Goodaye all, home for a short visit, try to sort some storm damage but not enough time to complete it all, and have to head out to Nyngan to unload in the morning. My first but only 7 hours home in two weeks, so will be short.
The National Road Freighters Association AGM was held Friday night and with a couple of new board members and one swap of positions, the board was voted in and I was returned as President. I only made it there by ten minutes, then went and had a shower and then we had dinner and a last minute sort for the conference. The Conference held at the RSL in Wagga started off with a semi trailer recovery demonstration which went well and drew a good crowd, then we headed in to the nitty gritty.
From where I sit, it went well and many did comment the same. I did get told of one fellow who said he would not be attending another. When I asked him politely “Why?” he said we are still trying toi fix the same problems from 20 years ago and I said “Yes, but if there was no one here, then nothing would even remotely be likely to change and we now have both federal funding and support, along with truckies on the steering committee for truck rest areas, a scenario few would ever have imagined and it will still take time, but you must agree, a big leap”.
I was asked by someone else earlier in the week about why drivers won’t do this or that to see things change. I replied virtually word for word, we are still working on the same stuff and they have every right to be both frustrated and cynical. We have been promised solutions form every inquiry I and others have contributed to over the last 20 years with little change, till now. At least, that is my hope and belief. If I didn’t think there was some value in giving up my time and losing earnings, I would not be able to keep doing it simply for fun.
Others asked how it went and I said, “The conference went well on the day, but the real work and any value, will come more from what happens following the event”. Chasing up on discussions, invites to participate in some more bodies, so more time off to do so, but it is hard to complain something is not done or fixed, if you don’t turn up to have a say. I would welcome comments from others who attended, from that perspective, often it is hard from inside to know if you have hit the mark, the right mix of information, discussion and hopeful;;y, some conclusion, or at least, a path towards same.
I will though thank all the board, and a couple who carried most of the load setting it all up, thanks to the CandC team, every who put in time and effort to attend for the NRFA and all the guests and supporters. Those I will thank both personally and in the next post, but have to shower and go. Till next week, Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.
TRUCKRIGHT 