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.

March 2026 Latest Blog Post. To Perth and closer to home now. Listen on Spotify
Goodaye all, well after doing the podcast with Luke 9AM Saturday morning to finish off my 24 hour break, away with young Thomas with another roadtrain, he had banged his knee during the week and asked if we could travel together just in case, all good. He was a bit heavier than me, my back trailer was really a cubic load, a long 11metre frame with some extra bits, so not as heavy as the other set. His two trailers were to one place, I had the front one for a mine with some other stuff and initially thought I would have to change them around once the mine delivery done, as you generally want the lighter trailer at the back.

Rang young Fergo saying I was coming through Broken Hill and whilst I had met his Mum, had only spoken to his Dad on the UHF when we passed one trip, so they would come out and say Goodaye. While Thomas and the rest chatted, we did a minor load adjustment and were off.

We both had tri dollies, so the handling was pretty good and got nearly to Port Augusta the first night, pulling up just on 1AM as did not want to go into my night hours too much, as got caught out and couldn’t make it all the way home last time. Top of Madura Pass the next night, the one full parking bay, but fitted just and had caught the other RPT fellow in front of us who I had been going to do a changeover with, but going to Moree would have made him later and so someone else did that job and now going all the way.

No Adblue at Norseman, the only pump not working, so lucky I had to go to Kalgoorlie anyway, rang ahead, yes had Adblue delivered this morning, so in there and split to deliver, back for Adblue and hook up and back to Thomas and away we go again. Thomas had a kip at Coolgardie while I did that and asked me to wake him. Made it into Merridin that night, then into Perth. I had rang my second delivery point, but had been told I may not be able to load till the next morning and one at a time anyway, but a few more calls and was able to go and finish unloading, then load the first trailer and went back to Muchea as had been told that both the BP at Kewdale and the roadtrain bay were all chockers.

It had been pretty warm that day, so a shower there at the BP and bed, before up early to get in and unload the second trailer, reload it and back to hook up fuel and off. On the way over I had been asked why I had a beard and can I lose it, as both other drivers did too, but were not as keen to remove. So I lost my load for Brissie to Thomas, who did manage to get both unloaded and reloaded and was on his way home the day before me.

So now at Port Augusta, unloading Monday morning not too far away at this stage, so might go there and get my 24 hour in, only have 4 hours left for my 84 and nearly the same for my 144, so another week-end in the hotel Kenworth a good way from home.

Had one incident with a wide load, was behind with a few cars in between and they called me round, saying the motorhome would not pass, so stick my nose out and maybe the others would then get going. I was heavy and by the time I got up past the cars, and the back pilot had confirmed “Out and about”, as I finally caught up to the load, there were trucks coming the other way I had not seen, as I was watching the cars etc. I don’t know whether the front pilot had called shute full, maybe while I was telling the back one, none of the cars was going, but I got back in behind the load and then went after that. It was not the best and of course, none of the cars would have heard our conversation or known they had called me round, so I probably looked the goose.

I apologized to the other trucks, neither of the pilots made comment, so I don’t know if they were not on the same page as it were, or whether they had spoken over one another and that was where the problem stemmed from. It wasn’t close or dangerous, just not the best.

Visited young Liz at the Stories from the road museum, had lunch with her and some of the loyal band of volunteers and helpers who are all working to be ready for the fifth anniversary celebrations next week end over Easter. I missed the Mack muster and the Kimba truckshow, but good to see such events happening. Due to reload again tomorrow and maybe even visit Dubbo, but will be looking for some last trailers.

Did the podcast this morning and now to bed. Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.

To Support the TRUCKRIGHT initiative please purchase a Trucks Deliver Australia bumper sticker by clicking the PayPal button below to have a sticker posted to you. Stickers $20.00 each.

Mudflaps also available. Contact me for more infomation, sizes and prices.