INDUSTRY ICON
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A man of many talents BOB MARTIN IS THE NATIONAL TRAINING MANAGER AT JOST AUSTRALIA. HE HAS BEEN EMPLOYED BY JOST SINCE 2001, HAVING SERVED AS THE COMPANY’S BRISBANE BRANCH MANAGER FOR 18 YEARS AND THEN IN 2019 MOVING INTO THE NEWLY FORMED NATIONAL TRAINING MANAGER ROLE. QLD, NT and PNG. In the last 12 months, I returned to TAFE studies part time and graduated with a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.” In 2004, Bob was invited to join the Commercial Vehicle Industry Association of Queensland (CVIAQ) Board of Directors, going on to serve as Vice President for two years, under the watchful eye of Rob Brown, and then President for six years presiding over three Brisbane Truck Shows. Bob oversaw the transition of the CVIAQ to a national association, the HVIA, where Bob served as the first HVIA President. As for the biggest changes or developments he’s seen, Bob cites the introduction of B-doubles and Performance-Based Standards (PBS) designs as providing huge efficiency gains for operators. More specifically on JOST components, Bob says the basic design of the fifth wheel has changed very little over the last 30-40 years, with the main advances seen in the introduction of sensor technology to alert the driver of a mis-couple. Bob Martin left school at the age of
“That’s when I started making enquiries about becoming a TAFE teacher.
Bob has great admiration for many in the
motor mechanic.
Bob secured a position as a TAFE tutor in
has been fortunate to learn.
“I served my time at a small country
1992 and subsequently gained entry into
“I do owe a debt of gratitude to David
garage and worked on a wide variety of
Griffith University as a mature age student,
Sinclair, formerly of BPW Transpec, who saw
equipment, from cars and light commercials
something in me and gave me a start in the
to rigid trucks, tractors and earthmoving
graduating with a bachelor’s degree in adult and vocational teaching in 1995.
equipment,” Bob says. “After completing
“In the mid ‘90s the TAFE system in
“I also admire family-owned companies that
my apprenticeship, I spent a number of years
Queensland was poorly funded, so when I
have prospered and grown into very successful
working in new car dealerships in Brisbane.”
heard about a technical sales role at BPW
The year 1989 marked Bob’s first foray
Transpec in 1995 I successfully applied and
enterprises. There are often very interesting stories behind their humble beginnings.”
into the heavy commercial vehicle industry,
worked there for six years, during which time
when he secured a position as a truck driver/
I continued with my studies and obtained a
mechanic, operating a rigid tipper towing a
Diploma of Management,” Bob says. “Then a
Industry Icon
three-axle dog trailer.
position came up with JOST Australia, as the
Made possible by Smedley’s Engineers.
“I found myself off work for three
Brisbane Branch Manager, so I applied and
Industry Icon is a series dedicated to
months due to a work injury and was
was successful and started working at JOST
honouring the unsung heroes of the
forced to look at other job avenues in a
in 2001. I was responsible for running the
commercial road transport industry.
bid to return to the workforce,” he says.
branch and maintaining product sales across
15 and secured an apprenticeship as a
56
Trailer Magazine OCTOBER 20
industry, in particular those from whom he
heavy commercial vehicle industry,” Bob says.
