BUILT on the fertile Brigalow and softwood scrub soils of the beef production powerhouse of Qld’s Taroom/Wandoan region, Adam and Benita Hay’s ABH Livestock Transport has grown from humble beginnings into a regional success story.

The distinctive sky blue and white ABH Livestock trucks are now a common sight across eastern Australia, carting local cattle to feedlots, saleyards and abattoirs and bringing home stock purchased from afar by local producers.

What started as a single truck operation 16 years ago has evolved into a fleet of 11 prime movers today, with another three soon to be delivered.

Nine of the existing fleet of Kenworth 909s are used to cart cattle, with a further also two hauling sawn timber from the Wandoan saw mill to a dry mill 280km away at Wondai. Adam’s preference for Kenworth 909 trucks powered by Cummins engines is as much about practicality as it is about performance: “They’re something you can fix on the side of the road—everyone can fix a Cummins.”

For Adam, trucking runs in the family. “Dad owned trucks and still has trucks. I was brought up with them,” he explained. After driving for another operator for 10 years, Adam decided to strike out on his own.

“We were both in our 20’s, had two small children, not a lot of money and a dream to have our own successful transport business,” Benita Hay wrote on ABH Livestock’s Facebook page to mark the company’s 15th anniversary last year. “15 years later and after a lot of sweat and tears, we’ve gone from owning one truck to having a fleet.

“Despite humble beginnings we are now able to support many charities and give back to community events. It’s all about giving back to the community that supports us.

“We are very proud of the successful business we have built together. We hope that our story can inspire others to dream big, work hard and that you can achieve great things without the financial support of others.”

The Hays attribute their success to prioritising good service and taking care of their team. “You look after your drivers, they look after you,” Adam said.

ABH’s fleet includes B-Double and triple trailer configurations, including four and four-and-a-half deck and six-deck combinations, allowing them to accommodate different customer needs. They transport cattle to feedlots, saleyards, and abattoirs, while also bringing in cattle purchased by local properties.

Adam was surprised to learn they were listed among Australia’s top 25 livestock transporters. While they’ve grown significantly, he believes they’ve reached a good scale for their operation—large enough to meet demand but still maintaining the personal touch of a family business.

“It is definitely a team effort,” he said.

Click here to return to Top 25 Transporters feature, or click here to return to the table of Top 25 entries.