Viva Energy Australia paid tribute to key figures of Australia’s trucking industry at the 2024 Shell Rimula National Road Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs last month.
The event marks 24 years of partnership between the National Road Transport Hall of Fame and Shell Rimula, hosting more than 500 attendees to honour the achievements and lifelong service of select individuals within Australia’s road transport community.
This year, the event welcomed 51 inductees and two industry icons into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame, Gordon Martin and Sam Sali.
Gordon Martin founded in the Hunter Valley leading livestock carrier Martin’s Stock Haulage in 1958.
A loan from his sister provided the financial impetus to purchase his first truck. The operation now runs over 100 prime movers.
Martin was also a former Director of the Australian Truck Association.
Sali, who passed away in January, is considered a founding father of National Road Transport Association.
The son of Albanian immigrants who moved to Shepparton in 1937, Sali completed a motor mechanic apprenticeship before forming trucking company S Sali & Sons in 1956 with his brother.
Shell Rimula has recognised and celebrated over 1,700 distinguished members of the road transport community into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame.