Congratulations to the event organisers and participants at the ‘first’ Mullewa Truck Muster. What a great start for this inaugural event.
Congratulations to Chris Firbank of Firbank’s Agxpress for winning Truck of the Show
At the TWU, we are relentless in the pursuit of building and exercising worker power, guided by clear, strong principles. We are committed to earning and keeping our members’ trust and bargaining collectively. We aim to hold corporations to account, empowering the workforce with a strong and powerful voice.
The TWU has a number of Enterprise Agreements in a myriad of transport companies. If you work for a company that has an EA with the TWU, you, along with all transport workers benefit from the years of struggle and collective action of union members before you.
And set the standard for transport workers into the future.
TWU Members also benefit from a range of services available only to members
Legal Services
Wage increases and improved conditions through collective bargaining
Enforcement of your agreement and workplace rights
Representation for incidents or disciplinaries
Job Security and protection
$5,000 Funeral benefits
Free Wills
Extraordinary Driver’s License
Income Protection and Group Accident and Sickness cover
Collective purchasing power of UnionShopper to provide members with discounts on a range of restaurants, gift cards, white goods and more
You should be a member of your union, the TWU if you enjoy these benefits like:
Annual Leave
Maternity Leave
Long Service Leave
Sick days
Leave loading
Penalty rates
Superannuation
Health and safety and workers’ compensation
Allowances (meal allowances, shift allowances)
Rest breaks
Unfair dismissal protection
Becoming a member of the TWU ensures you can maintain these rights into the future.
By STAFF WRITER
How many people do you hear nowadays saying, “What is happening to this world” or “The world has gone bonkers” particularly relating to the increasing pursuit of activists and their role in spreading disinformation to a trusting public who don’t check their facts.
Most disturbing is our government’s role in facilitating them – some say, to win votes.
Those who affect the core of our industry are the animal activists who have agriculture firmly in their sights. In the words of the Animal Justice Party (AJP), “The animal agriculture industry is immensely harmful to farmed animals,
wildlife, the environment and human health. The AJP believes that animal agriculture must be phased out, with a shift towards plant-based and cellular agriculture.”
Clearly, these people believe that we the public should have no choice in what we put into our own mouth and nor do they care for the thousands of people who will lose their livelihoods, homes and towns… and those who will take their own lives.
Alarming is the effect of government policies in relation to the lobbying of animal activist groups on not only farmers but all the industries associated with them
including transport.
The recent news that the federal government will phase out the live sheep export industry, a move that affects predominantly Western Australia is clearly just the beginning of the activists push to decimate the agricultural industry. WA is responsible for about 99% of all exported sheep but is the only State that still sends them by sea. The Federal Government will not be ending exports by air.
The reality is ending live exports will not do anything to help animal welfare.
Anybody in the industry knows the overseas clients being supplied with WA sheep are not going to stop getting them –they are just going to go elsewhere where there are lesser, and often abysmal animal welfare standards compared to our own.
Cattle are next – however Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has said “We’ve been very clear that we will not be ending the live cattle trade. It’s a really critical pillar of the economic base of northern Australia, including WA.”
So Mr Watt – Tell us what is the difference between live export of sheep compared with cattle?
The key objective of the AJP is to abolish all farming of animals and they cite animal agriculture as a major contributor to climate change saying it accounts for 14.5% of total global emissions [not Australian], which is a similar contribution to that of the transport sector.
They say however, this 14.5% figure is misleading because the methane from sheep and cattle warms the planet far more than carbon dioxide over the 20 years after release. This is why [they say] Australia’s animal agriculture industry is responsible for about half of our warming impacts.
The reality is that Australia accounts for just over 1% of all global emissions.
According to AdaptNSW, the red meet industry is only responsible for 11% of GHG emissions in Australia, far less than sectors like electricity generation (33%) and transport (18%) and Australian farmers are already looking at natural feed additives such as red seaweed which can significantly reduce methane emissions from cattle, which I don’t see the AJP supporting.
In relation to the transport industry they want a national shift away from road transport towards other more environmentally-friendly modes, including all forms of rail and mass transit, together with walking and cycling. In addition to long term goals, they have an urgent need to rapidly decarbonise Australia’s
transport system - powering vehicles with alternative energy sources such as hydrogen or electricity and say that whilst that is a good start, it is not enough to slow climate change or environmental destruction, or keep us within climate carbon budgets. This will require not only different vehicles but also far fewer.
Did I mention Australia accounts for just over 1% of all global emissions?
They also wish to cease the expansion and widening of road networks that destroy ecosystems and ensure the adoption of automated, self-driving vehicles that provide a net benefit for animals and nature and does not lead to heavier road use and urban sprawl.
So you see it is not only the farmers but our own industry, the transport industry, they have in their cross hairs.
After reading all their literature I am astounded by how they think the country will survive economically and they seriously must have bugs in their head if they think people are going to want to stop eating red meat. I wonder if they have thought through how their policies will actually affect everyone including themselves in the future if their ideology was to come to pass.
Without animal agriculture many regional towns will cease to exist so this will take care of the road transport needed to feed residents. But what about if they want to go on a holiday to Broome for instance, do they catch a train or maybe bicycle or walk… or do they drive their electric vehicle? As the regional towns close down there will be less infrastructure to accommodate road transport to remote areas and costs will be at a premium for all residents and holiday makers of these areas. So in short, tourism will be affected.
In true Greta Thunberg fashion ‘no-one’ including the government questions their ridiculous ideas, claims and ideology; as they cite unproven technology as an answer and make unfounded statements that time always shows to be untrue and only serves to scare children such as, humans and other animals are already suffering from the impacts of the climate emergency and this emergency is driving species extinction, changes in weather and climatic extremes.
Our good farmers with generations on the land will tell you that these weather patterns have been happening for as long as methuselah... and you only have to look at history to see that ‘money’ is a key reason why many species go extinct.
Activism has even become a living, a paid job to some who will appear at any
In true Greta Thunberg fashion ‘no-one’ including the government questions their ridiculous ideas, claims and ideology; as they cite unproven technology as an answer and make unfounded statements that time always shows to be untrue and only serves to scare children
event regardless of what the subject matter is and they enjoy deductable gift recipient status which means that every donation they receive over $2 can be claimed as a tax deduction and they are given the same tax treatment of legitimate charities. In fact, for the animal activists an Animal Rights Forum exists to promote networking between Australian animal advocates, providing opportunities for education and training of activists, and sharing learned experience among activists across the geographically separated movement in Australia.
Some groups develop scare campaigns to get your money and support and get media coverage. They frighten the public with scary pictures and grand claims. They try to make you believe that really bad things are happening to animals everywhere.
What you might not know is that a swarm of tiny support groups – some as small as two people and members of these larger activist groups, develop websites, register business names and start campaigns to make it look like they have lots of support from the public. Get wise. Check your facts.
