Boom Times

For Jamie Little, trucking is more than a business – it is something that has been part of his life since his youth.

The 61-year-old transport operator grew up in Windsor in Sydney’s picturesque north-west outer, known for its colonial heritage and gateway to the Hawkesbury River.

Rather than being drawn to the bush or a quiet life on the Hawkesbury, from an early age Jamie has been surrounded by trucks, tippers and construction work, learning the industry from his father.

“Dad was always involved with tippers in Sydney, and I was getting involved in the business from a young age,” Jamie says.

“I’ve always been in the trucking game.”

After years working in transport and construction haulage in Sydney, Jamie eventually relocated north to the Gold Coast, where he would later rebuild both his business and personal life following a divorce.

“I started again after I got divorced,” he says with a laugh. “I got the Gold Coast curse.”

What followed was far from easy.

Jamie says the construction transport sector on the Gold Coast could be brutal for he and his dad during those early years, particularly working around property developers and short-term projects.

“Working with tippers was very tough work in construction, because the developers were here one day and gone tomorrow,” he says.

Looking for a more stable business model, Jamie moved into a different area of transport almost by accident.

“I started with one ute and I knew somebody who knew somebody,” he says.

“They rang me and asked, ‘Can you do this?’ and it started from there and just kept growing.”

The early days tested both his patience and determination.

“For the first six months I lost money,” Jamie explains.

“My motto was I didn’t say no. I didn’t say no for six months, and I still lost money in that time.”

But persistence eventually paid off.

Today, JAE88 Trading has grown into one of the busiest, and well-known, specialised transport operators servicing the construction and infrastructure sectors throughout south-east Queensland.

Operating from a strategically located depot at Yatala, midway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, the company transports a huge variety of freight for building and infrastructure projects.

“We carry everything. Steel, timber, pallets, formwork, scaffolding, heavy gear, building products, we’re basically a one-stop shop,” Jamie says.

The company also specialises in transporting elevator cars for high-rise construction projects. “We deliver them in kit form, they unload them and erect them on site, then when they finish the project we come back and pick them up again,” he says.

Handling that diverse range of freight requires equipment capable of operating efficiently in confined construction sites and busy urban environments.

“The trucks have to cope with getting into building sites and small areas,” Jamie says.

“They need to be very manoeuvrable and easy to operate.”

The business now operates a fleet of 22 trucks, including 14 DAF models, alongside Freightliner and Kenworth units, supported by specialised trailers.

“We’ve got about 15 trailers at the moment. Flat tops, drop decks, tautliners and drop deck ramps and extendables,” he says.

A new additions to the fleet are two new DAF CF450 eight-wheelers with eight-metre steel trays and Moffett forklift brackets.

“We recently took delivery of two brand-new DAF CF530 prime movers,” he says.

The investment represents a major shift for the company, which historically relied heavily on second-hand equipment and rebuilds.

“We’ve always had second-hand trucks and rebuilt them,” Jamie recalls

“But we got good valuations on the older trucks and decided to make the leap into new models because we knew what sort of work was coming.”

That forward planning has coincided perfectly with what Jamie describes as an unprecedented infrastructure and construction boom throughout south-east Queensland.

“We are extremely busy,” he says in his no-nonsense manner.

“With all the government building and maintenance projects between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, the next four years are going to be boom time for us.”

Among the major projects driving demand are the Coomera Connector motorway development, new hospital projects at Toowoomba and Coomera, and the enormous pipeline of infrastructure associated with the upcoming Brisbane Olympic Games.

“We’ve got so much work on these days with the new freeway and bypass at Coomera,” Jamie says.

“There’s no rest for us.”

Jamie believes the scale of infrastructure spending will continue to attract major contractors from interstate as projects in southern states begin winding down.

“With Melbourne’s tunnel work and Sydney Airport finishing up, a lot of those construction companies are already heading north,” he says.

“They’re establishing bases up here because they know where the work is.”

