Ray Scott
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2013.
From the time he could walk Ray Scott was involved with trucks. As a child he would play around the Commer and International trucks in his father's transport depot, at the back of the family home in Mount Gambier. Trucks have remained a major part of his life ever since his father, trucking magnate Allan Scott, AO, OAM, first established his transport empire in Mount Gambier in August 1951.
Young Ray (Snow) always loved trucks and motor vehicles and regularly sat alongside his father on weekly stock runs around the district, soaking up knowledge all the time. Stock transport was the original part of the business and through that Ray gained much knowledge in both transport operations and farming, which would also later become a major part of his life.
Right through school Ray wanted nothing more than to become a truck driver and after leaving school he joined his father's operation.After gaining experience on short distance runs, when Scott's won a large fuel oil hauling contract in 1972 Ray was sent to the Northern Territory to run the operation.
Ray regularly drove 100-tonne road trains on the fuel run from Darwin to the Peko Wallsend mines in Tenant Creek covering 1300 miles and also from Darwin to Alice Springs (about 1960 miles) while the Darwin-Mount Isa leg was 2100 miles. The prime movers were worth about $43,000 and each had a top speed of 45 mph (about 75km/h) had 56 wheels and the prime mover had a 6500 gallon fuel capacity while the two trailers each had 7500 gallons. Ray still loves the long hauls even today and often drives his Western Star rig from Mount Gambier to visit his stations in Queensland at Echo Hills and Fairfield, a distance of about 2000kms. He makes this trip up to three times each year.
Allan Scott was often asked who was the best truck driver he employed during his time in business? Allan told the story of a driver that had driven for him all his life, was the most efficient on tyres, gained the best mileage out of a tank of fuel, gained the maximum wear out of brakes and the gearbox, rarely exceeded the speed limit, yet was always at the appointed destination, on time, every time. Allan said the driver always kept his truck clean, in perfect condition and had a respect for his truck and other road users that was equal to none.
When questioned who that was, Allan said, My son Ray. He was the best driver I had. Allan was a tough taskmaster with his drivers and his son, so this was the ultimate compliment.
A dedicated family man with three children and seven grandchildren, outside of the transport industry Ray's hobbies include being a sprint car driver, a fixed wing/helicopter pilot and he loves travelling in America where he prefers to drive to see the countryside.