The Trans-Help Foundation is “committed to providing support and assistance to Operators, Drivers and their Families connected with the Transport Industry who are suffering any form of crisis.“

2. BY OUR FOUNDER & CEO DIANNE CARROLL OAM
The Trans-Help Foundation (Trans-Help) is a national charity that
assists Transport Personnel and their families in crisis and also
advocates for health and wellbeing within the transport industry.
Our services are quite diverse and include assisting families following
accidents and fatalities, a 24/7 phone support service that is the transport
industries own “Lifeline”, three mobile Health & Support Units traversing
major transport corridors providing free preliminary health checks on the
road, counseling, etc..
Our National Head Office, based in Tarcutta, NSW hosts our national call
centre, training facility, respite for injured drivers and effected families.

3. The Trans-Help Foundation was established in 2006 by a group
of dedicated individuals who have firsthand knowledge and
experience of family life and hardships within the transport
industry.
The concept of the foundation was to address the many side effects drivers face
in the course of their everyday work, our expansion and direction has been a
result of what we identify as ‘The call of the road’.
Many managers, owner drivers and company owners have and continue to use
our service also.
The Trans-Help Foundation has worked tirelessly since its inception to ensure a
solid support system was established. We have remained independent and
have now gained and maintain the confidence and trust of the industry

4. On the 29 May 2009, the Trans-Help Foundation purchased a
former aged care facility in Tarcutta, NSW.
The facility is now home to the Foundations National 24/7 call centre, respite
for drivers, widows and families, training centre and counselling services.
The tranquil setting has resulted in all clients finding a place of peace and
healing for even the toughest drivers.

5. Since our inception we have made available our national 24/7
emergency number to drivers and their families.
The services we offer via the number are very diverse, these include, but not
limited to immediate response to accidents, fatalities, injuries, road trauma,
depression, potential suicides, financial hardship, child support, liaising with
employer, superannuation claims, WorkCover claims and more.
We also provide online counselling and have closed groups including:
• Widow Network
• Teenage Network
• Accident Victim Network

6. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 TOTAL
Fatalities 7 27 56 62 71 112 134 469
Injuries 25 73 64 112 142 185 157 758
Depression 39 92 129 237 167 372 386 1422
Road Trauma 117 249 341 707
Financial 8 36 81 124 123 184 172 728
Legal 2 15 58 127 107 171 168 648
Court Cases 1 15 29 34 23 37 24 163
Child Support 8 42 79 84 59 84 71 427
Regulations 14 31 268 197 95 127 131 863
WorkCover 7 18 39 69 86 97 102 418
Relationship 2 19 21 33 62 114 97 348
Superanuation 8 29 47 85 74 92 73 408
Employment 1 17 21 37 26 79 71 252
Other 19 54 19 32 71 108 92 395
Online 154 204 384 711 1453
TOTAL 141 468 911 1387 1427 2395 2730 9459
Daily Average 1.3 2.6 3.6 3.9 6.6 7.4

7. The Trans-Help Foundation wanted to address the health and
wellbeing of the industry in which had been clearly identified
during their work. In 2008 our first Mobile Health and Support Unit became a
reality, thanks to IVECO donating an IVECO DAILY Van.
IVECO has increased their Partnership with the donation of another two IVECO
DAILY Vans.
The Units prowl along freight corridors throughout the country providing
preventative health & welfare checks
The Units now also visit Transport Depots enabling an overall preventative health
assessment of the company.
This unique program is ensuring the industry is a healthier one, whilst also
reducing fatalities on our roads making it safer for all road users.

8. 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total
On Road 578 584 672 942 1427 4203
Trade Shows Main 517 1257 773 2547
Trade Shows Other 741 1875 1136 657 1119 5528
TOTAL 1319 2459 2325 2856 3319 12278

10. Trans-Help has available at both the Centre and the Health & Support
Unit various information and support brochures. These have been
designed specifically for transport drivers, being a tri-fold, explained in
layman’s terms and of a size that can be completely read in ½ an hour
– the time of their mandatory break.
We also have various others that are supplied by our information
partners.
These brochures have been an imperative part of our support services
offered to the industry and their families.

