Big Rigs 14 April 2023

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WA rm run by former Toll boss collapses

RIVET Mining Services (RMS), one of the largest providers of bulk haulage and onsite services to mining companies in Western Australia, has gone into receivership.

In a preliminary statement, receivers FTI said that extreme weather events, project delays, labour shortages, and cost pressures had led to the company’s demise.

FTI added that its appointment related only to RMS, and not to the broader Rivet Group.

“All other entities of the Rivet Group will continue to trade in their usual manner and have the ongoing support of their senior secured lender to the group to do so to ensure that customers, suppliers and employees are not adversely impacted,” FTI said.

RMS was headed by Mark Rowsthorn, a co-founder and executive director of Toll Holdings and chief executive of Asciano as well running the McAleese Group that collapsed in August 2016.

RMS, which was part of McAleese, owed creditors almost $100m when it collapsed. Creditors later agreed to a deed of company arrangement.

According to its last nancial report lodged in 2017, RMS continued to be impacted by lower iron ore prices, signi cant weather events and

eet repairs and maintenance.

e Rivet Group emerged from the McAleese collapse in December 2016 with Rowsthorn at the helm.

It later emerged that investment house Varde Partners, which had acquired all of Rivet’s debt, were so concerned about the nancial health of Rivet Group that the distressed debt fund en-

gaged Ernst & Young to set out options in case the business collapsed – six months before it called in administrators.

e collapse of RMS comes months after Clough, a much larger WA contractor, called in administrators with $248 million owed to creditors including $88.7 million to the joint venture building

the Snowy 2.0 hydropower project for the federal government.

e TWU said it is working with RMS administrators to ensure workers are prioritised throughout this administration process.

TWU national assistant secretary Nick McIntosh said wafer-thin margins are unsustainable for any business,

but in transport they are the norm.

“We’re seeing hundreds of transport workers losing their jobs and supply chains plunged into chaos because operators are unable to survive the upsurge of operating costs like fuel, severe weather events, or project delays without regulatory support to recover those costs from wealthy clients,” he said.

“Driver shortages are the result of an industry in crisis. Truck driving used to be a career people were proud of, now it’s the cause of unrelenting stress and deadly pressure.”

Company collapses in March soared more than 20 per cent across Australia and Scott Taylor, a partner at law rm Taylor David, said the recent spate was only the “tip of the iceberg”.

“When you start seeing global banks getting anxious, being sold o or collapsing, it’s a clear indication of wider uncertainty, with more to come,” he told News Corp.

“What happens is that people become nervous and start selling down. Term deposits are generating a more certain yield than the stock market. Global markets have been struggling since the middle of last year, and they still have a long way to go. Consumer con dence has declined.”

Court ne increased after fatal 2014 crash

A WODONGA-based heavy vehicle mechanic has had its ne increased following a fatal truck crash that claimed three lives in 2014, after the initial sentence was appealed.

Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal heard the $210,000 ne and conviction initially imposed on Heavy Mechanics Pty Ltd last year was manifestly inadequate.

It has now been increased to $350,000.

In June 2021 the Wodonga County Court found Heavy Mechanics guilty of a single

charge of failing to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that people other than employees were not exposed to risks to their health and safety.

e court heard that in August 2014, a petrol tanker serviced by the company de-coupled on the Wodonga-Yackandandah Road at Staghorn Flat.

e detached trailer crossed the road and struck two cars travelling in the opposite direction, killing all three occupants including a four-year-old child.

A WorkSafe investigation found the tow-eye coupling that connected the prime mover and trailer was excessively worn and had failed under load. At the time of the incident, it had been used for more than three years and 350,000km.

e court heard Heavy Mechanics had serviced the truck just days prior to the incident, including testing the tow-eye coupling, but that testing did not involve an accurate visual inspection or testing while the truck was detached from the

trailer, and that this had limited the ability to inspect the parts involved.

A jury found it was reasonably practicable for the company to have conducted more accurate testing and inspections, which would have revealed the wear and tear to the coupling.

WorkSafe executive director of Health and Safety Narelle Beer said WorkSafe would not hesitate to appeal sentences.

“ is horri c incident cost three lives, including a young child, and caused untold trauma to their loved ones and

community,” Dr Beer said.

“While no penalty can ever make up for this terrible loss of life, this sentence sends a strong message to duty holders using our roads that they must consider not only the potential risks to themselves and their workers, but also the potential catastrophic impacts on other road users or members of the public.”

Heavy Mechanics boss Keith Haire declined to comment at deadline for this issue, but told Big Rigs he would have more to say at a later date.

Receivers said that extreme weather events, project delays, labour shortages, and cost pressures had led to the company’s demise.

Minimum standards are on the way

A SOON-to-be-hatched minimum standards’ body and its guiding legislation will not be a repeat of the ill-fated Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT), assures Gary Mahon, CEO of the Queensland Trucking Association.

Mahon, who’s had a seat at all the early roundtables on the looming changes, was quick to dispel the commonly held myth that the RSRT was being resurrected by Labor, along with an updated version of its much-maligned 2016 Payment Order that profoundly disadvantaged owner-drivers.

“It is not a mechanism to introduce freight rates,” Mahon told attendees at the recent Trucking Australia conference in a session he co-helmed titled What Minimum Standards Look Like.

Although exact details are still to be hammered out, Mahon said that this time round the industry body would be a division of the Fair Work Commission – rather than a standalone entity – with perhaps two or three industry advisory groups appointed to assist commissioners with their decisions.

“What this process is look-

ing to try and do is bring some balance back into the equation, so you’ve got an opportunity to reasonably compete,” he said.

Mahon cited the example of contract negotiations as a prime area where a FWC body could assist in determining what’s reasonable, and what’s not.

“How many of you have been through a contract negotiation in which you have to meet the market?” he asked.

“How many have contracts with continuous improvement provisions in them so every 12 months you have to nd something between 3-5 per cent productivity improvement, and this is in an environment with 7 per cent in ation, on average?

“What about discretionary rate reviews? At the discretion of whom?”

Mahon told conference delegates that one large eet member had told him recently that a client demanded that the operation reduce rates by 3 per cent.

“He was told, ‘If you can, we’ll extend the contract by a year, if you can’t we’ll go back to the market’, and that’s not unusual.”

Mahon also said that it’s essential that every participant

who “exercises economic power” in the supply chain is captured by the new legislation. at includes freight forwarders and anyone else working in the rapidly emerging gig economy sector.

“ ere is no point to two or three players being captured by this legislation while the bigger end of town just sits and watches,” added Mahon.

“You’ve got the big end of town continually trying to lower the ceiling and the gig economy working away in competition. If we don’t act there is going to be collision in the middle and this industry is going to hurt a hell of a lot.

“Every day we are hearing more and more about how gigtype workers are inching their way into this industry.

“When this happens you’re going to have a competitive environment where you’re the one expected to be buying low carbon vehicles, the best PBS equipment for safety, you’re the one expected to apply all these standards, and employ people under a set of standards, and you’re going to be competing against a group who fundamentally don’t have to adhere to any

of those standards at all while running gear that is 12, 15, 20 years old.”

Mahon told the conference that he believes the minimum standards legislation could be tabled as early as late August, but he doesn’t expect it to come into play until well into next year.

Just a few days before the conference, Mahon joined a 30-strong delegation of truck drivers, rideshare drivers, food delivery riders, transport operators, employers and associations at Parliament House to meet with parliamentarians and call for the passing of transport reform.

Over two days, Mahon’s allies included Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation secretary Peter Anderson, Western Roads Federation CEO Cam Dumesney, major transport operator ACFS CEO Arthur Tzaneros, and TEACHO chair Paul Ryan, along with truckies and and the Transport Workers’ Union. e delegation shared the urgency of passing “lifesaving reform” to set fair, safe and sustainable standards in transport.

TWU national secretary

Michael Kaine said it is important that politicians hear directly from workers and employers alike about the realities of working in an industry in “crisis”.

“Just this year, transport has su ered devastation after devastation,” said Kaine.

“ is year has also seen wealthy supply chain clients reaping enormous half-year pro ts. ese are pro ts reaped

from the razor-thin margins of transport operators, piling deadly pressure on workers and causing thousands to lose their jobs to administration.

Kaine said the transport industry needs safe, fair and sustainable standards to rebalance transport supply chains, ease the pressure and ensure trucking can thrive long into the future.

QTA CEO Gary Mahon updates industry at the Trucking Australia conference on the Sunshine Coast.

Labor making progress on new national trucking law

AFTER months of inexplicable delays – and a costly review – the rst draft of the new look Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) should be coming together by the end of the year, promises Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King.

Speaking at Trucking Australia 2023, the Australian Trucking Association’s annual conference on the Sunshine Coast on March 31, King told attendees that Labor had made “real progress” on the reforms since coming to o ce 10 months ago.

With the National Transport Commission taking the lead – the same agency that ATA recently blasted for running a circus – King said a “comprehensive” Regulation Impact Statement has been prepared and is going to transport ministers this month for consideration.

“Our goal is a completely revised Heavy Vehicle National Law that is more exible, risk-based and that makes better use of new technology,” said King.

“ rough this process, governments have agreed to automate, as far as possible, the system through which heavy vehicle operators apply for restricted vehicles access on certain roads – and have begun work together

towards that end.”

King said Austroads is coordinating work towards a national, single seamless system for heavy vehicle access, while Victoria is leading work on cost-bene t modelling of providing as-of-right

access for high productivity freight vehicles.

“And the National Transport Commission and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator are developing further detail of the new two-tiered system for managing driver

fatigue.

“We will be sharing a fuller update on all those actions shortly and – with many of these measures being considered out of session – it gives us time to talk to you but also to get on with our focus on large scale economic reform.”

In order to keep industry informed, King said she was also pleased to announce that heavy vehicle industry representatives will now be invited to attend select Steering Committee meetings to provide their views directly to senior decision makers on particular topics and to discuss progress.

“ ese reforms matter to you, so you should be involved.”

King also talked about how the Albanese government is already delivering on major freight infrastructure projects, including the Co s Harbour bypass, and additional funding for the Nowra Bridge, among others.

She also updated the conference on the new rest area steering committee and said that applications seeking a share of the $140 million will be invited in the rst

half of the year.

“Of course, though, none of these investments come cheap,” added King when discussing the proposed changes to the Road User Charge.

“ e reality is, road upgrades cost money.

“Governments across Australia are planning to spend around $33 billion on roads in the 2023-24 nancial year alone.

“In total, cost recovery from heavy vehicle operators is set to raise $3.8 billion over the next twelve months – with roughly 60 per cent of that coming through the road user charge.

“At the same time, the fuel tax credit – a measure the previous government put in jeopardy by not consulting with you when they dropped the fuel excise – sees $8 billion returned to the industry every year.”

King said any decision state and commonwealth ministers take on the RUC will be designed to lock in certainty over the next three years.

“We all want better roads – nobody more so than truck drivers – but we have to be

Transport Minister Catherine King gets behind the wheel of an electric truck at the ATA conference on the Sunshine Coast.

able to fund them. Particularly as we have the Victorian Farmers Federation, the Local Government Association and the Automobile Association calling for billions of dollars in additional funding, particularly on our regional roads.

“ at’s what responsible governments do – they listen, they deliberate and they take decisions in everyone’s interests.”

King also touched on the role industry is playing in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

She said transport is predicted to become Australia’s largest source of emissions by 2030.

“With our commitment to net-zero emissions we need to drive these down – whether it be through hydrogen highways, electric vehicles, or cleaner fuels.”

“ is ingenuity is why I am con dent that Euro 6 emis-

sions standards can be phased in for new trucks and buses, from November next year.

“ is will bring Australian noxious emissions standards closer to those already in place in the UK, Europe and elsewhere.”

In making this change, King said she’s conscious of the development costs faced by industry to meet steer axle mass and vehicle width limits when introducing low and zero emission heavy vehicles to their eets.

“ at’s why our government is working closely with the heavy vehicle industry through the National Transport Commission and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to settle any outstanding concerns before the implementation of Euro 6.

“We have to take these steps – even when they might be di cult – because the alternative is too damaging.”

Snapshot of industry issues released

MODERN roads must be funded by a system which secures road funding into the future, and is fair, transparent, and predictable.

at was one of the key takeaways from a wide-reaching snapshot of major industry issues, Trucking Australia: e Report, which was released by ATA CEO Michael Deegan at the recent Trucking Australia conference.

“A system which proposes 10 per cent tax increases each year for three years is broken,” said the report.

“ ere is no accountability about how funding is spent.

ere is no concern for the ability of business to pass on costs and survive.

e probe said road-related fuel excise revenue is eroding due to improvements in vehicle fuel e ciency, despite the increasing number of kilometres that Australian vehicles travel. Increasing numbers of electric and zero emission vehicles will only accelerate this trend.

“Our road user charging system is breaking down. Declining revenue will only increase the likelihood of extreme price hikes into the future.

“In the absence of national road user charges reform, the proliferation of state-based road user charges for electric vehicles will further undermine the goal of having a

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transparent, sustainable and fair system for funding Australia’s road network.”

e ATA said Australia can’t a ord eight di erent taxes, with di erent rates and systems, on how Australians drive.

As an example, the report cited Victoria’s new EV tax which applies on Victorian vehicles even when they are not driving in Victoria.

“State-led road tax confusion will disadvantage the funding of roads in states with large road networks and smaller vehicle eets. We can’t a ord to make our regional and remote roads even worse.”

e solutions that the ATA is proposing include:

• A lower pathway for road user charge increases of zero per cent in 2023- 24 and then 2 .75 per cent in 202425 and 2025-26, instead of the increases of up to 10 per cent each year under consideration by governments.

• A lower road user charge for remote Australia, which would save remote area trucking operators and extra 13 .6 cents per litre on the cost of fuel.

• long-term reforms to the broken heavy vehicle cost base and road user charging system.

e report also highlighted the lack of progress on rest

areas for truckies, citing a government audit 15 years ago that found not a single route met rest area guidelines.

“ at audit should have led to this issue being xed in the 15 years which has now passed . “For too long the approach to xing rest areas has felt like governments have only been interested in applying Bandaids – with only a limited supply of Band-aids – rather than approach the issue with a comprehensive strategy.”

In recent years, the ATA said average annual federal funding under the dedicated program for rest area improvements was delivering well under $10 million annually for truck rest areas.

“Rest areas became an afterthought even in the dedicated

funding program designed to x them. Industry has warmly welcomed the Australian government’s commitment of an additional $80 million for rest areas over the next four years, with input from drivers and industry into the funding program. is is a strong downpayment on xing an issue which has been forgotten and ignored for too long.”

e ATA said it has campaigned for minimum rest area standards, which governments would then need to ensure are delivered.

“ ese standards should include the distance between rest areas, their design and a requirement that new rest areas on the national highway network be able to accommodate 53.5m combinations.”

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When moving Heavy Loads comfort equals Safety.

King told the ATA conference that transport is predicted to become Australia’s largest source of emissions by 2030.

ATA chair David Smith and conference keynote speaker, Shadow Transport Minister, Senator Bridget McKenzie, with the new industry report.

How to entice new faces to trucking

THE transport industry is all too aware of the critical skills shortage disrupting operations across Australia. Understandably, the shortage was a trending topic at Australian Trucking Association’s recent Trucking Australia conference.

Consistent with the 2023 conference’s tag line, “sparking solutions, powered by you”, conference delegates were invited to have their say on the matter in the Creating the Industry’s Workforce Strategy session.

After seeing the success of the Aged Care Workforce Strategy, CEO of the Western Roads Federation, Cam Dumesny, proposes and leads the creation of a similar national workforce strategy for the transport industry.

Along with Industry Skills Australia director of implementation and capability, Klausch Schmidt, and Ainsleigh Bilato of the National Road Transport Museum, Dumesny directed delegates to consider four key questions: How do we attract more people from di erent backgrounds into the indus-

try, how can we train our sta better, how can we retain sta in the industry and how can we improve the industry’s image?

Recognising that the ATA and its member associations do not have all the answers to inform a comprehensive solution, the responses and subsequent discussions of delegates were recorded for inclusion in the strategy.

Despite a 16 per cent increase in industry participation between 2021 and 2022, the demand for skilled workers continues to outweigh the current number of personnel active in the transport industry.

Attracting new personnel to tackle this gap is, therefore, a priority of the strategy. Schmidt suggested that the industry must be mindful of only addressing the shortterm de ciencies, noting that it needs to consider what skills employers will require in a one-, three- and ve-year timeframe.

For Schmidt, the answer to attracting new personnel lays in thinking outside the box, such as by exploring the opportunity for job sharing.

is was echoed by delegates who spoke of a changing transport industry in which exibility and a healthy work/ life balance is possible, opening the industry to parents and employees in the mining industry who are accustomed to a FIFO roster.

Targeting a younger demographic through school visits and informed career counselling was proposed, allowing the industry to show

school-leavers that a career can be found in transport, rather than an interim job.

E ective and ongoing training was recognised as a method of both attracting new personnel and retaining current personnel within the transport industry.

Western Australia’s Heavy Vehicle Driving Operations Skill Set was cited as a model that could be replicated by other states, in which trainees

undergo both theoretical and hands-on driving instruction training to obtain a HR, HC or MC licence to produce con dent and competent operators. Delegates indicated re-training and cross-training could aid in empowering and re-energising existing personnel.

While practical courses such as forklift and rst aid training were popular suggestions, courses that focus

on operator wellness were also proposed, such as nancial management and mental health awareness.

Delegates were asked to consider how we can improve the industry’s image to both internal and external stakeholders, including by emphasising its rich heritage. e outstanding technical developments in transport are most clear when juxtaposed against its rich history, telling the stories of the machines and operators that paved the way for those in the industry today.

Storytelling, from the contributions of transport operators to Australia’s most recognisable infrastructure to the role that migrants have long played in powering the industry, provides a channel through which the industry creates interest and pride in its work.

e use of social media to share these stories, particularly in a visual format, was recommended to reach a wider audience and, simultaneously, show the diversity that delegates have come to appreciate in the transport industry.

Ainsleigh Bilato addresses attendees at the Trucking Australia conference on the Sunshine Coast.

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EDITOR

JAMES GRAHAM

WHAT an incredibly sad start to the year it has been for our truckies on the roads.

As I write this, according to numbers from the Transport Workers’ Union, 19 drivers had lost their lives.

That’s 19 too many. Everyone should turn up to work and expect to return home safely at the end of their shift. Yet trucking continues to live up to its unfortunate tag as the most dangerous occupation in Australia.

Why is that when we’ve made such incredible advancements in safety technology in recent times?

I don’t have any easy answers for you here, but it’s no wonder that momentum is gathering in Canberra for some kind of over-arching body to police standards across the board, particularly with the rise of the gig economy which isn’t subject to the same checks and balances as other sectors. If it saves one life, it’s worth trying.

HOT WEB TOPICS

Dodge on the paper trail

DAVID Vile’s heart-warming yarn about a 1977 Dodge restored as a tribute to the busy newspaper trucks that used to ply the highways of Australia evoked plenty of fond memories from readers.

Wrote Peter Cross: “My first driving job was back in the early 1980s for AJ Bush at Rockdale delivering carton meat and smallgoods. I drove a similar Dodge with a 245 hemi six with a 4-speed from Rockdale to Campbelltown-Wollongong-Kiama, 5 days a week. Used to sit on

110km/h on the freeway coming home empty, the little 245 would be screaming its head off but it never gave up.”

John Stanford recalled driving for Wes Searle circa 1975 from Sydney to Dubbo with the Sunday papers in a 360 Dodge V8: “Used to get $43 for the trip.”

Jeffrey Dukes just finished 46 years in newspapers on the Darling Downs: “My dad delivered papers for 59 years before he had to give it up.”

Added Tony French: “I spent 11 years in paper trucks

‘Brake fail’ on Mt Victoria

THE clip we shared of a truckie’s dramatic escape from an apparent brake fail on Mt Victoria in the Blue Mountains, NSW, divided our online followers.

David Gaudron reckoned the driver did a great job to control the truck.

a lesson on how one; A: selects the appropriate gear prior to descending a steep hill, and B: locates the engine/exhaust brake switch.

