WA TRANSPORT MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2022 EDITION

Owner-Drivers Owner-Drivers (Contracts

Disputes)

More Power for Family Businesses

By Tim Dawson | Branch Secretary

to owner-drivers.

The Owner-Drivers (Contracts and Disputes) Amendment Bill 2022 will give Owner-drivers greater protections against hirers. Which include protections against unfair or unreasonable terms in owner-driver contracts, making it easier and quicker for owner-drivers to recover monies owed by to them by hirers.

The changes will also allow the Road Freight Transport Industry Tribunal (“the Tribunal”) the ability to arbitrate disputes relating to negotiations of owner-drivers’ contracts between a group of owner-drivers and a hirer. The amended OD Act will also make an owner-driver contract unconscionable if the contract provides for payment to the owner-driver at a rate that is less than the Guideline rates.

The changes to the OD Act that are made by the OD Amendment Bill, are substantial and will result in owner-drivers having significantly more rights and protections than they currently have.

The Transport Workers Union has been campaigning to increase the powers of owner operators in the transport industry.

For too long WA Owner drivers have been subjected to taking rates that are not safe or sustainable. Take it or leave it will no longer be the norm.

And the clients and economic employers who use owner operators to transport their goods based on the lowest price, will no longer be the norm.

Fuelling a race to the bottom forcing owner operator’s into undercutting each other. The Owner-Drivers (Contracts and Disputes) Amendment Bill 2022 will go a long way to stopping that.

In 2008, the TWU was instrumental in the State Government implementing the RFTIT (Road Freight Transport Industry Tribunal) established under the Owner-Drivers (Contracts and Disputes) Act of 2007.

The Tribunal seeks to promote a safe and sustainable road freight transport industry by regulating the relationship between persons who enter into contracts to transport good in heavy vehicles who hire them to do so.

Referred to as the “OD Act” it governs employees, sub-contractors, cooperations and partnerships that carry out the business of transporting goods. But despite some amendments in 2010, the Act fell short in providing adequate protections for a safe and sustainable transport industry. Until now.

The TWU has been tirelessly working to amend the Owner Driver Act, with changes made by a new Owner Driver Bill being very beneficial

As well, owner-drivers will have access to an expanded range of remedies if they refer a matter to the Tribunal. Importantly, for many owner-drivers, the OD Amendment Bill makes the Guideline Rates enforceable, which is not the case presently.

The OD Amendment Bill is a big win for owner-driver members of the TWU and, owner-drivers generally. This win is a result of several years of hard work by the TWU. That included, making submissions to the Government about how the OD Act could be improved, discussions with Government Ministers and Premier to make sure that the Government delivers on its promises to amend the OD Act, consultation with industry and discussions with the Department of Transport.

Those efforts have paid off, and as a result owner-drivers will have greater protections, and will have access to a wider range of remedies in matters that go to the Tribunal. Accordingly, hirers will be required to pay owner-drivers rates that are safe and sustainable.

The TWU is still campaigning to get this legislation to include vehicles under 4.5 tonne. The small vehicle, courier and parcel delivery sector of the transport industry is the fastest growing sector in the transport industry, and is open to exploitation of Owner-drivers and workers. Having an industry body and tribunal to bring disputes will go a long way to cleaning up the industry and clawing back more power for transport workers that are exploited by the clients at the top of the supply chain.

The next step in a more safe and sustainable transport industry is for the Federal Government to introduce legislation against the drive to the bottom by the clients.

This is a must read for

and

Amendment Bill 2022:

THE EVOLUTION OF PLANTMAN OVER 30 YEARS

Plantman celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Founded by Michael Elliot in 1991, Plantman has become a staple provider to the Western Australian resource sector, serving mining, earthmoving, construction and civil.

During this time, Plantman established itself as a leader in offering customised, high specification mobile earthmoving and mining equipment for sale and rental, together with maintenance, parts, engineering and fabrication services - building a reputation as pioneers of custom-built Service fleets.

Mining has long been a cornerstone of the Australian economy. Through booms and busts, the entire Plantman team feel nostalgic to reach this milestone while dealing in and servicing an industry that is the backbone of Australia. According to The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, WA mining and resources contributes $100 billion to the Australian economy, and Plantman plays a significant role within it.

THE EARLY DAYS

Michael Elliot’s experience in sourcing world-class equipment started in his position at the Caterpillar dealership and held him in good stead to go out on his own.

In 1990 Michael started ‘Plantman’ with the business management support of Shaaron Whitton, first opening the head office and workshop in 1991 Perth, Western Australia.

“In the first five years, we had a small group of key personnel (some of which are still with us today) and a hand full of machines in our fleet. We focused on importing equipment from Europe and North America for re-sale, which quickly developed into forming our own rental division for dry hire of machines with maintenance contracts, Australia wide,” says Michael.

The resources boom saw a worldwide shortage of equipment, a pivotal time for Plantman who opened its doors to a workshop and service department to maintain its expanding rental fleet. By 1998, Plantman had become a fully equipped one-stop-shop offering a wide range of services to meet high demands.

In the early 2000s, prices for commodities like iron ore, nickel, gold, oil and gas began rising, driven by increased demand from China. Australia had previously low commodity prices for more than a decade and companies like Rio Tinto and BHP had been under-investing in creating new supply. No-one anticipated the surge in demand and the swift rise in prices. Plantman was ready to scale up its business.

Sales Manager – Frank Lee, Managing

Director – Michael Elliot, Maintenance Manager – Mark Holyoake and Ashley Elliot – Business Development Manager – Plantman, Bellevue

Plantman’s success can be attributed to their ability to achieve a return on their investments. While competitors were having to replace end of life machinery more often, Michael followed Caterpillar’s second life philosophy of implementing high quality repairs and maintenance overhaul of equipment, resulting in lower operating cost per hour and longer life for expensive capital assets.

Plantman capitalised on this demand for businesses who did not budget to buy new equipment, offering the option to rent high specification machines instead of purchasing outright.

INNOVATION PUTS PLANTMAN ON THE MAP

While maintaining a highly productive and reliable fleet of earthmoving equipment, Plantman sought out an efficient method of helping maintain productivity on client sites. Plantman’s custom built Service fleet is a prime example of innovation and the offering that would set them apart in the late 90s.

Unique to the earthmoving industry at the time, the Service truck was the first standardised and productionbased service vehicle in development.

“We watched clients come up with makeshift solutions, such as drums and tanks of diesel and lubricant thrown on to the back of tray trucks, operating in remote conditions to service their equipment fleet. There was a range of issues around capacity, design, safety and environment.”

Reorganising the inadequacy of this approach, in 1997 Plantman developed specialised service modules specifically designed for the maintenance of earthmoving fleets that would maximise efficiency and improve the quality of fuel and lubricant cleanliness during the storage, transport and transfer process.

Plantman produced its first P5000 Service truck, a multipurpose on/off-road vehicle capable of carrying 5000 litres of diesel fuel and multiple types of grease and lubricants suitable to maintain a range of equipment, among other unique features.

This soon caught the attention of mine/maintenance managers and orders flooded into the office.

“We set up a production line to ensure we had a range of choices available to meet the demand. The high specification product far exceeded what was currently on the market… we had found our niche.”

This division flourishes today with more than 26 models designed and manufactured at the Bellevue facility including service trucks, diesel tankers, water trucks, crane trucks, drill support trucks and much more.

30 YEARS ON

Fast forward to today and Plantman has 75 employees and a 200-strong rental fleet to support the mining, earthmoving, construction and civil industries, with strict upkeep policies to keep equipment current on a five-year replacement program.

