Finalists and winners in 2011

Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry sponsored by BP Australia, NTI and Volvo Group Australia

Terry and Daphne Nolan – Nolan’s Interstate Transport. Gatton, QLD
When Terry and Daphne Nolan took over DM and MT Nolan from his father, the business had three trucks and three employees. Today, the company employs 165 people, runs 230 trucks and has cold storage for more than 1,000 pallets of produce. During that time, Terry and Daphne have been at the forefront of advancing safety and professionalism in the industry by achieving TruckSafe accreditation, HACCP certification, quality assurance certification under ISO 9001-2000 and Fatigue Management Pilot certification.

FINALISTS

Simon Skazlic – K&S Freighters. Truganina, VIC
Simon worked on a series of industry initiatives including the negotiation of the driver fatigue reforms and development of a scorecard to help companies manage their greenhouse and energy reporting obligations. Simon led the LUEZ (loading, unloading exclusion zone) group which created best practice guidelines for reducing accidents during vehicle loading and unloading.

Rod Hannifey – TruckRight and road transport consultant. Dubbo, NSW
Rod is a passionate safety advocate for the trucking industry, as well as a driver who has travelled more than three million kilometres in B-doubles. He has won many safety awards and launched programs such as the Truckies’ Top Ten Tips and the blue reflector marking of informal truck rest areas. Rod won the National Professional Driver of the Year Award in 2001.

 

Craig Roseneder Award for techncial & maintenance excellence in the workshop sponsored by CASTROL

Brian Murphy – DirectHaul, Northern Territory

Brian set a high standard for himself from the very beginning of his career, winning Apprentice of the Year award in the Northern Territory in the first and fourth years of his diesel mechanic apprenticeship. Brian has been the Fleet Manager at DirectHaul since 2005. He has introduced many health and safety procedures including vehicle fault reporting, isolation lockouts and emergency management of tanker rollovers. He has implemented a number of initiatives to improve the business and customer service, including the design of a rack suitable to hold eight drums - allowing larger orders to be delivered to remote communities. Brian also designed an oil crusher filter system to improve waste oil disposal at DirectHaul.

FINALISTS

Chris Gass, Bunker Freight Lines, VIC

Chris has been an active participant in the trucking industry for over 28 years. He is the Trailer Fleet Manager for Bunker Freight Lines, and is dedicated to equipment reliability and safety. As a respected staff member at Bunker, Chris has been a leader in the implementation of a number of trailer innovations, including wiring standards and disc brake technology. Chris is committed to improving the safety of the industry. He was an early supporter of the TruckSafe program and was involved in the pilot of NHVAS. Chris has a commitment to ensuring his staff are up-to-date with the latest in training, and was instrumental in delivering the AUR30605 Certificate III in Automotive Specialist apprenticeship scheme.

Darren Wales, Wales Truck Repairs, NSW

Darren is the Managing Director of Wales Truck Repairs. He has been an integral part of this family business since 1988, when he completed a trade apprenticeship as a panel beater/spray painter. Darren is committed to setting high industry standards and was instrumental in the formation of the Australian Heavy Vehicle Repairers’ Association (AHVRA). He has also implemented a significant environmental program by designing three large truck wash bays that recycle all the water. Respected by his staff, Darren is actively involved with the community and is a member of several associations including ATA NSW, the Motor Traders’ Association of NSW, AHVRA and the Australian Institute of Management.

 

Highway Guardian Award for an act of bravery by a professional truck driver sponsored by Continental Tyres Australia

Michael Munchow – Sedl Transport. Toowoomba, QLD
During the January 2011 floods, a wall of water roared down the main street of Withcott, in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley. Shayne and Amanda Richardson were in their Honda Jazz hatchback when it was caught by the flood and hurled down the street. At great personal risk, Michael Munchow backed his semi-trailer into a pole to stop the car and pulled them into the cab of his truck.

FINALISTS

Greg Twidale – John Kelly & Sons Transport. Toowoomba, QLD
When the January 2011 floods swept through Toowoomba, Greg showed great bravery when he drove his truck into the flood waters and threw a strap to a stranded motorist so she could anchor herself in case her car was swept away. Greg remained in the flood waters for an hour until rescuers arrived.

Greg Elton – Australia Post. Underwood, QLD
Greg was driving his Australia Post B-double on the Pacific Highway near Grafton, when a car travelling south suddenly crossed the centre line and veered into his truck’s path. Greg's expert driving avoided a head-on collision with the car. He used his skills as a former ambulance officer to look after the injured car driver while they waited for an ambulance.

 

National Professional Driver of the Year sponsored by BP Australia, NTI and Volvo Group Australia

John Hastie – Blenners Transport. Tully, QLD
With more than 5.5 million kilometres under his belt without damaging a vehicle or his produce load, John brings a professional attitude and great skill to the industry. John began his driving career in the United Kingdom at the age of 21, progressing to European runs before moving to Australia in the early 1970s. John worked for a variety of organisations carting bitumen, bananas and fuel before joining Blenners Transport in 1991. John has more than 43 years of international and Australian driving experience.

FINALISTS

Michael Cavanagh – Whiteline Transport. Greenfields, SA
Mick has an unblemished safety and compliance record while doing one of the toughest runs in the country, Adelaide to Perth return. He was one of Whiteline Transport’s first drivers to adapt to the new Advanced Fatigue Management regime, and has also embraced the company’s other reforms including the adoption of TruckSafe, NHVAS Maintenance and its OH&S and risk management system.

