The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has announced the winners of the 2024 National Trucking Industry Awards at the 2024 ATA Foundation Sponsors Gala Awards Dinner held last Friday in Canberra. It was the final event at the trucking industry’s premier event, Trucking Australia 2024.
ATA Chair David Smith said the awards celebrated the people and organisations who had showed extraordinary dedication to the trucking industry.
“Our award recipients are extremely well-deserving, and we thank all of them for their contribution and commitment to our industry. I would also like to thank our award judging panel, led by former ATA Chair David Simon,” he said.
The 2024 National Trucking Industry Award winners are—
Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry
Bill Manton, Simon National Carriers (Carole Park, Queensland)
National Professional Driver of the Year
Joshua Ulbrich, Ross Transport (Port Kembla, NSW)
National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year
Jenny Fellows, Fellows Bulk Transport (Deniliquin, New South Wales)
National Training Excellence Award
Frasers Livestock Transport (Warwick, Queensland)
South East Queensland Hauliers (Hemmant, Queensland)
TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award
Marley’s Transport (Hope Valley, Western Australia)
Don Watson Memorial Award
Denis Robertson (Riverstone, NSW)
Here’s more detail on each of the award winners.
Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry
Award sponsors: bp Australia, National Transport Insurance, Volvo Trucks
Bill Manton is the National Training Manager for Simon National Carriers, but his career in the trucking industry goes back to 1982. Since then, he has worked as a truck driver, manager and trainer, including for Volvo Group Australia.
Throughout his career, Bill has worked to promote careers in the industry, higher standards and road safety. In 2017, he had a vital role in reviewing the Queensland TAFE system’s road transport training packages. Bill also worked closely with Austroads on its review of the National Heavy Vehicle Driver Competency Framework.
In the 1990s, Bill participated in the ATA’s Road Safety Awareness Week campaigns. He has supported the industry’s safety promotions ever since and helped raise awareness of driving best practices, including to groups such as occupational medicine doctors.
Bill’s integrity, ethics, and dedication to safety and the industry make him a true role model.
National Professional Driver of the Year
Award Sponsors: bp Australia, National Transport Insurance, Volvo Trucks
Joshua Ulbrich, a multi-combination truck driver for Ross Transport, is deeply dedicated to road transport and the trucking industry. Josh started his career as a multi-combination driver and driving instructor in the army, which shaped him into a person of exceptional discipline and professionalism – as is shown by his meticulous presentation of Ross Transport’s 2017 limited edition pink Kenworth T909.
Josh has an excellent driving record and is always willing to help fellow drivers and the public. Whether it’s helping with a breakdown, showing a new driver how to tarp or ensuring paperwork is in perfect order, his attitude and expertise contribute to smoother operations and a positive work environment.
Josh is a volunteer committee member of ‘Truckies against Bullying,’ which was created by a truck driver and his wife who chose to take a stand against bullying in schools and workplaces.
National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year
Award sponsor: Cummins South Pacific
Jenny Fellows is Administration Manager for Fellows Bulk Transport. As co-owner of Fellows Bulk Transport with her husband, Paul, Jenny has more than 25 years of industry experience, which she shares as a mentor in Transport Women Australia’s mentoring program.
Jenny established the Deniliquin Driver Education Program in 2006. It is now a week long course that teaches school students how to share the road safely and has expanded from Deniliquin to outlying schools.
In 2020, Jenny’s driver education program won the Australian Road Safety Foundation’s School Programs Award, part of the Australian Road Safety Awards.
National Training Excellence Award
Award Sponsor: Sutton Road Training Centre – TISC
Frasers Livestock Transport
Established in 1944 by Charlie and Edna Fraser, Frasers Livestock Transport is a proud third generation family business. Based in Warwick in Queensland, Frasers specialise in the transport of live cattle, sheep and pigs across the eastern seaboard of Australia and beyond.
There is no Australia-wide training standard for the livestock transport sector, so the company designed its own course for the industry to use. The QTA co-ordinates the course program.
Since 2020, ten workshops have been held across the state for more than 200 participants. More than 90 per cent of the participants said that the skills and knowledge they gained from the course would enable them to do their jobs more safely and efficiently.
South East Queensland Hauliers (SEQH)
South East Queensland Hauliers (SEQH) was established in the 1960s and has been operating continuously since. The company works closely with its customers, in particular freight forwarders and customs brokers, to import and export shipping containers and break bulk freight.
In 2023, SEQH introduced its comprehensive training program, Road Masters, which includes assessments for new drivers, upskill training, incident training and upgrading employees’ licences from HC to MC.
The program has had a significant positive impact on SEQH’s workforce, fostering skilled, competent and safety conscious drivers. The program has also increased the utilisation of SEQH’s fleet.
TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award
Award Sponsor: AEI Transport Insurance Brokers
Marley’s Transport started in the small country town of Nangeenan back in 1969 when Frank bought his first truck; an old Commer. He wasn’t even old enough to drive!
From those early days with one truck carting fertiliser from the Nangeenan railhead to farmers, Marley’s has expanded to a fleet of 70 trucks carting grain, fertiliser, lime, livestock, raw materials and finished animal feed as well as operating an intermediate warehouse facility at its modern depot at Hope Valley.
Marley’s embarked on their TruckSafe journey in 1999 to improve their safety and documentation standards. They are committed more than ever to the safety of their team and look forward to being in TruckSafe for the foreseeable future.
Don Watson Memorial Award
Denis Robertson was one of the founders of the ATA and was its Chair from 1994 to 1996.
Denis built an interstate refrigerated freight business starting in the 1960s. He became involved in industry associations and eventually became the President of the Long Distance Road Transport Association.
After the Grafton truck and bus crash in 1989, Denis joined the leaders of three other trucking associations to recognise the need for a national body, which became the ATA.
Denis is still involved in the ATA. He is a member of the ATA’s General Council and its Industry Technical Council, as well as the committee that manages the office building that the ATA developed under his leadership.
In memory of his friend, Don Watson, Denis judged this award and presented it to eminent industry contributors for many years.
