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00:00Music
00:23This week on Rides Down Under, Aussie Truckers, it's all about the ladies.
00:28That's right, you can take a break this week, it's all about the ladies.
00:31We meet Nicole, who heads up the Diesel Doctor business.
00:34This lady can do it all, metal fabrication, welder.
00:38Oh, and did I mention, she's a pole dancer too.
00:41The SAR, chassis and cab get a lick of paint in Don, my dad's favourite colour, red.
00:48We meet Shannon, who heads up the TCB operations and assists Don in running the show.
00:53But first up, we meet Tanya Bodzik, CFMEU shop steward and mother of three boys,
00:59and safety officer on one of Melbourne's biggest building sites.
01:13How I got into the building industry all began back in 2016, probably towards the end of 2015.
01:20I became a newly single mum, three little boys.
01:24Pretty sure the twins would have been about four.
01:26Older son would have been five.
01:28Starting prep, that was probably the hardest thing I've probably ever had to have gone through.
01:34So at that point of time in my life, I hadn't worked for seven years.
01:38Obviously I was a stay-at-home mum, so it was very difficult for me to get back into the workforce.
01:45Clearly I needed to get a job and provide for my three boys.
01:48So my brother is currently in the industry and he got me a kickstart into construction cleaning,
01:54so which is high-rise cleaning.
01:56Had no idea what it involved, what I was doing, let alone really being surrounded by so many people.
02:02I'd been quite isolated for so many years.
02:05Women on building sites can do any job they want, and there's no barrier to any of those jobs on site.
02:11And in fact, we encourage women to take part in all facets of the building game.
02:16Tanya's a great example for any woman who wants to come onto a building site.
02:20Sure, it's daunting, but once you get in there and you prove your bona fides that you're a genuine person,
02:26and, you know, you'll go well.
02:28And she's a perfect example of that.
02:30Someone who turns up, has a go, does a job, you know, universally liked.
02:36I remember the first day was pretty intimidating, seeing so many people.
02:42Obviously it was more males back then.
02:45It took a while for me to overcome that feeling of intimidation.
02:50As time went on and progressed, you know, you got to meet many different people on site,
02:56gain a lot of new friends.
02:58Yeah, just progressed from there and probably spent a fair few years cleaning
03:02until I realised that I don't just want to clean anymore.
03:05You know, there was a lot of things that I'd seen on site that wasn't brought up,
03:09that wasn't, you know, no-one had the voice to speak up about.
03:11And I'm quite a protective person.
03:14I do speak my mind if something's not right.
03:17And I just realised that that's not what I want to be.
03:20I want more out of what I was doing.
03:23We've got lots of opportunities.
03:24We've got lots of women that have changed their lives
03:26coming into the industry, for example,
03:28where they didn't know the segue of how to get into it.
03:30And, you know, you've got someone like Tanya
03:32who's a single mother of three children and all that.
03:34I mean, she's fantastic.
03:36She looks after the members.
03:37She represents them.
03:38She's a fantastic story.
03:39We've got lots of women like Tanya there, you know,
03:41who love the building industry.
03:43And we've come a long way.
03:45Like, we've got this reputation as a Neanderthal industry.
03:48And I've seen on the news they were talking about,
03:50banging on about inequality in the workplace,
03:52how women get paid less than men.
03:54Well, that's not the case in the building industry.
03:55We're one of the few industries where you get paid
03:58exactly the same as the man.
03:59There is no, you know, everyone's treated equally.
04:01You know, I've got a daughter who,
04:03if she ever one day ends up in the building industry,
04:05my job at the moment and the path that we've set is,
04:08she will have no obstacles in her way.
04:10She can do the same as my two sons can.
04:12You know, one of them's already in the industry,
04:14but if the other one ends up in it,
04:15she'll have the same opportunities as them.
04:17And that's what we're doing.
04:18We're opening it up for them to have the same opportunities.
04:21They are good workers.
04:23They're a valuable asset to us.
04:25They are union through and through.
04:27And they are loyal.
04:28And I think it's refreshing to see so many women
04:30and the way it's going.
04:31We've got three female organisers here,
04:33and they do a fantastic job.
04:35Some have had some of the biggest battles of all time
04:37and won every one of them.
04:39They're very efficient.
04:40I go, Jesus, if I ever piss you off,
04:42please give me a heads up.
04:45Having more females in the workplace
04:47has definitely progressed over the years.
04:50When I did first start clean,
04:51there was women that I was working with,
04:54mostly women, more than male in the cleaning industry.
04:58So having more females on site definitely was a bonus,
05:01especially when I started
05:03because you obviously felt more comfortable.
05:05But, yeah, from 2016 to now,
05:08there is a lot more women
05:09and it's fantastic seeing more women on site.
05:11I think as the industry progresses
05:14with having more women on site,
05:16everything just becomes equal.
05:18Like, you know, the industry sees more women on site
05:22and you just become treated as an equal on site.
