Mark Fletcher, 24, edges out four other worthy finalists to snare the Young Driver of the Year honour at the successful LBRCA conference
Mark Fletcher, a third generation truck driver, has been awarded the 2023 Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers (LBRCA) Young Driver of the Year at the LBRCA Annual Conference in Tamworth on the March 10.
The LBRCA Young Driver Award recognises outstanding young drivers under 35 who demonstrate a best practice approach and commitment to driving and safety.
The award, sponsored by SafeWork NSW and the LBRCA, includes a trip worth $5,000 to the US where Fletcher will gain an understanding of international bulk transport and handling practices and attend the 2024 Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) – the largest annual heavy-duty trucking event in the world.
Multiquip drivers Julian Byrne and Brody Southwell, Casey Edwards from Robertsons Yass and Alex Maloney from Maloney Livestock Transport were the other finalists.
Mick McCulloch, director of McCulloch Bulk Haulage, nominated Fletcher for the award and says he is pleased that Fletcher’s commitment and passion to the heavy vehicle industry has been recognised.
“Mark is 24-years-of-age and is now driving a new B-double combination carting bulk commodities throughout regional and rural NSW. This is a huge achievement in such a short period of time and testament to Mark’s ‘always give 100 per cent’ attitude”, McCulloch says.
“Mark has grown up around trucks and says that driving them isn’t just a job, it’s a passion – and one that he hopes to keep doing until the day he retires.
“Mark is a well-respected employee, a worthy recipient, and a brilliant role model for the rural transport industry. He will assist the LBRCA to promote rural transport as a viable, rewarding, and long-term career choice for young people throughout 2023.”
Raymond Sutton, the inaugural winner of the LBRCA Young Driver award, says rural transport is an essential service amid an ageing workforce.
“Without rural transporters Australian produce wouldn’t get from the farm gate to the table,” Sutton says.
“The job can be challenging – there can be long hours, workplace safety challenges and compliance can be complicated.
“The Young Driver of the Year Award recognises our top young drivers and showcases their commitment to safety and best practice. It’s something we should all strive for and be proud of.”
“I’d like to think an award like this will help encourage other young people to join our industry, as after all it’s a great job to have,” Sutton says.
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Mark Fletcher (centre) receives his 2023 Young Driver of the Year award from LBRCA president Wade Lewis (left) and McCulloch Bulk Haulage director Mick McCulloch
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The Young Driver of the Year award presentation was one of the highlights of the 2023 LBRCA annual conference. The association’s president, Wade Lewis, says the driver shortage was one of the biggest issues concerning rural carriers. He also cited the squeeze from the top end of the supply chain on drivers and operators, the lack of responsibility and accountability of all parties in the chain, inadequate biosecurity wash-out facilities and the critical need to floodproof key road freight corridors across NSW.
These issues were echoed by members during the conference.
Held in Tamworth on March 10 and 11, the conference was supported by then NSW Minister for Regional Roads and Transport, Sam Farraway and other government representatives including Senator Glenn Sterle, the then Shadow NSW Minister for Regional Roads and Transport Jenny Aitchison MLC and Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson.
“The fact is transport only works when all the links in the supply chain join equally,” Lewis says.
“Thanks to this year’s conference we have a clear roadmap to drive major improvements in productivity, safety and business viability for members across the next 12 months.
“Our job as an industry is to work with government, members, and communities to remove red tape,” Lewis adds.
“The conference confirmed members see lots of red tape, though a lack of facilities and infrastructure, unfair penalties and enforcement, disjointed road networks, heavy vehicle driver licence shortfalls as well as too little focus on the top end of the supply chain are the challenges strangling members the most now.”
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A key outcome arising from the annual event was being invited to join a National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) reference group specific to Heavy Vehicle National Law prosecutions and enforcement. This is the first time the NHVR has opened this group to industry.
The LBRCA says it was encouraged that Transport for NSW (TFNSW) confirmed its commitment to further explore the issues raised about heavy vehicle licencing pathways in the state and developing a pilot program to trial the LBRCA’s heavy vehicle cadetship proposal, based on supervised driving and behind-the-wheel experience.
A young driver recruitment session was held in conjunction with the conference, providing local high school students an opportunity to operate a heavy vehicle using two purpose-built simulators, courtesy of Divall’s Earthmoving & Bulk Haulage, as well as learn more about the industry and its rewards.
LBRCA member Jim Riordan called for a major injection of funds to floodproof the NSW regional road network, with a priority on key road freight corridors including the Kidman Way.
“The last major flooding event in 2022 caused most key road freight corridors in NSW to shut, including the Kidman Way, Mitchell, Newell, Cobb and Kamilaroi Highways, and the impact on the supply chain was enormous.” Riordan says.
The LBRCA has announced its chosen charity for 2023 as Health in Gear, a health and wellbeing program designed specifically for the road transport and logistics industry.
Across the two-day event, LBRCA members and suppliers raised $14,000 to assist the Health In Gear team to continue to deliver roadside health checks, free counselling and 24/7 phone support services to members across the next 12 months.