James Boler
Inducted into the Rimula Hall of Fame at ReUnion 2015.
James (Jim) Boler with 50 years in the transport industry has his fair share of stories to tell. One of his earliest jobs was with Dairy Farmers Milk COmpany off-siding in a KS5 International which was also the truck Jim got his licence in on his 17th Birthday. Jim later started driving interstate in a travelling show carting sharks from Sydney to Victoria in a Max 4 Dennis. He later worked for Allied Freight carting coke in a Commer to Adelaide and farm machinery return Brisbane to Sydney.
The next job Jim had was for Cousins Transport carting coke. In 1953 he had a roll over when his trailer suddeny jack-knifed tipping his 182 International upside down and sliding along its roof for over 100 yards. It was about five miles north of the "Dog on the Tuckerbox" Jim was fortunate; he walked away without a scratch. He later went on to drive for Mercedes and Hugh's transport just before they sold out to TNT. Looking to stay on the road Jim found a job working for Tommy Bruce driving an HD53 Alboin, subcontracting to Mercury.
In 1954 Jim was hauling across the Nullarbor PLain running from Sydney to Perth. He vividly remember when it was 1000 miles of corrugated dirt with 800 miles of bull dust between the small towns. After this Jim moved to Brisbane and carted Parsfield Transport driving a R180, and later R190, International for various other road transport companies.
In the early 1970s, Jim Boler pulled roadtrains for Graham Knowles Transport from Brisbane to Darwin carting groceries for Jack the Slasher in an International Transtar powered by a 45Hp Cummins. He usually back loaded refridgerated trailers carting meat from the meat works. After purchasing a Kenworth K123 Jim began sub contracting for Lanes Transport and Carey's Freightlines in Tamworth. When Careys was sold in 1982 Jim drove for companies such as QRX and Westmorton Transport. He also drove for the Dean Brothers on and off for 30 years.
Jim has a good driving record in his 64 years in the transport industry, never losing his licence. With five of his seven children involved in the road transport industry, there is no doubt that diesel in the Boler bloodline. In 2015 Jim Boler is enjoying his retirement and "doing as little as possible".