Matthew

racing up and down the east coast. Mmmm…the good old days when we wrote our own rules. I had a ball.”

“I had exactly the same situation on Toowoomba range 30 odd years ago bloody terrifying situation. When you get to stop, you just don’t know how you manage to get to the bottom without incident. Good driving mate.”

Many others, such as Andrew Hetherington were not so sure. “Looks like someone needs

James Atkins doubted it would be mechanical failure: “That would be just a complete coincidence on Mt Vic…He rode the brakes too long simple as that.”

Bill Valentine also felt the driver may have been at fault: “I don’t understand how people lose their brakes down there if they drive appropriately, just because it is sign posted to 40km/h it doesn’t mean you can do that speed safely.”

Helen Gelling, however, was more concerned with the motorists caught up in the drama. “The numpty in the caravan wasn’t gonna budge for no one. Just move over and brake.”

A screenshot from the dramatic dashcam clip on Mt Victoria. Source: Dashcam Owners Australia

Santas and his 1977 Dodge in Gundagai.

Photo: David Vile

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Owner-operators make the toughest call of

BY JAMES GRAHAM

VETERAN truckie Graeme Nicholson, 59, can recall the life-changing moment like it was yesterday.

He’d driven back from Adelaide to his Maclean depot on the NSW Mid-North Coast, and quietly taken himself o to bed as he’d done after countless other runs over the previous 32 years at the helm of Nicholson and Page Transport with wife Meredith Page, 57.

“I got up in the morning and said to Meredith, ‘I don’t feel real good and I had no indicators, nothing’,” recalled Nicholson of that fateful March, 2022, day.

“ e next thing the pressure on my chest was like an elephant standing on me and I just got worse and worse.

“Luckily we only live about two minutes from the hospital, so I said [to Meredith] I’ll get into the car if you can get me over there.”

After hooking Nicholson up to an ECG machine, it didn’t take long for the doctor to make a diagnosis.

“He told me, ‘You’ve just had a massive heart attack’. en I clocked o , they had to get the jumper leads on me and re me up.

“It’s pretty dark on the other side, very dark and quiet. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

“When I woke up, I said to the doctor, “I think I had a little sleep’, and he said, ‘You had a lot more than that’.”

Nicholson’s heart had stopped for about 90 seconds, and he was quickly rushed north by helicopter to John Flynn Private Hospital on the Gold Coast Hospital for an emergency stent procedure.

Nicholson was soon back on his feet, however, with the positive lifestyle changes he’s made as a result of the scare still playing out to this day. Although he never considered himself unhealthy – he doesn’t smoke or drink excessively – Nicholson has upped the exercise and dropped 12kg since the heart attack to tip the scales at a relatively svelte 90kg.

He’s also made sure all his mates go and get their tickers checked out too.

But perhaps the biggest result of his cardiologist telling him to take the stress out of his life happens this month with half of the Nicholson and Page 10-strong eet going under the hammer in a Ritchies unreserved online auction on April 19-20.

With their two children Chloe, 27, and Harrison, 24, pursuing other interests and careers, Nicholson admits it was probably the hardest business decision he and his wife have ever had to make.

“Trucks have been a big part of our life, and there’s a lot of people who have relied on us over the years.

“Our drivers have had to move and nd other jobs and I’ve tried to help them in that way, and our customers that we’ve been loyal to and they’ve loyal

to us for many years, and we’re still trying to help them out but eventually they’re going to have to transition to someone else.”

e loyal sta includes longtime truckies such as Owen Weir, who has been there for nearly 10 years, and Danny Donegan and Roscoe Hooper who are approaching two decades of service.

“ ey’re part of the family, part of our DNA too I guess.”

From humble beginnings with a single Ford Louisville in 1991, Nicholson is proud of the way he and Page have built up the operation to be a regional powerhouse in the bulk haulage game today.

In all those years, the distinctive blue, green, white, and yellow livery has only ever been involved in two crashes, neither one serious.

“ e highlight has probably been a lot of the drivers,

they’ve been a lot of fun,” reected Nicholson.

“ ere’s been a lot of good times with the drivers. ey become part of the family, and that’s the hardest part [about winding down].

“Also, the service we give is another highlight for me, it’s second-to-none.

“People can take for granted the way we do the job, the way I expect the job to be done, and when we’re not

there and they’ve used someone else, and the service is sub-standard, they realise how good our drivers are at what they do.”

Sadly, Nicholson says it’s the driver shortage that is also contributing to his decision to start winding down toward retirement.

“In the last 12 months we’ve had three trucks parked in the yard, which I’ve never, ever had. I just said to my wife, this

Graeme Nicholson and Meredith Page are proud of the way they’ve built up the business since 1991.

a recent health scare, this revered NSW transport duo is reluctantly taking a step back after 32 years in business on the state’s Mid-North Coast.

is so hard. I’ve never seen it this bad.”

Nicholson believes the industry has, to a large extent, brought the crisis on itself by doing away with the age-old mentoring system that saw fathers have sons ride along every step of the way to learn the ropes.

If he has a message for other operators wanting to hang on to the truckies they have, it’s to treat drivers with respect and involve them in your everyday business decisions.

“I bounce everything o Dan-

ny and Roscoe. You need to involve the drivers and make them feel like part of the business and be prepared to stand up for them too.

“ e old saying that the customer is always right, isn’t necessarily always the case, because sometimes the drivers get accused of things and if I know they haven’t done the wrong thing, I’ll stand up for drivers all the time and argue with whoever.”

Nicholson believes it’s imperative to always back your drivers and give them your trust.

“I could leave a $100 note in any one of my trucks and in six months’ time that $100 note would still be in there.” ere are things, however, he won’t miss when he eventually does hook up the caravan or pack a bag to spend a few lazy days visiting his rst grandchild due in September.

“Compliance has done nothing for the industry – the NHVR is the greatest debacle I’ve ever come across,” he said. “I’ve tried and tried, been to several conferences with the NHVR and suggested ways

we could manage fatigue a bit better, but they aren’t interested in listening one little bit to the people from the coalface.” Nicholson says you only have to look at the Performance Based Standards system to see the divide at its most glaring. “I’ve got a 610 with drop deck trailers on and its 100ml over length. It’s 26.1m long and we got booked for being 100ml over, yet if I put an A-trailer on that combination so it’s got two A-trailers and a B-trailer and go to 35m I am legal to drive on that same road. It’s ridiculous.

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“It’s so hard for us little blokes to break into that PBS system because we have to have our trucks versatile to do everything. We just can’t a ord that.

“I’ve got 40 years under my belt, I’ve almost done nine million kilometres myself and done everything in this industry except cart cattle and fuel, and I have these shiny-arsed people trying to tell me that I’m not compliant.

Don’t get Nicholson wrong, though. For all the many frustrations and challenges the

industry faces, he still thinks it’s a great time to be in road transport.

“If I was younger, I’d be diving into it head rst,” said Nicholson, whose best tip for newcomers is do your homework on how much it’s costing to run each kilometre.

“ ere’s a shortage of trucks, there’s a massive amount of freight about and you can negotiate a good rate.

“If you’re not making money out of trucks right now, you probably shouldn’t be in the game, it’s as simple as that.”

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Nicholson plans to hang on to a few of his favourite trucks for bulk cement and sugar runs. The business prides itself on its close family bonds with sta and drivers.

Industry icon honoured for years of service to trucking

RON Finemore was the recipient of the Don Watson Memorial Award at the Foundation Sponsor’s Gala Dinner held at the conclusion of the Trucking Australia 2023 conference on the Sunshine Coast late last month.

e Don Watson Memorial Award is presented to an individual in recognition of them having given conspicuous service to the Australian trucking industry.

Finemore is the executive chairman of Ron Finemore Transport and has over 60 years’ experience in the Australian trucking industry.

He was previously the executive chairman of Finemore Holdings, one of Australia’s leading transport logistics management companies. e business, which was sold to Toll Holdings in 2001, had been built from the ground up by Finemore and his people over the previous 40 years.

In 2004, Ron Finemore Transport was established by Finemore, following his acquisition of Wodonga-based company Lewington’s Transport. In 2005, Smith’s Transport in Orange was also purchased.

e company now operates with a eet of more than 290 prime movers, and over 700 pieces of trailing equipment, travelling over 70 million kilometres annually, and employs over 900 people.

e Don Watson Memorial Award recognises Finemore as a leading transport and logistics professional and also as a champion of industry professionalism, innovation and safety.

In his introduction to the announcement of the winner of the award, past-ATA chair Dennis Robertson spoke of the immeasurable time Finemore has given to help better the road transport industry as well as providing generalnancial support and the use of his sta and facilities.

“ ey always strive to nd the most e cient and safest way to do the job and are always developing new equipment which is acknowledged globally as world’s best,” said Robertson before inviting Finemore to the stage to receive his award from Lyndon Watson, the son of Don and Noelene Watson.

Added Finemore: “Every-

thing I’ve tried to do for the industry has been for the people, and the community.

“ e great people who work in the industry, and my passion has been to see people that have started in the industry with me in various categories, be successful.”

Finemore is particularly passionate about improving the efciency and e ectiveness of fatigue management policies and systems for the industry and was a presenter on that subject earlier in the conference.

“I wasn’t here at this conference other than to enhance the safety of the industry for the community of Australia,” he said.

“It’s a battle to try to get the bureaucrats to understand that people in our industry are only there for the good of the whole community.

“ e very large majority of our people are absolutely great people, as is the case in every part of society. Unfortunately, the trucking industry is not recognised for the job we do, even though for the last three years people have woken up to what we do. But most people would prefer not

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to see the trucks on the road and unfortunately they can’t do without us.

“ e great job that everybody here does isn’t necessarily appreciated, but it is recognised.”

Known for his hands-on, down-to-earth approach by his sta and industry colleagues, Finemore and his team constantly strive to deliver improved safety, productivity, pro tability and return

on investment.

“I’ve been very, very lucky,” he concluded. “I’ve been in this industry 62 years, I had my rst truck before I had a licence, and I hope to be here for a few years more.”

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STEVE Broadbent, 62, reckons the secret to such a long life behind the wheel is pretty simply when you get down to brass tacks: he’s never lost the passion for the road, even after more than 40 years and six million kilometres.

He’s still just as fervent about the role today as he was when he rst started out, as a fresh-faced 19-year-old driving logging trucks for Gippsland legend Norman Blackwood.

“I just love it,” said Steve, still buzzing from his career highlight, winning the Professional Driver of the Year prize at the recent National Trucking Awards on the Sunshine Coast.

“People say it gets into your system, and it really does get under your skin. And the mates I’ve met up the road… it’s just a pleasure to go to work.”

For the past ve and a half years that’s been as a Melbourne-based interstate linehaul driver for Freestone’s Transport, more recently carting “time sensitive” parcel freight from Tullamarine to Sydney in a 2004 Peterbilt 379

Lowline in a single semi-trailer combination.

“She’s pretty forgiving and a pleasure to drive,” said Steve of one of the most revered rigs running the Hume today.

“She’s got all new running gear; a new CAT motor, 18-speed gearbox and been repainted not long ago so she looks the part.

“You get a bit of a big head because you listen to the UHF and people go, ‘Oh, look at that thing’, because there’s not many of them on the road, and it’s always clean and shiny.”

Wife Jodie Broadbent, nationally recognised for her work in the safety and compliance sector, can testify to just how fastidious her husband is when it comes to presentation, he’s been like that throughout his storied career. e cherished Lowline is washed at the end of each trip, without fail, she says.

“If it has been raining in Melbourne from Sunday to Tuesday, the truck is washed before he leaves on Tuesday night. If Steve is held over on Friday nights in Sydney, he will spend that afternoon

washing and polishing the old girl to the nth degree.

“Even when it rains, he dons his raincoat and washes and cleans the truck.”

e inside is no di erent, adds Jodie. A neat grey sheet on the doona and pillows complement the burgundy and cream interior and Steve even has a grey cable knit throw rug to adorn the bed.

“Steve has, at his own expense, purchased gold buttons for the dash and chrome nut covers for the exterior to show the truck o . He sees the presentation of the truck as a re ection of his professionalism.”

Jodie says that attitude extends beyond his job and customers to those he deals with outside of work.

He always makes time for non-industry people who are curious about what he does, and he’s become something of an unwitting social media star as a result of giving so many youngsters, and their parents, a tour through the Peterbilt at service centres along the Hume Highway.

“I’m always keen to get them to have a look at it, just

trying to get other people involved in the industry,” said Steve.

He believes there’s a myriad of issues contributing to the current driver shortage, from an unfair wage system and poor career image to the lack of correct training.

“I’m a rm believer that you’ve got to get them from a young age and teach them the right way, that’s how I was taught,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we don’t seem to be able to bridge that gap with the training at the moment.

“I don’t know whether it’s just in the too hard basket, or because of the dollars.”

He believes the burgeoning driver apprenticeship scheme is probably “not a bad thing”.

“When I rst started driving trucks, my rst thing was to get under the truck and adjust the brakes.

“Now I’m not sure you’re allowed to do that anymore, but you got your hands dirty straight away, and that to me is why an apprenticeship is probably a good thing – it teaches them from an early age how to drive a forklift, or be in

the yard, how to do things the right way.”

Steve has transported everything from livestock

through to Formula 1 cars, and worked with all types of load restraint tools, including dogs and chains, straps, ropes,

Steve Broadbent is just as passionate about the job today as he was when he first started.

tarps, tautliners, logging skels, drop-decks, at tops, vans and at-racks.

He has driven everything up to triple road trains and been all over Australia on all types of roads requiring him to drive to the conditions at all times.

At one stage that even included transporting delicate glass bottles from Penrith to Brisbane via the Putty Road, and Steve was renowned for never losing a bottle.

He’s also never been involved in an at-fault accident, in any vehicle, car or truck.

Although he prides himself on the way he’s embraced the many regulatory and technical changes over the years, Steve believes the general driving

standards aren’t what they used to be.

e ‘ y-by-nighters’ who think they can bend the rules to suit themselves, is a particular bugbear because everyone in the industry su ers as a result, laments Steve.

“If the public sees you doing the right thing they leave you alone, but they jump on you real quick if they see someone doing the wrong thing. Just education, a lot of education [that’s what we need].

“Back in the 80s and 90s before speed limits came in and trucks where quick there was a road etiquette that you lived by and that seems to have gone out the window.

“A lot of blokes my age are

Big Rigs columnist wins major prize on Sunny Coast

THE other category winners at the 2023 National Trucking Industry Award on the Sunshine Coast on Friday, March 31, were: Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry: Jacquelene Brotherton (TWAL)

e chair of Transport Women Australia Limited (TWAL) – and popular columnist for Big Rigs and PR manager for Australian Truck Radio – has dedicated over 30 years to the transport industry across the livestock, general and refrigerated transport sectors.

careers in transport and logistics through a variety of initiatives including mentoring and scholarship programs.

“I am privileged to have made a 50-plus year career doing something I love. I have been blessed both in the opportunities I have been given and the people I have met and worked with through the years,” said Brotherton after her win.

try as a passionate advocate for the livestock transport sector. In 2016, she received an LRTAV Outstanding Industry Contribution Award for her contribution to the livestock transport industry.

keen to get out of the industry but I’m not quite that keen to nish up just yet.”

When he is ready to nally shelve the work diary, Steve concedes that he might just pivot into the auditing side of the industry.

With a gentle “push” from Jodie, he’s just completed a lead auditor course with PwC, covering quality, safety and environment.

“I’d like to go to that side of the business just to help companies do a better job, help them with their drivers, their procedures and their training.

“I still see a gap that’s still not quite there. I’m just passionate about the industry, always have been, I just love it.”

Her extensive experience includes everything from Chain of Responsibility compliance to eet management and warehousing.

She has also long advocated for women in non-traditional

“To be able to celebrate with them and share the joy was truly amazing. To have so many incredible women by my side who were even more excited than I was, was a humbling experience.”

National Trucking Industry

Woman of the Year: Alina Hawkins (LRTAV)

Alina Hawkins is known throughout the trucking indus-

Hawkins is admired for her in-depth knowledge of transport industry issues and the professionalism she demonstrates by her ability to research, consult, communicate e ectively and to operate e ciently to support the business, policies, goals and objectives of her colleagues in rural trucking.

National Training Excellence

Award: CMV Truck & Bus

CMV Truck & Bus is a Victorian based dealership group representing the Mack Trucks, UD Trucks and Volvo Truck and Bus brands.

TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award: SeaRoad Logistics Pty Ltd

e TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award recognises a TruckSafe accredited operator that has implemented and promoted the program in an exceptional fashion. is operator fosters a strong culture of safety in every part of their business.

SeaRoad’s road freight services provide integrated logistics services between mainland Australia and Tasmania. Its eet can provide a fully integrated service, including freight pickup, packing, container transport, unpacking and delivery.

Jacquelene Brotherton, left, with TWAL vice chair Coralie Chapman after her award win.

The eye-catching Peterbilt is a big hit with truck fans along the Hume Highway.

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Top-selling Cascadia on the road with 34 pallets

Our Victorian correspondent jumps behind the wheel of the new Freightliner and is impressed with what he discovers.

BY GRAHAM HARSANT

IT was a Friday morning and I’ve hooked up Freightliner to cruise three hours from Melbourne to Horsham in Victoria’s central west to pick up the latest iteration of the Cascadia where it had been showing o at the Horsham Field Days.

is particular Cascadia is the 126 version with a 36-inch bunk, replete with the mandatory bull bar - if not by law, by common sense, if you want to keep your nose the right shape.

With this setup Freightliner have gone the ‘whole nine yards’, or more speci cally, the whole 26 metres to come up with a combination that makes the most e ective use of bonneted prime mover and trailer combo with a bunk that

will

t most drivers.

Whilst Cascadia can be ordered with up to a 60” sleeper, that iteration is going to severely test Australia’s 26-metre rule.

So, Freightliner came up with the perfect compromise. Let’s not forget that whilst we’d all like the most spacious prime mover our pockets will allow, it’s the cargo that makes the money.

More cargo, more dosh. Simples. Until the current laws catch up with sensibility, compromise is mandatory – which is why so many cab overs are out there pulling B-dubs.

But hey, there are some out there for whom nothing will do unless it’s got a bonnet on it. It’s called freedom

of choice, and it’s these folk to whom the 126/34 pallet Cascadia is aimed.

As mentioned, the bullbar is a necessary inclusion and there were a few internal doubts as to whether the combo would be possible, so Freightliner went to Krueger Trailers who said, “No problem.”

And here we are this Friday morning with the result.

With the Cascadia’s obsession with aerodynamics, the shape of the truck is very di erent to its predecessor, the Coronado, and Daimler admit that they lost a few customers that they’d have liked to have brought along with the changes.

at said, the truck has been adopted by a pile of

new customers, who’ve never had a Cascadia before and in many cases not been with the Freightliner brand at all.

at they love the Cascadia is re ected in the high proportion of buyers who tip their toe in the water, buying one truck and then returning to buy more.

at Cascadia is the biggest selling truck in America – the land of massive wheelbased, blunt-nosed behemoths – should also not go unnoticed.

Why is it so? ‘FUEL ECONOMY,’ he shouts in capital letters.

Work all you like on producing better engines that use less fuel – and Freightliner have done just that with their excellent 16-litre DD16 Detroit engine putting out 600hp and 2800Nmm mated

to an also excellent Detroit DT12, 12-speed AMT gearbox – but you’ve got to push all that metal through the air at 100km/h, and a big blunt nose is going to drink fuel like a drunken sailor does rum.

e Cascadia runs parabolic springs on the steer axle and airbags on the drive.

ere’s a full suite of safety systems on board with Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning and all the other acronyms you can think of.

Side Guard Assist, which lets you ‘see’ down the lefthand side of the truck, is an option that is becoming more popular, especially with eets.

Sitting in the background as another part of the safety pack is Active Brake Assist or ABA.

e Cascadia’s radar is looking ahead all the time as

is the camera, and if there is a potential collision the truck will warn the driver.

If the driver doesn’t intervene by changing lanes or applying the brakes, the truck will continue to warn them and if nothing eventuates it will go into a partial brake mode followed by full autonomous emergency braking. e truck will be doing its best to prevent nasty outcomes.

