Toll and Bonaccord have been named Primary Connect’s Large and Small Carriers of the Year, while Ron Finemore Transport has secured the Extra Mile in Safety Award for the second year running.
The awards were presented at Primary Connect’s annual Carrier of the Year Awards at Woolworths Group’s Bella Vista office, bringing together more than 180 carrier representatives, industry professionals and Primary Connect leaders.
Both Toll and Bonaccord have worked with Woolworths Group for more than 20 years, with the awards recognising strong safety performance, operational reliability and service across the supermarket supply chain.
Alan Beacham, Managing Director of Primary Connect and Chief Supply Chain Officer for Woolworths Group, said the awards highlighted the importance of collaboration across the transport network.
“Our Carrier of the Year Awards are a testament to the collaborative spirit that underpins our entire supply chain,” Beacham said.
“Toll and Bonaccord have distinguished themselves this year, demonstrating not only exceptional operational performance but an exemplary alignment with our values of safety and customer-centricity.”
Toll recognised for national-scale performance
Toll provides Primary Connect+ and store delivery services across its national network, moving more than 5,000 loads each week for Primary Connect.
Its operations service 321 supermarket and liquor locations in the Sydney and Wyong regions, 320 in Melbourne and 14 BIG W stores in Perth.
Nick Vrckovski, President of Retail & Consumer at Toll, said the Large Carrier of the Year award reflected the contribution of its workforce and the strength of its long-term partnership with Primary Connect.
“Being awarded Carrier of the Year for Woolworths Primary Connect is an outstanding achievement for Toll and our people,” Vrckovski said.
“It is a true reflection of the hard work and dedication of our entire workforce who deliver 24/7, and a testament to the strategic relationship we have built over 26 years with Primary Connect.”
Toll is also playing a role in Primary Connect’s emissions reduction efforts, having introduced six electric prime movers supported by dedicated charging infrastructure at Moorebank.
The company is working with local councils and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to expand the network in which those electric trucks can operate.
Bonaccord delivers standout reliability
Small Carrier of the Year winner Bonaccord recorded a 99.7 per cent on-time delivery rate during FY26, moving more than 92,000 pallets without a lost-time injury or on-road incident.
The carrier moves around 90 loads each week, servicing 19 supermarket and liquor locations along the NSW South Coast with ambient, refrigerated and liquor freight.
Bonaccord Managing Director Ross Ingram said its performance had been built on shared priorities around safety and operational discipline.
“Partnering with Primary Connect for over two decades has succeeded because we share the same core values — safety first and operational excellence,” Ingram said.
“Our preventative maintenance programmes and joint commitment to safety ensure our drivers return home safe every day.”
Ron Finemore Transport goes back-to-back on safety
Ron Finemore Transport was awarded Primary Connect’s Extra Mile in Safety Award for the second consecutive year.
The award recognises safety initiatives that go beyond minimum legislative requirements and can be readily adopted by other transport operators.
This year, Ron Finemore Transport was recognised for its Audible Coupling Alert system, an engineered solution designed to reduce the risk of incorrect trailer coupling.
The system provides drivers with immediate audible and visual feedback, helping confirm that a trailer has been connected correctly before the vehicle moves.
The award places a strong emphasis on initiatives that can be replicated across the broader transport industry, with participating carriers encouraged to share practical safety ideas and help lift standards across the sector.
For Primary Connect, the 2026 awards highlighted the role long-term carrier partnerships continue to play in maintaining a safe, reliable and increasingly sustainable national freight network.
