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he regional freight task in Australia is rarelyvery easy on equipment, a fact Damien Power,owner of Power’s Country Express in Victoria,knows all too well.Along with investing heavily in the developmentof his 38-strong staff, Damien’s business modelhas centred on the procurement of quality,dependable equipment — namely trucks carryingthe Isuzu badge.This savvy business approach was recognised in2012 when Power’s was awarded the Investmentin People Award at the Australian FreightAwards. Power made more room in his trophycabinet the following year when Power’s tookout the Transport and Logistics Industry SkillsCouncil’s Innovation and Excellence in WorkforceDevelopment Award for Road Transport.In 2014 another award appeared on the shelfwhen they were voted Victorian Small Employer ofthe Year at the Victorian Training Awards.Based in Bendigo since 1998, the regional freighttransport company run by Power and his wifeEmma services the Goldfields region of Victoriawhich includes Castlemaine, Maryborough,Kyneton, Rochester and Echuca. Power’s CountryExpress also complete overnight runs to and fromMelbourne.The family-run transport business has grownfrom humble beginnings — with only one van incirculation back in ‘98 — to Power recently addingto a ten-strong Isuzu fleet.“Across our Isuzu fleet we have little baby trucksright up to the Isuzu FYJ 2000. We got a couple ofIsuzus not long after we started, second-hand, andthey’re still running,” Power says.Even the ones we purchased new in 2003 are stillgreat trucks to drive.”His most recent purchase is a smart looking14-pallet curtain-sider which tows a custom trailer,from Isuzu dealer Poyser Trucks in Bendigo.Award-winning company Power’s Country Express knows the type of
truck required to get the job done, as well as keeping its drivers happy.
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DOW 399.cls 254 26/02/2016 10:02 am