No one can prevent an accident completely but it is all about mitigation. at’s why Freightliner use the term mitigation rather than prevention. e fact is, it’s not a perfect science but it will do its best to mitigate an outcome that could otherwise be an absolute disaster. As well as Active Brake Assist there is also ABS sitting in the background.

Continued on page 18

The Cascadia runs parabolic springs on the steer axle and airbags on the drive.

Side Guard Assist lets you ‘see’ down the left-hand side of the truck.

The Freightliner Cascadia is the biggest-selling truck in the US due to its impressive fuel economy.

A bonneted truck that really packs a punch

From page 16

THE view over the sloping bonnet is excellent. As mentioned earlier, it’s to aid the aerodynamics but it is also fairly short so you can place the truck on the road very easily.

You’re not going to lose sight of a car, or even a small child under this bonnet.

Freightliner achieved this by splaying the chassis rails and dropping the engine down some 3 inches, which comes with the side bene t of placing the ‘daily check’ items within easier reach.

e side mirrors, sitting on a single stalk aren’t big but they work as well as any others I’ve come across with great vision and the bene t of being

able to see over them.

You’ll see some Cascadia’s with additional mirrors halfway down the bonnet – a bit like British cars of the ‘50s.

ey look a little strange but Freightliner tell me that those who’ve optioned them swear by them.

at 12-speed ‘box can change gears manually by icking the column mounted stalk up or down.

You may use it once or twice as I did at rst, but the ‘e ort’ soon becomes too

much and it becomes apparent that it is best left to its own devices.

ere’s a three-stage engine brake that works a treat.

Darryl Fourter, Freightliner’s southern region eld service manager, tells me that the brake lights are required by ADR to come on when it is used, something I’d never thought of before.

Press the ‘check light function’ on the key fob and the all the trucks lights will ash until you deactivate the function.

You have no excuse of not knowing of a failed light. Climbing up into the cab and I’m greeted with the latest dashboard, nicked straight out of the Cascadia’s European half-brother, the Mercedes Ac-

tros. e two digital screens, to me at least, look aesthetically much better than the dials in the faux wood panelling of the earlier model – although I believe that can still be had for the diehards.

So, I’ve navigated the exit gate from the Horsham Field Days with those 44 pallets and Fourter starts to relax as I head down the tarmac. It’s not my rst time in a B-double but I forgot to mention that to him.

e trip back to Melbourne is a mixture of B road and highway driving, so I get to experience the worst of Victorian roads along with the occasional smooth stretches of tarmac. e Cascadia handles itself with aplomb, requiring minimal input to the steer-

ing to keep the truck on the straight and often narrow. I pride myself on not setting the lane departure warning o at all on the ride.

With some 60-tonnes of ballast on board the truck hauls up hills with ease and the engine brake pulls it up smoothly and quickly when required. I reckon the cab is a little noisier than the similarly powered Actros but is by no means invasive, and Fourter and I can chat amiably on the trip without raised voices.

Where Freightliner has excelled is in reducing noise, vibration and harshness, particularly in the cabin. e old Argosy used to rattle around a bit, something Freightliner admit they can’t worm their

way out of. e company spent a fortune in design to ensure that the Cascadia RH drive models would be world class in this area, and they have succeeded.

Fourter tells me of one he recently drove which had over 800,000km on the clock and was as tight as Lycra on an overweight pushbike rider.

But what is most important with this combination is that there’s space behind me for those 34 pallets and that’s money to the bottom line. And no NHVR lackey can relieve me of any of that extra pro t for being over length.

If you want a bonneted truck and wish to haul the maximum payload you should look into the Cascadia.

The latest dashboard has a distinctively European feel.

The shorter sloping bonnet aids aerodynamics and makes visibility a breeze.

verthing you need to know is right there at your fingertips.

Freightliner keeps driver comfort top of mind in the Cascadia.

YOU’RE NOT GOING TO LOSE SIGHT OF A CAR, OR EVEN A SMALL CHILD UNDER THIS BONNET.”

Operators sceptical about $64m subsidy in far north

BY ALF WILSON

ROAD transport operators who deliver freight and food to remote communities in the far north of Queensland are sceptical about seeing any of the $64 million freight funding package from the state government.

e money is designated to the Northern Peninsula Area (NPA), Torres Strait, Cape York and Gulf of Carpentaria regions over the next ve years in a bid to assist with the rising cost of living.

e price of groceries, fuel and other essentials in the region are amongst the highest in Australia because of freight costs.

In a statement, the state government said funding will start from the 2023/24 nancial year and be directed toward targeted subsidies for multi-modal freight services, the appointment of freight coordinators to manage complex supply chains and the development of com-

munity infrastructure such as cold storage.

When Big Rigs approached the government for more clarity on whether the smaller trans-

port operators who service the areas will see any of the $64 million we got the below response from a spokesperson for Transport and Main Roads.

“Following initial consultation at the recent Cost of Living Summit on ursday Island, we will lead engagement with government agencies and key stakeholders to identify sustainable implementation options,” the statement said.

“ is engagement is vital to ensure solutions are designed to maximise community bene ts. Further details will be communicated as implementation options are further re ned over coming months.”

Veteran 76-year-old small eet operator Dennis Dent, who is based at Mareeba, has four trucks which deliver a variety of freight to Cape York and the Gulf of Carpentaria and doubts that any road transport companies will receive any subsidies.

“I understand what the government is saying but where will it help us? If we drop our rates the government won’t subsidise us. It will bene t sea transport operators,” Dent told Big Rigs.

Dent said that the mostly

red dirt and corrugated roads up to the cape and gulf were closed on average for four months each year.

“Road transport overall is cheaper than by sea. I put in a quote to deliver freight up that way for $2000 and we couldn’t go because the roads were cut.

“ e person had to use a sea barge and showed me the price which was $7000.”

Simon Tuxworth runs the family company Tuxworth and Woods which has depots at Cairns, Mareeba, Cooktown, Weipa and Normanton as well as agents located at Mount Garnet, Georgetown, Croydon and Karumba.

e company was started by his now retired father Norm in 1972.

Tuxworth said that whilst he was praiseworthy of the package, he said that $20 million of the money would go to Cape York and the Gulf of Carpentaria and the rest to the Torres Strait.

“I thought they could have given a bit more to the cape and

gulf and it costs a lot to do a refrigerated load into the remote communities. I hope the money goes towards fresh food supplies in these communities. It is all about the health of the people. ere is a lot of soft drink and things like lollies going up there,” Tuxworth said.

Tuxworth and Woods has 13 road trains in total and six or seven of them do regular runs to Cape York and the gulf every week during the dry season. Most are Western Stars and the company employs between 45 and 50 people.

“As soon as the roads are open Woolies get onto us. We can deliver mostly overnight to these places whilst it can take ve days by barge,” he said.

Tuxworth said that savings could be made on freight if fresh fruit and vegetables which were grown around Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands didn’t go to Brisbane initially.

“ en it is sent back up here by road,” he said.

Continued on page 22

eteran year old small eet operator ennis ent, who is based at Mareeba. hoto lf ilson

barge with a truck on orn Island which is near TI with a boat nearby at the ramp.

Tu worth and oods sends up to seven road trains on regular runs to ape ork and the gulf every week during the dry season.

AFTER 290,000KM WE CAN SAY THE CASCADIA IS CLEARLY

THE MOST FUEL EFFICIENT TRUCK IN OUR FLEET”

KEVIN MUTTON, KRESKAS BRO

A welcome relief for residents in communities

From page 20 GAVAN Roy, the operations manager for Weipa-based Rob Roy Earthmoving, said the funding will be widely accepted.

“ ere’s no doubt about that. e wet season especially can be a challenge for families and businesses up here on mainland Cape York, where barging is the only option for freight to be delivered, as the roads are generally closed due to rain and ooding for up to ve months.

“ e cost di erence between road freight and sea freight can be quite signi cant, which undoubtedly can place a huge burden on household budgets, and when there is only one dominating supplier for sea freight in the FNQ area, the ball is in their court.

“Being a transport operator, I understand there is a need to pass on the extra costs associated with providing transport services, and that just gets handballed down the line which in some instances ends up with the consumer having to cop hefty increases in goods by the time it reaches the shelves,” Roy said.

Roy told Big Rigs the injec-

tion of $64 million over ve years will be a welcome relief for residents and consumers in FNQ.

“But what’s the plan after the ve years, will we be paying through the nose again? is ongoing issue needs to be addressed and plans implemented moving forward, or at the very least provide transport operators with some relief from fuel prices, registration and insurance costs. Not to mention the cost of nes, which can make drivers lives miserable over a simple mistake in a work diary for example.

“ e transport industry –road, sea and air – in this country is majorly lacking respect and recognition particularly by governing bodies. is needs to addressed country wide because at the end of the day, the consumer is the one su ering.”

ursday Island is 39km across the sea from mainland Australia and there are many other islands in the Torres Strait which are serviced by barges.

On TI, which is the business centre of the Torres Strait, there is a big Seaswift depot where freight is unloaded from barges

and taken to the various businesses by trucks.

Other islands also have barges arriving and freight and goods are towed to their des-

tination on trailers mostly by tractors or light trucks.

Former long-time ursday Island resident Mark Bousen who owned papers there and at Weipa, Cooktown and Mossman campaigned for many years about the high cost of living due to freight costs.

Bousen, who moved to the Torres Strait in 2002, said the cost of living then was outrageous and continued to be increase during his 10 years on the island.

A journalist for more than 50 years, his family moved to the Torres Strait when they bought the Torres News. ey subsequently went on to buy the newspapers in Weipa, Cooktown, Port Douglas and Nhulunbuy in the Northern Territory, there by covering the entire Cape York and the Torres Strait regions.

“Our newspapers campaigned vigorously about the exorbitant cost of living in the region and the urgent need for freight subsidies. It was an on-going issue with us,” Bousen said.

“Nothing was forthcoming from successive federal and state governments of all political persuasions. I’m delighted action nally, nally is in the pipeline, albeit decades overdue. at should reduce the cost of living to more sustainable levels, one would hope. e freight costs a ect everything that comes to the region – food, building materials, furniture – anything and everything.”

Bousen said the dormant irony reposed with this issue is that freight subsidies were in place for Tasmania – far closer to the capital cities than the Torres Strait.

“ at didn’t cut ice with anyone – but there are far more votes and seats in Tasmania than in the wide, open spaces of Cape York and the Torres Strait.

“It was, and is, blatant political hypocrisy at its most blatant and never ceased to be sore point with me and our newspapers’ readers,” he said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that during last year’s Torres Strait Community Cabinet, the local

community made it clear that one of the biggest challenges for the region was freight.

“We listened to the community. We’re delivering this funding package to tackle that challenge head on. By subsiding some of the freight costs to the Northern Peninsula, Torres Strait, Cape York and Gulf regions, we can ease pressure on local suppliers, and reduce one of the major factors making things like food, and clothing more expensive,” Premier Palaszczuk said.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said that in 2022 his department conducted a review into remote community freight systems which identi ed the need for a more targeted, sustainable approach to managing freight disadvantage across the state.

“ is funding will target the high price of freight that is fuelling cost-of-living pressures, delivering on a package of work that addresses the unique challenges of transporting essential goods to these remote regions,” Bailey said.

On Thursday Island the freight arrives by barges and is taken to businesses by Seaswift trucks.

avan oy believes the subsidies will be a huge help to the consumer, but is unsure how they will benefit his eet.

The best of both worlds

BY DAVID VILE

‘A MODERN Classic’ would probably be an apt term to describe the 1976 Kenworth which is owned and operated by Matt and Courtney Hambridge.

e 47-year-old Kenworth’s iconic SAR styling is straight out of the 1970s, coupled up to a current era engine and driveline.

Based just south of Sydney at Yerrinbool, Matt and Courtney operate MCH Heavy Haulage, with a eet of predominantly cabover Kenworths, joined last year by the SAR, which has taken pride of place as both a agship vehicle for the business and one which will be part of the Hambridge operation for many years to come.

Coupled up to a Drake quad oat and loaded with a Caterpillar PM620 pro ler, the couple had the Kenworth on display in late February at the Gundagai Tractor Pull and Swap Meet.

With the truck having recently once again become a fully working truck as opposed to an historic one, Matt gave a background to both the unique speci cations of the SAR and its new home as part of the MCH eet.

“It has the features of a modern truck in an older truck. It actually has a Series 60 Detroit in it and all the running gear out of a K104 Kenworth with an 18-speed ‘box and an airbag rear end,” explained Matt.

“ e 14-litre Detroit is rated at a little over 600 horsepower, so it has no problem getting over the hills! It is a bit of a toy, I just wanted something that I could do up so we got a hold of it and started tinkering.”

Having been on the lookout for an older SAR and having just missed out on another example, a ick through the classi eds on Gumtree late in 2022 soon had Courtney on a plane to Western Australia to check out the truck.

“Courtney found it on

IT ACTUALLY HAS A SERIES 60 DETROIT IN IT AND ALL THE RUNNING GEAR OUT OF A K104 KENWORTH WITH AN EE O AN AN A A EA EN

Gumtree and went straight over to Perth that afternoon to look at it, she came back and got a bank cheque and we went back over and drove it home,” said Matt.

“It has been converted with all the newer gear over there and the fella needed to buy a set of grain tippers for the harvest season and needed to sell it.

“We were a bit lucky; the truck had been sitting in his shed for four years, and he had only had it on Gumtree for two days.

“We bob-tailed her homeI am a bit time poor so didn’t have time to get a trailer sorted - there was a bit of hopping and carrying on but with the airbags it wasn’t too bad.”

Having planned to take a couple of his restored GM-powered Dodges on a trailer to Gundagai behind the SAR, Matt’s plans soon changed when one of his clients needed the pro ler picked up out of Wagga to go back to Sydney.

With the truck having been put back on full registration the week before it was an opportunity for the Kenworth to start earning its keep.

“It’s the rst week on the road as a working truck. It had been on vintage plates prior.

“I said to Courtney that it’s a bit of a waste having it sit in the shed and not being utilised so we got it spec’d to 75-tonne and got it back on full rego.

“Coming down here it was a perfect opportunity to take it for a run and still utilise it in the business. We took the weekend o for the show but this will save two trips.

Continued on page 26

amily a air Matt and ourtney ambridge with kids Tyler, hloe and atie.

The best of both worlds the enworth has once again become a working truck.

A quick ick through the classi eds on Gumtree opened up a whole new world for this Yerrinbool couple.

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Reader Rigs proudly supported by

Share your truck pics to win with Shell Rimula

SHELL Rimula has partnered with Big Rigs in a big way – so there’s even more reasons to send in your best truck shots.

Each month, the Big Rigs team will choose a #PicOfTheMonth, with the lucky winner receiving a $500 Shell Coles Express Gift Card.

Keep an eye out for our regular posts on the Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper Facebook page, calling

for your best truck photos and add yours in the comments, or email them to editor@bigrigs. com.au.

Don’t forget to include a brief note about the truck and where the photo was taken. We’ll feature some of the best photos in each edition of Big Rigs Newspaper, with one winner announced each month. Keep those amazing truck pics coming!

Ryan Taylor enjoyed this cracker morning sunrise at the Victoria/NSW border.

Hugh Peachey snapped this great shot at the Fenix-Newhaul Geraldton depot at sunset.

Ian Paddy Patterson takes a morning break at the Mungle Creek rest area.

Jayden Perry stops by the Little Topar Roadhouse to admire the view, while on the way to Adelaide.

James Hadley snapped this stunner while unloading in Melbourne after an evening wash.

Jason C Biggs snapped this sunset shot at Marjimmy, NSW, as a big storm was rolling in.

Congratulations to Dave Hely, who has won a $500 Shell Coles Express Gift Card for this great shot, snapped while loading timber out of Gurnang Forrest in NSW.

Luke Selvage, snapped this great shot, coming out of the forest with a load of pulp at Burraga, NSW.

Brad Shiels snapped this Mangan Haulage rig, while stopped in Cowra, NSW.

Aaron Fuller, shared this great shot, reflecting before a load out of the mill at Maldon.

Tom Charlton stopped for a quick photo at Dunedoo, NSW, while on the way to Sydney.

A ripper shot from Michael Roels, snapped while running out through the pines at Orange, NSW.

Luke Moylan captured this great pic of a Frasers Livestock truck, with six decks on.

Paul Freeth captured this ripper sunset near Mataranka, NT.

When the going gets tough, truckies keep everyone going

Switching up the tune

Having relied on the Mack Trident since 2014, waste and recycling business Remondis is now progressively replacing them with the new Mack Anthem for its south-east Queensland operation.

Remondis Australia is the Australian operation of one of the world’s largest recycling, service and water companies. It has been in operation down under since 1982 and now operates from 39 locations, with a eet of over 560 heavy vehicles.

At the south-east Queensland division, there are currently sixteen 2014 Mack Tridents, along with two 2021 Mack Anthems. Another ve Anthems are scheduled for delivery in 2023.

“ ey’ve been the backbone of our local eet for nine years but we work them pretty hard, so we’ve decided to start replacing them with Anthems before we wear them out,” explained Sarah Collins, resource recovery manager at the Remondis Swanbank Renewable Energy and Waste Management Facility.

According to vice president of Mack Trucks Australia, Tom Chapman, the Mack Anthem is a natural progression for Remondis in renewing and improving the e ciencies of their eet.

“ e Mack Anthem has built a strong reputation for itself in terms of fuel-e ciency. Paired with mDRIVE-HD with deep reduction gears, the

bene ts are compounding in applications such as this one where controlled manoeuvrability on sometimes uneven, steep or low traction surfaces is critical,” Chapman said.

“For us, success is really forged in the strong relationships we build with our customers. Remondis perform the waste removal functions of both our factory and head ofce operations at Volvo Group Australia, so there’s great trust in the partnership and it swings both ways.”

e trucks travel between the Swanbank site and transfer stations at Rocklea and Northgate, making up to six trips a day, ve-and-a-half days a week. Averaging about 60,000 kilometres a year, the Macks are hauling single trailer and B-double payloads in side-tippers, carrying close to 36 tonnes.

“ e eet is NHVAS Mass and Maintenance Accredited and is enrolled in IAP so that we can operate Higher Mass Limits (HML), so we’re maximising our payloads on every trip,” said Collins Commercial customers bring loads of waste to the transfer stations, where they’re compacted and loaded onto the trucks.

“At the transfer stations the trucks drive into the loading tunnel at the end of the pit, and we drop the compacted waste into the tippers. We have a weighbridge in the tunnel and another on the way

out to ensure our loads comply with approved axle mass limits.” is kind of e ciency in loading is matched at the other end at Swanbank, where the Macks manoeuvre to the edge of the land ll to unload,” Collins explained.

“ e side tippers just open up like a big mouth, it’s very cool, and they’ve made a huge improvement in our productivity. We used to use trailers with walking oors, but the side-tippers are signi cantly

faster to unload,” Collins added.

As the trucks do most of their travelling on the motorway, the real issue is getting the trailers up to the top of the disposal site.

Collins added, “It’s a steep slope, and if the weather is bad it can take a lot of lowend torque to get the load up there. e Anthems don’t have any trouble at all. e mDRIVE-HD with an extended range of deep reduction gears, is ideally con g-

ured to climb steep slopes – a key safety consideration for us – so they’re more than up to the task. ey’ve also proven to be fuel-e cient, which is increasingly important to the business.”

e new Anthems are tted out with Mack’s Full Safety Pack. “Our drivers spend a lot of time in them, and VGA delivered a complete product, fully out tted. Our drivers are really chu ed with the new Anthems and are happy we’re buying more of them,” said

Collins.

With ve scheduled for delivery in 2023, the Mack Anthems will soon be a familiar sight on the highway.

“We’ve been using Volvo Group products in south-east Queensland for over 20 years now,” said Collins. “And they’ve proven to be reliable and an ideal t for the task. We’re looking forward to bringing the rest of the new Anthems into the local eet and enjoying the continued support of Volvo Group Australia.”

Key account manager at Volvo Group Australia, Luke Barnes, and Remondis operations manager Robert Mason.

