A four metre scrub python found its way into an engine of one of the Go West buses used in the Rio Tinto contract in Weipa, North Queensland recently.

Go West called in expert onsite snake catcher Blake Hyland who said it was the largest snake he had been asked to remove and relocate.

Blake thinks the non-venomous snake was hungry and following some birds into the engine which had been seeking shelter, and after snacking, had curled up for a rest!

Meet Steven Twigger, a recruit from Forrest Personnel who has been at Go West Tours for nearly 10 years!

Steven is employed a day a week and helps clean buses and vehicles, tidies the yard, runs errands, helps catalogue parts, refuels vehicles and undertakes deliveries.

“I really enjoy working for Go West,” Steven said. “It’s taught me a lot of new skills over the years.”

Managing Director Stan Haoust said Steven had continued to grow during his time with the company and was always keen to learn new skills

“Over the years I’ve watched Steven progress, learning more tasks and always stepping up to any new challenges,” Stan said.

“He has always been on time, always turns up for work and is a considerate employee in the workplace.

“I’ve always been a big believer in giving disadvantaged people an opportunity to get some experience and have always provided these work placements during my working life to help make a difference to people’s lives.”

Go West has received some great praise from the Beer Farm in Metricup after transferring 150 people to and from Busselton, Margaret River, Cowaramup and Dunsborough for The Blazing Brews event in July.

The Beer Farm’s George Scott had special praise for Operations Coordinator Cassie Hughes and drivers Michael Penton, Keith Godley and Allan Goodchild.

“A big thank you to you personally, Cassie, for all the work you put in to get this up and running, it is most appreciated,” George said.

“All of your drivers were extremely helpful throughout the event which makes my life so much easier – another great example of how much we value the relationship.”

It was the end of an era in August, as Go West Tours handed over the franchise of renown vehicle hire company Hertz to new owners.

Go West Bunbury employees Ricky Ugle and Peter Cherubino gave one of the trucks a last clean, ready for delivery that day to Terry Trucks in Davenport.

Go West has held the Hertz franchise for 14 years, supplying a range of sedans, light vehicles and trucks to the South West.

“Hertz Australia has been a wonderful part of our business for more than 14 years and we wish Terry Trucks all the best in the South West franchise areas to continue the great customer service and quality that our company has provided to the network,” said Self Drive and Quality Assurance Manager and former Hertz Manager Rebecca Seinemeier.

Photo:  Ricky Ugle and Peter Cherubino give one of the Hertz trucks a last clean before handing the vehicles over to Terry Trucks.

It’s not very common these days to see father and son working together at the same company.

Ricky Ugle is a driver and now trainer at Go West, while Jason is a mechanic, learning his trade since he began a part-time job at 14 at South West Coach Lines and learning how to drive buses before he could drive a car!

Jason, now 28, graduated from his part time job checking oil and water and changing tyres in a workshop to a mechanic apprenticeship at 15 years, and now works on the buses and trucks at Go West’s Bunbury office.

“Part of the job when I became an apprentice at 15 was to shift the buses in the yard or drive them over the pits, so I learned from a young age how to drive them,” Jason said. “When it came to getting my drivers licence, I found it so much easier to learn to drive a car!”

Ricky had driven buses and seen the sites of Western Australia for more than 20 years and is now responsible for driver assessments and some part-time driving when needed.

“Jason has been tinkering with cars and machinery since he was very young, so it’s great that he is doing what he loves and we get to work together,” Ricky said.