Adrian Fenech’s father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all owner drivers, and last year he finally got to follow in their footsteps with the purchase of his very own Kenworth K200.
“Becoming an owner driver has always been my dream,” he says.
“All I’ve ever wanted was to carry on the family tradition.”
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Pretty much as soon as Fenech could walk, he was out in the truck with his dad, Rob.
“Every weekend and school holiday, I wouldn’t leave his side. I always loved trucks – especially Kenworths.
“My dad and my grandad taught me a lot of what I know and gave me the work ethic I have today.”
The Sydney native, 29, drove and maintained tippers for a local family-operated business for eight years before going out on his own.
He admits he felt a little anxious about taking the leap, but was determined to give it a try.
“I was a bit nervous because it’s getting harder and harder for owner drivers as every year goes by,” he says.
“But the fire inside me overruled that. I wasn’t going to be happy until I gave it a go.”
Fenech picked up his first truck, a 2013 model Kenworth, from Raymond Scott Transport in Mount Gambier, SA.
“It was really well looked-after and very low kilometers for its age.
“I had looked at countless trucks before that but I found this thing and I went with it.”
While the truck was in good condition, it still needed some work.
“I stripped it straight away,” he says.
“I’m a diesel mechanic by trade as well so I did most of the work myself.
“I got it resprayed and added a whole heap of chrome accessories to it. Just gave it a bit of a facelift.”
Fenech has dubbed his new rig “Family Provider” as a tribute to his grandfather, Jimmy, whose first Kenworth had the same name.
It’s also an especially suitable moniker for the driving force behind his new business, as Fenech recently welcomed his first child with his wife, a baby girl named Elouise.
“It is quite fitting,” he says.
“Everything just lined up, timing wise.
“My wife Aymie has been so supportive of me going out on my own – she knew it was always a dream of mine.
“She backed me 100 per cent, the whole way.”
Fenech now pulls pneumatic tankers, running up and down the east coast between Melbourne and Brisbane.
He loves the freedom of being his own boss, as well as the pride of having his own equipment – and presentation is very important to him.
“When you get to a job site and your truck is well presented, it looks good for you and for the customer,” he says.
“That’s always been a priority for me.”
The Kenworth is certainly a looker – and has garnered plenty of attention since Fenech gave it a makeover, winning Truck of the Show at the Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show in 2023.
“I was blown away to win that, I didn’t expect that at all,” he says.
“People are definitely interested in the truck, I do get a lot of compliments on it.
“Everyone thinks it’s a new truck when it’s not.”
Sharing his advice for anyone who is thinking about becoming an owner driver, he said it’s important to be aware of your running costs.
“I’ve learned a lot about running a business in the last year, and I’m still learning as I go.
“It might look easy on the outside but in reality, it’s not.
“Work out your costs and be aware that it’s getting more and more expensive to run a truck these days.
“Make sure you’re working with good equipment and you’re on the right track.
“Oher than that, I would just encourage people to go for it!”
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