Blessed Express: New Isuzu a Blessing for Jack Singh and Allied Express

There are many avenues to a successful career in the trucking and logistics industry, including being one of the many hundreds of drivers like Jack Singh who work around the clock delivering goods and parcels. ​

Truck driving is one of the most commonly held jobs for men in Australia and the industry is seen, but not necessarily heard from, in every town in the country. ​

Jack has made his home in the trucking industry as an independent contractor for most of his career and has been working with Allied Express Transport for the better part of two decades. ​

“I'm an owner operator so it means that I've got my own business and truck,” said Jack. ​

“I’ve been subcontracting with Allied Express for 17 years now, the work just keeps coming and honestly, I’m thankful for it.”

Jack grew up in Fiji where his father was also involved in trucking. ​

“My dad had a few Isuzu NPR trucks in Fiji,” Jack remembered. ​

“When I came to Australia more than 20 years ago, I started as a furniture removalist, but it wasn’t fulfilling, ​

“But once I got into owning and operating my own trucks, it lifted up my lifestyle and lifted up the dreams I had. ​

“There were a few hard days of course but now the business is flying like an eagle! ​

“Trucking is not easy, I think everyone knows that,” Jack continued. ​

“You have to put a lot of effort in, but when it takes off, things can run really well.”

Jack’s day starts at about 4 am and can take him all over Sydney and sometimes out into country New South Wales; delivering car parts, touching base with customers and ensuring that important clients are being well looked after. ​

The days can be long and the work difficult, but Jack loves trucks and he particularly loves his own. ​

“I bought the late 2022 model of the FSR 140-260 from Dwyers Truck Center,” said Jack, effortlessly rattling off the details of his new truck. ​

“It’s a fantastic truck; I wanted this specific body length and size which makes it perfect for my everyday routine.”

Jack chose the automatic transmission for ease of use in busy city traffic, also choosing to replace the suspension with an airbag suspension controlled from the cab. Jack primarily deals with large pallets on his run and so made plenty of space in his designs by maxing out the length at nine metres with a massive 2.6 metre clearance. He also chose sleek media doors for the back of the truck for a cleaner, more professional look. All this extra work and careful planning have added up to a head-turning total package. There’s no doubt that Jacks is one of the best-looking delivery trucks on the road. ​ ​

“When you drive metro, you need something that’s not too big or too difficult to move around, something that can easily get into car parks, handle tight corners and run around the city all day” said Jack.

“The FSR fits into almost any dock, any car park and you dance around corners… there’s just never any hassle with a truck like this. ​

“In my opinion, the FSR is one of the best trucks for Sydney metro that we’ve got at the moment,” he summed up.

With a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 14,000 kilograms and an enormous Gross Combined Mass (GCM) of 21,000 kilograms, there's not much Jack can’t haul in his new truck. This means fewer trips back to base and less time spent on each route. ​

With standard safety features such as Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Anti-Skid Regulator and Cab Tilt Warning (CTW), safety is a clear priority for this generation of trucks and the cabs have been designed with comfort in mind for those who do the longer drives. ​

It’s easy to see that Jack is something of a perfectionist, which has served him well in his career. He knows his routes, his customers and most importantly his vehicle, like the back of his hand. ​

He embarked on plenty of research before purchasing the FSR 140-260, understanding the importance of investing in quality equipment to support his business.

“I’ve got a six-year warranty on this new truck and a service agreement from the dealer,” Jack detailed.

“This means that if I get a job overnight, I just have to put the keys in the ignition and away I go and I know that I'm covered anywhere in Australia with the nationwide warranty. ​

“That is a big advantage that should be considered by anyone who's thinking about buying a truck, you’re paying for that comfort and peace of mind.”

“It's easy with Isuzu, everyone attends to you immediately, and I have found there's no waiting around on the phone or at the dealership.”

This year has been a good one for Jack and his family, with Jack thankful for a booming business and the honour of becoming a proud grandfather. ​

“New truck, new baby in the house, it’s been a blessing… Australia has been good to us!” ​

“I'm thankful for everything and everyone in the industry that have been a part of my journey and my career so far. ​

“It hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve loved it.”

Jack is as enthusiastic about operating his own business today as he was when he first set out all those years ago. ​

With this kind of energy for the job and commitment to the business, what would you expect a man like Jack do in his spare time?

“If I'm not working, I'm probably still in the truck,” he laughs. ​

“Washing it, cleaning it, putting more lights on it or doing something in the truck. ​

“If I’m not in the truck then I'll go cycling to keep up my fitness.”