The NSW Senior Asset Supervisor for Boral Logistics, Wayne Merrick, is the 2013 winner of the Craig Roseneder Award for Technical and Maintenance Excellence in the Workshop.
The father of the Australian B-double, Bob Pearson, is the first winner of a new award, the Castrol Vecton Industry Achievement Award.
The Australian Trucking Association announced the awards in Melbourne last night at the Castrol Vecton Awards Dinner, part of the 2013 PACCAR and Dealer TMC. The national technical and maintenance event is continuing today and tomorrow.
The Chairman of the ATA, David Simon, said Mr Merrick was responsible for managing the complete lifecycle of 130 trucks and more than 300 trailers.
“Wayne has introduced a number of important safety features to the Boral fleet, including tailgate lock indicators for tipper bins and LED undersill door lights,” Mr Simon said.
“As well as supervising Boral’s own vehicles, Wayne is responsible for ensuring that the trucks and trailers used by the 93 hauliers and 32 owner drivers that work for Boral in NSW are safe and roadworthy. As a result of Wayne’s efforts, Boral Logistics NSW can be proud of the quality of the vehicles it has on the road.”
Mr Merrick said he was shocked – very shocked – to receive the award.
“I’d like to thank Merv Rowlands and my team – with the fleet size I manage, I couldn’t do it alone,” Mr Merrick said.
He said he got the idea for his tailgate lock indicator after listening to complaints from drivers.
“We were having major issues with truck and dogs. We listened to the complaints from drivers, and they kept saying that they couldn’t actually see if their trailer was open. We developed the indicator to address this,” he said.
The new Castrol Vecton Industry Achievement Award will honour groups or individuals who have developed and implemented new technologies, designs or procedures to improve the whole industry’s safety, efficiency or productivity.
Mr Simon said it was highly appropriate that Bob Pearson should be the first winner of the award.
“With more than 34 years in the transport industry, Bob is one of Australia’s leading experts on road vehicle policy and regulation. He is known to many as the father of the B-double,” Mr Simon said.
“These safe, efficient combinations now account for 45 per cent of Australia’s road freight task but less than 24 per cent of large truck crashes,” he said.
Mr Pearson said he was very honoured to receive the award.
“There’s no doubt the Australian road industry is a leader in quality and innovation,” he said.
Mr Merrick will receive a trip to the American Trucking Associations’ 2014 Technology & Maintenance Council Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition in Nashville, Tennessee and $A1,500 in spending money. He will also receive complimentary registration to the 2014 PACCAR and Dealer TMC.
