EDITOR
A QUEENSLAND truckie has told how he had $1800 worth of equipment stolen from his truck at the road train pads in Mareeba earlier this month.
Gavan Roy split up a road train in Mareeba before driving to Cairns with a single –only to come back the next day to discover the straps had been taken off his truck’s load and the toolbox raided.
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“I had three cars on the deck, and someone has gone and helped themselves to the eight straps that were on them,” he told Big Rigs.
“They also opened the toolbox and took another 20 straps and ratchets out of there, along with probably 10 chains and dogs.”
Roy, who is chief operations officer for Rob Roy Earthmoving but spends most of his time on the road, thinks
it might have been a fellow truckie who stole the gear.
“I don’t want to point the finger and say for sure it was another truck driver, but it seems like it might be that
way,” he said.
“I don’t know what anyone else is going to do with chains and dogs.”
Roy reported the theft but wasn’t feeling optimistic about
his chances of getting the items back.
“I went to the police but nothing has come of it so far,” he said.
“Really, what are they going to do about it?
“There are no cameras, or anything like that there, so I don’t know how they would find who did it.
“There are also no lights there – it’s completely dark.”
He said he’s been using the pads at Mareeba for years with no issues.
“The most that has ever happened to me is one or two straps going missing if someone needed to tie something down on the road – not the whole lot being taken,” he said.
He wanted to give other truckies a warning to be careful.
“There were another couple
of flat tops on the pads when I was there and they looked like they might have had a couple of straps taken off their gates,” he said.
“There were a couple of gates hanging at the side without straps on them.
“We’re going to have to start padlocking toolboxes.”
Roy was “pissed off” by the theft, but resigned himself to forking out for new gear and moving on.
However, since Big Rigs published this story on our website, a fellow operator has been in touch with Roy to offer a potential solution.
“There’s a bloke in Townsville who is retired, and he messaged me offering some of his equipment, to replace what was stolen,” he said.
“That was really decent of him. There are still some good people in this industry!”
A ROAD safety equipment manufacturer has been convicted and fined $650,000 after a 34-year-old truck driver was fatally crushed by a falling steel barrier at a Nar Nar Goon depot.
Saferoads Pty Ltd, trading as Road Safety Rentals, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on May 24 after pleading guilty to two charges under the Occupational Health
and Safety Act. The company was fined $425,000 for failing to ensure persons other than employees were not exposed to risks to their health or safety and a further $225,000 for failing to ensure that the workplace and the means of entering and leaving it were safe and without risks to health.
In November 2021, a forklift was being used to unload stacked road safety barriers
weighing about 925kg each from a flatbed semi-trailer, when an unrestrained barrier fell from the truck onto the delivery driver, who was standing close by.
The truck driver sustained crush injuries to his head and neck, and sadly died at the scene.
A WorkSafe investigation found that while there were standard operating procedures
and a safe work method statement (SWMS) prepared for the task, the company did not enforce these procedures and did not provide information to delivery drivers about them.
CCTV footage from the preceding days showed multiple instances of loading and unloading where people were standing near trucks and in the area where forklifts were operating.
According to WorkSafe Victoria, it was reasonably practicable for the company to have controlled the risk by ensuring pedestrians were physically separated from mobile plant during loading and unloading and ensuring procedures developed for the work were communicated with delivery drivers and followed.
Big Rigs has contacted Saferoads Pty Ltd for comment.
INDUSTRY fears that transport ministers would quash much-needed changes to the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) have been appeased, somewhat, since their recent meeting in Brisbane.
But many concerning questions still remain about just what the final law will look like.
Details in the communique released after the June 7 summit are vague and don’t really address any specifics, particularly on the issue of changes to fatigue management.
“Ministers agreed to recommendations providing access for heavy vehicles that are slightly longer and heavier, subject to adequate safety assurances,” said the latest meeting notice.
“Ministers discussed the need for ongoing consideration of road maintenance and resilience, and joint investments that support productivity, liveability and sustainability. Ministers also requested the NTC undertake a review of the adequacy of licensing and accreditation arrangements
for heavy vehicle drivers, and report back to the next meeting.”
When Big Rigs asked for more clarity, a department spokesperson told us that ministers “considered the scope” of the Decision Regulatory Impact Statement (D-RIS) that is being finalised by the National Transport Commission (NTC).
“Once the D-RIS is finalised by the NTC, ministers will formally consider the proposed changes to the regulations,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
“Together with changes to primary law agreed last year, these will be included in the legislative package being prepared for introduction into the Queensland Parliament.”
The probe into heavy vehicle licensing requirements is expected to be completed by the end of the year, the spokesperson added.