05:26The girls now are doing rigging, dogging.
05:29They're going for it.
05:30Seeing more women in trades is what I would love to see.
05:33I wish that when I first started in the industry,
05:36I didn't know about getting into any other trade.
05:38I just needed a job.
05:39I didn't know what it involved
05:40or didn't know about becoming a chippy or a plumber
05:43or a sparky, you know,
05:46so I had no idea about what else I could get into
05:49because I didn't know what I liked.
05:51So there's a lot more women doing different roles now
05:54and I think if I could go back in time
05:57from when I first started
05:59and I'd known what was out there,
06:01I definitely would have done a trade.
06:03So I think that it's important for more women
06:06to get into a trade
06:07and have something to back them,
06:09have something behind them.
06:10Girls can do anything that guys can do.
06:13You put your mind to it.
06:14If you like something,
06:15I believe you just go for it.
06:17I first started as cleaning,
06:26then I got onto labouring.
06:27So once I was made redundant through COVID,
06:29it was a difficult time for everyone,
06:31I became a labourer.
06:32And labouring involved using hand tools, drills,
06:38saws, everything.
06:39It was all different sorts of things.
06:42I was shoveling concrete,
06:44I was raking asphalt,
06:46doing anything that I possibly could do.
06:48I felt that I had to prove that I was a hard worker
06:51to be where I am today.
06:53You did feel like you had to prove more
06:56because you were a woman.
06:57And some of the time you felt like,
07:01you know,
07:02you weren't treated as well as you,
07:04you know,
07:05that people would think that you can't do that role
07:07until you can prove them wrong.
07:09And like I said before,
07:10I became, you know,
07:11I was using all the,
07:12all the power tools and things like that.
07:14And I've learnt all that myself.
07:16And I love that.
07:17I felt,
07:18I just felt like I gained that confidence
07:20by doing all those things
07:22and learning all these things.
07:23You know,
07:24the building industry,
07:25it's an endless choices
07:26that you can choose to do,
07:27anything that you want to do
07:28if you put your mind to it.
07:29My last builder that I worked for,
07:31I was nominated
07:32Trader Lady of the Year,
07:33Australia Wide,
07:34which is,
07:35that was like winning bloody a,
07:37a Globie award.
07:39Didn't expect to win or anything,
07:40but just to be nominated by my peers
07:42and to be recognised as a woman
07:44in the building industry,
07:46was,
07:47I'd won already.
07:48So it was,
07:49it was a great experience.
07:51Most definitely anyone can do it.
07:52And if, you know,
07:53the young women are watching,
07:54watching me today
07:55and, you know,
07:56watching this video,
07:57you can do anything you put your mind,
07:59you can do it.
08:00I mean,
08:01I thought that I wouldn't be able to do it,
08:02having,
08:03being a single mum,
08:04having three boys,
08:05working all these hours.
08:06But if you really want something in life
08:08and you're passionate about something,
08:10you can go for it
08:11and, you know,
08:12there's nothing stopping you.
08:13coming up,
08:27we catch up with Nicole,
08:28manager,
08:29welder and fabricator
08:30from Diesel Doctor.
08:31Did I mention,
08:32she's into pole dancing for fitness.
08:34We have some great merchandise here.
08:44In fact,
08:45it's trucking good.
08:46See what I did there?
08:47Yeah,
08:48it's pretty smart.
08:49We have t-shirts,
08:50we have hoodies,
08:51we have bar mats,
08:52caps,
08:53special trucks were built over the years.
08:55I noticed that you've also got the Italian themed one,
08:57showcasing your heritage.
08:59How cool is that?
09:00I absolutely love it.
09:01Plus,
09:02like you said,
09:03every size possible
09:04and I like an oversized hoodie
09:06and I was lucky enough for Don to actually give me one.
09:09Did I?
09:20My dad had three girls
09:21and I think I was his tomboy.
09:24My first recollection of really building something was
09:27when I helped dad put together a whole bunch of fluoro lights
09:30for a pub
09:32and it was just very repetitive,
09:34very starting from scratch
09:36and making every component
09:38and then doing the installation
09:40and it was something a little bit different
09:42but I just loved it.
09:43Dad and I were both probably a little bit crazy.
09:47We tend to sort of push things,
09:51push boundaries pretty hard
09:53but I think we have fun.
09:54We do what we love to do
09:56and I've definitely taken that from my father
09:59and I'm always learning new things,
10:00always trying new things.
10:02So, Dad passed away 22 years ago
10:06and I really hope that he watches me
10:08and he's just like,
10:09that's my girl.
10:10I have been very lucky to have some very influential men in my life
10:16and very supportive men in my life
10:18and I did once remember saying,
10:21I never want to be a truck driver
10:23and the more and more I was in trucks
10:25and around large machinery,
10:27the more and more I wanted to do it.
10:29So, I got given the opportunity from my ex-partner
10:32and he really encouraged me
10:34and he helped me to grow
10:36and yeah, that's sort of how
10:38my love for the things bigger started
10:41and I suppose for me
10:42it was that element of,
10:43it was really scary.
