Explore every episode of the podcast Copy Southbound Podcast

We finally got to catch up with Rod Pilon of Dubbo to record the story of this well known Great Western Plains operator. He's old school and a genuine country bloke who wears his heart on his sleeve, helps out the industry, gives back to the community and does his best to promote safety culture. He also owns the fact that he's from an era of pushing the boundaries but acknowledges that those days are gone. A great chat with a terrific person.

When it comes to iconic and uniquely Australian, nothing comes remotely close to our own RFW. These locally designed and built masterpieces were the brainchild of Robert 'Bob' Whitehead and for around 30 years were manufactured in his Sydney workshop with a team of dedicated and at times, thick skinned employees. Bob had a reputation of being blunt and opinionated but his engineering and design skills far outweighed his tough persona. Copy Southbound are indebted to Australia's most renown truck historian Tony Petch for organising this recording at his home in Wilton NSW and especially for allowing us to copy his unique photograph collection. We also thank Ray Rodman, Allan Whiting and Rod Parker for giving up their time and joining us for this interview.

A special one for our 150th episode with the story of the amazing Joe Cassar. We always say how lucky we are to meet some of the nicest people doing Copy Southbound and Joe ticked that box. Extremely humble, respected and admired by so many of his peers, he's also known for his generosity and kindness, something that was evident from the first introduction. Many thanks to long time listener Michael Clarke for arranging this podcast with his mentor and friend.

Something different today as we spoke with Ian Smith, a long retired but well known man with a history in truck sales. He was selling in the golden era through the 70's with some well known clients, delivering some legendary vehicles. And of course, he's an absolute gentleman. Many thanks to truck historian Tony Petch for organising this at his house and for the information he provided to make this as special as it is.

The 5th installment of The Missing Link Podcast series with Shane Pendergast.

The 4th installment of The Missing Link Podcast Series with Shane Pendergast.

We were recommended to catch up with Steve Cox in Corowa and had a great afternoon chatting about his career in trucks. From being a company driver working for a few iconic companies, Steve ended up running his own truck for many years before a health scare brought it to a grinding halt. Nothing better than chatting with someone who has pride in his history and a love of his past. Thanks for the yarn Steve.

The 3rd installment of The Missing Link Podcast Series with Shane Pendergast.

Part 2 of the series with Shane Pendergast.

This man, or more his vehicles, need no introduction to the Australian Trucking community. Mick Gardiner and his uniquely built working trucks were synonymous with class and function as they worked their way up and down the Eastern Seaboard hauling freight on regular runs for many years. But the story of the building of each truck is what we are going to focus on as both of his trucks – the R190 Inter and the amazing Seattle Star – are unique and completed with amazing attention to detail. And on top of that, a most genuine and humble human being.

In this episode of The Missing Link Bruce sits down with Shane Pendergast. Shane is doing amazing work with Air Brake Systems and has some phenomenal insights into the data and technology in truck and trailer braking systems. This one is a must listen.

How much do you know about Pre-Trip Inspections?

"The Call of the Wild" was all it took for Lizard Williams to make the trek to the middle of the country and try his hand at road trains. The script was on the side of one of Noel Buntine's legendary Macks in a newspaper article Lizard was reading so he packed the family up in the late 70's, turned his back on the Hume and headed inland to begin a 30 year love affair with some of the country's biggest machines. This is a non-filtered talk about what it took to survive in the bush in one of our funniest and raw interviews to date. Brace yourselves...................

In this episode of The Missing Link, Bruce and Brendon dive into the Fatigue Management discussion among several other topics such as the NHVR Master Code 2026. To access the Master Code, click the link below.

Master Code of Practice

In this episode, Bruce and Steve reveal an open letter sent to Copy Southbound from Darryl Foyle, former Sergeant within 
the Heavy Vehicle Enforcement Group (HVEG), SAPOL. 

Something different today as Bruce interviewed his mate Ian Watson from Bolinda in Victoria. Ian is an American truck enthusiast and hot rodder from way back and has been the Australian representative for the American Truck Historical Society for many years. But his ventures in business opened a door to America and it's something unique. We thank Ian for giving his time to us to share his amazing history. 

In this episode of The Missing Link, Brendon joins Bruce to have a chat about Fatigue, the upcoming changes to the NHVR's Accreditation Scheme and a range of other topics. 

