Erban Report - Erb Transport

The Newsletter of The Erb Group of Companies Fall 2002 Volume 16 Issue 2
Vernon, Viola and Karen See Queen Elizabeth and
H.R.H. Prince Philip!
Vernon and Viola Erb, and Karen Buhr were privileged to join the Ontario Trucking Association staff exhibit at the Festival of
Ontario, on October 10, 2002, and to see the Queen!
To showcase 50 years of growth, development and advancement in the province to the royal couple, who were touring
Canada to mark Her Majesty’s 50 years on the throne, key industry sectors were brought together to spotlight the best of
Ontario. OTA was invited to participate in the Festival of Ontario because of the growing awareness with the Ontario
government of the vital role played by the trucking industry in supporting the province’s manufacturing and trade based
economy. In addition to the royal couple, several cabinet ministers and senior civil servants visited the OTA exhibit over the
course of the evening, including Premier Ernie Eves and Transportation Minister Norm Sterling.
Rebeckah Torn from OTA previously asked Vernon if he had a 1952 truck and would he be willing to bring it to the event! Of
course, Vernon was pleased to respond with a 1952 International tractor built the year the Queen was crowned! OTA also
showcased its popular promotional campaign featuring a photo of a baby and the campaign message “just about the only
thing not delivered by a truck”. The OTA exhibit captured the attention of both Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh who
stopped to view the display and chat with OTA staff and Members. The Queen didn’t address the Erbs directly but did offer a
pleasant smile, which was captured on camera!
Something to remember for a long time!
Dorene Rudy-Snyder
Editor
Erban Report
(l. to r.) Queen Elizabeth,
Viola Erb, Vernon Erb,
Karen Buhr
PAGE 1

From The President’s Desk...
Our company has experienced another very busy, active
summer with record volumes of food shipments. For several
years, we didn’t have the extreme volumes that were usually
the case for as long as I can remember. However, this past
year reminded me of the earlier years when volumes usually
doubled during the spring and summer months.
There were very few days I was not asked if my day was
planned, or if I could take a local delivery run, or do a trailer
switch with another driver, when I would come through the
dispatch office in the morning. Some days, I could change
my plans and help out as a driver, and other times I could
not. I appreciated seeing many former drivers from our
office, including Wendell, leave their desks and comfortable
offices, get into a truck at noon and make 15-20 deliveries to
our customers.
I want to thank everyone who worked extra hours and
did everything humanly possible to get the goods to their
destinations attempting to keep our customers reasonably
happy during this very busy time. There were times when I
had no appointments or engagements for four or five days in
a row, so I would make myself available to our International
division and they always had a good choice of trips for me to
take.
My grandson, Tyler, went with me on several trips to
South Carolina, Georgia, and Oklahoma. We had wonderful
times together and every trip was almost perfect. I did have
to learn and practice being patient at one of our customers
in Georgia when I waited from 8:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. to be
loaded, however while I was there the President and Vice
President of a group who arranges loads for us took me out
for lunch and showed me their facilities which took several
hours out of my waiting time. These gentlemen work closely
with our U.S. dispatch and were extremely pleased with the
cooperation and service they receive from Erb Transport. On
some of the runs, I took my granddaughter, Lindsey with me
and we also had great times together.
As most of you know, when Viola and I started our
business it was with dump trucks and construction
equipment. I have a collection of antique bulldozers
including the largest International - a TD30 weighing 40 ton.
In June, I offered my part time assistance to a London,
Ontario, company doing a local excavating job in New
Hamburg. The owner of this construction company, Bev
Dekay, his wife, Viola and I had met at a convention in PA
about eight years ago and had a great time sharing about
our business and antique interests. Our paths had not
crossed since, but when he heard I was interested to help
part time with my big dozer, I was on the job immediately. I
guess they liked the antique operator and the antique
machine because after several days of dozing they had me
PAGE 2
push their large two engine motor scrapers! This meant
being on the job from 7 a.m. till 6 p.m. Not being used to
this steady grind, I prayed for rain so we would get an
occasional break. Viola and I had a wedding invitation from
our family in B.C. and had to fly out on a Tuesday 4 p.m.
flight. The foreman on the job begged me to stay as close to
flight time as possible. It was a good experience to work in
the construction industry again. Many of the operators
couldn’t believe why Mr. ERB would be on an old bulldozer
in the heat and dust and work all those hours! I simply
responded that at my age and with a little more free time, I
want to do some of the things I enjoy doing - one of which
is operating heavy equipment.
Another highlight occurred recently when we were asked
to bring a 1952 antique truck to the International Trade
Centre in Toronto. The reason they requested this particular
truck was to recognize the year that Elizabeth became
Queen. Our 1952 truck was part of the OTA display section
for the Royal Visit of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of
Edinburgh, Prince Philip. Since we provided the special truck,
OTA requested invitations from the Government of Ontario
for Viola, Karen and me to attend this gala exhibition to
honour the Queen. Being in her presence and within several
feet of the Royal couple is an experience we shall long
remember.
As most of you are aware, I am not too involved in the
day-to-day operation of our company. But, I must say my
days during the past summer have been very busy and
exciting, revolving around the company and other activities.
I still have not been able to take up golfing, though!
God has been good, and may He bless each of you
during the coming season.
Vernon D. Erb
President
The Erb Group of Companies

From The General Manager’s Desk...
During the summer of 2002, many people were surprised to
hear how busy we were. The common response was “That’s
great.” I would respond with, “Yes, for a week or two, but
not eight weeks straight.” I am proud of the dedication and
loyalty shown by each of our employees working through
the huge volume increases of this summer. I cannot say I am
proud of our service levels of this summer and, believe me, it
was not as a result of lack of effort from our people. We have
many understanding customers whose patience was tried by
our late deliveries.
What went wrong? Firstly, we did not anticipate the
volume surge and did not react swiftly enough to get
adequate driver and dock resources to move the freight.
Secondly, several of our large volume shippers were shipping
later and later which held up all of the early freight. Lastly,
we are not the primary carrier for many companies. When
their 1st choice or their own truck is full, the overflow is
shipped via Erb. When overflow is LTL, we really don’t know
what volume is being shipped until it hits our docks. The
trend to ship overflow freight with Erb is very common
preceding holidays. I believe that our commitment to
offering all services to all people combined with accepting
difficult scheduling was a major contributor to our summer
challenges.
What have we learned and what are we going to do?
While we have a reputation as a very good carrier, we need
to improve and be near perfect. Our customers are
demanding 100% on time delivery and zero claim services.
Being good isn’t good enough. Our service and schedules
need to be consistent so we can be counted on to do the job
right 100% of the time. We need to be able to trace and
audit every shipment and ensure we have met all HACCP
requirements while goods are in our possession.
How are we going to achieve these goals? Technology
will play a major part. Today our customers can track their
shipment via the Internet and find out the status of the
delivery, and, if the unit is satellite equipped, find out where
the shipment is. You can also get a scanned image of the Bill
of Lading via the Internet. Many of our customers are using
the system and many enhancements are planned for the
future. Information and the intelligent use of information is
the solution to remaining the leader in temperature
controlled distribution and LTL. We need to know what is
being shipped, to where, quantity, etc. 24 hours before
shipment. We need to know the temperatures required, and,
after delivery, have an audit trail that confirms temperatures
were met during the entire trip. Technology will do much of
this for us. We, however, need to develop the systems to
accomplish the goals. This will mean change for everyone.
What can we do in the meantime? Continue to do the
best you can do despite the challenges. Don’t assume
someone else will fix your problem or mistake. Take the
initiative to do the job correctly and completely. Take pride in
your work and work together as a team. Remember we have
nothing to sell but service and we are only as good as the
last load we hauled.
Lastly, I want to take this opportunity to wish each of you a
happy Holiday Season and a prosperous New Year in 2003!
Wendell Erb
General Manager
The Erb Group of Companies
Vernon and Wendell Erb
PAGE 3

Is There A Difference?
By Ken Wiseman
I have often wondered where the respect for the tractortrailer
driver has gone.
I spent the last seventeen years in the Aviation industry. I
am a pilot, aircraft maintenance engineer and past airline
general manager. I have traveled around the world many
times and worked with both freight and passenger carrying
companies.
I have witnessed awestruck individuals when I announce I
am a pilot. I have seen the respect commanded by flight
crew and am familiar with the pay cheque that goes with it.
Looking back on my past career and familiar with the
responsibilities of pilots, prompted me to write this account.
One early misty morning the dew lay as thick as syrup.
Planning the trip, determining routes, checking weather and
ensuring I had enough duty day to complete the trip had
taken an hour and three cups of coffee.
Once ready, it was off to work. I climbed up into the
cockpit and turned on the power just prior to performing
the walk around. In front of me lay an extensive array of
gauges and switches, all of which had to be checked.
First, with the power on, I would check all the
lights and then proceed to inspect the exterior of this
monstrous machine.
PAGE 4
Looking for any telltale signs of imminent danger or
failure, I checked the tires, all lines and plumbing, fluid levels
and controls to name a few. I had to be careful and
thorough as anything missed could cause a loss of life
should there be an emergency. A quick final check for
security of the freight and it was back to the cockpit.
I had a long day in front of me and had forty-four thousand
pounds of freight to deliver to Dallas, Texas.
I fired up the machine and waited for it to warm up. Oil
pressure checked, engine RPM good, temperatures and
pressures in the green, instruments set, lights on,
communications on, I continued. Should anything go
wrong with this equipment, the responsibility rested on my
shoulders. I had to ensure that every system worked within
the correct parameters.
On this day, I was not carrying passengers but that did
not relieve me of my responsibility. Managing eighty
thousand pounds of machine pointed in the wrong
direction could have a devastating effect that would equal
the Concorde slamming into a hotel.
Once ready, I started off on my trip. You see, I have
become a professional Truck Driver and often mistakenly call
the cab a cockpit.
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?

The Erb Group of Companies Sales Report
This was an extremely busy summer with exceptionally
heavy volumes for both Erb Transport Limited and Erb
International Inc. The heavy volume created stress for most
of our departments, particularly operations. A variety of
factors contributed to our inability to provide quality service
- staffing, late shippers, increased volumes, equipment
resources, etc. We believe the worst is behind us with the
necessary changes in place to ensure that we are providing
quality service.
Price increases for Erb International Inc. full Truckload
Service to the U.S. are being implemented this fall. We also
instituted price increases on August 4, 2002, for many of our
Erb Limited customers. Roger Nafziger continues to ensure
that the pricing department is operating on all cylinders. Of
course, Melissa Hood, Jane Fewkes, Kathy Schuitema, Gwen
Yantzi and Elaine Lantz, are the ladies in the department
who really rate.
Melissa, our Sales Assistant, also contributes to sales
issues. She ensures that paperwork flows smoothly, that the
Price Book is maintained, and that time lines are maintained
for all Erb Limited pricing issues.
Our Account Managers, Bill Bresee, Peter Brown, Marty
Otten, Doug Waring, and Terry Woody, strive to ensure our
customers’ sales needs are met. They all continue to
represent the Erb Group in a very professional manner.
Even with our service challenges this summer, our
customers still value Erb Group as their carrier partner. Our
mission continues to be: Service, Satisfaction, and Success.
We look forward to completing 2002 successfully, which will
carry us into 2003. We thank all departments for the
support that you provide to the sales and pricing
department.
I want to close with these quotes regarding personal
responsibility:
“Until a person can say deeply and honestly, ‘I am what I
am today because of choices I made yesterday,’ that person
cannot say, ‘I choose otherwise.’”
- Stephen Covey
“A man can get discouraged many times, but he is not a
failure until he begins to blame somebody else and stops
trying.”
-John Burroughs
“The first step in dealing with any difficulty is to be willing
to have it so.”
- William James
John Jutzi
V.P. Sales
Six Employees Celebrate 25 Years with Erb!
On Sunday, November 17, 2002, four Erb employees and their spouses celebrated their
25th Anniversary at The Waterlot in New Hamburg. Garry MacDonald, Sault Ste. Marie, and Richard
Sabourin, Ottawa, will be celebrating at a later date.
Cindy Shantz, Robert Lichti, Larry Wettlaufer, and
Howard Lebold received special words of thanks, a
cheque and an Erb 25th Anniversary watch in
recognition of their many years of dedication and
commitment to The Erb Group of Companies.
Congratulations and thank you!
Dorene Rudy-Snyder
Editor
Erban Report
Front Row: Howard Lebold, Cindy Shantz, Wendell Erb
Second Row: Robert Lichti, Vernon Erb, Larry Wettlaufer
PAGE 5

