Old School

Rhys Rutland is something of a man out of time. While serving the trucking sector with great success as a youthful newcomer, the work ethic he practices is born from what seem to be more traditional views of the industry.

These views on the world of trucking and those within it were largely shaped by Rhys’ upbringing.

Rhys, not unlike what was once more typical of the transport domain, hails from an operational pedigree: his father was an interstate truck driver while his great uncle once owned his own transport outfit in Bendigo, Victoria.

These figures lived and breathed their work around Rhys, instilling in him a deep respect and pride for the job that helped instill a steadfast commitment.

“My earliest memories of the transport industry are those of my father,” Rhys recalls.

“He drove for several years to support his kids and the family. I’d spend holidays with him in the truck, and it was in those moments that I saw how much effort the role truly required. It’s an entire lifestyle that does come at a cost.”

From that point, Rhys became attracted to trucks and keen to meet the challenges that come with operating them.

“Where I come from, there is real pride in being an operator and the hard work that comes with handling big machinery that is out there to support Australians around the country,” he says.

“My father taught me that working hard would give you a leg-up in life and that’s true to this day.”

Lessons were learned and soon turned into a relentless ambition.

After weighing up career paths he arrived at Josies Transport Group, a general freight specialist based in Lara, Victoria, where he worked as a driver.

A critical lesson in the merits of maintaining discipline was chief among the virtues he adopted, echoing wisdom passed down from his father.

Rhys honed his passion for the job into a strict schedule, which would allow him to uphold both his work responsibilities and his own personal commitments.

The devoted approach boosted performance. Confidence, too, while his hard work provided further opportunities for growth.

“I got a lot of confidence when receiving positive feedback from old school operators who were not too dissimilar to the guys I grew up around as a kid,” he says.

“The way I operated back then, and the way I operate now, align with what the industry requires.”

By the same token, when opportunities to learn and improve present themselves, Rhys draws on discipline to stay focused, learn and execute them accordingly.

“When things got hard and when I made mistakes, I doubled down on the work that had to be done to improve myself,” he says. “That’s how I got better.”

As a younger employee, something else became apparent: he was an anomaly among his peers. Everyone else was much older.

To Rhys, he diagnosed the demographic shortfall as a lack of resilience.

“I felt like so many of the younger people that came through the industry with me didn’t have the ability to take any negative feedback in a productive way, while they were all chasing positive feedback at the same time,” he reflects.

“It never allowed them to develop. On the other hand, I would challenge what I thought was wrong, but I took my shortcomings as chances to grow — embracing feedback as an opportunity.”

He adds, “That behaviour is so integral to being successful — being able to take something on the chin and be better because of it.”

Additionally, Rhys felt that his own reverence for the bygone era of the trucking world and its operators was out of place with those around him.

“I think back to the old-school operators I was around when I was a kid,” he recalls.

“Those guys knew how to pull a truck apart and put it back together again. People were interested and proud. But it’s not like that any more. Truck driving just seems like a means to an end to many younger people instead of a respected career.”

After a little over a year as a full-time driver at Josies Transport, Rhys was offered a Junior Fleet Controller position, supporting two senior allocators and making critical decisions for the business.

Two years in this position led Rhys to an opportunity at the end of 2021, where he became a Driver Personnel Manager.

This undertaking marked a pivotal shift in his career development.

“Taking this role came with a particular change in myself,” he recalls.

“As a full time manager, I started to see more in myself that others had already seen in me. I think I really became a leader in the work I was doing, and with that came a great sense of pride and responsibility to give back to the team at Josies Transport.”

At the time he was entrusted to become a senior figure in the fleet room, the business underwent major transitions including the completion of an acquisition, the construction of a new site and the industry-wide challenge of COVID-19. All of it a test.

Over seven months, Rhys worked tirelessly to secure operators, move unprecedented amounts of volume and procure the necessary resources for transport before being approached for the role of Transport Manager.

Two years in this position led to a one-year stint as the General Manager of Operations at the start of 2024. And in February of this year, Rhys was awarded the role of General Manager of Josies Transport — a demanding role which the 28-year-old has embraced.

The industry, according to Rhys, is in dire need of fresh blood.

“Although the transport industry has become quite challenging for the right reasons, such as its added legislation and mandatory regulatory requirements, the spirit behind it has been disappearing for quite some time,” he says.

“We need young drivers who love what they do and give it their all. There needs to be more rigour around the job.”

Pigeonholing drivers merely as applicants who have sat a one- to two-day course is part of a bigger issue according to Rhys.

“A truck driver needs to wholly commit to the role with a sense of pride, through formal industry training and education,” he says.

“From this, the industry will generate better quality operators and reduce public risk. We need this now more than ever as Australia’s need for trucks keeps growing.”

To the prospective next wave of young truck drivers coming through, Rhys offers some advice as someone not far into their own career.

“Anything that’s worthwhile is never easy,” he says.

“This perspective got me to where I am today and is necessary for success. Hard work and a tenacious attitude will shine above all else.”