Stan Schodde

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

In a truck-driving career that spanned 44 years and the Australian continent, Stan Schodde believed that hardship and sacrifice is all in a day's work.  Growing up on a Malice sheep property, Stan blames it all on a 1934 petrol V8 Ford with no cabin.
Through the 1950s he hauled firewood to Melbourne in his first truck, a 1941 lend-lease Ford, carted fuel for Caltex, and started Melbourne to Sydney runs.  In 1956, he made his first fun to Perth in a petrol-powered Diamond T.  Stan will never forget it.  It was concrete bins and they rattled all the way.Over four years, a B-model Mack took Stan all over rugged outback WA to remote communities and mines.  One of Stan's mates said to say It'd rattle the backbone out of a centipede.  Stan sold the B-model to Pat Shine and bought a 'Flintstone' 711 powered Mack R 609.  In 1958 there was till 400 miles of dirt road on the Nullarbor.  In 1974 Stan started sub-contracting with John Marsden's M&S Transport in Melbourne.  They were a great crew: Bob Spark, John Tucker, Tony McLean, John and Wally Van Brucham and Eric Pack.  Stan misses them all.  Stan's stories and experiences include helping people out of bad situations and being helped himself in true Aussie style.  From the B-model to the two 'Flintstones' and then his first new truck, a fibreglass 'cool power' R model, Stan looked up the backside of his Mack's chrome hood ornament for millions of miles.  After four years he moved to the steel cab F700 to meet Victorian length restrictions.  Stan's 400 hp V8 Cruise-liner was his pride and joy and he drove freelance locally. Then in 1990 he bought a second-hand Acco 3070 and started the Perth run again.  In 1991 he bought a CH Mack with his son, Rod and drove one trip a fortnight for the next five years.  Stan still helps local carriers when the need is there.