Kevin Martin, the transport industry leader who has passed away, endeared himself to every journalist at FTW, each of whom has personal memories to share.FTW editor Joy Orlek described him as “highly articulate, with a colourful turn of phrase.” Kevin never steered clear of controversial issues. A conversation with Kevin was never short, but always provided a plethora of insightful and quotable comments. “He never held back from challenging the status quo using knowledge and persistence as his ammunition.” “On a personal note, I’ve dealt with Kevin over my many years at FTW – and for his industry colleagues he’ ll be remembered as an all-round down-to-earth friend.”“He threw himself into the middle of heated debates over contentious transport issues with no fear of consequence,” said FTW assistant editor Liesl Venter. “He said it as it was. He was not afraid to speak his mind, his opinions were strong.“Nothing was ever off the record and he was always available. He spoke until my mobile battery was f lat. He often made me laugh, think and question what was being discussed. He gave insight, analysis and spoke up because he cared deeply. I will miss him hugely.”Kevin was more than just a source you could turn to whenever you felt it necessary, said deputy editor Eugene Goddard. “He was a bloke you could confide in, like an older brother who spoke truth to power. I’ll never forget our little ‘assignment’ in Durban, scooting around the underbelly of Durban harbour only to emerge at a bowls club for more than just a few pints. RIP dear Kevin. I’ll miss you very much.Durban correspondent Lyse Comins saw Kevin as “the epitome of a transport professional who carried with him invaluable institutional knowledge which he was always willing to use for the betterment of the sector, whether this meant challenging senior executives at Transnet to improve service delivery or patiently taking the time to explain the complexities of the industry to me as a journalist so that I could do my job properly by asking the relevant people the right questions”.I would often tell Kevin that when I wanted the truth about what was happening in Durban port, he was the one person I could always rely on to tell me truth, even if at the time he would sometimes say he wanted to first give Transnet a chance to fix the problems before publishing. He was always fair like that and tackled the challenges for the betterment of the sector and the economy and not from a vantage point of selfish business interests. I will sorely miss our lengthy interviews and his colourful character that always shone through.” AdeleMackenzie, who worked for FTW for six years, said Kevin was always one of the first people she would call for comment on a story around the Port of Durban “He pulled no punches and was a journalist’s dream as he always gave the best quotes. When I left, we stayed friends on Facebook and I loved seeing his gentler side, his obvious love for his family, his wry sense of humour and his beautiful nature photos.”