Jason Caine
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2018.
My Dad learnt to drive when he was 12 years old, in a F600 Ford Tray for the local briquette man.
At 17 he got his first "real" driving job with Mitchell Laymac Rd Contractors driving an International -L180-7-Yard-Tipper, and
Diamond-T with a tag-along-float, until they discovered they were employing a kid without a licence!
Biding time until he was "legal" he drove a Jail House Grill Ford-V8-Tipper for a local plumber, until, at 18, he got his licence and dream job, driving an International AACO-180 petrol small-door-truck and an AB182-single-axle-strap-trailer, for Mr Jim Lari contracting for J & C Johnson Brothers scrap metal, carting tarped loads between
Melbourne, Echuca and Woolongong.
Several years later, deciding to travel around Australia, he left Jim to Drive for many employers including a brand new TK Bedford for Brambles, an AB184-V8 with a Fruehaif trailer and a B61-Mac-Thermodyne with pantec-bogie-spread for RiverlandTransport, 40 tonne Stradle truck for B.H.P Whyalla, Leyland Hippo and Leyland Super-Hippo for D.R. Baldocks Alice Springs and an Austin furniture van around the Northern Territory.
He returned to Melbourne 1966 after being head hunted by Mr Ted Whitehead/Premier Transport who bought him a new Leyland Comet 400 powerplus with a .35-40 mtr semi-tipper made by R J McDonald Engineering Melbourne. Carting metal around Melbourne and Country Victoria. Then Interstate work between Melbourne/Sydney/Brisbane in a new LPS 1418 Sleeper cab.
Then an Acco-Long-door-International 182-7-yard tipper around Melbourne for Ron Day Then driving for Col Smith in an LK-1418 - which he eventually purchased with a white Bogie-Pig. Soon after he started Plenty Haulage Cartage Contractors, and other trucks came and went, until he finally bought a new 2228-Day-Cab-V-Series-Mercedes, which he re-built in to a turbo 2233 and topped off with a new Gorski Ally 16-metre-Super-Dog.
In 2008 Dad was diagnosed with terminal Prostate Cancer and under went radical surgery. He beat cancer, and is in remission, but sold his truck to an engineering firm - who to this day still get him to drive for them.
His work was never a chore. He loved everyday of it.