TPUBLISHER /
Karen-Maree’ Kaye
T: 0430 153 273
Email: karen@angrychicken.com.au
WRITERS
Karen-Maree’ Kaye, Russell McKinnon CONTRIBUTORS
Jan Cooper, Cam Dumesny, Cliff Graham, Carol Messenger, Ray Pratt , Lara Jensen
ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES
Angry Chicken Head Office
T: 0430 153 273
E: karen@angrychicken.com.au
DESIGN / PREPRESS
Cally Browning | Bare Creative
ACCOUNTS
T: 0430 153 273
E: accounts@angrychicken.com.au
PRINTER
Daniels Printing Craftsmen
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Subscriptions available directly from the Publisher.
T: 0430 153 273
E: karen@angrychicken.com.au
Australia: 1 year $130 (inc GST)
Overseas subscribers: Airmail postage will be added to subscription rate.
Editorial Submissions: The Publisher welcomes editorial submissions. Once received they will become the property of the Publisher who reserves the right to edit the or adjust the content to fit with the format of our publication.
West Australian Transport Magazine (WATM) is published by Angry Chicken Publishing Pty Ltd
ABN: 35 486 530 095 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, adapted or transmitted in any form by any process (graphic, electronic, mechanical or storage and retrieval system) or sold, resold or otherwise exploited for any purpose without consent of the Publisher.
hank you to all the contributors to WA Transport Magazine for sharing your thoughts and opinions each edition. This month’s magazine has really highlighted a lot of unhappiness on how our country is going. There are not too many people you talk to that are ‘not’ experiencing financial worry with the cost of living bighting everyone and for businesses of all sizes across the scope of the transport industry there is much concern about the future with a massive driver shortfall and new regulations and laws.
Obviously the ban on live sheep export to which Western Australia accounts for 99% of this industry has caused a lot of unrest and uncertainty and this leads us in this edition to the role of the activists who seem to be driving our industries off the side of a cliff all in the name of climate change and animal welfare. On page 2 we cover what they have in mind for Australia’s transport industry.
On Page 14 Cam Dumesny CEO of Western Roads Federation also voices
concerns on the proposed Nature Positive laws and what they could mean for the transport industry.
Another subject concerning the industry is the change to heavy vehicle signage in WA and LRTAWA President Darran Bairstow talks frankly about how this will affect operators financially and questions its viability.
Another subject that is coming to light… is the increased prevalence of truck drivers ‘not’ dipping their lights at night; and blinding oncoming traffic. Our Bird’s Eye View columnist Carol Messenger talks about her recent experiences going across the paddock and questions what drivers are actually doing while they are driving – when they are not paying attention to the road.
As always thank you to everyone who supports this home grown magazine – now in its 30th year of publication. I appreciate you all.
Best,
The publisher, contributors, editors and consultants disclaim any and all liability and responsibility to any person or party, be they a purchaser, reader, advertiser or consumer of this publication in regards to consequences and outcomes of anything done or omitted, or being in reliance whether partly or solely on the contents of this publication. No person, organization or party should rely on or on any way act upon any part of the contents of this magazine without first obtaining the advice of a fully qualified person. The Publisher shall have no responsibility for any action or omission by contributor, consultant, editor or related party for content within WATM. The opinions and content within WATM does not necessarily reflect those of the Publisher, editor or their agents. No responsibility is accepted for damage or loss of material supplied to the publisher. Every Month
By LARA JENSEN
n old drover friend of mine I worked with on a cattle station many years ago once said to me, “If you have enough patience and a pot of grease you could stretch a mosquito’s arse over a lemonade bottle.” I never forgot this brilliant pearl of wisdom nor its application to handling livestock, raising and educating children remotely and dealing with extended dry times, low commodity prices and all the other challenges that go with my life in the bush.
I consider myself an extremely patient person but, in my role as spokesperson for the families of rail crash victims around Australia fighting for decade’s overdue rail safety reform, I have never had it so tested. For years, our families have sought a genuine dialogue with every agency involved with rail safety in a bid to push for decades overdue rail safety reform only to be met with constant stonewalling by the rail industry and a reluctance by the national rail safety regulator ONRSR to drive the safety changes needed to bring the rail industry out of the dark ages (literally) and in to the 21st century.
I have written to all major ASX listed rail companies appealing for them to address the visibility of their locomotives
and rolling stock. I have had meetings with the national rail safety regulator ONRSR, and in the last three years I have put in two separate submissions on draft versions of AS7531, the standard that governs train and rolling stock visibility, to the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB) only to have my suggestions for visibility improvements completely ignored along with countless other individuals and reputable supporting organizations who all recommended better train and rolling stock lighting and provided the justification for their use to improve safety for all road users.
In short, we have exhausted all the normal advocacy channels to try and effect any meaningful change to train visibility standards and have been constantly met with a dogged resistance by the rail industry and a general reluctance to enforce lifesaving train and rolling stock visibility improvements by the agencies charged with this responsibility.
So out of sheer frustration and desperation, our families have launched a federal petition calling for minimum standards for mandatory train illumination standards in conjunction with Durack MP, the Hon Melissa Price and North West Central MLA Merome Beard.
The petition calls on the Australian Parliament to immediately implement legislation requiring mandatory rotating beacons on the front of trains and lighting on the side of locomotives and rolling stock to improve safety at unlit level crossings.
Immediately following the launch of the
petition, peak road transport association the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) threw their weight behind the petition.
“Crashes at level crossings often result from poor visibility, leading to tragic consequences that could be prevented with better lighting and reflective materials,” ATA Senior Adviser Chris Wren said.
“These visibility improvements are essential for pedestrians and motorists near railway crossings, and for train passengers and crew.
National peak farm lobby group, the National Farmers’ Federation echoed ATA’s calls for action with National Farmers’ Federation President David Jochinke stating that the NFF strongly supported the families who had advocated for decades for better train illumination after they lost loved ones.
“These families have been through hell, but they don’t want sympathy, they want action,” Mr Jochinke said.
“Increased train lighting is a simple and sensible solution that will save lives on regional roads.”
Under the heading ‘Change is Needed’ on page 8 of the National Level Crossing Safety Strategy (2023-2032) statistics based on data extracted from the National Level Crossing Portal show that between 1 July 2014 and 31 December 2022 across Australia’s level crossings (involving either pedestrians or road vehicles) there were 7,839 near hits, 322 collisions, 39 fatalities and 49 serious injuries in Australia. The sad fact remains that change was needed decades ago and we sincerely hope this federal petition will finally be the catalyst for it.
I strongly encourage anyone interested in improving regional road and rail safety to sign this petition by scanning the QR code below or visiting the Australian Parliament petitions website at: www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/ petition/EN6369
HOW?
The petition closes on Wednesday July 31st
Scan the Code with your phone Visit & follow the link OR SIGN BEFORE 31July2024
The winners of this year’s Australian Road Safety Awards presented by Suncorp have been announced at a ceremony held at Parliament House in Canberra.
The 13th Annual Awards are an initiative of the Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF) and aim to drive new standards of excellence in the field of road safety, while acting as a catalyst to increase road safety activities on a national scale.
