Queensland-based family business Russell Transport celebrated 100 years in commercial transport at a gala event in Brisbane last week.
Hosted at the Brisbane Powerhouse venue in the city’s New Farm suburb, the event was wholly dedicated to honouring the company’s success and development over the last century.
More than 200 people were in attendance including employees, suppliers and customers.
Drivers Wayne Marshall and Phil Thompson – who had worked with the operator for 37 years and 54 years, respectively – were highlighted for their service to the company.
Russell Transport Director of Support Services Julie Russell emphasised the importance of drivers like Marshall and Thompson who have been crucial to the longevity of the transport operation.
“The night was really about celebrating that we as a company have been here in the industry, through the good and the bad, the thick and the thin, the horse and cart all the way to the motorised vehicle,” she said.
“We wanted to recognise that we’ve done a big thing, and we haven’t done it alone. It’s not just about having a family line, but also many others, our employees, customers and suppliers, who have all made this possible.”
Emceed by Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) CEO Gary Mahon, many of the event’s presentations also explored how Australia’s commercial road transport landscape has changed.
Russell Transport displayed three of their iconic trucks from different generations of their operations — a restored 1926 Chevy, an International S-Line from the 1980s which has clocked over 1.4 million kilometres with the operator and a modern Kenworth K220.
According to Russell Transport Director Ken Russell, these tributes to the company’s past and the industry’s history gave the event a profound perspective.
“These presentations gave everyone the ability to actually understand how the industry would have worked at that time,” he said.
“These stories provided an enriched understanding of commercial road transport that night. I realised that everyone has their own story to tell, everyone has their time in the process, and they’re all equally important. That’s what it’s all about — enjoying that time while you have it.”
In addition to celebrating the 100-year milestone, the Russell siblings both took the event as an opportunity to ponder the future of their family’s operation.
Julie Russell used the company’s centenary to consider its position and size within the industry.
“I think we’re right in that middle ground of having a family business mindset with our operations, while also having a corporate mindset in terms of our technologies and IT systems,” said Julie Russell.
“I think internally, we’ll be continuing to balance that in the future.
“Externally, we’re in it for the long game. We’re focused on our vehicle migration five and 10 years down the line. We’re committed to figuring out what vehicles best fit with our contracts, our workflow, and how they deliver sustainability. We want to keep moving towards the next evolution, whatever that may be.”
Ken Russell said the business has been very good at offering a sound, reliable service that’s not all just chrome with bells and whistles.
“We don’t cut any corners, but we do it modestly,” he said.
“I honestly couldn’t tell you the future timeline of our business, but what I do know is we will continue to operate reliably.
“One recent event, the closure of Don Watson Transport, was really eye-opening.
“They always did the right thing by the industry, always tried to be safe and we have to admire them for that. Whatever happens in the future, we want Russell Transport to be known for its services like that.”