Remondis’ south-east Queensland division has sixteen 2014 Mack Tridents and two 2021 Mack nthems, with five more nthems due for delivery in .

Remondis operations manager Robert Mason and resource recovery manager Sarah Collins.

New Shoguns are ticking boxes for container giant

ACFS Port Logistics has added 10 new Fuso Shogun prime movers to its eet.

e new models, which include six 460 Shoguns and four 510 Shoguns, join a large number of Mercedes-Benz Trucks Actros models in the ACFS stable.

Daimler Truck touts Fuso’s Shogun 510 as the “hardest-hitting” Japanese truck in Australia, with more power (510hp) and torque (2500Nm) than its rivals.

ACFS Port Logistics moves 1.2 million TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Units) every year and operates 15 warehouses around the country. It is the largest privately-owned container logistics operator in Australia. e company has put the Shoguns to work in single, B-double and side-loader applications.

All Shoguns feature advanced engines that meet the Euro 6 emission standard and produce dramatically less particulate matter and nitrogen oxide than equivalent Euro 5 rated engines.

e Shogun purchase is part of the ACFS Port Logistics Fleet Renewal Program and was organised through Daimler Trucks Gold Coast.

“We have ramped up our commitment to reducing carbon emissions with our eet renewal program that focuses on vehicles that are Euro 6 rated, which includes the Fuso Shogun and Mercedes-Benz Actros models,” said AFCS Port Logistics eet and compliance manager, Alan Guest.

“We are excited to welcome these Shoguns to our eet as they tick the boxes when it comes to emissions, e ciency and safety.

“ e drivers love them too. ey’re a good t for our eet.”

Safety is paramount for ACFS Port Logistics and the Shogun’s advanced active safety features were key to its selection.

e Shogun comes with a radar/camera Advanced

Emergency Braking System (AEBS), which can automatically perform emergency braking for vehicles and moving pedestrians. All Shoguns come standard with Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) and Active Attention Assist (AAA).

ACFS Port Logistics also adds its own task-speci c safety items on top of the suite of standard safety features including ve cameras and data telemetry system, as well as tting its trailers with all the latest features including electronic aids.

e Shogun 460 uses an e cient 11-litre six-cylinder engine that generates 460hp and is teamed with a 12-speed fully-automated transmission.

e 510hp 13-litre Shogun 510 was developed speci cally for Australia, in response to local requests for a Japanese truck with more than 500hp.

Guest said ACFS is pleased with the fuel e ciency of the new Shogun models.

“ e fuel e ciency is quite good, we’re getting near double the e ciency compared to the trucks they replace,” he said.

ACFS Port Logistics is the largest privately-owned container logistics operator in Australia.

order includes six 460 Shoguns and four 510 Shoguns.

ON-ROAD

FOR DRIVERS... THERE’S ONLY ONE CHOICE

With undisputable road presence and trusted reliability, there’s no place you’d rather be than behind the wheel of a Kenworth.

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W Model rescued from the scrap heap by truckie

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

LEO purchased his 1984 Kenworth W Model brand new, after trading in his late model Atkinson. He worked the truck hard carting cattle and certainly put it through its paces, racking up over one million kilometres on the clock by the time he sold it in 1992.

Having caught the trucking bug early on, Leo bought his rst truck when he was in his early twenties, in 1996. It was a 1954 Chevrolet. He travelled to numerous livestock markets in Victoria’s western districts purchasing calves and transporting them to the Bendigo, Donald and Horsham livestock markets.

“I always liked trucks. I just bought this small 15ft tray truck as a start to cart cattle and gradually progressed to bigger trucks I started o carting cattle and calves and gradually got into interstate,” said Leo.

It was about two years before Leo upgraded to a 1016 Dodge with a 22ft stock crate which he used to transport cattle from Bega, NSW to the Dandenong and Newmarket markets in Victoria.

After that came a 684T Fiat with a semi-trailer in the early 1970s, then an Atkinson

in 1975, where he worked for Ringwood’s Transport, carting wool to Adelaide and talcum powder back, a role he continued for 18 years – rst in the Atkinson, then in the W900.

Now aged 78, Leo’s worked around trucks and cattle throughout his entire working life; and was inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2022.

ough the W900 was his pride and joy, Leo made the decision to part with the truck in 1992 to pursue his cattle farming interests, work he continues to this day. at truck – which also won Truckin’ Life’s Rig of the Year in 1990 – served as a deposit for land in the Victorian town of Edenhope. From an initial 800 acres he secured back then, he now has approximately 5000 acres.

“We run a feedlot, and cart grain and cattle. My son Daniel Kelly works with me now – he does the truck work and I do the cattle work. We usually cart cattle to Pakenham, and carry grain locally,” Leo explained.

As an owner operator, Leo owned several trucks, but none left their mark on him quite like the W900. When Leo decided to go on the hunt for one of Kenworth’s iconic W Models, he didn’t expect to nd the exact one he had

owned so many years ago –but as luck would have it, his son Daniel managed to locate it in Adelaide.

“Because the W Model was the only brand new one I ever owned, I was looking for one to buy and do up. W models are so hard to nd and buy these days because everyone wants them,” Leo explained.

When they got there to see the truck, it was in a terrible state. “ e bulbar was bent, the mudguards were broken, the bunk was o and it was out in the yard, with dogs sleeping in it,” said Leo.

“It had been knocked about a fair bit and was a bit of a wreck. But as soon as I looked at it, we bought it there

motor up. It had been painted it white, so we got it painted in its original colours. I spent a lot of money on it, but it didn’t matter because I had my own truck back.”

e restoration process started with a trip to a local mechanic to make sure everything was right underneath. “After they did some work on it, we brought it back and xed it up ourselves,” added Leo.

“I brought it to Barry Dickson Paint & Panels at Cobram and he painted it up and xed the exterior. I knew he did a good job, so that’s why I took it up there and he did all the work.”

Leo gave the truck the

than anyone else in Australia, was able to help.

Leo brought the truck around to show Melkonian. “I needed to do the interiors, so he rang the mob that does the new Kenworths and they were able to do all new upholstery for me on the seats and right through the bunk,” added Leo. ough the truck has been brought back to its former glory, it’s now a show truck, retired from life on the daily

HeavyLoadSafetyMats

grind. Leo and Daniel have two working trucks: a 1993 Kenworth T900 and a 2000 Kenworth T904. Leo and his trusty W900 have become regulars on the truck show circuit, with the truck often getting plenty of attention. “People like the W models and remember them. Now there’s newer and ashier models, but back then when you’d drive that truck, you’d feel like king of the road.”

The truck as it looked originally. This shot was taken at the Penshurst Truck Show in1989.

Leo Kelly originally sold the truck in 1992 to pursue his cattle farming interests.

The truck has been immaculately restored and is a regular at truck shows across the country. Photo: Truckspotting Ararat

Leo Kelly had long regretted selling his W Model Kenworth, so when he was reunited with it 22 years later, he gave it the ve-star treatment.

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‘Wow, what a weekend!’

more senior spectators, gently waving in support, with some no doubt, misty-eyed remembering miles long past.

Kudos to the event organisers and volunteers, whom, without which this event couldn’t happen, but don’t sell yourself short, YES, you, reading this.

You are the custodians of our transport history. e long nights in the shed, the recycle bin over owing with beer cans (because that’s the currency of “the mate”) and the busted knuckles. Without this dedication, HTH would also not exist.

To those still plying our trade, it is easy to feel unappreciated out here on the road, the feeling that you are nothing more than an inconvenience to everyone else on the road.

BY WARREN CAVES

THIS is myself and my son Ben (second-generation truckie) and our little red Inter, affectionately known as Mabel. She doesn’t have a KW badge up front, a Detroit under the bonnet or a double overdrive box, hell, she doesn’t even have air horns, but we love her and her trusty Perkins engine just the same. After covering the Haulin’

the Hume (HTH) event in previous years for several trucking magazines, I decided this was our year to join in the fun, leaving the media cap and camera at home to experience the event from the driver’s seat, and what an experience it was!

Battling torrential rain near Goulburn, which saw many a more, well-appointed, modern vehicle with such luxuries as variable speed wipers and demisters, pulled over to

the side of the road with hazard lights on, the old Bangers just soldiered on, because the freight has to get through, right?

In spite of the weather, the amount of well-wishers from the roadside, blew me away. No amount of rain was going to spoil their day.

Wide-eyed youngsters, enthusiastically pumping their little arms for an air horns blast (we beeped dutifully) to

Stu that I say, take those smiles and waves to work with you today (I have). As I drive along in my more modern truck, lacking in any character (albeit with alot more horsepower) I’m still smiling when remembering all that roadside enthusiasm.

So, let’s call it ‘Take the smiles to work day’.

Tell the others! And if that doesn’t do it for you, remember, nobody writes songs about accountants.

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Always a Hume highlight, a classic Peterbilt from Robert French.

Truckie Warren Caves and son Ben had a weekend to remember at Haulin’ The Hume.

The event raises awareness and much needed funds for autism.

Steve Woodhead’s International from Harden.

Ralph Hetherington from Bega turned plenty of heads with this classic Atkinson.

eo Martin’s Mack also received plenty of attention when parked at the Goulburn Showground.

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Reader Rigs proudly supported by

Share your truck pics to win with Shell Rimula

SHELL Rimula has partnered with Big Rigs in a big way – so there’s even more reasons to send in your best truck shots.

Each month, the Big Rigs team will choose a #PicOfTheMonth, with the lucky winner receiving a $500 Shell Coles Express Gift Card.

Keep an eye out for our regular posts on the Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper Facebook page, calling

for your best truck photos and add yours in the comments, or email them to editor@bigrigs. com.au.

Don’t forget to include a brief note about the truck and where the photo was taken. We’ll feature some of the best photos in each edition of Big Rigs Newspaper, with one winner announced each month. Keep those amazing truck pics coming!

Ryan Taylor enjoyed this cracker morning sunrise at the Victoria/NSW border.

Hugh Peachey snapped this great shot at the Fenix-Newhaul Geraldton depot at sunset.

Ian Paddy Patterson takes a morning break at the Mungle Creek rest area.

Jayden Perry stops by the Little Topar Roadhouse to admire the view, while on the way to Adelaide.

James Hadley snapped this stunner while unloading in Melbourne after an evening wash.

Jason C Biggs snapped this sunset shot at Marjimmy, NSW, as a big storm was rolling in.

Congratulations to Dave Hely, who has won a $500 Shell Coles Express Gift Card for this great shot, snapped while loading timber out of Gurnang Forrest in NSW.

Luke Selvage, snapped this great shot, coming out of the forest with a load of pulp at Burraga, NSW.

Brad Shiels snapped this Mangan Haulage rig, while stopped in Cowra, NSW.

Aaron Fuller, shared this great shot, reflecting before a load out of the mill at Maldon.

Tom Charlton stopped for a quick photo at Dunedoo, NSW, while on the way to Sydney.

A ripper shot from Michael Roels, snapped while running out through the pines at Orange, NSW.

Luke Moylan captured this great pic of a Frasers Livestock truck, with six decks on.

Paul Freeth captured this ripper sunset near Mataranka, NT.

When the going gets tough, truckies keep everyone going

Eaton Australia launches new automated gearbox

EATON Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies has announced the launch of an all-new Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) called the Endurant XD Pro.

Designed and engineered by the Eaton-Cummins Joint Venture, it is set to o cially go into Australian production vehicles from July this year. e highly anticipated new product features a variety of new and enhanced features over previous versions of Eaton AMT’s.

“ e Endurant XD Pro is a whole new platform that’s been engineered from the ground up. Everything about the transmission’s design, and the new clutch it is paired with, has been purpose-built for high performance,” said Eaton OEM sales manager Luke Upton.

“It is an 18-speed transmission speci cally designed for higher GCM applications, whereas the smaller Endurant HD, which launched in 2018 is the 12-speed version optimised for lighter GCM applications. e Endurant XD Pro is the lowest weight transmission Eaton has built for heavy duty commercial

vehicles, largely due to the cast-aluminium casing, and is over 100kg lighter than its predecessor the UltraShift PLUS.”

ough the product is yet to go into o cial production, there are already several Endurant XD Pro units out on the road, being put through their paces.

“ e rst Endurant XD Pro units will be tted in the new Kenworth K220 cabover, with Kenworth’s T610 and T410 models to follow soon after,” added Upton. e clean, contained design has the critical electronics and sensors integrated into one central module for enhanced protection and reliability.

e transmission utilises helical gearing for reduced noise and improved durability and includes smart features with a transmission uid pressure and oil temperature sensors.

Like the Endurant HD 12 speed, all shifting and clutch operations are performed pneumatically to provide smooth and rapid response without placing high demands on the vehicle electrical system.

e extreme duty clutch is

a 430mm single plate self-adjusting design, with organic facing material for improved launch control during clutch engagement.

e transmission maintains Eaton’s legendary twin counter-shaft design that provides high torque capability in a compact package. e exceptional 20.5:1 overall ratio spread delivers great starting ability combined with low cruise rpm for improved fuel e ciency.

Other features include a three-position small step splitter, which allows increased skip shifting and ensures the correct ratio is available for every driving situation.

As standard, the Endurant XD Pro has dual PTO openings with an 8-bolt bottom, and 4-bolt rear opening.

“In the second half of the year we plan to be in full production and so customers can place their orders now,” added Upton.

For more information on the new Endurant XD Pro call 1300 4 EATON (1300 432 866), email EatonParts@

The Endurant XD Pro has been purpose-built for high performance.

Choosing the right truck tyre to suit your needs

WITH so many options on the market, what are some of the criteria for buying the right truck tyre? Here, we run through what to look for to ensure you’re buying the best truck tyres to suit your needs and application.

Size and load capacity

Firstly, your tyre should match the speci cations of your truck. Check the owner’s manual of your truck, weigh your load regularly and consult a tyre expert to determine the right size and load capacity for your truck and trailer combination.

Tread Pattern

If you regularly drive on roads that are wet or slippery, it’s important to look for tyres that have a deeper tread depth and a pattern that can provide better traction. If you drive on dry roads, a tyre with a shallow tread depth and a straight ribbed pattern may be sucient.

Durability

Look for tyres that are made from high-quality materials and have a long-lasting tread life, as well as a trusted brand. ere are many ways in which tyres are made so qual-

ity assurance is important to rule out inferior products.

Fuel e ficiency

For any transport business, fuel is among the biggest cost in running their business. To minimise fuel usage, look for tyres that are designed to reduce rolling resistance and improve fuel economy.Also ensuring you regularly monitor the correct tyre pressure against your load will ensure you get the best possible fuel e ciency.

Price

A nal consideration is price. Consider your budget when buying truck tyres. While it may be tempting to go for

the cheapest option, remember that quality and durability should be your top priorities to get the best total value from your tyres.

nd finally

A brand that o ers excellent guarantees on their tyres, as well as support services are a good option. Check out the Triple Guarantee o ered by Double Coin Truck and OTR Tyres that includes a free replacement guarantee for any defects found in the rst 50 per cent wear of the tyre, as well as casing and pro rata guarantees. For full details visit the website at tyres4U.com.au/double-coin.

Not all tyres are equal, tyre construction and materials can greatly impact value and performance.

Choose the best tyre pattern for the steer, drive and trailer positions.

Narva brings Ultima LED tech to new light bar range

content but double quantity on account of each kit including two light bars. e wiring harness is also di erent, with 2x 4pin DT harness* being used rather than a 6pin.

Narva marketing manager, Dale McBride, says the Ultima LED Light Bar range highlighted the brand’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.

SEVERAL years ago, Narva revolutionised the driving light market when it introduced its Ultima LED range. More recently, Narva re ned its o ering to provide improved performance and durability with the release of Ultima LED MK2.

Now Narva is providing the many bene ts of the Ultima MK2 lamps in an LED light bar package with the introduction of two new light bars, the 8 inch ‘Ultima 8’ and 24 inch ‘Ultima 24’. e bars are designed to function both as standalone auxiliary lighting, or in conjunction with Ultima LED MK2 lamps, for truly amazing lighting volume and penetration. An optional joiner bracket kit can also be purchased at an additional cost, allowing multiple bars to be connected and used together to create a 40 inch (2x 8 inch light bar plus 1x 24 inch light bar) or 48 inch bar (2x 24 inch light bars).

e Ultima LED Light Bars produce brilliant natural white light (5700°K) and precise beam control through the combination of precision optics in the form

of highly polished, super-efcient aluminium metalised re ectors and precisely scalloped parabolas, while also using 9W OSRAM LEDs, which are among the most powerful on the market.

e Ultima 8 is equipped with 15 high-powered LEDs per light bar, delivering a long and wide hybrid beam. A pair of these light bars can provide up to 50m of width at 1 lux, all the way up to 450m, and with a longer distance beam penetration of up to 900m at 1 lux – this is comparable or even better than most 9 inch (pair) driving lights. e Ultima 24 o ers even greater performance with 38 high-powered LEDs, providing an amazing ultra-wide ood beam capable of lighting 95m wide at 1 lux, all the way to 500m ahead, with the long distance light continuing up to 750m at 1 lux.

e Ultima 24 also features Narva’s signature ADR-approved, in-built LED front position light pipe.

Built to last

Designed, engineered and tested in Australia, the Ul-

tima LED Light Bar range is constructed from a super strong, single piece, pressure die-cast aluminium housing that is sealed to IP68 and IP69K with integrated DT connector, providing uncompromised ingress protection, strength and durability.

Additionally, the light bars feature UV-resistant, hard-coated polycarbonate lenses and covers to protect against stone chips and yellowing, ensuring ongoing performance and good looks. Further helping durability is glass- lled nylon brackets that are lightweight and stronger than die-cast

brackets, while mounting the lamps is simple via tough stainless-steel hardware. Narva is so con dent in the long-term performance of the new Ultima LED Light Bar range that they are offering an unprecedented 10year warranty.

Design a custom look

Along with the ability to combine the Ultima LED Light Bars to create a light bar system to suit operator needs, owners can choose from a variety of nishes and trim colour options to create a look that best suits their vehicle.

e Ultima LED Light

Bar range o ers a variety of bezels and lens protector options. e Ultima 24 ‘Satin’ kit includes Ultima LED Light Bar with satin bezel, clear lens protector, four colour trims (blue, black, red and yellow), a 6 pin DT patch harness* and stainless-steel mounting hardware.

e Ultima 24 ‘Black’ kit includes Ultima LED light bar with black bezel, black ‘stealth’ lens protector, three colour trims (slate grey, electric blue and hyper green), a 6 pin DT patch harness* and stainless-steel mounting hardware.

e respective Ultima 8 kits feature the same basic

“ e Ultima LED Driving Light range quickly gained an outstanding reputation following its release and has become well known for its superior lighting performance and tough engineering – this combination has seen it become a favoured lamp for extremely demanding applications such as high kilometre commercial vehicle work, competitive o -road motorsports and for agricultural duties,” McBride said.

“We believe the new Ultima LED Light Bars will be well received in the market by both existing customers and rst time Narva buyers.”

Narva’s Ultima LED Light Bars and accessories are available nationwide from leading automotive, four-wheel drive and transportation outlets.

Additional details can be found on the Narva website at narva.com.au or on the Facebook page at facebook. com/narvaaustralia.

*Full wiring harness also available at extra cost.

The Ultima LED Light Bar range is designed, engineered and tested in Australia.

Australia’s Leading Heavy Vehicle Power Steering Specialist

Repair or Replacement Steering Gears (New or Refurbished), Pumps, Draglinks, Rod Ends, Seal Kits, Steering Wheels, Mitre Gears, Coolers and MORE.

wners can choose from a variety of finishes and trim colour options to create a look that best suits their vehicle.

8” & 24” ULTIMA LIGHT BARS

The latest addition to our growing Ultima family, Narva’s all-new high performance light bars provide a distance output similar to most 9” round lights combined with a wide, even spread. Perfect for Aussie highways, they’re extremely durable and stay cool to maximise peak performance.

•MARKET-LEADING BEAM PERFORMANCE

•SUPERIOR CONSTRUCTION

•CUSTOMISABLE LOOK

• UNPRECEDENTED WARRANTY

Fleet management software to improve e

WHETHER you are managing three or 300 trucks and/ or trailers, you will be familiar with the administrative time and complexities involved in ensuring your vehicles are maintained and complying with the many regulations around the country.

