- Musico Refrigerated Transport driver James Rundle recognised with Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian accolade.
- Rundle becomes the 25th driver to receive the award since its inception.
ADELAIDE, South Australia (5 December 2022) — Adelaide truck driver James Rundle has been recognised as a Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian after coming to the aid of a driver who had rolled off the side of a road and down a steep embankment in South Australia.
The Musico Refrigerated Transport driver was enroute to deliver eggs when he came across suspicious tyre marks on the highway. After initially thinking it was a past incident, Mr Rundle doubled back to the scene to reinvestigate and discovered a driver trapped in their rolled over vehicle down the embankment.
Mr Rundle alerted emergency services and administered first aid to the crash victim, waiting alongside them until they were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The driver had been trapped for several hours when they were found, and Mr Rundle's actions saved their life.
Bridgestone Australia & New Zealand Managing Director, Heath Barclay, commended Mr Rundle on his gut instinct to go back and investigate further.
"James Rundle is a credit to the Australian trucking industry and has a genuine care for other motorists," Mr Barclay said.
"Not only was he vigilant in his daily duties and acutely aware of his surrounds, but he displayed incredible initiative by questioning the tyre marks and then going to the driver's aid by alerting emergency services and providing first aid.
"We're delighted to recognise James as a Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian for his perception of the situation and for taking action," he added.
Australian Trucking Association Chair David Smith joined Bridgestone and Bandag in congratulating James Rundle on his milestone accolade.
"The Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian is one of the highest honours in our industry, and we're delighted to award the title to James Rundle. There are thousands of individuals in our industry, and he joins a very elite group of only 24 others with the title today," Mr Smith said.
"We believe it's important to recognise those who go above and beyond the call of duty, and together with Bridgestone and Bandag, we take great delight in celebrating drivers like James for their selfless and heroic actions."
The Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian accolade is evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Australian Trucking Association. If you know a member of the industry who warrants the title, nominate them at truck.net.au/highwayguardian.
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About Bridgestone Australia Ltd.
Bridgestone is a global leader in tyres and rubber, and is building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. In Australia, Bridgestone Australia Ltd. offers a range of services and solutions to all segments of the Australian market to deliver social value and customer value. Bridgestone’s extensive range of quality tyres is complemented by the provision of mechanical and fleet services through the company’s nationwide retail network of Bridgestone Select and Bridgestone Service Centres, mobile service provider Lube Mobile, and the manufacturing and sale of quality retreads through Bandag Pty Limited. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tyres and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.