10:45These things were big
10:46and they were dangerous
10:47and you hold a lot of responsibility
10:50when you're operating or driving them
10:52and when you achieve a big day
10:54and you, you know, did great things,
10:57it just made you feel good.
11:04I've got a lot of things that I do in my life.
11:07So, I do have a little farm
11:09where I run sort of 20, 22 head of cattle.
11:13I breed Black Angus.
11:15I also have a couple of horses and some goats.
11:18It was one of those things where
11:20I needed to know.
11:22I just needed to know
11:23and so I thought the only way
11:24you're going to learn is by doing
11:25and that's where I go with everything in life.
11:28I need to know.
11:29I'll just do it.
11:33A couple of years ago,
11:34I got given a 1.7 tonne excavator bucket
11:36and I wanted to turn it into a letterbox
11:39and the only way I could do that
11:41was by welding it
11:43and I didn't know how to weld.
11:44So, probably about three years ago now
11:47and so I thought I'll pick up a welder
11:49and I'll just give it a crack
11:51and they said no.
11:52Someone said to me,
11:53don't MIG weld,
11:54go and learn how to TIG weld
11:56because once you MIG weld,
11:57you'll never TIG.
11:58And so, I spent the last two years TIG welding
12:01and only picked up a MIG welder
12:03sort of seven or eight months ago.
12:05So, yeah, it's sort of been that progress.
12:07I still haven't made my letterbox.
12:09So, I had been driving trucks
12:13for about three years
12:15and I'd got to that stage where my mind was active
12:19but I wasn't learning anything
12:20and I had that skill of welding in my back pocket
12:25and the opportunity came up here at TCB.
12:28So, I couldn't think of a better combination
12:32of me being a truck driver
12:34and also then now having to, you know,
12:37put the pretty shiny stuff on the trucks
12:39but with the knowledge of trucks in the background as well.
12:42I like to tell Don to get out of my shop
12:44when he comes in
12:45only because mostly it's his trucks that are in here.
12:48We have a list of stuff for me to do
12:51and every time he comes in
12:53that list gets longer and longer and longer.
12:55I've thrown all the texters away
12:57and I hope that, you know,
12:58one day he'll just walk in
12:59and go good job and walk out.
13:01But no, he's good fun.
13:03He's very supportive.
13:05He definitely invests in the shop.
13:08He invests in me
13:09and I just, I feel really,
13:11I'm very happy working here.
13:13Maria is adorable.
13:16I have a really good relationship with Maria.
13:19Don and Maria, the combination of the two,
13:21they make working here a lot of fun.
13:23Maria said to me a little while ago,
13:26she said,
13:27I just want this to be a place
13:29where people want to be
13:31and I want to make it that,
13:33that's the environment I want to create for my employees.
13:36And when she said that to me,
13:37my respect for her
13:39and for this company grew a lot.
13:41But it wasn't just that she said it,
13:43it's that there's actions
13:45and there's processes
13:48that are all aligning with what she said.
13:51Yes, I have four beautiful kids.
13:55I have a 20 year old,
13:5719 year old,
13:5815 year old,
13:5914 year old.
14:00They are very self efficient,
14:02which I am very grateful for.
14:05So it's,
14:06but it is hard because I do spend 10 hours here a day,
14:09most days.
14:10So, but we manage,
14:11we manage at home
14:12and we also manage to spend time together.
14:15We do lots of sports together.
14:16Yeah.
14:17It's just,
14:18sometimes I feel like I'm doing the wrong thing,
14:21but ultimately my job is to be their mother
14:24and I can't be their mother unless I can provide for them.
14:27And I feel like if I'm doing what I love
14:29while I provide for them,
14:30it's a win win.
14:34I believe that,
14:35you know,
14:36in order to do any job effectively,
14:37you've got to maintain your health.
14:39Health and fitness has always meant a lot to me.
14:42I eat well.
14:43I run two,
14:44three times a week over summer.
14:46It's even more.
14:47I'm also a dancer.
14:49So I do pole fitness and I do hoops or a lira.
14:53So yeah,
14:54I'm very active in terms of keeping strong and fit and agile
14:59because I do have to get in and around and under that truck.
15:02So when you come to pole divas or think about it,
15:05I think one of my most commonly asked questions is,
15:08I just need to get strong or fit before I start.
15:11But I always say the hardest thing is opening the front door
15:14because once you get in here,
15:15everything's quite easy from there.
15:17Yeah.
15:18So it's fitness in a fun way.
15:19We have fun lights,
15:21cool music.
15:22So you almost feel like you're entering this nightclub environment
15:25to have to do your exercise class.
15:28I always get alerted of some people that the girls really gel to straight away.
15:33And I'd heard all about Nicole through her vibrant personality
15:37and a vibe that she brings to the studio and including everyone immediately.
15:44I feel like things just work out for me.
15:46And I feel like this future, the future here and at TCB,
15:51it's only going to get bigger and better.
15:53And I'm excited about it because Don's excited about it
15:57and he's investing in it, continuously investing in it.
16:00And the stuff that we are now producing is, you know,
16:05it's first off, first kind.
16:07We've done stuff that I've never seen before,
16:09which, you know, maybe it has been done,
16:11but it's new to me and it looks good.
16:13So I'm hoping that we'll be able to replicate stuff
16:16and open up a store and there are plans for all kinds of things.
16:30Next up, TCB operates 24-7, 365 days a year.
16:34We catch up with Shannon, Operations Manager,
16:37as a last-minute, urgent delivery comes in.
16:47Can you imagine winning the bike of your dreams?
16:49Cam from SNAZ, we love giving away dirt bikes and motorsport gear.
16:53So go to snaz.com.au or scan the QR code in the corner of the screen
16:57and check out some of our crazy, crazy giveaways.
17:07My role here at TCB is Operations Manager.
17:22Essentially, I run all the daily bookings for both local and interstate jobs.
17:27They're travelling 24-7 here, so essentially, you know,
17:30I could get a call at any time of the day,
17:32very early in the morning, very late at night.
17:34We find out what the job is, where it's going,
17:38what trailer they might need,
17:40and essentially it's just trying to manage what equipment we have,
17:43what drivers we have available and where we can send them out.
17:46So, for example, if I've got a customer calls,
17:49they've got some concrete panels, we look at the sizing,
17:52we suit a trailer with an available frame,
17:55we get them to go load, we get them to go out,
17:57we manage them via tracking
17:59and essentially phone calls throughout the day.
18:01We've got live tracking in all of our trucks,
18:03so at any point of the day I can see where they are,
18:06where they're travelling.
18:07If I see that they're maybe not where they're supposed to be
18:10or there's dramas, I can give them a call,
18:12find out if there's issues with trucks or issues on site.
18:15My phone's always on all day long.
18:17I get many phone calls,
18:19so it's just sort of managing it as it comes.
18:21Hey, Bobby, how you going?
18:23Good, mate.
18:24Can you give me Cassie's phone number, mate?
18:26This truck's running hot.
18:27You're up in Donnybrook.
18:29Yep.
18:30I checked all the coolant
18:32and I've done all the oil and everything this morning.
18:34Yep.
18:35I've done everything I can,
18:36but right now I've got it over and over
18:38and it's only sitting up on about 100,
18:40where it's supposed to sit.
18:41But when I'm driving,
18:42the minute I put the accelerator up a hill,
18:44it just goes straight into the red.
18:46Yeah, okay.
18:47All right, he's in the workshop at the moment,
18:48so he should answer.
18:49Okay, thanks, Luke.
18:50All right, thanks.
18:51Some common issues that can happen on site
18:53or throughout the day in general,
18:55you get broken down trucks,
18:57major, minor issues,
18:58might need a call out from our mechanic
19:00or sometimes the drivers just can fix it themselves
19:03and if you walk them through it,
19:04could be tyre punctures on the trailers
19:07or the trucks themselves.
19:08Sites could be flooded
19:09or when you get bad weather with the wind and rain,
19:12they can just get called off
19:13depending on who's managing it.
19:16So, Maria is a wonderful boss and person.
19:20She looks after all of the accounts, HR,
19:24so whenever there's conflict between drivers
19:26and, you know,
19:27it's not something that I can particularly deal with myself
19:29if they get a bit too heated
19:30or there's issues like that,
19:32she's very good at just dissolving those problems.
19:35But both Don and Maria are wonderful people,
19:37great to work with
19:38and, you know,
19:39I wouldn't really be anywhere else.
19:40They're great here.
19:46Don is a very proud man when it comes to his business.
19:49He definitely advertises it very well
19:51in the state of his trucks.
19:53You know, he goes all out with his lights
19:55and the bling and the stainless.
19:57All of our drivers take care of their trucks very well
19:59and I think it really shows
20:01because the amount of calls we get to go,
20:04look, I saw your truck on the road,
20:05it looks unreal.
20:06And, you know,
20:07I think that speaks a lot of volume for TCB
20:09and Don and itself.
20:10When it comes to making our trucks
20:13and blinging them out,
20:14we've got Nicole down in Diesel Doctor
20:15and I think it's absolutely fabulous
20:17having another girl in there,
20:18you know, girl power.
20:19She does a fabulous job
20:20and she's so enthusiastic about it,
20:22she's so talented
20:23and I think having, you know,
20:24that woman on the force is just awesome
20:26and she's so proud of what she does
20:28and gets so excited
20:29and, you know,
20:30she'll call me down to come look at certain aspects
20:32of new trucks
20:33and it's just unreal to see the work
20:35that she can physically do.
20:37I mean, it's very different to what I do here
20:39in the office
20:40and it's awesome to see it come to life
20:42from her little ideas.