Regular maintenance scheduling, insurance and rego renewals, annual inspections, telematics contracts, fuel cards, toll tags and more all need to be managed for every asset in a eet and it isn’t easy. In fact it can take hundreds of hours and put im-

mense stress onto operators.

Software can now take the stress and time away, and give operators much better visibility on the health of their eet.

It is suitable for both small and large eets, and really can save signi cant time and money. Mining and gas giant Santos recently implemented TranzMate, a leading eet management software from Brisbane company Brightfox to manage their eet of over 1500 vehicles.

TranzMate o ers operators the ability to track every vehicle in a single location, recording all of the information on that asset. Make, model, age, VIN, gearbox, and much more, coupled with images, warranty documents and manuals and pretty much anything you can think of that you would want. Even the original dealer invoice and build sheet. You can then schedule and record both routine and unscheduled mainte-

nance and set reminders for all renewals and maintenance, so you never miss one again.

You can also record costs of parts, order parts, and even track issues as they arise so they can be addressed in the future. It really is a complete eet management tool and once implemented, quickly becomes invaluable in running a professional eet.

Brightfox is currently offering TranzMate for free to operators with less than ve vehicles as they recognise that small owner operators and eets may struggle with costs. For medium to large eets, a 90 day trial is available as well. Simply go to tranzmate.com.au to nd out more and to sign up for your free subscription, or your free trial.

Electri cation in motion: SAF-Holland

EQUIPMENT specialist, SAF-Holland, continues to play a vital role in the decarbonisation and electri cation of the national heavy vehicle eet. Instrumental to this revolution is the e-axle, SAF TRAKr, which recuperates energy during operation and reduces fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Electric axle technology is changing the game for road freight businesses Australia-wide. e SAF TRAKr e-axle from SAF-Holland generates additional electrical energy to lower the emissions and fuel consumption of a truck and trailer combination. e recuperated energy can be used, for instance, to run the trailer refrigeration unit completely with electricity which also helps to reduce noise generated by the cooling unit diesel engine. is is SAF-Holland’s proactive response to curbing tra c noise, carbon emissions and related environmental concerns.

In addition to supporting reefers, the stored electrical energy from an e-axle can be used to operate an electrical compressor independently from the truck in a tanker or

silo vehicle combination; run the moving oor of a moving oor trailer; operate an electrical pump for a hydraulic liftgate separate from the truck; and charge mounted e-forklifts in-transit.

SAF TRAKr is designed for axle loads of nine tonnes and is available with di erent disc brakes for 19.5” and 22.5” wheels. e axle uses a high-voltage generator module with a maximum power of 20 kW. Also, the di erential is connected to both wheel hubs with two shafts for optimal efciency.

Maintenance work on the axle is also simple and cost-efcient. e drive unit does not have to be removed for uninstalling the wheel ends and wheels. e spare parts supply is also uncomplicated, as wear parts such as brake pads, brake rotors or wheel bearings are identical to the components for the non-driven SAF-Holland axles. is makes the spare parts supply easier and more reliable.

Similar in principle to the SAF TRAKr, the SAF TRAKe electric trailer axle is a more powerful unit designed to operate other components of a

trailer but can also be used for the drive mode to bolster the main engine during di cult road conditions.

Last year, SAF-Holland won the European Transport Award for Sustainability for its electric trailer axles in the ‘Components and Aggregates’ category.

e award recognises that acting responsibly not only contributes to solving ecological and social issues but also promotes the competitiveness and pro tability of a company.

It is known that SAF-Holland’s e-axle works predominantly in ‘dyno’ mode, e ectively using the truck engine to generate electrical power – this is more e cient than using smaller trailer mounted motors such as those found in refrigeration units, pumps and blower. In addition to reducing fuel consumption, the SAF TRAKr also cuts carbon and particulate matter emissions from the trailer.

Ultimately, SAF-Holland’s e-axles will assist transport operators with cutting operational costs and make heavy duty transport more sustainable.

The SAF TRAKr e-axle generates additional electrical energy to lower emissions and fuel consumption of a truck and trailer combination.

How balanced wheels will save you fuel and money

AS drivers and operators, fuel, tyres and wheel balancing costs will dominate your expenditure, but you can signicantly impact on these costs with balanced wheels, particularly when they are continuously balanced with every turn of the wheel.

Australia’s roads may be some of the longest, roughest and most unforgiving in the world; but they are not the only ones. Driver and operators from Africa, the Middle East, Argentina, the UK and New Zealand are needing to save fuel and prolong tyre life with the conditions they face too. Even European countries with magni cent autobahns want to get more life out of their tyres. Anyone holidaying and driving in Europe has seen many trucks y past at huge speeds, but the wheels

still all need to be working harmoniously.

So, whilst we created and tested Atlas Balance Rings here in our own wonderful country, we do share some characteristics with other countries too. We all know that gravel or unsealed roads heat up the tyres and cause damage to the sidewall or destroy the tyre. In Argentina, the dusty corrugations reminded me of our own outback roads, and the UK, New Zealand and Denmark all share some very steep windy roads, which will wear those tyres quickly.

We are now sending Atlas Balance Rings all over the world; and elding more and more enquiries as universally drivers and operators need to keep costs in check, and of course, they deserve a nicer ride too.

Atlas Balance Rings have a liquid metal, which is free-moving within the ring. It moves to positions along the ring to exactly o set any light and heavy spots; thereby eliminating the vibration and creating equilibrium within the rotating mass.

So, let’s look at the bene ts, a proven 50 per cent more tyre life, up to 8 per cent savings on fuel, which is a big deal right now, and you’ll never have to balance your wheels again.

Noel Harris from NFH Logistics in Ballarat is a believer, “Just thought I would mention – 191,000 kilometres out of my steers. You could say they are well balanced! ank you Simon!” he said.

At Atlas Balance Rings we’ve researched and devel-

oped a product that ts all Euro, Asian and US trucks and buses,” said Simon McQuillan founder of Atlas Balance Company.

“And looking towards an electric future, whether trucks are powered by diesel, solar, electric or green-waste, they will always need bal-

anced wheels.

“To those operators who say, I just can’t a ord to t out all the wheels at once –I would suggest they look at other companies who order a set of rings each month and work their way through the eet, so they are saving money from today onwards – with

longer lasting tyres, and less fuel costs each succeeding month.

“It’s pretty simple really, Australian Made, Australian owned. Remember, it’s Atlas, it’s balanced!” Call 1300 2ATLAS (1300 228 527) to have a chat or order at atlasbalance.com.au.

tlas alance ings have a li uid metal, which moves to positions along the ring to e actly o set any light and heavy spots.

Noel Harris from NFH Logistics in Ballarat has been using Atlas Balance Rings and seeing the results.

Director at Findlay Import & Trade, Neil Findlay, and founder of Atlas Balance Company, Simon McQuillan.

The driveline specialists

A second-generation family owned and operated business with a proven reputation, GJ Drivelines has specialised in driveline manufacturing, balancing and repairs for 40 years.

Started in Keysborough, Victoria, in 1983 by Gary Sadler, the business is now run by his son and current director Matt Sadler.

In 2021, the business expanded its operations with the opening of a second location in Somerton, in Melbourne’s north, specialising in heavy vehicles.

“My father started the business after the tail shaft company he was working for closed down. at company manufactured brand new tail shafts for Kenworths and many of the other large Australian truck manufacturers. He bought some equipment from them and started doing it himself. He got a contract with the Australian Army, which we still have today, and business just grew from there,” explained Matt.

“We opened our second branch to specialise in the heavy vehicle side of it. We chose Somerton because we wanted to cover both sides of Melbourne.”

Matt joined the family

business in 2001, at a young age. “I left school when I was 16 and started working for Dad. I’m a tter and turner by trade, then I also did night school and got a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.”

GJ Drivelines is a true family business in every sense of the word. ough Gary retired six years ago, Matt says he’s still there to o er advice, adding that his mother is part of the business too, working as a bookkeeper.

Along with providing its customers with exceptional quality and service, key to GJ Drivelines’ o ering is its fast turnaround time, which ensures trucks are back on the road as soon as possible.

“ e Somerton branch offers a drive-in drive-out service for trucks. What that means is that you can drive your truck in there, the boys will remove the tail shaft, rebuild it, balance it and put it back in the truck all in the same day, so there’s only minimal downtime – our truckie customers love it!” added Matt. “We also have a Schenck digital balancing machine, so we use the best balancing equipment available.”

While Somerton specialises in heavy vehicles, Keysborough now specialises in per-

formance vehicles, with tail shafts manufactured out of aluminium and carbon bre. “We’re the only ones doing that in Australia.”

GJ Drivelines employs eight technicians across its two branches, with Matt working alongside them to get the job done.

“All of our technicians are fully quali ed tradesmen. We have mechanics, diesel mechanics, tters and turners, and auto electricians, so GJ Drivelines covers a broad range of trades and skills,” said Matt.

“ e owners of the busi ness are also in the workshop, physically working alongside our sta to do the job. We o er the fastest turnaround times compared to any other driveline business in Victoria –and Australia. Carrying all the parts in stock means we can o er same day service, which is especially important when your truck is your workplace. We understand that time o the road costs you money.”

For more information, please visit gjdrivelinessomer ton.com.au.

The Somerton branch opened in 2021.

GJ Drivelines specialises in driveline manufacturing, balancing and repairs.

Designed in Australia for Australian conditions

BILL Haire’s HaireBag Suspension was designed here in Australia for Australian conditions.

When Bill started messing about with suspensions, it was to get air suspension working on a customer’s tipper. He was complaining that the truck would get hung up, or lose traction at the slightest hint of rain.

At the time, his customer had invested in a new airbag suspension, moving away from the old Hendrickson walking beam suspension, synonymous at the time for great traction, but also known for its rough ride. Bill’s HaireBag Suspension took care of both issues, it had improved traction, stability and was being praised for the softer ride.

Since that initial design, customers have taken up the technology across all industries: logging, mining, livestock, tankers, on highway, o highway, heavy haulage… the list goes on. is broad industry take up is a testament to how the suspension is performing.

With thousands of units now out in the eld, and plenty of repeat customers, the accelerated sales tells its own story, customers love it!

Haires are seeing comments like:

“I have just had my third system installed, I certainly would not consider buying a new truck without getting the HaireBag upgrade tted.”

“In my opinion the benets to the safety and the prolonged life of a truck tted with the HaireBag system cannot be over stated.”

“Since setting up a complete three-trailer road train on Haire bag suspension, our fuel consumption in a 12-hour shift has decreased by 75 litres.”

And with the price of fuel spiking in recent times, this will surely prick the ears of many operators.

One of the reasons behind the success of HaireBags is the designer and his hands on ex-

perience. Managing director William (Bill) Haire, originally from Tallangatta, was released from his heavy vehicle mechanic indenture on the March 19, 1967. You won’t nd Bill behind the desk in the o ce, at 73 you will still nd him in overalls, under a truck and not necessarily in his Wodonga workshop. Bill prides himself on getting out and about and talking to the people behind the trucks, he wants to know rsthand what the issues are, and more importantly he wants to help you keep trucking. at’s why he has travelled the Tassie logging coupes, been through the creek crossing of Weipa, felt the corrugation ripples of the NT. He lives trucks.

Bill has gathered a wealth of knowledge during his days as a driver, mechanic, designer and business owner. He has the unique view of seeing the whole picture, and making sure the customer sees the design bene ts from beneath all those hats.

As the old adage goes, the proof is in the pudding, with so many repeat customers we’d say HaireBags are working.

IMPROVE RIDE & TRACTION

• Increased traction

• Increased Stability

• Marked improvement in steering

• Enables air suspension to go as far as Hendrickson Walker beams

• Better braking, especially in the wet

• Reduced axle breakage

• Reduced tyre, brake and drum wear

• Get up to 12 inches of axle travel

Bill has gathered a wealth of knowledge during his days as a driver, mechanic, designer and business owner.

Bill and his daughter Ang Haire.

If it rolls, we keep it rolling anywhere, anytime

GOODYEAR Fleet as a commercial tyre and service partner delivers trusted products, reliable services and tech-driven tyre management tools across Australia.

Goodyear Fleet partners with major transport, freight, construction and mining companies, servicing their eets nationwide.

Goodyear Fleet is not just another tyre supplier, it is an important part of any transport team working in collaboration with eet operators to lower downtime, lower operating costs and increase eets’ productivity.

Goodyear Fleet has a thorough understanding of eet tyre demands and the importance of consistent product supply at the right place and at the right time. With warehouses across Australia, Goodyear Fleet can quickly and easily facilitate distribution of tyres Australia-wide. With a national network of 500+ aligned tyre service providers, Goodyear Fleet can t tyres and o er other tyre-related services for metro, regional and rural loca-

tions – anywhere. e store network consists of corporately owned and franchised sites in Australia, which understand eets’ needs and tyre service history long before a vehicle enters the workshop. is allows Goodyear Fleet to o er eet customers greater peace of mind when their drivers are on the road.

THIS

No matter which store is visited by a Goodyear Fleet partner from this national tyre service network, the expert team will help choose the right tyres and retreads that meet needs and help maximise e ciencies.

Goodyear Fleet technicians are all highly skilled, and pride themselves on get-

IF IT ROLLS

ting eets back on the road – fast. ey comply with the high standards of the Good year Fleet service procedures so eet operators can expect the same great experience at every location, every time.

breakdowns can happen anytime, anywhere and re sult in costly delays. To keep key business partners’ eets rolling any place, Goodyear Fleet o ers a 24/7 tyre-inci dent response service to get eets mobile again.

keeps key partners on the road today but helps them roll into a better future. Sus tainability is a major focus for all responsible eet oper ations, and a major focus for Goodyear Fleet. As a partner, Goodyear Fleet is committed to safety and sustainability measures. To enable mobility well into the future, sustain able sourcing, responsible operations, advancing tyre performance and shaping the mobility revolution are key focus areas for the team.

it! Call 13 18 98 or visit goodyear eet.com.au.

ALLOWS GOODYEAR FLEET TO OFFER FLEET CUSTOMERS GREATER PEACE OF MIND WHEN THEIR DRIVERS ARE ON THE ROAD.”

Knorr-Bremse launches new air disc brake models

BEING able to rely on safe operation is one of the key principles underlying e cient transportation and modern logistics. For more than 115 years, Knorr-Bremse has been a major driving force behind road and tra c safety.

Now Knorr-Bremse is taking the next steps towards ful lling the “Zero Accidents” vision by going on a broadbased product o ensive, with the launch of the modular SYNACT disc brake family and reduced-weight NexTT disc brake for trailers.

Key products in this campaign include the modular SYNACT disc brake family, including the SYNACT Radial and axial SYNACT Compact, as well as the reduced-weight NexTT disc brake for trailers.

With more than 30 years of experience in developing pneumatic disc brakes for commercial vehicles, and over 50 million units produced, Knorr-Bremse is the global technology and market leader in this eld. With the introduction of the SYNACT radial brake, the company has further expanded the SYNACT

family and adapted it for city buses.

Wheel end – the modular SYNACT family

In the 30 kNm class, the new SYNACT brake delivers new levels of performance, weight and e ciency, reducing unladen weight by up to 10kg. Fitted with the optional Active Caliper Release (ACR) system, SYNACT can also reduce fuel consumption by as much as one per cent.

e new, fully encapsulated bearings further enhance the brake’s durability. With these new features, not only is Knorr-Bremse’s SYNACT able to make vehicle operations more economical; it also sets a new standard for accident-free passenger and freight transportation. is integrated wheelend unit comprises actuator, brake caliper, brake pad and disc. e robust disc brakes in the modular SYNACT family are energy-e cient and easy to install, with su cient exibility to t changing space requirements. Typical options include, for example, a more compact axial design or a

radial cylinder arrangement.

e optimised weight and dimensions of the wheel-end unit provide designers of electri ed commercial vehicles with considerable freedom.

e modular SYNACT approach will also accommodate future solutions for minimising brake-dust emissions and electrifying the braking system.

Latest trailer tech

For trailer disc brakes, Knorr-Bremse o ers the reduced-weight NexTT single-piston disc brake, the epitome of high e ciency.

At less than 29kg, the NexTT is the lightest 22.5inch trailer disc brake on the market, comprising a harmonised wheel-end consisting of actuator, caliper pad and disc, optimised for 9 tonne semi-trailer axle applications.

e NexTT provides improved running clearance stability via reduced pad movement by change of the pad support and innovative taper wear compensation. is results in improved robustness, increasing the pad clearance and

improving the pad mobility.

e optional Active Caliper Release (ACR) function for the NexTT helps vehicle operators to minimise costs, reduce fuel consumption and reduce their caron footprint by 10 per cent.

Sustainability

Sustainability and EcoDesign is at the forefront of every new technology developed by Knorr-Bremse. KnorrBremse has aligned its latest new product developments with sustainable goals. New

product development requirements relating to the selection of materials, weight reduction, energy e ciency, and higher levels of recyclability

Plenty to see e SYNACT and NexTT disc brake will be showcased at the upcoming Brisbane Truck Show, from May 18-21. You’ll nd Knorr-Bremse at Stand 76 in the Great Hall.

The NexTT Disc Brake with ACR (Active Caliper Release).

The SYNACT Disc Brake with ACR (Active Caliper Release).

Truck Tyres Australia: A one-stop shop for tyres

NEWLY launched business

Truck Tyres Australia is an online portal and one-stop shop for all things tyres, wheels and associated accessories.

Chris Nichols has taken the reins as new national manager, bringing over 20 years of experience in the truck tyre industry into the role.

Designed as a user friendly platform for all truck tyre users, the website features a simple two-click system for all your tyre needs.

Truck Tyres Australia is a stockist of all major tyre brands for trucks, ranging from light to heavy-duty. Brands include Austyre, Dunlop, Firestone, Goodyear, Hankook, Michelin, Sailun and Yokohama to name a few. e company also stocks aftermarket wheels from the likes of Alcoa, Superchrome, Supalite and Ogreens.

As Truck Tyres Australia purchases directly from the manufacturer, it can save customers a lot of time and money. Container prices are also available, with cus-

tomers able to buy their own containers at discount prices.

“We have access to all of the major brands, competitive pricing and years of product and application knowledge. We are committed to making shopping for tyres simple and easy as we understand the transport and trucking industry can be quite demanding on our time and budgets,” said Nichols.

“We are excited to be launching a website that will be simple and easy to navigate and o er fantastic backup support with extremely experienced sta who have been in the industry for a long time. With the backing of some of the biggest manufacturers from around the world, we will have the right product and price to suit any requirement. We also can ship Australia wide at competitive rates if needed.”

Despite the company being new to the market, Truck Tyres Australia has already been making its mark on numerous truck eets. Among them is Membrey’s

Transport and Crane Hire, a family owned business started in 1962. Its large eet of trucks and equipment covers supertilt trailers, crane hire, water tankers, heavy haulage and over dimensional loads.

Managing director Craig Membrey says he has used numerous tyres in the past including brands such as Michelin, Bridgestone and Hankook, just to mention a few. “I now proudly use the Sailun and Austyre range of tyres, and since the changeover I have never had a tyre claim; and these tyres out-perform all the other tyres in my application. I’m saving a lot of money and time by doing this,” he said.

Membrey’s tyre sizes include 295/80/22.5 steer, 11r22.5 trailer and drive, as well as 9.5/17.5, 265/70/19.5, 255/70/225 and 215/75/17.5.

Brad Pickering, managing director of Vic Low Loaders, is another happy customer.

Vic Low Loaders primarily functions in the heavy haulage space and runs a eet of 12 trucks plus trail-

WE HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THE MAJOR BRANDS, COMPETITIVE PRICING AND YEARS OF PRODUCT AND APPLICATION KNOWLEDGE.”

ers. e tyre sizes the company uses are 265/70/19.5 and 9.5 x17.5.

Previously Vic Low Loaders used Hankook, BFG and numerous other Chinese brands, however Pickering claims that the Sailun range of steer 295/80/225, 702 drive and 637 trailer tyres have been performing far better than the previous tyres he has been running. He says they actually handle better and are more cost effective for his eet of trucks, so Sailun will save you time and money.

