NO ONE knows Queensland roads quite as intimately as our dedicated truckies.
When Eidsvold's Anthony Oppermann (pictured) caught up with Queensland Country Life, he was halfway home from Dingo, 600km under his belt before noon standard.
"I'm gone before daylight and home after dark most days," he said.
"I have a couple of little kids and you miss them a lot on their days off and school holidays."
He said making matters worse were the unpredictable and at times treacherous roads he navigated.
Carting mostly cattle and timber alongside his father, Neville, Mr Oppermann said road conditions were imperative during times of drought.
"Any poor cattle that you are trying to get across those dirt roads make it nearly three times as long because you need to stop and give them a spell," he said.
"They seem to use a lot more energy trying to stand up on a rough road."
After the Queensland Gas Company pipeline went through Mr Oppermann's stomping grounds - the North Burnett and Banana shires - he reckoned damage to the roads was evident.
"All those back roads are just torn to pieces since all the traffic has been on them. At the moment there are some pretty shocking roads out there."
One road Mr Oppermann had done his best to avoid until now was the infamous Monto-Mt Perry Road the North Burnett's main link to Bundaberg.
"If you get halfway through there and you do get a shower, you'll find yourself in a bit of trouble in those hills."
But Mr Oppermann said "a bit of hope has been returned", after a recent government announcement was made last week to seal a further 12km of the Monto-Mt Perry Road.