Christmas in July?
Since July, I’ve seen no twinkling lights, no
Christmas trees, no gift wrapped presents, and
certainly no mistletoe! Then “why are we seeing
Christmas shipping volumes since July?” is the
question everyone seems to be asking. There’s no
doubt our volumes have been unusually high for
the last few months and have not let up one bit.
One would think this is a good thing, and growth
is good from a business perspective. The big
question, is this type of volume good for our
employees and regular customer base? The answer
lies in how we respond to the increased business
we’ve been experiencing. I know many people are
concerned that there has been no let up and we
have been constantly behind in all areas. Most
employees are aware we have implemented several
rentals just to keep up in both Erb Ltd and Erb
International.
Why have we taken on so much business? The
answer is, we really haven’t. Much of the high
tonnage we’ve been seeing is actually coming
from our existing customer base, and much of that
is freight we have not solicited through our sales
team. To put this in perspective, it is similar to
having a current customer base of 500 and they all
ship an extra 2 pallets each day over and above
their normal levels - suddenly we have 1000 extra
pallets in our system. Most years we see spikes in
our volume followed by a brief downturn where
we can all catch our breath until the next holiday
week. This year it’s been consistent with no let up.
It has been a huge strain on both our employees
and customers as we struggle to get our loads out
on time, to meet shorter receiving hours at the
customer along with delays in LTL shipments with
issues such as scanning of product which seems to
do nothing for us but hold up our drivers. The
freight we pickup seems to be getting to us later in
the evening rather than earlier and we have had to
take some measures with our customers such as
implementing cutoff times etc. Everyone in the
food industry seems to be having huge increases
in volumes and sales this year which signals a
strong economy which is a good thing, right?
PAGE 6
Well, not always. Sometimes it feels like we’re on a
runaway train that is about to derail, and that is
not good either. I can tell you that operationally
we are working with our sales team to be sure
we’re managing the freight properly along with
the customer's input. Some freight is simply not a
good fit for us and we need to be sure we have a
handle on which freight we can manage. We are
working to determine where the excessive volume
is coming from and whether it is working for both
Erb and the customer.
I continue to be impressed by the efforts
everyone has put forth in getting the job done to
the best of their ability. In the coming weeks, we
will be looking at ways to better manage our
freight through our dispatch so they have better
tools to manage increased volumes. None of this
is easy, but since we have the best people in the
business, in all aspects of our company, I’m sure
we’ll get through this and be better for it.
On another note, I want to say I enjoyed the
great success of the traveling road show this
summer for our employee appreciation days. Each
terminal had a great response from our employees
and families who came out to take part. Many
thanks to the organizers and customers who
contributed to make these days so special. I want
to say I posted a time of 21 seconds in the pit
stop challenge here at Baden which involved
changing a tire on the racecar. After completion I
was told I could have had a partner, like
everyone else!
Despite all the challenges we face, I see
nothing but good things in the future for us, as
we prepare to close our last quarter of the year on
a high note.
Thanks again everyone.
Tim Zehr
V.P. Operations
Erb Transport Ltd.

Erb International Inc.
Fall is in the air, Christmas is just around the
corner, and we have just come through one of the
busiest 12-month periods in memory. Erb
International’s busy time is normally the middle of
August through Christmas and then January as
everyone restocks from the Christmas season.
This past period started August 2001 and we never
had a break in the volumes until July 1-4, 2002,
weekend. This has taken its toll on drivers,
dispatchers, mechanics, dock personnel and
everyone involved with operations, but in true Erb
form we all worked as a team. We succeeded to
keep most customers relatively happy. We even
had new customers calling for our service.
The sales team did a supERB job at putting out
fires when operations didn’t always meet our
commitments because of excessive volumes and
driver/equipment shortages ( I don’t every recall
renting trailers in February ). Campbell Soup,
Listowel, one of our larger business partners had
installed a new macaroni & cheese line early in the
year. It is capable of producing 7 loads a day, 7
days a week. This product is all produced for KFC
stores in the USA and shipped to Geneva ILL for
further distribution.
We’ve also done some fun things this past
summer. We were involved in moving the world’s
largest lollipop from Hershey Smiths Falls to
Just so it fits!
World’s largest lollipop!
Chicago ILL to be entered into the
Guiness World Book of Records. There was not one
but two lollipops on two separate trailers taken by
Elverson drivers Marshall Buzzby and Don
Rammage. Both drivers had to make sure they
gave the lollipops a soft ride so they wouldn’t
break enroute. The 2nd lollipop would have been
used as a backup in case the 1st lollipop
happened to break on the trip to Chicago ILL. The
lollipops weighed 4100 lbs each and it would have
taken one person two years of continuous licking
to consume one lollipop. After the show in
Chicago the lollipops were loaded back on the
trailers. One went to Hershey Chocolate World
Hershey PA for display; the 2nd went to Hershey
Smiths Falls for display. Thanks to both drivers for
spending their weekend in Chicago and doing
such great public relations work on behalf of the
Erb Group of Companies.
We have been involved in numerous RFQ’s
(request for quotation) with various customers new
and old. We continually see the competitive
business we’re involved in, but we also see the fact
that our customers require #1 service. That’s what
we need to focus on every day “CUSTOMER
SERVICE”. That’s what has brought our company
to this point. That’s what will be the future of our
company.
I want to extend a welcome to all new drivers,
owner/operators, and administration staff who
have joined our team since January. Thank you
everyone (dispatchers, drivers, terminals,
mechanics, yard and dock, admin staff) involved
with Erb International Inc., for the support you
have given this past year during
our extremely busy times.
Hopefully, everyone enjoyed their
summer vacations.
Best Wishes for the Holiday
Season, Happy New Year and we
look forward to many new and
exciting opportunities in 2003.
Bruce Jantzi
V.P. Operations
Erb International Inc.
PAGE 7

After a very busy summer, it is now time for us to
gear up for what we anticipate to be a profitable
November and December. Traditionally, these
months have kept us all extremely busy with fund
raising deliveries to schools and a variety of other
organizations. We are also anticipating a large
quantity of Christmas hamper deliveries to various
businesses. We’re confident this seasonal business,
along with our regular customers, who had a hand
in keeping us hopping all summer long, will
generate great volumes.
Although it was unfortunate to see a downturn
in business at the beginning of 2002, we are
encouraged by the upturn we have experienced
for the past three months ending in August. The
month of August was exceptionally profitable, with
our revenue exceeding our goal as set out by our
manager, Dave Dietrich. Speaking of Dave, I would
like to take this opportunity to thank him for his
great leadership, positive encouragement and
unwavering support since he became our
manager. It is greatly appreciated and I feel it has
changed the meaning of the word “job” from
“something that has to be done” (as found in
Webster’s) to mean “something that is challenging,
exciting and fun”.
We appreciate the calls from our Erb Terminals
when they require our services to help them out of
a jam or when they send customers our way that
require “sudden service”. Sometimes we find
ourselves in a jam of our own and are grateful for
the assistance we receive, especially from
PAGE 8
operations personnel, during those times. We also
appreciate the support of the administration and
shop personnel. The sales force, along with Dave
Dietrich, are working on some new, exciting
business leads for us for the future.
With Bridget (Irene) Diebold off on parental
leave for the past several months, we are grateful
to Julie Brown for her ability to catch on quickly
and for joining our team on such short notice.
Last, but not least, I would like to make
mention of our bread and butter - our drivers.
Admittedly, every employee at Erb Expedite plays
an intricate roll in the company’s success. But I am
well aware without the driver’s professionalism,
willingness and ability to do the job right the first
time I wouldn’t have “something that is
challenging, exciting and fun” to do every day.
These owner/operators are: Kevin Schatz - New
Hamburg; Wolf Maydell - Wellesley; Eric Stather -
Belleville; Chris Labelle - Milton; Ranjit Dosangh -
Brampton; Rob Botnick - Toronto hospital runs;
and our most recent addition to the team Bernie
Schmitte - Stratford (who was previously driving
straight truck part-time out of Baden). We’re
thankful he decided to join the Erb Expedite team.
Welcome Bernie! Special thanks to the part-time
drivers - Stan Erb, Murray Schlueter and John
Steinmann. Every one of these professional drivers’
flexibility, ability and willingness to go at a
moments notice adds up to a job well done!
Bridget Steinmann
Traffic Supervisor

South Huron Fuels
It’s hard to believe that it has been almost six months since
The Erb Group of Companies started South Huron Fuels Inc.
For those of you that are not aware, The Erb Group of
Companies now owns an Imperial Oil / Esso petroleum
agency. This business delivers bulk fuel (e.g. home-heating
oil, diesel and gasoline), sells packaged lubricants (e.g. oils
and greases) and operates a diesel fuel cardlock in the
Sarnia, Strathroy and Goderich areas. Our office is based in
Sarnia and Eric Rammeloo runs the operation. Some of
you will remember Eric, from his Erb International Inc.
driving days.
Imperial Oil approached The Erb Group of Companies
about acquiring this agency late last year. They felt that with
Erb’s trucking expertise, we would do well in the fuel and
lubricants’ distribution business. And so on May 29th, 2002
we took over the agency from Paul Anderson, who retired
after twenty-seven years with Imperial Oil.
We have been concentrating our efforts on learning the
operations, getting the administrative systems set up and
more recently meeting the customers and building the
business. South Huron Fuels had a booth at the International
Ploughing Match that was held in Glencoe this year. We met
many existing customers and hopefully developed many
contacts for potential new business.
The Erb Group of Companies would like to welcome the
South Huron Fuels team to our family. Our drivers are Ed
Lovie, Herb Lucas, Percy Rosenberger, Don Walker and
Merritt Williams and we are thankful that they all consented
to stay with us, with their many years of experience. Mark
Prudom, Frances Vickerstaffe and Carmen Gallerno man the
busy office and try to keep Eric in line!
We also wish to congratulate Eric and his wife, Alison, on
the arrival of their new son, Dwayne Patrick - a brother for
Jessica.
You will be hearing much more about South Huron Fuels
in the future as we grow this exciting new business
opportunity. If you are in the Sarnia area, drop by and say
hello.
David Dietrich
Director, Dedicated Services
Wagner Livock & Associates*
Financial Services Inc.
• Are you concerned about your investments?
• Would you like to know how the markets will affect your retirement?
• Do you know how bullet proof your retirement strategy is?
• Do you know if you can afford to retire?
All these important questions about your retirement will be answered by calling Wagner Livock and Associates.
As part of your employee benefits at Erb Transport, you are entitled to on going financial advice free of charge.
Feel free to contact us for a confidential meeting at your convenience
“Toll Free: 1800-567-0822, “
Local: (519) 570-4633
Email: wagner.livock@clarica.com
*Wagner Livock & Associates are the agents representing The Erb Group of Companies in matters of Group Health
Benefits and the Erb Group RRSP Program.
PAGE 9

