“She won it because of her diversity in the company, it’s not just driving,” said the company’s managing director and Penn’s stepfather, Daryl James.
“Today she’s in the office, yesterday she was out driving the milk tanker, tomorrow she could be doing silage,” he said.
“That’s why she’s got so many skills at a young age.”
Transporting is something that runs in Penn’s blood.
The family business is run by Penn’s mother, Kylie James, and husband Daryl.
Her grandfather, father, and two brothers have all been, or are now, transport drivers.
“[Taylah’s] been involved in the business since we got together, when she was 12 years old,” Daryl James said.
He said that since that time she’s been helping the business, coming down to help wash trucks and other odd jobs.
When she left high school at 15, she began full-time as an office junior.
She was able to fast-track her class 5 licence with the help of the company’s office, receiving it in February 2024.
“She’s just not a normal employee,” Daryl James said.
When she was younger and still lived at home, she would help the business at all hours, he said.
“The phone would go at 2 o’clock in the morning and I would be going out to rescue the truck that had slipped off the tanker track ... and she’d be coming with me,” he said.
“She was all about it.”
Penn said her favourite part of driving for a living was getting to take in the views as she drives.
“You get paid to travel, really, paid to travel the countryside,” she said.
Sharp as Linehaul had five other nominations.
Daryl James, Kylie James, and Donna Elston were nominated for the Eroad Outstanding Contribution to Health and Safety Award.
Kylie James had a second nomination for the NZI Women in Road Freight Transport Award.
And Richard Langford was nominated for the Mito Outstanding Contribution to Training Award.
“Out of 100 staff, Taylor was the one we chose to nominate,” Daryl James said.
“We’ve got a few young drivers, but she stood out.”
