Careers & Training, Features

Chef turned truckie loving life on the road

When Tom Charlton was growing up, he thought he wanted to cook for a living.

“My grandfather was a chef – he cooked for the queen and everything,” he said.

“I thought I would follow his dream and become a chef too, but it turned out it wasn’t for me.”

Stressed by the long hours and time away from family that came with being a chef, Tom pivoted into trucking – another career that famously involves both those things.

Tom admits the move might not have appeared to make sense from the outside, but he’s much happier now.

“I’m actually working more hours now, but I’m getting paid better than when I was a chef,” he said.

“I have three kids aged 5, 11 and 23 and sometimes it bothers the younger ones that I’m away so much, but my family is very understanding.

“I love trucking, just everything about it – from seeing the country to the people in the transport industry.”

In his travels, Tom gets some great shots, like this early morning sunrise snap taken in Runcorn.

Tom is a Brisbane-based driver who does a “bit of everything” from general freight to tanker work.

He drives locally and interstate, sometimes heading down to New South Wales and Victoria.

His travels around Australia inspired an interest in photography – and he set up a Facebook group called Tommy the Truckie to share his snaps.

“I take photos whenever I get the opportunity,” he said.

“If I see a nice sunset or some scenery that’s a bit different I’ll get the camera out.

“It doesn’t matter what kind of truck I’m driving – I love trucks and always want to take photos of them!”

For his last birthday, his boss Chris Doosey bought him a drone, which he regularly puts to use.

“I’ve always wanted a drone, it was a great present,” he said.

“I’m slowly getting used to how to use it but it’s been good fun.”

Tom got the drone out to take this pic while having a break in Park Ridge.

Tom recently marked 17 years as a truck driver and he remains very positive about the industry.

“I wouldn’t change my time as a truck driver for anything,” he said.

“A lot of people bag out the industry, and there are definitely cowboys and young blokes who just want to drive flash trucks and don’t care about anything else — but the older generation are great and there’s still a great sense of community.”

Tom has made many friends through helping to organise truck meets in Brisbane every eight weeks.

“My boss Chris started the Brisbane Truck Meets and I help him out with the Facebook page and advertising it,” he said.

“We usually get about 30 trucks and put on a sausage sizzle for everyone.

“It’s a good chance to catch up with people you might not see during the week and get the community together.”

When it comes to advice for success in the transport industry, Tom said it’s all about starting at the bottom and working your way up.

“Never think you know everything,” he said.

“The younger generation think they know it all from the get-go, and that’s when mistakes happen.”

One day, Tom would love to buy his own truck and his own business.

“My dream truck has always been a 909 or a 950 Legend,” he said.

“I’m working towards becoming an owner-driver in the future, and luckily my boss is giving me advice and pointing me in the right direction.

“We’ll just play it by ear and see where the next few years take us.”

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