Ross Hardy reckons that Hardys Haulage the has always trodden the middle ground when choosing its prime movers, neither going for the top end of town or the poverty pack.
“We’ve always had the attitude that payload pays us all so having a truck that’s one to two tonnes heavier than necessary for the job is not all that beneficial,” says Ross. “And if you buy a bigger flashier truck then nobody wants to drive the lesser ones.”
Yet looking at Hardy’s well-presented fleet it’s easy to appreciate that Ross and his son, Laeton, are all for having nice looking trucks.
The bulk transport operation is located at Cudgera Creek near the small town of Pottsville, nestled among the glorious green hills in the coastal fringe of New South Wales’ Far North Coast, the Hardy family has owned property long enough to have a road named after them.
For instance, the company’s latest T610 Kenworths have down-swept exhaust pipes rather than shiny chrome stacks, which provide a clean, modern look with the operational benefit of improved fuel efficiency through better aerodynamics.
“Our drivers, with the workshop’s permission, can add some items such as a light or two to make the truck their own, but we don’t go overboard with buying gear that won’t earn us any more money and can actually end up costing us money through extra maintenance and tare weight,” says Ross.
For the Hardy boys, running a successful transport company is all about staying ahead of the economic wave and they firmly believe the key to longevity is finding a niche market and sticking with it.
On the other hand, they lament the fact that finding sufficient suitable staff members is an uphill battle and significantly hampers the growth of the business.
“We could have twice the trucks here, if we could find more suitable staff,” says Ross. “And that’s not just us, we know everyone in the transport industry is crying out for competent staff.”
That said, Ross concedes Hardy’s is fortunate to have a high percentage of dedicated staff members who understand their roles without needing to be educated on a daily basis.