Part 2 of our conversation with Gillian Bristow from Bristow Legal. A big part of this episode focuses on Subcontractor Management, a critical issue in our industry right now.

Sometimes we come across some absolute gems and Vinnie was one of them. While Bruce was still down in the Victorian Gippsland area, he received a call from Paul Groves of Colac, asking if he had time to catch up with his Uncle Vinnie so a detour was made and we were able to capture the story. Bruce told me about this amazing, gracious and gentle man and said how fortunate he feels to be able to do these podcasts and meet the country's finest. Unfortunately, Vinnie was laid to rest yesterday after passing away just over a week ago but thankfully, his family asked for us to go ahead with the interview. Rest in Peace ol mate.

In this episode Bruce is joined by Gillian Bristow from Bristow Legal. Gillian has been involved with the Australian heavy vehicle industry for 30 years and she specialises in contract negotiations, contractual and insurance disputes and chain of responsibility issues. 

Bristow Legal | Solutions for the Road Transport Industry

Part 2 of our conversation with Paul Alsbury | Executive Director Statutory Compliance at the NHVR and Steve Shearer | South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA).

In this episode Bruce sits down with Jim Riordan of Riordan Grain. This is an amazing story of someone who has built an unbelievably successful business from the ground up and has displayed world leading innovation. An Australian Family business we can all be truly proud of.

In this episode Bruce sits down with Paul Alsbury | Executive Director Statutory Compliance at the NHVR and Steve Shearer | South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA).

In this episode Bruce sits down one on one with Steve Shearer from the South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) for another fantastic discussion.

We managed to get down to Lara and catch up with father and son, David and Andrew Derham. Their transport business is well known in the area with their fleet of tippers a common sight on the highways in the Melbourne area, but it's the beautiful restorations that have caught Bruce's eye for years and the renovation on Davids original cabover Kenworth was just the start of a line up that's still coming together. Dave's story of his modest growth and smart business sense is a great example of what can be done with a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck.

Part 3 of the Series with Steve Shearer from the South Australian Road Transport Association and Sharon Middleton from Whiteline Transport.

Part 2 of the series with Steve Shearer from the South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) and Sharon Middleton from Whiteline Transport where we discuss Sham Contracting.

Thorpdale is synonymous with potato cartage and the Durkin name is right amongst it. With Michael Durkin kicking off the transport business on the family farm, he was known for some pretty flash gear for the era. His son Kelly now heads the trucking side with a full family affair making this business tick along nicely. A few of Bruce's favourite trucks reside in the fleet so it's a wonder he's not still down there!

In Part 1 of the series with Steve Shearer - SARTA and Sharon Middleton - Whiteline Transport we discuss the current fuel crisis facing the Australian Trucking Industry. 

The Missing Link Podcast pulls back the curtain on what really happens when things go wrong in the heavy vehicle industry, from incident investigations and prosecutions through to the compliance gaps that cause them. As part of the Copy Southbound platform, this series connects real-world experiences with practical insights to help operators, leaders and drivers better understand their obligations and avoid becoming the next case study.

One of the nicest things about doing Copy Southbound is the terrific people we meet who share our passion for our transport industry. Bruce had the opportunity to sit with Norm and Nola Bransgrove, something they'd bee trying to organise for some time and discovered the most genuine people and family network that anyone could hope for. Through plenty of ups and a family tragedy, this loving couple managed to survive by having an absolute love for each other and for what they do. Needless to say, Bruce was touched by the entire family, their attention to detail, their lobbying for a better industry and their views on life.

Bruce has known Wayne for many years through the vintage truck scene, admiring Wayne's stunning and well-travelled needle nosed Kenworth that frequents events everywhere. Wayne has had a long career in the trucking industry and has piloted some unique machines over the years. At the recent ATHS show in Maffra, Chappo suggested Bruce and Wayne have a quick chat on the podcast so 5 odd hours later it was over! A hilarious interview with a definite character

The Overend name is legendary in the East Gippsland area of Victoria so it was fitting that Bruce was finally able to catch up with Chris 'Squeeker' Overend. Squeeker is well known in transport circles due to his family heritage along with his ownership of one of three iconic Australian produced V12 W Model Kenworth's. To capture the story of Overend Transport along with Squeeker's exploits throughout the years was something we've been waiting for and we are sure you'll enjoy it as much as we have

Whenever we talk about favourite colour schemes, Bruce never shuts up about Elliott's of Tumut so it was only fitting that he finally made it down there for an interview. Bruce sat with Grant Elliott, son of the founder and currently CEO of this proud country operation. Grant's dad created the amazing striping design and Bruce had him on a pedestal until he found out he was colour blind! This is a great interview with a super nice person in our industry with an amazing passion and eye for detail.  

