152. Rod Pilon

Copy Southbound finally got a chance to sit with Scott McSweeney after months of trying to pin him down. With his dedicated wife Lisa by his side, they've turned their business into a family affair with a trucking company, mechanical and fabrication shop and, of course, their well-travelled All American Custom Chrome brand that has presence at almost every truck show around the country. Scott is loud and out there, no different to his trucks and branding but his transport history goes far beyond selling truck accessories. A great interview and we're grateful for Lisa keeping him grounded throughout the discussion!

In this series Bruce sits down with Joff van Ek - CEO of the National Rescue and Critical Care group (NRACC) which is a for purpose social enterprise aiming to empower rural communities to respond to rescue and medical incidents through research, education and response. National Rescue and Critical Care group (NRACC) www.nracc.com.au 

We have been trying to get this podcast recorded for almost 4 years now and in that time we have become great mates with Shane. His commitment to safety and the education of the industry as a whole is second to none, but Shane has his own story to tell too. We're absolutely thrilled that we were finally able to sit down with him. Enjoy!

We decided to get Meg on the mic to discuss some of the changes that have been happening in and around the Compliance world with the recently update HVNL, Accreditation, SMS and much more. Just the beginning of more episodes keeping you all updated with an everchanging landscape of safety and compliance in the Heavy Vehicle industry.

Every now and then we come across a story that has us captivated - And that's saying a lot because there are so many brilliant stories. Pete Schipp asked us to interview his Mum, Dad and Grandfather some time back and unfortunately his Grandfather passed away before we could get there. Thankfully, Allan and Therese were able to provide a brilliant photo history and stories that complemented both of their upbringings in transport and their own history together which is now in its third generation. A truly delightful couple and a remarkable conversation of days gone by.

We had a number of people ask us about interviewing John Morris so finally got out to Dubbo and looked him up. I wasn't sure what to expect as all I was told was that he was a highly regarded Insurance Broker - and it seemed a bit out of left field for the podcast. But as usual there was no disappointment in meeting this terrific man who, after spending years in the transport game, took his knowledge with him to become a leader in his field in heavy vehicle insurance and another success story in the industry.

We finally got to catch up with Rod Pilon of Dubbo to record the story of this well known Great Western Plains operator. He's old school and a genuine country bloke who wears his heart on his sleeve, helps out the industry, gives back to the community and does his best to promote safety culture. He also owns the fact that he's from an era of pushing the boundaries but acknowledges that those days are gone. A great chat with a terrific person.

When it comes to iconic and uniquely Australian, nothing comes remotely close to our own RFW. These locally designed and built masterpieces were the brainchild of Robert 'Bob' Whitehead and for around 30 years were manufactured in his Sydney workshop with a team of dedicated and at times, thick skinned employees. Bob had a reputation of being blunt and opinionated but his engineering and design skills far outweighed his tough persona. Copy Southbound are indebted to Australia's most renown truck historian Tony Petch for organising this recording at his home in Wilton NSW and especially for allowing us to copy his unique photograph collection. We also thank Ray Rodman, Allan Whiting and Rod Parker for giving up their time and joining us for this interview.

A special one for our 150th episode with the story of the amazing Joe Cassar. We always say how lucky we are to meet some of the nicest people doing Copy Southbound and Joe ticked that box. Extremely humble, respected and admired by so many of his peers, he's also known for his generosity and kindness, something that was evident from the first introduction. Many thanks to long time listener Michael Clarke for arranging this podcast with his mentor and friend.

Something different today as we spoke with Ian Smith, a long retired but well known man with a history in truck sales. He was selling in the golden era through the 70's with some well known clients, delivering some legendary vehicles. And of course, he's an absolute gentleman. Many thanks to truck historian Tony Petch for organising this at his house and for the information he provided to make this as special as it is.