PAGE 10

Employee Appreciation BBQ Promo Tour
This summer I have had an enjoyable time touring the
terminals and visiting with employees. Lorraine Ramer and I
toured to Ottawa and Montreal in June. Ray and his staff
warmly greeted us. Lorraine hailing from the west had never
seen the parliament buildings so after the BBQ, Ray took us
on a personal tour of the grounds around the parliament
buildings and the Prime Minister’s residence. We then
travelled to Montreal where we were met by Clayton Wright.
He was very helpful in getting our products under the tent
and keeping us entertained for the afternoon. It was a good
thing that Scott had ordered a waterproof tent as we had a
little stream running through the tent for most of the
afternoon. In July, I travelled to Mississauga for their BBQ.
They kept me busy all day writing orders. There was barely
time to sample all the good desserts they had. They certainly
liked their Erb gear!
On July 11, we started our tour to Winnipeg. Our first
stop was in Barrie where unfortunately most of the drivers
were out on delivery. We travelled on to North Bay that night
for their BBQ the next day. It was good to see John Simpson
The Promo Girls
After driving for a whole day, we finally rolled into Thunder
Bay around midnight. It felt so good to stand up! After a
little bit of sleep it was off to another BBQ! Yum...some more
hamburgers. It was here in Thunder Bay that we had the
honour of meeting Gerry Erb’s son- Davie. He was nice
enough to take us out and give us a tour of the nightlife in
Thunder Bay. The next morning we were off again; this time
headed for Winnipeg - another beautiful but long drive. On
the way, we made a short stop to view the beautiful, world
renowned, 8th wonder of the world - Kekabeca Falls!!! Wow!
That night we rolled into Winnipeg. We spent the night at a
beautiful new hotel by the airport that sponsors Erb Racing.
We had a lovely dinner there and then took the boys
(Wendell, Baechler, Wettlaufer and Randy) out for a night on
the town. After dropping them off at the Casino, Karen took
us girls for a tour of the area she lived in while attending
school. After returning from our wild night out on the town,
we took a relaxing dip in the pool and hot tub and then
headed to bed to rest up for - yes - another BBQ. The BBQ in
Winnipeg was just fabulous. They had rented a huge doublesided
grill on wheels. It was impressive. After visiting at this
small gathering, we were happy to not have to eat another
hamburger for the remainder of the trip!
Over all the BBQ’s were a success. Every terminal had its own
special moments and everyone involved has some special
visiting with his co-workers. Randy had pulled out all the
goodies from chips and peanuts to a decorated cake. From
there, we had our gruelling trip to Thunder Bay. I hadn’t
been on that road for more than 24 years, and I had
forgotten how beautiful that drive can be. Sarah Ramer,
Laura Pearson and Lindsey came along to help with the
driving and drive we did. Ever so often we would ask
someone how far to Thunder Bay and they were always
surprised that we were planning to be there in one day. We
would be told it was 5 hours away and then 2 hours later,
we would still be told that we were 5 hours away! We did,
however, manage to see two moose along the way. The
Thunder Bay employees all turned out to enjoy the warm
summer day and Gerry Erb’s BBQ. In fact, we managed to
see Brian Robertson at three of the BBQ’s. It was a nice
relaxing day after our gruelling drive.
Karen Buhr
Manager
The Outlet Store
Karen Buhr selling Erb Promowear in North Bay
memories. Randy and the racecar were a hit with the kids.
The prizes were appreciated by the employees and their
families. Hamburgers and hot-dogs were enjoyed by all.
Submitted by Sarah Ramer and Laura Pearson.
Sarah is a recipient of one of the OTA Scholarships
PAGE 11

From our Baden Terminal
Well, it is difficult to believe that summer 2002 has come
and gone. We experienced an extremely busy summer
season, with short hands, short equipment and short fuses
causing frustrations for all! Looking ahead, we find ourselves
now preparing for blustery weather and the festivities of the
coming months. I have been asked by management to
extend their sincere appreciation and gratitude to each of
you for your part in meeting the demands during the past
months.
Our annual Employee Appreciation BBQ was held in
September and again was a success. Apart from the fact that
the busy bees tried to make away with our desserts, and the
winds tried to destroy the tent, everyone was satisfied with
the meal and the entertainment provided. The Pit Stop
Challenge was a hit with the reigning championship team of
Dwayne Lowe and Andrew Mueller from our shop. They will
be looking forward to the opportunity to take on new
contestants next year!
With Christmas just around the corner (and yes,
Ebonezer “Jack”, we will be decorating), we are gearing up
for the flurry of activity with the Samaritans Purse in their
work distributing gift boxes through Operation Christmas
Child. Our own Stewart Jutzi from Canadian dispatch will be
accompanying a group from Samaritans Purse, to Nicaragua,
On Sunday, October 6, 2002, Vernon and Viola Erb, Wendell
Erb, Tim Zehr and Tom Boehler and their spouses celebrated
with seven of our employees who are retiring this year from
full time employment with Erb. Some of them have returned
on a contract basis.
Paul Good, Carl Junker, Abbe Leis, Wayne Leis, Carl
Junker, Murray Schlueter, Warren Wintermeyer and Ron
Zettler and their spouses were presented with an Erb mantle
clock. Words of praise, gratitude and appreciation for many
years of dedicated service to the Erb family and company
were shared.
For those who are no longer at Erb we wish them health,
happiness and many happy
years of retirement.
Dorene Rudy-Snyder
Editor
PAGE 12
to distribute the specially packed boxes to needy children.
Notices will be posted in Baden and New Hamburg for
those of you who would like to contribute.
In the “ever updating” theme of Erb Transport, new
faces and new responsibilities from some not so new faces
are commonplace. We extend a welcome to all of our new
employees. Our support and congratulations to those who
have moved into other positions.
Shirley Burrell
Baden Erban Reporter
2002 Retirees Honoured at The Waterlot
Our BBQ Crew - Tom Broda, Wayne Stock, Barb Davie, Tom
Boehler, and absent Paula Powers.
Our 2002 Retirees at The Waterlot!

