The unpredictability of transport has been dialled up to 11 in Queensland to start 2025.
Just as North and Far North Queensland start to rebound from its recent flooding event, the south-east of the state is about to be buffeted by the first tropical cyclone to make landfall in the region since the 1970s.
Companies and citizens are already battening down the hatches for the storm, the Port of Brisbane has been closed, emergency evacuation centres have been set up, and homes and buildings are being sandbagged in preparation for Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s landfall.
Current modelling suggests the storm is expected to cross land south of Brisbane and 20,000 properties are at risk of flooding.
Transport companies that operate in and around Queensland were slugged by added costs, significant delays and damage to facilities and assets in last month’s flooding, and look set to brace for more significant disruptions in the coming days and weeks.
Followmont Transport is not immune from the ongoing difficulties facing the entire sector, yet has been praised within the industry for its strong communication with customers and partners during the recent flood event.
CEO Ross Longmire spoke to ATN about how clear lines of communication were key in bracing the business and its employees for the uncontrollable disruptions caused.
“We sent a message out right from the start that our primary focus was safety and trying to get everyone home as much as we can and get them rested and out of harm’s way” Longmire reflects.
“When we were becoming aware there was likely road closures, the linehaul team was phoning drivers, messaging through the in cab tablets, and keeping everyone as updated as possible.
“We reviewed which drivers would be sent on certain routes based on experience, and we always attempted to get them travelling in groups so they could support each other on the way through.”
“It’s imperative to keep those lines of communication clear. We’re fortunate to have a number of depots and people who, unfortunately, have experience with these sorts of things, so we can reach out and gain a fairly quick understanding of where things are sitting.
“We also operate a fairly significant agent network as well and they’re able to update us.
“We had our agent in Charters Towers supporting fuelling vehicles and feeding drivers and looking after those members of the Followmont family who were out on the road.
“There’s also a callout to the QTA for this entire process; they were in regular contact with the state government disaster centre and were providing regular updates.”
Now, though, Queensland is staring down the barrel of another weather event that holds the potential to break supply chains and cause damage and disruption to key infrastructure and facilities.
With heavy rain expected to hit areas as far south as northern Victoria, much of Australia’s eastern seaboard will feel some kind of impact related to Tropical Cyclone Alfred – least of all those in south-east Queensland and northern-NSW.
The storm’s path has been labelled “unpredictable” by SES NSW Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz, but current modelling has it moving an a south-westerly direction.
Current warning zones listed by the Bureau of Meteorology (as of Wednesday 5 March at 8:34am AEDT) include towns between Sandy Cape in the north to Grafton in the south.
Those open communication lines will once again be key to ensuring the storm has as minimal an impact as possible, and Longmire was quick to pass praise to those within the organisation for fostering strong collaboration in the face of significant uncertainty.
“I don’t think it’s about strong leadership,” he says. “I think it’s part of the capabilities people have in the business.
“We have people who have been through multiple weather events in North Queensland and northern NSW in recent years. Unfortunately, that brings a lot of experience with it.
“Over the last few days, the team in south-east Queensland has been reaching out to team members in northern Queensland about what they do to protect themselves. the freight, the depots and the equipment.
“All that shared knowledge will not only allow people to remain as safe as possible, but it will help ensure our close time is as minimal as possible and we can continue to operate.”
Longmire adds, much like in the recent floods, peoples’ safety will be the number one priority.
“We want to make sure everyone we’re associated with is as safe as possible,” Longmire continues.
“We understand there’s going to be some disruption over the coming days, but first and foremost we want to make sure all our team and all our customers are safe and well.
“We’ll find ways to move the freight in the coming days.
“It may be a little late in some locations, but first and foremost we want to make sure our people, their families and their homes are safe.”
Live Queensland road closure updates are available here, while updated conditions and emergency information is available here.
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