David Body started Trucksmart in 1992 with a simple idea. Buy and sell ex-government trucks. It was the tail end of the recession, government departments were liquidating assets fast, and David saw an opportunity. He backed himself with limited capital, plenty of risk and a willingness to put in the hard yards sourcing trucks wherever he could find them.
In typical fashion, the hard work paid off.
Growing the business
By 1997 Trucksmart had grown enough to start importing Oshkosh trucks for the mining sector. Three years later the business became an authorised Volvo dealer and grew into one of the larger regional Volvo dealers in Australia, expanding into repairs, parts and new truck sales. Hino trucks were also part of the lineup during those years.
By 2016, sourcing quality used trucks was becoming harder. Rather than compromise on standards, Trucksmart stepped back from truck sales and doubled down on parts and service.
Back under an OEM banner
In 2020, Trucksmart joined Scania as their authorised parts and service dealer for the region, covering from the Hawkesbury to Wauchope and across the Upper Hunter Valley. It marked a return to working directly with a major truck brand after more than a decade away from that side of the business.
Parts become a business of their own
Trucks need parts, and that simple fact opened another door. Truck Parts Warehouse launched in 2021 and has since built a reputation as one of the leaders in online truck parts sales across Australia. You can read more about it here.
Used truck sales returned in 2024, giving customers another option and reigniting that side of the business.
Where things stand today
In 2025, Trucksmart took on the Penske dealership for the Hunter Region, covering Western Star, MAN, Dennis Eagle and Detroit Diesel. Foton trucks joined the lineup for customers looking for a lighter new truck option. A partnership with Hyva made Trucksmart the regional provider for hook loaders and skip bins. Yutong bus parts and service support and the Hallco walking floor partnership rounded out a significant period of growth for the business.
The team now includes more than 60 people and 17 technicians, serving more than 500 local customers and 6,000 nationally. From the Beresfield base, Trucksmart offers new and used truck sales, workshop servicing and repairs, parts supply, fleet support, specialist equipment support and 24/7 mobile breakdown service.
Same family, same values
The brands have changed. The services have grown. But Trucksmart is still run by the same family that started it in 1992, and the values that drove David to back himself all those years ago still run through the business today.
For operators across Newcastle, Maitland, the Hunter Valley, Port Stephens and the Central Coast, that means a local team with genuine history and a practical understanding of what it takes to keep trucks working.
Looking for a dealership that knows trucks? Call the Trucksmart team on 02 4028 6441.
