Before the year started, the Woodberry driver didn’t even have a clue the state body was awarding honours based on driving contributions and experience, and admits he was “pretty sure it was a stitch-up” right until he and his wife Leonnie got in the car to head south.

“I was so sure that someone was having a laugh, but when I got there and they told me I was going to be winning this award it felt pretty special,” he said.

“I think the transport industry gets painted in a bit of a poor light because of a few bad eggs and so it’s cool to have this thing that says ‘here’s all the good parts of it’ instead of just the bad stuff.”

Carter, who drives more than 200,000 kilometres every year as part of his Carter Heavy Haulage & Transport business, has never lost a demerit point or cause an incident while on the road, and said he was “humbled” by the award honour.

“It’s quite special to have all this hard work that Leonnie and myself have put into the business come out of the other end as recognition from Road Freight,” Mr Carter said.

The Woodberry local and his wife have been operating their business for five years, but Mr Carter has been involved in the industry since he started out as a yard hand in his grandfather’s company more than two decades ago.

“I absolutely love the industry, there’s a lot of people that look down on it but I’m just so passionate about it,” he said.

“To be the first one to get this award at an event night in Sydney is really special and having been in the industry for so long and to get this feels like a little bit of a pay-off, which is nice.”

Carter Heavy Haulage and Transport employs six people and has a fleet of six prime movers and a series of trailers including drop-decks, floats, and a soon to be delivered extendable trailer.

The business has clients predominantly from the Hunter region, who they service deliveries for along the Eastern-seaboard.

Carter’s company will also in Transport Awareness Day in the region later this year. The event will hosted at the Maitland Showground from on Sunday, October 28, with the day beginning at 10am.