NSW freight carrier, O’Connor Haulage, has closed its doors after more than two decades.
Founder Ashley O’Connor has seen sweeping changes during his nearly 50-years in the industry from over-regulation to trucks becoming too complicated to fix without computers.
The simple pleasures – the road, the country, and the people – have, however, stayed the same.
“I just loved driving – seeing the country, building up the fleet, and having good people around me,” said O’Connor.
“Over the years I’ve been fortunate to give a lot of drivers and their families a good living, and that’s what I’m most proud of.”
Having started out in the trucking industry in 1978 age 19, Ashley was raised around the trucks and heavy machinery his father Reg O’Connor owned and operated in the Goulburn region.
His first job was as a subcontractor for Ron Finemore Transport.
By 1996 he had gone out on his own and as business expansion dictated, O’Connor migrated to warmer climes in Sydney, the same year the city hosted the Olympics.
At its peak, the business boasted 42 trucks and 73 trailers.
The multi-million dollar fleet, including several late model Euro 6 prime movers, will go under the hammer later this month.
O’Connor admits stepping back won’t be easy.
He knows every truck in his fleet by heart – from kilometres to VIN numbers – and plans to keep one truck and trailer to restore and drive for fun.
“I’ll never stop loving trucks,” he said.
“I’ll tinker with one, bling it up, maybe do the odd run, but mostly I’ll spend more time with mates and go fishing with my brother down at Batemans Bay.”
The business was known for its loyal customer base and serviced all capital cities in Australia.
In an interview with Prime Mover, O’Connor had counted, among the company’s many milestones over the last 20 years, the awards from Fantastic Furniture including Outstanding Customer Service of the Year and Supply Chain Manager of the Year, as two of his fondest achievements.
