Kevin Phillips
Kevin Philips started in transport at the age of 15, when in 1961 he began working for his uncle who had a Thames Trader A Ford running Sydney-Melbourne-Brisbane. They were towing an 18-foot-long trailer, with gates and tarp curtains. Kevin stayed there for six months.
One trip Kevin will never forget was a return run from Brisbane. It was a Friday night, and they were loaded with cow hides. The smell was terrible and so was the weather. It rained all the way from Tweed Heads and when they got to the bridge at Putty Road it was under water, nobody was going anywhere. Not only were Kevin and his uncle stranded but so were dozens of cars, with dozens of drivers wondering what on earth was causing such a terrible odour.
It was not until Kevin turned 21 that he gained his licence. Kevin had a mate working for Wharf Transport at Mortlake in New South Wales, so in 1969 Kevin got a job there too. Kevin enjoyed driving a Bedford truck on both local and interstate runs even though all the freight was loaded and unloaded by hand.
In 1974 Kevin purchased a prime mover, a 760 series Dodge with a 185 Cummins motor. For three years Kevin used this vehicle while carting for Mayne Nickless, running both local and country before selling the Dodge and going back to work for Wharf Transport.
It was around that time that Kevin bought a home in St Mary’s, New South Wales, and began driving tippers for Emert Removers, and driving for Tony Lane Haulage in Kingswood New South Wales. Four years later, Kevin moved to Taree and drove for Ron Byrnes.
A few years later, Kevin once again became an owner driver when he purchased a F-Model Mack. He worked for Henrey Guston, again loading and unloading by hand. Later Kevin traded the Mack for an LNT Ford and started working for Hoepners Transport where he remained for five years before selling the truck and trailer and returning to being a company driver. Kevin drove for Polar Express running Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne and he also drove for Cadina Express. Greg Bollen gave Kevin a job towing for Toll Express before he worked for C.T. Borg and SCT.
Kevin left SCT, sold up and bought a home in Innisfail and a caravan too. Kevin began working for six months of the year and holidaying for six months of the year until he returned to work for Tronc, before they were bought out by Qube. Kevin carted molasses in a B-double for about eight years.
Kevin still fondly recalls the camaraderie felt on the road, when a logbook on the dash during the day or the flash of cab lights at night was the warning from the mate that the weighbridge was open. Kevin has finally retired to Hervey Bay in Queensland having spent about fifty years in the business.
