Purple Truck on a mission to get disadvantaged drivers behind the wheel

Purple Truck Driving School owner Robert Cheek, Toowoomba, said some businesses and disabled people out west lacked access to truck lessons and he wanted to fix that.

"Towns like Roma have no dedicated truck training company, so we've started going out there rather than the businesses sending their staff to us," Mr Cheek said.

Mr Cheek and his team have begun organising regular trips to Roma, training and organising assessment for five drivers in four days.

He said they were also seeing more people from farming, horse riding and rodeo backgrounds with disabilities wanting to drive trucks.

"Some of them have lost a limb in an accident, some have brain injuries and some are paraplegic. We just look past that. If you want to drive and you can do it safely - hop in," he said.

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The instructor said just about anyone could teach a person to drive a truck, but what some people needed was a person to listen and care.

"I had one burly bloke in the cab the other day and he lacked self confidence after his injury. He didn't think he could drive a truck and broke down and cried. After that, we got started and you could just see his attitude change," he said.

"It's the best feeling to see people realise they can do anything. It's all in the mind."

Purple Truck have been long term sponsors of Dust Off Brain Bust, an organisation that raises awareness and support for brain injury survivors working in the agricultural industry.

The organisation also recently won the education and training award at the 2021 Business Disability Awards.

"We don't know who nominated us, but we are very grateful and extremely proud," Mr Cheek said.

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