CARLYLE - For 33 years, Darwin Williamson has been the leasehold operator for Purolator Courier. While everyone in Carlyle sees him every afternoon driving his oversized cargo van, very few really know him.
Williamson is 59 years old and has been married to Sandra for 34 years. His wife is employed as a licensed practical nurse at the Regina Lutheran Home. They have three children and three grandchildren.
Living in Regina, Williamson starts his day at 6 a.m. at the Purolator depot. For two hours, he is one of 45 trucks that pack their load and Williamson is on the road at 8 a.m. He carries an average of 200 pieces of freight each day, Monday to Friday. During the Christmas season, up to 280 pieces are delivered.
His trading area includes Forget, Kisbey, Arcola, Carlyle, and Manor. Every Tuesday and Friday, he also travels to Kenosee Lake. He returns home around 8 p.m. and spends most of his daily time in Carlyle, an average of 4 1/2 hours a day.
The central courier delivery location is Kal Tire in Carlyle.
“We have been a drop-off point for Purolator for over 20 years,” said local Kal Tire owner Gavin Thomas. “We are a service to Carlyle and area that no one really appreciates.”
While Williamson concurs with that assessment, he is proud to be a Purolator courier driver.
“I get paid by the piece and by mileage. It has made me a good living.”
Purolator is in charge of collecting all freight costs and is not Williamson’s responsibility.
Williamson is a very interesting fellow. In the 1980s and ‘90, he was a competitive curler playing lead for Dean Moulding. He competed in five southern playdowns and five provincials. In 1997, they were an inch away from defeating Estevan’s Jim Packet and winning the province.
For over eight years, Williamson has specialized in aerial photography under the trade name Blue Sky View Photography. He prefers photo shooting residences and farmyards from the sky and owns five drones which he flies regularly. He also belongs to the Regina Fish and Game League and participates in long distance rifle shooting.
Over the years, Williamson has raced snowmobiles and also owns a 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle. He also enjoys archery and in recent months is learning to play the electric guitar. When his family was younger, he also camped on the weekends at Moose Mountain Provincial Park.
With his job, Williamson knows a lot of people and is proud to mention he is a very strong supporter of Carlyle and its businesses.
“I basically live in Carlyle 20 hours a week and I have made a lot of lifelong friends along the way. It’s a great town and I am happy to be a part of it.”
Williamson drives 500 kilometres a day which amounts to over 130,000 in a year. He has been involved in very few fender bender accidents over the years, but all told has hit seven deer, six with his van and one while being on his motorbike.
Williamson wanted to thank all of his regular customers he has in Carlyle and the surrounding area. He has no desire to retire just quite yet.
