Quiplie-based Bonsey’s has have been traversing the channel country for more than 30 years.

THE distinctive maroon Bonsey’s trucks have been traversing the channel country for more than 30 years, with the second generation of the Bonsey family taking the company into the top 25 transporters list for the first time.

Quilpie-based Bonsey’s has seen the channel country cattle industry transform from being a centre for grass finished bullocks to a backgrounding hub for the country’s growing feedlot industry.

The early years of Bonsey’s Transport, under Steve and Ann-Maree Bonsey, was a mix of freight, earthworks and livestock operations – with the cattle side of the business almost exclusively taking bullocks into the now disused Quilpie rail head.

These days, under the ownership of son Jake Bonsey and his wife Laura who took over five-years-ago, the company has ramped up the cattle side of the business.

With a focus on cattle, Bonsey’s has grown to a fleet of 10 predominantly Kenworth prime movers, with one Mack and one Western Star the business is trialling. The company has 27 two-deck trailers (a mix of Hallmark, Morton Mechanical and Brazier trailers), which normally operate as triple road trains.

Mr Bonsey said a combination of clients expanding and good staff has been behind Bonsey’s expansion.

“You hear so much about people struggling to get workers, but we have been extremely lucky to have good men around us ever since we took over the business,” he said.

“Having good people is such an important part when you are trying to expand with your clients”

Quilpie has always been a trucking hub for the channel country, as cattle used to come into the town on trucks before heading east on the train.

These days the rail head is not used but the trucking companies are still going strong, with another family company called Camrandale Transport falling just short of the top 25 list.

Mr Bonsey said a lot of his company’s clients in the channel country have been expanding and now own or use feedlots on the Darling Downs.

“Most of our clients out west of Quilpie have their own feedlots, so it is normally just direct from station to feedlot,” Mr Bonsey said.

“If the seasons are right we will take cart some fat cattle for them as well.”

Click here to return to Top 25 Transporters feature, or click here to return to the table of Top 25 entries.