SYDNEY TRUCKFEST

Sydney Truckfest Tickets - Sydney Truckfest Pty Ltd

They say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and that applies to two of the nicest people we know. We thought that Geoff Cootes was a terrific bloke and then we met his brother Paul - they obviously came from great stock. Paul made his own way in the transport industry and like his famous father Ian, worked in the dangerous goods area but in bottled gas, expanding at a very young age before selling out in an outstanding fashion. He loves trucks, loves attention to detail and is an incredibly proud Cootes family member and one of those people you meet and feel like you've known him forever.

Everyone has a story and Leigh Hudson is no exception. Following an early start into a career as a driver, Leigh progressed to owning his own truck before a dream became reality with the launch of his Iconic Replicas brand, something that has taken off amongst all collectors. Leroy has managed to overcome the odds and developed an honest miniature reproduction of some of our favourite model Kenworths, all while retaining his image as one hell of a nice guy. 

Copy Southbound has been trying to get an interview with Lindsay Fox for some time and although it hasn't happened as yet, the next best thing was a chat with Lindsay's long term, right hand man Mick Best. Apart from discussing his history in the transport industry, Bruce also had quite a serious discussion with Mick on the future of the road transport, training and the dreaded compliance rules that we currently face. Mick is widely known throughout trucking circles and we appreciated his time out of his busy schedule.

Bruce's long term mate Melissa Van Look has been Graeme's neighbour for many years and after hearing his stories from the days gone, she lined up a fantastic interview with him to share his past. The Hovey name is well known and was a permanent fixture in the Geelong area with their stunning red, white and black trucks in a timeless colour scheme. We'd like to thank Mel and Crispy for pulling this together.

Follow Sydney TruckFest https://www.facebook.com/share/1FwSVVnDG9/

Gerry Hicks' outstanding W Model Kenworth cemented his status amongst truck enthusiasts many years ago however, there's far more to him than having an iconic truck. A meticulous operator, Gerry built a very successful business based on morals, ethics and trust along with relying on some old school, heartfelt handshake agreements that are seldom seen today. We have become great friends with Gerry over the years and were thrilled to finally get the time to sit and record his history.

Home | Sydney TruckFest

The stunning fleet of Goz Dawson's are a fixture on our roads and stand out in their varying green and white livery. Bruce got the chance to sit with a very humbled Goz at his home recently and discovered a man who has a passion for the industry, love of trucks and gratitude toward his life choices that have led to his success. Moreso, his pride on the popularity of his Dolly's Dream combination has had an everlasting impact on his conscience that drives him to give back to the community that has supported him. What a great man, enjoy this like we did.

We first met Johnno Johnson at the Kenworth Klassic when he travelled down from Dalby just over 12 months ago. Apart from being a lovely bloke, we were taken with his beautiful factory Gold Nugget SAR still sporting its 2-Stroke Detroit power. Bruce finally got up to Dalby and sat with Johnno to record his history and check out his past with trucks, trials and tribulations. Humble people like Johnno make Copy Southbound what it is and the passion he still has for the industry is what keeps it alive.

Our good mate Paul Biagini lined up this interview with an initially reluctant Andy Soutar and we couldn't be happier. Men like this were legendary on our highways but when you speak with them, they're humble and were simply "Just doing their job". Andy was very well known as an owner operator in his striking black and silver Movin-On styled Kenworth's along with his mandatory pipe hanging from the corner of his mouth. And along with his late wife and soulmate Nadia, he stepped into the box as a spokesman for the industry trying to get better terms and conditions for his mates out there on the road. We can't thank Paul enough for making this happen.

