Australian Trucking Association News

The 2010 National Trucking Industry Award winners are:

• National Professional Driver of the Year: Simon Wynne, HS and SM Wynne Transport, Everton Hills, QLD;
• National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year: Jan Pattison, Queensland Trucking Association, Brisbane, QLD;
• Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry: Jim Pearson, Jim Pearson Transport, Port Macquarie, NSW;
• Training Excellence Award: Get into Transport and Logistics (Road Transport) Program, Brisbane, Queensland; and
• Don Watson Memorial Award: Mario Colosimo, BPW Transpec, Melbourne, VIC.

National Professional Driver of the Year, Simon Wynne has urged all motorists to spare a thought for truck drivers when on the road.

“Understanding trucks is the key step in sharing the road safely,” he said.

National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year, Jan Pattison said it was an honour to be recognised by her peers.

“I’d like to thank Cummins South Pacific for their continued sponsorship of the award and also their recognition of women in the workforce,” Ms Pattison said.

This year’s recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry Award, Jim Pearson, said “It’s been a long, long ride through my life in the trucking industry. It’s a great industry.”

On behalf of the Training Excellence Award winners, Peter Garske from the Queensland Trucking Association said the program gives hope and opportunity to many men and women. “We have reached out to 226 people and delivered 178 heavy vehicle licenses and 47 forklift licences around the state, funded by the Queensland Government. 80 per cent of the graduates of the program remain employed in the industry today.”

The winner of the Don Watson Memorial Award, Mario Colosimo from BPW Transpec said he was grateful to be part of the trucking industry. “It’s unlike any other industry – it’s like a big family, I absolutely love it”.

Also to be acknowledged is the Craig Roseneder Award winner for technical and maintenance excellence, Merv Rowlands from Boral Transport.

The National Trucking Industry Awards are sponsored by ATA Foundation Sponsors BP, NTI and Volvo; and Cummins South Pacific and DECA.

NATIONAL TRUCKING INDUSTRY AWARDS PROGRAM

The Awards are presented annually by the Australian Trucking Association in recognition of excellence attained by individuals and organisations within the industry. Their purpose is to showcase high achievement and to promote exemplars to both the industry and to the community at large as a means to instill positive perceptions about trucking.

The majority of Awards is presented each year at a glittering dinner during the Australian Trucking Convention. The exception is the Craig Roseneder Award, which is presented during the annual Technical & Maintenance Conference in November.

There are fantastic prizes to be won, including international travel packages.

Nominations close each year on the 1st of March for the Outstanding Contribution, National Professional Driver, National Trucking Industry Woman and Training Excellence Awards.

Nominations for the Craig Roseneder Award Close each year on 30th September.