'It's just too hard': Riverina truckie says regulations are choking industry

Former truckie Robert Cole and his 1980 Mack cabover FR700. Australian Road Transport Heritage Centre annual Truck Run from Gundagai to Tarcutta (image taken in Tarcutta). Picture by Bernard Humphreys

A former Riverina truckie says the industry is being choked by regulations as experienced drivers are replaced by an undertrained and underqualified workforce that threatens road safety.

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Robert Cole, a 62-year-old Wagga truckie with over a decade of experience, noted that excessive regulations and shifting safety standards are crippling the industry he loves.

"I worked for a company that has now folded," he said.

"I enjoyed it, there was good camaraderie and people used to help each other.

"Heavy regulations and safety are crippling the industry.

"You'd be running a logbook and have a spelling error that would cost you $200.

"This industry is a soft target for revenue, and that's why a lot of guys, good guys in our club are out of it, it's just too hard."

Heavy regulations and safety are crippling the industry. Picture by Bernard Humphreys

Driven by intense price competition, the trucking industry is reducing freight costs by shifting toward more affordable, entry-level labour, he said.

Mr Cole noted how much the landscape has shifted since he left school in 1978, when entering the workforce generally meant choosing between an apprenticeship, university, or a job in manufacturing or trucking.

"A lot of guys of my era and older started working in the yard," he said.

"They did local work in a little truck and they progressively worked their way up.

"They learned off the old fellas how to tie ropes, do a tarp, how to do a load properly, how to change a tyre, and how to be a mechanic on your own truck.

ARTHC president Malcolm Garner. Australian Road Transport Heritage Centre annual Truck Run from Gundagai to Tarcutta (image taken in Tarcutta). Picture by Bernard Humphreys

"That's gone, those skills are lost."

As veteran drivers exit the industry, a fast-paced hiring market has led to a less experienced workforce, impacting overall highway safety.

"You've got to put the dollar sign below humanity," Mr Cole said.

"The human factor must be in front of the profit and loss sheet.

"Sixty-five tonnes coming at you at 100kmh is lethal.

"People don't realise everything on the kitchen table of a morning was put there by a truck.

"Unfortunately, there's a downside to that, and that's deaths and a lot of near misses, they go unreported and I couldn't even imagine how many unreported ones there would be."

Mr Cole's passion for the troubled transport sector hasn't faded, he now dedicates his time to volunteering at Gundagai's Australian Road Transport Heritage Centre.

"We have two major events a year," he said.

"The tractor pull truck display in February and the long run weekend in June.

"We're trying to just keep the museum alive by having small runs and doing small displays."

The long weekend run brought veteran drivers together on the Hume Highway, traveling from Gundagai to the Tarcutta memorial for a community barbecue.

The long weekend run brought veteran drivers together on the Hume Highway, traveling from Gundagai to the Tarcutta memorial. Picture by Bernard Humphreys

"The people in Gundagai know we do a lap of the main street so they all turn out in fantastic numbers," Mr Cole said.

"The kids love the arm movement to signal for us to sound the air horn.

"My wife told me to give it a blast for one little fella and you could not wipe the smile off his face.

"His family were from Sydney and they followed us to Tarcutta so they could have a good look and join the fun, he even had a look through the truck.

"He still had the smile on his face that you couldn't wipe off."

The Australian Road Transport Heritage Centre (ARTHC) in Gundagai celebrates the nation's trucking history.

Situated about halfway between Sydney and Melbourne on the iconic Hume Highway, the volunteer-run museum holds a unique, historic significance in Australian road transport culture.

Pictures by Bernard Humphreys

It's an essential stop for anyone interested in Australia's transport history, offering a nostalgic look back at the "kings of the road" who helped build the nation's freight industry.

Because the museum is entirely run by volunteers, they recommend making an appointment or checking their Facebook page ahead of time to ensure someone is available on the day.