With his company firmly established in the area, Jamie is not concerned about the southern influx of competitors.

For JAE88 Trading, the company’s location at Yatala places it directly in the middle of the booming growth corridor.

Brisbane is consistently one of the fastest growing cities in Australia and is complemented by the attraction of the Gold Coast, which is projected to reach a population of 1 million by 2040 and is experiencing a record-breaking economic output.

“We’re right between Brisbane and the Gold Coast,” Jamie says.

“With all the work in that area, our trucks don’t do more than about 50,000 kilometres a year, so we’re laughing.”

The business focuses heavily on local and regional work rather than long-distance interstate operations.

“With interstate work we tend to subcontract accounts out so we can focus on the local work,” he says.

“That’s where the boom is.”

The company could easily handle even more work if additional drivers were available.

“We could probably do with a couple more drivers,” Jamie says.

“Our drivers are never short of work.”

Even during quieter periods, the company keeps staff busy with workshop duties, truck washing and maintenance work.

“We’ve got our own mechanics on site so we can do everything here in the yard,” he says.

The company’s relationship with the local Brown and Hurley Kenworth and DAF dealership has also played a major role in keeping the fleet operational.

“The dealership is across the road from us, where we a good relationship with Mark Holden, DAF salesman of the year. It works well.,” Jamie says.

“We’ve been blessed maintenance-wise with very few breakdowns.”

Jamie says a winning combination of the reliability, power, comfort and value offered by the DAF trucks continue to impress both him and drivers alike.

“They cope with all the different loads really well and they’re very reliable,” he says.

“The drivers are loving the new DAFs.”

The company operates on a one-driver-to-one-truck system, something Little believes improves driver pride and vehicle presentation.

“When drivers have their own truck, they care for them more and look after them.”

While many transport operators continue to face difficult trading conditions, rising costs and financial pressure, Jamie says disciplined financial management has been critical to the company’s growth and long-term stability.

“Every spare dollar we make goes back into the business and I don’t have a flashy car or a big lifestyle.”

Jamie explains the business avoids unnecessary debt and carefully manages every expense.

“We get 12,000 litres of fuel delivered weekly and pay it the next day,” he says.

“I don’t believe in having outstanding accounts anywhere.”

The company also purchases truck tyres in bulk and brings tyre fitters on-site, while operating its own facilities.

“Everything’s done and controlled here. We’ve got our own land and our own warehouse,” Jamie adds.

“Keep the overheads low and pay as you go. If you can’t pay for it now, you shouldn’t buy it.”

That philosophy stems directly from the lessons he learned from his father during his early years in the transport industry.

“It came from the approach Dad always had in the tippers,” he says.

Today, that same work ethic continues to underpin the company’s success.

That success is also due to a good management team in place, with manager Ian Hodges; Jamie’s brother, David, (warehhousing); sister, Tania, (maintenance/registration schedules) and daughter Caitlyn as scheduler.

There’s also a very loyal team of 20 drivers, including long-term drivers Matt Seccombe (14 Years), Keith Beck (12 years), Alan Waugh and Trevor Parr-Smith (12 years), Tony Ciseau (8 years), Neil Melville and Stewart Brown (five years), as well as recently-retired Lennie Slade, from accounts (10 years).

“At 61, I’ve done the hard yards and got the yard and business to where it can run without me there all the time,” Jamie says.

His business success is also reflected in the company name. “I lived on acreage, Lot 88, so I went with that,” Jamie says.

JAE88 Trading is now a name synonymous in the transport sector for getting the job delivered.

“The business must be doing something right because I haven’t looked back since,” he says.

With the company’s growth and strong reputation, Jamie hasn’t needed to rely on traditional advertising.

“We don’t use advertising or business cards. All our trucks have ‘JAE88’ number plates on them.

“That’s enough. We’re well known in the industry, and we get plenty of work.”

For JAE88 Trading, it’s definitely a case of let the good times roll.