Brian Bertwhistle AM
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at ReUnion 2012.
Brian Bertwistle AM started out as a 17 year old delivering film reels to picture theatres in the wider Brisbane region for Ken Thomas, of Thomas Nationwide Transport or TNT as it is known today. He little expected at the time however, that through a series of mergers and take-overs he would work for the same organisation for over fifty years. Over the years Brian has held every possible position available within the transport industry with his unique skills and passion for transport eventually culminating in his appointment as Executive Director of Toll North some years prior to his retirement.
It is hard to imagine that, as a teenager, Brian was sure his future in the trucking industry would be ruined with the advent of television as no-one would be going to the pictures anymore. Brian Bertwistle's devotion to his career with TNT, Carpentaria/Toll Group and the industry spans a 50-year period. In every division in which he has worked, Brian's enthusiasm has been a key driver for the success of new operational projects. In 1971, Brian, as part of the TNT Group, was instrumental in implementing the first daily delivery service between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and as a result, was responsible for delivering all of the concrete pylons used in the retaining walls on the canals at Southport and Surfers Paradise. He was also responsible for rebuilding the TNT operation following the 1974 Brisbane floods by restoring services to the business community in record time.
Another notable example of Brian's dedication and commitment was his management of the new $8,000,000 road-rail terminal development in Cairns.Brian is passionate about bringing young people into the road transport industry and was the founder and mentor of 'Young People in Transport', a section of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport of which he is a Fellow. Brian Bertwistle won their Transport Achiever of the Year with this initiative in 2004.
Brian was also founder and chairman of the Careers Forum which is taken to high schools to show what careers are available in the transport industry and which aims to introduce certificate level transport training into school curriculums. He has been a vice president of the Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) and chairman of the Transport and Distribution Industry Training Advisory Board. For many years he was company secretary and a director of TruckSafe Pty Ltd, an Australian Trucking Association company that aims to arm the trucking industry with safety and risk management solutions to both operational and regulatory problems. Many awards have come Brian's way over the years including the 2005 ATA National Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Road Transport Industry.
After such a long and industrious career, it was a surprise to no-one, except Brian himself, when, in the Queen's Birthday 2008 Honors List he was awarded a member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to the transport and logistics industry particularly through support for educational programs and vehicle safety initiatives.