Goodaye all. I am madly trying to pull together my itinerary for my upcoming Churchill Fellowship trip. I deferred last year as I wanted to start off at an event in the UK and the timing was just too tight to arrange. Even now 12 months on, it has still taken me far too long to get a reply from some, but I am ever hopeful it will all come together soon.
I plan to visit the CONVOY in the Park at Donington in the UK and have now made contact and been offered a small stand, then visit a big company there, the Road Haulage Assoc, then go on to Canada and the US.
I have been following the road transport industry in the USA for many years, as they are the closest to us in many ways that I have seen. The aim of going to the UK, is to see a different side with the far more congested roads etc.
Any of you that read this who have a suggestion or contact in the UK, Canada or the USA who might be of value regarding trucks and road safety, I would certainly welcome an introduction. I will also look at the issue of parking and whether they have an issue with caravaners etc, as it has been getting a lot of press here of late.
I had hoped to get someone who would lend or hire me a prime mover for the USA, but have not had any success yet and so will likely rent a campervan, rather than a car and get a hotel every night. I will probably have more room and facilities than I have in the truck here anyway. I aim to do a blog each day of the trip and this will be my log as well, will do some filming for Truck That Australia and even a story for Owner Driver.
Work has been flat out and I owe my mate Anthony in Melbourne a big Thank you for doing a late timeslot Friday and allowing me to not only get a brake problem mostly sorted, but to get away Friday afternoon (instead of Saturday morning) and do my delivery at Trundle on Saturday, so I can get a service and airbag fixed tomorrow before loading and heading off. Thanks also to John and the mechanic at BPW in Melbourne for waiting for me. I had to load before they went home and still get there, but traffic and even getting a sweat up with two forks loading me in the cool Melbourne afternoon, did not get me there on time.
Phone calls to VICROADS and RMS during the week will see some things hopefully move along, but I was unable to attend the Parkes Heavy Vehicle forum. It is not always possible to get to where you would like to be, when you are an employed driver and the truck needs to earn an income.
I had hoped to win the Lotto, but no call yet, so I am still looking for someone who loves trucks more than money and who will fund or substantially support the next TIV so I can do that much more. Never give up is the plan and if I don’t ask, I will not likely get such offers in the mail, except from scammers. Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.
TRUCKRIGHT 