The Australian Road Safety Awards acknowledges the achievements of leading road safety stakeholders and provides an opportunity to formally recognise their commitment to improving road safety outcomes.
Featuring nine award categories this year including Community, Schools, Indigenous, Rural & Remote Programs, Innovation, Technology, Workplace Road Safety, Local and State Government sections, the Awards also feature additional and expertly judged Founder and Recognition accolades.
ARSF founder and CEO Russell White was impressed at the calibre of road safety projects from all the entrants.
“This year, the awards have once again attracted an impressive array of entries, showcasing a variety of approaches to tackling road safety challenges. From community-led education programs to technological advancements in road safety, the contributions of these individuals and organisations are invaluable,” Mr White said.
“As road users, we each play a part in shaping the safety of our roads. Adopting safe driving habits, staying informed about
road safety measures, and supporting initiatives aimed at reducing road trauma are steps we can all take. The rising toll of road fatalities and injuries underscores the urgent need for collective action.”
The Rural and Remote Programs Award which has been specifically introduced to recognize initiatives that target a reduction in road trauma in rural and remote areas was won by TRANSAFE WA and their iNSTRUCKTA! Safety Truck
TRANSAFE WA built the safety truck resource iNSTRUCKTA! comprising of a prime mover and customised double expanding trailer/mobile classroom. This safety education beacon will be continually travelling to community/school events
across WA educating current and future road users how to share the road safely with trucks and heavy vehicles.
iNSTRUCKTA! is a resource that provides road safety education with a key focus of harm elimination to vulnerable road users when sharing the roads with trucks and heavy vehicles. The community benefit from the reduction of road trauma and associated injuries and deaths caused by unsafe interactions with trucks and heavy vehicles.
In a tiny piece in the West Australian on the 11th July it would seem that main stream media are only just starting to point out that the shortage of truck drivers in Australia is going to affect consumers.
The West Australian tells their readers that Australian shoppers could face empty supermarket shelves as a shortage of truckies threatens the nations supply chains.
and
About 26,000 more drivers are needed to fill gaps in the trucking industry as the sector faces shortfalls across all business sizes and types, according to the National Road Transport Association (Natroad).
Chief executive for Natroad Warren Clark says, “This is not just a crisis for the trucking industry, it’s a crisis for the national economy.”
“The supply chain is the back bone of our economy, and without enough drivers, the entire system is at risk, he says.”
According to an International Road Transport Union survey, almost half of all drivers are older than 55, which could exacerbate issues further as the workforce nears retirement age.
The survey reveals that young people and women’s participation in the sector is low with just 5.3 per cent of truck drivers being under 25 of age and 6.5 per cent are female.
This is not new ‘news’ for the transport sector – who have been trying to warn governments for a decade that we are facing and already experiencing this situation and a mighty move was needed to make the industry more appealing.
Whilst overseas drivers have made up for some of the shortfall in drivers, increased immigration is only continuing to exacerbate the situation and governments are being called upon to take some responsibility and give assistance to the industry.
Mr Clark called for incentives to make the industry more appealing.
and clutch specialists
From major truck workshops, heavy haulage, cranes, the mining industry and more… our team of knowledgeable and qualified technicians share over 100 years combined experience and focus on delivering prompt service alongside the supply of top name brakes and clutchesthroughout Australia and Asia.
With over 20 years in the industry we have a well-earned reputation for the development, manufacture and supply of quality standard and customised designs to suit a wide range of applications.
For the best advice and friendly service contact us today.
+61 8 9353 4411 ■ sales@knightbrakeandclutch.com.au knightbrakeandclutch.com.au
Main Roads Heavy Vehicle Services (HVS) would like to advise of the introduction of the Electric and Safer Vehicles Order, published on page 1686 of the Western Australian Government Gazette No. 81 on 5 July 2024.
HVS has introduced this Order to address the immediate need for an exemption, specifically for Electric Freight Vehicles and Safer Freight Vehicles, to the current vehicle width limit and steer axle mass limit prescribed within the Road
Shortlisted contractors can now submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Package 2 of the Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade, achieving another major milestone for the project.
The extension of Tonkin Highway will provide a non-stop transport link between Oakford and Mundijong, reducing traffic pressure on local roads, and provide better connections for car drivers and heavy vehicles.
Procurement has been split into two contract packages that will be delivered at the same time. Package 2 incorporates the Tonkin Highway extension from Mundijong Road to South Western Highway.
The shortlisted consortia comprise of the following companies:
• Tonkin Connect Alliance comprising: CPB Contractors, WA Limestone, Carey, Aurecon and Jacobs;
Traffic (Vehicles) Regulations 2014.
Electric Freight Vehicles are fitted with over-width batteries and Safer Freight Vehicles are vehicles designed and built for international markets that require additional safety devices to be fitted, such as forward collision warning, lane departure warning, electronic braking systems, electronic stability controls, blind spot monitoring and side underrun protection, causing these vehicles to exceed maximum Regulatory vehicle width of 2.50 metres.
The Order allows these vehicles to
• Tonkin Extension Alliance comprising: BMD, Georgiou, Civcon, GHD and BG&E; and
• Tonkin South Alliance comprising: Acciona, NRW, AECOM and Arup.
An Alliance Contract for Package 2 is expected to be awarded by late 2024. The RFP process asks shortlisted contractors to submit detailed proposals on how they will design and construct the project, including pricing and key milestone dates.
Package 1 of the Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade Project closed late June 2024 and is being evaluated to allow for award of the alliance contract later this year.
Construction of the Tonkin Highway Extension and Thomas Road Upgrade will start in mid-2025.
The project will support around 4,400 direct and indirect jobs during the
now operate in WA up to the required vehicle width of 2.55 metres and up to the following steer axle mass requirements, which align to the current steer mass limits allowed under our other permits and orders.
• A single steer axle on an Electric Freight Vehicle and a Safer Freight Vehicle may exceed 6.0 tonnes, but must not exceed:
(a) 6.5 tonnes on an axle fitted with tyres with a width equal to or greater than 295mm; or
(b) 7.1 tonnes on an axle fitted with tyres with a width equal to or greater than 375mm.
• A load sharing twin steer axle group on an Electric Freight Vehicle and a Safer Freight Vehicle, fitted with tyres with a width equal to or greater than 375mm on each steer axle, may exceed 11.0 tonnes but must not exceed 12 tonnes.
By introducing this Order, HVS is providing the necessary interim approval for the introduction of zero emission freight vehicles onto WA roads and allowing safer more efficient freight vehicles to be imported into WA, until the Department of Transport completes the necessary amendments to the Regulations.
The Electric and Safer Vehicles Order is now available in the Gazette on the Western Australian Legislation website. For further information, please contact the Heavy Vehicle Services Helpdesk on 138 486 or email hvs@mainroads.wa.gov.au
construction phase.
Over $1 billion is allocated to deliver the project, with the Australian and Western Australian Governments committing $749 million and $296 million respectively.
Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Murray Watt said, "The Albanese Government has invested $749 million into this important project, which will improve travel times and connectivity in Perth's south-west corridor.
“We have supported the transformation of Tonkin Highway for many years now; it is exciting to see this next stage underway, extending Tonkin Highway 14 kilometres south.
“As a result, local residents will enjoy safer and quieter communities by attracting heavy traffic away from local roads.
Western Australian Transport Minister Sue Ellery said, “The extension of Tonkin Highway
There is often discussion around increasing steer axle mass limits. In Western Australia, the limit for a single steer axle in the regulations is 6.0 tonnes and Main Roads has increased this limit several times over the years, which is now sitting as high as 7.1 tonnes, under certain conditions.
However, there is rarely discussion around minimum steer axle mass, which is directly related to the vehicle’s safety performance. If a vehicle has insufficient mass on the steer axle, there is insufficient friction between the tyres and road surface, which may result in dangerous understeering and compromised braking, especially in an emergency situation.
This issue mainly affects rigid trucks that are loaded poorly, have poorly designed bodies fitted, or are towing a trailer (or other vehicle) that is transferring considerable load onto the truck behind the rear axle group. If there is too much load behind the rear axle group, the chassis will act as a lever over the rear axle group, which will result in a see-saw effect, lifting the front of the truck.
Vehicle manufacturers provide guidelines relating to the appropriate and safe mass distribution for their vehicle models. They generally express the minimum steer axle mass as a percentage of the total vehicle mass, with the minimum recommended steer axle mass
Commuters and freight will gain up to five minutes on a trip from Oakford to Mundijong through the provision of an efficient alternative freight route
represents the largest investment Perth’s south-east road corridor has ever seen.
“The project will increase network capacity to ease traffic congestion on local roads now and in the future.
“It complements the nearby METRONET Byford Rail Extension which is currently
generally sitting between 20% and 35% of the total vehicle mass.
Recent related assessments conducted by Main Roads WA and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator support the minimum safe steer axle mass as 20% of the total vehicle mass, which aligns to many manufacturers’ recommendations and is now being considered for introduction into future Restricted Access Vehicle (RAV) approvals.
To ensure safe directional control of the vehicle and efficient braking performance, operators should ensure the steer axle mass on their vehicle is at least 20% of the total vehicle mass, or the minimum requirement recommended by the manufacturer, whichever is greater.
Recent related assessments conducted by Main Roads WA and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator support the minimum safe steer axle mass as 20% of the total vehicle mass, which aligns to many manufacturers’ recommendations
under construction, the recently completed METRONET Thomas Road Over Rail, the Thomas Road Safety Improvements between Kwinana Freeway and South Western Highway and aligns with our Westport outer harbour plans in Kwinana.
“These improvements will provide communities in our south with greater access to our transport network.”
Senator for Western Australia Louise Pratt said, "This vital project will significantly reduce freight traffic along South Western Highway through Byford.
“Commuters and freight will gain up to five minutes on a trip from Oakford to Mundijong through the provision of an efficient alternative freight route.
“Critically, the project will provide a non-stop journey eliminating up to four sets of traffic lights between Oakford and Mundijong.”
Over to you
There is a definite decline of skilled truck drivers in the transport industry. Almost every day in the news we hear about truck accidents and it is sad to say that the high majority of these accidents could have been prevented.
A real common occurrence is when trucks roll over on corners and roundabouts or they just lose their loads. This is simply caused by lack of experience, not driving to the conditions and not being vigilant yet we hear of it happening every day.
It has become apparent for some time now that many truck drivers are entering our industry unqualified and lacking the necessary skills to drive heavy vehicles.
Yes I know we have a truck driver shortage and I know that truck drivers are being fast tracked into the industry but we do have to maintain a standard of safety. There is growing concern amongst many experienced truck drivers across Australia that they are being forced to share our roads with unskilled and unsafe drivers. The fear amongst experienced drivers is such that they are leaving the industry in droves and seeking employment elsewhere.
Every driver who goes to work should feel safe at work and expect their fellow
workers to be also suitably qualified and sufficiently trained to operate the vehicle they are driving to the laws of our country and conditions of our roads.
I used to do a lot of express work where my wife Helen and I would drive all day and night to deliver the freight on time. Our greatest fear was the uncertainty of who we were passing through the night and whether they were alert and paying attention… and even if their load was properly restrained.
We both saw a lot of silly incidents that occurred during the night and we did our best not to be involved in any of it. Eventuality after many years of driving express and without having any accidents we decided to quit while we were ahead.
I can certainly understand why truck drivers are reluctant to drive through the night. Our licensing system and driver training I have mentioned many times are totally inadequate.
We need to recognise truck driving as a skilled occupation and train drivers accordingly. I know it comes at a cost and it will take time but what price do we put on road safety?
Some transport companies recognise the importance of training new drivers
and even go to the trouble of matching up older experienced drivers to travel with newly licensed drivers so they can mentor and teach them as they work. There is no substitute for getting supervision and good training while you work.
A driver’s license to drive a truck does not make a truck driver. A driver’s licence and a lot of hands on experience are required to make a good truck driver.
A lot of criticism has been aimed towards overseas drivers coming into this country and wreaking havoc on our roads.
What meagre statistics are available actually show this not to be the case. Just as many local drivers are having accidents on our roads.
We need to ensure that every heavy vehicle driver whether from overseas or from Australia has the necessary skills and ability to drive on Australian roads. I’m not trying to put up barriers and make it hard for people to enter our industry. Truck driving is challenging and demanding and it can become difficult and costly to get a start in the industry but we must strive for good safe operators if we want the best possible outcome for our industry. Keep it safe, Ray Pratt.
Victoria 13-21 Bliss Court, Derrimut VIC, 3026
Tel -(03) 9369 0000
Queensland 1/15 SeeanaPlace, Heathwood QLD, 4110
Tel -(07) 3372 2223
Western Australia 5 Freight Road, Kenwick WA, 6107
Tel -(08) 9350 6470
LRTAWA by Darran Bairstow President, Livestock and Rural Transport Association of Western Australia (Inc)
Road safety is a priority for most of us, but none more so than for those of us that earn our livings on the road. On the basis of that, any initiative that will improve safety is worth having a look at, but sometimes a good idea on paper is not such a good idea when it comes to practical application. The change to heavy vehicle signs which will take effect on 1 January 2025 is one of those.
The cost involved in implementation is significant for every transport operator running heavy vehicles. For transporters that mix and match their combinations the cost is exacerbated. In my small fleet alone, it will cost me around $18,000 to switch over
to the new signs which means I have to turn over approximately another $200,000 in my business just to cover that cost. Some companies will also need to make physical changes to their equipment to accommodate the new requirements.
The cost to the WA transport industry will be in the vicinity of $10-20 million.
There are already major cost pressures in the transport industry with fuel and labour being two of the biggest. Eventually these costs are passed on to the consumer and impacts both inflation and the cost of living – something no-one needs at the moment.