11. Road trauma results in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),
with many transport drivers effected.
Some drivers witness multiple accidents during their career, some being
involved in accidents themselves.
What is not understood it that when an incident occurs the trauma of any
previous incidents are all of a sudden before their eyes again, making the
current incident twice as hard to cope with.
PTSD can be a result of being involved, witnessing or hearing the gruesome
details of an accident. Currently Trans-Help, with the assistance of Lifeline and
beyondblue is designing a module in Heavy Vehicle Road Trauma which will be
offered to medical professionals throughout Australia.

12. Most states WorkCover Schemes can be a cruel system, and
THF has assisted and worked with many transport families
through the grueling procedures following injuries and fatalities.
THF has also worked on multiple cases in which the WorkCover system has
pushed a client to the extent of "lets give up".
The lack of knowledge of the transport industry throughout the WorkCover,
accident commissions, medical and mental health fraternity is a major let
down to the industry and contributes to increased anxiety and tension for
the people THF deals with.
THF working with clients have proven to get drivers off the WorkCover
system and back to work, saving the government and companies money.

13. With work diaries, regulations, regulators, chain of responsibility
fatigue management, there should be no fatigue in the transport
industry, but there is!
Our statistics have identified a high rate of heart disease,
diabetes, depression, sleep apnoea, thrombosis, all having side
effects of fatigue.
By addressing the health issues in the industry we are reducing
fatigue and in turn reducing the fatigue, preventing accidents and
saving companies and the government millions of dollars.
The annual economic cost of road crashes in Australia is
enormous—estimated at $27 billion per annum. The average life
time cost for each person with paraplegia is $1.2 million. The
average lifetime cost for a person with quadriplegia is $6.4
million. REF: http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/safety

14. Life on the road for transport drivers are hard enough, but the partners and
children that they leave behind have it just as tough. When a driver leaves on
the next trip, there is always that underlying fear of will he return home safely.
When we established the foundation it was imperative that our objectives
included the families.
Whilst we support the families following fatalities, we also support the families
who suffer loneliness, hardship, relationship strain and more importantly we
have developed strategies for families to ensure “Dad” is part of the children's
daily lives.
Drivers will tell you, saying goodbye to your partner and kids is the hardest.

15. A transport widow's grief is not understood in the real world or
throughout the medical profession.
When a driver is killed the widow goes through a period of no grieving,
with friends and family thinking she is cold hearted and become distant
from her. Then the widow goes through a period of guilt because she
hasn’t grieved.
It is when her husband was due to arrive home from his normal absence
when the grief hits her, but three times harder than normal, because her
emotions are already strained from the guilt period and the distancing
from family and friends.
The support and understanding offered by Trans-Help assists to
understand that the feelings they have are normal. These fatality cases
are ongoing , with the duration dependent on the circumstances and
need.

16. Whose bereaved families we support
Jeffrey Nicholson Will Van Luenen Andrew Foord Tyrone Morgan
36 yrs 54 yrs 42 yrs 25 yrs
2 Children 6 children, 2 step children 2 Children 1 Child
and 5 grandchildren

17. Whose bereaved families we support
Garry Fischer Geoff Clark Tony Peters Brian Milnes
43 yrs 40 yrs 45yrs 44yrs
4 children 4 Children 5 Children 3 Children, youngest 7 wks
and 4 grandchildren

18. Whose bereaved families we support
Paul Osbourne Doug Kirkpatrick Rowan Todd Tony Cronin William Canham
39 yrs 57 yrs 27 yrs 46 yrs 42 yrs
3 Stepchild 1 Child 3 Children 3 Stepchildren 4 Children

