I grew up well connected to the trucking world. My Dad, Tom Wiebe was a produce delivery driver in Winnipeg when I was about 4 years old. I remember well the dash of the late 40s or early 50s GM truck as Dad took me along on his deliveries. In 56 to 57, Dad hauled cars from southern Ontario to Winnipeg and only on a few occasions was I able to ride along in the '56 Ford to do a local delivery. He then hauled freight traveling to Minnesota, Iowa, and the eastern US seaboard. The single driver trips were often with a R190 International and the longer eastern trips were team driving in a H Model Mack. I only got to ride along from the truck terminal to a main street near our home.

My first solo truck/trailer trip was from Winnipeg to Moose Jaw on April 30, 1972 about 5 weeks before turning 19. I was driving International 2000s with 250 Cummins pulling 45ft vans hauling mail.