RISING THROUGH THE RANKS
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn” – Benjamin Franklin. It’s a pretty deep and philosophical way to start my first story of the new year. Bear with me though folks, I’m not just “Tell trying to impress you with inspiring quotes, there is method in my madness. This quote by Benjamin Franklin who, along with being known as one of the founding fathers of the country responsible for extremely long, low, cool trucks (the United States), he was also the inventor of swim fins and bifocals. None of that is really that important. The point of the quote is that it sums up the young man behind the wheel of the Fred’s Transport Kenworth T610 you see before you – James Hadley.
James has quite literally grown up on passenger seats here and abroad. He has been told, he has been taught but, most importantly, he has been involved in trucking his whole life, completing a 20-year apprenticeship and ending up with the keys to one of the most stunning Aussie-designed rigs on the road.
James’ story really does start well before he was even a glimmer in his old man’s eye. His father, Ben, who would be the catalyst and benchmark for James’ trucking passion, was born with diesel in his veins. He spent time behind the wheel of some legendary trucks for the likes of Iannelli’s Transport and Constantino’s. When James popped into the world, the family was based in Canberra where his dad was hauling refrigerated loads for Iannelli’s.
At a
