Community
NTI is Committed to the Community
NTI has a meaningful purpose beyond profit, we're committed to making a real difference in our community, by helping our customers and their industries, and by supporting charities and community groups. Through hard work and active involvement of NTI employees our company is able to go above and beyond for our community when they need it most.
Truck Restorations for MND Research
Since 2017, NTI has been restoring and modifying vehicles, and raffling or auctioning them to help fund research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Our former CEO Wayne Patterson suffered from MND, and we decided to honour his passing by joining the search for a cure.
Every day, MND takes two Australian lives – and two more Australians are diagnosed with the disease. Wayne Patterson infused NTI with a strong commitment to values beyond business, such as being a responsible employer and an active community member.
Our annual fundraisers help us continue Wayne’s legacy. Our community of employees, business partners and industry associations have all given their time and efforts freely. Without their contributions, these projects wouldn’t be possible.
They are a great way to help others and reflect our hope – and Wayne’s – that one day, we’ll find a cure for MND.
Motor Neurone Disease (MND)
We work with our national network of partners to restore and raffle vintage trucks, along with other initiatives, with proceeds going towards finding a cure for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) as a tribute to NTI’s former CEO Wayne Patterson.
In 2017, NTI embarked on a nine month community engagement project that brought together members of the transport and insurance sectors, industry associations and wider community to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease (MND). The linchpin for this project was the full restoration of a 1946 International Model K5 Rigid Truck, which was then raffled.
The fully restored, operational truck was a culmination of time, skill and resources of over 50 supplies, partners and industry affiliates. It presented opportunities for these parties and our customers, to interact in a new way.
The entire project was documented and shared via a 5 part web documentary series titled ‘NTI Truck Restoration: A Green Diamond in the Rough’ (paying homage to the engine type ‘Green Diamond’).
The final reveal of the fully restored truck, and raffle draw occurred Friday 15 September 2017, in Brisbane’s King George Square. The occasion was hosted by Triple M and radio host Greg ‘Marto’ Martin.
The campaign garnered national print, radio and digital media attention. The sum of funds raised by the project via raffle ticket sales totalled $55,020.
In 2019, NTI embarked on another restoration community engagement project that brought together members of the transport and insurance industries, industry associations and wider community to raise funds for the NTI Research Grant, awarded annually by MND Research Australia, in conjunction with MND and Me Foundation.
The team rebuilt another 1946 Ford Jailbar – “Roxanne”, this time combining old and new, to restore the old beauty into a fully modernised ride.
The restored, operational truck was a culmination of time, skill and resources of over 50 suppliers, partners and industry affiliates. It presented opportunities for these parties and our customers to interact in a new way.
Through a raffle draw held at the Brisbane Truck Show in May 2019 NTI raised $200,000 for Motor Neurone Disease medical research. Lucky ticket holder Michelle Wilkie of Munruben, Queensland was crowned the winner on the last day of the truck show, where the truck was displayed for the duration of the event.
In 2020, a third restored 1946 Ford Jailbar was completed and auctioned at the Australian Trucking Association’s “ATA Live” virtual event.
To date, the NTI Research Grant has supported the following projects:
- 2019 - Associate Professor Trent Woodruff at the University of Queensland for his project ‘Manipulation of free fatty acid receptors to tame the immune response in MND’.
- 2020 - Associate Professor Anthony White at the at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute for his project ‘Boosting microglia phagocytosis as a therapeutic approach to treat MND’.
- 2021 – Dr Shyuan Ngo at the University of Queensland for her project ‘ MND in space and time: deciphering the spatio-temporal landscape of cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous drivers of motor neurone death in MND’.
Burrumbuttock Hayrunners
NTI have been a proud sponsor of the Burrumbuttock Hay Runners since 2016. Our relationship with the Hay Runners is one of genuine admiration and heartfelt support as it’s important for NTI to give back to hardworking Australians.
In 2014, Brendan ‘Bumpa’ Farrell heard about a farmer in Bourke (NSW) who was struggling in the drought. He contacted the farmer and offered to bring him a truckload of hay to help him out. From that, the Burrumbuttock Hay Runners was borne. Since that date in 2014, they have completed 11 successful hay runs to help drought-affected farmers all over New South Wales and Queensland.
The Burrumbuttock Hay Runners initative is about mates helping mates in a time of need. Farmers impacted by drought often stuggle to ask fro help and many also battle mental health issues to the struggles of keeping a farm afloat. But droughts don’t just impact farmers – they also impact local businesses and livelihoods within the surrounding communities.
All participants in the hay runs are volunteers; hay is donated and the trucks drivers donate the use of their trucks and machinery, as well as their time to load, deliver, and unload the hay.
NTI is proud to contribute to helping such a worthwhile and inspiring event to take place year after year.
Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls
NTI supports the Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls National Heavy Vehicle Driver Training Institute and its work in changing how driver training is delivered.
Did you know that women currently make up just 1% of the nation’s heavy vehicle driver workforce?
That’s why Pilbara Girls Heavy Haulage was established: to remove obstacles to and promote the employment of women as heavy vehicle drivers. The initiative is based in Karratha (WA) and is a not-for-profit organization providing professional development opportunities for newly licensed truck drivers.
Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls are passionate about best practice on-road and workplace safety, increasing female heavy vehicle driver participation rates in the Australian road transport industry, and working to develop a positive industry image.