Hannah Hughes - WiTA Driver of the Year

In-depth

4 Mar

Hannah has won the Female Truck Driver of the Year Award, initiated by Women in Trucking Australia. Nominated by her partner, Benn Rose, workmates and her manager from McColl’s, where she has worked for the past four years, as well as another nominee, Corrina Riley, the win came as a surprise to the humbled Hannah.

“There were so many deserving nominations, I never thought I’d stand a chance,” she said. “Just being nominated was an honour in itself.”

From New Zealand and a fourth generation trucking family, Hannah would always go out with her grandfather and be up early of a Saturday morning to head out with her dad. “I’d sit in the truck to watch and learn. I also have a couple of uncles in the earthmoving business, and together it instilled in me a love for machinery.”

In 2011 she decided to chase her dream of driving big rigs and Australia presented greater opportunity, so across the Ditch she came, armed with a Rigid licence, which she regarded as just a starting point. Arriving in NSW, she swapped licences and went looking for work. As a 19 year old looking for an opportunity, Hannah found work on a horse stud at Canowindra in the West of NSW. As well as varied work with the horses she was also given the opportunity to transport them in a rigid truck.

“The owners showed a lot of faith in me, given the precious cargo and their value. I’d transport them around the Hunter Valley, including Polo Horses to James Packer’s property.

“It was a good job, but I knew I wanted to get into more horsepower – of the trucking kind. A move to Queensland brought more of the same work, then a move back to NSW to work on a Station which gave me more driving work such as bringing in the harvest.”

Hannah was more than ready to upgrade her licence by now. A move to Western Australia in 2016 coincided with her gaining a Heavy Combination licence. Finding work in general freight and logistics she nevertheless wasn’t totally fulfilled.

“I’d watch the Multi Combinations and Road Trains go by and knew that’s where I wanted to be.”

A move to McColl’s was fortuitous for Hannah in that the company is big on in-house training and giving opportunity to those who deserve it – regardless of sex. McColl’s backed her in gaining her MC licence and putting it to good use.

“I was itching to put ‘Road Train’ signs on my truck and McColl’s provided me with that opportunity.”

McColl’s have a number of divisions ranging from milk collection, food distribution and so forth. Hannah works in Bulk Chemicals, delivering to mine sites in the Pilbara. Behind the wheel of a 609 Kenworth with the ubiquitous 18 speed Road Ranger, it is the ideal combination for carting heavy loads, she espouses.

“The work is varied. One day I may be doing local around town, the next in a B-Double and the next hauling a Road Train. The last is where I prefer to be by a country mile – not least because those country miles are much more enjoyable than the suburban ones.

“The majority of my work are those country runs and I absolutely love it! I’ll run out of Perth up into the Pilbara gold fields. Those trips run from three to five days.”

**You don't get views like this in the 'burbs**

Without trying to sound sexist, I suggest that Hannah’s cab would be as neat as a pin. “Indeed. I’ve always been like that with my vehicles. Clean and tidy outside and in not only reflects on you as a driver, but is respectful to the company who put their trust in you.”

Unmarried, Hannah does however have a partner (before all you single blokes try to put yourselves forward) who is also a Truckie. “It’s hard in this industry trying to meet someone and forge a relationship when you are away from home so often and for extended periods. Rosters can change so you may return from a week away, expecting a couple of days off, only to turn around almost immediately and head out again. It the nature of the job which won’t appeal to many ‘suitors’”.

“I was lucky enough to meet Benn out on the road. Being a driver as well, he’s very understanding. Some weeks we may pass each other on the road and get five minutes together.”

Hannah laughs when I suggest that could be a very frenetic five minutes.

What does winning the WiTA Driver of the Year award mean to Hannah?

“I’m very humbled and was taken aback by how much support was out there for me. This is what I love doing and it’s fantastic to be recognised by the industry.”

I ask how Hannah is treated by blokes on the road, having recently read an account of another female driver who has been bullied and physically threatened by a male truckie. (It was gratifying to see the huge number of other male truckies who came out in support of this lady and offered to pay the bully a visit.)

“99.9% are great and super supportive. You come across the odd one that doesn’t want a bar of me. You just have to deal with it. I look at them, smile and brush it off. It’s obviously hurting them more than me – although I’ve not worked out why that would be.

“I work with a great team of guys at McColl’s. Their support has been amazing in my time here, and their voting for me in winning this award. I’ve never come across anything other than mutual respect in this company.”

As well as Hanna’s proud win, McColl’s can be equally proud in their support and promotion of equality in their workplace. “They gave me the training and the opportunity. They are simply awesome! Every day I’m behind the wheel I’m grateful for the opportunity McColl’s have given me.”

At 29, Hanna is, “just a kid, they tell me.” She is a ‘kid’ with experience the majority of truckies may never have. Congratulations Hannah. Well deserved!

From WiTA

WiTA would like to thank each and every one of the 21 Aussie female truckies who agreed to share their diverse and quintessentially Australian stories to national and international communities in celebration of our upcoming International Women’s Day Awards

These inspirational women come from varied backgrounds, from all age groups and levels of experience ranging from outback to metro truckies - carting everything from livestock to DG to cornflakes - pulling tankers to tippers to stock crates to tautliners doing local, regional and interstate work.

The ONE thing ALL of these women have in common is their love of trucking.

Women can’t be what they can’t see and with the support of these remarkable female truckies - over half a million people have had the opportunity to recognise trucking as the viable, diverse, challenging, professional and interesting career it is.

Comment