Publisher’s Comment: Making good time on the way to the good times

by Robbie Wilkins

If any of you have attended the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, I’m sure you’ll agree it’s the grand poobah of all shows.

It’s three long days – and a few long nights, ouch – of walking mile after mile down carpeted aisles. If it’s new, you can count on it being there.

I like to drive to this event – it’s no big deal, pull out of my driveway and presto, 10 hours later I’m there.

This year’s trip started out uneventful – I poured myself into my faithful truck at 7:15 a.m. and headed down the 401.

Practicing what I preach, I packed a few sandwiches, fruit and a thermos of coffee for the trip. I was on a mission.

Our national sales manager set the record for driving to Louisville a few years ago and I was determined to break it.

Not that I’m promoting speeding, oh no, my strategy was to drive straight through, stopping only for gas and nature’s calling.

I was still far from the border when I encountered a seemingly endless line of trucks parked down the center lane.

For the next six kilometres I passed truck after truck after truck. My initial thought was the border was closed and my chances for the record shot to hell.

To my surprise, the left-hand lane was wide open and as it turned out, passenger vehicles were getting through in record time.

For those of you sitting in line that day, I sympathize. Hopefully the process will be more efficient in the near future.

Before I left I logged onto www.trucknews.com and clicked the “Miles and Maps” feature.

This gave me precise directions from door to door.

It listed every turn, ramp, total distance and approximate driving time.

I wasn’t going to lose by zigging when I should have zagged.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. I pulled into the hotel’s underground parking lot at exactly 4 p.m. I had done it!

The record and bragging rights were mine. Best of all, it was done without receiving a ticket. Then of course, why would I get a ticket when I didn’t break the speed limit? Hmmmm.

On the trip back, two of my associates kept me company.

We stopped for lunch and took our time. We were just passing Cambridge when my cell phone rang.

It was our national sales manager calling to mention he had just completed the trip a full six minutes faster than my record on the trip down.

I had bragging rights for a total of 94 hours. It was brief but sweet. Good thing I’m not competitive.

– Rob Wilkins is the publisher of Truck News and he can be reached at 416-442-2097.


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