One hundred brand new Kenworths…
Sounds like a dream come true for your every day truck lover, but for Kevin Baxter, this is his reality.
Kelvin’s humble beginnings were rooted in farming during the 70s dabbling in trucking occasionally, he purchased a couple of trucks to deliver the farm’s produce.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australia’s transport industry.
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly Deals on Wheels magazine.
- Sell your truck with Australia’s #1 truck classifieds
He later saw an opportunity to provide transport services for other businesses in the Riverina, Murray and Murrumbidgee irrigation areas of NSW.
But when he founded Kelvin Baxter Transport in 1990, he never expected it would get this big.
“We started hauling the grain we produced on our own farm,” he says. “That led to taking grain to end users in Melbourne and other areas.”
“I saw an opportunity to increase efficiency with road trains, which would help reduce supply chain costs and so, the transport business started heading in that direction.”
Starting off with only two second-hand Kenworth trucks, the family owned and operated business continued to grow, year by year, presenting Kelvin with the opportunity to buy more second-hand trucks until 1997, when he purchased his first ever, brand new Kenworth.
From there, it wasn’t just about moving freight, but about providing a service that people could rely on.
“We’ve got some really great customers, and we will keep servicing them, whatever it takes we will continue to step up,” he says.
“But transport has its highs and lows, and being located in a rural town, our business endures a lot throughout the seasons.”
“There are droughts, then floods, good times, then bad. I guess that reflects our need for good quality trucks.”
And that’s where the Kenworths come in…
One hundred brand new Kenworths later and Kelvin still can’t get enough.
“Purchasing the one hundredth made me think back and reminisce on the 28 years it took to get here,” he says.
“I started off with British-built Bedford trucks, but then I saw what the Kenworths were doing.
“I noticed their longevity, parts availability and driver appeal, they were all crucial factors that came into making my decision to sticking with Kenworths.”
But what’s also impressive about Kelvin’s trucks are their standout red and white colour schemes.
“When I bought a second hand truck from operator, Terry Walker, I liked his design. I didn’t want to keep it the same because that would be unfair, so we made some changes and that’s how it developed into what it is today.”
Despite his love of a classic Kenworth, Kelvin isn’t afraid to try other models.
“We got a couple of Western Stars, but even so, they don’t hold the resale value as well, though they do have a bigger cab which is good for the particularly taller fellas,” he says.
“We’ve brought in a couple of T610s however, they have similar attributes so maybe we’ll head down that path in the future.”
Even with such a large fleet, Kelvin’s operations remain deeply personal.
Kelvin Baxter Transport is a real family affair, with Kelvin’s wife, sons and daughters-in-law all playing active roles within the business.
And yes, while Kelvin Baxter Transport has just reached an impressive milestone of 100 brand new Kenworths and Kelvin admits he should be retired by now, he says he remains committed to the business and enjoys what he does too much to give it up yet.
“I think the business will carry on efficiently and continue to look forward and continue to serve our customers,” he says.
As the company carries on growing and Kenworths continue to roll out from Kelvin Baxter Transport across Australia, the next generation of Baxter’s are already fully immersed in the business, ensuring the legacy will live on.
Kelvin Baxter Transport prides itself on hauling bulk agricultural commodity freight across the east coast of Australia, and seasonally hauling potatoes, grapes, almonds, cotton seed and bales, along with various by products from mills.
Through the company’s expansion, the fleet consists of Prime Movers and trailer combinations, to B-Doubles, road trains, B triple, AB Triples and PBS Road Trains.
Kelvin’s company can tackle any job as its services stretch across the country’s agricultural hubs, it’s no wonder major grain traders are among the company’s loyal customers.
Read more:
- Rural truckie lives out his dream life behind wheel of T909
- Kelly Durkin Trucking takes Tooradin
- Trucks in Tooradin turned heads
- Tips and tricks on keeping your truck spotless
- Western Sydney’s WTP is a truck treasure trove
Check out the Deals on Wheels Facebook here.