A Sydney truckie has shared his disbelief after pulling in at Nambucca BP for a shower during his drive from Sydney to Brisbane – only to be told that caravanners “get priority” over truck drivers when it comes to the facilities.
Scott Cook, who delivers cars up and down the east coast, was tired and sweaty and really looking forward to a wash – one of the small luxuries in his day.
But when he arrived at the service station, he was told he would have to wait.
“There were only three showers there,” he said.
“I said no worries, cop it on the chin.”
Half an hour later, Cook was still waiting, and three other truck drivers had also turned up.
Next thing, two caravanning families came in looking for a shower.
“They were told they had to pay $5 or $10 and wait.
“45 minutes go by and the people that had been in the showers that were busy came out, and they were caravanning families too.
“The other truck drivers and I said ‘OK sweet, it’s our turn to have a shower now.’
“So, we went to get the keys but we were told no, the caravanners who paid get priority over truck drivers because we get free showers.”
Cook couldn’t believe what he was hearing – especially as he’d just spent $1400 at the bowsers outside.
“The truck drivers were pushed aside because a caravanner spent $5 on a shower!
“That’s a tiny fraction what I spent on fuel.
“Caravanners can easily stop for a shower at a caravan park, in towns, anywhere.
“It’s much harder for truck drivers to stop and get a shower, plus we have fatigue laws to manage, time slots and places to be.”
@scottcook.1293 #truckdrivers #showers #caravanningaustralia #bpaustralia ♬ original sound – Yeah mate copy
He said and the other truckies tried to complain to the staff at BP but didn’t get anywhere.
“The general manager basically said ‘Tough titties’,” he added.
“I had planned to stay and have dinner there, but I just walked away.
“The way we were treated was disgusting.”
Cook, who has been a truck driver for 12 years, said BP Nambucca has lost his business and the business of the other truck drivers who were there on the day.
“Nambucca is basically a halfway point between Sydney and Brisbane, and a lot of truckies stop there for diesel, showers, food, and their mandatory seven-hour breaks.
“It was convenient for me but I won’t be going there ever again.
“I’d rather go to Port Macquarie for diesel and go for a shower at Mooreland’s, or go up to Ballina or Kempsie.”
Cook took to TikTok to share what happened to him last week, and the video has already racked up over 14,000 page views.
Popular social media star Aaron Farquhar, otherwise known as “Aaron, the Typical Trucker”, works at the same company as Cook, PrixCar.
Aaron Farquhar, who has 95k followers on Facebook and 56.5k on TikTok, also shared his colleague’s story. Image: Aaron FarquharFarquhar also shared his frustration at what happened to his friend and colleague.
“I think it’s absolutely disgusting and shameful that truck drivers get pushed to the side because someone wants to pay $5 or $10 for a shower,” he said.
“They are putting profit over truckies that are doing all the hard yards, where you’ve got caravanners and people that are just hanging around, they’ve got all the time in the world!
“Truck drivers carry Australia, and we don’t get paid for parking up, we get paid by the kilometre.
“All truck drivers are asking for is a nice hot shower at the end of the day.”
Big Rigs has approached BP for comment.
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