Linfox drivers affected by Queensland floods have been offered counselling as part of an employee assistance program
By Ruza Zivkusic| January
31, 2011
Linfox drivers affected by the recent Queensland floods are being offered counselling as part of an employee assistance program set up by the company.
Linfox spokesman Gary Max says many drivers were stuck on the road for days while trying to deliver goods. He says one driver’s home was washed away in the Queensland floods.
The assistance program allows drivers to share their stories with a counsellor, while site managers are being encouraged to talk to their drivers and ensure they feel supported.
Drivers Col Ritchie and Pat Johnson, who left the linehaul depot in Townsville to deliver a load of bananas to Brisbane were forced to take an inland detour of 750km due to floodwaters.
They became marooned in the small community of Chinchilla, around 300km west of Brisbane. A trip that usually takes two days stretched to six, with the pair arriving at the Willawong depot on January 15 to deliver the bananas in good condition.
“We’re hearing a lot of stories now about drivers being in constant contact with the locals and helping them where they had to go,” Max says.
Meanwhile, the floods are not expected do impact Linfox’s financial year ahead, Max adds.
Gas exploration and mining are the two key factors driving Linfox’s income from growth in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, which contribute $200 million a year in turnover.
“This year we don’t expect to be slow and there’s no flood impact at this time,” Max says.