Neill Scott

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunions 2009.

Neil Scott was born in Balranald and was raised on the family-owned station at Clare (north of Balranald) until he moved to Deniliquin in 1950.  It was in Deniliquin where he purchased his first truck, a WC22 White with a 2-deck sheep crate and trailer.

Not long after that he also purchased a Bedford tray-truck and that started what became known as Neil Scotts Transport Pty Ltd.  He married Olive in 1954 and they had three children Bruce, Wayne and Lynda, who in later years, worked within the business.

In the following years Neil Scott's Transport Pty Ltd grew to employing eight drivers and comprised eight vehicles.  These included Whites, Fords, Internationals, Dodges and Mercedes Benz.  During this period the company carted mainly livestock but also had a contract to cart fuel to Deniliquin and Hay for Shell as well as carrying new  Holden cars from Dandenong to the local dealership.  His favourite trucks would have been the Mercedes Benz; they were reliable and inexpensive to run.  In the 70s and early 80s the older trucks were phased out and a new breed of truck introduced.  These included Volvos, Fords, T Line Internationals and Kenworths.  He was one of the first in NSW and Victoria to use tri-axle and drop-deck trailers in livestock cartage.  The drop-deck crates were excellent to minimise injury to cattle because of the high deck and provided room for three decks of sheep.

Neil was always one to try and keep up with new ideas so as a result 4-deck sheep crates and road trains were introduced to the company in the early 80s and the fleet was then reduced to five trucks, three Kenworths and two T line Internationals.  He was the first in the local area to use computers for accounting and for fleet costing.  He also installed HF radios to keep in contact with the trucks to provide a better level of service to his customers.  Over the years Neil made a valuable contribution to the livestock-carrying industry through his vision and new ideas.  Neil sold the business in 1989 and is now retired.  He is currently restoring a 1937 Maple Leaf Chev truck.