Raymond Haberfield
Raymond Haberfield was born on the 13th January 1963. He was raised on the family farm but was not cut out to be a farmer. He left school at 15 and commenced a spray painting apprenticeship but after completing that he felt it was not for him and that driving trucks and keeping the Haberfield tradition going was all he wanted. Ray's great uncle started a milk carting company in 1930. Their trucks picked up milk in the district and delivered it to the Nestles factory west of Warrnambool in south west Victoria.
Ray took up driving at the tender age of 21 for the local TNT Depot in Warrnambool in a C160 International carting freight between Warrnambool and Melbourne. Once again he grew restless and decided to do long haul runs which included Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide. He drove a Road Commander powered by an 892 Detroit motor for 15 years. Ray gave up long haul driving as his family came along and went back to the family tradition of driving milk tankers.
It was at this time Ray and his wife Wendy were involved in a horrific car accident in which he suffered a broken back. After a two year break he bought his own truck and established Haberfield Hire & Haulage. Ray drove his beloved Scania 113 with a 365 HP motor. Ray fitted a quick release body and quick fit turntable so that one day he was carting bluestone and that night dragging a crate with a load of cattle. He then bought a Western Star carting general freight and sub-contracted to Boyles Livestock Transport.
Ray's brother Robert was tragically killed in a truck accident whilst driving one of Ray's trucks approximately 14 months ago. Ray's health has deteriorated to a point where he can no longer drive but his son Joel now drives his Kenworth locally and interstate. He still has a Scania and Ford tippers in operation.
Ray well remembers the camaraderie amongst drivers. One time he broke down and his mate Allan towed him 45 kms to the saleyards late into the night and with a lot of pushing and pulling they managed to unload the cattle.
Ray has seen many changes in the industry and believes that trucks are now much safer, easier to drive and more comfortable. The downside he sees that in some situations the regulations and restraints are over the top and to the drivers detriment (eg unloading at major supermarket dispatch depots).
Ray's biggest smile comes when he mentions how Wendy has run the business and brought the family up whilst he was on the road. Ray and his son Joel only had the chance to drive together before his failing eyesight resulted in him losing his licence, but he still plays an active role in the business today. Joel carries on the Haberfield name in the transport industry as the third generation of truckies.