Introduction.
I first became involved in road safety in 1999 following one of those days on the road, when you really wonder where people get their licenses, out of Weet Bix packets or do they simply not care about their lives or those of anyone else? After sleeping for the night at Narrabri and only being on the road 15 minutes and not even up to highway speed, I and the car behind me, were overtaken by another car with two unrestrained children in the back with an approaching b-double heading towards us less than 200 metres away. I was in a b-double fuel tanker and both b-doubles went off the road onto the shoulder to allow the stupid motorist to safely get through.

Later that same day being fully loaded and coming down off a hill onto a narrow bridge, I flashed the oncoming F250 Ford as if to say, “Back off just a bit and I will be off the bridge before you come on”. No way. This bloke kept coming and we met before I came off the bridge and to this day, I believe I missed that vehicle and the bridge posts by millimetres. Had he just lifted his foot off the accelerator for less than 20 seconds, I would have been clear and the possibility of a crash would have been completely avoided. So I pulled up for my break and thought, “What can I do to lessen these problems?” and have been involved since.

All drivers and truckies particularly, can regale you with horror stories of crashes and near misses, most of which need not have happened, nor the risk have even occurred, had the motorist simply respected the size and weight of the larger truck. This is not about might is right, it is simple physics. As a pedestrian, you would not step out in front of a bus and simply expect it to stop because you are there. And yet everyday, car drivers who have perhaps not been taught to share the road with trucks, will pull directly out in front of a fully loaded semi or b-double and expect them to stop dead.

If through the information on these pages, one of these crashes or lives lost can be prevented, then my efforts will have been worthwhile. I make no claims to be perfect, we are all (at least supposedly) human, but not all drivers are equal and some have simply been taught to pass a test, not to spend the rest of their lives on the road, let alone to share those roads with large trucks. Fatal crashes between cars and trucks are over 70% the fault of the car driver according to crash statistics. This only confirms to me that we do need better education of car drivers about sharing the road with trucks. There is no doubt that truckies have to earn the respect their vehicles deserve and do their part to improve road safety as well.

I have now travelled in excess of 6 million kilometres on the road in vehicles from cars up to triple roadtrains and still see such foolhardy acts on the highway that risk my life and that of others. If all drivers treated people in other vehicles as if they were a member of their own family, do you think that would change some of the impatience and risky behaviours? Perhaps not a bad way to look at your time on the road. Is it your children as learners, your wife or partner in the next car, or your ageing parents going a bit steady? Either way, would you risk their lives to save yourself two minutes? I hope not, but it is up to you!

Having returned Ken’s truck, I then went back to RPT truck 7 for another year, then in 2011 Rod Pilon Transport bought a new K200 bigcab, the first in the fleet and I designed a new set of curtains that Rod never saw till I turned up with them fitted. There are few companies that would allow a driver to do this and I thank Rod Pilon for his support since the start and through now to his son Ben.

I had that white K200 for just short of ten years, did over 2 million k in it and it is still on the road with yet another Rod, driving it. The original curtains from the first TIV are on another set of RPT trailers, so they too are still putting out a good view and industry promotion as they travel the highways. TIV 2 served me very well, but now there is TIV 3 and likely the last, we will see.

June 2017 Audiobooks For The Road
I have started a facebook page to provide reviews of books I read, sometimes up to 3 a week and to seek your comments and reviews as well. I was recently invited to be a judge for audiobook of the year and want to let people know of the entertainment you can get on long trips from audiobooks. Click Here to read more.
Links to the ABC interview and Sydney Morning Herald article.

February 2026 Latest Blog Post. Listen on Spotify
Goodaye all, well off to load late Sunday, 9.30 pm only slot left, load and on the road by 11, pulled up at 1, to bed, then up and off to do the first drop. Rang ahead on the way after noon, due there around closing time, 3PM for deliveries according to my paperwork, no open till 5, “In b-double’ “Yes all good”. So this should work, get there pulled up out front, walked in rang earlier ok, drove in, “No we can’t unload you, you will have to split” “No that won’t be happening, lead trailer full and it won’t stay up on it’s own”. Then they wanted to shift pallets, again no good, then again having said I rang and Bill said it would be all good, we compromised and I got unloaded.

The next drop had then long gone home when I arrived, so a lovely 12 and a half hours till they turned up Tuesday morning, unload all good and into Melbourne for the last drop. Lots of traffic but in only to find, no loads yet today and no room to park. Bugger. So round the corner for a tidy up inside, then a kip to be told, looks like will have a load for me in the morning.

Wednesday morning, yes out to the other side of Melbourne, have loaded there before and one in front, so gave him a hand, then loaded, but have to do one side at a time and used all my mezz floors for a 56 pallet load. Rang Sydney, anything for Brissie, will see, ok thanks. Into Sydney late that night or early the next morning, just managed to turn around and back out of the way for the bloke in front already unloading to ask, how did you back it down there?

Some discussion on the possible delay, you might have to wait till we put all his 56 pallets away first and I politely suggested that would mean I would miss my next load and that was not my current plan. They said they would see what they could do and with a bit of effort, I was out at 10 as requested and grab some fuel then to the Castle to load. All good there, tea at Moorlands and up to Narangba to unload.

I had spoken to Jo at Moorlands the previous week about coming on the podcast to give a truckstop view and she had agreed and we recorded that on Saturday and it will be out Tuesday. Kelsey tells me the footage of Luke in the truck should be out this week and the bit on Facebook about where I travel on the road got many comments. Some with sense, some without and some of course telling me I was a goose etc. I replied answering most of the concerns, but it is impossible to make all happy and perhaps some drive on better roads than I do most of the time.

Unload Friday morning, down to the depot to reload, and off home. In late Friday night and have had a gate roller lose a bearing and was on the list but not that critical, sop while waiting for the podcast, did that at work and replaced all 6 on that side of the B trailer.

Some disturbing stories coming out of the US, seems in many ways they are worse off than us and whilst many bemoan the current state of the industry there, from my reading, particularly for OTR drivers (Over the Road they call it, so long distance and living in the truck for perhaps weeks or more) it seems to be getting worse. The trouble of course, is how much of it is real or true and how much is crap?

So working on some interior lighting issues, have the gear and a plan, but not as simple as I had hoped, will sort one day. NRFA conference on next week-end in Wollongong, some excellent speakers and should be a top event, so if you have the time, come on down. Safe Travelling, Rod.

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