“Someone said to me there is no such
word as can’t. I looked at a couple of the
other fellows and thought they were the
same size as me. I watched the way they
cut corners and what made it easier for
them. At first, I couldn’t throw a strap
over wood but now I can. I took the
straps and chains home and practiced
using them. I really wanted to make a
career in this industry!” she mused.
Lifting chains up onto the trailer, the
combing rail was the perfect height to
burn her arm pit but practice makes
perfect as they say. She is learning to
master the tying down and restraining of
the loads.
“Yeah, I’m getting there. I am never
going to stop learning. Going to
Adelaide was amazing. It was truly a big
adventure and I did have a couple of
issues on the side of the road. However,
the Collins’ boys were amazing and they
have some terrific operators. If they see
you on the side of the road, they will
always help out. It worked just like you
would hope it would. The family on the
road came together.”
Chantelle also has a couple of
great dash-cam photos crossing the
Sydney Harbour bridge. While she
loves the driving, she knows full well
that her ability and the fact that she is
representing a company is critical when
delivering to some construction sites.
“If you smile and get along with
everyone and remember why you are
there in the first place, I don’t lose
sight of what I am doing. There can be
anywhere up to dozens of workers and
cranes, just to facilitate the unloading
and installation of a machine so you
must approach construction sites with a
lot of respect” she said.
Dealing with blokes in the industry
has been hard. Everyone is different
and what is fun and a joke to some, can
be offensive to others. So Chantelle has
learnt that it can be awkward.
“You learn who you can speak with,
what’s normal and what’s not. Being a
male dominated industry, you can’t think
that any of the jokes are personal or
pointed directly at me. I’ve found most
blokes fantastic and they think it’s greatto see me out having a red hot go. Just
like the Collins’ drivers, they are truly
professional operators.”
Chantelle loved the variety and retains
a close relationship with Milthorpes but
is now working for Francis Transport in
Corowa.
“The boys at Francis have been
teaching me about trailers, hooking up,
load restraints, strapping and tarping. I
love tarping but initially could not roll
a tarp out for the life of me! However I
kept practicing laying it out, rolling it up
and made sure it was the right way” she
smiled.
If not for any other reason that to
prove that she could do it, everyday she
is proving to herself and others that she
CAN do the job.
“When you have something to prove,
you have to be on your game. I have a
routine, with my straps and everything.
I make sure my toolboxes are checked.
I don’t give any reason for people to
come back at me. Even if it’s a silly
question, I would rather ask than come
unstuck.”
While amenities for blokes aren’t the
best, being a woman provides another
set of challenges. As Chantelle has
learnt, just because it says toilet doesn’t
mean that there is going to be one for
females.
“You have to really check it out! You
go slowly past it and make sure you plan
ahead. I have stopped somewhere before
and went to get out and have a change
and a bit of walk around. The second I
got out there was a man standing there
at the truck, I didn’t see him when I
pulled in. I don’t know where he came
from and I thought oh oh. You have to
be careful. In saying that, some places
are great for females. Marulan is good”
she explained.
Getting behind the wheel of a heavy
rigid has been a terrific experience
for Chantelle who is looking forward
to getting her HC licence. With some
exemptions, by the time this goes to
press, Chantelle would have been behind
the wheel of a Francis T401 Kenworth
for a couple of months.
“Francis do a lot of freight intoEVERYDAY TRUCKIE
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