Ron Finemore got into trucking by accident, literally, more than 50 years ago.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
“I dropped a piece of steel on my father’s foot,” he said.
“Dad was in hospital, Mum couldn’t run the business on her own so I started driving a truck delivering fuel and helping her.”
Mr Finemore, executive chairman of Ron Finemore Transport, recalled his early days while visiting Wodonga this week, prompted by the presence of his first truck, a 1964 International.
“That was THE brand in those days,” he said.
But the contrast between it and a modern truck parked alongside was stark.
“The safety features are it’s probably got a blinker,” Mr Finemore said.
“The air conditioner is you wind the window down.”
And he pointed out more than the vehicles had changed in trucking.
“It’s not what people think it is as far as long hours and never getting home and all that sort of stuff,” he said.
“I think there’s lots of opportunities.”
The chairman encouraged young men and women to consider a career on the road.
“One of the problems with the industry is the ageing workforce,” he said.
“I’m proud of the way we operate, we have very, very high standards.”