Like every business, Plantman has persevered through the ups and downs. “We downsized during the GFC as necessary and managed our way through COVID needing to introduce new health policies for employees and cope with the affected availability of equipment, labour and parts. However, we expanded our facilities in times of economic growth. The future will bring high interest rates, inflation, experienced labour shortages but we are prepared for anything that comes our way.”

Family remains at the core of its culture with both Michael's sons, Jordan and Ashley Elliot, who take on new responsibility and opportunity that come their way. Jordan, a seasoned veteran with over 20 years of experience in sales and rentals and Ashley a future driven individual with a vision for innovation and technology.

Michael considers the committed, long-term employees as integral to this family culture, valuing the hard work, high quality customer service and dedication of the entire team that has helped the business grow over 30 years.

With such leadership and commitment, Plantman is well positioned to handle the challenges of another 30 years in business.

Series 1: P5000 Service Truck – Pilbara

Series 6: P8000 Service Truck – Perth

Business Development Manager – Ashley Elliot and Sales Manager – Jordan Elliot – Plantman, Bellevue

2022 1995

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Karen-Maree’ Kaye

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Karen-Maree' Kaye, Russell McKinnon

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Jan Cooper, Cam Dumesny, Carol Messenger, Ray Pratt

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Merry Christmas everyone… Another year just whizzed past and I hope for you all that there were sufficient highlights. Here’s to 2023.

Congratulations to Michael Elliot, family and all at Plantman on your 30th Anniversary (Page 2). An inspiring success story indeed; underpinned by family culture.

Also in this edition, Main Roads HVS as well as the LRTAWA take us back through the last year ‘highlighting’ the ‘positives’ for industry.

Cam Dumesny CEO of Western Roads Federation talks about the need for a Transport Workforce Strategy in order to address the skills shortage and attract people to the Transport Industry. It is obvious one is needed that is promoted

by all which then makes it easier for Ministers/Decision makers come to the right outcome.

There are many more people speaking out now about the skill shortage for the transport industry and in this edition, Brian Hack MD at EES Shipping, one of Australia’s major international freight forwarder, based in Cockburn WA as well the WA freight forwarding representative on the WA Port Operations Task Force talks ‘frankly’ about the subject and covers all stakeholders in the supply chain.

As always thank you to everyone who supports the magazine. I love it when people tell me they look forward to reading it and like the content.

Until the New Year, Best,

Free cyber security training for small Business

Data security has been in the news recently and in a timely initiative the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) has partnered with Commbank and Telstra to launch a Cyber Wardens pilot program to encourage stretched small business owners to address their cyber security risks.

Cyber Wardens is a simple and free online educational tool designed to build a cyber-smart small business workforce. The program will be designed by small business, for small business, aiming to upskill

Tow truck drivers now required to declare maximum fees

Amendments to the Road Traffic (Vehicles) Regulations 2014 have been made as part of the Western Australian Government's ongoing tow truck industry reform, which introduce consumer protections for vulnerable road users involved in an accident, along with updating technical standards and inspection requirements for tow trucks.

From 7 November 2022, WA tow truck drivers will be required to declare the maximum fees that will be charged for the towing, salvage, and storage of a vehicle before the vehicle is towed.

The maximum fee must be displayed on the written statement a tow truck driver provides to the person authorising the tow.

The amendments also prohibit the

technical standards before a vehicle licence can be granted.

To allow the industry time to ensure that currently licensed tow trucks can meet the updated technical standards, the requirement for tow trucks to be inspected annually will not commence until 7 November 2023. After this date, all tow trucks will require an inspection before a licence can be renewed, and annually thereafter.

The State Government is now in the process of developing a second tranche of tow truck industry reforms, which will further strengthen protections for consumers.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said, "The requirement to include maximum fees for the towing, salvage, and storage of a

Australia’s small business workforce and give owners and employees the tools they need to stay safe online.

The Cyber Wardens program will be rolled out at no cost to small businesses and has been designed so that anyone can take part in the training; you don’t have to be tech-savvy or an IT wizard to put your hand up.

For more information on the Cyber Wardens initiative, or to register and be one of the first businesses to benefit from this free program, visit - www.cyberwardens.com.au

Do you know a Transport Champion?

charging of any additional fees other than for the towing, salvage, or storage of a vehicle from the scene of an accident.

Drivers are reminded that they have the right to refuse a tow from the scene of an accident if the maximum fees to be charged have not been disclosed on the tow truck driver's statement, or if they are asked to sign a statement that has not been completed in full by the tow truck driver.

Tow truck technical standards have also been brought up to date to reflect current industry practices and contemporary vehicle standards.

From 7 November 2022, tow trucks will be required to meet these updated

vehicle in the tow truck driver's statement intends to provide price transparency for road users, while the State Government works on further reforms to the industry.

"Drivers have the ability to refuse a tow from the scene of an accident if the tow truck driver has not declared the maximum fees to tow and store the vehicle, and should not sign a tow truck driver's statement authorising the towing of the vehicle if it has not been completed and provided to the driver.

"Amendments to technical tow truck standards will bring them up to date with contemporary industry practices to improve safety and roadworthiness."

Do you know a diversity champion looking to drive change in the trucking industry?

The ATA and Teletrac Navman are seeking nominations from individuals to take part in a groundbreaking initiative that will celebrate diversity and promote inclusive work environments.

The 2023 Driving Change Diversity champions will have the opportunity to meet and discuss with like-minded people to drive change and advocate diversity in their workplace and community.

The 2023 program will cover filming participant stories in their workplace, two days of diversity training and marketing campaign development workshops from 2829 March 2023 and participation in ATA's Trucking Australia 2023 conference, on the Sunshine Coast from 29-31 March 2023.

For more information on how to take part, please contact Western Roads Federation in WA. Nominations close Friday 13 January 2023 at 5pm AEDT.

From 7 November 2022, tow trucks will be required to meet these updated technical standards before a vehicle licence can be granted

Port Hedland road-rail safety improvements continue

The first package of works on the Port Hedland Road and Rail Safety improvement project is now complete.

Stage 1 has been officially opened, which includes the construction of a bridge over BHP's rail line at Buttweld Road.

The 34-metre-long bridge was constructed by Highway ConstructionAlbem Operations Joint Venture as part of the $31.48 million BHP funded Stage 1 works.

Construction of two roundabouts on Powell Road at the intersections of Dalton and Hamilton roads were also completed as part of Stage 1 in June 2022.

Construction has begun on the $76 million second package of works, which has also been awarded to Highway Construction-Albem Operations Joint Venture.

The project involves the realignment of approximately 4.75 kilometres of the Great Northern Highway (north of the Port Hedland International Airport and

the Walkabout Village), including the construction of new access roads due to the realignment.

A second bridge over the BHP rail line will also be constructed, eliminating the existing level crossing.

This second package of works is jointly

Government Minister Catherine King said, “This is an important package of improvements that will bring major safety and economic benefits to Port Hedland.

“The Australian Government is pleased to partner with BHP and the WA Government to support these important upgrades."

funded by the Australian Government ($50.2 million), the Western Australian Government ($12.54 million) and BHP ($13.26 million).

Construction is expected to take just over 12 months, with work estimated to be completed in late-2023, and will be managed by Main Roads WA with support from project partner BHP.

Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local

WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said, “This project is a fantastic example of governments working closely with industry to deliver better outcomes for the local community, and while we're at the halfway point of this project, it is already delivering improved road safety.

