You don’t often hear of people in the transport industry coming from a background in caring for children.
Originally studying for a Cert III in childcare, Ainsleigh Thomas did a full 180 in her career — moving from screaming kids to monster rigs.
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Now working as a linehaul manager with transport and logistics company StarTrack (owned by Australia Post), Ainsleigh recently took home Transport Women Australia Limited’s ‘Young Gunnette’ Award for going above and beyond as a woman under 30 in the industry.
Ainsleigh had dreamed of one day being nominated for the award, and was absolutely delighted to be chosen as this year’s winner.
“TWAL are so supportive of young women in the industry,” she says.
“I was so grateful to be recognised.”
The Young Gunnette award aims to promote, motivate, and encourage young women who are making strides early in their careers.
“I would encourage any young female to go for it,” says Ainsleigh.
“If you feel like you’re doing a lot in your field, then you should be recognised.
“Looking back, if I had known that the transport industry was an option for me when I was in school, you never know where I could have been now.”
Making sacrifices, working long hours and putting her job first is how Ainsleigh managed to clinch the award.
Reflecting on her achievements, Ainsleigh says she implemented a history-making project at StarTrack, with their A double and B triple combinations running freight between Sydney and Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
“That project was really monumental because we’ve never done anything like it in the past,” she adds.
Beginning her transport journey in a small country town in northwest New South Wales, her first job out of high school was with Australia Post, and she’s been with them for the past 10 years.
Her initial love for transport stemmed from motorbikes, with Ainsleigh getting her motorbike licence at the tender age of 16.
“It was my main mode of transport at the time,” she says.
“When I first got the job at Australia Post, I was a motorbike postie.”
When asked about her transition from motorbikes to trucks, she sighed before chuckling: “Oh God, it was long and chaotic. It took quite a few years, and I moved around a lot.”
She admits that she never imagined she would end up in the transport industry, but after she began working her way up at Australia Post, she decided to take a leap of faith and move to Sydney during the pandemic.
This led her to the Operations Manager role for the biggest StarTrack site in Australia, managing a fleet of subcontractors doing a minimum of 100 movements a night.
Ainsleigh has thrived under such huge responsibility, and her abilities have not gone unnoticed within the transport industry.
After winning her Young Gunnette award, Ainsleigh spent a few days representing Transport Women Australia Ltd (TWAL), speaking to high school students in Western Sydney about the opportunities offered by a career in transport.
“It’s amazing to get out there to inspire the younger generation and open up their perspective,” she says.
Currently, the transport industry is facing a major driver shortage, and Ainsleigh says that’s another significant reason why students should consider a career in the industry.
She shared an “eye-opening” story about a 17-year-old girl she met during her time with TWAL, who is already working as a pilot, taking customers on joy flights over the Camden area.
There are so many impressive young women in the transport industry, but Ainsleigh really stands out – and the Young Gunnette award isn’t her first time she’s been publicly honoured for her hard work.
Last year she was also awarded TWAL’s Driving the Difference scholarship, providing funding for her training to complete a compliance manager program.
“It really shows how genuinely supportive the transport industry is,” she adds.
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