Bulk Carriers Association pushes Young Driver Award

The smell of diesel was a familiar one for the 22-year-old Henty man as a child.

"I wanted to become a truck driver since I was a young kid. Both Dad and Pop were in the industry," he told The Post.

The decision has paid off in many ways, not least because in February Mr Richardson was named the NSW Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers Association (LBRCA) Young Truck Driver of the Year.

He works for his father's business in Henty, driving tippers and bulk carriers.

The win entitles him to a 15-day trip to the US in August to gain more knowledge of the industry, including a factory tour. He'll make the journey with two other finalists.

"It was a great experience," he said of the competition.

A panel of judges tests drivers' industry knowledge, including safe work practices.

The award has been running for five years. In 2018, Goulburn man and Divall's employee, Riley Topping was a finalist.

Last Wednesday, sponsor Worksafe NSW interviewed Mr Richardson, Mr Topping and other award winners and finalists for a promotional video at Divall's Carrick Road headquarters.

LBRCA president Lynley Miners was on hand, along with member and Goulburn Livestock Carriers owner, Fred Troutman.

Mr Miners said the promotion was about encouraging the positive side of the industry and young drivers.

"As soon as there's a crash, truck drivers are portrayed as galoots," he said.

"...That reflects on us and it's simply not the case."

Mr Miners said it was important to start drivers early and impart proper training regimes. This was all the more vital given that data showed the amount of freight on the roads would double in the next 20 years as "trains were at capacity."

"It's about education, getting the processes correct and teaching the right ethical things on the road and in the paddock," he said.

"One per cent (error) won't cause a problem but a whole lot of one percenters will."

Mr Miners said this involved long-term cultural change and while the award wouldn't change things overnight, it would help. He told The Post that the number of crashes involving heavy vehicles declined last year.

Mr Troutman said with the average of drivers being about 50, the industry was running out of people.

He too is a keen promoter of the award.

"A B-double can be valued at $600,000 to $700,000 and when they can be carrying $150,000 worth of stock, we don't want ratbags driving them," he said.

At just 31, Bungendore man, Jeremy Taylor, can't get enough of the industry.

"It's the camaraderie between drivers, and you meet someone new every day," he said.

Mr Taylor was an award finalist in 2016 and 2017, an experience he described as rigorous but rewarding.

He too has been around the industry all his life, with his father running the family business at Bungendore for 47 years.

But he undertook a boiler-making course first and then turned his hand to truck driving full-time in 2014.

He said the award was a valuable experience.

"It was a big learning curve to learn more about the industry," he said.

"There are so many people doing things different ways."

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