An Australian driver has taken a unique approach to promoting the positive aspects of the road transport industry.
As well as creating the truckright.com.au website, road safety advocate and professional driver Rod Hannifey has turned his B-double truck and trailer unit into a mobile billboard.
On the highways, the B-double alerts road users to the importance of the road transport industry to Australia’s wealth and prosperity.
To educate fellow motorists, the back of the trailer features the ‘Truckies’ Top 10 Tips’ for sharing the road, with one tip being promoted each month, these tips and other safety information can be found on Hannifey’s truckright.com.au website.
Aside from hauling freight from Dubbo to Brisbane, Melbourne and beyond, the truck regularly attends industry events and Hannifey often has industry stakeholders share the cabin during working hours.
“We had all these trucks on our roads promoting all manner of goods, from vineyards to dog food, but not one truck was promoting the good work of the transport industry,” says Hannifey.
“The industry seems to get a lot of bad press, so I wanted to put something out there in front of the public that was positive.”
With the Truck Right programme having made a definite impact in the last five years, plans are now afoot for a replacement package to be launched in 2016.
“There’s been strong interest from sponsors to get involved with the next vehicle – it’s very encouraging,” says Hannifey.
“As a full-time driver I do 200,000 kilometres a year, I have seven children and then I have to balance this with the Truck Right work, it can really be challenging, but the cause is very worthwhile.”
