Sally Tipping is Waving to a Truckie. Are You?

In-depth

2 July

Tipping Transport has been around a few years in Dubbo, NSW. Managed by husband and wife team, Grant and Sally Tipping, the business runs between five and ten trucks, depending upon circumstances, which as Sally points out can be a headache at times.

“We had a concrete contract for decades, until last year, when the company closed down, so we had to readjust and restructure. Now we’re going mostly Sydney – Dubbo with general freight which, luckily is going very well.”

But the business is not what I want to talk to Sally about, but rather the Smiling Face sticker with the words, ‘Wave to a Truckie’.

“It started a couple of years ago when I felt the need to raise the public perception of truckies and truck drivers on the road. I think if we can positively promote the transport industry we will get young kids going through and having careers in the industry as a first career choice. As you know we are in desperate need for drivers at the moment.

“But it’s also to raise the public perception of truckies out there. If we can lift the mindset of other road users in accepting trucks on the road, it will produce much safer conditions. That’s the main aim.

“Educating the public is a long laborious undertaking. We want them to look at the truck and instead of thinking negatively I’d love it if other road uses looked at the sticker and think, ‘that truckie is doing a great job carting whatever we need’.

“A smile is free and courtesy costs nothing. It makes you feel better, it makes them feel better and everybody stays a little bit brighter and calmer. Unfortunately with many car drivers you have to teach them that the little stick on the right-hand side of the column goes wink, wink and lets other road users know what they are doing.

**The person behind this wheel deserves recognition. A simple wave will do it**

“I’m trying to humanise the truck driver to the rest of the world. They have a family to go home to as well and have every right to be just as safe as everyone else on the road.

“Sometimes I think some of the Association’s work against each other. If we can all come back together and promote the industry for what it is and what it does, I believe we’ll go a long way in the future as a positive industry.

“Kids love the stickers and hopefully the message it sends will rub off on them and their parents. We really need a greater work force within the industry. We’d love it to be regarded as a first career choice and something to be proud of.”

The mainstream media’s attitude and reporting of the trucking industry has been largely negative and was a catalyst for Wave to a Truckie coming into being. With an already busy life with family and the business, Sally has gone above and beyond in her endeavours. Sally and Tipping Transport pay for 100% of the associated costs.

So please get onto the Wave to a Truckie Facebook page and show your support by following it.

Hit the link below to watch the video interview I had with Sally at the Brisbane Truck Show…

https://www.facebook.com/TruckinWithKermie/videos/487387072714252/

Here you will find the Truckside Chats interview with Sally…