“Removal of these rail crossings will eliminate the risk of accidents, and the need for vehicles to be stuck at rail crossings for long periods of time, whilst long freight trains pass by.

State Pilbara MLA Kevin Michel commended Main Roads and the contractors for their work to date, and the delivery of this project in our heated construction environment.”

Construction is expected to take just over 12 months, with work estimated to be completed in late-2023

road

Are you sharing the road with poorly maintained trucks? Trucks are large and complex pieces of machinery and depend on every component to be working properly so that they can be safe on the road.

Generally speaking, trucks are maintained to a good standard and with the large distances many of our trucks travel they cannot afford to be poorly maintained.

Most of our heavy trucks come under the umbrella of accreditation. These vehicles usually require permits to operate and are subject to regular scrutiny by Main Roads. However, many trucks due to the nature of their work do not require permits and escape the need for regular checks and maintenance.

These trucks are usually owned by small companies or operators that require a truck to carry out their business. For example plumbers, builders and even farmers may own a truck to cart equipment around to job sites - just for their own use.

Not being full time transport operators also often means maintenance is neglected and only occurs when the truck fails to proceed.

I recently had to shift some personal equipment of mine and was generously offered the use of a large fairly new prime mover and drop deck trailer. The foreman of this small contracting company gave me a quick rundown on the truck and said it was all good to go as it had just been in the

workshop for a few repairs. I quickly loaded the truck and away I went.

It didn’t take long to work out that the truck was ‘not’ in very good condition.

I was constantly met with many orange lights flashing on the dash; warning of issues with the truck. A phone call to the foreman assured me that everything

tread to some being quite bald.

The brakes were poor and needed the utmost care when stopping. Every time I started the truck I had to wait quite a while to allow air to build up as the air system was leaking. The list goes on and it made me aware that there is likely to be many trucks like this travelling regularly on the road that we are sharing the road with.

I have a friend who has a large plumbing business with many one ton utilities in his fleet. The poor condition of the vehicles and the lack of load restraint is a constant point of contention every time I see him. He is a very good plumber but has very little mechanical knowledge and it certainly shows with his fleet.

With a busy harvest well under way I often wonder about the condition of farmer’s trucks as they wheel them out after spending many months in a shed gathering dust.

had been checked and I was fine to keep driving. The trip wasn’t relaxing and while I was thankful for the use of the truck I was happy to return it back to their depot.

Apart from constant orange lights flashing on the dash the truck had a multitude of issues that I believe made it unsuitable to be on the road. The main areas of concern were the tyres were unevenly matched with some having good

I’m sure many have good maintenance programs. However, I’m also sure many expect their trucks to keep performing season after season with very little attention.

It may appear that I’m nitpicking but I firmly believe that we have a big problem in not having the correct safe guards to monitor and check these vehicles. Safety should be paramount with all vehicles especially when employees are asked to drive as part of their work. Keep it safe, Ray Pratt.

With a busy harvest well under way I often wonder about the condition of farmer’s trucks as they wheel them out after spending many months in a shed gathering dust

Over to you

A FAIR GO FOR OWNER DRIVERS by Ray Pratt

Are you sharing the

with poorly maintained trucks?

REMOTE AREAS CONSULTATIVE GROUP (RACG)

The RACG consists of government and industry representatives from the Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. Its purpose is to act as an advisory body to provide a remote areas perspective on proposed and existing transport reforms. The WA industry representatives are Western Roads Federation and the Livestock and Rural Transport Association. The RACG provides this advice to Senior Officials and Transport/Infrastructure Ministers.

Chairing and Secretariat responsibilities for the RACG are managed by member jurisdictions on a two-year rotation of hosting duties. In 2021, Main Roads WA took on the hosting duties from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport South Australia for the 2021 and 2022 rotation. Queensland will be the host during 2023 and 2024. Jurisdictions have expressed their appreciation of the oversight WA maintained throughout its tenure as host, during which the Group discussed the following issues:

Truck driver rest areas and facilities

Members noted the ongoing government funding of Road Train Assembly Areas (RTAAs) and rest bays and expressed the need for further funding to address the requirements identified by industry.

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Road Train Notice

Industry peak bodies in jurisdictions operating under the NHVR welcomed the availability of the Road Train Notice.

Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) Review

Members noted the progress of the HVNL Review.

noted the recent implementation of WA’s truck driver training scheme, and agreed to raise the profile of the driver competency issue at a national level.

It was reported that skills shortages are also affecting the availability of mechanics and operational and administrative staff.

Emissions standards and the national truck fleet

Members discussed the anticipated impacts of the next emissions standard and noted the success of Government incentives in renewal of the truck fleet.

National Roadworthiness Survey

Members noted that the report of the findings was released in December 2021.

Research and Development

Members discussed emerging technologies such as heavy vehicle automation, Artificial Intelligence, fatigue monitoring, and trucks powered by alternate fuels such as electricity or hydrogen.

Truck drivers as first responders to road crashes

Regulatory Services

Members noted that on 1 August 2022 the NHVR took over regulatory services for New South Wales.The next jurisdiction will be Queensland.

Shortage of Truck Drivers and allied staff

Members discussed the ongoing issue of the shortage of truck drivers, deliberated regarding driver training and experience,

Members noted that the NTRTA and Western Roads Federation have issued a media statement calling for Federal funding to train truck drivers who are often the first on scene at traffic crashes in remote and regional Australia. The proponents’ intention now is to seek funding to formalise a training program that can then be gifted to every other State road transport association or livestock association that wants it so they can roll it out to their own members. General expressions of support were made at this meeting for that course of action.

Members discussed the ongoing issue of the shortage of truck drivers… and agreed to raise the profile of the driver competency issue at a national level

Image provided courtesy of Gary Dunlop and Main Roads staff

Over to you

safely will hopefully reduce the number of accidents. Many car drivers have absolutely no idea how long a ‘road train’ or ‘long vehicle’ is (or even what the difference is) until they are half way around it and they get that ‘Oh Shite’ moment.

For operators, the major concerns seems to be the need (and cost) to purchase a number of new signs and the fiddle farting around to change them as they change configurations, breaking down or adding trailers to part of their journey and the ever present risk of receiving an infringement for displaying the wrong sign.

There is also the view that the back of the truck is beginning to look like a mobile billboard and where/how are you supposed to mount these new signs.

To be honest, I am not in favour of a number of things that Main Roads WA does but this idea does appear (to me) to have a lot of merit.

Sure it is going to be a bit extra fiddling around to make sure you have the correct signs and that they are displayed at the right time. Maybe they could be manufactured in the ‘flip style’ similar to

New Main Roads Road Train Signage Trial

Main Roads WA has instigated a new “Road Train Signage Trial” that runs from October 2022 through to 30 June 2023. Participation in the trial is completely voluntary and operators who choose to register to be involved can pick and choose which (if any) of their fleet will display the new signage.

Currently, both Centurion Transport and QUBE Bulk have agreed to fit the new signs to some of their vehicles so they should soon start to become more visible on the roads. Other operators wanting to participate will need to apply to HVS for an approval letter.

The signs are designated to show the physical makeup of the truck and towing combination and indicate its total length.

The theory behind the idea is to try and educate Joe Blow average citizen by letting him know exactly what he has in front of him and exactly how long the vehicle is. Many car drivers just have no idea of the lengths of some of the truck and trailer combinations and it is easy to get in trouble when they run out of space when passing one of the longer vehicles. Forearmed is forewarned if you will.

To me this seems to be a common sense move by Main Roads but there a large number of operators who are vehemently set against it.