20:43I've got a brand new T360,
20:56beautiful beast of a truck.
20:58I'm very excited to have my way with it.
21:01Don comes in, he's got a big list
21:03and sometimes he knows what he wants
21:05and sometimes he's undecided
21:07but we walk around the truck
21:08and he just comes up with ideas as he goes along
21:11and so far we've got a little list
21:14of things that he wants done to it.
21:17I need to hide the texture
21:18because he keeps coming in
21:20and he keeps adding to it
21:22but it's all good fun
21:23and it's going to look great once it's done.
21:25So it is a brand new truck
21:35and obviously working with stainless steel
21:37we're going to try and add a little bit
21:39of shiny elements to it.
21:41So it'll be a lot of tank skirts,
21:43we've got lots of lights going in,
21:45we've got grill designs.
21:48It's all very custom made,
21:49some new toolboxes, some step lights,
21:52you know, all of that stuff.
21:55Yeah, it gets the pinstriping done,
21:57it really complements the stainless steel
21:59but it also makes all the trucks
22:01look like they all belong to the same people
22:03so yeah, it works well.
22:15I try to keep Don on a budget
22:17but that doesn't always work
22:19so at the moment I'm just purchasing some of the stuff
22:21and we're planning some stuff at the moment
22:23but I think the first thing that we're going to try
22:25and get done will be the tank skirts.
22:27They are pretty simple and straightforward,
22:29easy to get on and they have a big impact
22:31so at least that way then Don feels like
22:33there's lots of work getting done on his truck
22:35which there is but I've got a lot of trailer repairs to do
22:39so I'm out there welding up some toolboxes on the bottom of trailers.
22:45We're fortunate enough that we can make a lot of our own things in terms of
22:59we make our own brackets and supports for stuff that we use on the trucks
23:03but there are a few things that we do need to buy in
23:06and there can be in excess of two or three weeks' wait.
23:10Certain things like the reverse camera,
23:12finding labour and people to come in and install that,
23:15it takes time.
23:16So we want to get this done as soon as possible
23:19because obviously the truck needs to be out earning money.
23:23I'm used to Don changing his mind
23:25and to be fair it makes me excited as well.
23:29I think I'm just as bad as him sometimes.
23:31I come up with ideas and I'm like
23:33well I just want to make that work.
23:35How do we make this work?
23:36But Don's ideas give me ideas
23:39and it makes me want to be here even more.
23:59Up next we see Don's new truck build which is named Increase the Pressure
24:03and the pressure is on Lou to do a perfect job as the SAR hits the spray booth.
24:13Hi, I'm Colin.
24:14If you're looking for tyres, mechanical service or just general advice
24:17come on down to Moonee Pons Tyres.
24:19We offer a full range of servicing from tyres to brakes
24:22to all sorts of general mechanical repairs.
24:25Every vehicle will get an inspection to make sure the vehicle is safe.
24:28In terms of tyres we do a large range of tyres from the smallest lawnmower tyre
24:32right the way up to the largest earthmover tyre.
24:35We do wheel limits, we do batteries.
24:37Any time you need any tyres just come and see us.
24:39So it's morning we're at Gleeson Cranes, the SAR's here to get a makeover paint job.
24:48So, gonna start painting the chassis, they're still preparing, run a little bit behind but we'll get there.
24:55So this SAR we bought at an auction.
24:57I always had the vision of this truck to do it a full makeover, go to full resto.
25:01So, a couple of ideas in my head.
25:02So when I saw it I thought that's the one.
25:03So we bought it, purchased it, brought it back to Danganong, stripped it.
25:07Now it's at the stage of painting.
25:08So hopefully we'll get it out of here and start putting everything together.
25:10So this truck here we thought would do a couple of things different.
25:27So this truck here we thought would do a couple of things different.
25:32So I've got a lot of parts coming from the US which will arrive soon.
25:35And, you know, different things like bubble bars that have rams on it, airbag front end.
25:41Just, I don't want to give away too much at the moment but it'll be a little bit different.
25:46Gleesons has been operating in Australia for over 50 years.
25:49They sell quality cranes at an affordable price.
25:52They're the certified dealer of Zoom Lion.
25:54Gleesons started the machinery painting side of things because they found it hard to get cranes painted over this side of the city.
26:00Not many people have the kind of booth that we have, big truck booth.
26:04And truck places don't really do them.
26:06They've got all their trucks they've got to worry about.
26:08So we've decided to use machinery painting and anything that's a machine we can paint.
26:14From forklifts to scissor lifts to your big 150 ton crane.
26:19So today we're focusing on getting the chassis ready to paint.
26:22So we mask off the airbags because they're rubber and the paint will just come off that.
26:26And where the wheel nuts go because if the paint gets in there it might play with the strengthening of the wheel nut.
26:32Obviously mask off the cabin and then mask off anything that doesn't need to be painted.
26:36So everything can go back together perfectly.
