Dave Harris

David Harris was born 1954 in Brunswick. At the age of 13 he started part time work as a mechanic which then lead to an apprenticeship. Six months after he got his licence he left being a mechanic to go driving trucks. He started driving for Richardson's Transport in AB Internationals, Mack's, Mercedes Benz's and then into a 3070 International.

In this truck he sub-contracted to Gippsland Bulk Spreaders a fertiliser company in Drouin. His boss sold the 3070 and Dave went and drove for Ray Barnes for 2 years doing quarry work. Then in 1984 a driving position became available at GBS. Dave started at GBS in a Volvo G89 330 Hp then a F12 Volvo 350 Hp then a F12 387 Hp. His first B-Double was a FH 420 Hp then a NH Volvo 460 Hp; one of his best trucks.

Then his worst truck and the only one he ever names (The Maggot) was an FH16, then his last big truck being a Volvo FH12 520 Hp. It was during his time in this truck that Dave's wife became ill and he took time off to care for her but sadly Pat passed away. Dave was always his own mechanic and nobody drove his truck but him; he could hear every squeak or rattle develop. He could carry out a road side repair good enough to get home for a proper fix on the weekend where you could always find him servicing, rotating tyres or doing jobs on other trucks in the fleet. He carted fertiliser and lime between Adelaide, Brisbane and anywhere in between.

It was his time carting grain that he loved the most especially harvest time. He liked catching up with regular clients, dodging weigh bridges and getting one more load in before the weekend, although there was no stopping in grain season.

After Pat's passing Dave returned to work but only doing local deliveries of fertiliser to farms. Dave is now happily re-married to Julie and upon his retirement in 2016 will live in Wonthaggi.

Dave's meticulous record keeping show in excess of 8.3 million kilometres.

Well travelled!