For more information, please visit trucktyresaustralia. com.au, call 1300 882 882 or send an email to info@truck tyresaustralia.com.au.

Chris Nichols has come on board as Truck Tyres Australia’s new national manager.

1954

raises money for MND research

AN impeccably restored 1954 Chevrolet pickup truck is the latest vehicle to be restored and ra ed to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research.

First spotted on a farm in the US and brought to Australia, the truck – named Daphne – is the sixth to be ra ed for the MND and Me Foundation, by Australia’s largest transport and logistics specialist insurer, NTI.

rough this annual ra e competition, NTI has raised over $1.5 million over the last ve years for MND research.

CEO Tony Clark said he was excited to announce the next vehicle up for grabs. “Daphne is a ‘hot lava orange’ pickup truck, built with a 1954 Chevrolet Cab Over Engine body on a 1969 Chevrolet C-20 Pickup chassis. While the truck might be mid-century, she’s got modern features, including a 460hp LT1 Chevrolet Performance engine,” Clark said.

“Daphne was found on a farm in the USA and purchased by a young Australian working there. Its original owner was supportive of the

re-sell once she’d heard about how it would be restored and ra ed for the MND cause.

“Our commitment to raising funds for MND research comes after NTI’s former CEO Wayne Patterson lost his battle with the disease in 2018. We established the ofcial NTI MND Research Grant to help fund research into treatment and to ultimately nd a cure.”

NTI’s 2023 truck restoration has been made possible by generous donations, and general manager marketing for GM Aust and NZ Chris Payne said they were excited to be teaming up with NTI and Matt Stone Racing on a vehicle for a fantastic cause.

“For many years Chevrolet Performance LS crate engines have been the logical choice for builders of special

project vehicles like this one. is project truck is a terri c example of how the latest generation LT engines can now be used to provide big horsepower and incredible reliability, and really make it a special prize to help bring attention to MND research,” he said.

Matt Stone of Matt Stone Racing added that it was an added bonus that such a fun project was for a good cause.

“Our biggest contributing factor has been the time and the e ort that’s gone into getting the work done and getting the truck built, juggling

that with our busy racing schedule,” he said.

“It’s a great project to be involved in, with a lot of work in a short amount of time, but thankfully we come from a motorsport background so that’s something we’re used to. Partnering with the NTI crew who are very passionate about both the cause and the project meant that it was something exciting to be involved in.”

e truck will be displayed at the National Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo in Sydney (April 2123), MotorEx in Melbourne (May 6-7), the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show (May 18-21) and Cooly Rocks On Festival at the Gold Coast (June 7-11), with the ra e being drawn at the NTI Supercars Round in Townsville in July. Scan the QR code for details on how to purchase tickets, as well as terms and conditions.

The pick-up truck has been beautifully restored inside and out.

Under the hood of this 1954 Chevrolet is a 460hp LT1 Chevrolet Performance engine.

IVECO awards its best performing

IVECO Trucks Australia has recognised its highest achieving dealers at a recent awards event in Melbourne, held in conjunction with the internal launch of the company’s new heavy-duty S-Way range.

e Dealer of the Year awards take into account performance in several key areas including vehicle sales against retail targets and share of market, part sales, customer service, and maintenance and repair outcomes.

e awards are divided into Light, Medium and Heavy categories, while also distinguishing regional and metropolitan dealerships.

Additionally, an overall IVECO Dealer of the Year winner was also announced; with the winner being long standing IVECO Dealership, STM Trucks & Machinery, led by dealer principal Michael Gerace.

In the other categories, Dealer of the Year – Light was taken out by IVECO Sydney, while the Dealer of the Year for the Medium and Heavy category was won by Adelaide IVECO.

Rounding out the awards

was Newcastle IVECO, which was announced as Dealer of the Year – Regional.

IVECO Trucks Australia managing director, Michael May, said the Dealer of the Year competition was hotly contested by the network,

with IVECO customers being the real winners of the program.

“Dealer of the Year is formal recognition of 12 months’ hard work and dedication in further elevating the IVECO brand and achieving positive

outcomes across all areas of our business,” May said.

“By promoting excellence, we’re strengthening IVECO’s standing as a company that truck and van owners want to associate and engage with, ultimately trusting us to deliver

their transport solutions.

“It’s not just about having the correct vehicles for the application but backing customers with a suite of support products to make ownership easy and hassle free – it should be a holistic experience.

“I would like to congratulate all our worthy award recipients on their excellent e orts.” e event also recognised several individual awards winners across sales and customer service categories.

(l-r): IVECO Sydney dealer principal Daniel Glynn, Newcastle IVECO dealer principal Sean Lynch, STM Trucks & Machinery dealer principal Michael Gerace, Adelaide IVECO general manager Michelle Papalia and IVECO Trucks Australia managing director Michael May.

CEVA reveals Indigenous artwork B-doubles

SIX 42-pallet CEVA Logistics

B-doubles have hit the road, sporting new artwork by Indigenous artist Melissa Bell.

With the B-doubles running long haul routes up and down the east coast as well as on southern routes between Victoria and WA, CEVA Logistics says the initiative aims to promote the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion e orts.

e artwork is titled ‘Two long-neck turtles protecting their home’. Gunditjmara and Yorta Yorta woman Melissa Bell says the design of the artwork took inspiration from her background, her totem and her country.

“Making art makes me feel connected to my land. To be an Aboriginal female artist and put down a beautiful picture from my Country, express my Country to other people is amazing,” Bell said.

Like many of Bell’s other works, the artwork she completed for CEVA features the long-necked turtle.

“I like to paint water. I grew up around the Murray and it inspires me a lot. I love doing my turtles – the Yorta

Yorta turtle, my totem. Art has always been a part of me.”

According to CEVA, the artwork was commissioned as part of its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which is endorsed by Reconciliation Australia.

Its RAP is centred on education, inclusion, employment and economic empowerment.

While formal education has played an important part of CEVA’s RAP so far, the

company says the new trailer design adds another dynamic and artistic aspect to the company’s actions.

“ e Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a framework that provides Australian organisations with a structured approach to reconciliation with the Indigenous Community,” said Katherine Ivosevic, CEVA Logistics vice president of HR and QHSE for Australia and New Zealand.

“ e RAP framework is split into four phases, the Reect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate. Each tier has a series of objectives that the organisation sets out to complete within the designated time. CEVA ANZ has completed the rst RAP Re ect phase and is currently developing the proposal for the RAP Innovate phase.

“ e RAP Working Group at CEVA meet quarterly to discuss the implementation

of reconciliation strategies and initiatives at CEVA. e Reconciliation Action Plan exists to help our organisation strengthen and develop our relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to promote reconciliation and engage our sta and stakeholders.

“It’s so important that we celebrate the unique cultures that are represented in this part of the world and, furthermore, that we welcome and include all. Our CEVA team across Australia is proud of the work already delivered and motivated to continue the journey.”

As part of CEVA’s RAP, the company says it encourages participation in its Cultural Awareness Training, which is made available to all employees.

Ivosevic says CEVA has also recently secured a Supply Nation Membership, to assist its procurement team to connect with thousands of veri ed Indigenous owned businesses.

“CEVA ANZ is proud of the work we do to promote and embrace the diversity of our organisation,” she added.

The CEVA Logistics RAP Working Group, led by Katherine Ivosevic.

The six B-doubles run long haul routes, predominantly along the east coast.

Honoured and humbled to receive top ATA prize

Transport Women Australia Limited is very fortunate to have such wonderful women and men in our organisation and it makes us so proud and confident the industry is going to be in safe hands.

SUCH a lot has happened since the last column, but the wheels keep turning regardless. We have had a change of government in NSW, what that change will mean to the trucking industry we will have to wait and see.

Transport Women Australia Limited had three finalists in the Australian Trucking Association National Industry Awards held on the Sunshine Coast on March 31, unfortunately neither of our members took out the award for Woman of The Year, but it went to a very deserving winner in Alina Hawkins, the chief operating officer of the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Victoria.

I was very honoured and humbled to be awarded the Outstanding Contribution to The Australian Trucking Industry Award at these awards,

in front of such a wonderful crowd of colleagues and friends.

The other winners on the night were CMV Truck & Bus (Training Excellence Award);

SeaRoad Logistics (Trucksafe John Kelly Award); and Steve Broadbent for the Truck Driver of the Year. The prestigious Don Watson Memorial Award was presented to Ron Finemore for his outstanding

contribution to the industry over a lifetime. It could not have gone to a more deserving recipient. Ron Finemore Transport is a corporate member and sponsor of TWAL, so we were well represented in the latter part of the evening among the awards. We had several of our members, including our nominee Caitlin Barlow (of corporate member JATEC Transport),

Divinia Eather (of corporate member Eather Group) and Orlane Mortimer and Rebecca Neilsen taking part in the Teletrac Navman Driving Change Diversity Program. We also had a huge number of TWAL members (men and women) attending the conference overall, including immediate past chair and life member, Pam McMillan, previous chair, Merry Manton, and life

member Denis Robertson. The TWAL board was represented by Coralie Chapman, Annastasia Denigan and Simone Reinertsen.

Our vice chair Coralie Chapman is gearing up for the big TWAL breakfast at the Brisbane Truck Show. Everyone is getting super excited now after the highly successful ATA Trucking Australia conference is over.

The number of young people attending and participating in the ATA Trucking Australia event shows what a vibrant, healthy industry trucking is, and if we can get that message out, we are sure to attract the people we need, both young and old.

We are now excited to be working on nominations to enter five of our members in the Women in Industry Awards and we are always hopeful of the results. The winners will be announced in early June.

We have nominations already coming in for the Dream Maker Awards which will be presented at the Transport Women Unite Red Ball at Alice Springs in August at the Festival of Transport.

For any queries regarding Transport Women Australia Limited, visit our website transportwomen.com.au or email chair@transportwomen. com.au or phone 0417422319.

TWAL had a huge turnout of members at the National Trucking Awards on the Sunshine Coast. Photo: Peter Shields

Unlikely allies

for

LIKE many of the state-based road transport associations, the VTA is a proud supporter of the Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO), a national industrial body that represents the transport industry and its members before the Fair Work Commission.

ARTIO is the only registered employer organisation assigned solely with the representation of employers and prime contractors in the road transport industry, and for over 30 years ARTIO, in conjunction with its state branches, has represented thousands of members in major federal and state industrial cases.

As national secretary of ARTIO, I was pleased to join a 15-strong delegation of industry representatives in Canberra last month as part

of a concerted e ort to urge legislators and regulators to enact much-needed transport industry reform.

Our delegation brought together unions, employer representatives, operators, and workers, who are united in our common advocacy and passion for reform, and to establish minimum standards of operation, cost, and people management within the road transport industry.

Reform is an issue you will hear the VTA and other like-minded industry groups talking about often this year, not least because it is so desperately needed, but because with the same political party now in government in every federal, state, and territory jurisdiction everywhere except Tasmania, there is a unique opportunity for consensus that will deliver the reforms we have been advocating for years.

Our Canberra delegation presented to over 40 ministers and members of parliament of every political persuasion to endorse proposed industry reforms that will improve safety and productivity for operators and transport workers.

Much of this was borne

out of the excellent work by Western Australia Senator Glenn Sterle, whose 2021 Without Trucks Australia Stops parliamentary report presented 10 recommendations upon which unlikely allies like employer and employee representative groups have galvanized, in the interests of making our industry more viable, safe, sustainable, and e cient.

Of the recommendations in the Sterle report, the VTA particularly welcomed the development of a national apprenticeship scheme to help attract workers to the sector, an expansion to ATSB powers to investigate commercial heavy vehicle road accidents, and the creation of an independent regulator to set minimum commercial vehicle costs.

We also welcomed the report’s recommendation for creating an independent body for setting standards, resolving disputes, and establishing binding payment terms, which our delegation rallied behind in Canberra.

Such a body would go a long way towards ending the rapid degradation and break down of values and working

standards that gig economy ‘employers’ have created through their deployment of technology.

While convenient for some, it is undeniable that gig economy platforms and aggregators over time have reduced payment standards, entitlements and allowances for operators and transport workers. Any exibility bene ts espoused by their aggregators of working for these platforms are more than o set by low rates, absence of enshrined leave or superannuation bene ts, or any collective representation.

Indeed, our Canberra delegation included gig economy workers and their families, who told stories of genuine hardship and even loss to min-

isters and parliamentarians, as part of our combined e ort to enact reform when legislation is presented later this year. ese platforms represent a genuine risk to legitimate transport operators that have done the right thing by their customers, suppliers, and sta , only to be threatened by a largely faceless aggregator whose algorithms have no respect for the traditions and conventions upon which our industry was built.

And while there may be a place for such businesses in the modern economy, it must not be to the detriment of transport operators and workers, and the minimum standards for safety, productivity, and e ciency they aspire to

and deserve.

Now, more than ever, transport customers, operators, workers, representative groups, and even some of the more responsible gig companies are calling for the security of enforceable minimum industry standards.

Our Canberra delegation was united in our e orts to convince parliamentarians to vote in support of legislation later this year that would enshrine this into law. And while this delegation may not aways see eye to eye or agree on every issue, our unity in Canberra and on this critical issue going forward demonstrates how important it is for the legislators and the federal government to act.

Peter Anderson joined a 15-strong delegation of industry representatives in Canberra last month as national secretary of ARTIO.

VTA COMMENT PETER ANDERSON CEO, Victorian Transport Association

Setting enforceable standards in transport

spells catastrophe for transport if it’s left unchecked – for workers, for transport operators and for the wider public.

We’ve seen it already –we’ve seen AmazonFlex enter the parcel industry, and FedEx introduce piece rates for owner drivers.

especially, in the gig economy. A recent report by the McKell Institute, TWU and TEACHO of over 1000 gig workers puts this into stark clarity.

SIXTY-TWO people have been killed on Australian roads this year [as of April 4]. Nineteen of them were truck drivers. It is devastating that families keep having to bury their loved ones because this industry is so dangerous, and so in crisis.

What’s also distressing is that since 2017, 11 food delivery workers have been killed. Only recently, a rideshare driver was murdered while on the job. It’s an industry of rampant exploitation, marked by pressure to rush to make enough money, and to avoid being “deactivated” – kicked o an app and out of a job with no right of reply.

e thing is, the gig economy and traditional freight have already begun intersecting in ways that

at’s why recently we took a delegation of transport workers – including gig workers – to call on federal parliament to enact urgent reform in our industry. It’s urgent because there have already been too many deaths.

It’s urgent because of the collapse of companies like Scott’s, and Rivet Mining Services in WA, and Neway, and the other 200 transport companies that have become insolvent in the last nancial year.

It’s urgent because without reform, we’ll see supply chain crisis, more deaths, and more companies going under.

Safety, fairness and sustainability in transport relies heavily on minimum standards in the industry – including, and perhaps

e survey showed a shocking 66 per cent of full-time gig workers earn under minimum wage. Fifty-six per cent feel pressured to rush or take risks to earn enough money, or to avoid getting kicked o the app.

It also found that the more hours they work, the less their hourly pay ends up being. at’s not exibility, and it won’t be unless there are minimum standards.

at’s why 95 per cent of the survey respondents support regulation in the gig economy. Without a minimum oor, the gig economy is a race to the bottom. at means unfair competition for the companies who are doing the right thing and committing to decent pay and conditions – like Woolworths and Coles which have signed charters with the TWU on safer standards in their supply chains.

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ose companies won’t be able to continue to do the right thing if the likes of Amazon continue to pull the rug out from under them. at commercial pressure from wealthy clients and retailers is exactly what we saw at Scott’s, and it’s why 1500 workers lost their jobs.

Scott’s was the largest refrigerated logistics operator in Australia. It shows the depth of the crisis in trucking that it couldn’t turn a

pro t because of those commercial pressures.

If things keep going the way of the gig economy, we’ll also see standards continue to drop for workers. When we took a delegation of transport workers and gig workers to Canberra to call for urgent reform, it was shocking to hear the stories.

If you’re a gig worker and you don’t accept an order because it’s too low, someone else will be there to

take it. We can’t keep going down that road – it will be every worker against each other, and an obliteration of the standards we’ve built up over decades.

e federal government committed last year to empowering the Fair Work Commission to set enforceable standards in transport. What we need now is for federal parliament to urgently back in those reforms. ey can’t wait.

first fully electronic motor that worked well, so well that today they’re still being used for many applications.

Due to the engine’s age and hard-working environment, Injectronics has seen some common issues arising with the ECU.

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Without reform, the TWU believes we’ll see more companies like Scott’s going under.

Finally change is in the air

“IF it has tits and wheels, it’ll give you problems!”

I recently stumbled across these physiologically improbable words of wisdom splashed across a large sign, zip-tied to the stone-guard of a prime-mover belonging to a major national carrier.

When I asked the gorilla behind the wheel if I could take a pic – it was clear he sensed a storm brewing as he went to great lengths to assure me a) that he likes women and b) that his boss had seen the sign and was ne with it.

Despite major, industry-wide workplace safety and technological advancements - sexist stereotyping and gender bias are still very much a “thing” in the road transport sector.

Like childhood games passed down through generations of children in school playgrounds, sexist commentary is alive and well and being passed down through generations of white and blue-collar male employees.

Given almost half today’s truckies were born in the 1950s and 1960s, these blokes bring their collective viewpoints into the 21st century from a time when gender roles were simple and clear-cut – a time when boys played with trucks and girls played with dolls. is was a time when girls wore pink and boys wore blue. A time when dads went to work and mums stayed home.

At Saturday afternoon matinees, these young boys watched helpless, subservient women being rescued by strong capable men who then took them o for a good, overpowering romp in the hay.

One woman, born of this era, is credited with perpetuating the myth that women are little more than sex objects who make great “seat covers.” She spent decades posing in a multitude of naked, athletically challenging positions, adorning truck mud aps, bedding, windscreens, coffee cups, beanies, trailers and doors. She’s even been seen behind the wheel – not driving - but emblazoned across tightly stretched T-shirts covering a multitude of sizeable beer-guts.

While sexist commentary feeds the male ego and sees the “boys” standing round preening themselves over industry views that they’re far superior to females – stronger, braver and mightier – the time has

come to draw a line in the diesel and dust.

e business case is clear. Boosting female driver numbers is key to easing driver shortages. Employers will reap the bene ts of increased productivity and pro tability.

So, what about female truck drivers – the women out there doing the job? What are their thoughts about what needs to be done at grass-roots level to encourage more women into the sector?

ese women have spoken volumes about the barriers they faced and continue to face in their quests to be taken seriously in the workplace. ey say they know very quickly by your words and actions if you’re part of the problem or part of the solution. Note to recruiters: please stop questioning women about their mechanical aptitude and their plans to have a family during job interviews!

ey know by your words and actions if you’re parent-

ing your daughters to become strong, independent women and if you’re a man who supports workplace gender equality. ey’ll watch to see whether you tolerate – or call out sexist behaviour from your peers.

ey know that actively confronting your colleagues is tough, but it’s critical if we’re to have equitable, healthy and more respectful workplaces.

ankfully and nally, change is in the air. ere’s now a genuine recognition

that gender equality is an investment – not a cost – that women of all ages are the solution to critical driver shortages.

ankfully, “Women Not Welcome” shingles are being taken down from recruitment department doors across the nation and major inroads are being made by many companies to establish female driver training programs.

Ladies... it’s nally our time to shine!

WOMEN IN TRUCKING

LYNDAL DENNY

CEO, Women in Trucking Australia

Women of all ages are the solution to critical driver shortages, says Women in Trucking Australia.

builds up to

world record

MACK Trucks Australia is aiming for a Guinness World Record for the largest truck made from LEGO bricks to celebrate 60 years of manufacturing in the western corridor of Brisbane.

Professional LEGO builder Ben Craig will be Mack’s expert on the job, using close to a million pieces to achieve the record build of a life-size Mack Anthem.

Measuring 4m high, 2m wide, and 8m long, the truck will take two months to build before it is displayed at South Bank Parklands as part of the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show. is compares to just six days for a real Mack Anthem.