“Fatigue management recommendations will be considered through the D-RIS process.”
The resulting legislative package will be provided to ministers in late 2024, ahead
of introduction into the Queensland Parliament next year.
Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon gave the latest update from ministers a “marginal” five out of 10 report card, with a “could be doing a whole lot better” summary.
“They have given the goahead to what I’d call some concessions for reform, but overall that package looks like an administrative update rather than a reform initiative of the scale of what we had in the 90s,” Mahon said.
Mahon understands that there is likely to be an extension to 20 metres for general access and some of the weight variations will change, from GCM to CML.
“It is a small concession to some efficiency measures. Beyond that there is not a lot.
“I’m not aware of any genuine reform to the fatigue management construct or access arrangements.
“They might be moving around some application process, and things like that, but fundamentally we’re still in a very dated mechanism of in-
dividual approvals for individual movements, rather than a genuine shift toward notices, or systematising some of the movements that are a matter of almost standard practice every day.”
Mahon dismissed the licensing review as “déjà vu all over again”.
“All-in-all it can hardly qualify in any respect for what you might call a reform package and we really need to get back to taking on bite-sized chunks and get them implemented.
“Part of the problem is they’re trying to do too much at once.”
South Australian Road Transport Association executive officer Steve Shearer said there was widespread industry concern in the lead-up to the meeting that ministers would reject almost all of Ken Kanofski’s recommendation package.
“So, it is very good to see advice from Minister King’s office saying that fatigue recommendations will be considered through the D-RIS process.
“This still begs the question, however, of which fatigue recommendations; Ken Kanofs-
ki’s or some recommendations put forward by officials opposing the Kanofski recommendations?
“Hopefully it’s the former and ministers will make the sound decision of moving the HVNL forward with more effective fatigue management rules that actually help manage fatigue, rather than maintaining the ineffective status quo of the HVNL where we are forced to simply manage compliance with counting rules and not fatigue itself.”
Shearer said it was pleasing to read that ministers have heard the industry’s growing
concern about the inadequacy of the HV driver licencing regime and standards and the consequential growing onroad behavioural problems.
“We must make the necessary changes to ensure that every HV driver, regardless of their origin, including sixth-generation Australians, are properly trained and competency-based assessed before being issued with a HV licence for Hire and Reward work.
“This must include greater focus on ensuring that all HV drivers have the appropriate culture of safe HV driving on Australian roads.”
AS part of the 2024-25 Queensland State Budget, annual Bruce Highway funding is set to receive a boost and a whole-of-corridor fatigue management strategy has been put on the table.
The Queensland Government has announced it will increase its annual Bruce Highway funding commitment to $250 million a year from 2027-28.
It’s hoped the additional funding will help ensure progressive upgrade works can continue on the Bruce; and allow for the completion of various projects designed to take pressure off the Bruce – such as the Inland Freight Route.
An audit of heavy vehicle rest areas at priority sites between Brisbane and Cairns has been put forward, to explore the opportunity for additional rest areas and upgrades to existing facilities.
A rest area advisory group is also set to be established, made up of road users including truck drivers and the heavy vehicle industry.
The Bruce Highway currently carries a significant volume of traffic, ranging from about 2600 vehicles per day around
St Lawrence, north of Rockhampton, to around 165,000 near the Pine River, north of Brisbane.
Heavy vehicle volumes travelling sections of the Bruce Highway range between 600 to 23,000 vehicles per day.
Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon said he’d like to see more “substantial investments” in the state’s road system, including the Bruce.
“We need to ramp up the investment in the Bruce and if we need to debt finance, fair enough because road investment is one of the key foundation stones of economic energy.
“We’re pleased to see the
continuation of investment in the Inland Freight Route.
“We’re not happy to see that the continuation of just enough money being put into the Bremer River Bridge that will bring it back to its capability in 2014, which still puts us way behind the eight-ball.
“We’ve now also got a circumstance arising in North Queensland at the Barron River Bridge that it’s going to be under speed and other controls that are growing over the next 12 months.
“We’re going to have to reroute even waste trucks out of Cairns to their normal destination because they’re not going to be able to use that bridge.”
Mahon said bridge investment and its prioritisation needs a “substantial revisit” in Queensland.
Mahon was also disappointed to hear about registration discounts in the budget for everybody except the trucking industry.
He was, however, encouraged to see greater interest in rest areas that accommodate all motorists and has been working closely with RACQ on this issue in the wake of the “alarming” nature and severity of incidents on the state’s roads recently.
“Clearly fatigue is an issue for all motorists, and not exclusive to the truck-driving fraternity.”
THE National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has announced the details of increases to the cost of access permits, accreditations and work diaries, along with hikes in fines for heavy vehicle drivers and operators.
