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 Moving and Storage, in Houston, 40 miles east of Smithers.

Smithers Transport soon branched out to other northern communities and Vancouver. From their brother Herman, the Bandstra's bought Doc's Cartage and Storage, which had operations in Terrace and Kitimat.

A Vancouver-based division was created in 1984 with the purchase of Gilmaac Trucking, a freight-only operation. 

The Bandstras created Bandstra Moving Systems to work alongside the southern end of the freight operations. Both operate out of offices in the Vancouver suburb of Richmond. 

John Jr., who, along with Jack Bandstra, heads the Vancouver operations, says the company strategy is to continue to increase service in the North. "We were always just locally-based in Smithers and there's a limited market there, of course. With a bigger market, it makes the Vancouver to Prince George run more efficient and profitable. The bigger the area served, the better it is."

In 1988, the companies were operating under four different names so it was decided to consolidate under the name of Bandstra Transportation Systems in Smithers, Terrace, Kitimat, Houston and Vancouver.

Bandstra Transportation Systems next expansion took place soon after, in 1993, with the opening of a Prince George office. The Prince Rupert location, the latest expansion, opened its doors in 2006.

Today, about 75 percent of the company's business is freight and about 25 percent is household and office-furniture transport. General freight is a mainstay followed by lumber which is shipped to Vancouver as a back haul. Furniture comes next, followed by low-bed charter work such as heavy machinery transport. One big field is supplying the mining industry north to the Yukon border along Highway 37.

Bandstra also benefits from the hard work of a large number of dedicated, long-term employees. The company now boasts a workforce of about 200 people including office staff, maintenance people and drivers who operate over 225 pieces of equipment. Mack truck serves as the backbone of the freight operations.

Much of Bandstra's success can be attributed to it's being a family-owned and operated business with a "hands-on" management style. After guiding the enterprise for nearly 35 years, John Sr. retired in 1989. 

The company now is operated by Dick's sons Phil, Ron and Rick along with John Jr., Sid and Jack, son of Herman Bandstra. 

Bandstra Transportation Systems is a company that never loses sight of its northern-interior roots and continues to provide the best service possible with reasonable rates.

The Bandstras
Back row, from left: Jack, John Jr., Sid, Phil, Ron
Front row, from left: Herman, John Sr., Dick

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