I think that everyone would agree that ‘any’ education for other road users is a good thing. Letting them know what they are about to pass and just how much room they are going to need to achieve that

the DG flip kits and where you could have several options according to where you are in your journey. But if this educates the public and helps to prevent accidents then it has to be a good thing.

If you have any thoughts on the trial or suggestions on how the signage can be improved then Main Roads encourages you to provide feedback via www. mysaytransport.wa.gov.au or by sending an email to hvs@mainroads.wa.gov.au

If the trial is successful – not quite sure what that means – then Main Roads will implement this new signage strategy for all Class 2 and 3 RAV’s in WA. However interstate operators will not be required to comply and will continue to use the ‘road train’ and ‘long vehicle’ signs that they currently use.

To me this seems to be a common sense move by Main Roads but there a large number of operators who are vehemently set against it

BIRDS EYE VIEW by Carol Messenger

Over to you

WESTERN ROADS FEDERATION by Cam Dumesny, CEO

Do we need a Transport Workforce Strategy?

Ask the question what is the solution to the skills shortage facing the Transport Industry and see how many different answers you get.

Let me assure you that you will get a lot of different answers some brilliant, some good and some shall we say interesting.

Around Australia, the other transport associations are each undertaking great work to address the skills shortage. However, these great initiatives can be seen by Government as fragmented response by industry as each has a different focus.

Imagine you are the Federal or State Transport Minister, which solution to help the transport industry address the skills shortage do you fund and support?

My argument is that each of these programs are a piece of the solution jigsaw puzzle. The problem is that as an Industry we haven’t got a painted the picture of what the finished jigsaw looks like. The Aged Care Sector created such a coherent strategy which led to multi-million funding.

This poses the question, should the Transport Industry create an Industry Workforce Strategy?

Below are some examples of the components of such a strategy and examples of work that some members are undertaking.

How do We Attract People to the Transport Industry?

With near record levels of low unemployment and high skills shortages across the whole economy, we need to recognise that we are competing against every other sector.

Again, great work is being done by various associations and by some groups. However, it is often fragmented, and some successful efforts are not being recognised and shared nationally, such as programs engaging people from Schools, Migrant, Refugee, Women (including young Mums and Mature Age), Early Release Prisoners, Defence Veterans, Indigenous and Disability groups.

Can we fill the skills shortage from within Australia or do we need overseas migrants?

If so, how do we get it on Priority Migration Skills Occupation List?

What are the Training and Career Pathways?

Having generated interested, what are the training pathways to their career and employment in the industry? Note schedulers, compliance, operations staff etc.?

Warehouse/Yard Worker

Warehousing one of the fastest growing segments in transport and logistics as global supply chains adapt to the new reality.

SARTA has pushed to have 16 year old drive forklifts. Western Roads Federation and

others have forklift training embedded in HV Driver course.

Driver Training

Most state associations have a Driver training solution.

Both VTA and WRF have training programs based on teaching skills and competencies prior to being employed. QTA has a program providing enhanced training and experience to those Drivers who have licenses but are not employed in the industry. Other Transport Associations have variations.

Further adding to the mix is Austroad’s C-RIS paper on Driver Licensing and the recent announcement of a Driver Apprenticeship.

International Drivers

There has been concern regarding international drivers, should there be a training program before they can operate?

It should be noted that barriers to using International Drivers exist because the size of the Driver shortage cannot be accurately quantified nor the impact on the Australian Economy.

Skills Training

Some members report skills shortages in Operational or non-Driving jobs. AFRA run skills training for their members. QTA micro-credentialing courses that upskill members. WRFare working with TAFE on a joint industry course for Operations staff.

Adapting to the Future People in the road transport industry management generally rise to management levels based on hard won experience rather than formal education. This has served the industry well as fundamental change has been relatively incremental.

However, are we prepared to take advantage of potential fundamental changes in technology, social obligations and supply chains that are on the road ahead? Would industry specific formal education help?

How do we Retain People and Knowledge?

National research we found has shown that up to 24% of people are considering leaving the industry (HHTS). With Australian Industry Standards citing that 20,000 people left transport industry

during COVID-19.

Even if over-estimated, it’s a loss we cannot afford. Again, good work being done around Mental Health, Rest Areas etc. but what else should we be doing?

Finally, how do we tap into the knowledge of our experienced people so they can pass it on to the next generation? The ATA is doing good work on advocating to allow recently retired drivers to come back as driver mentors without losing part of their pension.

WESTERN ROADS FEDERATION IS

THE UNITED VOICE OF WA TRANSPORT COMPANIES

Western Roads Federation has been formed to give a strong unified voice for companies who use WA roads for commercial benefit.

Western Roads Federation is a membership driven organisation. If you believe in the industry and what you do, then make sure your company is a member, and get involved.

For a membership application form Email cam.dumesny@westernroads.com.au ◆ Phone 08 9365 7799 or 0481 064 371

180 Hay St, East Perth WA 6004

National research we found has shown that up to 24% of people are considering leaving the industry (HHTS). With Australian Industry Standards citing that 20,000 people left transport industry during COVID-19

MAIN ROADS HEAVY VEHICLE SERVICES (HVS) – THE YEAR IN REVIEW – PART ONE

2022 has been another busy year at Main Roads Heavy Vehicle Services (HVS) that has seen the introduction of new permit products, Scheme reviews, expansion of the on-road Compliance inspectorate and Traffic Escort Wardens. A number of business improvement initiatives were also launched.

Heavy Vehicle Pilot Licence Reference Group

The Heavy Vehicle Pilot Licence Reference Group was convened early in 2022 and continues to meet regularly to consider significant aspects, inform decisions, and progress key issues encompassed by the Review. The Review is led by an independent facilitator. Members were invited to contribute what they see as the main issues for consideration. While there were a variety of perspectives, the training of pilots and raising public awareness emerged as key focus. Some of the other aspects included understanding permits, Warden/Pilot interaction, standards of uniforms and vehicles, and traffic management including bridge supervision.

The advisory Group has discussed training of pilots, experience gained after formal training, fatigue experienced by pilots, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), safety vests, and the current 2004 Government Gazettal relating to attire, accidents or crashes and injuries involving Over Size Over Mass (OSOM) loads, the appearance of pilot vehicles, and will soon consider the current Code of Conduct for

Heavy Vehicle Pilots. Information about the Group’s progress is communicated via the My Say Transport website.

MOVES

HVS introduced several new features and enhancements to its self-service customer portal, MOVES. These aim to improve efficiency and streamline HVS services by allowing customers to manage their applications and payments in one place. The online improvements related to payments, the submission of supporting documentation, traffic escort amendments and cancellations, and user administration of their account. Heavy Vehicle Pilots are able to make license fee payments, submit medical certificates and training records, and pay for replacement Pilot cards. A collection of tutorials is available on the MOVES page to assist customers in navigating the services.

Temporary Special Assistance Flood Relief Permits

In January and February the rail line was closed in South Australia due to severe flooding. The closure of the East-West line meant that for a time road transport became the only way that the movement of freight into and out of WA could occur. To help manage the disruption to freight movement which resulted from the rail closure, Main Roads developed two Temporary Special Assistance Flood Relief Permits as part of a nationally coordinated emergency response to increase the

amount of goods and materials that could be brought into WA, to help ease supply chain shortages. More than 500 Flood Relief Permits were issued during the exemption period which ran from February to March. We again thank the general public for their cooperation during this time, and the heavy vehicle industry for their continued efforts.

