A truck driver’s quiet kindness on the highway leads to gratitude and recognition | CBC News

When trucker Daljit Sohi spotted a woman drop her purse in a B.C. parking lot, he immediately stepped in to help.

What followed was a three-hour drive to return her belongings, a gesture that would later earn him a generous gift and nomination for a prestigious trucking award.

Sohi, 34, who lives in Calgary, drives for Triple Eight Transport — an Abbotsford-based trucking company specializing in long-haul routes across Western Canada. 

On Nov. 29, during a trip from Calgary to Abbotsford, Sohi made a brief coffee stop in Golden, a town in B.C.’s Kootenay region. As he headed back to his truck, he said he noticed a woman drop her purse and drive off before he could catch her attention.

Speaking to CBC News in Punjabi, Sohi explained that he picked up the purse, hoping to find a phone inside, but instead discovered “money, IDs, documents and a gold chain.”

Without a way to make any contact, Sohi decided to follow her, hoping to return the purse. 

“I didn’t even take a washroom break,” he said. 

The woman, Shailly James from High River, Alta., was driving to Salmon Arm to visit family.

Initially, she said she was unaware of the situation and grew concerned after noticing a truck following her.

“I was like, why is he following me? He also tried flashing his lights,” she recalled. 

When she finally stopped at a gas station in Sicamous, Sohi approached her and returned the purse. Overwhelmed with gratitude, James offered him a $500 cash reward, but he declined.

“I asked his name, but he didn’t tell me,” James said.

Not ready to let the gesture go unacknowledged, she tracked him down using the trailer number on his truck. It took several days and multiple calls, but James said she eventually reached Triple Eight Transport.

She said she sent Sohi an iPhone and a note to express her gratitude.

“Everybody was so happy about what Daljit had done,” said Palwinder Singh, the safety and compliance supervisor at Triple Eight Transport.

Sohi, who has been with the company since 2021, hadn’t told anyone at work about what happened, not even his family. 

Harpreet Sabharwal, HR Manager at Triple Eight Transport, praised Sohi’s humility.

“The gentleman is quite humble to not boast about himself but we were quite surprised in a positive way.”

The company later organized a surprise event at its Abbotsford office to recognize Sohi.

“He went red in the face,” Sabharwal added.

Now, the Good Samaritan’s actions have earned him a nomination for the Truckload Carriers Association’s Highway Angel Award. According to the association, the program has been recognizing drivers who “selflessly” help others while on the job since 1997.

Sohi says he didn’t help out for accolades but is happy to be acknowledged.