Thursday, September 17, 2026

Skill and Care on the Milk Route

With practiced precision, CLAC members perform the vital work that brings milk to our tables

By Jason Goode

Most of us meet milk in the fridge.

I recently had the chance to meet it much earlier in its journey, riding along with Doug, a Vedder Transport Ltd. driver who picks up milk from dairy farms across the Fraser Valley in BC and delivers it to processing plants. It was one of those reminders that some of the most important work in our communities happens quietly, long before most of us ever see the finished product.

The morning carried that quintessential Fraser Valley mood: wet gravel from recent rain, green fields stretching out beneath the mountains, the river cutting its way through the valley toward the ocean.

At each farm, we were greeted by a different scene. Some places were highly mechanized, built around newer robotic systems and efficient layouts. Others felt like they had been operating the same way for generations—older buildings, tighter yards, more analog equipment, and all the character and challenge that comes with that. At one point, looking out from an older farm building’s cracked wood window frame and seeing the polished metal of the Vedder tanker outside, I was struck by the meeting of old and new ways.

What stood out to me most was how much this work depends on both skill and care. Every farm is different. Every setup asks something different of the driver. The job is not just driving a truck from point A to point B. It’s maneuvering a tanker into some of the tightest spaces I’ve seen, reading each yard correctly, adjusting to each farm’s layout, and doing it all confidently and safely.

A few times, I caught myself watching with a mix of awe and uncertainty as Doug used what seemed like every available inch to move that truck and trailer where it needed to go. To him, it was routine. Still, every so often he would catch my expression and explain exactly how he had made the maneuver work.

But the job is also about care. These drivers take custody of milk that will help feed thousands of people. That means they are responsible not only for transportation, but also for ensuring quality. It means checking, handling, connecting, and moving with precision. Doug had a system for everything. Not a moment was wasted. Over the course of the day, I watched him coil and uncoil the large hose used to pull the milk into the tanker. After a few hours, he invited me to try it. I did my best to make it look easy. My back knew better.

Doug has been doing this work quietly for more than two decades. As we drove, he talked about his kids and grandkids. It struck me that his work has not only helped feed thousands of families but has also supported a thriving family of his own. There was something fitting in that.

People talk a lot today about technology, automation, and efficiency. And certainly, this industry has seen plenty of change. But after spending a day on that route, I was reminded that good work still depends on something deeply human: judgment, discipline, adaptability, and care. This work requires a human touch.

When I see my own kids drinking milk at home, I now see one more part of the journey that brought it there. I think of the drivers who do this work well, day after day, mostly unnoticed. And I think: this is what good work looks like.

Skill and Care on the Milk Route

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