Daniel O’Driscoll

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2005.

At the age of 19 Danny O'Driscoll began what was to be a long, hard, but rewarding career behind the wheel in the trucking industry.  In 1950, he bought his first truck, a second-hand 1942 Ford tray and began carting pulp form Matlock to Maryvale in Victoria.
Log carting was to follow when he bought an old Ford Blitz.  He would return to the bush at various times over the coming years, but it was interstate haulage that he enjoyed the most.  In those days, the roads were not nearly as good as today, and it took him around five days to get to Perth and that's if the going was good!The trucks were far from the modern travelling rigs that they are today. It took a great deal of bush mechanical skills, dogged determination and trucking know-how to keep a truck going.  However, Danny always said that the camaraderie and mateship of the industry made up for the discomforts of the past.  He still reminisces about those times quite often, recalling all the good mates and experiences he had on the road.Danny either owned and operated many trucks over the years, including Fords, Macks, Whites, Inters, Commer knockers, Fodens, Dodges, Bedfords, Isuzus, Austins and Diamond Ts.  In those days there were about fifty different marques to choose. Millions of accident-free miles later, Daniel still does the occasional trip to the Northern Territory, Brisbane or some other out of the way place for his son, Mick.  He has been married to Jan for 55 years.  Their honeymoon was even spent doing a load in the truck.  They have four children and thirteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  Danny has been a fighter his entire life, and his family and his peers in the road transport industry, are very proud of him, his work ethic and his many achievements.  Danny O'Driscoll is a true legend of the road transport industry and is truly deserving of this recognition for his years on the road.  Today Danny is still doing the occasional tip in either a Kenworth or a Freightliner.