The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has today announced the finalists for the 2011 National Trucking Industry Awards.
The 2011 awards attracted a high standard of entries across all the award categories, including the new Highway Guardian Award, to be presented for the first time this year to acknowledge acts of bravery by Australian truck drivers.
The Chairman of the ATA, David Simon, said the awards were a crucial part of the trucking industry’s calendar, because they identify and reward the people who have made significant contributions to the industry.
“The quality of this year’s finalists is remarkable. They include some of the most dedicated people in the industry, who have worked tirelessly to raise Australian trucking to higher levels of safety and professionalism,” Mr Simon said.
The 2011 National Trucking Industry Award finalists are:
- Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry – Terry and Daphne Nolan (Gatton, QLD), Simon Skazlic (Truganina, VIC) and Rod Hannifey (Dubbo, NSW).
- National Professional Driver of the Year – John Hastie (Tully, QLD), Michael Cavanagh (Greenfields, SA) and Rod Hannifey (Dubbo, NSW).
- Trucking Industry Woman of the Year – Dianne Carroll (Tarcutta, NSW), Sue Rowe (High Wycombe, WA) and Sharon Kane (Smeaton Grange, NSW).
- Training Excellence Award – Women Take the Wheel (Brisbane, QLD) and Seymour Passenger Services (Seymour, VIC).
- Highway Guardian Award – Michael Munchow (Toowoomba, QLD), Greg Twidale (Toowoomba, QLD), Greg Elton (Underwood, QLD).
- TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award – Divall’s Earthmoving & Bulk Haulage (Goulburn, NSW), Bullbuck Pty Ltd (Port Hedland, WA), Nicol Echunga Transport (Echunga, SA).
The award winners will be announced on Friday, 27 May at the ATA Foundations Sponsors Gala Awards Dinner at Parliament House, Canberra. The dinner is part of the Australian Trucking Convention, which will be held in Canberra from 25-28 May.
The details of the finalists are attached. For more information visit www.ataevents.net.au/awards
Media contact: Bill McKinley 02 6253 6900 / 0488 292 823
2011 NATIONAL TRUCKING INDUSTRY AWARDS FINALISTS
Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry
Award sponsors: 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 9002-2000 and Fatigue Management Pilot certification.
Simon Skazlic – K&S Freighters
Truganina, VIC
Simon joined the trucking industry and K&S Freighters more than 20 years ago as the company’s Victorian Administration Manager. He was appointed as its first General Manager Compliance in 2007 and then as its General Manager OHS&E and Compliance in 2010. Simon has been a member of the ATA General Council for 13 years, and has worked on a series of industry initiatives including the negotiation of the driver fatigue reforms and the development of a scorecard to help companies manage their greenhouse and energy reporting obligations. Simon also led the LUEZ (loading, unloading exclusion zone) Steering Committee which has developed 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. 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 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 previously won the National Professional Driver of the Year Award in 2001, and was the owner-driver representative on the ATA’s General Council from 2009 to 2011.
National Professional Driver of the Year
Award sponsors: 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.
Michael Cavanagh – Whiteline Transport
Greenfields, SA
A professional inside and outside the truck, Mick has an unblemished safety and compliance record while doing one of the toughest runs in the country – Adelaide to Perth return, and is also always on time with his paperwork. Mick has worked for Whiteline Transport for more than 19 years. 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 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. 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 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 previously won the National Professional Driver of the Year Award in 2001, and was elected as the owner-driver representative on the ATA’s General Council from 2009 to 2011.
Trucking Industry Woman of the Year
Award sponsor: Cummins South Pacific
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. Dianne is the CEO and Managing Director of the foundation and has dedicated herself to the trucking industry. Dianne received an Order of Australia Medal last year for her community work. She was recently voted ‘Australia’s Most Helpful Person’ in a national competition and was awarded $100,000 to assist the foundation’s work.
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. She was the first Western Australian member of Transport Women Australia and was its WA political liaison officer in its early years. She is also a member of the Western Australian Road Transport Association, and won the WA Transport Forum Woman of the Year Award in 2004.
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.
Training Excellence Award
Award sponsor: 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. The program was designed to help Queensland women with no industry skills or experience enter the trucking industry. The pilot project 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.
Seymour Passenger Services
Seymour, VIC
Seymour Passenger Services has been operating buses and coaches for more than 60 years, and has shown an outstanding commitment to training their staff. As well as an extensive coach captains’ course and annual induction process, the company decided in 2001 to provide Certificate III traineeships in Heavy Bus Operations to its drivers. Since the traineeships began, 43 staff have graduated from five separate courses. 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.
Highway Guardian Award for an act of bravery by a professional truck driver
Award sponsor: 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 risk to himself, Michael Munchow backed his semi-trailer into a pole to stop the car and pulled them into the cab of his truck.
Greg Twidale – John Kelly & Sons Transport
Toowoomba, QLD
The January 2011 floods swept through Toowoomba as well, leaving motorists stranded on the roofs of their cars as the water raged around them. Greg Twidale from John Kelly & Sons Transport showed great bravery when he drove his truck into the flood waters at the corner of James and Kitchener streets 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
On 6 November 2010, Greg Elton was driving his Australia Post B-double northbound on the Pacific Highway near Harwood, north of Grafton, when a car travelling south suddenly crossed the centre line and veered into his truck’s path. Both vehicles were travelling at between 95 and 100 kilometres per hour in pouring rain. Greg immediately swerved to the left, which prevented a head on collision with the car. Because of his excellent driving skills, Greg was able to keep the truck upright. He parked up safely and used his skills as a former ambulance officer to look after the injured car driver while they waited for an ambulance. The car driver survived the accident.
TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award to recognise excellence in the TruckSafe program
Award sponsor: 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.
Bullbuck Pty Ltd
Port Hedland, WA
Bullbuck Pty Ltd operates 28 trucks and carts iron and copper ore from mines in the Port Hedland area. 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. The company is also involved in a regional scheme to train drivers.
Nicol Echunga Transport
Echunga, SA
Nicol Echunga Transport 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.
