Trucking community outraged over recent violent attacks on Queensland-NSW border

Recent violent attacks against unsuspecting truck drivers has triggered a growing fear over personal safety and willing them to take matters into their own hands.

The recent violent attacks on a group of truck drivers stopped between the border of Queensland and NSW has sparked a tumultuous response from the trucking community.

In the early hours of October 24, three truck drivers were assaulted while asleep in their cabs and a fourth was threatened, before the alleged offender believed to be the same person fled in a suspected stolen vehicle.

While authorities on both sides of the border are continuing their investigations, recent chatter between drivers has a seasoned long distance truckie fearful of what could happen next.

Mike Williams has spent the better part of two decades hauling loads between states, having stopped through plenty of precarious places along the way.

“Where these attacks generally occur are in places where guys don’t have a lot of mutual support,” he said.

“If you look at what’s happened down at North Star, there’s no phone service at that rest stop and in fact I used to stop there for that reason.”

These violent attacks on truck drivers have become a growing trend over the years and are happening nationwide.

Mike Williams of Truckin' Life Magazine, On the Road Trucking podcast says there's a growing fear for drivers safety in the trucking community. Photo: Facebook/On the Road Radio

In his time on the road Mr Williams said he’s never felt the overwhelming sense of unease that now sits among drivers who have grown fearful for their safety.

“There’s guys out there that have started talking about tooling up to defend themselves and I’ve been trying to encourage blokes not to do that,” he said.

“Your life’s not worth the $25 you might have in your wallet.”

Mr Williams said this response from drivers is a reaction to the lack of assistance from police in preventing these incidents.

“That’s the worry because there are no (police) resources out there and when you talk about the potential for this to go wrong, I think there is a very real possibility,” he said.

“You try and talk about it with the NSW police commissioner and she doesn’t want to hear about it or answer any questions.”

The lurking threat of an assault has acted as a deterrence from stopping at rest stops or servo’s between North Star, Boggabilla and Goondiwindi, which then imposes a health and safety risk for long distance drivers and a hefty fine.

Multiple truck drivers were violently assaulted while they slept in their cabins behind servo’s and rest areas near the Queensland-NSW border. Photo: Maps

As part of fatigue management the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator monitors drivers through the National Camera Network to ensure that required breaks are taken.

“The camera there at Boggabilla is causing blokes to stop in places they don’t want to, no one wants to stop in Boggabilla,” Mr Williams said.

“In fact I’ve had guys now say to me well I think I’ll go through it and get the blister and try and defend it in court based on a concern for personal safety.”

Out of concern for his fellow drivers Mr Williams contacted the NHVR, who he alleges told him they would tackle the issue on a case-by-case basis.

“My great fear is there are enough guys out there now who are upset enough, that will take matters into their own hands and that’s the scary part,” he said.

“I’ve never actually encountered that sort of feeling about anywhere in all of my years driving.”

Mr Williams said some companies now won’t allow drivers to stop in certain areas after dark for concern of their personal safety.

Originally published as Trucking community outraged over recent violent attacks on Queensland-NSW border