Growing up in a trucking family, third generation truckie Toby Shingles dreamt of one day driving the big rigs.
And in July last year, the now 25-year-old turned that into a reality when he upgraded to his MC licence and began working for Perth-based outfit Morawa Transport, delivering to mines and farms throughout WA. So far, the furthest Shingles has travelled is to Port Hedland, some 1600 kilometres away.
“I’ve been around the big trucks my whole life but only started driving them last year. My pop, dad and uncles all drove trucks, and now my older brother is driving them too. The first time I got behind the wheel of a truck was when I was 13. It was with my dad. He passed away in 2010,” Shingles explained.
He initially got his truck licence at 23 and before that had worked as a driller’s offsider and a furniture removalist.
Nowadays, you’ll find him steering a 2002 Kenworth T904, pulling B-doubles and triple road trains.
“I love the freedom of the open road. Being able to have my partner with me from time to time is also good. I can’t have her with me all the time, but on the cruisy runs, I can,” he said.
“So far there’s just one road that has really tested my patience – the Great Central Road. I just got back from my second trip up there. On the first trip there I lost a headlight. There’s just a lot of corrugation and some deep creek crossings.”
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