See what our members are up to, and what our members are saying about TruckSafe and the benefits it is having for their business.
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Fellows Bulk Transport is
a family owned business operated by Paul and Jenny Fellows. The company has
been operating successfully from its Deniliquin, NSW, base since 1997 and has
grown from a single vehicle to a fleet of thirteen trucks with operations in
the Eastern states.
Fellows Bulk Transport has been a TruckSafe member since 2001 and in 2016 was
awarded the TruckSafe John Kelly
Memorial Award for their dedication to safety and commitment to the
TruckSafe program.
We caught up with Paul Fellows to chat about how TruckSafe has benefited his
business and why TruckSafe accreditation is so important.
Why did you choose to become TruckSafe accredited?
“I had been running our transport business for four years and had joined
up the NHVAS Mass and Maintenance but was looking for something more than a
permit scheme. I had heard of TruckSafe and believed that it was the best
accreditation scheme, mainly because it was industry-specific, not a broad
scheme.
My perception of TruckSafe was, and still is, that it is a transport
industry best practice accreditation scheme and I wanted my business to
operate at the highest standards.”
What
does TruckSafe mean to you?
“I believe TruckSafe to be the accreditation scheme operating at the
highest level. I want my business to operate at the highest level and need an
industry specific accreditation scheme to suit our aims.
TruckSafe gives our compliance structure and is a one stop way of addressing
all of the major standards my business needs for compliance to the new chain of
responsibility (CoR) Heavy Vehicle National Law. It is a comfort to know I am
taking the best practical steps for CoR.
TruckSafe operators are regarded as industry best, and I always know if I am
dealing with a fellow member they will be operating at a standard similar to
ours.”
How has TruckSafe benefited you and your business?
“TruckSafe has been an enormous benefit to us. It has enabled us to tender
for work and be recognised by companies as a professional business giving them
comfort to know our compliance is at industry best standard.
It enabled us to be accepted by another company as a professional operator
which led to us gaining a contract that has had an enormous impact on our
business and the prosperity of our family.
TruckSafe has been a great networking tool which has enabled us to become more
involved in the ATA in which we have made many friends throughout the industry.
It also gives us a broader perspective on the industry.
TruckSafe is relatively easy to implement and I have been able to meet the
standards and comply with these for the 18 years. I am a truckie, not a HR uni
graduate and believe that if I can do it anyone can.”
What
makes TruckSafe different from other safety accreditation programs?
“The NHVAS schemes are simply permit schemes with a carrot approach to
complying.
The most important part of the transport task is the driver. TruckSafe is the
only scheme that addresses driver health and training. The TruckSafe medical
has saved lives in our business. One prospective driver went in for his medical
and was admitted to hospital immediately as he was on the verge of kidney
failure and would have died if he had not been treated. Recently a driver went
in for a medical and the doctor found a melanoma on his ear which was removed
immediately.
TruckSafe goes along way to addressing driver health and preventing drivers
from dying of preventable illness.
When you add in all of the TruckSafe standards you realise that TruckSafe is in
a world of its own compared to the NHVAS Schemes.
I’m happy with the TruckSafe program and working through the new standards
which I don’t find too difficult. The TruckSafe team have an excellent
knowledge of the new standards and the new matrix makes it easy for old members
to upgrade their systems to comply with the new CoR laws.
New members should not have any major problems setting up their own TruckSafe
system and the team is on hand to help people through their journey.
At the end of the day I know that I am doing my best to operate the safest
business I can and operate at transport industry best practice. Being a
TruckSafe member has enabled to do this.”
