There are biologists, archaeologists and now ‘transportologists’ like Graham Tomkins.
Alice Springs’ population grew markedly in late August when thousands of people from all over Australia attended the annual Road Transport Hall of Fame and the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame ceremony.
One of the true characters present during the reunion was Graham Tomkins, better known as Mouse, who was also of the new inductees to the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame.
Sporting a terry towelling hat with the label of ‘Mr Mouse, Transportologist’, Mouse says his nickname came about years ago, thanks to “a bloke from Dubbo”.
“He said you had to be a rat to drive a truck, and I only weighed 47 kilos when I got my licence. They said I wasn’t big enough to be a rat, so that’s where Mouse came from,” he smiles.
“And it’s been Mouse ever since.”
But ‘transportologist’?
“Well, that sounds better than a truck driver, doesn’t it? You get biologists, archaeologists and all that, and I just became a ‘transportologist’.”
Although he retired from being an owner-driver two years, Mouse is still working, driving for Craig Goodwin near Penrith, hauling dirt, clay and granite to fill an old quarry near the Nepean Driver.
However, his trusty FL Volvo 420, remains in Alice Springs, which he donated to take up a permanent place in the National Road Transport Museum.
You can read the full story in the October edition of Owner//Driver.
Meet Mr Mouse, the professional ‘transportologist’.
Posted by Owner Driver on Thursday, 15 October 2015
Photography: Greg Bush