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Fred Troutman points out that there's a general shortage of drivers in the transport industry, and they've especially noticed the shortage of new talent coming into the rural transport sector.
Speaking as owner of Goulburn Livestock Transport, Mr Troutman says he is also looking for more drivers and is having a tough time finding them.
Mr Troutman also pointed out that this was a motivating factor for the Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carrriers Association (LBRCA, of which he is a member) to create the Young Truck Driver of the Year award.
Mr Troutman says that his mentor Richard Carter, now retired, came up with the idea and LBRCA has been pushing it forward for the last five years.
The award focuses on safety, and well beyond the road. The contenders are tested on their knowledge of safe work practices, which can include working with animals and various other loads.
Read more: Buckle up for safe career
Safework NSW also recognised the importance of this initiative, and came on board to sponsor it, which Mr Troutman thinks was wonderful.
Steven Richardson from Henty was 2019's winner, and he along with two finalists are currently enjoying their prize of a 15-day trip to the US to gain more knowledge of the industry and take a factory tour.
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Goulburn Livestock Transport - 0418 482 206
PATHWAY TO A CAREER
You don't have to be a farmer to do work for a farm, and rural transport is a potentially-lucrative career option that facilitates this.
The folks at LBRCA's office point out that one of the things they want to address is the lack of a clear pathway into the industry, and especially into driving the biggest trucks used, the B-doubles.
In many instances, you need to undertake a self-managed apprenticeship of sorts, because a lot of the operators are small and don't necessarily have all the different size vehicles for you to work your way up with the one employer.
Before you can drive a B-Double you need to work towards it via smaller vehicles, each requiring both theoretical and practical components to the RMS tests.
The result is you're at least 21 by the time you've obtained a multi-combination (MC) licence, but more noteworthy than that, drivers under 25 are more expensive to insure; a situation that LBRCA is working to address.
LBRCA also want women to know that this career is accessible to them, and one of the advocates in their office is going for her licence to prove it. Care and some learned skills are required, but the physical demands are quite comparable with a lot of other jobs you or your friends might already do.
Speaking for his own operation again, Mr Troutman pointed out that he does more short-haul than long-haul journeys, but the supermarket chains especially are boosting the demand for long-haul trips.
He says that livestock for meat - he referred to lambs in particular - will be moved (often bought and sold) from one grazier to another as feed is available, and there are feed lots that will also buy them to raise and sell.
The shorter trips Mr Troutman will do take him to places like Nowra and Wagga, and the longer trips can be to Scone, further north to feed lots in Queensland, or south near Melbourne.
Mr Troutman says that efficiency has also improved in recent years, especially with the increase in GVM from 62.5 tonne to 68 tonne in NSW.
"If you're buying stock, you need that B-double to be filled up properly," Mr Troutman said. "That extra five and a half tonne is probably about another 100 lambs, which helps bring the costs down."