Things that make you laugh:

My grandchildren make me laugh all the time.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

Spending time with my family and friends, camping, playing guitar and singing, painting scenery, traveling and taking pictures.

One or two things that nobody would know or guess about you?

That’s a hard one because I’m fairly transparent and wear my heart on my sleeve.

Your Story / What Did You Do Before?

I was always doing male typical jobs such as Carpentry - building houses for four years. I also had my own interior and exterior painting business. I was an electrical planner at St Mary’s Cement in management. I always wanted to get my AZ license and drive a truck, so I went to a school in Lindsay, Ontario and got my license. I’ve been driving for 12 years and I love it so much I don’t look at it as a job. It’s a big part of my life.