From our Barrie Terminal
Hi, everyone, hope all is well! We just held our 8th Year With
No Lost Time Due to Injury cruise. We cruised around
Kempenfelt Bay on the Serindipity admiring all of the
homes/cottages along the shore. I showed Floyd the home
I’d like to own one day - picture Deerhurst Resort but on
Lake Simcoe - he didn’t stop laughing until I handed him the
bill for the cruise. Thanks for Floyd and his wife Pat Gerber
for taking time to come and enjoy our celebration. We too
had a busy summer as I’m sure all the other Terminals did.
The great summer weather brought a lot of business up to
our Northern service area.
Some changes internally at Erb Barrie lately have been
Dale Robb coming into the office at night to do the routing,
as well as Allyson Kerr (filling in for Laura Bergie). Both have
seen their transitions through and are doing a great job -
keep it up.
We have some celebrations from our Terminal:
• John Munsie and Tina married on July 10, 2002.
• Peter Horsley and Cheryl married on September 28th,
2002
• Malcolm Bird and Shelly married on September 21st, 2002
• Ron & Candy Perkins had another baby boy named Tyson
on May 31, 2002
Happy Holiday (up and coming) from all the staff of
Erb Barrie.
Mark Hooper
Barrie Erban Reporter
Floyd presenting 8 Year Plaque to Mark Hooper
The Whole Barrie Family
PAGE 13

From our Mississauga Terminal
We held our Employee Appreciation BBQ on Thursday, July 4,
2002. Thanks to Vernon Erb, Wendell Erb, Karen Buhr ( from
the Outlet Store) , Randy Steckly and Omar McLean (from
Clarica). Daryll Cioci and his team mates did an excellent job
at the BBQ. Special thanks go to Josh Reid, Terry Woody,
Daryll Cioci and Bob Labelle for their assistance manning the
BBQ. The weather was great and no one went away hungry.
Our BBQ co-cordinators were Ross McDonald and Kevin
Becker who worked hard at arranging, setting up, and
organizing this event. Thank you gentlemen, we certainly
appreciate the hard work done each year for this special day.
We just completed two years of no lost time due to injury
on August 2nd 2002. Way to go all terminal staff. Let’s go for
the three year safety award!
New to the dispatch area is Elizabeth Davies. She worked
with Nellie and now you will find her hard at work in
dispatch. Welcome Elizabeth! Also new in the area is Barry
Currah, who joined the linehaul group June 2002. Nice to
have you aboard. Bob Labell, our new operations manager,
has been organizing the docks so we can offer our
customers better service. Way to go Bob.
The yard has a new look, with no dust to cause
problems. Thanks to John Rogers and his team of helpers
who do such a good job.
Congratulations to Rob Istead who recently became
Leadhand on the Dock. He
works hard and deserves the
promotion, all the best in
your new position.
Due to changes in the
Data Entry Department there
have been some additions.
Paula King joined in April on
a part-time basis. Pauline
Stevens is now full time and
Melissa Devogel joined on
September 23rd. Welcome.
Sheri Free of the Data Entry
Department and Rob Brown a dock leadhand, were married
on August17.
We are very comfortable in our new, bright, spacious
driver services offices. Thanks to John Rogers and John Klonis
for such a great job. If you are in the area, come down and
see the new offices. We also have a new member of the staff.
Marion Vooderhout is our new driver services assistant. She
will be doing the linehaul reports from all the terminals and
the Contractors from the Mississauga Terminal. We also have
a small member of the staff join us recently. She is our guard
for when no one is in the office and she welcomes us when
PAGE 14
we arrive each morning. Her name is Erby. If you want to
meet her, come down and check Erby out.
Congratulations to Moulee Ponnampalam and Sharon
Lalak who celebrated their wedding and had a reception on
September 14th. They wanted their friends and family to
have a party to celebrate their union. It was an excellent
party.
A baby shower was held for Carla McKenzie and Heather
Ridgeway. The terminal staff presented both moms-to-be
with a baby stroller. Heather Ridgeway and Shane Cribbie
welcomed into the world their son, Brock Shane.
Congratulations to the new family. Carla and Jeff McKenzie
celebrated the arrival of their son, Matthew Ryan. We wish
Carla and her family all
the best.
Evelyn Sanelli
Mississauga Erban
Reporter
Sheila Kirtz
accepting Two Year
No Lost Time from
Tim Zehr
Moulee Ponnampalam in the
Erb Racing Car
Daryll Cioci
showing off his
cooking skills