The increases, which the regulator says are in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), will be effective from July 1.
Access permits for Class 1, 2 or 3 are set to go up from $83 to $88, as are HML permits.
An Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM) accreditation application will increase from $153 to $162, and a Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) application will also go up to $107 from $101.
A maintenance accreditation application will now cost $107 as opposed to $101, and vehicles to be nominated or remain in accreditation modules will cost $39 per vehicle (up from $37).
The same goes for mass accreditation, increasing to $107 and $39 per vehicle.
The cost of a work diary will go up from $28 to $30.
Meanwhile Heavy Vehicle National Law infringement penalties are also set to increase – you can find the full schedule for the 2024/2025 financial year on the NHVR website (www.nhvr.gov.au).
As an example, the infringement for a driver of a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle not carrying a work diary will increase from $758 to $800.
A spokesperson for the NHVR said it reviews its fees annually in line with CPI increases.
“For services where fees are applied, the NHVR works on a cost remediation model and the fees are designed to cover part of the cost of providing these services to industry,” they said.
“In 2024/25 it has been determined, to help maintain a sustainable business model, that the NHVR will be increasing fees in line with CPI increases.
“The NHVR’s priority remains on ensuring safety and efficiency on Australia’s roads and the adjustment reflects the rising costs of maintaining and improving our services.”
The spokesperson pointed out that in 2020/21, the NHVR implemented a fee freeze to help provide financial relief to the road transport industry during the pandemic.
They added: “Where possible, the NHVR will always support operators by removing cost barriers – we want to encourage heavy vehicle businesses to focus on their safety and that of other road users.”
For the fifth straight month in 2024, Volvo has trumped arch-rival Kenworth, ending May with a 178 year-to-date (YTD) advantage over the long-time market leader.
According to the latest delivery numbers from the Truck Industry Council (TIC), Volvo notched 339 deliveries for the month, lifting it to a YTD tally of 1480 and a 21.3 per cent market share.
Kenworth recorded 316 for May, bringing its 2024 total to 1302 and a 18.7 per cent slice of the heavies’ pie.
It was a similar story at the top in 2023 at the same time last year, with Volvo a narrow leader on 1301 and Kenworth nipping at its heels on 1286 before a late charge in the final quarter wrestled the crown back.
Overall, it was another bumper month in May for the OEMs in the heavy-duty sector.
May’s numbers sees the segment increase by 65 trucks, or 5.7 per cent, when compared to May 2023 sales.
Isuzu rode the spending surge to notch 226 for the month, which takes its YTD
total to 994 and tightens the grip on third spot.
Scania (156) and Mercedes-Benz (102) rounded out the top five in the market with triple-figure numbers. From there, Mack (99) and UD Trucks (90) weren’t far behind, with the likes of Hino (72), Fuso (55) and DAF (49) helping contribute to a heavy-duty sector that delivered 1615 new vehicles in May. In the medium sector, Isuzu improved yet again for May, topping the leaderboard with
404 deliveries. The medium-duty truck giant continues to go from strength-tostrength in 2024, having now delivered 1676 trucks in the sector so far in 2024 to nearly double the next best manufacturer.
A comfortable second place belonged to Hino with 203 deliveries made in May, with Fuso rounding out a distanced top three with 86 sales for the month.
From there, Hyundai (15) and Iveco (10) were the only
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other brands to record double-figure sales for the month in a segment that recorded 750 new units delivered in May.
Overall, the sector once again performed wel as a whole, increasing its delivery numbers by 9.2 per cent, or 91 units, when compared to the corresponding month last year.
In the lights, it was similar story for overall leader Isuzu, recording a whopping 658
sales in May to bring its YTD figure up to 2601.
Having sold just over half of the entire segment’s vehicles in May, it’s no surprise that the next best brand, Fuso, dropped down to 186 sales for the month.
From there it tightened up, with Hino (145) and Iveco (127) all pushing for second place ahead of a pack that includes Mercedes-Benz (64) and Fiat (56).
TIC said the light-duty truck
sales are “really struggling in 2024” when compared to the other market segments.
“May was another strong month for heavy vehicle sales, with all except the light-duty segment posting gains over May 2023,” TIC CEO Tony McMullan said.
“Those weaker than normal light truck sales are tempering the overall heavy vehicle sales numbers in 2024, however, the market still looks set for a new first half year sales record, with just June sales to come.”
“June is typically a strong month for trucks sales as we reach the end of our financial year and the signs are all positive that we will reach the halfway point of 2024 with a result that will rewrite the record books for heavy vehicle sales in Australia.”
YTD the result for the total market is tracking above this time last year by 574 vehicles, up 3.1 per cent, with a total of 18,915 heavy vehicles sold to the end of May.
“These strong sales are a good indicator that business confidence remains strong in the road freight sector,” McMullan added.
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BY DANIELLE GULLACI
AFTER 12 years at the helm of Nighthawk Transport, Joce Dunning and Malcolm Bishop have sold their business to new owners Marlu Transport Solutions, which plans to continue driving the business forward.
Nighthawk Transport was started over 40 years ago, with Joce and Malcolm owning the company for the past 12 years. Starting with just three prime movers, they were able to grow that to a fleet of over 20 trucks.
The company services remote communities across the Northern Territory, with depots in Darwin, Katherine and Nhulunbuy. It delivers food products and general freight.
Despite their success over more than a decade, Joce and Malcolm decided the time was right to retire and move back to their farm property in New South Wales.
For the owners of Marlu Transport Solutions, company director Alex McPhee and chief operating officer Saturn Turnbull, Nighthawk Transport was
seen as the perfect extension of their business – as both shared similar values and a strong commitment to remote communities.
Alex is a traditional owner of the Noongar, Nyamal and Nyiyaparli Countries in WA. Both he and Saturn spent over 10 years doing FIFO work for WA’s mining industry – and it was there that they met in 2016.
In some Indigenous dialects, the word Marlu means “the big red kangaroo” which is the name Alex was given by the elders when he was a child. “It’s his spirit animal, so that’s why we carry the big roo as our symbol,” said Saturn.
While Alex is a qualified dual tradesman working as a heavy diesel mechanic and auto electrician, Saturn is an exercise physiologist who delivered health services at the mines.
Their move into transport has been a progressive one, started when they first launched their own business in 2019.
Though they planned to
eventually move into road transport, life took them in other directions before it came to fruition.
As Saturn explained, “We started off as Marlu Resources Group in 2019. The original plan was emergency service vehicles for the mines but then Covid hit and it forced us to change our business structure.
“We were given the opportunity to provide security services to the Nullagine gold mine in WA, as this is the traditional land of Alex. So we got our licences and started supplying security services out there.”
Another business also spawned during Covid, called Jila Water & Coffee Beans.
“In 2022, we ended up getting our first really big security contract with Pilbara Minerals. It was a three year contract and now we have about 40 full-time security officers on the ground across WA.”
From there, they began providing emergency service teams to mine sites, which led to the formation of Marlu
Health, which now also has a couple of occupational health clinics – one in Perth and the other in South Hedland.
But as Saturn explained, “The one thing that connected all of those businesses together was transport. There was an opportunity out there in the transport space for traditional land owners, particularly with some of the major mining companies. It also aligned with Alex’s trades.”
It was however a long road to get there. Saturn says their first attempt at acquiring a transport business was in 2020. “It’s taken us four years and three failed acquisition attempts to get here.
“We lost a lot of money in the process, have a lot more grey hairs and absolutely didn’t expect to be working in the
Northern Territory, however Nighthawk Transport aligned best with the sort of business we were both after.
“I know it’s so cliché but the foundation of our business has been through a lot of blood, sweat and tears.”
As Marlu Transport Solutions continued to look for the perfect fit to join their stable of businesses, they employed sub-contractors to deliver to and from the mines. “We did that so that once we got our own transport company, we could swap those trucks out with our own trucks,” Saturn added.
“Nighthawk isn’t as big as your Tolls or Centurions or Neil Mansells – it’s smaller, a lot more boutique and goes out to the communities.
“Nighthawk is a real fam-
ily business that is built on customer service – and that’s where we’ve come from too.
“Joce and Malcolm didn’t want to sell to a bigger company, they wanted the continuity of their business, continuing on with their values.
“Nighthawk Transport aligns well with us as an Indigenous business. It was the perfect relationship. We knew we were coming into a company that already had these things in place.”
With the acquisition, Nighthawk Transport will retain around 30 of its existing employees. “And that was important to us,” said Saturn, “because it’s about supporting local. Even though we’re an Indigenous company from WA, it’s important for us to be able to hire locals.”
As the couple take the reins of their newest business venture, Saturn revealed that plans are also rapidly progressing on the acquisition of a Perth based transport operation. “We’re looking to replicate a similar move and fleet size in Perth,” she said.
Currently, among its other freight services, Nighthawk does runs between Darwin to Katherine each night. Once the next acquisition is complete, it will allow Saturn and Alex to have regular runs between Darwin and Perth.
As she explained, “Eventually we will look at the opportunity to purchase or acquire businesses in Queensland and South Australia. We’re already doing runs out to north Queensland
EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM
A FIRED up note from Cam Dumesny, the CEO of the Western Roads Federation, to members resonated as we near the half-way mark to the year.
In a recent email he argued that the transport industry does not receive the respect it deserves, especially when you factor in that the freight and logistics industry accounts for approximately 8.6 per cent of Australia’s GDP.
I couldn’t agree more. Sure, you’ll hear the rhetoric from pollies and other luminaries about how vital truck drivers are, but where’s the hard evidence they really mean it. Qld Premier Steven Miles splashed cash in his latest budget, but not a brass razoo came the way of your average truckie, and the NHVR had no qualms about across-the-board admin and fine hikes from July 1, citing consumer price index increases as the justification.
As Dumesny also said, start listening to the drivers, not the the back-seat commentators.
THE announcement of the NHVR’s annual price hike, which comes into effect on July 1 this year, has not gone down well with truckies.
Many pointed out that the increases will make life more difficult for drivers and transport operators already struggling with the cost of living.
Reader Robert Hudson said: “Just makes it harder to live. Wonder how many throw the keys away and call it quits?”
“The tossers can’t go without digging their heels in and making it tougher for
hard workers during a cost of living crisis,” added Chris Elmore.
Others suggested truckies go on strike to teach the NHVR a lesson.
Derwent Fraser said: “Just remember everything moves on a truck. Stick together and it could bring it all in line. One big strike, everyone stay home. Two or three days would sort it.”
Colin Dicinoski argued that organising a strike wouldn’t be effective, as drivers would be too scared of losing their income.
He added: “Companies
will find drivers to fill your seat in a heartbeat.”
The cost of work diaries, access permits and more is set to increase from July. Image: JavierBallesterLegua/ stock.adobe.com
WHEN Big Rigs reader and long-time truckie Cameron Deans shared his concerns about safety issues for truck drivers running east to west, including the dangers posed by a lack of experience on the roads, his comments received overwhelming support online.
Steve Poppa Ryder wrote: “It needs to be harder to get into the industry. Training and more training as you work your way up the ranks from LR to MC with a min 1 year in each class full time driving and possibly a safety course thrown in.”
Darren Coleman echoed this sentiment: “Should go back to when you had to do each level of license and have it for 12 months before you
moved to the next level. At least then, you have at least 5 years before you end up steering a double, triple, and bigger,” he said.
While Drew Swift added:
“Nothing will change until the roads are recognised as a workplace. That will never happen though as it means shires and governments would be held accountable.”
AN opinion piece arguing that the time has come for the Australian trucking industry to embrace zero emissions technology prompted some sceptical reactions from Big Rigs readers.
While Matthew Deer agreed with our columnist Kylie Johnson that Australia is behind the times when it comes to moving to electric trucks, he didn’t see that changing any time soon.
“Australia is already miles behind the rest of the world in everything and this is no different,” he wrote. “As I say, this is Australia where nothing happens in a hurry…”
Reader Clyde Stocks also
thought there’s no way Australia will be transitioning to zero emissions as quickly as Johnson thinks we should.
“We’ll still be using diesel in Australia in 20 years,” he added.
Meanwhile Big Rigs fan
John Clarke wondered: “Why is it so important to have electric trucks when diesel is so efficient and readily available everywhere and the engines can be rebuilt many times?” And reader Brenton James asked the question on all our lips: “How much do these trucks cost?”
Reader Brad McPherson was supportive of the move. “This is how it should be done. From singles to road trains. Get the basic principles down before getting in the seat. Helped me ten-fold when I was doing my licenc-
ing,” he said. However Rhys Burrows disagreed: “A simulator is nothing like a real truck so is essentially useless nonsense.”
While Xander Mcmillan said: “They’ll never replace the real deal and this one isn’t trying to do that. It’s the same as how mining companies train new dumpy operators on how to control dangerous situations like loaded slides and that seems to work.”
Adam Thurling added that while he doesn’t believe such a simulator would be useless, it’s “nothing like the real deal for experience”.
Truckies raise $35,000
The popular Tassie Truck Run has celebrated a record year, raising $35,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Tasmania, with the cheque handed over earlier this month.
Now in its 41st year, the Truck Run took place in March, with over 200 trucks taking to the highways before converging on the Longford Showgrounds.
The Truck Run is hosted by the Tasmanian Truck Owners and Operators Association. This is the fourth year the event has supported the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS).
RFDS says part of the donation will go towards conducting free health checks for transport workers, as part of the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s Open Roads program – being run in conjunction with mental health and wellbeing initiative Rural Alive and Well (RAW) and the Tasmanian Transport Association (TTA).
$1.3 billion sale
Mineral Resources (MinRes) has entered into a binding agreement with Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners for the sale of a 49 per cent interest in Onslow Iron’s dedicated haul road at a cost of $1.3 billion.
The haul road is a key component of an autonomous road train project developed by MinRes, where driverless road trains capable of carrying 330 tonnes of iron ore will be put to work.
The 150km dual lane haul road links the Ken’s Bore mine site to the Port of Ashburton. Through the deal, MinRes will retain majority ownership and exclusive rights to use, operate and maintain the haul road.
30 new cameras
As part of the 2024-25 South Australian State Budget, $38.7 million will be spent on the new road safety cameras. This will include 12 additional red light speed cameras installed in 2024-25, and three additional point-to-point cameras installed in 2025-26. All revenue from these speed cameras and mobile phone detection cameras will go to the Community Road Safety Fund which allocates money towards safety initiatives such as policing, infrastructure projects, black spots, education and training programs, road safety campaigns, road safety community grants and bike education in schools.
Victoria Police has issued its first ever notice to surrender for a heavy vehicle, after the driver was caught driving with a suspended licence.
The Greater Dandenong Highway Patrol detected the truck doing a delivery on the Princes Highway in Hallam at around 2pm, on Thursday May 30.
The 33-year-old male driver from Berwick was found to have a suspended license due to a prior drink driving offence. He was issued a notice to surrender the truck for a period of 30 days at a cost of $675. He will also be charged on summons with drive whilst suspended and breach alcohol interlock condition.
BY KAYLA WALSHA two-up couple have shared their frustration after a fellow truckie fell ill while on the Barkly Highway in the Northern Territory and was left waiting over four hours for an ambulance that never arrived.
Karen and Stephen Ceissman were on their way home to Tin Can Bay in Queensland in the middle of the night when they heard a call over the UHF.
“We heard someone call out ‘Is that you Steve and Karen?’ on the radio around 2.45am,” Karen said.
“The caller identified themselves and said they were opposite the Barkly Homestead in their truck and felt really crook.
“My husband was asleep but I knew the driver very well, so I didn’t hesitate to stop.”
When the Ceissmans pulled over, they found their friend dripping in sweat and retching.
“He said he had never felt so sick before,” Karen said.
“At first I thought it was maybe appendicitis or even a heart attack, but he wasn’t grey around the gills.
“Then I thought maybe it was severe food poisoning as he had been trying to throw up but couldn’t.”
The sick driver said he had called the ambulance services at Tennant Creek about half an hour before Stephen and Karen arrived.
“I know it’s about a two to two-and-a-half hour drive from Tennant Creek, so I said I would wait with our friend until the ambulance arrived,” Karen added.
“About 10 minutes after I got there, he called again just to check, and the ambulance services said they definitely had an ambulance on the way.”
Karen continued to wait with the truckie, who eventually managed to vomit.
“He said he felt a bit better
after that, and we could go if we wanted.
“I figured the ambulance would only be about an hour away at that stage.
“I didn’t want to leave him but I had a medical appointment at home that I couldn’t miss, and he did look a bit better.
“So we left and said we would check in with him when we next got phone range.”
When Karen finally managed to get in touch with her friend again, he said he had fallen asleep and woken up at 6.30am to find a message on his phone from the ambulance service.
“They were making a welfare check on him,” she said.
“They hadn’t sent an ambulance because they couldn’t find one to send!”
THEY HADN’T SENT AN AMBULANCE BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T FIND ONE TO SEND!”
KAREN CEISSMAN
Karen is very upset at what happened because she said the situation could have turned out very badly for her friend.
“I’m absolutely gobsmacked,” she said.
“It’s bad enough the amount of time he had to wait to start with, but then not to have sent an ambulance at all, especially after he confirmed it was on the way?
“What if he’d had a burst appendix, or worse?”
She understands that the ambulance services in the
Northern Territory are under-resourced, but she said that needs to change.
“It’s not the first time we’ve come across situations like this,” she said.
“Considering many drivers are on the older side, especially out here with the road trains, it’s very scary.
“My husband is in his 60s –what if something happens to him?
“It’s just not good enough.”
Director of Ambulance Services St John NT, Andrew Thomas, told big Rigs that St. John NT “regrets that the patient had this experience” but it should be noted that they only have one emergency ambulance crew contracted to provide services in Tennant Creek, covering a 250km radius from the town centre.
“Unfortunately, in this in-
stance, at the time that the call was received, our Tennant Creek crew was attending a higher priority case and not available for some time,” he said.
“Based on the clinical assessment of the patient over three separate phone calls, the time and distance to Barkly Homestead in the early hours of the morning, and the low acuity nature of the call, the response was delayed for the oncoming day shift commencing at 6am.
“When we called the patient at 6.35am he cancelled the ambulance indicting he felt much better and no longer required assistance.
“We acknowledge that we could have kept the patient better informed of our availability and are pleased to hear that his condition has improved.”
A 69-year-old truckspotter who is battling cancer has reached out to Big Rigs to thank some friendly local truckies for brightening up his day.
Alan “Poddy” Thompson, from Paterson, NSW, was diagnosed with cancer of the spleen four years ago and has been receiving treatment ever since. Thompson said he tries to stay positive, but has some down days – and was having one of those days recently after an appointment at the cancer clinic.
To cheer himself up, he headed to the Pacific Highway, where he stationed himself at Heatherbrae for a bit of truckspotting.
“I was there for two hours and over 90 trucks came past in that time,” he said.
“I took heaps of pics, sitting in the shade.
been a truck driver but is passionate about big rigs.
“I’ve loved trucks ever since I was six years old,” he said.
“My uncle used to drive a coal truck for Gretley Colliery and I went with him a few times during the holidays, back in the 1960s.
“I thought I was bloody king of the road!”
These days, his favourite trucks belong to K S Easter in Brisbane.
“They’re my number one, by a mile,” he said. “I love the look of their trucks.”
“I hope to live long enough to continue my truckspotting.
“I just wanted to take a few minutes to acknowledge the industry that holds Australia together, and say thanks to all the truckies.”
“I had a bloody good time, and it really cheered me up.”
Thompson thinks that truckies get a lot of unfair criticism, and he’s never had a bad experience with a truck driver.
“You hear a lot about crash-
“One hundred per cent of the drivers waved, blew their horns, or both.
es involving truck drivers, but most of the time it’s not the truck driver who is at fault,” he said.
“I have a lot of respect for truckies and I think they have a great attitude.”
Thompson, who was a public servant for 50 years, has never
Thompson got in contact with Big Rigs because he wanted to share some of his snaps and thank truckies for keeping him going when times get hard.
“Taking photos of trucks the other day made me proud to see the effort made by all the drivers,” he said.
“It was my first venture this year due to my cancer and I had a bloody good time.
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Let’s go further®
WITH a rich transport history spanning more than 100 years, the Nolan family has welcomed their fair share of prized trucks to their ever-expanding fleet at Nolan’s Interstate Transport.
But it’s safe to say few – if any – can match the emotional wallop of their latest addition, a stunning Kenworth T610SAR, towing a 28 pallet FTE split quad trailer that’s lighting up social media feeds in head-to-toe purple.
Dedicated to the Icon Cancer Foundation and the importance of its cancer research, the first in the fleet without the company’s traditional green is also a tribute to the role Icon played in patriarch Terry Nolan’s brave fight with renal cell carcinoma (a form of kidney cancer) before losing his battle in 2014 – and now the ongoing challenge son Darren faces with the same disease.
Darren, 53, was diagnosed with renal cell cancer nine years ago, and recently made the difficult decision to take medical retirement from the Gatton-based family business that he ran alongside brother Adrian (aka Flea).
Given the close family history with Icon – Terry and Flea also helped with fundraising over the years – the Nolans jumped at the chance to collaborate again and help raise awareness of the crucial work that Icon does.
Nolan’s partnered with the foundation in 2016, donating one half of an FTE B-double trailer set to the cause, but this year the family raised the bar on every level with the help of a big cast of project partners.
They included Scott Coleman from Brown & Hurley Trucks Darra, Bernie from truck accessory company Blaze Industries, trailer signwriter Fleetmark, FTE trailers, Icepack and Sam’s Signs, for the hand painting of the stunning prime mover artwork.
The final element of the big reveal – none of the Nolan’s staff knew that the prime mover would match the trailers in Icon’s signature purple – was deftly coordinated by Flea’s daughter Caitlin Nolan. Nolan’s buys all its trucks out
of Darra but decided to keep the truck and trailer under wraps at Brown and Hurley’s Toowoomba branch where Caitlin works so the Icon staff from Toowoomba could attend the official unveiling.
“We broke tradition with this one – and we’re all pretty excited about it,” Darren said.
“Deviating from the Nolan’s green to a purple truck is at completely opposite ends of the spectrum, but we felt it was important that the colours matched the overall feel and theme of the trailers.
“Flea made the decision to team the colours together which I think was the right decision. He was the one who put all the blood, sweat and tears into it. It certainly stands out and it’s fantastic advertising.
“I was pretty stocked to see it and share the moment with some of the long-term staff we’ve had at Nolan’s. It was certainly a proud moment and I’d quietly like to hope that Dad is proud of it too.”