Great Northern Highway Convoys

At the beginning of April, loads in excess of 4.5 metres wide were restricted from travelling on Great Northern Highway between Mount Magnet and Paynes Find, due to flooding. The restrictions led to a backlog of over 20 OSOM loads which were parked up at Mount Magnet and Paynes Find and unable to travel on this section of Highway. Working alongside colleagues in the Mid-West Gascoyne Region, Heavy Vehicle Services developed a plan to enable the loads to safely travel along the Highway. On 6 April, OSOM loads exceeding 5.5 metres wide were able to depart under Traffic Escort, in staged convoys of up to six loads in each convoy. Several convoys were approved for travel in each direction.

Business Improvements at HVS

From May, HVS began introducing Web Forms as part of the transition to provide our customers the ability to do business ‘on-line’ and to stop the use of out-of-date application forms.

The Web Forms include the ability to attach supporting documentation to your

Image provided courtesy of Gary Dunlop and Main Roads staff

application if required, and they can be completed and submitted from a mobile device. A copy of the completed Web Form is provided to customers via the email address nominated when completing the Form.

Various Permit Improvements

An online permit form for Single Trip OSOM movements was implemented to enable operators to select a permit that was previously approved for the same OSOM move and request HVS copy the permit. HVS issues the permit based on the previous permit assessment, which reduces the permit turnaround time. This option only applies to previously approved permits that meet the following criteria:

1. The permit issue date was not more than 3 months ago;

2. The permit was approved for the same journey;

3. The permit was approved for the same load;

4. The permit was approved for the same vehicle configuration.

In response to feedback received from industry, amendments were made to the Class 1 Oversize Period Permit Operating Conditions and the Single Trip OSOM Vehicle Standard Operating Conditions to add routes to the 4 in convoy provisions and add Appendices to clearly show the approved roads, increase the pilot concession from 26 metres to 30 metres for a combination consisting of a prime mover, low loader dolly and low loader within 3.5 metres in width, and amend alternate vehicle provisions to allow twin steer and single steer prime movers to be substituted and to clarify the different requirements when operating under an oversize permit only compared to an overmass permit.

We introduced the new 8 Tyre Per Axle Low Loader Overmass Period Permit. This permit allows tri-axle and quad-axle low loaders with 8 tyres per axle to operate on approved networks, with or without a tandem axle dolly (also with 8 tyres per axle). The allowable mass is subject to the Ground Contact Width (GCW), however tri-axle low loaders can have up to 16 tonnes per axle with a 3.7 metre GCW, and quad axle low loaders can have up to 13.75 tonnes per axle with a 3.7 metre GCW.

Operators will also be able to apply for additional roads to be added to the approved networks, in the same manner as other route assessment applications.

The introduction of the 8 Tyre Per Axle Low Loader Overmass Period Permit has been driven by feedback received

during our HVS Industry Workshop and Information Sessions held across the State. Again, following feedback received during our Industry Workshop and Information Sessions held across the State, HVS introduced 36-month overmass period permits for the permit products below:

• Accredited Mass Management Scheme (AMMS) - Prime Mover, Trailer Combinations

• Accredited Mass Management Scheme (AMMS) - Truck, Trailer Combinations

• Accredited Mass Management Scheme (AMMS) - Tri Drive Prime Mover, Trailer Combinations

• Accredited Mass Management Scheme (AMMS) - Tri Drive Truck, Trailer Combinations

• Block Truck - Over Mass

• Tri Drive Block Truck - Over Mass

• Class 1 RAV - Low Loader - Overmass

• Class 1 RAV - Low Loader – Overmass –DBCA

• Class 1 RAV - Restricted Area Low Loader - Overmass

• Heavy Lift Tow Truck - Tandem Drive Over Mass

• Heavy Lift Tow Truck - 23.5t Tri Drive Over Mass

• Heavy Lift Tow Truck - 27t Tri Drive Over Mass

• Platform Trailer Relocation

Travel Impact Numbers

In June HVS introduced Travel Impact Numbers (TINs).

Permit operating conditions that refer to a HVS Travel Impact have a reference number known as a TIN. An example of how a TIN appears on an OSOM permit is: The following HVS Travel Impact(s) may impose restrictions (s) on your journey. It is your responsibility to check the Heavy Vehicle Travel Impacts page on the Main Roads website prior to movement.

• TIN2022-390 - Goldfields Highway, City of Kalgoorlie/Boulder

• TIN2022- 48 - Great Eastern Highway, Shire of Northam

As part of the implementation, we made some changes to the HVS Travel Impacts page. Travel Impact information is now easier to search and filter. You can browse by type, OSOM or RAV, filter by Region or search by TIN or location, making it easier to plan your journey.

RAV category charts

Also in June HVS advised industry that several new quick reference Restricted Access Vehicle (RAV) Category Charts became available on our website.

The new RAV Category Charts provide illustrations of the approved vehicle combinations and direct links to the corresponding RAV Networks in our RAV Mapping Tool, for certain Orders and permit products.

Whilst our new charts provide a great quick reference guide, operators are also reminded to continue to refer to the relevant Operating Conditions to familiarise themselves with all the conditions and vehicle requirements.

Credit Card Payments

From July HVS customers were required to manage their own credit card payments via our online customer portal, MOVES. Application forms were updated to remove credit card fields and old forms no longer accepted. All customers are required to process credit card payments online. All other existing payment options were retained (cash, cheque, eftpos and electronic funds transfer) and there is no change to the current processing time associated with these payment options.

Expanding Main Roads’ HVS Transport Inspectorate and Traffic Escort Wardens

In August HVS expanded its Transport Inspectorate to welcome an additional eight full-time employees as on-road Transport Inspectors. The Inspectors commenced on-road duties in September, bringing the total to 21, along with three Coordinators.

The number of full-time Traffic Escort Wardens also increased by eight in August, with an additional two Senior Traffic Escort Wardens. This brings the total to 30 Traffic Escort Wardens and three Senior Traffic Escort Wardens.

HVS introduced Body Worn Cameras for Wardens during the course of their duties when:

• Conducting pre and post move toolbox meetings;

• Conducting pre-inspections of the over size vehicles and pilot vehicles;

• Interacting with any third party;

• An incident or accident occurs.

The video recordings benefit Main Roads and the transport industry, ensuring appropriate conduct between all parties involved in the movements and ensuring all parties are being given clear and appropriate direction with regards to the safe movement of the over size vehicle.

Part Two of MAIN ROADS HEAVY

VEHICLE SERVICES (HVS) – THE YEAR IN REVIEW will be in the next edition.

EXTRA TALL LOAD

We all remember the birth of Perth Zoo’s giraffe calf in 2019 named Inkosi, meaning ‘the king’ in Zulu.

Now three years old, Inkosi has made his way via road transport across the Nullarbor on a 2750km trip to his new home at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia where he will join their giraffe breeding program.

Monarto Safari Park says there are now less giraffes left in the wild than elephants. Its national breeding program aims to help ensure their survival.

According to Perth Zoo’s manager

of zoology, John Lemon the number of giraffes in the wild had dwindled by more than 40 per cent in recent decades.

Inkosi is 800kg, four metres tall and his journey included navigating under bridges such as the Leach Highway/Welshpool Rd Bridge and given the height of the load, powerlines had to be lifted throughout the trip.

He was attended throughout the trip by Monarto Safari Park’s senior veterinarian who travelled behind him to ensure he was safe and well and his crate was lined with marine carpet, equestrian rubber and jarrah sawdust for comfort.

