INDUSTRY LEADERS
Industry leader: Corrina Riley TRAILER MAGAZINE SAT DOWN WITH CORRINA RILEY, WHO DRIVES FOR HERNES FREIGHT SERVICES BRISBANE, TO DISCOVER MORE ABOUT HER ROAD TRANSPORT JOURNEY. What first drew you to the commercial
– whatever the day brings. I finish work
also having the opportunity to meet
road transport industry?
about 4.30pm, pick up my son and we get
people. I’m a people person so being able
My ex-husband. We met in 2004 and for
home around 6pm.
to travel to different places and meet a lot
the next five years I was with him almost
of people along the way is amazing. Also,
all of the time in his truck. I’ve always loved
What has been a highlight of your
I haven’t come across anyone who’s said
trucks and all things machinery and this
career so far?
anything negative to me due to the fact
gave me the opportunity to learn from a
Getting my MC licence last year which
that I’m a female working in a traditionally
trucking professional.
my Dad graciously insisted on paying for.
male-dominated industry.
Prior to that I was driving a rigid truck with What does a standard day for you look like?
a landscaping company. Having my MC
What do you think could be improved?
licence enabled me, after much persistence,
I think the industry would benefit from
I get up about 5am and help my 10-year-
to land my dream job that I have a real
having more women drivers because
old son get ready for school. We leave
passion for – driving the big trucks.
it’s widely recognised that women, on
home at 5.50 and I take him to before-
average, look after the equipment better
school care. I get to work at Hernes Freight
What is the best thing about the
due to our gentler approach. The industry
Service Brisbane at 6.30am ready to drive a
transport industry?
needs to embrace this and give more
semi-trailer, B-double, rigid truck or forklift
I love being out on my own driving and
women the opportunity to show how well we can do the work. What do female-driven events in commercial road transport mean to you? These events are doing a great job of promoting the role of women in the trucking industry. Particularly women who have been subjected to difficult situations like domestic violence. The events put on by organisations like Women in Trucking Australia give women the support they need to help them achieve their goals. How can people and companies in the transport industry better promote it as a career choice for women? They can promote this better by acknowledging and advertising the fact that women can handle the big equipment just as well as men. The size of the equipment doesn’t equate to either a male only or female only industry. Until Hernes gave me a go after I kept calling them every week, I found it really hard to get a job without having previous experience in a paid MC role. But I didn’t give up and my
Corrina Riley.
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Trailer Magazine AUGUST 20
persistence was rewarded.