Nouvelles de Montréal
Et bien, un autre trimestre est passé et les affaires sont
retentissantes comme d’habitude. Le terminal de Montréal
dépasse ses espoirs encore une fois grâce au bon travail, au
dévouement et Jaun Valdez (Café Colombien, vous savez, le
gars avec l’âne). Avec l’augmentation considérable de poids
transportés à l’intérieur et à l’extérieur des régions servies par
Montréal, plusieurs nouveaux postes ont nécessité d’être
remplis. Fred Montbriand a échangé ses bottes de travail
contre une belle souris d’ordinateur neuve en devenant un
assistant dans le O.S. & D. et Bob Mainville s’est joint à notre
équipe de répartition et de routing de soir. Les nouveaux
chauffeurs comptent Sylvain Langlois, Dominique Vennes,
Gary Morin, Bruce James, Robert Smith, Sam Tsellos, Brian
Anderson et Paul Bleau. Le nouveau personnel de quai
compte Luis Sandoval, Patrice Pukteris, Jason Moorhead,
Darryl Murray et Kevin McWilliams. J’aimerais également
souhaiter la bienvenue à Ron Andrews de retour dans notre
division U.S. Bienvenue et bonne chance à tous !
Le 6 juillet 2002, nous avons tenu notre 8 ième Tournoi
Annuel de Golf au trés beau Club de Golf Bellevue. Nous
avons tous apprécié la température ensoleillée et la bonne
assemblée, il y a eu une assistance de 48 au total. Denis
Tremblay de la Ville de Québec était en charge des photos et
a fait un excellent travail. Je dois également mentionné que
Richard Déziel, le frère de Lucky Luc, a eu un trou en un (si
s’avait été Luc, je dirais que c’était arrangé) et son équipe en
était très fière. Richard a eu sa photo dans le Journal de
Montréal et a été présenté avec un mémento spécial de la
part du Club de Golf durant le souper. En parlant du souper,
c’était un repas délicieux, très substantiel, comme un demi
poulet avec les accompagnements le serait. Nous souhaitons
également remercier tout ceux qui nous ont donné des prix
fantastiques. Erb Transport a également contribué largement
à cet événement. Un merci spécial va à Scott Jones pour son
travail assidu dans l’organisation de cet événement. Espérant
voir tout le monde encore un fois l’année prochaine.
Notre BBQ d’appréciation pour les employès a été un
succès comme à l’accoutumée (sauf pour la pluie
torrentielle, nous voulions demander un permis pour une
bâtisse mais il n’y avait pas de catégorie pour les ‘’arches’’)
tenu le 31 mai 2002. Tout le monde a bien apprécié la
bonne nourriture (hamburgers et hot dog), et le plus
surprenant est que nous avons réellement fait le travail au
beau milieu de tout. Ou devrais-je dire nous nous sommes
efforcés de démontrer que tout allait comme sur des
roulettes lorsque Wendell, Tim et Kevin étaient dans les
alentours. (Assurez-vous que personne ne leurs disent, ok !)
En plus de tout ceci, nous avons également eu la cascar de
Scott Steckly sur place ainsi que le commandite de Erb Jean-
Sébastien DeBellefeuille, le neveu de Alain Gautier, qui est
âgé de 10 ans et qui course avec sa moto-cross 65 et 80 cc
sous le numéro 107. Il s’est récemment placé en 7 ième dans
une course à classe ouverte impliquant 40 participants !
Merci à tous ceux impliqués dans les journées d’événements,
et non nous n’avons pas oublié notre Excellence Culinaire
Clayton.
Je radote (comme d’habitude) donc je devrais peut-être
conclure pour l’instant en remerciant encore une fois tout le
monde impliqué dans ‘’another cool move’’ (je devais tous
simplement faufiler ceci à quelque part) !
À la prochaine !
Ryan Salmon
Denis Trembly and the crew
at the Quebec City BBQ,
August 9th
PAGE 15

From our Montreal Terminal
Well, another quarter passed and business is booming as
usual. Montreal terminal exceeds its hopes once again with
hard work, dedication and Jaun Valdez (Columbian coffee,
you know, the guy with the donkey). With the substantial
increase of weight transported both in and out of the area
that Montreal services, many new positions were needed.
Fred Montbriand traded in his work boots for a shiny new
computer mouse becoming O. S. & D. assistant and Bob
Mainville joined our nighttime dispatch and routing team.
New drivers include, Sylvain Langlois, Dominique Vennes,
Gary Morin, Bruce James, Robert Smith, Sam Tsellos, Brian
Anderson and Paul Bleau. New dock personnel include Luis
Sandoval, Patrice Pukteris, Jason Moorhead, Darryl Murray
and Kevin McWilliams. I would also like to welcome Ron
Andrews back to our US division. Welcome and good luck to
everyone!
On July 6, 2002, we held our 8th annual golf
tournament at the beautiful Bellevue golf club. We all
enjoyed the sunny weather and good company. There were
48 in attendance. Denis Tremblay from Quebec City was in
charge of photos and did an excellent job of it. I must also
mention that Richard Dèziel, Lucky Luc’s brother, shot a hole
in one (if it was Luc, I’d say it was fixed), which made his
team quite proud. Richard got his picture in the journal de
Montreal newspaper and was presented with a special
memento from the golf course during supper. Speaking of
supper it was a delicious meal, very filling, as half a chicken
with trimmings would be. We also wish to thank everyone
who donated great prizes. Erb Transport also contributed
PAGE 16
Jean-Sabatien DeBellefeuille is
10 years old and races his 65
and 80 cc dirt bikes under
# 107.
largely to the event. A special thank you goes to Scott Jones
for his hard work in organizing this event. Hope to see
everyone again next year.
Our employee appreciation BBQ was a hit as usual
(except for the torrential down pour, we were going to file a
building permit, but there was no “ark” category) held on
May 31, 2002. Everyone enjoyed the great food (burgers
and tube steaks), and the surprising part was we actually got
work done in the midst of everything. Or, I should say we
made it look good as Wendell, Tim and Kevin were around.
(Just make sure nobody tells them that okay!) Along with
that we also had Scott Steckly’s cascar and pit crew on
display, as well as, Erb sponsored Jean-Sebatien
DeBellefeuille, Alain Gautier’s nephew who is 10 yrs old and
races his 65 and 80 cc dirt bikes under the number 107. He
recently placed 7th in an open class race involving 40
participants! Thank you to everyone involved in the day’s
events, and no we didn’t forget about your culinary
excellence, Clayton.
I’m rambling on (as usual) so I probably should wrap things
up for now by saying thank you again to everyone involved
in making “another cool move” (I just had to slip that in
there somewhere)!
Until next time!
Ryan Salmon
Montreal Erban Reporter

