It was once again great to catch up with one of our earliest local Tasmanian friends in the industry, and one who was so happy being reunited with his truck, that he could hardly get the smile off his face.
This was Sam Lyne from Colebrook who rolled in to Mood Food, the Bennett’s Caltex 24-hour Truckstop and Roadhouse at Kempton the other day.
This time he was driving his own accustomed Toll’s 2015 T-409 SAR with a 520 Cummins up front, formerly a fuel tanker in Melbourne, and very well cared for, and towing a fridge pan that was on its way to the TT Line at Devonport.
He had been doing a bit of driver training as well, taking a young fellow, Brian Spud Staples, down from Hobart to Huonville that morning to pick up the load of apples, and he was stopped at Kempton for a welcome refreshment stop, and doing a change over with the load of apples prior to taking a load of Coles back to Sorrell.
He told us that after three years with Toll, “I am happy with both the job and the good gear they run, as for instance this T-409 SAR, they have been a good crowd to work for all around and look after us and importantly are keeping us busy.
“I’ve been on the road now for altogether 17 years or so, before that I completed my apprenticeship as a welder/fabricator at Incat, but I have never regretted swapping careers.
“It was a welcome change getting out on the open road and out of the big sheds, and I have never regretted that decision.”
Sam added, when asked about free time: “Well I have a couple of acres, with all that involves, and I am now rebuilding a WB Holden Ute for my son, and that pretty well takes care of all my time off, and keeps me pretty busy as you can guess.”