Minister Alannah MacTiernan ends Parliamentary career

The Minister said, “I have advised the Premier that I will be bringing my Parliamentary career to an end and standing down from my Ministerial positions before Christmas.

“After 26 years of Parliamentary service and 13 years in the ministries of three Labor Governments, it’s time to pass on the baton.

“While I want to continue to work to take our community forward, I am ready to relinquish the high-pressure life of a Minister.

“The ministerial role provides an

incredible opportunity to shape the agenda of our State, but it is extremely demanding and all-absorbing.

“I also believe it is important to give the many talented and committed members - who have come to Parliament more recently - the opportunity to have a go.

“I had told the Premier before the last election that 2022 would be my last year in Parliament. I will continue in the meantime to finish a number of projects, keep the momentum in my portfolios, and make sure we are in good shape for a hand over.”

Do you know a Future Leader?

Nominations are now open to the 2023 Daimler Truck AG Future Leaders' Forum. In this career-defining program participants will be mentored by experts in leadership, media, and industry advocacy.

The 2023 program will consist of:

• Two days of intensive workshops in Canberra in February 2023

• Development of industry advocacy projects

• A digital check-in meeting

• Participation in Trucking Australia 2023 from 29-31 March 2023

To nominate a Future Leader go to www.truck.net.au/public/awardsand-programs/daimler-truck-futureleaders-forum

Federal Budget 2022-23 at a glance

Inflation is expected to peak at 7.75% later this year (it has just hit 7.3%). GDP growth is expected to fall from 3.25% down to 1.5% next year. Unemployment forecast to rise to 4.5% mid-2024. The Budget deficit will fall to $36.9b. Infrastructure spending will decrease over the next 4 years by $6.5, but remains relatively high with $120b of spending expected over the next 10 years. Concerningly, much of the announced expenditure is in metropolitan areas and the Building Better Regions Fund has been scrapped.

Regional infrastructure commitments:

• $1.5b on a Freight Highway Upgrade Program (this will seal the Tanami Track and upgrade several other significant freight routes in SA and NT).

• $1b for the Outback Way.

• $80m for Heavy Vehicle Rest Areas.

Decarbonisation:

• Emissions reduction of 43% by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

• Euro VI emission standards.

• Electric vehicle and hydrogen highways focus.

• Signing up to a Global Methane Pledge (concerns exist around cattle herd reductions or taxes).

Agriculture:

• $134m committed to improving biosecurity protections (half of this will be fast-tracked to deal with FMD and LSD).

• $47m for a livestock ‘contact tracing’ system.

• $21m for drought resilience.

• $4m for a new Inspector-General for animal welfare.

Why it’s Time to Stop Ignoring Australia’s Supply Chain Workers

By Brian Hack

With skills shortages continuing to dominate all sectors of the Australian economy, it’s more important than ever to ensure our supply chain is well resourced, in order to avoid a return to the significant delays and congestion of previous years.

I think it’s fair to say that before the pandemic hit in 2020, most people hadn’t given much thought to the global supply chain and how it operates.

However, as world-wide lockdowns resulted in the supply chain all but grinding to a sudden halt, people found themselves forced to pay greater attention to exactly where consumer goods come from, and how they end up either on store shelves, or delivered directly to the front door.

Whether it be food on supermarket shelves, consumer goods in shopping centres, or your online shopping haul arriving directly to your home, these items only arrive due to a number of professions - including seafarers, port workers, bio-security inspectors, truck drivers and freight-forwarders.

With Western Australia’s unemployment rate sitting at 3.4% in September, and the national rate only slightly higher at 3.5%, it makes sense that the Government is trying to encourage workers to the state.

But, for all the discussion around boosting hospitality staff, and getting people out into the regions to assist the agricultural sector during harvest, where is the push to get more workers back into the supply chain?

Pandemic-related layoffs, vaccine mandates and the increasing cost of doing business has seen the freight and logistics industry lose highly experienced workers over the past two years, and while some of those people may have been replaced, it takes time to rebuild the required knowledge and expertise.

Add to this an overall shortage of staff, and it suddenly starts to make sense as to why there remains some delays and bottlenecks throughout the supply chain, even as COVID-related restrictions are removed.

Ignorance about how the supply chain functions can no longer be an excuse for

anyone, especially as there’s now an entire generation who have only ever known the convenience of making purchases online.

Consumers have a responsibility to better inform themselves about how the supply chain moves items around the globe, and how a lack of staff can and will slow down processes across sea, land, and air freight.

My concern is that as life starts to look increasingly like it did ‘pre-pandemic’, supply chain workers are once again at risk of becoming invisible.

Whether it be a truck driver, customs broker, quarantine inspector or ship’s Captain, it’s time to recognise these workers as playing an essential role in our community, whether that be through a Government funded awareness campaign, or greater public recognition for workers in the sector.

We rightly encourage our young people to take up a trade or university qualifications, but I say we can do that AND also encourage more workers into the supply-chain, knowing their roles are valued and appreciated by all.

About Brian Hack

Brian Hack is the Managing Director at EES Shipping, one of Australia’s major international freight forwarders, based in Cockburn, WA. Brian is one of three brothers at the helm of operations, with EES Shipping also playing an extensive role in the promotion and development of overseas markets for Australian manufacturers and suppliers. Brian is also the WA freight forwarding representative on the WA Port Operations Task Force.

ALRTA CALLS FOR SELFINSURANCE SCHEME

ALRTA’s call for a self-insurance scheme for rural carriers received national media attention recently.

ALRTA representatives pitched the concept during an Australian Senate Committee public hearing into preparedness to deal with a foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.

The ALRTA proposal was for a Rural Transport Management Deposit Scheme which would help deal with FMD risk, as well as other business shocks such as drought, fire, floods, COVID-19 and fuel price increases.

The ALRTA said it is pleasing that their proposal is being talked about and will continue to advocate for it with government and industry stakeholders.

Pandemic-related layoffs, vaccine mandates and the increasing cost of doing business has seen the freight and logistics industry lose highly experienced workers over the past two years

WHAT ARE THE POSITIVES OF

As 2022 draws to a close and we turn our minds to counting our blessings, I thought we would have a look back at the year that was and highlight the positives.

After 697 days, Western Australia lifted its COVID-19 border restrictions becoming the last Australian state to do so. The lifting of restrictions heralded a

First tranche of in-house road maintenance delivery begins

return to normal movement between WA and the rest of Australia for truck drivers. Transporters carried a heavy burden of compliance throughout this period and deserve recognition and congratulations for the way in which they rose to the challenge, submitted to a tight testing regime and simply got on with the job. A job that was made even harder by service

Atotal of 41 contractors in the State's Wheatbelt region have transitioned to full time employment with Main Roads.

The workers are the first to transition to Main Roads, as part of a major initiative announced by the State Government in April to return road maintenance jobs in-house.

The move will create an estimated 660 permanent jobs within Main Roads, including 490 in regional WA.

The decision to move road maintenance jobs in-house came after detailed analysis undertaken by Ernst and Young highlighted numerous benefits, including: • increased job opportunities and

stations being inaccessible and quarantine periods requiring more time away from family than usual. It is worth noting that with tens of thousands of border crossings each there were very few confirmed cases of COVID-19 positive truck drivers putting the community at risk.

A welcome by-product of this period was the community focus on the service

economic growth in the regions

• enhanced Aboriginal employment and engagement outcomes

• improved education uptake

• increased capacity and capability of Main Roads Road maintenance contracts have been outsourced by Main Roads since 2000. Under the current arrangement, there are five network maintenance contractors engaged by Main Roads, delivering more than $400 million of maintenance and improvement works throughout the State each year.