Le vendredi 9 août 2002, Wendell Erb, Tim Zehr, Kevin
Cooper et Scott Jones étaient dans la Ville de Québec. Et
pour quelle raison ?
BBQ DE ERB TRANSPORT DE QUÉBEC
La température était parfaite pour le 6 ieme BBQ annuel,
Erb a souhaité la bienvenue à plusieurs clients tels que
Provigo, Métro, Distal, Cuisine Rochette, Congébec, Thenno
King RMQ, Lavage Routier et plusieurs autres. Tout le monde
a apprécié la bonne nourriture et cette année nous avions un
extra pour eux: L’Auto de Course de Erb.
En passant, un gros merci à Scott Jones qui a débuté le
tout il y a six ans. Nous avons terminé la fin de semaine a
Montmagny Québec où Scott Steckly et son équipe
coursaient dans la Super Série de Courses Cascar. Avons-nous
eu du plaisir ? Oui monsieur, quelle course! ! ! Pas
d’épinglette pour sécurité pour ces gars.
En espérant vous voir tous l’année prochaine
Denis Tremblay
Encore une fois cette année, le Terminal de Montréal a été
très achalandé. Nos volumes continuent leur ascension et
notre équipe continue de battre les défis.
J’aimerais remercier tout notre personnel pour leur bon
travail et l’effort qu’il a donné afin de fournir un excellent
service à notre clientèle.
Scott Jones
Les employés choisis pour jouer au 2ième Tournoi Annuel de
Golf Eric Jones, qui a été tenui le 17 août 2002.
Merci Erb Transport pour le commandite de cet événement.
De gauche à droite : Ray Pitre, Graeme Lineham, Milton Epps,
Jack Waring.
Employees picked to play in the 2nd Annual Eric Jones
Memorial Golf Tournament held on August 17th 2002.
Thank you Erb Transport for sponsoring this event.
From left to right: Ray Pitre, Graeme Lineham, Milton Epps,
Jack Waring.
On Friday August 9th 2002, Wendell Erb, Tim Zehr, Kevin
Cooper and Scott Jones were in Quebec City. What for ?
ERB TRANSPORT QUEBEC CITY BBQ
The weather was perfect for the 6th annual BBQ, Erb
welcomed many of our customers such as Provigo, Metro,
Distal, Cuisine Rochette, Congebec, Thermo King RMQ,
Lavage Routier and many many more. Everyone appreciated
the good food and this year we had an extra for them: The
Erb Race Car.
By the way, thanks to Scott Jones who started this six
years ago. We finished the weekend at Montmagny Quebec
where Scott Steckly and his crew were racing in the Cascar
Super Series Race. Did we enjoy it? Yes sir, what a race and
no safety pin for these guys.
Hope we’ll see you all next year.
Denis Tremblay
Once again this year, it has been very busy at the Montreal
Terminal. Our volumes continue to increase and our team
continues to meet the challenges.
I would like to thank all our staff for all their hard work
and effort that they provide in order to provide an excellent
service to our customers.
Scott Jones
Chauffeur : William Corey.
Toyota Super Charged 500 Chevaux Vapeur
William a gagné, dans sa catégorie, avec sa Toyota Mudbogger
à l’Exposition Agricole de Bedford Québec le 9 août 2002.
Driver : William Corey
500 Horsepower Super Charged Toyota
William won, his class, with his 500 Horse Powered Toyota
Mudbogger at the Bedford Québec Fair on August 9th, 2002.
PAGE 17

Greetings from the Gateway!
Well, another summer has past us once again! It makes me
realize I must be having fun or something because the time
sure is a flying!
Our branch of the Erb Family tree has had lots of things
going on. It started with our dinner for Five Years No Lost
Time Due To Injury. Everyone who attended was praised for a
job well done from Tim Zehr and Tom Broda (these guys
always praise us when we feed them the best North Bay has
to offer!) Thank you from all of us for the nice new jackets
we received. I’m sure none of us will be off claiming we were
cold this winter.
Last report I told you about our man, Paul Rose, with a
25-year safe driving record. We were able to truck out his day
cab to the likes I’ve yet to see again. To say Paul was
speechless would be an understatement. I’ve no doubt that it
will be kept spotless for many more years. It was our
pleasure. Thank you to the crew that helped lock him out of
the shop that night! (Some of us wondered if it would be
repeated for us when we reached that milestone but figured
we’d all need canes and walkers!) We, too, got a visit from
the race team and the entourage that came with it. We had
great weather and an excellent turnout with lots of food left,
no one went home hungry! Great Employee BBQ. Ed Smith
also had his third success with his golf tournament. For
reasons unknown he keeps having it while I’m out of town
on holidays. I personally think that he is over blowing that
little incident I had hitting that bulldozer! None the less once
again a great time for all those who attended.
Now to the business side of things. I’ve been told our
dock weights were down for a little while this past year as a
result of 9-11. Also, some of our plants producing shavings
were not shipping as much to the U.S. as a result of the soft
wood lumber tariff. Hopefully, that will be resolved soon and
things will pick up in that area.
Many “pleased to meet you”, were required this spring as
we hired some new people to our team. Once again,
welcome aboard. Many people have asked me how our
Paul Rose Reached 25 Years Safe Driving!
Special thanks to John Walsh, Dave Modeen, John Simpson,
Bob Ethier, Shane Rose, Brian Kroskoph, Pat Etches, and
Lloyd St. Jean. These gentlemen volunteered their time to
shine and put accessories on to 3606.
Randy Cameron
North Bay
Terminal Manager
PAGE 18
man, John Simpson, is doing. His wife who is also part of our
office staff has kept us informed on his ups and downs
relating to his bout with cancer, as always our prayers are
with both of them.
On a closing note, I would like to congratulate Randy
from all of us for finding the woman of his dreams. They
were married this fall. Best of luck in your future together.
I’m sure Brigitte will be treated like a queen for many years.
(We were glad to get rid of him for three weeks while they
honeymooned!)
Best of all,
John Walsh
North Bay Erban Reporter
P.S. We have also spent considerable dollars on the property up
here to fix the “pond” in the backyard. With any luck we will
not have to issue anymore warnings concerning high tide!
Congratulations Paul
Rose 25 Years of Safe
Driving!
Tim Zehr
presenting 5
Year Award to
Randy Cameron