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54/ COMMUNITY NEWS 57/ CHANGING GEARS 59/ COMBATING SPEED
61/ MEMBER REWARDS 65/ PUZZLES 66/ REAR VIEW community
Winter checks
Vehicle manufacturers are extending service intervals, meaning more responsibility is passed on to drivers to ensure vehicle safety. While overheating isn’t a common occurrence during winter, the coolant concentrate level in your cooling system is important. Coolant contains anticorrosive and antifreeze properties, so it’s important to check your levels in both the coolant overflow bottle and the radiator itself. You should also check your battery. While it’s not possible to check the charge level of your car battery, you can check to make sure the terminals are clean and tight. If you’ve noticed some white crystalized build-up on your terminals, tipping some boiling hot water over them will dissolve this residue. To avoid a breakdown, stay on top of your vehicle maintenance. And in those unavoidable breakdown moments, our roadside assistance team is there for you.
P For more, visit ract.com.au
the latest.
RACT, a great place to work
With a combined tenure between them of 11 years, it’s fair to say that Nikki Percival and Katie Reynolds are loving life at RACT.
Retail Distribution Development Officer, Nikki, recently celebrated her five-year work anniversary with RACT. Since joining as a customer service consultant in our call centre, she has also spent some time at our Rosny branch and in our Roadside team, sending out jobs to our patrols.
Before joining us, Nikki worked for a car rental company at Hobart Airport and said she was looking for something Monday–Friday with set hours. Five years on, Nikki says she loves the environment she works in.
Marketing Coordinator, Katie, has moved across three different areas of the business since joining us six years ago. What started as a 10-week program led to multiple different roles where she’s been able to develop a range of skills and she says it’s the flexibility she loves most about the workplace.
“The best thing about working at RACT is I’ve done all my roles as a part-timer. When I first started, my little girl, Inara, was just two years old. So, I just worked two days a week. As she’s grown up and started in school, I’ve been able to increase my hours and days, flexibly, based on what suits my family.”
While working flexible hours is important, Katie says she also loves the professional development opportunities she’s had.
With hobbies in hiking, cooking and watching movies, Katie says she has a clear favourite staff benefit.
Looking to work somewhere flexible, with super staff benefits and a great workplace culture? RACT has a range of vacancies available. To find out more, head to ract.com.au/careers
YOUR BOARD Jenny Richardson
Vice-President RACT
to every Tasmanian. Listening to what you say and evolving to meet changing needs.
Your favourite place to holiday in Tasmania is… So many places. In the last two years I have stayed at Marrawah, Tullah, Poatina, Southport, Nicholls Rivulet, Cradle Mountain, St Helens, Bridport, Oatlands and Bothwell. Anything with good walking tracks, golf courses and beaches, I am there.
What do you love about our island… The seasons. No matter what the season, there is always something to do and somewhere to go. The blast of fresh air when you come out of the plane onto the tarmac is the best feeling, particularly in winter. Rosy cheeks, scarves, gloves and a smile.
If you could describe Tasmania in three words… Safe, exquisite, inviting.
What do you love most about being part of the RACT community… Being able to see how RACT makes a difference. I’ve had the opportunity to sit in with the call centre staff and truly understand just how important our services are when people are in real need, or when they want to have a chat and understand more about their options.
The best thing about being on the board is… Helping make decisions that will assist all Tasmanians. Using good governance principles, we are able to ensure that we meet our strategic objectives, remain solvent and implement new technologies, all of which improve the lives of Tasmanians. The board continues to grow and share our personal experiences with discussions that inform decisions.
Your first car was… Morris 1100. Pale green, four on the floor and a banana skin in the gearbox. Those were the days.
Something people may not know about you is… My nickname is Mary. Mary Poppins. I always have the solution in my handbag.
On the weekend we’d find you… Sometimes, on a drive down the peninsula way; my favourite gin distiller is there. Often playing golf, visiting friends, out fishing or just relaxing with a good series on TV.
You grew up in... I was born in Launceston and have lived my entire life in Tasmania. The best place for families, singles and couples. I have a lifetime of fabulous memories in this state and know that I have many more to collect.
Your biggest goal for RACT is… To remain relevant and accessible
You mostly use your RACT card at… United petrol and OPSM.
A letter from Tim
Hello, My name is Tim. I’m a roadside patrol for the RACT. During my time as a patrol I’ve seen a lot of dangerous driving behaviours and near-misses. Our members rarely have a choice of where they break down. As such, our roadside vehicles have little control of where we need to stop and provide a safe environment to assist them. These dangerous events frequently occur on highways where there’s either a narrow space or no shoulder to pull over on.
For me, there’s nothing more frightening and dangerous than a train of cars, buses and trucks travelling at 100km/h and above, just one metre or less from me and my van on the roadside.
The extension to the ‘See Red and Blue, Know What to Do’ legislation is a fantastic safety initiative for not only me and my colleagues, but for you and your loved ones we’re assisting on the side of the road.
Just like you, I want to be able to do my job and return home safely. So please do me a favour: if you see flashing lights, that is where I’m working. Please slow down safely, not to have a look, but to create a safer place for me to perform my job.
As road users, you have the choice to be alert, look ahead and safely slow down. It’s the law. – Tim
It’s time for a spring reset
As we hunker down indoors during the cooler months, we can be a little guilty of letting home maintenance fall to the wayside. But as spring nears it’s time to shake off the winter blues and ensure your home is in tip-top shape again. We call it a spring reset. Here’s a handy checklist of what may need some TLC.
Check and clean out your gutters. Blocked gutters can lead to internal and external water damage.
Assess bigger trees on your property. If a tree is unhealthy or showing signs of being unsafe (shifted, dropping large branches, or showing cracks) your home may be at risk of it falling.
Spring in Tassie can get windy. Ensure you secure outdoor furniture, play equipment and BBQs so they don’t cause damage to your home.
After a frosty winter, clean your heat pump filters to optimise efficiency. No matter the time of year, it’s always a good idea to check your smoke detectors are working correctly and have fresh batteries. Tasmania Fire Service recommend monthly checks.
Storm water drains can often get blocked by loose leaves and cause flooding around your home if not cleared. Check to ensure water is not overflowing when it rains.
Thinking of moving furniture around the home to give it a fresh look? Then be sure your accidental damage cover* is up to date to avoid any large bills that may be caused in the process.
During your spring shuffle avoid placing furniture close to heaters.
Be prepared Protect your home with a home and contents insurance package that suits you. For more, visit ract.com.au
