Long-time owner driver and transport industry great Don McGlinchie has passed away at age 88.

Heralded as the ‘ultimate professional’, he spent decades as both a truck mechanic and owner-driver, driving east-west across the Nullarbor from Sydney to Perth.

He was a loyal driver of Internationals from his early days behind the wheel, but he also spent time toiling in a B-model Mack amongst other trucks.

The first ever truck he owned was purchased in 1959, a second hand Ford F600 prime mover, which provided him with plenty of trouble. After that was a Commer Knocker, followed by a 6V53 Detroit powered International R190, the Mack, and then eventually the DCO.

Don took a break from the world of trucking in 1974, but the call of the road was too hard to resist. By 1976 he was back behind the wheel doing what he loved again.

He became largely known in trucking circles over the decades following after he became the test driver for Truck & Bus Transportation magazine, one of the first big Australian trucking publications.

Don spent the better part of the last 20 years delivering new trucks all over the country for dealers, still not fully out of the trucking game even in his older age.

He was inducted into the National Road Transport Museum’s Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2008.

Tributes have already flowed for the industry great, who will be greatly missed. Don is survived by his wife Bronwyn, his two daughters, two sons and his grandchildren.