Kenneth Maher

Kenneth (Tex) Maher was born in Deniliquin NSW in 1945. He started his long career in trucking at the age of 21, obtaining his semi licence while working for Druitt's Earthmoving. In late 1968, Tex began working for AA 'Brov' Thomas, driving a 1965 Grey Dodge (26HP Pink Perkins Motor) carting anything from wool, cars and heavy machinery. After a few years of local work, Tex was yearning to expand his skills and drive interstate, so in 1974, he progressed to driving a brand new Deutz, with a 39ft McGrath Trailer, in which he carted bulk grain to Melbourne, Geelong and Bendigo. When the opportunity arose to cart bulk fuel on a new route Melbourne/Deniliquin, Tex did so in a Red Dodge with Tanker.

After a short stint driving for Lindsay Park Transport, carting grain in a 1978 Ford Louisville 903 from the Riverina to Geelong and Melbourne, and returning with a backload of bricks, Tex began his employment for Ricegrowers Cooperative Limited (RCL) in 1983 at the Deniliquin Rice Mill. Here he drove a Kenworth SAR300 Cummins carting paddy rice from district properties into the Mill. In 1996, Tex gained his road train licence and in 1997 began working with McNaught's Transport after RCL contracted out their grain carting to the company.

At McNaught's, Tex started driving a Kenworth 450Hp Cummins, pulling road trains from the Deniliquin Rice Mill around the Riverina. He then progressed into a brand new 604 Kenworth 550Hp Cat Engine. Tex was very proud of his new truck and treated it as his own. When the drought came and there was little rice to cart, McNaught's began transporting grain all over NSW and into Southern Queensland.

Tex retired in 2010, however, the shortage of good reliable drivers means that he is still highly sought after for seasonal harvest work, and occasionally drives wideloads for Decentralised Demountables, although his family and golf are now his first priority. After 45 years of full-time trucking, Tex has fond memories of the camaraderie of drivers. He is highly regarded for his driving skills, loyal to the people he worked for and a great role model for the newer members of the industry.