If you think you may have seen characters such as Mickey Mouse, Bluey, Captain America or Superman in your travels along the highways, chances are it was one of the bright set-ups operated by Ross Transport.
Based in Port Kembla, NSW, the company operates a vibrant and eye-catching fleet, servicing Australia’s east coast.
Family owned and operated, Ross Transport was established by Reg and Frances Ross in 1975. Today it’s owned and operated by their son Alan Ross, working alongside his daughter True Ross-Sawrey, who also owns her own transport business.
The Ross Transport fleet features a vibrant and colourful mix of trucks. Image: Diesel Fumes PhotographyRoss Transport operates a fleet of around 70 trucks and 130 trailers, across its general freight and tipper division.
The tipper fleet is made up of 27 trucks, including everything from truck and dogs, to semi and B-double tippers and live bottom trailers. And it’s here that Alan’s inner child has come to play.
The Disney unit features a Western Star 48X with sleeper cab, as it’s used for the longer runs. Image: Ross TransportRoss Transport made its first move away from its standard white and blue livery when it added three dark blue and white trucks to celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2015, and then in 2017 released its beautiful pink truck into the mix.
While the traditional colours are still the mainstay of the fleet, various truck and trailer set-ups have been jazzed up with popular superheroes and cartoon characters, while others have their own unique style and flair.
“We do like our trucks to be very vibrant and colourful,” said Alan.
The first character-themed truck for Ross Transport hit the road in 2018, with a Marvel Avengers theme. Next came a truck and dog set-up featuring DC Comics superheroes, followed by trucks featuring Ironman, Thor, Looney Tunes, Jetsons, the Road Runner, Flintstones and a special autism awareness truck.
The colourful Looney Tunes truck is popular with the kids. Image: Ross TransportThe newest additions were a truck and dog set-up that hit the road in March, featuring Bluey and the Heeler family from the super popular children’s television series, which is set in Brisbane.
And, more recently, a Disney truck and dog set-up featuring classic characters including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto, The Little Mermaid, Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. This magical unit was put to work in July, servicing the company’s local, intrastate and interstate routes.
Both new additions feature new generation Western Stars from the truck manufacturer’s recently released X-Series.
Being used for local work, the Bluey unit is pulled by a Western Star 48X, delivering a payload of up to 39 tonne. While the Disney unit is paired with a Western Star 48X with sleeper cab, as it does the longer runs, achieving payloads of up to 38.5 tonne.
The Bluey truck went viral on TikTok, with its video getting over 200,000 views.Image: Ross Transport
According to Alan, Western Star has become a preferred truck supplier for the company’s tipper division, with all but nine trucks wearing that badge. “The Western Stars are a little bit cheaper and a lot more user friendly,” he said.
“At first I was a little scared of the change from the old school Western Stars to the new X-Series range, but they’ve been really good.
“We have five of the new ones – two of the 47X and three of the 48X. The drive of the truck is really good, and the weight gain we’ve been able to get on them has been the biggest positive. They get a higher payload because they’re a lighter truck.”
Out on the road, the themed trucks turn heads everywhere they go.
Before nutting out the design of the first character-themed truck, Alan says it was something that had been on his mind for some time. “Then I thought bang, let’s do it!” he said. “The cartoon themes get a lot more attention from the kids and I think the superhero ones are more popular with the adults. And then the older generation tend to love the Flintstones and Jetsons trucks.”
Alan says The Jetsons and The Flintstones themed trucks tend to appeal more to the older generation. Image: Western Star Trucks Australia and New ZealandTrue continued, “Dad is very eccentric. He has an interesting personality and likes to be unique. Dad really is a child at heart. When we saw how much traction those first character themed trucks received, we decided to continue pushing them through the fleet.
“We had been doing more of the old school cartoons and wanted to move into the new age cartoons too to appeal to the younger kids, so that’s why we did the Bluey truck.”
And as True explained, these colourful additions to the fleet have been having a positive impact in more ways than one.
There are several superhero themed trucks in the fleet, including this Thor set-up. Image: Ross TransportBeing third generation, True has very much grown up in the family business – officially coming on board as an employee in 2013 and in 2016 expanding her wings away from just Ross Transport and focusing on her own business as well.
“Unfortunately though, the transport industry often gets this bad public perception. A few years ago, we were struggling to get drivers so we started an extensive training program.
“The reason we continue doing these trucks is to try and create a positive relationship with the public and with children. Hopefully it will encourage them to want to know more about trucks and maybe one day consider joining the industry.
“What all started with Dad’s inner child is now being used to help create a positive relationship with the public.”
Following the response to the first Disney themed truck, True says they’re considering a second Disney truck with new-age Disney characters. Image: Ross TransportWith the soaring popularity of Bluey – the show is even getting its own theme park, opening in Brisbane this November – it’s not surprising that the Bluey truck has been getting the most attention by far.
“We have people messaging us all the time about the Bluey truck, with lots of them saying the driver honked the horn as she went past and the kids were so excited,” said True.
Ross Transport is also quite active on social media and even has its own TikTok account, where a video of the Bluey truck went viral, racking up over 200,000 views.
True added that the company’s autism awareness truck also gets a lot of public interest as well. It was developed in honour of its driver’s twin grandsons, who both have autism. The truck features the autism awareness ribbon and jigsaw puzzle, along with the words “Autism is my superpower”.
“Normally Dad and myself come up with ideas for the new trucks, but sometimes our drivers give us ideas too – as was the case with the autism awareness set-up,” True said, also revealing some other ideas we might see in the fleet in the future.
The autism awareness truck was developed in honour of its driver’s twin grandsons, who both have autism. Image: Diesel Fumes Photography“We’re thinking of doing a second Disney themed truck with all the new-age Disney characters like Elsa from Frozen, Moana and Encanto. It would be good to do a Pixar one with Monsters Inc. and Lightning McQueen. And Dad is very keen on an Astro Boy truck too.”
Though it might be a while before we see these ideas come to fruition. “We definitely aren’t done yet,” added Alan. “Our fleet has actually never been better, so there won’t be any more orders for this year. Usually I’ll order five or six trucks a year but I just have the one truck on order so far for 2025. There will be a bit of a break with orders but it’ll be hard for me to wait too long!”
The Disney truck marks the fifth truck delivered to Ross Transport for 2024, with only one more remaining – a Kenworth Legend SAR, due to arrive later in the year. It will be white and pink and named Chatty Charlie.
It follows a white and blue Legend SAR that hit the road last year, named Kaos Chris.
The “twin trucks” are in honour of True’s young twins, who are three years old.
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