Petes

 There was a time when a Peterbilt was a rare sight in Canada, but fortunately that has changed, and they are everywhere these days. That is not to say that they are any less pleasing to the eye. Peterbilt has managed to keep the classic look - thanks to popular demand particularly with owner/operators.

If you have wondered why it is hard to find a used car, here is part of the answer. Scores of used cars are exported through Halifax every week - headed in all directions overseas. Some arrive on their own wheels from local auctions, but others are trucked in from points west.

A pair of Petes - one white, one black, parked in perfect alignment at the Fairview Cove terminal, wait to unload. Trans Welvis of Rivière-du-Loup, QC is one of the larger car transporters. They use the popular straight truck/stinger trailer arrangement to maximize capacity. The ladder on the side reminds me of a ship's gangway.

A frequent sight in downtown Halifax is David Brown's long wheelbase, day cab Pete. It delivers to grocery stores, and seems to manage wheeling around the tight streets and parking lots.

There is space for a sleeeper, but that is not needed as the truck runs from its base in Cambridge, in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. (David Brown is part of Eassons, which also owns Choice Refrigerated Sytems, C.R.S.)

Can you guess the date that this photo was taken?

The picture was taken in 1987, but the truck was "Class of '82". It appears to have been painted for service with Maritime-Ontario, but at the time of the photo its owner was Roy Forest (I think) and it was running for Canadian National.

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