As rural transporters our members are facing financial uncertainty through a range of factors including a lack of confidence in the livestock industry, the phase-out of live sheep exports and a variable outlook for this year’s harvest. The economy is sliding and now is not the time to add costs to businesses
In
my small fleet alone, it will cost me around $18,000 to switch over to the new signs which means I have to turn over approximately another $200,000 in my business just to cover that cost
without a watertight case for doing so.
So is there a case for change? The announcement about the new rules caught industry by surprise.
We knew a survey had been conducted in 2022 and that a limited number of companies were displaying the signs in what was referred to as a trial. Industry associations were not consulted about the results of the survey or the results of the trial, and the plans from there.
What was the benchmark for success of the trial? Do we know how many motorists understood the information sufficiently to make overtaking decisions during the trial? I am sceptical about the safety benefits of this change when a motorist is expected to comprehend a message 8cm high on the back of truck that is travelling at 100km/h. The lettering is smaller than the existing signs. I am concerned this is likely to cause more distraction when drivers should be concentrating on the road. We know that distracted drivers figure prominently in accident statistics.
Western Australia is the only state implementing the new signage. Interstate heavy vehicle operators heading into WA will not need to comply.
This initiative needs to be consigned to the dustbin and we should look at other ways to educate the motoring public about overtaking heavy vehicles.
Over to you
And the lights comin’ over the hill are a-blindin’ me – these are part of the lyrics of the classic Slim Dusty song ‘Lights on the Hill’ and they are more true today than they were when that song was released in 1975.
A recent trip over east really highlighted the issue (if you will pardon the pun).
So if I am driving towards another vehicle and I can see their headlights, then it’s guaranteed that they can also see mine – so then why don’t they dip them?
Why does it take me flashing my lights two or three times before they finally dip theirs?
Why do they insist on frying my eyeballs? We are all in the same situation – they know what it is like so what is the problem?
Obviously they are not paying attention to the road because if they were then one would think that they would dip them if not when they first see mine, then definitely when I flash at them.
As you come to a hill, you can see the lights of an oncoming vehicle way before they crest the hill. You can see the lights
shining up and over the hill and you can even guesstimate how close they are to the top of the hill by how bright or how concentrated the beam is - so it is not hard to dip your lights before you crest the hill. I mean apart from that being common sense isn’t it just common courtesy?
We all have to drive at night and there is nothing that wrecks your eyes more than someone’s spotties or high beams burning a hole in your retinas
And it’s not just the lights on the hill; it’s the lights on the corner as well.
Just like being able to see the lights of an oncoming vehicle coming up the side of a hill, it is also easy to see the lights coming around a corner well before it makes that final turn to confront you head on. We all have to drive at night and there
is nothing that wrecks your eyes more than someone’s spotties or high beams burning a hole in your retinas.
Now we all make mistakes, and ‘occasionally’ each of us have to say, ‘Whoops, sorry mate’ if we are a little tardy on our timing to dip, but this occasional lapse doesn’t explain the continual truck after truck after truck that I encountered that not only didn’t dip their lights, but failed to take notice of the two or three flashes, or sometimes a sustained blast from my spotties before they got the message.
Paying attention to the road is the most important part of driving, so if the drivers aren’t doing that, then we need to ask exactly what are they doing?
Are they watching Tik Tok on their phone, are they watching videos or what?
With the increasing number of accidents, it’s obvious that something is causing this distraction and it’s a serious issue that really does need to be addressed.
How many more drivers will be killed by those ‘lights comin’ over the hill and a-blindin’ me?”
by Cam Dumesny, CEO
Here is a sneaky new proposed set of Federal Laws that you may not be across and they do have the potential to be a real threat to the transport industry.
Already, nearly $112 Billion of Western Australian projects could be at risk as reported in the West Australian Newspaper on July 13th this year. Less projects in the state means less transport freight tasks to support construction and sustainment once in operation.
So, What Are Nature Positive Laws?
Federal Labour have been working on a set of laws, titled Nature Positive, ‘but’ this has
largely been done behind closed doors with Media reports saying participants invited to consultations had to leave laptops and phones outside.
"The Australian Government has committed to protect 30% of Australia's land and seas by 2030, create a nature repair market, establish an independent Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and work in partnership with First Nations people, including to develop standalone cultural heritage legislation." (Australian Government DCCEEW Dec 2022.)
This rather innocuous sounding description by the Government has been described as the environmental equivalent of Net Zero.
Well, we don't know a real lot due to the secretive nature of the development of the laws. But we do know that one proposal in the new laws that was leaked to the media was a 40 kph speed limit from ‘dusk to dawn’ on some regional highways including in the Pilbara.
Following the media leak, the Minister scurried to say the speed limit would not be included. But read this to the end and make up your own mind.
The key political lesson learnt from the campaign to save WA's Live Sheep
The Nightly summed this up perfectly in their editorial at thenightly.com. au/opinion/editorial/editorial-itsnot-too-late-to-scrap-loopy-nature-positivelaws-c-14044116
The idea to speed limit traffic along stretches of road in the vast Pilbara mining region to a crawling 40km/h probably sounded like a good one to the bureaucrats who dreamt it up 3000km away at a board table in Canberra.
After all, 40km/h is plenty fast when navigating that city’s roundabouts from the backseat of an Uber Green.
But it’s not so suitable when you’re carrying vital mining equipment — or the minerals or metals themselves — distances
of hundreds of kilometres.
The rationale behind the proposal was that lowering the speed limit would “mitigate damage to fauna”, presumably by giving drivers more time to dodge suicidal wallabies.
Less thought was given to the billions of dollars the change could have wiped from the Australian economy.
And therein lies one of the key problems with the Nature Positive plan.
When you hand over power to a handful of activist public servants whose chief preoccupation is the wellbeing of small mammals instead of the wellbeing of the economy, you are going to get some dense decisions.
As adorable as they are and as regrettable
their deaths may be, the handful of marsupials who meet their maker via road train grille do not merit applying a handbrake to the nation’s resources industry.
Thankfully, in this instance Ms Plibersek has seen sense.
A spokesperson for the Nature Positive plan’s architect said a decision had been made to not to push ahead with enforcing the thought bubble.
But it’s unlikely to be the last speed bump Nature Positive puts in the way of productivity.
It’s a plan that has everyone nervous and we haven’t even seen the draft legislation yet.
Export industry is that the Federal ALP Government wants to protect its inner city woke votes and is happy to sacrifice 3000 regional jobs including shearers to do it.
It is a sign of just how far Federal Labour has moved its base towards the inner-city turmeric latte sipping woke and away from its founders, Shearers, Truckies and other traditional blue-collar workers. Note my maternal Grandfather was a shearer from around 1910 to 1935.
Given the polls, it is highly likely that within a few months we will have a minority Labour Government forming government with either the Greens or Teals (indistinguishable difference).
The Greens in particular claim the laws don't go far enough, therefore if in a minority government we can expect some of the more radical measures of the proposed Nature Positive laws will be back on the table, i.e. the speed limits.
