Bandstra Transportation Systems, Ltd

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The Bandstra story began in 1955 with the purchase of a small freight company in Smithers called Capling's Transfer by Andy Beerda and brothers John and Theo Bandstra. At that time, John and Theo were newly-arrived immigrants from Holland. What they lacked in experience in their adopted country, they made up for by their background in the freight business. Back in their native Friesland, their father operated his own transport company. Capling's had two single-axle trucks for hauling freight from Prince Rupert to the Smithers area. Within a few years, the name was changed to Smithers Transport. Theo soon left as well, to work in the automotive business. Operating conditions were difficult in the first years. The owner-operators had to carry planks on the road from Smithers to Prince Rupert. Even though the distance was only 220 miles, the trip could take as long as 12 hours. At that time, groceries and other supplies came in by ship from Vancouver. The company slowly grew as the area developed and in 1971, a new warehouse and shop were built in Smithers on Highway 16. They still serve as the company's head office. In 1976, John and his younger brother, Dick, bought Andy Beerda's shares in Smithers Transport. By then, the major national and international freight and moving firms were well entrenched in the region. Recognizing that, in order to survive you need to grow more rapidly, the Bandstras made their first expansion and started a small moving company, called Bulkley...

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