When he was 18, Reece Bruce wanted to join the police force but fell in love with truck driving soon after.
Ever since then, Reece has been a happy truckie and for the past five years has worked for Kelly Transport out of their Toowoomba depot.
Reece mainly does the Brisbane to Adelaide run, carrying general freight in a Kenworth T909, powered by a 600hp motor and with an 18-speed gearbox.
“I got involved with trucks back then and gave up wanting to be cop. My father Lynton who is a long-time truck driver has been a great influence for me and has a great knowledge of the industry,” Reece told Big Rigs.
In a stroke of good timing, Reece had been in Bowen on January 10, a day before Cyclone Koji struck near there.
The system made landfall near Ayr, north of Bowen, early on January 11, and it didn’t take long before the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued warnings about intense rainfall.
Areas around Ayr and Bowen received the heaviest downpours, which led to flash flooding throughout the day.
“I was at the roadhouse just out of Bowen and followed the weather reports about the cyclone. I was glad to leave before it hit,” he said.
Reece’s favourite stop-offs are the Olary Hotel in SA and the Northam Roadhouse in WA. “I had a great meal at the Olary Hotel the other day – it was a chicken parmigiana,” he said.
He says the worst road he gets along is between Walgett and Moree in NSW. “It has been bad since the floods of 2021. I try and dodge it if I can.”
Reece added that more rest areas suitable for truckies are needed especially in the western states.
“There are a lot of pull off areas but not enough rest areas where we can get a peaceful sleep,” he said.
Outside work Reece loves hockey and used to play competition games in South Australia where he was born and bred.