The Australian Trucking Association has today announced the three finalists for the 2014 Craig Roseneder Award, which recognises technical and maintenance excellence in the workshop by an individual.
ATA Chair Noelene Watson said the award was a valuable opportunity to acknowledge those who work behind the scenes to keep Australia’s heavy vehicles in top condition.
“Safety and preventative maintenance are top priorities for the industry. So it’s essential for operators to have people in their workshop who go the extra mile and think of a better way to do things in the future,” Mrs Watson said.
“This year’s finalists for the Craig Roseneder award do just that, having demonstrated an above-and-beyond approach to vehicle and workshop safety.
“We are fortunate to have such talented and dedicated people in our industry, and I congratulate our finalists on their achievement.”
The 2014 Craig Roseneder finalists are:
• Laeton Hardy (Hardy’s Haulage, Cudgera Creek, NSW)
• Glenn Griffiths (Ron Finemore Transport, Wodonga, VIC)
• Damien Allison (De Bruyn’s Transport, Burnie, TAS)
The winner will be announced on Tuesday 28 October 2014 at the Castrol Vecton Awards Dinner as part of the ATA/ARTSA PACCAR and Dealer TMC, the trucking industry’s premier technical and maintenance event.
Courtesy of award sponsor Castol Vecton, the winner will receive a trip to the American Trucking Associations’ 2015 Technology & Maintenance Council Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition in Nashville, Tennessee and $1,500 AU in spending money. They will also receive complimentary registration to TMC 2015.
To purchase a ticket for the Castrol Vecton Awards Dinner or to register for the 2014 PACCAR and Dealer TMC, visit www.truck.net.au/tmc.
2014 CRAIG ROSENEDER AWARD FINALISTS
Laeton Hardy – Hardy’s Haulage
Cudgera Creek, NSW
Laeton grew up around trucks, front end loaders and farm tractors. As a result, no-one was surprised when he started as an apprentice mechanic at Hardy’s Haulage straight after finishing year 10. Laeton is now the company’s General Manager and Workshop Manager. He insists on the highest technical and maintenance standards, with new equipment undergoing up to three weeks of improvements – such as the installation of safety steps – before it enters service. Laeton’s expertise means he is also able to offer insightful suggestions to his equipment suppliers and other transport operators. A number of his proposals have become standard or optional across the Kenworth range: most notably, his proposal that all electrical relays and circuit breakers should be relocated to one central and easily accessible location behind the dash in the cab.
Glenn Griffiths – Ron Finemore Transport
Wodonga, VIC
Glenn Griffiths is the Fleet Maintenance Manager for Ron Finemore Transport, and manages Ron Finemore workshops in both Orange and Wodonga. In this role, he is responsible for developing maintenance programs and delivering them to a fleet of 250 prime movers and 450 trailers. Glenn continually challenges the safety status quo, developing new equipment such as fifth wheel coupling aids and non-slip access ladder covers to reduce driver injury rates. He also instigated the ‘Finemore Fitness’ program, providing subsidised health club membership to employees to help improve staff health and reduce absenteeism. Glenn is dedicated to training the younger generation, with four apprentices currently learning the trade under his guidance.
Damien Allison – De Bruyn’s Transport
Burnie, TAS
Starting as an apprentice with De Bruyn’s Transport more than 20 years ago, Damien has risen through the ranks and was promoted to Maintenance Manager in 2005. He is responsible for all maintenance to the diverse De Bruyn’s fleet, which includes 113 powered vehicles, 130 trailers, forklifts, light vehicles and a 500 tonne capacity fish feed supply vessel. Damien has worked diligently to introduce standardisation and improved procedures within the fleet, and has implemented a number of safe work measures within the workshop to reduce incident and injury rates. He is a strong supporter of the apprenticeship program, and many of his apprentices choose to stay with De Bruyn’s after finishing their training. Under his stewardship, 12 warehousing trainees and 14 workshop apprentices have completed their qualifications, with many also excelling in the National World Skills competition. Damien is an active member of his local community, gaining life membership to Apex Australia in 2012 after 17 years of service with the organisation.
