Davie Mac
 

Hello,
just checked in here after about TEN YRS+ LOL
Hope everybody is keeping well and also my aul mate Gremmie????!!!!!
Ex pats forum on TrucknetUK gone VERY quiet also sadly.
Have an ex Tesco mate away over to work for Loblaws outta Regina,
hopefully he's getting on well.

Re: Davie Mac
 

Hello Mucker,

Been a long tome since I also was on these forums. Nostalgic looking back over all the posts and the banter we all used to have. Seems the trucking avenue for Canada has really dried up. I'm not sure where it all is now or if there is any chance of moving over as I did all those years ago. It was so simple and easy then, such high demand yo could be there within weeks in some cases.
Im have been so many places in between leaving Canada it would take forever and bore you all to death. I am currently working in Northern Sweden on a very exciting project for H2 Green Steel as Head Of Logistics.

https://www.h2greensteel.com

Prior to that here in Lulea for a Facebook Construction Project. Its a wonderful part of the world and not too dissimilar to Canada, just more modern and not as backward :)



Hope you're good mate

Dave

Re: Davie Mac
 

Yes mate doing dead on!!!!!!
Has got wild quiet on here I see sadly!!!!!
Wonder where all the regulars are from years ago???
I'm just plugging away now with good aul Tesco on the artics,
​27.5% pay rises over the last 2yrs so DEFO can't complain LOL!!!!!!
Looking to retire in 2yrs when I reach 60yrs and possibly go back over to USA/Canada and do a harvest run again like I did in 2002.

Re: Davie Mac
 

I'm glad your doing well mate, I suppose the truckers were a sought after breed during the pandemic so they had to increase the salaries to a point where they should have been all along, good to see. I always wanted to do the harvest run, must be an amazing experience, glad laugh and one off the bucket list. 57 now, busy with work and also looking to retirement so will miss out on that experience I think, shame because I always fancied that.

Yes all the old faces have disappeared from the forum which shows they are either all settled and no longer needing advice or decided not to make the move or did and left. Its a shame as we used to have a right laugh on here back from 07 when I first joined. I moved over to Canada 2009 and got PR within 10 months if I remember correctly on the PNP scheme via PEI. Jesus time flies doesn't it. I remember doing the flagpole down at St Stephens and asking if my wife could get a work permit and the girl said sure no problem at all... LOL that kicked up a stink with the Brits when we got back.. how the hell did she get that etc etc... :)

I still sometimes look back over Koogars Blog, think it is really great and disappointed I didn't do something similar. Its really cool to look back and see his (and Boots ) story from the night before departing for Canada, his arrival, training and then hitting the road to where he is now, really enjoy looking over it from time to time, good memories.

https://koogarboots.blogspot.com/

I don't know where the process sits now with gaining entry or even if the LMO & PNP system is still in place but it certainly helped a lot of people fulfill their dream of moving to Canada and quickly and easily rather than waiting 5 plus years, as I say 10 months for us to gain PR was really good.

Well you take care mate, are you still in NI?

Dave

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...0754d14bdb.jpg
Greenville South Carolina
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...1cc83a20d3.jpg
Quebec
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...07f0d7c569.jpg
This played a part in the TV series Outlander recently, I was saying to the TV Ive been there LOL
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...37bb19ca7f.jpg
Seen the Sopranos NJ Turnpike
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...11aa08aeb8.jpg
Think this was down the I95 somewhere

Re: Davie Mac
 

Yes mate still live in NI and two big lads now both in Grammar school,
one doing his A levels next year upper 6th and the other doing his GCSEs.
Hopefully pushing them both into the design/aeronautical Engineering direction for their careers as good prospects etc!!!!!
Your not too old to go on a USA/Canada harvest as you having the CDL trucking experience ANY "Custom Cutter" would bite your arm off to have you as a driver!!!!
What made you return to UK???
Who did you work for in Canada and where did you live??,

Re: Davie Mac
 

What made you return to UK???
Main reason was I was offered a role in the Middle East which was too good to turn down. We lived in PEI and it was just not for us TBH, multitude of reasons just didn't suite our way of life and was not suitable for the dogs either. We had spaniels and walking them around the streets, or taking them to a tiny dog park for exercise, or having them kept on a lead wherever you went was not for us. The main reason though was the role overseas.

Who did you work for in Canada
As per the photos, Bulk Carriers PEI

Re: Davie Mac
 

Hi Dave,
I’m a citizen now. In my 6th year as an Owner Operator.
I’ve got a 9 & 11 axle trailer.

Sweden sounds 👍
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...a485beacd.jpeg
Houston TX to Edmonton AB. 165,000 lbs gross
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...3850de8ec.jpeg
Acheson AB to Cypress TX. PL87 Pipelayer, less counterweights & boom. 163,000 lbs gross
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...bcd6d8005.jpeg
Pipelayer as previous
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...673e70c29.jpeg
My baby. Freightliner Argosy, C15 Cat.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...de5283296.jpeg
Lethbridge AB to Woodburn OR. 623 paddle Scraper. 150,000 lbs gross
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...477f7bfb7.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...9644c2342.jpeg
Washington IL to Regina SK. Cat D8. 155,000 lbs gross.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...1e17be4cb.jpeg
Empty 11 axle stacked

Re: Davie Mac
 

Hi Alan,

Great to hear from you and that's a class rig you have there.

6 years now as an Owner Operator, Jesus, time fly's doesn't it congratulations, really made a good go of it mate so very please for you.

How come you have / had Minnesota plates on it not sure how that all works of course just out of curiosity and which outfit are you working for now Admiral or Triton. The loads look amazing. Being Ex Tank Transporter I'm biased for the big OOG's they always make for the most interesting loads eh? Do they also provide more income than normal run of the mill reefer type work? I wouldn't know.

Sweden is a wonderful country and had nearly 5 great years there, but I'm now back in the Middle East, cant keep away.

Look forward to catching up soon

Dave