Not every transport company gets to celebrate 35 years in business, but Higgs Haulage has gone the distance.
Neville Higgs started his business at the tender age of 20, after finishing up an apprenticeship as a truck mechanic.
He bought a White 4000 and a trailer and got to work, subcontracting for various companies around Western Australia, including Bell Freightlines and Brambles.
Over the years, his fleet has grown, and he now has 10 trucks and a team of drivers – and he’s still on the road himself.
“The fleet is mostly Kenworths, but I’ve got two Western Stars,” he told Big Rigs.
“I was lucky enough to get a new SAR Legend at Christmas, so that’s what I’m driving at the moment.”
Higgs Haulage, which is based in Kenwick, WA started out doing everything from general freight to grain.
In 2007, they decided to specialise in heavy haulage low loader services, particularly underground mining equipment.
“We do a mix of local and interstate work,” he said.
“Some of the companies we work for have equipment working in mines in Queensland and NSW.”
Higgs said “passion and good luck” are the secrets to his business’s longevity.
“The mining industry closed right down a few years ago in WA,” he said.
“A lot of companies went bankrupt and we only just scraped through by the skin of our teeth.
“We kept persevering and it’s finally come good again.”
He’s seen a lot of changes in the road transport industry since he started out.
“I started on the tail of the good times and things are spiralling a bit now,” he said.
“There have been so many accidents and it’s getting really dangerous.”
Higgs thinks the onus lies on the government to improve licensing and safety on the roads.
“When I got my licence, you had to go to the Department of Transport, be trained and then pass your licence with an independent examiner.
“Now that driving schools have the right to hand out licences, I don’t think it’s being policed correctly.”
Higgs grew up around trucks, thanks to his dad’s firewood business.
“I started as a mechanic and worked with my dad, learning how to do everything from changing the motor to changing a tyre.
“That doesn’t seem to happen as much anymore.”
His sons have chosen not to follow him into the family business, but his daughter Shania started working for him last year.
“She’s helping in the workshops, doing everything from driving the forklift to repacking the wheel bearings to loading and spotting down at the wharf.
“The boys weren’t interested but Shania has always been keen on cars and trucks.”
Higgs thanked all of his loyal customers for their support over the years.
“Some of our underground mining customers have been with us from day one,” he said.
“Without our customers, we would be nothing, so I just want to say thank you.”