26:38For this particular one we're doing a base coat.
26:40So we'll cover the whole thing with the base, the base red.
26:43And then once that's all nice and done we'll use the clear to let it all pop up and shine.
26:49And that takes care of most of the paint work.
26:51Getting the colour on is easy but getting the clear coat that's the tricky part.
26:55Luckily we know what we're doing.
26:57For a bloke like Donnie and the company he has we've got to make sure that everything is perfect.
27:01Because he's got a name to uphold and we want to make sure that he doesn't get discredited for something that looks crappy in a way.
27:10So we've got to make it look perfect and do everything in our power to make it schmick.
27:16With the chassis we've got here there's all the hoses, all the lines underneath and make sure you're getting everywhere.
27:23It's going to take probably about four and a half hours to paint that chassis by myself.
27:28Getting in all the weird spots that you can't really get to.
27:31It's a very fine art in a way.
27:33For Donnie, I'd love to help out a bloke like that with such a massive company.
27:37TCB, you know, we take care of business.
27:39I want to get this done for him and hopefully Lou will be back to paint the cab.
27:43If not, it'll probably be up to me again so I'll have to pull up my A game again.
27:48We've pulled Don's SAR apart, taken all the accessories off, all the hardware that doesn't get painted.
28:02We've done some repairs, got it all in primer, rubbed all the primer and we're just about ready to put some colour on it.
28:09We've gone clear over base. Once it's all primed and rubbed we lay the colour on and then we put the clear coat over the top which gives its gloss and hopefully it'll look a million dollars like Don's fleet.
28:28We put four coats of colour and we put about three coats of clear on it.
28:32It'll last as long as Don looks after it.
28:35I actually, yeah, I'm a classic car guy but I actually started my apprenticeship on trucks.
28:39I've done 10 years of it before I went into the cars.
28:42I just love doing them, striping and all that.
28:46It is a bit of a challenge getting around them but with all the scaffoldings and that we're pretty right.
28:52The truck has come up a million dollars. Don will be wrapped when he sees it.
28:57And he'll be itching to get it on the road.
29:05Coming up, we take delivery on the Kenworth T360 from Hallam Truck Centre.
29:09Of course, Don has big plans for this new addition to the Selection Steel fleet.
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30:11Our staff are trade qualified and can provide you with the right advice.
30:15When you purchase a machine from Hare and Forbes Machinery House, it's not just a sale, it's a partnership.
30:21So, currently I have a T360. It's one of Don's new trucks that he's got.
30:47We've got a lot of things to do on it. When it's finished, it's going to be a head turner.
30:52I'm very excited to sort of see that end product. I'm more excited to be a part of this process.
30:58Starting from the back of the truck, I've put some lighting in behind the TCB
31:02because obviously Don loves lights. I think lights make a truck shine.
31:07So, we've got a little bit of lighting going in.
31:10So, at the very end of the process of putting these covers on the back of this bar,
31:14we've done our welding, we've installed our lights.
31:18Jake, you want to come and give me a hand?
31:21We'll do the nuts up just so that the button's at the bottom.
31:27Don is so particular about what he wants on these trucks.
31:30I have a lot of templates so I can understand and get into his mind
31:34what it is that he wants exactly so I can then get his perspective on the overall outcome.
31:41So, these are the templates that I showed Don when we were deciding on which tank skirts to go with for this particular tank.
31:48He decided on this design.
31:51However, it was quite a chunky look.
31:54So, we did seam line it a little bit. You'll see that this is the skirt that we've made.
32:00It's a little bit more simple than this larger one here.
32:06But when it's actually on, it looks, once it's got its lights, it looks like it's supposed to be there.
32:12And that was Don's vision for this the whole time.
32:17So, these are the step trims for the driver's side.
32:20Normally, with the step trims, you just have them sitting underneath the step itself with a roll of lights.
32:26But Don wanted to be unique and a little bit different.
32:30So, the step trims that I've made here will fit there.
32:36But you've noticed that there's a cutout and a notch so that it actually aligns with the end of the step itself.
32:42Which is a nice little, a nice little look, a nice little feature on both sides.
32:46The second step though, Don wanted to carry the arch of the mug guard.
32:54So, we've designed it. That'll fit in there.
32:59And it's notched out so that it actually fits within sort of 4-5mm of the wheel arch itself.
33:07There's no movement here. So, it's pretty safe in terms of the functionality of it.
33:11But it looks good.
33:13The top step, he also wanted to make sure that it fit with the wheel arch.
33:17This is where I was a little bit sceptical.
33:19I didn't know if this was going to look any good.
33:22I just went through with the design process.
33:25It's one of those things, trial and error, to make it fit.
33:28We're in the same scenario. We're about 4mm off the mug guard there.
33:32We're sitting flush on the step. And I think it looks amazing.
33:36So, at the front of the truck, we've got a swing plate with some TCB mudflip.
33:40We've got some TCB mudflaps that have gone in as well.
