They may have only recently turned four years old, but the youngest generation of this family business are stoked to see the wheels turning on Ross Transport’s new Kenworth Legend SARs.
True Ross-Sawrey represents the third generation of this family business, based in Port Kembla, NSW. It’s owned and operated by her father Alan Ross – and as well as working closely alongside him, she’s also busy running her own separate transport business too.
Just as she grew up around trucks, so too are her twins Chris and Charlie, with their father also behind the wheel of one of the new Legends.
When the limited-edition Kenworth Legend SARs went on sale for just one-day back in July 2021, the twins were still only babies.
But as True explained, the plan was always to dedicate the Legends to her kids.
Though the family had planned to get both trucks on the road at the same time, they actually arrived one whole year apart.
True and Jason with their kids Charlie and Chris. Image: Ross TransportWhile there are other trucks in the Ross Transport fleet bearing their names – the fleet’s well known rainbow truck for Charlie and a B-double tipper for Chris – these are the first rigs to be done up especially for them.
“They were both very excited,” said True. “When the first one arrived they were almost three so they were still very little, but we did tell them their names would be on the back of the trucks.
“When the second truck for Charlie went on the road, the driver came past our house to show her the truck. He called when he was driving up the road so she went outside and waited. When she saw the truck, the first thing she said was, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s my pink truck’.”
The Ross Transport fleet has become well known for its stand-out fleet of colourful trucks – from truck and trailer combinations sporting various cartoon and comic characters, to others supporting various causes.
“Dad takes the design of our trucks very seriously,” revealed True. “There were trucks that have had my name on them when I was growing up too. It’s always been an important thing for him to have all these special designs.
“As a family business, this business takes up a lot of our life, so things like this are really important for us. It puts a smile on my face when I see the trucks.”
The first of the two new Legends to arrive was the white and blue one named ‘Kaos Chris’, which is driven by True’s husband and the twins’ father Jason Sawrey. It hit the road in September 2023, doing local and intrastate tipper work. It also includes Jason’s name on the driver’s side of the cabin and True’s name on the passenger side.
‘Chatty Charlie’, the pink and white Legend complete with purple accents then arrived in September 2024. Behind the wheel is long-time driver Joshua Ulbrich, who was named the 2024 National Professional Driver of the Year at the ATA’s annual conference last April. Adding a personalised touch for the truck’s driver, Joshua’s wife Belinda has her name on the passenger side of the cabin, with their kids’ names, Maddi and Connor, written on the driver’s side.
Though the twin trucks were due to arrive together, they were delivered a year apart. Image: Ross Transport“Josh has been driving for us for about eight years now but was a driver and driver trainer in the army before coming to Ross Transport. He takes his job very seriously and is very good at it. He’s very happy to help out with driver training too,” added True.
Chatty Charlie is used for B-double flat top work. Joshua is based in Melbourne, so he mostly does the Melbourne to Sydney run, regularly stopping by Ross Transport’s Port Kembla base, along with travelling along the eastern seaboard, as required. As this truck is used for long distance work, it features the taller cabin option for extra space.
Making both trucks extra special, Jason actually completed the paintwork. He’s been a truck driver for the past 17 years but prior to that was a truck spray painter. “The trucks came out of the factory white. We have our own paint booths here so Jason and a couple of our other workers did all the stripes and paintwork,” explained True.
“Then we had our signwriter Frank, who’s done work for us for years, do all the more detailed stuff – the signwriting, stars and the murals.”
A few of the workshop mechanics also painted the flat top trailers used behind Chatty Charlie, starting from purple to match the colour of the turntable and gradually going into the Ross Transport signature blue.
“They were older trailers, so they were painted, along with the toolboxes and mudguards, to match the new truck,” said True.
On the back of both cabins is an outline of Australia, as is featured on several Ross Transport trucks, with a personalised mural for each of the kids.
For Chris, there’s a drawing of him on a balance bike, along with pictures of a few different things he likes including a scooter, toy truck and teddy bear.
And for Charlie, there’s a drawing of her dressed up as a fairy, along with some hearts and flowers. “That fairy on the truck is the same one she has in her room, and she absolutely loves it,” said True.
The pink Legend is used for B-double flat top work and the blue one does local and intrastate tipper work. Image: Ross TransportThen inside the cabin, both trucks feature customised steering wheels in a pearl finish from Pearlcraft in Melbourne – a blue one for Kaos Chris and a purple one for Chatty Charlie, along with Pearlcraft gear-knobs to match.
Despite their young age, it looks like little Chris and Charlie are already starting to learn the ropes of the family business.
“They’ve both been for a ride in the trucks. My son regularly goes with my husband but my daughter not as much. She prefers going for rides in the depot rather than the long-distance stuff,” explained True.
“Chris did a trip recently to Eulonga with his dad. That was his first big 14-hour day in the truck. He did really well and even helped to change the gears – he gets really into it.
“Sometimes when I don’t have a babysitter they come to work with me at the main depot here too. We have a lady whose been in our workshop for the past 17 years who helps me out when they come to work. My kids know her as Aunty Caloryn. Her name is Carolyn but they can’t pronounce it properly, but it’s very cute how they say her name. She’ll often take them down to the workshop – and they love it!
“All our staff are very supportive, being a family company, so they all help out if I have meetings or get busy.”
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