The secret life of Australia’s truckies!

Truck drivers have been the unsung heroes of the covid-19 pandemic in Australia, driving across the country and putting themselves at risk to keep the supply chain going. The work can be treacherous and isolating, but it’s also an opportunity to adventure across great distances, meet new people and see all corners of this extraordinary country.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
There are over two hundred thousand truck drivers in Australia
who together drive almost twenty billion kilometers every single year.
How far is that? Well, it's like driving to Pluto
and back twice. But who wants to go to Pluto
when there's a whole country to explore right here? I'm
Amanda Keller and this is brain fuel Great Aussie Stories

(00:24):
from the Road, fueled by Amphole, Australia's own. Australia's proud
truck driving history dates back to eighteen sixty three, when
the first steam trucks rolled up to the copper mines
in South Australia. These days we're home to some of
the biggest and longest trucks in the world. The Guinness

(00:44):
World Record holder is the centipede from Queensland, which stretches
are mind boggling one and a half killometers. And no
it doesn't have one hundred wheels. It's just a cool name.
But what's it really like to be out on the
open road in these beasts?

Speaker 2 (01:05):
I am currently in the Northern Next Tunnel heading north
fand out the students.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
That's Ian, one of Australia's long haul truck drivers. He's
been driving up and down the East Coast for fifteen
years from far North Queensland to Victoria. When I'm out
panic restocking my treats covered, I'm not usually thinking about
who's responsible for getting the food to the supermarket. But
the only reason I get to enjoy my delicious late

(01:33):
night snacks is because of truck drivers. Just like Ian,
the trucky life isn't easy. In twenty eighteen, a study
out of Monash University rated truck driving as the most
dangerous job in Australia.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
These you have to it has to be taking note
at all times of where other pieces are, where you are,
what the people's doing, what's up ahead.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
And in twenty twenty things only got harder.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah, I was driving bulk gips through the higher COVID
and the Idea General overnight Express they can to Melbourne.
Count that as the entire East Coast.

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Truckies like Ian can spend up to twelve hours a
day navigating our vast road network. That's a lot of
time behind the wheel.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
For the most part, it's always been such an underappreciated job.
I think during COVID a lot of people started to go, oh,
where trucks are the backbone of everything. It does give
you some gratification at the end of the day is
being able to do something that helps other people out.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
While where at work, at home, or even sound asleep.
Truckies are hauling shipments from one side of the country
to the other so that we can all have all
the stuff that we like our after hour watching the
bitumen flickerby. Well, besides having ample time to listen to
podcasts like these, the job does have its perks.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
I don't know. I enjoy the scenery I'll get out
in the country, coming into cities at not sunrise at sunset.
They're all seen into. Most people don't ever really see that.
It takes it's long to appreciate any of it, and
I kind of like just sitting back and watching the

(03:22):
world go by.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
So next time you head down to the shops to
eat your feelings or to pick up a bottle of
something special, raise a toast to all the truckies out
there who keep this country running.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
I love what I do, have done for a long time.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Cheers Ian from long haul drives or whatever your journey.
Ample is the fuel that gets you there. Make sure
you follow our adventures for free in your favorite podcast app.
I'm Amanda Keller and this is brain fuel.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yes,