33:43We've got a custom design grill that's being put in.
33:46It's going to have lighting that shines in and around it.
33:49Same with the two grills on the side of the bonnet.
33:51They're going to have the same lighting and the same effects going through.
33:54We're going to do an underglow throughout the whole body of the truck.
33:58We've got a new toolbox going in.
34:00We've got a pearl craft coming and doing some, you know, changing the grab handles
34:05and just doing some modifications to the inside of the truck.
34:08So, as much as I just do fabrication, I also sort of project manage these things for Don as well.
34:14So, I've managed the stacks I've brought in, the visors I've brought in,
34:20there's just bug deflector, all those things which, you know, I don't make, I don't need to make,
34:26that, you know, I just manage for Don.
34:33I'm also very particular. I like things to be done properly.
34:36If I've got a roll of lights, I like them to be in line.
34:39I like to use button heads throughout.
34:41So, there's just a few little bits and pieces where I think I pay attention to detail,
34:45but it might take me a little bit longer.
34:47But this is why I'm more excited about this truck as well, because I know it's all me.
34:51There's long, lonely days in this shop.
34:54We need welders, obviously. We really do need welders.
34:57But if you're interested, come and have a play in the shop.
35:02I mean, you won't be upset.
35:03The stuff that we have here is amazing.
35:06So much fun.
35:13Coming up, proud CFMEU member Tanya Bodzik gives us a personal tour on her building site
35:18and shows us what it takes so every worker can go home safe.
35:24So, my day starts basically from about 3.50am is when the alarm goes off.
35:39For me personally, from the very beginning, like when I went through my divorce and things,
35:44I was into exercise and I think that was a real stress reliever for me.
35:48So, I'm very much about routine.
35:52Routine keeps me on track.
35:53It keeps my mental health right.
35:55It keeps my physical ability to be my role.
35:59It all comes back to that.
36:01So, I start at 3.50am.
36:03Alarm goes off.
36:04Wake up.
36:05Quick shower.
36:06Head straight to the gym.
36:08Or, if I'm running late, I train at home.
36:10So, I have everything I need at home.
36:12Do my quick workout.
36:14And that makes me feel...
36:16That kick starts my day.
36:17I feel like rocky after that.
36:18Shower.
36:19Come downstairs.
36:20Make my kids lunches fresh every morning.
36:22I always said to myself, I don't like eating a soggy sandwich from the night before.
36:25So, I make that fresh.
36:27Leave home for work probably about 5 o'clock in the morning.
36:30Get to work by 6.
36:31Have my first coffee.
36:33And then head out into the job site and make sure I do my walk before all my members head out on site.
36:40My three boys, so Mike and Tommy are twins.
36:42They're 12.
36:43Jake's just turned 14.
36:45Sometimes turning 40.
36:47They're very self-sufficient now, but I've taught them to be that way.
36:50So, I have had a carer, a nanny, since they were five.
36:53So, overall in the last seven, nearly eight years, I've spent about $50,000 on carers.
36:59Which I think, for me, I'd spend a hundred times more if I am in the position that I am today.
37:05So, now that they're at this age, yes, it is a bit frustrating when they do fry eggs and splash oil over my splash back.
37:12But, I let them go because it teaches them to be, you know, independent.
37:16So, now they catch the school bus.
37:18I've finally gotten to the stage where I don't have to have a nanny.
37:22I don't have to have anyone taking them to school.
37:24They catch the bus now, which is at the end of my street.
37:26And then they catch the bus home.
37:28So, it's such a reliever, stressful even knowing that I don't have to rely on anyone anymore.
37:37One of the great things about being a CFMEU member is our training unit.
37:43We have a number amount of courses that you can choose from to do and be whatever you want to be.
37:50And that's all through our CFMEU training unit.
37:53And it's an excellent place for you to learn, to do a number of courses, whatever you choose to do.
37:58I'm still going to progress this year and do a few more courses.
38:01So, if you are one of our members, a CFMEU member, you can choose a course from there and go on from there.
38:07And you can have as many tickets as you like.
38:09So, you need your white card to work on site.
38:12So, once you've got your white card, you can progress from there.
38:16I've did a number amount of courses just to learn, you know, education and knowledge is the key.
38:21So, to educate myself.
38:22And I mean, it is quite hard to, you know, all these years later, going back to school and learning.
38:28But our training unit is, it's, it's excellent.
38:31The teachers are fantastic there.
38:32So, they make things easy for you to learn.
38:34And it's a great thing to have behind you.
38:36It's not just having your white card.
38:38You know, getting your traffic ticket.
38:40You know, your Alimac ticket.
38:42Your first aid ticket.
38:44All these, all these tickets.
38:46The more tickets you have, the more employable that you are.
38:48And it benefits yourself for your resume into anything that you want to be.
38:54Sometimes people come into the union office and ask for, look, I want to get a job.
38:59Some it's through who you know.
39:00Someone knows someone.
39:01How did you get me a job?
