TORONTO — APPS Transport driver and Ontario Road Knight Guy Broderick dusted off his urban-driving skills this week delivering a load of 16 V6 and V8 engines to Toronto’s Central Tech High School, part of a donation of some 128 motors from General Motors to 19 technical schools around the Toronto area.

To get to Central Tech, Broderick had to navigate some of the narrowest and most densely traveled streets in Canada with his truck and 48-ft van.

He usually drives between London and Toronto. This trip, he says, was “a bit tight.”

“Especially getting up this little lane near the school,” he said, adding, “but it was worth it.”

Broderick’s load was welcomed by the school brass, the chair of the Toronto Board Bruce Davis, APPs Transport Group President and CEO Rob McDonald, General Motors PR rep George Saratlic and a gang of eager looking high-school shop students, who will get to take the engines apart and re-assemble them as part of their high-school training. 

DRIVER WITH CLASS: APPS’ Road Knight Guy
Broderick gets schooled in the art of car motors
by Central Tech grade 12 student Wei Zeng, 18.

“This is a cool way to do business,” Toronto School Board Chair Bruce Davis told the assembled crowd.

APPS President McDonald said “we are very excited to partner with GM and TDSB on this program.

“Private business can contribute so much to the teaching of our children and we hope that by donating our time and equipment we have in fact demonstrated what it takes for a company to be community minded and responsible.”

The idea is to provide students with engines that are actually updated, which is a far cry from many shop classes, where students have to learn on beaters and wrecks.

Commented Central Tech Principal Sheryl Freeman: This donation is immeasurable in terms of closing the gap between the school and the workplace.

“I want to know that when they’re working on my car, which they do, they have experience on real engines,” she said.

And this donation makes that a reality.