Risk to Transport Industry
1. "The Greens will demand a climate trigger be placed in the EPBC Act, meaning every project approval would have to take into account the impact of
climate change." (AFR 16 April 2024) For our industry, this could be a challenge in getting up Road Freight infrastructure projects.
2: "A leaked document from a peak mining group shows the Albanese Government is planning to put a 40km speed limit across highways in Australia's thenightly. com.au/australia sparsely populated and economically vital mining regions, putting billions of dollars at risk." (The Nightly 21 March 2024)
Note Western Roads Federation supported the WA Mining Industry and Government (I don't think they really needed our help) to have this withdrawn. But expect it to be back on the table post-election.
So back to the basics for impacts on Road Transport:
• All major road infrastructure projects especially those that help our industry will be at severe risk of not being approved.
• The major project work and then on-going support for Mining and Resources sector that under pins a lot of WA's transport industry work
will be at very high risk of not being approved.
It's worth noting, that the advice we have been given is that getting environmental and cultural approvals takes up to 80% of the time required to build a new Heavy Vehicle rest area.
A proposed parliamentary inquiry into these new laws apparently will ‘not’ come to Western Australia. That is despite our state being the most impacted by the new laws according to media reports.
That indicates the Federal Government is aware of the negative impacts of the new laws on the state.
Credit to the WA Government who are standing up to the Feds on the new proposed laws. I think without any evidence, that they see the Feds making an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage laws equivalent debacle.
But the Federal Government seems desperate to win the inner city woke vote ‘and’ that could end up costing our industry dearly.
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.
In a diabolical day for Western Australia’s agricultural sector, Federal Labor MPs in the House of Representatives have gone against the wishes of the State Labor Government and voted to terminate the live sheep exports industry.
Federal Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson said, “This is a disgraceful decision that will destroy confidence in the livestock industry and our rural communities in the Wheatbelt and Great Southern regions of WA should Labor be returned at the next federal election.
“The federal Coalition has committed to overturn Labor’s ban, and the industry’s only hope is to vote a Coalition Government in.”
Mr Wilson was one of the three Coalition members of the inquiry committee who lodged a dissenting report
Planned Road Transport Termination Code
The Australian Government has launched public consultations on the planned Road Transport Industry Termination Code, which is intended to protect owner-drivers from unfair termination.
The unfair termination provisions will apply to regulated road transport contractors who have performed work under a services contract in the road transport industry for at least six months, and who have earned less than the contractor high income threshold.
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has issued a discussion paper providing more information on the code at consultations. dewr.gov.au/have-your-say-deactivationcode-and-termination-code
that was scathing of the short timeframe and disingenuous inquiry process and is calling for a full Senate inquiry.
“We’re talking about the end of an important, largely Western Australian, industry here and such radical government intervention in the free market should not be taken as lightly or disrespectfully as Mr Watt has taken it, says Mr Wilson.
“A Senate inquiry that examines Mr Watt’s exports banning Bill from its preamble right down to the minutiae of each and every subclause is the very least that WA’s Labor senators can do to ensure their proposed exports prohibition at least passes legal muster.”
Western Australia Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis says farmers need to face a future without live sheep exports after backing down from a fight with her federal counterpart.
30th TRANSAFE WA Road Transport Industry Forum
The 30th TRANSAFE WA Road Transport Industry Forum will be held in Perth on Wednesday the 21st August at The RISE in the City of Bayswater.
The TRANSAFE Safety Forums provide an opportunity for everyone in the transport industry to connect, share ideas, and gain valuable insights.
A strong emphasis is placed on the latest developments in road safety and the presenters will cover a wide range of critical road safety topics ensuring that attendees stay informed about the most current practices and innovations in the field. Tickets are available to purchase on Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the30th-transafe-wa-road-transport-industrysafety-forum-tickets-919215396997 and TRANSAFE WA members will receive a 50% discount on tickets
The Fair Work Commission has published a draft of the right to disconnect term that will be included in all modern awards by 26 August 2024.
Under the right to disconnect, an employee may, unless it is unreasonable, refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from their employer outside of the employee’s working hours.
The right to disconnect terms will start operating on 26 August 2024 for employers other than small business employers, and on 26 August 2025 for small business employers.
The commission is required to develop guidelines for the right to disconnect but does not intend to make the guidelines before the term comes into force.
“The Commission considers that it will be in a better position to make guidelines once it has dealt with at least some disputes concerning the operation of the right since this will allow it to have some understanding of the practical issues for which guidance may be required,” Fair Work Commission President Justice Hatcher said in a statement.
Submissions on the draft term and the commission’s proposed approach to the guidelines are due by 12.00 noon AEST on Thursday 1 August 2024.
To read the statement and draft term please visit www.fwc.gov.au/documents/ sites/am2024-14/2024fwc1818.pdf
This is ‘The Outback’
IBy Cliff Graham
t seems to be harder and harder to find positives in the transport industry.
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m still a long way from perfect and still make mistakes. In the nearly 50 years I have been involved in the transport industry from a young teenager travelling with my uncles through to driving for small family businesses to large companies and even owning my own transport business - I’ve never seen such lack of respect for the term brotherhood on the road.
I come from an era when 350 hp was considered a big engine, yet seldom anybody in a truck drove past another truck if a bonnet or cab was tilted or even someone changing tyres on a remote road.
Back then nobody bothered to take photos of other driver’s mistakes.
Now there’s 600 hp plus and when the speed limit is 100k/h that’s the speed we must travel. Very seldom do truck drivers even wave to each other anymore.
Yeah I’ve had the super truckie legends with their mother’s milk still running down their chin say, “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen”. Well I know plenty of old school operators who have dedicated their lives to the transport industry who have just simply done that and walked away from the industry they love and have dedicated their lives to because of many reasons.
They have left a vacuum in the industry which is being filled by drivers with very little experience and quite often zero passion for the industry or road safety as a whole.
The main problems as I see them are:
1. The continuing increase in compliance from Main Roads along with work place health and safety compliance regulations. This means it’s nothing to do with one’s ability to load and safely transport goods anymore. Nothing to do with being able to fix stuff on the side of the road to keep the wheels turning and get the freight delivered.
2. There are too many are inexperienced drivers who believe they are super legends who feel they are entitled to do whatever they want and are completely unaccountable or won’t take responsibility for their mistakes – yet they feel they have the right to judge and bully others for making a different mistake to them. Many drivers after doing 10,000 km’s think they know everything and become unteachable as they are compliant to company regulations.
Lately there are more posts on social media made deliberately to belittle a fellow driver, without knowing all or any of facts leading up to this point. It’s not just the post itself, it’s the comments from clueless uninformed people who still think because they haven’t made this particular mistake they have the right to judge, belittle and bully other brothers and sisters of the industry.
I understand there are some inexperienced drivers on the road nowadays. I also understand there’s more demand and requirements for drivers on the road nowadays. With the increased
demand on trucks on the road there is an increase in truck accidents… and this only increases the regulators to intercept the trucks for compliance.
