Finalists announced for the 2018 National Trucking Industry Awards

The awards recognise businesses and individuals who have gone above and beyond to improve their workplace and contribute to the industry.

“The finalists for these awards have demonstrated exceptional dedication to the Australian trucking industry through their hard work and commitment,” ATA Chair Geoff Crouch said today.

“These awards are a highlight of not only the Trucking Australia conference, but the whole year and I look forward to the announcement of the winners next month,” he said.

The 2018 National Trucking Industry Awards finalists are:

Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry

The finalists’ details are attached.

To register for Trucking Australia 2018, visit www.truckingaustralia.com.au
 

David Smith, D & S Smith Haulage
David is Managing Director of D&S Smith Haulage and has worked in the transport industry for more than 40 years as a driver, business owner, and industry leader through his involvement in various associations and committees. David is President of the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of South Australia, a member of the Australian Trucking Association board, and former President of the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association. David is passionate about encouraging young people in the transport industry and strives to ensure the sustainability of the industry long term.

Frances Ross, R & A Ross Transport
Frances founded Ross Transport in 1975 with her husband Reg. Still involved in the business today, Frances oversees office staff while training her granddaughter, True, to one day take over the family business. Committed to helping others, Frances has taken part in the i98FM Illawarra Convoy since 2005, helping raise $11.5 million for the local community and has donated nearly $650,000 on behalf of the Ross family in this time. Ross Transport has been a TruckSafe member since 2012.

Ross Fraser OAM, Frasers Livestock Transport
Ross is Managing Director of Frasers Livestock Transport, a member of TruckSafe since 1999 and winner of a 2014 Safe Work Australia Award. Involved in the transport industry for more than 50 years, Ross has played a significant role in the industry as a founding member of the ALRTA and LTAQ, former chair of the Australian Trucking Association (ATA), and director and member of the ATA Council. He has gained wide respect serving on many organisation and advisory committees at community as well as local, state and Australian Government levels. In 2009, Ross was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the livestock transport industry and the community of Warwick.
 

National Professional Driver of the Year
Award Sponsors: BP Australia, National Transport Insurance, Volvo Trucks

Bernard Forssman, AFD/Directhaul
Bernard has driven for AFD/Directhaul for 24 years and been a part of the industry for more than 44 years. Bernard carts aviation fuel along the Stuart Highway and has driven more than 10 million kilometres incident-free. Bernard is a quiet achiever who takes great pride in his work, strives to keep his equipment in pristine condition, and is respected by his peers for his professionalism and reliability.

Mark Waddington, Cannon Logistics
Mark is a driver for Cannon Logistics and will celebrate 11 years with the company in 2018. Boasting a faultless safety reputation, Mark has recorded more than two million incident-free kilometres, and was named 2017 Queensland Trucking Association Professional Driver of the Year in recognition of his work performance, driving record and attitude towards safety. Mark takes pride in all aspects of his role, particularly the maintenance of his vehicle and regularly attends trucking community events such as ‘Convoy for Kids’ and ‘Lights on the Hill’.

Barry Fitzgerald, Boral Logistics NSW/ACT
Barry has been driving trucks for more than 45 years and has spent the last 25 with Boral Logistics, during which he has kept an unblemished professional record. In his time at Boral Logistics, he was as a member of the Safety Committee for 20 years and was a drivers’ representative on Boral’s Enterprise Bargaining Committee for 16 years. Dedicated to safety and the education of drivers, Barry has produced training videos, assessed new driver applicants, and has been a key contributor to Boral Logistics’ journey to becoming a leader in workplace health and safety.
 

National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year
Award sponsor: Cummins South Pacific

Belinda Polglase, All Purpose Transport
Belinda is Project Manager at All Purpose Transport and is the 2017 Queensland Trucking Association Trucking Woman of the Year. Joining All Purpose Transport more than 18 years ago, Belinda has worked in a range of roles, including the organisation of ‘Project APT’, an initiative to skill the organisation’s entire workforce in a Certificate III or higher nationally recognised qualification. Belinda actively contributes to information days and school visits to promote the industry and has embedded the youth engagement program GenR8 into All Purpose Transport.

Breanee Turner, Cove Training
Breanee is a Heavy Vehicle Trainer and Assessor with Cove Training. In this role, she educates students on heavy vehicle safety and identifies the training needs of both individuals and organisations. Involved in the transport industry since 2010, Breanee has worked in many fields, including as a truck driver, occupational health and safety adviser, and health and safety representative.

Coralie Chapman, Linfox
Coralie is Transport Supervisor at Linfox Australia and has worked in road transport for more than 18 years. She has been on the Transport Women Australia board since 2016 and was made secretary last year. Coralie is a participant in the 2018 Daimler Truck and Bus Future Leaders’ Fourm, and has developed a project that aims to to expand the media strategies of stakeholders to raise awareness of safety and the image of the industry.

National Training Excellence Award
Award Sponsor: Sutton Road Training Centre – TISC 

Australian Furniture Removers’ Association (AFRA)
AFRA was founded in 1993 as the official body of removals experts that helps regulate the removals industry. More than 350 companies across the country are AFRA members and all are educated by qualified trainers to the AFRA professional minimal standards. In updating the current training offered, AFRA have developed a new initiative moving towards their own Learning Management System. This includes training courses on insurance, chain of responsibility, workplace health and safety, and industrial relations. The association has also moved towards online training and traineeships to create career paths, retain staff and make training more accessible to all members.

Brown & Hurley
Established in 1946, Brown & Hurley is a family owned Australian company employing more than 400 staff across nine branches. The Brown & Hurley Group commenced in-house technical training in 2008, before officially opening its own purpose built technical training facility in 2012. The facility is equipped with a classroom with 12 computer stations, a Cummins certified technical trainer and a training shop that is fitted with the same tools used in the working environment. Aspiring to be an employer of choice for staff ranging from young apprentices to master technicians and heavy vehicle experts, Brown & Hurley place commitment to training as one of their core values.

Hopkins Transport Australia
Hopkins Transport Australia employs 20 drivers transporting delicate livestock. The company introduced the driver training program ‘Enhanced Driving Skills’ in October 2016 and has had a 100 percent participation rate from all staff members, including company owners. The program covers recruitment, up skilling/licence upgrades, ongoing review and annual workshop days, which take employees through work diary compliance, fatigue management and safe driving techniques. Focused on developing the safest drivers in the industry, Hopkins Transport Australia uses the program to develop the skills of new drivers, and retrain others to ensure consistent high standards.

TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award
Award Sponsor: AEI Transport Insurance Brokers 

SRT Logistics
Tasmanian transport company SRT Logistics has been operating for more than 25 years, providing dry grocery logistics and warehousing services interstate and across the Bass Strait. The family owned and run business has been a member of TruckSafe since 2009 and strives to deliver consistently high levels of service. Since SRT Logistics’ establishment, the business has developed experience in designing, implementing and managing complex high and low volume supply chains.

JJ Lawson Transport
Established in 1975, JJ Lawson Transport has developed a reputation for dedicated personal service in the customs clearance, freight and transport industry. A member of TruckSafe since 2002, JJ Lawson staff are highly trained in all aspects of the business. The business won an Import Export Industry Award for Best SME Freight Forwarder/Customs Broker in 2011 and 2012.

Zarb Road Transport
A family owned business, Zarb Road Transport was established in Mackay in 1966. The business carts raw and processed products from raw sugar cane, has a full-time workforce of 50 staff and runs a fleet of more than 40 prime movers. Zarb Road Transport is one of the longest running TruckSafe members and has been part of the safety accreditation scheme since 1997.