Based out of Perth, Drew Swift has worked with Dantranz Logistics for just over two years and is currently working in the Pilbara driving a Kenworth T604 affectionately known as ‘Phatt Boii’.
“We go everywhere and anywhere throughout the country. At the moment we’re supporting a goldmine out in Nullagine, but we can and will go anywhere,” said Swift.
“We do some pick-ups out of Melbourne and Queensland fairly regularly.”
Swift has had his MC licence for 11 years now and started off his career in the yard learning to load, tie-down and sweep floors – gradually working his way through the industry from the ground up.
Unlike a lot of truckies, Swift didn’t harbour a desire to be a truckie early on, but rather found his way into the industry through a series of events.
“I was a bit of a delinquent in school actually,” said Swift.
“It was actually my now boss, who lived across the road, who found out I was in a bit of trouble at school and told me if I wasn’t going to go to school then I’d better go with him and learn something.
“I have a lot to thank him for in that regard.”
Swift’s road into transport and logistics might have taken an unconventional path, but he now can’t see himself doing anything else.
He said the solitude that the job brings is one of the most attractive elements of being on the road.
“Not dealing with people all day, every day, but the best thing about it is being able to go remote and work independently.
“I proved to myself that I don’t need someone looking over my shoulder to make sure I’m doing what I’ve gotta do.”
Whilst Swift admits he has one of the best jobs going around, he says breaking down in the middle of nowhere can be a drag.
“Standing around in the middle of nowhere, waiting for assistance kind of sucks, but our boss has prepared us with all the tools we need to get ourselves out of a jam,” he said.
Swift has seen some of the stranger corners of Australia and says you can be alone for hours before anyone comes along, but on one occasion he got more than he bargained for.
“The weirdest thing I’ve seen isn’t a short story.
“I was driving for a mining company a few years ago and I came around a bend on a dirt road and saw a set of headlights coming at me, so I dropped my high beams.
“I saw one headlight disappear and come back. Then all the lights disappeared completely, so I put my headlights back up and there was absolutely nothing there. I’ll admit it freaked me out a bit.
“I’d only been at work five hours, so I definitely can’t put it down to fatigue.”
Odd occurrences aside, Swift has since travelled the same stretch of road with no dramas, but if anyone out there has seen anything out of the ordinary, then let us know.
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