For example, I see the new signs regarding the lengths of road trains to be fitted to the rear of road trains.
For year’s livestock triple road trains have been required to have a special sign mounted on the rear of the road train travelling down the west coast to be compliant. However with these signs on I’ve never seen so much outright dangerous driving from impatient light vehicles, many towing caravans, boats and trailers in general overtaking compliant triple road trains and endangering the lives of many road users – as well as the welfare of the livestock.
Yet nobody seems to be worried about that or the retired caravaner's travelling at 75/80 kph per hour 25 metres apart completely oblivious or disinterested of the traffic build up behind them.
Yet again limited policing unless the speed cameras count, hiding in the bushes in overtaking lanes in a 90 kph zone at the edge of some towns where it’s the first opportunity for many travellers to overtake such an inconsiderate convoy of slow vehicles. So in short, I don’t know what it will take for road users to get back to respecting other road users.
After hearing of the horrific accidents over the last school holidays road safety being everyone’s responsibility has still a fair way to go. Just my observations and how do we change this?
Congratulations to the event organisers and participants at the ‘first’ Mullewa Truck Muster. What a great start for this inaugural event which has seen 24 years since the Midwest trucking community has had an event of their own, the last being in 2000 with the Convoy for Kids.
TRUCK OF THE SHOW
Sponsored by TAJ Mechanical & BEST PAINT JOB
Sponsored by Wayne’s Spraypainting
Chris Firbank (Firbank’s Agxpress)
2019 Mack Superliner 100 year Anniversary
Swift Family
1985 Western Star Heritage
Sponsored by Maisey Fuels
Held in conjunction with the 10th Anniversary of the Mullewa Muster and Rodeo over the WA Day long weekend the event saw an impressive field of 27 trucks from the local area showcasing some of the best the Midwest has to offer. Initially there were 33 trucks entered but due to the area being a smaller farming community with seasonal work commitments taking priority there were a few last minute drop outs.
Despite the lower than anticipated numbers companies such as Firbank’s Agxpress, Patience Bulk Haulage, Merkanooka Haulage and Cross Country Cartage put in a great effort to show off multiple trucks from their impressive fleets.
During inception of this event, the committees main focus was to create an event in which people from the Midwest trucking community could get together to meet new likeminded people, share
-
Chris Micke (Firbank’s Agxpress)
2023 Mack Titan
Sponsored by Truck Centre WA
(Cross Country Cartage)
2016 Kenworth T659
Sponsored by Billabong Roadhouse
Noble
1988 Western Star Heritage 4864
Sponsored by Penske Trucks ANZ
stories and just have a good time together. They didn’t want this show to exclude any one from their community and welcomed trucks from all lines of work, be that farm trucks that may have seen better days, livestock carters, bulk haulage or even general freight.
Every truck is invited and they hope to see an even bigger turnout at the 2025 Mullewa Truck Muster.
With approximately 3000 attendees through the gates on the day highlights included exciting rodeo action, iNSTRUCKTA, live country music from acts Henry and Ranahl Band, Amber Lawrence and Scarlet’s Way, jaw-dropping stunts from Zap Circus, Bootscooting, Beaut Ute competition and Mullet competition. Kids were also included in the day with free activities including pony rides, face
BEST JAPANESELloyd Radford (Geraldton Towing Services)
1997 Isuzu FSR 900 Tilt Tray Sponsored by TAJ Mechanical
BEST RIGID - Steve Gilbert (Total Toilets)
2021 Isuzu FXZ
Sponsored by Geraldton Towing Services
painting, bucking bull and Old MacDonald’s Farm petting zoo.
Three big names within the Midwest trucking community turned judges were in action on the day to decide the winners of each category with the exception of the People’s Choice award. Over 400 votes were received in this category with the Swift Family taking out the honours with the late Colin Swift’s 1985 Western Star Heritage over Chris Firbank’s 2019 Mack Superliner.
After the event the committee of the Mullewa Truck Muster have received copious amounts of positive feedback with sponsors wanting to come back on board for next year’s event and local
BEST AMERICAN - Ben Winch-Buist (Bel Transport) 2009 Kenworth C508 Sponsored by Geraldton Towing Services
BEST CLASSIC 30+ - Jon Firbank (Firbank’s Agxpress) 1990 Mack Valueliner Sponsored by Macao Compliance
truck owners confirming they will be attending next year.
Chris Firbank’s 2019 Mack Superliner 100 year will take pride of place on merchandise for the 2025 event as the Truck of the Show of 2024.
Merchandise is still available from the 2024 event, get in touch with the Mullewa Truck Muster through Facebook or Instagram to get your hands on a piece of history.
Also keep an eye out on their socials, Mullewa Truck Muster on Facebook and Instagram, to stay up to date with all information relating to this event.
Have your say on regional telecommunications
Australians living and working in regional, rural and remote communities are encouraged to have their say on telecommunications issues with submissions closing end of July.
The Hon Alannah MacTiernan, Chair, Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee, has also urged people to have their say via a short survey at infrastructure.gov.au/have-yoursay/2024-regional-telecommunications-review
T- and spread the word about the Review to friends, family and colleagues across regional Australia before it closes on 31 July.
The Committee established to conduct the Australian Government's Regional Telecommunications Review is examining the experiences of people in regional, rural, and remote parts of Australia and the suitability of their telecommunications services.
raffic congestion along Ranford Road has improved significantly with the new Ranford Bridge officially completed and all lanes opened to traffic.
The new Ranford Road Bridge is 1.2 metres higher, 15 metres longer and significantly wider - including six general traffic lanes (three in each direction), plus a dedicated bus lane and shared path for pedestrians and cyclists on each side.
The original bridge had only two lanes in each direction with the new bridge
expected to cater for an estimated average two-way traffic flow of 43,000 vehicles a day.
The completion of the new Ranford Road Bridge comes as works on the 17.5-kilometre Thornlie-Cockburn Link continue to surge ahead, with the project remaining on track for completion in 2025.
The $1.352 billion Thornlie-Cockburn Link project is jointly funded by the WA State Government and the Australian Government.
The NHVR has issued Vehicle Standards Guide 35, which sets out the standards for 2.55 metre wide trucks, known as Safer Freight Vehicles, to have general access to the road network.
2.55 metre wide trucks now have general access to the roads in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the NT and the ACT. They are expected to have road access in Western Australia shortly.
allow an increase in the maximum width of trucks fitted with the most modern safety features from 2.5 to 2.55 metres.
They are expected to have road access in Western Australia shortly
Safer Freight Vehicles are required to be fitted with enhanced devices for indirect vision, stability control, advanced emergency braking, lane departure warning, side underrun protection, and conspicuity markings.
The Australian Government’s small business energy incentive is now available to help businesses that improved their energy efficiency in 2023-24.
Businesses with an aggregated turnover of less than $50 million per year can claim an additional 20 per cent tax deduction for eligible spending in 2023-24 that supported more efficient energy use.
