Whether you’re learning to drive a heavy vehicle or you’ve been driving for years, sometimes it can help to broaden your contacts. Social media groups are a great way to meet new people, ask advice, score a deal or sell your equipment.
On Facebook there are closed groups and public groups. Anyone can join a public group, but for a closed group an admin must approve your application (it helps if you have a truck in your profile picture). When you join a group make sure to read the rules otherwise you could be banned for inadvertently spamming.
There are quite a few throughout Australia, so we’ve included the main popular ones. If you have any specific ideas about what you like in trucking, try searching in the search box at the top of the page on Facebook, then narrow your search just to groups by clicking ‘more’ then ‘groups’.
General interest
Trucking in Australia: A public group with over 4000 members. General truck talk
Australia, Through the Windscreen of a Truck: Closed group of over 3600 members that post photos of the road through their truck windscreens.
Truck’n West Australia: Closed group of a thousand members centred around trucking in WA
Specific marques
White Trucks Australia: Public group of more than 700 members, specialising in photos of and information about White trucks.
Mack Trucks in Australia: Closed group of over 2600 members interested in Mack Trucks
Official Mack Trucks Australia Fan Page: Public group of over 3000 members. It’s only about Mack trucks, and isn’t technically ‘official’.
Volvo and Scania Trucks of Australia: Closed group of over 500 members. Videos, pictures and talk about Volvo and Scania trucks.
AEC/Leyland Bus and Truck Australia and New Zealand: Closed group of a couple of hundred members interested in vintage buses and trucks from AEC/Leyland.
Specific types
Heavy Haulage Trucks in Australia 120T and Over: Public group of more than 3600 members interested in the really heavy trucks.
Restored and Old Working Trucks of Australia: Closed group of over 2100 members that talk about and share photos of old trucks
Coal Trucks and Tippers of Australia: Public group of over 900 members. A mixture of photos and videos of old and new trucks, plus chat.
Express Rigid Trucks in Australia: A closed group of 400 members specifically for photos of the Rigid Express Trucks that race or used to race up and down the highways of Australia every night carrying air freight and newspapers, etc. Photos of UD’s, Hinos, old Dodges, Isuzus, Internationals, Scanias, etc – anything that was rigid, fast and used for these roles, even 6 wheeler Holden tonners and F350s.
Buy/Sell
Buy-Swap-Sell Truckin Australia: Public group with over 8700 members throughout Australia. All kinds of truck and truck parts are listed.
Trucks Trailers and Parts For Sale Australia: Public group with over 2900 members. Everything for sale from mudflaps to entire trucks.
Vintage Trucks Australia: Buy, Swap, Sell: Closed group with over 3400 members specialising in vintage trucks and parts.
Google+
We couldn’t find any specific groups for Australia on Google+. There are international communities, though.
LinkedIn is more business-focused than Facebook. There are very few groups. You could try a group such as the Trucking, Cargo Handling, Warehousing, Logistics & Supply Chain group.
Forums
Forums are struggling since the advent of social media, but there are some survivors such as the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club of Australia.
Darren is an expert on driving and transport, and is a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists
