With three fuel depots to manage, Crystal Latham already travels over 35,000km a year in her current role – and one day, she’s hoping to achieve her dream of becoming a truck driver.
Although she isn’t quite ready to step away from the demanding task of managing and supporting the teams in Lowes Petroleum’s Mackay, Emerald and Blackall depots, Crystal admits she still has a strong desire to get behind the wheel herself and clock up some kilometres from behind the wheel of a truck.
“I would love to jump into a truck to be honest: just the adventure of it I guess – something different,” she said. “But I love the teams I have now, they are a great bunch of people to work with.”
It’s all in a day’s work for Crystal to do everything from managing staff and controlling inventory (fuels/lubricants), to maintaining machinery, coordinating logistics, and ensuring strict adherence to health, safety, and environmental (HSSE) regulations.
Every two weeks she drives between 400 and 800 kilometres to each depot, but said the biggest challenge was learning about truck machinery.
“While we work hard to ensure our vehicles are serviced regularly, the frequency of deliveries, especially in the busy seasons, means we could experience an unexpected problem,” she said.
“If this happens and the drivers ring me – I must be across what it is that has gone wrong to ensure we get the right mechanic out for the job. We can’t be sending a mechanic five hours away with the wrong diagnosis, because that then extends the driver hours out, affecting the next job. It becomes a domino effect. I never imagined having to have truck knowledge for this job.”
Lowes Petroleum’s HR Manager Kerrilyn Gilmour said 10 of the company’s 28 depot/multi depot managers were women, with five previously employed in other roles before their promotions.
“Our depot positions keep families local,” Kerrilyn said. “Almost all our roles offer career pathways and the chance to be regionally based. Women at Lowes are driving change in a traditionally male space.
“From tankers to depot operations and onto sales and marketing leadership, women at Lowes Petroleum keep communities moving safely, reliably, and close to home. We’re building pathways that make regional careers more accessible and supportive for women at every stage.”
For Crystal, her career at Lowes started in administration five years ago, She then moved into scheduling before being promoted to Depot Manager.
“I love the challenges that come with transport,” she said. “Problem solving and logistics are what I enjoy most, so this role is a great fit. With clients ranging from cane farmers to cattle producers, it’s rewarding to know we’re helping support rural communities.
“By ensuring fuel is delivered reliably and on time, we play a vital role in keeping regional industries moving and being part of that is especially fulfilling.”
The post Multi depot manager aspires to one day make the move into truck driving appeared first on Big Rigs.