19. Whose bereaved families we support
Don Dashington David Anderson Peter Owers David Benson
41 yrs 42 yrs 58 yrs 35 yrs
2 Children 5 Stepchildren Gavin Hohn 5 Children 3 Children & 1 Stepchild
2 Grandchildren
46 yrs
3 Children 1 Grandson
Beau Hohn
11 Years

20. NEAR DEATH
At 4 am in the dark of the night, David lost control of his truck
and after overturning it, smashed into a huge gum tree on the
Olympic Highway near Henty. The impact of the accident threw
David into the sleeper compartment, but in the process jammed
his legs. Emergency services thought he was dead, even the
rescue team were amazed how he survived!
Following surgery, skin grafts, muscle grafts and hospitalisation,
David is now out of hospital and also out of his wheelchair,
walking a little jaded with a cane... but walking!
Physiologically he still has a long way to go

21. Heath Unit saved my life
After visiting the Mobile Trans Help Van in Tarcutta one night, the
nurse said that my blood pressure was off the dial and I was a
walking time bomb ready to explode, and that my only priority
should not be getting the load to Sydney, but to see my doctor
immediately. This was done the next day.
My doctor gave me a good talking too, and explained to me, in no
uncertain terms, that I had to slow down and take time to smell
the roses. If I kept going the way I was, that I would most likely not
be around to spend time with my Grand Children. At the age of
44, I still have a lot of living to do. A regular visit to the Doctor
every six months is now a priority, as I was unaware that I had
extremely high blood pressure. I have since lost 46kg.
Geoff

22. LOSS AND SURVIVAL
Trans-Help assisted Mandy and her family following the loss of her husband and
the survival of her daughter who was involved in a truck accident.
The following is a message Mandy wrote in March 2009...
It was a cold night in April 2008, when i felt my life was falling apart and i couldn't go on . I
had just lost my husband, best friend and sole mate. Then came a call from what I can only
call an angel. She made me realise that i still had so much to live for and that i would get
through this. My heart was broken and I was in tears as she spoke to me.
How can i go on without him? How will my kids live without a daddy I asked her? She replied
"you will and they will and i know because i did". That was what i needed to hear, someone
who had been there ,who understood my pain.
That Trans-Help Angel helped me in every way possible.
I just hope one day I find half the strength she has.
Mandy

23. VICTIM OF SUICIDE
For trucking couple, Chris and Penny, Trans-Help check-up probably saved Chris’s life.
Someone jumped off a bridge landing in front of his bullbar. Chris suffered PTSD and felt his
life would never be the same again.
Chris was the victim, but taken away and tested for drugs. The company put him straight
back in the truck without detailing it. Following major changes in his mood, Penny
encouraged him to call at the Trans-Help Health Unit. He was found to have high blood
pressure and an infection which was not healing and was told to come off the road.
Chris has since had three heart attacks and still suffers from PTSD. Trans-Help is still
supporting the family.

24. The Trans-Help Team are made up of people who have first hand
knowledge of the industry, this includes our counsellors.
Sharon lost two of her children and she broke her back in an
horrific accident in 1995. A car driver had tried to overtake them
on an approach to a bridge. Sharon’s husband knew the road and
knew they both wouldn’t make it, so he pulled to the left to save
the car driver, but lost his children in the process.
Sharon has gone on to do the Lifeline course and a grief
counselling course and is now one of the Trans-Help Team.
Sharon said " If only Trans-Help had been
around when we had our accident!
My recovery would have been twice as quick"

25. Trans-Help’s reputation is based on strict guidelines, volunteer agreements,
police checks and confidentiality policies and procedures. These have been put
in place due to the private nature of the many cases we deal with on a day to
day basis.
Our operations adhere strictly to the PRIVACY ACT 1988. Due to these
stringent guidelines Trans-Help has built a strong reputation within the
industry.
Any client cases use by Trans-Help is with full written permission from the
family/individual

26. www.transhelpfoundation.com.au
1300 787 996