The ATA has announced the winners of the 2025 National Trucking Industry Awards.
The ATA represents the 60,000 businesses and 200,000 people in the Australian trucking industry and each year recognises industry excellence through its award program.
“The National Trucking Industry Awards recognise the businesses and individuals who make exceptional contributions to our great industry – and Australia,” ATA Chair Mark Parry said.
“The winners of all our awards have shown enormous commitment to their individual businesses and the community. They are examples for us all,” he said.
The 2025 National Trucking Industry Award winners are:
Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry
Mark Tobin, Followmont Transport (Eagle Farm, Queensland)
National Professional Driver of the Year
Brad Train, VE Group (Ipswich, Queensland)
National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year
Ann Lopez, Lopez Bros Transport (Enfield, NSW)
National Trucking Industry Workforce Award
Border Crane Consultants (Wodonga, Victoria)
TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award
Jim Pearson Transport (Port Macquarie, NSW)
Don Watson Memorial Award
Kathy Williams AM
The award winners were announced at the 2025 ATA Foundation Sponsors Gala Awards Dinner, held on 30 April in Adelaide as part of the trucking’s industry’s premier event, Trucking Australia 2025. As well as the dinner and other networking events, TA 25 featured 23 business sessions with 68 presenters and panellists.
The details of the award winners are below.
2025 NATIONAL TRUCKING INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS
Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry (Award sponsors: National Transport Insurance, Volvo Trucks, BP Australia)
Mark Tobin, Followmont Transport
Mark Tobin from Followmont Transport has been entrenched in the business and the industry since he rode his pushbike to the yard after school. He officially started work at Followmont in 1991 and has held a host of jobs at the company, including as a mechanic, forklift operator, driver, CEO and now Managing Director.
Mark is dedicated to delivering exceptional transport services and developing future leaders within his team of almost a thousand people across Queensland and New South Wales.
Under Mark’s leadership, Followmont has become a supporter of diverse charities, including Childhood Cancer Support, the 2024 LifeFlight Gala and regional non-profit entities. For the past two years, Mark has participated in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout and has been recognised as Queensland’s highest fundraiser, raising almost $100,000 each year.
National Professional Driver of the Year (Award sponsors: National Transport Insurance, Volvo Trucks, BP Australia)
Brad Train, VE Group
Brad Train has worked for VE Group for the past six years, where he has been an exemplary driver with an impeccable safety record. In total, he has held a truck licence for 27 years.
Brad is skilled at handling heavy traffic and oversize/over mass loads. He conducts thorough research before leaving sites, including assessing bridge heights, and measures every load to confirm that its dimensions are compliant.
As a result, customers frequently request that Brad undertake their deliveries, because they know that his truck and float will arrive in impeccable condition.
Brad’s professionalism and willingness to mentor new drivers have made him an inspirational figure at VE Group.
National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year (Award sponsor: Cummins South Pacific)
Ann Lopez, Lopez Bros Transport
Ann Lopez became the co-owner of Lopez Bros Transport in 2011, after originally helping in the office during a staff break. The business operates more than 20 trucks and has some 30 employees.
Ann is passionate about advocating on issues such as safe rest stops and fair treatment for smaller operators and works to increase gender representation and safety in the sector. Her commitment to the growth and development of the industry is evident in her efforts to promote young talent, as demonstrated by her initiative to create a Road Freight NSW award for rising stars.
In 2016, Ann was the inaugural winner of the Road Freight NSW Transport Woman of the Year Award. She is now a member of the Road Freight NSW and ATA boards.
National Trucking Industry Workforce Award (Award sponsor: Teletrac Navman)
Border Crane Consultants
Based in Wodonga, Border Crane Consultants has championed and implemented a range of staff wellbeing, inclusion and development initiatives.
These include building an outdoor gaming area for staff to refresh and recharge, providing weekly fresh fruit, staff social outings, diversity and inclusion training (including pioneering the F2F delivery of SBS Inclusion’s Respect@Work training for all staff) and nominating up and coming talent for leadership development opportunities such as the ATA’s Future Leaders’ Forum.
Border Crane Consultants is owned and operated by Jason and Melissa Barry, who founded the business in 2011.
TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award (Award Sponsor: AEI Insurance Group)
Jim Pearson Transport
With more than 45 years of industry experience, Jim Pearson Transport (JPT) has built a reputation as a leader in Australian road transport, specialising in servicing the food and supermarket supply chain.
Proudly Australian family owned and operated, this second-generation company is committed to delivering safe, reliable and sustainable logistics solutions through a modern fleet equipped with industry-leading technology.
Operating more than 280 prime movers and 400 trailers, JPT completes more than 6,000 heavy vehicle trips each month, supported by a highly skilled team of more than 600 employees.
JPT was the fifteenth company to gain TruckSafe accreditation. As a pioneer in safety, innovation and sustainability, JPT sets a high standard for excellence in the Australian transport industry.
Don Watson Memorial Award
Kathy Williams AM
Kathy Williams AM was the Chair of the ATA from 2000 to 2002. She was a director of the ATA from 1999 to 2020 and was its Treasurer till 2014. She also served as Treasurer of the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) and as a board member of the South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA).
As Chair of the ATA, Kathy led the development of its national headquarters building in Canberra and turned the first sod on the site. Kathy also played a critical role in saving the on-road diesel grant, now fuel tax credits. This was a $650 million per year victory for Australian trucking operators.
Kathy’s work was recognised by the industry with the National Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry in 2006. She was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2015 for her many years of service to the industry and the community.