Michael Hudson
Michael (Boots) Hudson, started off as a motor mechanic but to date now has 34 years in the transport industry. Michael began in 1980 when driving the idling tippers in Victorian Blue Metal quarry for Scolaro Construction in what was meant to be just two weeks work on his holidays.
Five years later he got out of the quarry and onto the roads carting crushed rock around Melbourne in an Acco 3070. Michael then bought an SAR ex-Shell tanker and began carting for Refrigerated Roadways doing changeovers once or twice a week running Melbourne to Tarcutta picking up grain and also doing container work around the wharf.
When the recession hit in 1987, Michael went interstate full time for Blackneys Refrigeration and after 12 months interstate in his 1976 SAR day cab, Michael got tired of sleeping across the seats and around the gear stick so he had it stretched and a bunk put on. After four years he went back to Refrigerated Roadways running the triangle of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, averaging over 6000 kms each week. Mid 1995 Michael jack-knifed in a Cabover and a month later rolled over a 601 so he took a break from the industry only to once again get back behind the wheel driving for Barnes Transport and then another four years as warehouse supervisor.
In 2007 Michael and his wife Natalie formed Roadway Haulage starting off with one Western Star. Their fleet today consists of nine trucks. Roadway Haulage purchased a 500 sqm factory in Laverton Victoria in 2010 with 25,000 litre storage of water to wash the trucks. All trucks have personalised number plates, Rdway 1 to 9 with Michael ensuring the fleet is kept spotless.
Michael and Natalie have two children, Lisa-Marie and son Robert, with Robert also actively involved in the transport industry. Michael currently drives the T604 during the week and does a changeover to Nhill once a week also. He spends every Saturday at the factory doing all maintenance required on the trucks with a qualified diesel mechanic. He loves life in the industry and has no plans of slowing down any time soon.