Veteran truckie calls it quits: ‘Over-regulated and unappreciated’

Fed up with the current state of the industry, this truckie of over 45 years reveals why he’s quit interstate trucking and entered into semi retirement.

Marty Newberry, 65, started in the trucking game in 1977 at the age of 18. But now, over-regulation and ludicrous fines for minor mistakes has led him to walk away.

Based near the small town of Rosedale, Queensland – about 40 minutes out from Bundaberg – his most recent role was B-double work, carting produce across the east coast.

But December 17 was his last day. “A good mate offered me a job doing casual work about three days a week, driving a tipper locally, so I don’t need to worry about a log book,” Marty said.

Talking about how he got into trucking, Marty explained, “I started out in tow trucks around 1977 and then got into heavy tows. Through that I met a few interstate drivers and thought I’d give it a go and see how I liked it – and I fell in love with it. I’ve pretty much been doing it ever since. Back in those days it was good, I really enjoyed it – and everyone helped each other out.

“It’s a pity it isn’t like the old days of the blockades, when we all supported and stood by each other. Sadly those days are long gone. If we stopped for a week or two, it would bring them to their knees.”

Despite a lifetime behind the wheel, Marty says he’s now lost his passion for it. “The industry has declined a lot over the years. I think it really started going downhill about 20 years ago, when they started bringing out the new log books and these higher fines.

“Over-regulation is the biggest issue – I think that’s every truckies’ biggest beef at the moment. People will still expect the shop shelves to be stocked for them and their families, yet trucking is the most unappreciated, overregulated profession in the country.”

Marty also spoke of issues with driver training, which are only adding to the dangers for truckies out on the highway.

“Trucking has become the most dangerous job in Australia. That’s because a lot of the new drivers now aren’t taught like we were back in the day. Not only did you learn how to drive, they taught you how to load properly and how to secure a load.

“Nowadays there are driving schools out there that just teach you how to drive and reverse. They’re not teaching you about axle weights, safe loading, etc. And common sense goes out the window.”

In recent times, Marty spent several years carting produce to markets and supermarkets.

“With the markets, you could arrive and be stuck there for hours. It was the same with Woolies and Coles with these timeslots. It just puts more pressures on the drivers when they get held up,” he said.

“One time I was coming from Brisbane to Woolies distribution centre in Altona and there was a fatal incident on the Ring Road and I got held up for four hours. I had called them and told them what had happened. The lady I spoke to said they definitely still wanted the load there that day,

“When I arrived, they carried on about me missing my timeslot. So I drove straight in and they ended up taking the load.”

While Marty says he had been thinking of retirement for the past six months or so, it was after reading an article on Big Rigs that spoke of excessive, heavy-handed fines, that he decided the time was now.

“Something has to be done and the government needs to intervene. If everyone takes a week off work, we’ll see what happens. But until that happens, no one is going to take any notice,” he said.

“We have enough to put up with on the roads, with the amount of close calls we have and then the other problem is no one polices parking at rest areas either. But if we go five minutes over on our log book because we’ve had to go to the next truck stop, that’s a few thousand dollars in fines. It’s all revenue-raising.

“At this stage of the game because no one stands by each other or supports each other, I can’t see anything changing. Together maybe we can do something but we have to stand together. People don’t appreciate truckies. It’s an unappreciated job, it’s just out of control – it’s so bloody wrong.”

Now that Marty will be spending less time on the road, he’s looking forward to some quality family time.

“I’ve spent all those years away and missed out on so many things with my kids. I was going to do another year, but when I read that article, I thought, that’s it for me,” he said.

With 10 grandkids, aged between almost three and 15 years old, it means Marty will now be able to spend more time with them and with his children. He also won’t start the next casual role until mid-January, so will have a nice break before then.

“Two of my daughters live down in Brisbane, which is about 4.5 hours away by car. I’ll be heading down there over Christmas and taking the boat down so I can teach the grandkids how to fish.

“I’m looking forward to doing that – and spending Christmas and new year with them. I haven’t been able to do that for a long time.”