Road to Compliance MASTERCLASS

https://prodrivecompliance.com.au/etn/road-to-compliance/

DON'T MISS OUT on the Road to Compliance MASTERCLASS - Click the link below or head to the ProDrive Compliance website today to secure your spot!

https://prodrivecompliance.com.au/etn/road-to-compliance/

Bruce ran into John Hamilton from Minlaton, South Australia while on a trip to Adelaide and heard all about his old man Bill. We were able to get back across there a few months later and caught up with Bill for a great chat about his early days doing it tough in some fairly primitive gear. At the release of this episode, Bill will be climbing into a new T610 which will see his time out behind the wheel but what a great career. You guys will enjoy this character and the family tradition will live on for years to come as you'll find out.

Have you secure your spot at the Road to Compliance MASTERCLASS yet? Secure today before it's too late!!!

We first met Iain Cann through our mate, Mick Cefai, owner of the legendary "K Whopper" Kenworth. When Mick got it home, he found out that Iain was the original owner of the truck having bought it from Kenworth Lansvale following its stint on the show circuit. Iain has had an amazing career and the more we spoke with him, the more we realised he had a terrific story for you all. We are sure you'll enjoy this.   

Evans son Tyson reached out and asked us to call by for a chat with his very humble father Evan. After beginnings as a driver for various companies, Evan branched out on his own and started a local carrying company in gorgeous country town of Beechworth in northern Victoria. He grew the business carefully, branching into different areas while raising his children single handedly and is legendary in the area as a quiet, humble, hardworking and honest personality of the industry.

This is our last installment of our visit to the Mid America Trucking Show and it's an absolute ripper. We sat down with Mike Gaffin aka The Boston Trucker has an enormous following and an amazing YouTube channel that you'll all love.

(991) TheBostonTrucker - YouTube

We were also able to score a quick chat with Toby Young, the man behind MATS whose Grandfather started the show back in 1971. Toby was so accommodating at such a busy time in the middle of the show and this was a great way to finish off our MATS journey.

It's funny how some names automatically register and Freestones Transport is one of those. With his beautiful Kenworth's and Peterbilt's running the East Coast of Australia, this passionate enthusiast ensured a clean, reliable and professional operation that is still running today. Plenty of listeners have requested that we interview Paul and it took a while to get the timing right. And being a lover of all things American, he and Bruce had plenty to discuss.

CHECK OUT THIS AMAZING EVENT

https://prodrivecompliance.com.au/etn/road-to-compliance/

Kel Baxter started his career as a farmer but soon purchased a couple of trucks to deliver the farms produce. He soon recognised an opportunity to provide transport services for other businesses in the Riverina, Murray and Murrumbidgee areas of New South Wales. From his beginnings into transport in 1990, the company has grown, now dealing with local storage and handling centre's operating the ports and feed mills throughout the eastern States of Australia. A regular at industry body conferences, Kel has been vocal in improving conditions and regulation across our transport industry.

Secure your spot at the Road to Compliance MASTERCLASS

https://prodrivecompliance.com.au/etn/road-to-compliance/ 

Another installment from our trip to the Mid-America Trucking Show MATS 2025 and we caught up with a couple of great guys, Charles Justice (CJ & John McIntyre from Revolution Energy Services. Two down to earth guys who love the trucking industry and are great advocates for all things trucking. 

We were also able to sit down with some great people from Radio Nemo. Dave Nemo has been the voice of trucking radio through more changes than you'd believe – through AM radio, satellite ratio, and now digital streaming. And through all the changes, he's managed to keep professional drivers of the US awake, alert and hopefully, alive.

Jimmy Mac is a native New Orleanian who has visited 49 states and called 4 of them home. Having worked in law enforcement, education, contracting, and the entertainment industry, he is now proud to be a member of the Radio Nemo family.

Lindsay Lawler is a singer, songwriter, radio host, and Nashville-based entrepreneur. She spent many years as the national spokesperson of the Highway Angel program in the trucking industry, and her song "Highway Angel'' has become an anthem for truck drivers everywhere. She founded the Highway Angel Truckstop Tour and performed free concerts for truckers at truck stops across the country. Last year she released the song "I'm Okay" which People Magazine highlighted in a personal interview with Lindsay, and in addition to countless singles including a duet with 80's star Tiffany.