39:02We're going to have a women's support centre.
39:04The building that's been built next door.
39:05Because what we've realised is a lot of women that want to get in the industry.
39:08Unless they know someone, how do they do it?
39:10So, they're going to be able to go to the women's support centre and put their names in and say, look, I'm so-and-so.
39:15I'd like to have a career in the building industry.
39:17We've got clauses in our EBA for job sharing.
39:20So, a woman whose kids are already grown up can start early in the morning.
39:24And the other woman can then still get up, get her kids dressed, take them to school and then go to work.
39:30You know, because there's a lot of aftercare centres at schools, not many before care centres.
39:33So, we've done that clause in there for more women to make it accessible for them to start their career in a building site.
39:39And they can become, you know, we've got women as crane drivers.
39:42We've got them working as doggies, forklift drivers driving the alley-mack, shop stewards.
39:46Anything a man can do, the woman can do.
39:48And in a lot of cases, better.
39:50So, my current role is a health and safety representative on site.
40:03So, I look after all my members, make sure all their health and safety needs are met.
40:08Making sure I walk my job, making sure it's safe, making sure that everyone goes home at the end of the day is very important to me.
40:15I'm very protective of my members.
40:17I'm the first person on site before anyone starts.
40:20I like to do my walk and make sure that the job is safe.
40:23And I'm the last person to leave.
40:25So, I check every corner, make sure there's no one left in my job before I leave the building.
40:30The most things that I encounter on a daily, day-to-day basis with being a health and safety representative,
40:36people do get complacent.
40:37And so, it's very important that I'm constantly walking my job and picking up these things
40:42because people forget they're in a rush.
40:45They're being pushed to hurry up and finish the job.
40:47They need to just take a step back and think before they act about, you know,
40:52potentially causing harm not only to themselves but to their, you know, their co-workers around them.
40:58So, it's very important that I walk my job and make sure that I remind each and every one of them,
41:03you know, the standards that we set on site.
41:06So, I make sure that I'm constantly walking around.
41:09You know, every morning I greet my members.
41:12You know, the majority know them mostly by name.
41:15So, they're aware that, you know, I am always around.
41:17They can always come to me for anything.
41:19Making sure that your members see you walking the job.
41:28They know that you're walking the job.
41:30And having that relationship, you build that relationship over time.
41:34So, it's great being on my job from the very beginning till now to the end.
41:38So, I've formed that relationship with them.
41:40So, no-one gets upset when I say,
41:42oh, can you put your helmet on or can you do this or have you done that?
41:46There's not one person on site that I've had an argument with
41:50or they've, you know, gotten upset about not being told to be safe.
41:55The usual building site works four ten-hour days and two eight-hour days.
41:59So, a total of 56 hours a week.
42:01That takes it out of you.
42:03And the rewards are many,
42:05especially now that we have double time for all overtime.
42:08So, our members enjoy that.
42:10And what that does is that also creates,
42:12makes the job go a lot quicker.
42:14And therefore, the developer is happier.
42:16He gets his building on time a lot quicker than he would have normally.
42:20And so, everyone's happy.
42:22The rewards of being in this industry is,
42:25yes, you work very long hours, but it's rewarding.
42:28We work hard as construction workers.
42:31You know, some people think otherwise,
42:33but I work nearly 60 hours a week sometimes, if not more.
42:3660 hours a week and having your home life.
42:38The rewards are you're getting your wage every week.
42:41And if it wasn't for this industry,
42:43being part of this industry, I wouldn't own a home.
42:46You know, I wouldn't be providing for my three kids.
42:49The industry has given me all that.
42:51And it's got your back.
42:53You work hard.
42:54It doesn't go unnoticed.
42:55And I knew that if I worked hard in this industry,
42:58and yes, I got a kickstart from my brother,
43:00but I knew if I worked hard,
43:01I want to be known for my hard work ethic.
43:04And I knew that if I worked hard,
43:06that I would get somewhere.
43:08And I didn't stop.
43:09I didn't quit.
43:10There was a lot of setbacks, yes,
43:11but I just kept moving forward to being in the position where I am today.
43:14And I've said it before, I feel like I've won Tats Lotto.
43:17I've finally worked hard and it's been recognised as to where I am today in life.
43:23Next week, on Rides Down Under, Aussie Truckers,
43:41we check in with the CFMEU Blue Hat member about mental health in the workplace.
43:46We meet Howard, who heads up TCB Trans Brisbane.
43:50The crew at ICR Steel Fabrications have an early morning delivery
43:53as part of their factory build in Pakenham.
43:56Don has another project on the go.
43:58This time, it's his huge man cave.
44:01This will be a place for the TCB crew to hang out, grab a coffee
44:04and check out Don's collection of classic cars and collectibles.
44:08All that and more next time on Rides Down Under, Aussie Truckers.
44:13Our crew stays at Quality Hotel Robertson Gardens, Brisbane.
44:24This program is produced by Fuzzy Media.
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