Trucking Veteran Winston Steward Bell Dies

KITCHENER, ON— One of Canada’s trucking pioneers, Winston Stewart Bell, died this week at age 72.

In 1985, Bell bought a one-truck operation, Merv’s Moving company, and rebranded it to W.S. Bell Cartage, which over time, became one of the largest carriers in Kitchener, ON.

According to the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA), trucking runs deep in the Bell’s bloodlines; Bell’s father, Boyd was a member of the Automotive Transportation Association, now the OTA.

Boyd owned and operated two trucks to haul milk from local farms, a third to haul livestock to Toronto and a panel van with custom windows used as a school bus.

Bell never really retired from trucking. He once said he was not a coffee-shop guy or a golfer, but rather loved working and working in trucking.

Today, W.S. Bell Cartage, specializing in oversized load services, has about 90 trucks and 250 trailers. They are perhaps best known for having moved three elephants from the Toronto Zoo to a zoo in California in 2013. Bell’s three sons now run the company.

Jason Bell, VP of Bell Cartage, said his dad read a news story about the Toronto Zoo project, contacted the organizers to let them know that he would be interested in supplying trucks, drivers and trailers; one a step deck to accommodate one elephant, the other a double-drop.

And so they did, without a hitch.

Bell will be greatly missed by his family, friends and many members of the trucking community.

 


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