Brisbane-based driver Dave Windus gets around the country for family-owned Openica Logistics which has depots in Victoria, Adelaide and Cairns.
I chatted to the 65-year-old driver while he was parked up in Townsville.
“I haven’t been up here for about 18 months. It is very hot today,” he said.
Dave was driving a MAN 18.440 and was carrying a boat, a caravan and a campervan.
“They have come from Brisbane and I am going to Cairns,” he said.
Dave has been driving interstate for 10 years and likes stopping at BP roadhouses.
When asked about the worst highways he gets along, Dave listed numerous ones that gave him headaches.
“The Bruce Highway, the Cunningham, and the Gore are all bad,” he commented.
As for rest areas, Dave said there was a genuine shortage of them for truckies.
“I have a beef that there are not enough rest areas especially ones with toilets. And the stopping bays are dangerous,” he added.
We got onto the subject of his favourite sport and Dave said it was Australian Rules.
“I barrack for the AFL premiers Brisbane Lions and as a youngster I played for Windsor Zillmere in the QAFL,” he said.
When I told Dave that I had played the code locally he asked if I knew Ken Ferres who was from Townsville, but who travelled south weekly to line up with Windsor Zillmere.
I told him I knew Ken well and had played against him and we had a long chat.
Dave’s favourite foods when on the road are steak and roast pork sandwiches.
His other hobbies are cars. Dave has a hot rod and an old ute.