Frank Marchetti
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2007.
Frank Marchetti first learned about trucks when he served in the French Army towards the end of World War 2. He came to Australia in 1950 and went into the trucking business in partnership with his brothers, John and Albert.
In 1952 Frank went out on his own starting Frank Marchetti Transport with one truck carting timber in the Alexandria area, in north-eastern Victoria. As the logging industry changed, so did his company. Starting in local freight Frank subsequently expanded his business to include interstate transport and logistics several decades ago.
For 20 years, Frank drove trucks for Mayne Nickless as a sub-contractor, from Melbourne to Brisbane and back again, averaging at least 60 trips per year. In 1964, he was named Truck Driver of the Year, an award based on efficiency and driver-customer relationships, as well as his driving skill. Marchetti Transport is still today doing general freight and full truckloads (FTL) creating customised solutions for their customers. In terms of kilometres travelled, his fleet now covers in excess of 10 million kilometres annually.
Not the biggest in the industry, Frank maintains that 'biggest is not always best' when it comes to service delivery. Frank prefers to measure his success in terms of performance, i.e. results, which are achieved by getting to understand the needs of each client, and then working closely with senior management to achieve the desired, or agreed outcome. Although now semi-retired Frank still takes pride in overseeing the operation of one of the best maintained fleets in the industry. The values upon which his company was originally founded remain the strength behind his success. Frank's company remains 100% Australian-owned and family-operated servicing the transport needs of a select list of clients. With over 50 years of experience in managing transport operations he has an enviable record of safety and performance.
Frank's success has been achieved by knowing his client's needs, knowing the business he is in, and adhering to his strong work ethic.
