This pint-size team belongs to truck owners and operators Nick and Lindy Annett, who operate out of Heywood, not far from the Victorian/South Australian border and about 20 minutes north of Portland.
Nick was born and bred in this town, and geographically it’s an excellent spot for their business. Equidistant from Melbourne and Adelaide, they are also on the edge of the Wimmera, which produces the bulk of the grain they cart.

Nick’s dad, Peter, has always owned Internationals, but on the very day I met up with them, Nick had taken him for a visit to the Kenworth factory. 1999 was the last time they had been there and Nick has taken note of the differences between then and now through the changes in the methods KW uses to put trucks together.

And why Kenworth? “Kenworth give us the most options which are helpful for our application, especially off-road,” explains Nick “You pay a premium price, but I believe it is value for money.”

Completing year 11, Nick decided to follow his dad’s advice, “Getting a trade is the right thing to do, boy!” So he ventured out and became a boilermaker, which is a handy skill to have when maintaining trailers.
He reckons he did the best thing ever after that by experiencing life in the driving seat for someone else. His time as a wage earner behind the wheel was enjoyable, and he hopes it has given him the edge on tolerance and understanding for the drivers who are now in his employ. So, the importance of keeping Cliff Jenkins and Dale Rogers happy by giving them some flexibility and being aware of family needs is high on Nick’s list of priorities.

Read Nick and Lindy Annett full story in the January issue of Truckin' Life