Following two months of design work, the Anthem is now under construction at Craig’s studio at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast. e

nishing touches will be added live in front of the public at the May 18-21 show.

Just like the real thing, the truck will be built from scratch with individual and genuine parts. All components will be held together by ‘Kragle’ – which fans of e LEGO Movie will know is a weapon (tube of glue) sought by Lord Business to ensure everyone touched by it is sealed in place.

Strengthened with metal internal supports, the Anthem will feature a detailed exterior and interior, including wheels, air lines, fuel tanks, turntable, fully operable doors, and 36inch sleeper.

e nal piece of the build will be a LEGO brick version of the famous Mack bulldog, which will be added to the hood on May 19.

Mack Trucks Australia Vice President, Tom Chapman, said big kids and little kids love Mack trucks and building a LEGO version on home soil is a fun way to celebrate being Australian made for over six decades.

“ e culture at Mack is one of pride and passion; our Australian Made certi cation is one we wear as a badge of honour,” he said.

“Every Mack truck you see on the roads in Australia has been made in the western corridor of Brisbane.

“Designing and engineering our Mack trucks locally means we can meet and exceed the demands of customers, focussing on application excellence, providing reliability and durability.”

A secret fan of large trucks and engineering, the Mack Anthem is by far the largest project undertaken by Craig, whose healthy obsession with LEGO began at the age of two and has never ceased.

Craig said the opportuni-

ty to create a Mack Anthem made from LEGO bricks is a dream come true.

“Mack trucks are iconic and have a loved cult following. I spend a lot of time on the road and no other truck has the same appeal as a Mack Truck and its iconic bulldog,” he said.

Best known as ‘ e Brick Builder’, Craig’s previous works include a full-size 1973 Viscount Royal caravan. Constructed from 288,630 LEGO bricks, the 2200mm wide, 2350mm high, 5800mm long model weighed 1.6 tons and is the largest caravan ever made

with LEGO bricks. e caravan was displayed at the Queensland Caravan, Camping and Touring Super Show in Brisbane in 2018.

Other notable commissions have included scaled models of Brisbane Airport, a Eurostar train set, and the La Jument lighthouse in France.

Showcasing latest AI-powered safety solutions for eet managers

FLEETSAFE plans to showcase a raft of arti cial intelligence-powered safety solutions at the 2023 truck, trailer, and parts and accessories showcase.

FleetSafe has revealed it will showcase a new centralised web-based platform for managing and measuring all aspects of a eet’s assets and its drivers.

e FleetHQ system integrates with on-board safety systems like Mobileye, Cipia and Proxicam, as well as DVRs, dashcams, TPMS and any other hardware that

generates data, including vehicle CAN and engine diagnostic data.

It will be among a raft of AI-powered safety solutions the company will display.

ese also include Mobileye 8, an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) that uses machine vision to watch the road ahead and provide audible and visual alerts to unsafe manoeuvres, such as tailgating and unintentional lane departure; or provide early-warning to an imminent collision with a vehicle, motorcycle, cyclist,

or pedestrian ahead.

Additionally, FleetSafe will display the Cipia Driver Monitoring System which uses machine vison to monitor the driver’s face and provide real-time audible, visual and haptic feedback to potentially fatal events, such as driver fatigue, distraction or not wearing a seatbelt.

Another solution, driven by AI, is Proxicam, a pedestrian detection system comprising a smart-camera capable of identifying humans.

Cameras can be deployed

as a standalone detection system or coupled with an LCD monitor to provide up to 360-degree visibility around a vehicle, alerting the operator with both visual and audible warnings when a person breaches a pre-de ned exclusion zone.

e Spotto Blind Spot Monitoring System, meanwhile, incorporates high-frequency radar that monitors the area alongside the truck, alerting the driver to potential collisions with other vehicles, motorcycles, cyclists and pedestrians.

The Spotto system incorporates high-frequency radar that monitors the area alongside the truck, alerting the driver to potential collisions

Ben Craig, third from right, and the Mack team start work on the record LEGO attempt.

IVECO S-Way ready for centre stage

ATTENDEES at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show (BTS) will be able to take an indepth look at one of the country’s most eagerly anticipated new heavy-duty truck models, the IVECO S-WAY.

With its stunning cabin design, highlighted by a prominent grille, angular headlamps and clever front bumper integration, S-WAY delivers contemporary aes-

thetics that are immediately striking, while under the skin, models feature the latest in European technology including advanced Euro6 (Step E) engines matched to market-leading Automated Manual Transmissions.

e S-WAY launch completes IVECO Australia’s transition to a full importer and distributor of commercial vehicles, with the model

joining its European-produced light and medium duty stablemates, the Daily and Eurocargo, along with its extensive o -highway lineup which incorporates Daily 4x4, Eurocargo 4x4, T-WAY and ASTRA.

e transition to a fully imported model range helps streamline IVECO’s operations and carries considerable bene ts for the brand and its

customers, including allowing IVECO ANZ to closely align model introductions with IVECO Europe, bringing the latest technology and innovation to local markets faster.

But while the S-WAY ushers in a new era for IVECO as an exclusive European manufacturer, the model –along with the broader IVECO line-up – still has strong connections with Australia, with considerable input being provided by IVECO Australia engineers during development to make the

range t-for-task for Australian and New Zealand road transport applications and conditions.

Local engineering and validation teams have played a major role in trialling the range over the last 18 months, with test vehicles amassing thousands of kilometres in a variety of real-world operating environments at full GVM. As a result of this input S-WAY models will feature several exclusive to our market speci cations and con gurations including a B-Double variant.

e S-WAY range comprises both rigid (6x2, 6x4 and 8x4 – with load share front suspension) and prime mover (4x2 and 6x4) variants with GVM and GCMs for the new range spanning from 18,200kg to 27,600kg (GVM), and from 50,000kg to 70,000kg (GCM) for prime movers and 27600kg (GVM) and 70,000t (GCM) for selected rigids (13l 6x4 and 8x4 models).

To experience the new S-WAY range, please visit IVECO at stand 58 at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show.

Mighty entry to EV market unveiled for Brisbane fans

A HUGE array of battery and hydrogen fuel cell EVs are set for display at the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show, with Korean brand Hyundai the latest to unveil plans to launch a new EV at the upcoming event.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia will enter the electric commercial vehicle market with the arrival of the 4×2 Mighty electric truck, which will be shown for the rst time in public in Brisbane.

Rated at up to 7.3-tonnes GVM, with a payload of up to 3.5-tonnes and a laden range in excess of 200km, the Mighty is suited for nal-mile

deliveries for operators seeking a zero-tailpipe emission vehicle.

It is quiet and smooth to drive and comes with many safety and comfort features, including forward collision-avoidance assist, lane departure warning and electronic stability control.

Trucks displayed at the Brisbane show will include a atbed and a pantech box, with further body options available once sales commence.

e Hyundai Mighty electric truck is powered by a 120kW, 320Nm traction motor fed by a 114.5kWh battery system with rapid DC charging capability that can replenish the batteries from

10 per cent to 100 per cent in under 70 minutes.

Deliveries begin mid-year

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Truckin’ In The Outback

Sky’s the limit for young truckie

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

WHILE working as a FIFO cleaner at the mines, Shelby Dolmans decided to go for her HR licence – and then, as they say, the rest is history.

While she had no immediate plans to get into bigger trucks, seeing an ad posted by QUBE about a 10-week HR to MC traineeship changed everything.

Dolmans had only held her HR licence for three months and was yet to find work as a driver.

“When I passed my HR, I knew I’d have to wait a year before I could move into something bigger, but then I saw that this could be fast-tracked through QUBE’s training program,” explained Dolmans.

“There was a stage where it looked like I wouldn’t be able to get into the program because of my age, but I had a meeting with the Department of Transport and they approved me the next day, so I could carry on with the training program.”

Dolmans was part of QUBE’s initial intake into the

program, which began in April 2021, with each of the eight women who took part all walking away with an MC licence and employment.

“I passed my MC just before I turned 21 and it was a huge day in my life,” she said.

“Through QUBE’s training program, we learnt a lot more

than just driving. They taught reversing, unhooking, dropping trailers, changing tyres and a bit of workshop maintenance too. It was a lot to take in, but I thought it was a really great program.”

The trainees began the program in Perth, where they also sat for their Dangerous Goods

licence, before continuing their training in Geraldton and Bunbury.

Based in Perth, Dolmans does FIFO (fly in, fly-out) work, driving quads out of Leinster, a small town in the Goldfields area of WA, about 1000km north-east of Perth.

Shifts can range anywhere from 12 to 15 hours and it’s one week on, one week off, which Dolmans says works really well for her. “The long days are tiring but you get used to it.”

On her week on, she says, “I live in the FIFO camp in

Leinster. It’s a great little community and has a nice pub, an IGA and a coffee hutch. I absolutely love the one week on and one week off at home lifestyle,” she said.

Though Dolmans didn’t foresee her future career, she’s actually been around trucks her whole life, as her cousins and uncles are truck drivers. “Trucking runs in my family, so I guess it’s in the blood,” she said.

Dolmans’ career with QUBE started at Mount Keith/Yakabindi, where for six months she steered 300 tonne triples on haul roads, doing a one and a half hour round trip.

She was then transferred to Leinster in February 2021, where she got her first go at steering a super quad – and she’s been there ever since.

Though it’s almost always pulling super quads, the work is still quite varied. “Because I’m trained up on all the runs, I do all of them. Kalgoorlie would be the furthest I go, which is about five hours, then there’s

Leonora which is about two hours or Mount Keith which is one hour,” said Dolmans.

When pulling tippers, there’s anywhere up to 130 tonne of iron ore on the back, about 120 tonne for iso container work and 108 tonne for wet con work.

“I’m loving Leinster because it’s more variety. I love driving the side tippers, that’s my favourite and being able to self-load with the loader. I really enjoy the trip to Kalgoorlie too, I love the longer runs,” said Dolmans.

“QUBE is a great company and I’m forever grateful at being able to do the training program and get into the position I’m in now. It was very important to learn more than just the driving – and I feel like I’m a better driver because of it.”

Steering such an enormous combination, Dolmans says people are often quite surprised to learn of her age. “It’s always great to see that reaction. My family are really proud and happy for me.”

Starting out as a cleaner at the mines, Shelby Dolmans is now driving super quads.

She joined QUBE after completing the company’s 10-week HR to MC traineeship.

Dolmans says she enjoys the side tipper work the most.

DRIVER PROFILES

Truckin’ In The Tropics

with Alf Wilson

Truck driving ambitions Travelling the east coast Training up the next generation

WHEN Big Rigs saw Anthony Torre he was standing beside a CD 25360 UD heavy rigid and was assisting the driver to take a load from Sydney to Gosford. Torre, 36, is an assistant to truck drivers and hopes to obtain his own licence.

“I have been doing this for three months and want to be a driver myself which I am hoping will happen soon,” he said.

Torre was at the Hawkesbury River Rest Area beside the Paci c Highway, about

60km from Sydney. It is one of the most popular rest areas in NSW and the day I visited, it was busy. “It has good public toilets and shaded seats and tables,” Torre said.

Progress along the nearby stretch of the Paci c Highway was slow that afternoon after a three car pile-up. Police and paramedics were on scene when I drove past.

Also just up the highway scalies were checking out heavy vehicles at an inspection station.

TOM Whitney drives a Western Star 4900 for Berrigan based Baxter Transport and was hauling organic grain from Pittsworth, Queensland to Yarrawonga, Victoria.

It was around 6pm that evening and Whitney, 56, was ready to leave the Ampol Warwick but didn’t mind yarning to Big Rigs about his job.

He said the Western Star A-double, powered by a 550hp motor, with an 18 speed Road Ranger gearbox,

was a good truck.

“I like stopping at the Ampol Warwick where truckies get a good feed,” he said.

He nominated the Newell Highway as challenging to travel on because of all the potholes.

“I think we need more rest areas with facilities for truck drivers,” he said.

His hobby outside work is pig hunting and he barracks for Manly in the NRL.

“I have supported Manly for 30 years,” he said.

YOUNG Aidan Kelly was on his rst day working for his uncle Adam Sneddon when Big Rigs saw them pull into a carpark at a McDonald’s in Sydney.

Small eet owner Sneddon has his own business called Sydney Safe-T-Rail and is based at Collaroy in Sydney.

“We do high safety and roof protection work,” he said.

ey were in an Isuzu NQR 450 which carried all the gear in the back. “ is is a good truck

which suits what I do,” Sneddon said.

“I have another Isuzu and we travel up to 250km from Sydney for jobs,” Sneddon said. He added that operators of light rigs such as himself have been hit hard since fuel prices rose. “It used to cost me about $560 a week for fuel but that has gone through the roof to about $800.”

Kelly was enthusiastic about working with the company and looks set to be an asset.

Anthony Torre is hoping to get his truck licence this year. Tom Whitney works for Baxter Transport.

Adam Sneddon with his nephew Aidan Kelly.

Truckin’ In The Tropics

with Alf Wilson

Enjoying the varietyTwo decades in the job

JOHN McGregor, 51, drives a 2020 Fuso Fighter for Coast Wide which is based at Berkley in NSW.

Big Rigs saw McGregor near the Fuso, which was parked beside the road near Cessnock.

“We pick up breakdowns around the region and go anywhere in the country if required to,” he said.

McGregor has been a truckie since 1993 and the rst truck he drove was a

UD.

He says he likes the variety of his work.

“I never know what I have to do every day when at work,” he said.

He added that the 10 tonne capacity Fuso was great for the tasks required of it.

“Near here there used to be a mine,” he said.

As for bad roads he gets along, McGregor said the Cessnock to Maitland one

required extra careful driving on.

When he manages to get time o McGregor enjoys shing in Lake Macquarie.

“I do catch some athead and whiting which make good eating,” he said.

McGregor barracks for the Sydney Bulldogs in the NRL.

“I hope they have a better season in 2023. ey have some good new players,” he said.

The NHVR is improving how you access bridges and roads

MARK Dunbar was taking a load of pineapples from Caboolture in Queensland to Melbourne when Big Rigs saw him.

Dunbar, 53, works for Fruithaul and was driving a colourful Kenworth K104B.

I saw him parked up at the Frank Partridge VC rest area on the Remembrance Highway between Sydney and Canberra.

He said the only negative about that rest area – which

honours Australian servicemen – was the number of ies there.

“I will have a backload of salad produce from Melbourne to Queensland,” he said.

A truckie for the past 20 years, Dunbar has been with Fruithaul for the past two. He revealed that the rst truck he drove was an International snub nose.

Dunbar likes stopping at the BP Nambucca Heads

Roadhouse when in the area.

“ ey have good food, showers and facilities for drivers,” he said.

As for the worst road he has been on recently, Dunbar was quick to answer.

“It would have to be parts of the Newell where there are lots of potholes,” he said.

When o work Dunbar is like many drivers and enjoys riding motorbikes.

“I ride around the Sunshine Coast hinterland,” he said.

John McGregor drives a 2020 Fuso Fighter for Coast Wide. Mark Dunbar joined Fruithaul two years ago.

Flood issues continue to impact roads

years back and is now generally ood free.

I snapped some pics back in 2006 when both were ooded resulting in long delays for tra c.

Recently I travelled over them after extremely heavy rain and both were ne.

loathed by most drivers.

A middle-aged driver reckons the bad news for truckies is when they cruise along a highway and see an ‘Open’ sign just before one.

Floodproofing the Bruce

Over the years lots of truckies have called for governments to upgrade the Bruce Highway, parts of which ood after any decent heavy rain.

To be fair some sections have been upgraded as funds become available in the annual budgets.

One section between Ingham and the Cardwell Range in the north had been notorious for decades and would ood many times in the wet season.

However the stretch which includes the Arnot River and Seymour River bridges was heightened some

Several truckies have told me that water will still cross the highway near Seymour River but only when rain is torrential at a time of king tides.

Although the Gairloch Over ow Crossing closer to Ingham is still subject to ooding, especially after rain when high tides are in.

Good news and bad news

As Spy was enjoying a nice steak at a popular roadhouse, he overheard a group of truckies deep in discussion.

One particular conversation sparked my interest and it involved those heavy vehicle inspection stations which are

Another quipped that the good news was when such as a sign advised that an inspection station was closed.

Radio rant

It would be an understatement to say that a long time Tasmanian small eet operator was annoyed when a driver from the mainland abused him over the radio.

e driver was travelling behind another as they cruised along a west coast road during rain.

“I got a call from him on the radio and he gave me a serve and said I was speeding and travelling too close to him. But I was four truck lengths from his rear and we were both doing 80km/h so there is no way I wasn’t at a

safe distance,” he told Spy.

When the fellow said, “You were speeding and we don’t follow that close on the mainland,” the Tasmanian just about blew a gasket.

“I told him it would be best if he went back to the mainland,” was the reply, with a few expletives left out as we can’t print those in a family paper.

Bridge collapse adds distance

Some of my truckie contacts in WA are keen to hear from authorities about when the bridge over the Fitzroy River will be replaced or repaired.

Floods generated by Tropical Cyclone Ellie in December 2022 and January 2023 caused signi cant damage to sections of the Great Northern Highway at Willare Crossing and Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley.

At Fitzroy Crossing, the Fitzroy River Bridge, just east of the townsite was signi cantly damaged, along with 500 metres of road, cutting access to Aboriginal communities east of the Fitzroy River as well as the East Kimberley and Northern Territory.

I spoke to one veteran WA owner-operator on March 24 who said with the bridge closure, truckies who wanted to get from Perth to Darwin in the NT were forced to travel another 1200km.

“We have to go via Port Augusta and that adds to the time taken, cost of fuel and labour.

“We just want to know

when there will be a replacement bridge,” he said. Main Roads WA have advised that work on a new bridge will commence in May with con dence it will completed by the end of 2024 in time for the 2024/25 wet season. e old bridge will be demolished.

Loyal employee

ere is a loyal employee of a big transport company who has just completed 10 years service – and he has never taken a sickie.

Sounds like the employee from heaven, especially when you consider he must have been fortunate to have enjoyed good health during that decade.

Not many of us can lay claim to such a good bill of health when you consider all of the u, other diseases, and of course in more recent years, Covid-19.

e gent is well respected by his boss and fellow workers and is soon going to take his three months long service leave.

I believe he will spend

Seymour River Bridge now, after heavy rain.

ashback to when the eymour iver on the ruce ighway ooded.

ur py on the oad, lf ilson, standing near a ooded airloch rossing.

SPY ON THE ROAD WITH ALF WILSON

some of the time visiting his native European country where he has lots of family and friends.

He is able to keep in contact with them through social media.

What a loyal employee he is. Spy is going to try to track him down in coming weeks and get his full story.

Glass gone

On the subject of Covid-19, one large roadhouse servic-

ing hundreds of truckies every day has removed glass screens which had been around the payment area.

It serves up lots of meals and has many drivers fuelling up.

Spy asked one worker of the reason for the removal of the screens.

“Now that Covid-19 is not as prevalent the bosses decided to remove the screens and it has been a popular decision,” she said.

WA roadhouse praised Lots of truckies have been singing the praises of the Kumarina Roadhouse, situated about 150km south of Newman in WA.

Kumarina is located along the Great Northern Highway between the towns of Meekatharra and Newman.

A Perth truckie who regularly stops there said it ticked all the boxes required from drivers.

“ ere is plenty of parking, really good food, cold drinks and best of all very clean facilities. at is why many drivers go there,” he said.

e cafe o ers a range of co ee and serves takeaways for truckies in a hurry.

ere is a good overnight rest area south of Kumarina at South Branch.

e rest area has shelters, seats, tables, toilets and dump points. ere are some nice secluded sites along the track leading away from the main rest area.

Station a concern

e word coming though the bush telegraph down in Tasmania is that more and more truckies are sleeping in their rigs due to a number of issues.

ese include logbook inspections and a lack of rest areas to pull up at, with no toilets or decent parking spots.

On the face of things you would think that most Tassie drivers get to spend the night at home considering the short road distances compared to the mainland.

It is just 200km between the biggest cities Hobart and Launceston along the Midland Highway.

