Terry Sharp possesses a wealth knowledge about the road transport industry. Big Rigs caught up with him beside Townsville’s Port Access Road, while he was with the Volvo FH16 he drives for Sawtells.
“I have brought up fertiliser from Brisbane to Townsville and am waiting to hear about a backload,” he said.
Sharp, 61, is based on the Gold Coast and has worked for Sawtells for 10 years.
“I was a farmer before that and used to drive a tractor and a B615 Mack with a V8 motor,” he said.
Sharp was so fond of the Mack that he has an image of it screen-printed on the cover of his log book.
A Brisbane Broncos supporter in the NRL, Sharp likes stopping at the BP Cluden Roadhouse.
“It has good food, friendly staff, clean facilities and lots of parking. It is also a short walking distance to a big shopping centre,” he said.
Sharp rates the worst road to travel on as between Charters Towers and Clermont. “There are no shoulders on parts of it,” he said.
Most truckies I speak to remark that their vehicle is dirty and needs a good wash, but not Sharp. “Mine has just been washed,” he said.