When the Australia Day 2020 Honours List was published earlier this week, there were honours for two trucking icons. Chosen for their service to the road transport industry and to the community, Tom Lindsay and Paul Freestone have both been awarded a medal of the Order of Australia.
This video shows just how big the Lindsay organisation has become, after starting as two brothers and three trucks back in 1953.
Tom has had a long history in the transport industry, as a co-founder of Lindsay Brothers Transport (now part of Lindsay Australia) in 1953, and as a member of the Long Distance Road Transport Association (now NatRoad) since 1964.
He was inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in 2003, the Queensland Road Transport Legends Hall of Fame in 2013, and the National Road Transport Hall of Fame as an Industry Icon in 2019.
Paul started his own transport business back in 1981 developing the operation to the major line-haul operator it is today. Paul was the President of the Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation for seven years.
He has had a long involvement with the Victorian Transport Association and has been a VTA Board Member since 1998, served as Vice-President from 2000-2007, was President from 2008-2015, and became a life member of the association in 2015. In 2010, he was inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame.
Here is Paul talking about his other passion, cars:
“Tom and Paul have each demonstrated a lifelong passion and dedication to the trucking industry, making notable contributions to the improvement of industry professionalism and innovation,” said Geoff Crouch, Australian Trucking association Chair commenting on the honours for two trucking icons. “With this brother Peter, Tom grew Lindsay Brothers Transport from a three-truck operation to become one of Australia’s largest refrigerated transport fleets.
“Tom has been a trucking pioneer, keeping up with industry transformation and change across his nearly 70 years with Lindsay Brothers. Paul is a self-made, first generation transport operator. His strong work ethic and passion for trucking is something to be admired.
“There are many outstanding individuals in the trucking industry like Tom and Paul, and it’s important they are recognised for their contribution.”
