Meet the driver behind the iconic purple truck

Ray’s trucking career began early.

“I’ve been driving trucks since I was a kid,” Ray recalls, noting that he’s spent about 35 years in the industry.

These days, he delivers food goods for Nolan’s Interstate Transport along the eastern seaboard, from Queensland to New South Wales and beyond.

For Ray, driving isn’t just a job—it’s in his blood.

“I just like being in trucks. It’s something I’ve grown up with,” he says.

But what keeps him behind the wheel is the knowledge that he’s playing a vital role.

“You feel like you make a difference carting stuff around for people and putting food on people’s tables.”

The road less travelled

While Ray enjoys the open road, the life of a truck driver comes with its share of challenges. From unpredictable weather to navigating tight streets, driving a rig is no small feat.

“There’s so much more traffic on the road these days compared to 20 years ago, and it makes it harder,” Ray says.

“A lot of the towns now try to keep trucks out, and the streets you have to go up are tight.”

“Sometimes the challenges come from the inattention of other drivers,” Ray admits, reflecting on the dangers that arise from reckless driving around large trucks.

His experience gives him the confidence to handle these hurdles, but it’s still a job that demands judgment and skill.

And it’s not just the bold colour that’s making waves. The truck, which carries the important message of cancer research, has become an unexpected conversation starter on the road.

“Now people are coming alongside in their cars taking videos and photos. It can be like the paparazzi out there,” he jokes.

“Truck drivers comment on it, ask why it’s purple, and then they see Icon Cancer Foundation on the truck—and they get it.”

For Ray, the visibility of the truck is crucial.

“If that’s the message ICF wanted to get out there, then they’ve achieved it really well,” he says proudly. “The message is definitely getting out there.”

A personal connection to the cause

Cancer awareness has become a personal mission for Ray. He has seen friends face the disease and recently had a scare of his own when he had to undergo a colonoscopy. Fortunately, he received the all-clear.

“It was interesting timing,” he reflects. “A week after I got the new truck, I had to have the test done. It was a good wake-up call,” Ray says.

Ray uses his platform to remind others to take their health seriously. “The truck drivers and I, we talk all the time, and it’s a reminder to use the bowel cancer tests because you just don’t know.”

Despite the attention the truck garners, for Ray, it’s more than just a vehicle.

“Some people say it’s just a truck. But it’s not just a truck. It’s your home—you live in it for 10 days while you’re away. You do about 1.2 million kilometres in your truck over five years, so you get attached to it.”

With modern amenities like a microwave and television, the truck offers some home comforts. But for Ray, the biggest reward is knowing that each kilometre he drives is raising awareness for a cause that affects so many Australians.

“I just love driving it and getting the message out there,” he says. And with every kilometre, that message—about the importance of cancer research—is reaching more and more people.