Working as an independent contractor for most of his career, Jack Singh has been working with Allied Express Transport for the better part of two decades.
“I’ve been subcontracting with Allied Express for 17 years now, the work just keeps coming and honestly, I’m thankful for it,” said Singh, who grew up in Fiji, where his father was also involved in trucking.
“My dad had a few Isuzu NPR trucks in Fiji,” he added.
“When I came to Australia more than 20 years ago, I started as a furniture removalist, but it wasn’t fulfilling. But once I got into owning and operating my own trucks, it lifted up my lifestyle and lifted up the dreams I had.
“There were a few hard days of course but now the business is flying like an eagle.
“Trucking is not easy, I think everyone knows that. You have to put a lot of effort in, but when it takes off, things can run really well.”
Singh’s day starts at about 4am and takes him all over Sydney and sometimes into country New South Wales too, mainly delivering car parts.
The days can be long and the work difficult, but Singh says he loves trucks.
He owns a 2022 model Isuzu FSR 140-260, which he recently purchased from Dwyers Truck Centre.
“It’s a fantastic truck. I wanted this specific body length and size which makes it perfect for my everyday routine.”
Singh went for an automatic transmission for ease of use in busy city traffic, also choosing to replace the suspension with an airbag suspension controlled from the cab.
He primarily deals with large pallets on his daily runs, so made plenty of space in his designs by maxing out the length at nine metres with a 2.6 metre clearance. He also chose media doors for the back of the truck for a cleaner, more professional look.
“When you drive metro, you need something that’s not too big or too difficult to move around, something that can easily get into car parks, handle tight corners and run around the city all day,” explained Singh.
“The FSR fits into almost any dock, any car park and you dance around corners. There’s just never any hassle with a truck like this.”
With standard safety features such as Anti-Lock Braking System ABS), Anti-Skid Regulator and Cab Tilt Warning, safety is a clear priority for this generation of trucks and the cabs have been designed with comfort in mind for those who do the longer drives.
This year Singh also had the honour of becoming a proud grandfather. “New truck, new baby in the house, it’s been a blessing. Australia has been good to us!” he said.
“I’m thankful for everything and everyone in the industry that have been a part of my journey and my career so far. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve loved it.”
Though you’ll usually find him in the truck, he also spends time travelling on a different set of wheels too. “If I’m not working, I’m probably still in the truck,” he laughed. “Washing it, cleaning it, putting more lights on it or doing something in the truck. If I’m not in the truck then I’ll go cycling to keep up my fitness.”