And about 260km in the north from Launceston to Smithton along the busy Bass Highway.

An inspection station at Dunalley along the Arthur Highway has been a major concern for truckies.

It is near the Dunalley Bakery where many truckies stop for a drink and a bite to eat.

Devonport most trucks?

Our Tassie truckie has passed onto Spy that the coastal city of Devonport along the Bass Highway has the most trucks stationed there, more than the capital Hobart, or Launceston and Burnie. at surprises Spy just a little but who can question this gent who has been in-

volved in the road transport industry in di erent capacities for decades.

Devonport is a scenic city on the banks of the Mersey River and is where the Spirit of Tasmania ships from Melbourne moor.

Often truckies who can nd suitable parks will sit in the renovated Devonport McDonalds and enjoy the view of the river and trucks passing along the Bass Highway.

Flies and mozzies

My old mate Mad Dog Madigan, who lives at the sleepy hamlet of Maxwelton beside the Flinders Highway and 50km from Richmond, came up with a classic quote when asked how life was treating him.

Mad Dog is one of four permanent residents at “Maxy” as it is known around the traps.

e area is renowned for being the home of thousands of disease carrying ies.

“You clap your hands at Maxy and will kill 50 ies and if you open your mouth you will swallow some,” one truckie joked.

So I asked Mad Dog what

the y situation was like there and he answered.

“Flies are mostly gone but mozzies have taken over after rain,” he said.

A colourful character, former driver Mad Dog has a truck museum at Maxy which is 500m from the highway.

Pop in and see him but be armed with a can of repellent.

Just on the entrance to Maxy beside the highway there is also a rest area often frequented by drivers.

Some friendly Some truckies like to take their pets on their trips around Australia.

Reports have come to Spy about people who pull up near them at rest areas, roadhouses or other places, who are also dog lovers. But it seems lots of these talk to the dog, even pat it and ignore our truckie mates, not even asking them the mutt’s name.

“It is pretty ignorant when they talk to the dog and pay attention to it and don’t even say one word to me,” a Victorian driver said.

e old saying “a dog’s life” takes on a whole new meaning in reverse.

A truck heads towards Devonport on the Bass Highway in Tasmania.

Trucks head towards an open NSW Heavy Vehicle Inspection Station. A closed sign near a NSW Heavy Inspection Station.

Pioneer’s passion for the industry still burns strong

Frank Marley’s un inching determination paved the way for generations of transport operators to come.

BY AINSLEIGH BILATO

“JUST do your job with passion and don’t give up when there is a job to be done,” is the advice Frank Marley gives to those looking to join the transport industry.

Passion is the essential ingredient in weathering the ever-evolving landscape of the transport industry and this passion is never more clear than when speaking to Marley, founder of Marley’s Transport.

Marley’s start in transport was on the railways in the mid to late 1960s, working to build the standard gauge rail line that was to connect Doodlakine, east of Perth, to Kalgoorlie via Koolyanobbing.

Following the federal gov-

ernment’s reluctant and partial lifting of the iron ore export ban that had constrained Australia’s export from 1938, Western Australia relied on rail to shift iron ore from its eastern Wheatbelt region to the port at Esperance.

Japan’s near insatiable demand for the resource meant that improving rail facilities was prioritised and there was decent money to be made by those willing to work to achieve this.

Returning home to Nangeenan in 1969, Marley used the money he had saved to buy his rst truck. is old Commer, with its 354 Perkins engine, would mark the start of over 50 years of Marley’s dedicated service to the transport industry.

However, as he wasn’t old enough to hold a licence yet, Marley took charge of the farm work while his father Tom drove the truck Marley had purchased, carting fertiliser. Marley promptly got himself a licence and, in turn, a second truck and Marley’s Transport began its growth toward the eet of over 70 trucks it has come to support.

Although Marley insists it has “all been part of the job”, Marley’s contribution to the trucking industry has been little short of revolutionary. Despite his contributions to Western Australia’s rail lines, Marley soon recognised that his machines were a more efcient method of freight, outclassing the railways in cost, productivity and dependable

delivery.

Anti-competition regulations in the 1970s meant Marley, as a road transport operator, was restricted from carting material that would otherwise be moved by rail. Marley, driven both by his disapproval of the unfair regulations and the need to ensure his business survived, did so regardless, carting bags of superphosphate by road.

Refusing to pay the nes that ensued from this practice, Marley spent a day in Fremantle Prison. In response, local farmers staged a protest, raising the money needed to pay Marley’s ne and securing his release.

Undeterred by his time at Fremantle, Marley made it clear that, if the Commis-

sioner could not give him an assurance that the anti-competition regulations would be reformed, he would have no other choice but to continue to break the law.

Marley’s de ance worked,

with the Minister for Transport visiting his home to negotiate – if Marley was willing to stop carting illegally, the Minister would endeavour to deregulate the transport industry within 10 years. e

Frank Marley’s contribution to the trucking industry has been little short of revolutionary.

Minister was true to his word and, today, road transporters reap the bene ts of the fair go Marley fought so hard for.

Marley’s Transport was often the rst to adopt new technology. From operating the rst four deck stock crate, to using the rst 10-axle rigid truck for grain carting, in Western Australia, Marley was always looking for an opportunity to be at the forefront of the industry.

In 1999, Marley’s Transport again pushed the known limits of the industry by breaking the world record for the world’s longest road train. Although the record set by Marley’s Transport has since been broken, the 45-trailer Kenworth, measuring 610 metres and weighing almost as many tonnes, commanded never-before-seen excitement and celebration in the town of Merredin. e feat raised roughly $80,000 for the town’s tourism bureau.

Marley attributes much of his success to the support of

his wife, Georgina. Marley married Georgie at age 19, recounting that he knew “she’d stick around” when, daily, she un inchingly climbed the ladder to the rst story of the house he was building for them.

As if she was not kept sufciently busy ensuring the business ran without a hitch, Georgie also cared for their four sons, in addition to some extra mouths to feed in the form of the many drivers to whom Frank and Georgie opened their home to as they worked to establish the business. Georgie is every bit as humble as Frank but her extraordinary contribution to the industry does not go unnoticed.

Although he was o cially inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame’s Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 1999, Marley’s impact on the Hall of Fame began well before this. Marley was not only a founding member but was part of the very rst discus-

sions in 1992 gauging interest in a national Road Transport Historical Society and Hall of Fame.

Marley has been integral in sourcing a number of the much-loved vehicles on display at the National Road Transport Hall of Fame, including one of his own old White Road Commanders, which he purchased back and drove to the Road Transport

Hall of Fame in 2012 via the largely unsealed Great Central Road.

Marley’s untiring support for the Road Transport Hall of Fame stems from his own, rst-hand understanding of the hard work it takes for the men, women and machines of the transport industry to simply get the job done.

Marley cites the Road Transport Hall of Fame as one

of, if not the most, thorough collection of Australian road transport history, playing an irreplaceable role in preserving the history of the industry’s pioneers.

Without the Road Transport Hall of Fame serving as a running timeline of the industry’s progress, Marley believes it is di cult to truly appreciate how far transport has evolved.

e National Road Transport Hall of Fame thanks Marley for his staunch support of the organisation, and is honoured to form part of his remarkable journey in the transport industry. His passion for the industry inspires us all and drives us to continue our mission to accurately and comprehensively preserve the stories that make us so proud to be a part of it.

Marley attributes much of his success to the support of his wife, Georgina.

Marley’s Transport was often the first to adopt new technology, such as the first four deck stock crate.

In 1999, Marley’s Transport again pushed the known limits of the industry by breaking the world record for the world’s longest road train.

Anti-competition regulations in the 1970s meant Marley, as a road transport operator, was restricted from carting material that would otherwise be moved by rail.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

ACROSS

1 If youare a collectorofClarice Cliff whatdoyou collect?

(7)

Across

4 WhatLatin American danceisperformed byseveral peopleinsinglefile?(5)

DOWN

1 Whichchess piecesaremostnumerous?(5)

2 Whatbrightyellow powderis usedfor flavouring in Asian cookery?(7)

Down

ROUND

nopluralsendinginsunlessthewordisalso averb.

3 In classical legend, which hero of great strength performed 12 extraordinary tasks (8)

7 Whatare lengthwisethreads on a loom? (4)

8 Whatisthe capital ofLiberia? (8)

3 InearlyEngland,what was a smalllandholderbetween gentry and labourers? (6)

1 What is a lofty tower attached to a church (7)

2 Name the more common term for loss of memory (7)

7 In golf, what is a position in which an opponent’s ball lies directly between the player’s ball and the hole (6)

10 In 1982 who madethe firsttelevised147 break in snooker? (5,5)

12 Whichinventor (Thomas ____)tookout more than a thousandpatents inhis lifetime?(6)

13 Whatisthelastwordof“RuleBritannia”?(6)

8 Name the most important narcotic principle of opium (8)

15 TheMisfits in1961 was the last film starring Marilyn Monroeand which otheractor? (5,5)

9 To withdraw something formally is to what (6)

18 Native toCentral and South America, a tamandua is whattypeofanimal? (8)

4 Whatbranch ofmedicine isconcerned with diseasesand abnormalitiesofthe heart?(10)

5 A starthat suddenly brightens thengraduallyfades is called what? (4)

3 Having been sentenced to death, which poison did Socrates drink (7)

6 Which film,1984’s BestPicture Oscar winner, was filmed inPrague? (7)

4 Which nautical device is used for hoisting weights (7)

5 One who “hangs about” does what (7)

9 Where wasLouisArmstrong born? (3,7)

6 To be perfumed is to be what (7)

11 Whichwomanwasmarried on 29April1945, and died the followingday?(3,5)

11 Which word expresses a number (7)

10 Which soft unctuous medical preparation is applied to the skin (8)

19 What cloth isspreadover a coffin? (4)

20 Whatisaninformal wordfor“avery long time”?(5)

11 Name a US city in NE New Jersey (6)

21 What diseaseisalso knownaslockjaw? (7)

14 Which term describes something that is quite new (6)

17 The marriage of one woman with one man is what (8)

18 Name a goldmining township north of Bathurst NSW (6)

19 Which word describes industrial automatic processes (8)

QUICK CROSSWORD

20 What is another word for an exit (6)

21 Those who “linger longer” are what (8)

12 Whatisthe widening channel of a river wheresaltwater mixes with freshwater?(7)

12 Name the horse that won the 1925 Melbourne Cup (7)

14 Inheraldry what isthecolour silver?(6)

13 What is an organised series of boat races (7)

16 Millionsofrecords fromwhichUS immigration entry islandareaccessible onthe internet? (5)

14 What is the Latin name for Odysseus (7)

17 WhichEnglish college wasfoundedby HenryVI in 1440? (4)

15 The apparel of a police officer or the like is called a what (7)

16 Which term describes that which is infinite (7)

DOUBLECROSS

Findafinishedcrosswordbydeletingoneof thetwolettersineachdividedsquare.

Solvetheanagrams.Eachsolutionisaone-word anagramofthelettersbesideit,andthefivesolutions aresequential.Forexample,ifthefive-lettersolution startswithJ,thesix-lettersolutionstartswithK,andso on.

Insertthemissinglettersto maketenwords—fivereading acrossthegridandfivereading down.

Note: morethanonesolution maybepossible

amiramritaariaarumatriaatriumattarauraauriccaratcart cramcurtmarcmariamartraitaratarimutarmactarttiara tracttraittramtraumaTRAUMATICtrim

SOLUTION

Why business owners must grow their business

BUSINESS owners must constantly strive for growth to survive and thrive in today’s competitive landscape. In fact, choosing to stagnate or remain complacent is a death sentence for any business. erefore, it is essential that business owners adopt a growth culture that drives all operational tasks, projects and initiatives.

A growth culture is not just a component of a company’s strategy, but rather, it is the company’s strategy. is means that growth should be the driving force behind every decision, every action and every goal. Opportunities for growth are everywhere and should always be explored. Companies that prioritise growth are more likely to attract and retain the most talented team members, as these individuals seek personal and professional growth opportunities.

Growth-focused companies have a clear direction and attract the best people, which creates a cycle of success. A-team players want to work with other A-team players, and the positive feedback loop of obtaining great people allows for more growth, which

leads to more personal and professional challenges. is momentum is everything, and it only occurs if a team is constantly pushing their own boundaries and capabilities. Having large, audacious goals is also key to achieving growth. Although operating a small-to-medium business can be hectic with endless opportunities for improvement, having a clear direction and

working backwards helps everyone understand where they are going and how to get there. Having a growth mindset and pushing for big goals creates an environment of continuous improvement and growth.

It’s important to note that growth usually feels scary and intimidating. It requires additional investment, making choices based on probability-weighted outcomes, con-

stantly weighing, and considering opportunity costs, and stepping into the unknown. However, not having these challenges or growth opportunities poses an even bigger risk. If a business doesn’t prioritise growth, it could fail to attract and retain great people, which could ultimately lead to its demise.

e Australian Government Business department (business.gov.au) supports the Australian business community to succeed in Australia and to adapt to change. is is an excellent resource for businesses to learn how to innovate, restructure, change, and improve the way they operate.

In conclusion, growth is

not an option for businesses, but rather, a necessity. A growth culture must drive all aspects of a business, including decision-making, goal setting, and operations. With large, audacious goals and a growth mindset, businesses can create an environment of continuous improvement and success.

Bruce Coudrey is principal of Benchmark Business Sales & Valuations.

Growth-focused companies have a clear direction and attract the best people, which creates a cycle of success.

Kalgoorlie operator training up the next generation

As the struggle to nd drivers continues, one WA company is doing its bit to train up youngsters and give them their start in the industry.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

A THIRD generation family owned and operated business, Penns Cartage Contractors was started by Gary Penn in 1969.

In its early days, there were just a couple of small Bedford trucks, used to deliver furniture.

e Kalgoorlie based operation is today managed by his son Jayson Penn, who runs a diverse eet, carting everything from general freight and bulk fuel, to oversize and livestock.

Like many transport companies, Jayson says the struggle to nd good drivers is real. “We have about 15 trucks of our own and three permanent subbies. At one stage we had 19 trucks, but we had to scale back because it was becoming so di cult to get sta – so I gave some of the work and contracts away. I could put 10 drivers on tomorrow if I could get them,”

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN YOUNG PEOPLE UP AND GIVE THEM A GO, FINDING THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND GETTING THEM TO START IN THE YARD, THEN WORK THEIR WAY UP.”

JAYSON

Jayson explained. Penns Cartage Contractors currently employs 12 drivers, along with six people in the workshop and ve ofce sta .

“Up to about 1997, the company was predominantly pastoral based, carting for all the stations around the Gold elds, then we started getting out of that. We still have cattle crates but got rid of our sheep crates. We’ve moved more into low loaders and fuel haulage, predominantly based around mine

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• Current MC/HC driver’s license

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Working at Toll

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sites, as well as some cattle transport.”

Back in 1997, Penns Cartage Contractors also bought its rst low loader. “ at side of the business took o from there. Now we have four 50 tonne oats, an 80 metre oat, and we just took delivery of a 100 tonne oat before Christmas. Before that we were sub-contracting some of the bigger equipment moves out – now we’re able to do it ourselves.”

e trucks predominantly travel around the Gold elds, as well as into Perth, along with into the Granites Gold Mine, over the border in the Northern Territory.

Now 54 years of age, Jayson says he’s been working in the family business since he was just 13; taking the reins as director in 2020.

“When I turned 15, I did a diesel mechanic apprenticeship at another company but was always working in the yard with my father on the

weekends and after work,” he said.

Now he’s hoping to help train up the next generation. His eldest son Zachery runs the workshop, along with doing some of the driving; his daughter Brittany works in the o ce; and his younger son Frazer is a company driver.

“I’ve put my youngest son Frazer on the 100 tonne oat, he’s predominantly on that all the time now,” said Jayson, who also revealed it’s been a struggle to get more drivers coming through the door.

“People aren’t coming through the system anymore. We just don’t get anyone. ere used to be more people coming over from the east coast, but in the last few years it’s dried up. It’s not just us, there are other companies shutting down because they just can’t nd people. And it’s not only transport either, even shops and mechanical businesses are closing be

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All applicants must be entitled to work in Australia and be prepared to undergo a criminal history check, pre-employment medical and/ or drug & alcohol testing as required.

Jayson Penn (second from left) with his children Brittany, Zachary and Frazer Penn, who are all part of the business.

PENN

cause they can’t get workers,” Jayson revealed.

“We want to be able to train young people up and give them a go, nding the right people and getting them to start in the yard,

then work their way up.”

And that’s exactly what Jayson did when he was approached by Aaron Morley. Now 27, he came into the business four years ago after relocating from the east.

“He was a salesman and knew absolutely nothing about trucks at all. When he moved here from Tasmania, he was looking for a job, so we trained him up. He started out working in the yard, and then he got his licence, and then upgraded it. He’s great now – he’s going really well and has the right attitude. Aaron is now on our 80-tonne oat and can do anything, whether it’s at tops, low-loaders or road trains.”

Adding to the problem of driver shortages, Jayson says, is the unwillingness of many transport operators to train young people up from scratch. “ e trainer responsibility today is de nitely a factor. Some of the major companies just aren’t putting their time into new people.

“ e issue we have is that there’s no one coming through and the skills aren’t there, so we need to try and train people up. You need to go out and load stu with them. Every day is something di erent. You teach them how to tie down, how to load and unload correctly. You need to spend time with them and put the e ort in.”

Jayson’s brother Brendon Penn, who runs a crane business called Brendon Penn Crane Hire, is having the same issues with attracting and recruiting sta – and he’s taken a similar approach to Jayson. “My brother Brendon is doing the same thing on the crane side, by getting young people in and training them up.”

Oering the best of both worlds for this horse lover

BY ALF WILSON

Emma Parkinson reckons her pet horse Banjo has compiled many “frequent trucking points” after all the times the gelding has travelled in her trusty Mitsubishi Fuso.

Big Rigs saw Parkinson riding the 10-year-old Banjo as they were leaving the Wingen Showgrounds near Scone, NSW, in early January.

With them was her seven-year-old cross cattle dog Skippy.

Parkinson, 37, has had the 1996 Mitsubishi for a year and drives it far and wide with up to ve horses in the

trailer.

“I purchased it from a local guy, who had driven it many places, as far as Queensland.

“He had to downsize and it is perfect for what I do. It may be an old girl but starts rst pop every time,” Parkinson said.

I discovered from sources that Parkinson is a celebrity in the Scone district which is described as the horse capital of Australia.

“I take the horses to Campdraft events which are popular around here and ride Banjo around,” she said.

Parkinson mounts Banjo at the Gold Coast Races

where they are “clerks of the course”.

“I also got to the Magic Millions sales up there,” she said.

“Twelve years ago I worked at Livestock Transport Group which had 20 trucks and loved it.”

ese days Parkinson is employed as operations manager at Vinery Stud which is an elite thoroughbred farm, between Aberdeen and Scone. She was surprised to hear that less than two per cent of Australian truck drivers are female.

“I thought it would be about 20 per cent,” she said.

73

Easter Group, located in Wacol, provides time sensitive road transporting solutions to many companies throughout Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.

We are a family owned business, operating since 1976. We currently have the following positions available:

OPERATIONS ALLOCATORS

(Brisbane based only)

You will be required to work on a rotating roster including Days-Nights-Weekends

Previous Operations experience preferred.

(Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Based)

Come and work for us as we are committed to:

• Training and further education • Your safety

• Maintaining an impressive Fleet

On offer arepermanent full time and roster positions including paid leave entitlements and public holidays. Drivers will need to be available to be scheduled for work falling across the 7 days of the week.

The successful Applicant will:

• Hold a current MC licence (minimum two years)

• Have knowledge of the HVNL and Load Restraint

• Be professional

• Be reliable

To apply for the Operations/Driver positions please contact Operations Manager or by emailing your resume to

WORKSHOP MECHANICS & TYRE FITTERS WANTED (Brisbane

based only)

To apply for Mechanic positions please forward your resume to Workshop Manager via email to employment@kseaster.com.au

Truck driver Aaron Morley came into the company without any experience and was trained from the ground up.

Emma and her dog Skippy at Wingen Showgrounds.