Once fully implemented across the State, the initiative will result in savings of more than $25 million a year, producing

LRTAWA by David Fyfe, President, Livestock and Rural Transport Association of Western Australia (Inc)

the freight industry provides. For the first time there is broad recognition from the public that the majority of consumer goods have spent at least some time on the back of truck and without truck drivers our economy would falter.

The new-found focus on the life of truck drivers helped draw attention to the lack of truck rest areas and worse still the lack of facilities for drivers. Although it began in 2021, the joint working group between Main Roads, the Transport Workers Union, Western Roads and the WA Livestock and Rural Transport Association has continued identifying locations around the state that need facilities and rest areas and putting funding submissions forward. This process will be boosted by WA’s slice of the $80 million investment announced in the federal budget to develop new rest areas around Australia.

Last year the looming shortage of AdBlue threatened to overshadow Christmas celebrations as supplies of the essential ingredient to keep modern trucks on the road was perilously close to running out. Fortunately the Federal Government stepped in to extend production into the New Year. It was always a short term measure and the industry remained vulnerable to further shortages. In September this year the Government announced a $49.5 million plan for a national stockpile and to incentivise Australian businesses to manufacture high grade urea, an essential component of AdBlue. The plan is anticipated to add five weeks supply in the case of a shortage.

In May, foot and mouth disease was detected in Indonesia. While this in itself is not good news, the presence of a disease on our doorstep that is estimated to have an $80 billion impact if found in Australia, drew attention to the importance of biosecurity to protect all our livelihoods. An outbreak of a serious animal disease such as foot and mouth would not only devastate animals but flow on to every aspect of our lives. As a result, biosecurity messaging and controls have stepped up at our national borders and the general population is more aware of the risks and how to mitigate against them. Notwithstanding all the publicity there are still cases of abject stupidity with one traveller recently fined and deported for attempting to bring meat products to Australia.

WA farmers had a dream season with consistent rains leading to predictions of another bumper crop of more than 20 million tonnes. The only downside is that capacity in the transport sector is depleted by labour shortages.

In other good news Main Roads agreed to install cameras at the road train assembly area in an attempt to control the ongoing misuse of the area by some members of the industry and in some cases the public.

The issue of training and licensing of truck drivers has also received attention this year. Although we can all debate whether or not the attention has led to lasting and constructive reform, the spotlight on competencies and how they

are measured opens the door to more fruitful discussions in the coming year.

These are just some of the high points in 2022. There is a big program for the industry in 2023 – heavy vehicle charging reform, the road freight industry tribunal, road infrastructure program, fuel security, increased heavy vehicle access, labour shortages and licensing reform to name a few. When I look at the list I realise a good Christmas break is more important than ever.

I hope readers of this magazine will be able to bring their trucks to a halt at Christmas time and spend well-deserved time with the family and friends. Best wishes for a happy and safe festive season.

major economic benefits and increased employment opportunities for regional WA, including increasing gross regional product by up to $335 million over the next 10 years.

Road workers employed directly by Main Roads will receive better pay and conditions, including increased paid leave and long service leave after seven years, as well as additional training opportunities.

As part of the changes, the Government has also announced $48.8 million will be invested over the next six years on new regional staff housing, depots and offices. The investment will be funded from operational savings realised through the change.

The first two network contracts to

conclude and transition to in-house delivery by Main Roads are Wheatbelt Region – today - and Mid-West Gascoyne Region on November 7, 2022.

The last region will be the Kimberley, which will be brought in-house when the current contract ends in January 2026.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said, "The Wheatbelt region is the first in the State to transition to an in-house road maintenance model, and for the communities in this part of our State, it is a big win for jobs and economic prosperity.

“Bringing road maintenance in-house will deliver significant benefits for WA, with estimated savings of around $25 million

each year, as well as improved expertise and knowledge within Main Roads.

"As part of the transition to in-house road maintenance, we will be investing nearly $50 million over the next six years on new regional staff housing, depots and offices – highlighting our commitment to regional communities.

“The next region to transition to in-house delivery will be the Mid-West Gascoyne on November 7, with most other regions to transition progressively between October 2023 and February 2024 as their network contracts conclude. The last region will be the Kimberley, which will be brought in-house when the current contract ends in January 2026.”

There is a big program for the industry in 2023 – heavy vehicle charging reform, the road freight industry tribunal, road infrastructure program, fuel security, increased heavy vehicle access, labour shortages and licensing reform to name a few

Dramatic escape from massive blast

An investigation is underway by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety after a road train carrying tonnes of blasting material caught fire and exploded in the remote Western Australian Goldfields.

The truck was carrying ammonium nitrate emulsion, a product used in mine site blasting.

ABC News reported that one of the trailer’s wheels is believed to have caught fire near Cosmo Newbury, around 1000 kilometres east of Perth.

“The driver was able to decouple his truck and drive a safe distance before the flaming semi-trailer exploded,” said ABC News.

“The explosion occurred about 12pm on October 24, blasting a hole into the road about 1.5 metres deep and sending a cloud of hazardous smoke into the air.

“Burning debris from the explosion was also sent flying into nearby bushland, causing several small spot fires.”

The load was on its way to the Gruyere mine, 200 kilometres north-east of Laverton in WA’s Great Victoria Desert.

“The mine’s emergency response team were called to the incident along with local police, who established a two-kilometre exclusion zone around the trailer before the explosion,” reported ABC News.

The blast left a two-metre-wide crater in the Great Central Road, which was promptly filled once it was safe to do so.

Westport takes step forward with major contract awarded

Ports Minster Rita Saffioti has announced WSP Australia as the recipient of a $15.2 million contract to lead the Supply Chain Integrated Design project for Westport.

As part of the project, WSP will model and refine design options for the new terminal, as well as the supporting road and rail network. The project will be a critical pillar in the state's planning for an efficient, sustainable, and modern terminal that meets WA's growing trade needs.

The project will be delivered over the coming 18 months and the outcomes will play a key role in the development of the Westport business case and help inform future investment decisions.

The announcement comes as updated container growth analysis reconfirmed the need for a new port, with Fremantle Port expected to come under increasing pressure over the next 10 to 20 years.

Under a range of growth scenarios, container trade at Fremantle Port is expected to at least double by 2050, and by 2070, the modelling shows trade volumes

at Fremantle Port could be three to five times higher than current.

Under a high growth scenario, throughput at Fremantle Port could be as high as 3.7 million containers per annum by 2070, compared to the 792,000 containers that were moved at the port in 2021/22.

This forecasting highlights how important an efficient container supply chain is to our State, and how essential it is

to get the planning right.

Ports Minister Rita Saffioti said, "Westport will be one Perth's largest infrastructure projects, so we are taking the time to get it right.

"The work being undertaken by WSP Australia is going to help us better understand various design options for both the new port, and critically, the surrounding road and rail infrastructure.

"Globally, it is rare to plan and optimise the whole supply chain, rather than focus on only building or improving part of it. Westport's supply chain approach will ensure real benefits for the State in the long term and I'm proud that it is our approach.

"The modelling we have undertaken over a number of years has remained consistent and clear - the growth we expect to see in container trade will place Fremantle Port under increasing pressure, and that's why we're undertaking work now to prepare and plan for a new port that will meet the needs of our State for decades to come."

Under a high growth scenario, throughput at Fremantle Port could be as high as 3.7 million containers per annum by 2070, compared to the 792,000 containers that were moved at the port in 2021/22

Centurion strengthens relationship with South32

Centurion have announced they have expanded their relationship with South32 after securing a long-term contract to provide integrated logistics services for the Cannington Mine and the Townsville Port facility in Northern Queensland.

