From Tonka to Truck

In-depth

17 Feb

Once upon a time….

There was a little girl who was given a Barbie doll for Christmas or her birthday. She smiled and thanked the person for her ‘lovely present’. When they had departed she quietly went to her bedroom and placed Barbie at the bottom of her wardrobe. Out into the backyard she went to work with trucks, tractors, graders and excavators. She was very loyal to the one brand of vehicle. And that vehicle was TONKA. Whether she argued with her brothers who owned this machinery we are unsure.

“I was a bit of a Tomboy I guess. It was always Tonka rather than Barbie for me. I loved trucks growing up, I loved watching them go by.”

Corrina Riley was born at Gosford on the New South Wales Central Coast. Her family wasn’t into trucking, although her father had once been behind the wheel before she was born.

“I really got into them when I met my (now ex) husband in 2004. He drove Road-Trains. In fact that was the first truck that I learned to drive in – three trailers and all. We would pick up the third trailer at Toowoomba, drop a trailer at Cloncurry or Longreach, and take one trailer to four of the mines out west.”

**Emerald’s 9 Oh. The first truck Corrina drove.**

“We’d come back and pick up the second trailer at Longreach then pick up chiller boxes on the side of the road where people had shot kangaroos. We’d put them on hooks and slide them down into the trailer. That was a bit of an experience. It was a bit hard the first time, pulling Skippy down the by the tail whilst holding onto your shirt. In the end though I was throwing them over my shoulder. You get used to anything over time.

“Although I was unlicenced, I basically lived in the truck with him from day one. The company was happy for me to do that, although I don’t know if they knew I was hopping behind the wheel on occasion. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone. Anyway, I was a Driver Under Instruction – except maybe for the signage.

“We changed jobs two or three times which of course put us into different trucks. The marriage was difficult and finished in 2009 but he did teach me a lot of what I know today. That period reinforced my love of trucks and trucking.”

Corrina had her first child, a daughter at age 17, so throughout this time she was also raising her. In 2010 she had her second child, a son.

“I was out of the trucks and living in Lismore. I used to see Hernes Freight Service trucks going by all the time. I dreamed of driving for them. They had a range of truck models and they all had the shine on. I knew that was my calling but with a young son it wasn’t possible so I went to work at the Slim Dusty Centre in Kempsey.

“When my son turned 7 we moved to Brisbane and I got my Heavy Rigid licence. A year later, in early 2019, I gained my Multi Combination. I obtained work with Western Landscaping Supplies here in Brisbane driving a little tipper. At Western I drove everything they had - the water cart, dump truck, excavator, bobcat – you name it. It gave me a breadth of experience but I really wanted to get behind the w heel of something bigger.

**Corrina gained a breadth of experience at WLS**

“Although I’d had the driving experience I had to get it up on paper because no-one would hire me without the two years under my belt. My two years experience was before I got a licence.

“So, eighteen months with Western Landscape Supplies, and with COVID last year I’d had enough. I really wanted to drive the big trucks. So I started harassing Hernes - like borderline stalking them.” (Corrina comes out with the most infectious laugh you ever would hear.)

“I was in there every week. Derek Horrell, the manager, kept telling me there was nothing there for me, but I kept coming in anyway, or ringing him. I’m sure he thought I was stalking him. Eventually I won out and he said he’d give me a go. I’m actually the first female they’ve hired to drive local. They have a couple of females on interstate but not local, I think because they felt that it’s a bit more demanding. I think, I hope I’ve changed his view on women in the workplace in that respect.”

This is the photo Corrina has supplied for WiTA’s Trucking Woman of the Year

At the time of the interview, Corrina was behind the wheel of a Volvo FH 16 but the drive can change from day to day.

“It could be a single or a double or a rigid. I do local deliveries and pickups. It’s a challenge navigating around town sometimes, but I love a challenge. Right now I’m in the Volvo but it could be the Kenworth T104 or any of the other trucks. It depends what’s available in the yard and what the trailers are hooked up to. Variety is the spice of life.”

Corrina’s decision to ‘stalk’ Hernes for a job has worked out better than even she would have imagined.

“The initial appeal was the way their fleet looked. They were just big flash trucks - The 9 0h’s, the Western Stars. I would pass them all the time and drool. They were big, shiny and well looked after. It was obvious they maintained their fleet very well.”

“But it’s so much more and I can’t see myself ever leaving. They pretty much work around me. For example I start between 6.15 and 6.30 every morning where others start between 5 and 6. Then it’s wherever the day takes me. I’ll pick up for all the interstate drivers and I’m usually finished by 5. That allows me to pick up my son from after school care. Hernes don’t send me anywhere where they know I may get stuck. On the weekends I can start at 5AM but I can take my son with me.

“I get home at night which, with a young son is great and Hernes are super accommodating in that regard. But when the time comes I’m gone! I’d love to get back into Road Trains. If I could home-school my son and take him with me I’d be out there now. At the moment it’s not feasible but when the time comes…”

This is a sign of forward thinking by the company and it obviously works both ways with Corrina’s loyalty showing in spades.

Corrina may be driving an auto around town but she’s well and truly mastered the Crash Box. “I’m all over that, I love it. But I’m happy with the auto around town. Guys will say sarcastic things about me and my auto and I answer, “Well, yeah! I don’t fancy changing gears 50 times between each set of lights. I’ll take the auto any day around town. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Kenworth (and Peterbilt) girl through and through but horses for courses. I think I’ve driven just about every truck out there.”

**Just one of Corrina’s many experiences behind the wheel.**

I ask if there is an unofficial coterie of women drivers and whether they gravitate toward each other because of what is predominantly a man’s world.

“In a way I guess. I went and chatted to (friend) Liz the first time I saw her on the road. I’ve met a few female drivers on the road that way.”

One gets the impression these women are highly valued by the companies they drive for because they tend to look after their equipment better and – not to sound sexist – it’s neat and tidy on the inside as well. OK, that does sound sexist.

“I didn’t say that,” responds Corrina. “You’re the one writing the story. But we smell pretty! LOL.”

Talking of sexism, has Corrina come across any being behind the wheel?

“On the UHF you always cop it. I’ve got a lot of guys I know that I drive with around town but there’s always that minority who’ll suggest I, ‘Get back in the kitchen’. I answer, why? Can’t you cook? I always come back with something. They’ll call you names. You’ve sometimes gotta have big shoulders. You just cop it.”

“Interestingly I’ve found that the older guys are all for it. It’s more often the younger blokes. I guess they don’t like me driving a bigger truck than them (laughs that infectious laugh again). The older driver will come and open your door for you or come and help out. The younger ones seem more arrogant and sexist. You’d like to think the world had moved beyond that attitude but unfortunately not in all cases.”

Corrina has been nominated for Female Driver of the Year in Women in Trucking Australia’s (WiTA) International Women’s Day Awards.

“I’ve been nominated by a few folk which is really gratifying and humbling. I’ve also nominated five other women, so maybe I’ve done myself out of a winning chance (there’s that infectious laugh again). We’ll just have to wait and see. I got a message from Lyndal Denny who runs WiTA who said, ‘You’ve got a lot of people who care about and love you.’ It’s a pretty nice feeling.”

Fingers crossed and good luck to Corrina. To vote for her, or any of the other deserving nominations go to Women in Trucking Australia Ltd Facebook page. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/WomenTruckingAustralia/

If you’re a bit slow, like this writer, you go onto the page, see the post, scroll down to your favourite nominee and ‘LIKE’ that entry’s photo. Look for Corrina Rily (He says without bias)