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LRTAV honours Knight with Outstanding Contribution Award

Shane Knight receives inaugural LRTAV award in recognition of his contribution to the group.

 

Shane Knight of Tanjil South, Victoria, accepted the inaugural Outstanding Contribution Award at the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Victoria (LRTAV) annual conference.

The award recognised Knight’s involvement with the association since 1987 and his role in developing the Guide for Safe Design of Livestock Loading Ramps and Forcing Yards, which can be downloaded for free.

LRTAV led the charge to develop national ramp guidelines, so the Victorian launch was a triumph for Knight and his team that included LRTAV president John Beer, vice president Mick Debenham, LRTAV secretariat Melisa Champness and consultant Kevin Simmonds.

Knight hopes the publication will encourage farmers, saleyards, feedlots and abattoirs to provide safer facilities.

He says better forcing yards and loading ramps will improve driver welfare and animal welfare and reduce fatigue, stress and loading time.

The LRTAV annual conference, which was held in Bendigo from August 7 to 8, also introduced a Young Driver Award to encourage the next generation of livestock carriers.

The inaugural winner was Mark Wingfield of Maiden Gully who drives B-doubles for O’Sullivans Transport.

He was one of three finalists attending the conference. Shane Bloomfield from Malmsbury carts livestock for his family’s business, Bloomfield Livestock, and Karl Morley carts livestock for GJ & AL Howell of Avoca.

John Beer was re-elected for his ninth term as LRTAV president.

He says he is pleased almost 200 people attended the conference.

Issues discussed over the weekend included the new Livestock Transport Fatigue Management Scheme (LTFMS), the proposed Livestock Assist program and a push to hold farmers accountable for excessive effluent in transit.

Drivers and operators welcomed Trans-Help Foundation’s message about health.

You can read the full report of the LRTAV conference in the September edition of Owner//Driver magazine.

 

Shane Knight has been involved with the association since 1987 and developed a guide for the safe design of livestock loading ramps.

Posted by Owner Driver on Friday, 28 August 2015

 

Photography: Tamara Whitsed

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