Rod Hannifey – TruckRight and road transport consultant. Dubbo, NSW
Rod began his trucking career at a young age and drove his first road train when he was 16 years old. He now manages the TruckRight Industry Vehicle and promotes safety and awareness on behalf of the industry. He was elected as the owner-driver representative on the ATA’s General Council from 2009 to 2011.

 

Trucking Industry Woman of the Year sponsored by Cummins South Pacific

Sharon Kane – GMK Logistics. Smeaton Grange, NSW
Sharon began her trucking career at the age of seven, earning 50 cents a week to file consignment notes in her father’s small transport company. With trucking in her blood, she left school at 15 and spent the next ten years doing every job in the company warehouse and office. Sharon is now the CEO of the family company – GMK Logistics – and has grown it into a multi-million dollar business with depots in every state. She also involved in the community, with support for Lifeline, Mission Australia and Ronald McDonald House.

FINALISTS

Dianne Carroll OAM – Trans-Help Foundation. Tarcutta, NSW
Dianne established the Trans-Help Foundation in 2006 to support drivers and their families. The foundation provides emergency respite, a national support line and a mobile health and support unit.

Sue Rowe – Macao Consulting. High Wycombe, WA
Sue has been involved in the trucking industry for many years, first driving trucks and farm machinery and then running a thriving business doing the books for small trucking operators. Sue is a qualified auditor specialising in TruckSafe and is highly trained in compliance, accreditation, fatigue management and OH&S.

 

Don Watson Memorial Award

Peter Armstrong began his career as a cadet newspaper photographer. He returned to the industry he loved as a truck driver. Many years as both an owner and company driver gave Peter the experience and network which has served him well throughout his career. A return to working in the media saw Peter working for Trucking Life as both journalist and photographer before moving over to Publishing Services Australia where he was part of the development of ATN and stepped up as the first editor of Owner/Driver. Peter later went on to edit Truck and Bus for several years. In recent years Peter has been instrumental in the emergence of Prime Mover magazine. Peter continues his tradition of being an honest broker who will always emphasise the positive aspects of the situation without ignoring the negative when it comes time to call a spade, a spade.

Training Excellence Award sponsored by DECA Training

Women Take the Wheel Program. Brisbane, QLD
Women Take the Wheel is an alliance between waste management business JJ Richards & Sons, Mission Australia, Strategix Training Group and the Department of Transport and Main Roads. It helps Queensland women with no industry skills or experience enter the trucking industry. The pilot trained 19 women to receive their HR licence. Nine of the participants then went on to complete a Certificate III in Transport and Logistics (Driving Operations) with JJ Richards & Sons and now work for the company. Another four are employed with other companies; two enrolled at university for further studies.

FINALIST

Seymour Passenger Services. Seymour, VIC
The company has been operating buses and coaches for more than 60 years, and has shown an outstanding commitment to training their staff. By improving the skills of their drivers and supporting better training throughout the bus industry, Seymour Passenger Services has increased safety for everyone who uses the roads.

 

TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award to recognise excellence in the TruckSafe program sponsored by Austbrokers AEI Transport

Divall’s Earthmoving & Bulk Haulage. Goulburn, NSW
Divall’s Earthmoving & Bulk Haulage is a family owned business with 34 trucks. The company has been TruckSafe accredited since 1999, and has demonstrated the highest level of commitment to safety and meeting the standards required by the TruckSafe system. Andy Divall and his wife Jodie have also used the program to help grow their business and create new opportunities.

FINALISTS

Bullbuck Pty Ltd. Port Hedland, WA
Bullbuck transports iron and copper ore from mines in the Port Hedland area of WA. The company has been TruckSafe accredited since 2002, and has impressed TruckSafe’s auditors by its application of the TruckSafe standards and its commitment to safety and training.

Nicol Echunga Transport. Echunga, SA
The company operates three trucks, with one delivering general freight to Darwin and returning with Asian vegetables for the woks of Sydney and Melbourne. The business has been TruckSafe accredited since 1998 and has an exceptional safety and audit record. Its owner, Greg Nicol, says TruckSafe accreditation has been a plus when he quotes for work as well. “When you mention TruckSafe, it pricks their ears up a fair bit,” he says.

 

Craig Roseneder Award for excellence in the workshop sponsored by Castrol

Graham Nash, Mountain Industries, NSW
The Maintenance Manager for Mountain Industries, Graham has a strong commitment to improving the safety and technology of the trucking industry. Graham is also committed to building relationships with customers and suppliers and improving Mountain Industries’ environmental credentials. As a member of the ATA’s Industry Technical Council, Graham has been actively working to improve the safety of the trucking industry. Graham has also been integral in Mountain Industries’ long association with TruckSafe and NHVAS.

FINALISTS

Rob Hodges, Mitchell Corporation Australia, WA
Rob is the National Assets and Maintenance Manager for Mitchell Corporation Australia. Rob has implemented a number of key initiatives to improve the business. These include the implementation of supplier KPIs, new asset management systems, computerised workplace management to better control down time and the implementation of a ‘just-in-time’ spare parts program. He has also made significant changes to the company’s environmental program and increased interaction between staff and suppliers.

Chris Gass, Bunker Freight Lines, Vic
Chris has been an active participant in the trucking industry for over 28 years and a leader in the implementation of a number of trailer innovations, including wiring standards and disc brake technology. Chris is committed to improving the safety of the industry. He was an early supporter of the TruckSafe program and his involvement in the pilot of the NHVAS system. Chris has a commitment to ensuring his staff are up-to-date with the latest in training and is well known for his professionalism and dedication to customers and suppliers.