Mal Mackenzie

From the time he was an eight year old boy driving tractors on the family farm in Currajong, Mal Mackenzie has had a love of driving and operating commercial vehicles. Mal's first job in the commercial trucking world was in Western Australia in 1971 where he hauled iron ore in 100 tonne trucks. The shifts involved 24 hour shifts and staying alert was a challenge. The seven years he spent with these gigantic vehicles and loads, however, taught him a crucial skill that has been the foundation for his successful career in transport - knowing his limits and how to maintain high-level performance over a given period of time - the definition of professionalism in any industry or profession. Another lifelong learning from the experience was respect for freight handling and understanding the implications for any driving assignment based on what was being transported.

Another great strength Mal brings to his driving is his exposure to other jobs and industries. He spent a number of years in sales, and developed extensive experience and training in customer service. While at Repco and Caltex, which also involved traveling long distances across Western Australia, Mal learned much from working in a culture that values the customer and balances customer loyalty with an equitable working relationship.

Mal returned to NSW and joined Advance Recruitments in 2001. Advance Recruitments maintain a comprehensive screening process that less than 10% of applicants pass. Since that time, Advance Recruitments describe Mal as rising to the top of his profession amongst an accomplished group of drivers, becoming adept at working in a wide range of conditions, and hauling a wide variety of loads from fruit and vegetables to ACI Glass. Further, his customer service focus means he operates on meeting the needs of the client. As a result, Mal demonstrates multiple skills in meeting the various requests and dealing successfully with the personalities he encounters in the business.

"Mal has worked at any client site that we have sent him to, without question. We have always received rave reviews about his performance from clients," says Sascha Charlton, Managing Director at Advance Recruitments. "His driving record has been outstanding, and every time he's out in the field, we hear reports of his professional manner and appearance."

Whether it means taking a few extra minutes to make sure he backs the container into a dead square position at the dock, driving defensively and with foresight on the road, or ensuring the client's truck is making a positive reflection on the company, Mal Mackenzie is a company asset in the pride he demonstrates in his work. This is evidenced in the position he has maintained at the Coles Myer cross dock warehouse in Huntingwood for the last two years.

"There's a lot of pride in our industry. I see it everyday in people I work with," says Mal. "Having respect for our role on the road, the power of the vehicles, and staying within our limits is at the heart of our profession."