0This enables businesses to claim a bonus deduction on investments like—
• electrifying heating and cooling systems
• upgrading to a more energy efficient refrigeration system
• installing batteries and heat pumps.
Up to $100,000 of assets and improvement costs can be claimed, with a maximum bonus deduction of $20,000 per business.
The incentive is available to businesses with eligible assets that were first used or installed ready for use for any purpose and used or installed ready for use for a taxable purpose, between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.
The incentive is also available for eligible expenditure on improvements incurred during the bonus period.
The deduction is not available for assets that use fossil fuels, assets that generate electricity (such as solar panels) or motor vehicles.
For more information about what and when businesses can claim, and how to correctly claim the bonus deduction, visit ato.gov.au/ energyincentive
The National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP) have released a Toolbox Talk (TBT) for heavy vehicle drivers called ‘Three points of contact’.
The Australian Government changed the Australian Design Rules last year to NRSPP Toolbox Talk on preventing
Only new vehicles are eligible for the increased width, but the NHVR has started working with key industry associations, including the ATA, to allow vehicles already in-service to be certified.
Falls from trucks can result in fatal or serious trauma. A major triggering factor for falling from heights is the wrong footing (i.e. slip, trip, mis-step), accounting for 27% of these types of falls. Descending from the cab has been identified to be particularly problematic. You can download the resources for this and many other Toolbox Talks for free fromnrspp.org.au/product-category/ heavy-vehicles/
By KEVIN TOOVEY
While on holiday in southern Sweden we went to a couple of car shows and also a day trips to Denmark. It is a very easy crossing between the two countries via the Öresund Bridge. The bridge is a combined railway and motorway cablestayed bridge across the Øresund strait. In the cities you notice that there is far less cars than here in Australia but we didn’t see as many electric cars as we were expecting. In Malmo they have a large fleet of electric buses; some are long multi combination and take some manoeuvring around the tight streets. The price of petrol in Sweden was $2.50 litre in early June.
The Swedes love their old Volvo cars and have also imported many big American cars. This is a very easy exercise for them as they have left hand drive cars the same as the USA.
The car shows are often held in grounds of Castles or near classic Swedish houses painted red and white with thatched roofs.
Saab and Volvo the two types of cars you expect to see at a car show in Sweden. Saab was founded in Sweden in 1945, Volvo was founded in 1927. The brand name Volvo was originally registered to be used for SKF ball bearings and means “I roll“ in Latin. What I didn't expect to see was a badge of membership to the Riley Club of Australia. We found out later that it belonged to the Swedish Riley Club editor's car - he used to live in Sydney.
The blue car pictured is one that I had never seen before, a Frazer Manhattan Convertible 1951. There were only 131 cars of this model produced in the years between 1945-1955. This car was imported to Sweden in 2014 from the USA. It features four doors which is fairly unusual for a convertible, the window frames stay up when the glass window retracts down. It has a big dollar grin chrome grill common on American cars of that time.
By Russell McKinnon
March 1 denoted the celebration of 100 years of service to the transport industry. While the inauguration date was said to be April 20, 1911, March 1 was chosen to start the celebrations (Ed’s note: The actual inaugural meeting was February 15, 1912, according to the West Australian of February 19). The Association started as the Fremantle Master Carriers’ Association, switching to Road Transport Association, Road Training Council, Western Australian Road Transport Association, Transport Forum WA and finally returning to WARTA. A luncheon was held for the name launch and to kick off the centenary with Minister for Transport Troy Buswell, TWUSUPER Chairman David Galbally QC and Main Roads WA Managing Director and Chairman of the NHVR Board Menno Henneveld in attendance. Also taking pride of place was Sue Miller, great granddaughter of the Association’s founding Chairman, Mr F Newbound.
The first Committee of Management Meeting under the new name of WARTA, was staged at Star Street, Welshpool on
March 10. A major shakedown of the accounting reporting system was discussed and where cost-savings could be made in the financial year. Duncan Daw was welcomed back into the fold to take over from the ill Phil Loffman, who is close to retirement. Duncan had been lured away by Jolly’s (WA Freight Group) and, after a long talk with the Training Manager, it was felt Duncan could return after Easter.
The Federal Government had decided to dump its position on Trade Training Centres, of which WARTA was intending to pursue. The funding had been pulled for at least three years and it was also stated at the March 10 Committee of Management Meeting that the Federal Opposition was also against the concept.
The road train assembly area for 36.5m-long road trains in Apple Street, Upper Swan was opened and the facility, 35km north of Perth, cost $1.4m.
The April 20 Committee of Management Meeting was told that competitors were staging pilot operator courses in two days compared to WARTA’s four days — undermining the importance of a proper qualified programme. Main Roads WA and the Training Accreditation Council (TAC)
had been notified and would follow up. Taxi driver training was cruising along and thoughts for extra income were now centred on Chain of Responsibility.
WARTA entered into an agreement with Latus Pty Ltd to have experienced, qualified auditors. Our trainers will go through an assessment to ensure they are aware of how the issues are identified. The required training will then come back to WARTA for implementation.
There are 3843 buses in WA — 1160 TransPerth; 143 route transport; 840 school buses; and 1700 charter buses.
Offers were on the table for the Cohn Street property, but fell far short of what WARTA wanted.
CEO Ian King asked the Committee of Management Meeting of May 25 to print a certificate, in conjunction with the Centenary celebrations, to a number of individuals who have played an integral part in WARTA’s history, including Life Members.
Ray Gannaway advised the May 25 meeting of proposed changes to the Passenger Services Division, which included School Buses, the RPT (the big end of town) and Charter and Tour. This would require a major evaluation on how the bus business works. The concept would have a Bus WA Division with additional staff, maximising membership. This would still mean a Bus WA Division with committees providing the basis of the business.
Michael Pilkington joined WARTA as bookkeeper, taking over from Frank Clemeno, and attended his first Committee of Management meeting on May 25.
The WA State Budget earmarked $1.2 billion for WA roads at a time when the mining boom was underwriting the economy. It planned to spend almost $5 billion in the coming four years for public transport initiatives, including 45 new railcars and fund the biggest increase in bus service kilometres in more than a decade.
The Livestock and Rural Transport Association of Western Australia (Inc) is the only transport association in WA specifically representing rural transporters.
We are a strong voice for rural WA, ensuring that policy decisions support the viability and safety of rural transporters, primary industry and the communities they service.
Members of the Management Committee are hands on business people, most of whom would drive a truck weekly and travel on nearly every road in WA’s 150,000 km road network in the course of a year.
This close proximity between transporting operations and the advisory role means that representatives of the Association are at the coal face and as such are able to provide that all too rare practical hands on advice in committees, consultative forums and meetings.
Behind everything you do, are transport workers - delivering our food, fuel and online shopping, as well as taking us to school, work and on holidays.
And behind them is TWUSUPER, the industry super fund for the people who keep the country running.
Join the super fund for people who work in transport