In addition, Centurion has also solidified and extended its existing partnership with South32 by renewing its service contracts with the company’s Worsley Alumina mine in Western Australia and the Groote Eylandt Mining Company Operation (GEMCO) in the Northern Territory.

As part of the new Cannington contract, Centurion is providing general road freight, air freight, heavy haulage, and hotshots services. These services provide South32 with national coverage into the miner’s

Northern Queensland consolidation points, as well as delivery to the Cannington Mine site and the Company’s port facility.

Centurion has been providing South32 with road freight, air freight, Off Site Receipting and specialised road transport services since 2018.

Centurion CEO Justin Cardaci said Centurion and South32 had developed a

strong relationship.

“South32 possesses an in-depth understanding of the quality of the logistics services Centurion provides through our existing business relationship WA and the Northern Territory, so we are extremely pleased to expand that relationship to the east coast with the Cannington Mine and the Townsville Port facility,” Mr Cardaci said.

DHL Supply Chain invests $150 million in warehouse robotics

DHL Supply Chain, the global market leader in contract logistics solutions has announced a $150 million investment in warehouse robotics solutions and automation at its Australian warehouses. This will support faster delivery to customers, improve operational efficiency, and reduce employee workloads.

This is the largest investment in robotics and automation DHL has made in AsiaPacific, with 1,000 robots to be deployed by 2025. In addition to the investment in robotics, DHL Supply Chain aims to grow its Australian workforce over two years and will provide retraining and development opportunities to existing employees.

Oscar de Bok, Chief Executive Officer at DHL Supply Chain, says, "This is a very exciting announcement, reinforcing our commitment to the Australian market and continuous technological innovation. Global supply chains have been under immense pressure these past few years, and some disruption may persist.

But we have invested in supply chain digitalisation worldwide, and by leveraging this

global expertise, we will continually develop innovative solutions to help our customers overcome any challenges on the horizon.”

The robotics solutions DHL Supply Chain will deploy by 2025 include:

• Deployment of Assisted Picking Robots in a multi-customer environment

• State-of-the-art picking platform, which increases storage density and order processing

• Goods-to-Person robots, which support teams’ ability to pack more customer orders

• Automated inventory management robot, which was developed by an Australian DHL employee

• Point-to-point picking robots, which support a diverse range of picking strategies.

“This investment in robotics will provide more resilient, flexible, and scalable supply chain solutions to our customers, who will be better equipped to service their own customer’s independent of the sector in which they operate,” said Steve Thompsett, Chief Executive Officer, Australia & New

Zealand, DHL Supply Chain.

These robotics solutions will be able to locate and deliver items to pickers faster and will allow workers to dispatch more customer orders per hour compared to a manual environment.

“One thing that’s especially important to note,” added Thompsett, “is that this investment has been made with three bottom lines in mind, and deepens DHL’s overarching commitments to environmental, social, and governance goals.

“For example, one of the robotic picking systems we are deploying uses one sixth the energy of a standard household toaster. The solutions will also significantly reduce our employees' time on routine or physically demanding tasks, including heavy lifting. Such solutions allow them to have the opportunity to develop the skills to advance their careers, and work on meaningful and interesting projects.”

DHL Supply Chain is on track to meet the ambitious long-term goal of reducing all logistics-related emissions to zero by 2050

MACHINERY PRESERVATION CLUB OF WA

By Kevin Toovey

The HCVC were invited by the Vintage Automobile Association to come along to the Machinery Preservation Club. There are several reasons for why you would like to take up an invitation like this.

Number one, they have some very interesting stationary motors and machinery. It is a lost art how to get some of these machines started; it is not all key and push button start. Number two, the location where they have their workshop is very interesting; the old Midland Railway buildings are very beautiful in themselves and certainly worth a look. Number three, they are a great bunch of people that are very nice and outgoing and passionate about their machinery and they are very skilled in restoration of the old machines. Thanks for a good day out.

Robert and Lorraine Hyde's Inter in front of the old buildings

Left: Machinery Preservation Club Below: Starting the Crossley

Hornsby Acroyd Oil engine

Blacksmith at work

Discussing the lighting plant

Ford Patrol Car

Above & below: Inside the old powerhouse

Bert the steam traction engine

Kim Martin’s Dodge

History

The History of the West Australian Road Transport Industry

1992

Short meetings in 1992 marked the Presidency of O B Jones.

The General Meeting of May 21 was just 10 minutes long and the President talked of the National Road Transport Commission, industrial relations and the State Government’s transport policy. The Association subscriptions were to be raised, but held over until the next meeting.

A General Meeting was staged in the Association offices on June 25 and this lasted an incredible five minutes! The only business was the raising of the subscription fees 1.7 percent.

The Annual General Meeting of 1992, lasted 15 minutes on August 27 and included the President’s annual report, covering industrial relations; Government relations; Road Transport Forum; the Association’s future direction and the results of the divisional elections. Mr O B Jones stood down as President in favour of Mr H W J Croxon and gained a suitable present. The major item of business was the ratification of a decision to strike a $25 levy per bus on School Bus Division members.

1993

A General Meeting was held on May 27 where President H W J Croxon reported on: The General economic situation; political events; road train policy; Road Transport Forum; enterprise bargaining; National Road Transport Commission; National Rail Corporation; and a membership drive. The new-member incentive scheme meant that newcomers could only pay 60 percent of the fee in the first year, 75 percent in the second and 100 percent in the third year.

The Association’s Annual General Meeting was staged at the Association offices on August 19 and it lasted no more than 15 minutes, just like the previous year’s meeting.

1994

The Annual General Meeting was staged at the Association offices on August 30 and President H W J Croxon’s report centred on the changing direction of the Association; the structural changes to the Executive Council and the membership subscription system.

1995

President H W J Croxon spoke to the following major items of the past year at the Annual General Meeting of August 17 in the Association Boardroom:

1996

A General Meeting was staged on May 30 at which the following topics were aired: Industrial relations; national registration charges; Select Committee on Heavy Transport; port interface; inter-State rail; school bus contracts; and the Road Transport Forum’s National Convention held in Perth.

President H W J Croxon spoke to the

By Russell McKinnon

following major items of the past year at the Annual General Meeting of August 22 in the Association Boardroom:

• The 25 percent concession on nation registration charges for inter-State operators;

• The completion of freight deregulation on July 1, 1995;

• The maintenance of security of contract tenure for school bus operators;

• The Association’s influence at the national level through the Road Transport Forum;

• The effectiveness of the industrial relations role;

• The conduct of the BP Driver of the Year Award;

• The hosting of the Forum’s 1996 National Convention;

• Road safety, the port/road interface, rail performance, community awareness and road funding; and

• The greater road access achieved for road trains and longer-combination vehicles.

Mr Croxon stood down after four years as President and was appointed a Trustee on the resignation of B W Sharp.

Brambles Manford shifted into its new premises at Rous Head in July, taking up a 30,00 square metre lease. Divisional Manager of Transport Services Tony Usher told the Fremantle Port News winter-spring edition that the premises replaced “our old depot in Hampton Road, Fremantle” and that it replaces four old sites. He stated that being close to the port was a benefit as 70 per cent of the branch’s business was wharf related. About 150 staff and sub-contractors were occupying the site, which included a 2000 square metre bond store. He said that a further $8.5 million in computerised systems and technology would be spent at Brambles Manford in the coming five years.

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