Emilio Granziera
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Re Union 2010.
Emilio Granziera was born in Italy in 1931 and arrived in Australia in 1952. He worked at BHP steelworks, Port Kembla for two years before going into partnership with two of his countrymen to buy an AL180 International truck. They carried limestone from Marulan to Berrima working 24 hours a day, Monday to Friday. The weekends were for repairs to a hard working truck.
In 1956 he had a serious accident in the truck. He spent six months in hospital recovering, while his partners worked on the railway. Once back driving, Emilio had to look for work in Port Kembla. One partner, seeing no future in trucks went to Darwin and made his fortune there.
Emilio began working interstate, carrying general freight for various firms, but the truck was not up to it, so he traded it for a new A 180 International. This was too much for his remaining partner so the partnership was amicably dissolved and he was left with his dream--a new truck, an owner driver and a big debt!
Emilio continued to carry general freight interstate until early 1962. He had married in 1961 and they moved to Wollongong where he began carrying copper products from the Metal Manufacturers to Adelaide and Melbourne. In 1972 he traded the International for a 1418 Mercedes Benz. In 1985 Emilio bought a 3070 Acco International truck which he rebuilt over four months in his spare time. Once it was roadworthy he sold the Mercedes.
This Acco was his favorite truck. It was quiet, reliable and comfortable and it served him well until he retired in 1997. In the 43 years Emilio worked in road transport he saw many improvements: in the roads, the quality of the trucks and trailers, and the standardisation of road rules and weights across the states. The cost of trucks has reduced the number of single owner drivers. Big firms with large fleets are now the norm. It was hard and challenging in those early years, but Emilio enjoyed meeting the challenges and the lasting friendships made over the years.
Emilio has belonged to a group called Transport for Christ which seeks to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to truckies by helping them in their needs and by publishing a paper, Transport for Christ, which is left in truck stops around the country. It has been a good life, for which Emilio is thankful.
