New trucking television show hits screens

A new television trucking series has hit screens, following an Australian trucking business out on the road.

Airing on 7Mate, Rides Down Under: Aussie Truckers will air its third episode on Saturday December 2 at 2pm. Episodes are also available to stream on the 7Plus app.

It’s produced by Melbourne based production company Fuzzy Media, which is owned by Rob Fazzino.

The first season will feature eight episodes, with remaining instalments to be filmed in the new year and aired around April 2024.

“We have a show that’s going into its eighth season called Rides Down Under: Workshop Wars, which is based on car restorations. We though we’d continue the theme with trucks,” Fazzino said.

Rides Down Under: Aussie Truckers follows transport business TCB Trans – which stands for “taking care of business”.

The company is owned by managing director Don Madafferi. It has depots in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Started in 1997, it transports everything from steel and precast concrete to cranes, timber and livestock.

As well as running a sizeable fleet, TCB also runs the Diesel Doctor Workshop based in Dandenong, Victoria. It offers truck servicing, repairs and customisations of not only its own trucks, but others too.

“TCB blings up all of their trucks. They have over 60 trucks, and they have the words ‘Taking Care of Business’ and big eagle on them,” said Fazzino.

“In the workshop there’s usually at least four or five trucks getting redone. Don is very particular with his trucks, there’s all the big chrome stacks and lots of lights too.”

In episode one, viewers are introduced to Don and Maria Madafferi and the TCB team. “It tells their story. They want to build a truck that they can be proud of, that stands out on the road. Don has been a truckie all his life. They do work on other people’s trucks as well,” explained Fazzino.

In episode two, Don receives a call from Aussie Hay Runners and send trucks into northern NSW to help flood impacted farmers.

Episode three will be focus on TCB’s 25^th anniversary. Don heads to a major barbeque event held at the Melbourne Showgrounds, where he displays some of his trucks and his cars. Viewers also get to see some truck restorations, including the progress that has been made on a 1950s Chevrolet that was stripped down in the first episode.

Since premiering just a few weeks ago, Fazzino says the show has already had over 100,000 views.

“We’ve had lots of really good feedback and it rated really well with the first episode. We’re hoping to get views into the millions in the end. We want to build a great show that’s entertaining as well,” he said.

“The show has been in the making for the past few years. It’s a bit of logistics and a bit of restoration. We’re trying to show what happens in real life.”