YouTube, Instagram and TikTok might not be the most downloaded apps by your everyday truckie, but they’re making an impact in the evolution of the trucking world.
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Aaron Fuller is showing off a different side of life on the road. A thrill-seeker (including but not limited to drifting, motorbiking and go-karting) and trade mechanic turned driver, he runs Beyond Perspective Media, a channel dedicated to showing off his escapades on the road.
From sticking a GoPro on the front of his T909, documenting the full process of cleaning and washing it down to checking out the rigs of fellow drivers, there’s a bit of everything for the truck enthusiast.
The love of creation and sharing his stories (and vehicles) with the world comes from his days on the track and in the workshop, he explains.
“I didn’t really do a great deal of photography when I was younger, but as soon as the GoPro came out I had it on bikes, motorcycle helmets, go karts, at the racetrack having them on race cars,” Fuller says.
“I’ve been around trucks all my life, since I was born.
“My old man, my uncle, both pops, they’ve all been into trucks, driving and everything.
“I’ve actually tried my best to stay away from what my family’s done. I ended up here anyway! You can always run, they say, but you always end up where you’re meant to be. Same deal with photography and videos.
“When I was inside the workshop, I used to take videos and photos of the cars on the dynos when we were working on them. A couple of YouTube channels later, it’s all been growing slowly, taking that notch every step.”
Driving for pet food manufacturer Hypro Group, delivering food to customers and raw materials back to the Sydney headquarters, the digital side of Fuller’s life was only ever meant to be a bonus.
He describes it as a chance to get his perspective on his job and way of life out there, but BEYPER Media has steadily built a community around it.
With nearly 6000 followers the various forms of social media, Fuller is providing a lens on what it means to be a transport worker that might not be readily apparent to younger people looking to get into the industry.
It was never an intention though, he explains.
“I get a bit of hate for being so passionate, but I get paid to drive a mad truck around and take videos all day! What’s there not to be happy about?
“Not everyone shares my view on it, but it’s something I’m trying to convey, especially with the TikToks and Youtube videos. It’s a lot of younger fellas, some of them are still in high school and coming out of high school wanting to get their truck license.
“People that I used to see when my old man was driving, you see them passionate about their trucks. That’s what inspired me to want to drive. As much as I didn’t want to do it for a job, you see those guys and think that looks like a good time.
“I get that with people messaging me now. This is helping bring younger people into the industry, that have that passion.
“Driving like I do, interstate, you come across a lot of truck drivers. It’s sad to see that for a lot of people, it’s just a job. There’s definitely some passionate drivers out there, but for some it’s just a job.”
Along with the influence Fuller is growing on prospective young drivers, his social media endeavours have also been a massive benefit to his own career.
Married and the father to a two-year-old boy, he spends plenty of his time away from family and friends, as most truckies do.
But through his online content creation, he’s built up a little network of friends and colleagues, in addition to those he sees on the road. Getting his B-double license has made it even easier to stay connected with those interstate.
“A part of the idea to upgrade my license was that I speak to a lot of people interstate on social media. To do the photography, it was like a two-in-one scenario. If I can get up to Queensland for work, I can catch up with people that I already talk to.
“It’s hard to be in Sydney and expect to catch everyone when I want to catch with them. The truck driving schedule doesn’t work that way.
“It’s been a good experience to do the interstate, but it’s doubled as a tool to meet more people, take more photos, shoot more videos.
“I didn’t start any of this with any intention to target what I’m doing right now. It’s just slowly evolved. I say it’s easy, but I know a few people that struggle with the job and the industry. I’m just passionate about what I do.
“I’ve had a few accidents across my lifetime that nearly put me in the ground, so that opens your eyes to the world around you.”
Check out BEYPER Media here