Icon Cancer Foundation is a not-for-profit charity that works with Icon Cancer Centre’s national network of doctors and healthcare professionals to fund their vital cancer research.
Both Terry and Darren have had very personal ties with Icon Cancer Centre, as it’s where they both underwent their cancer treatment.
“You can’t underestimate the value of clinical trials because you’re trialling drugs that are later researched and released for wider distribution,” Darren adds.
“I would recommend that if anyone has any type of cancer
and they’re offered treatment, ask if there are any clinical trials available.”
They have been a lifesaver for Darren whose initial tumour, a 6x3cm growth that cost him a kidney later spawned new cancers, known as metastasis, in other parts of his body.
“Currently I’ve got three metastasis in my rib cage; I’ve got some in my lungs. They will pop up in different locations, so the drugs really maintain, if not reduce, the metastasis load.
“It’s terminal. I have stage four cancer, which is the last stage, but my prognosis has been like that for a number of recent years.
“Through the medication, different trials, and other things, and now that I’ve medically retired from the business, it gives me a larger opportunity to focus on health and wellness - otherwise the prognosis is not that great.”
Although thrilled he now gets to spend more time with 15-year-old daughter Adelaide and wife Sarena, not a day goes by that Darren doesn’t think about the business that has been such a big part of his life for so long.
It was more than 30 years ago now, while travelling and working outside the industry, when he first got the call from Terry to come home to help revered workshop manager, the late Craig Roseneder, get
the company’s fatigue management and TruckSafe program up and running, among other projects – and he never left.
With Flea running the dayto-day fleet operations, and Darren the back-of-house compliance, Nolan’s Interstate Transport has grown into one of the biggest family-run operations in Australia. It boasts depots in Bowen, Gatton, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne – and a cabinet trophy stacked with awards, including Woolworths Group’s Large Carrier of the Year for 2019.
“There’s been significant changes and there’s a huge amount of credit I give to my father for that, and my mother [Daphne] – she’s the silent assassin behind the scenes,” laughs the always humble Darren.
“She still works there every single day, and she probably gets there around 5am in the morning and finishes at 6pm at night, so she’s instrumental.
“But, yeah, when Dad passed, all of the roles changed. He took it to a certain point, but I really have to give a huge shout-out to my brother Flea because he was the one who wanted to grow the business, and making sure it was achieving what we needed to achieve. We started to look at it from a different strategy point of view, and things started to just
get bigger and bigger.”
Pushed for highlights, Darren says he’s proud of the role he played in implementing a new national transport management system and engaging with industry bodies and associations in a bid to push governments for better outcomes.
But nothing tops the people he’s met along the way, says Darren, who also won the prestigious Don Watson Memorial Award in 2022 for conspicuous service to the Australian trucking industry.
“The people make the workplace, and the customers. It was a pleasure to come to work every day in the family business where you walk in, you get to say gidday to the workers, and also to your mum and brother.
“I walk into Flea’s office, no appointment necessary. We all operated on that same premise. If you wanted access to our offices, you just walked in, and I don’t think there are too many businesses out there today where you can do that.”
It was also that open-door approach that meant concerned staff always felt comfortable enough to ask Darren about his ongoing health battle.
Often, Darren would also end up helping them as a result: “Many times, I encouraged them to go to the doctors to get tested, and some of those tests confirmed that
they were dealing with cancer themselves.
“You really have to be your own advocate in all of this. In our industry, men don’t talk to other men a lot, they keep things really close to their chest and in a way a doctor is almost a forbidden word.
“But I really encourage them to speak up and go and see someone about it. If you let these things linger, they turn from something that is manageable into something that is not.
“Don’t bury your head in the sand – if something’s not right, go get it checked.”
Icon Cancer Foundation (ICF) is a not-for-profit charity that works with Icon Cancer Centre’s national network of doctors and healthcare professionals to fund their vital cancer research and clinical trials. Its mission has always remained the same – to promote and fund innovative research to give patients longer, better lives.
“As a family, we really wanted to give back to an organisation that has helped us and others. Terry never felt like he was just another number, and everyone at Icon were extremely caring during his treatment,” said Flea’s wife, Sandie Nolan.
“We believe if we can help with funds for ICF to continue with their research and clinical trials, it may just help give cancer patients and their families some hope, or at least a little bit of extra time to spend together.”
For more info, visit iconcancerfoundation. org.au where you’ll also find details on how to donate. TruckSafe has already pledged $5000.
A Queensland-based transport operator will ‘Go Pink’ as part of the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s annual fundraising initiative that’s held each June.
BY DANIELLE GULLACIEIGHT of the company’s trucks, staff uniforms and even the logo at LogicHaul have had a pink makeover in a bid to raise much-needed funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s Go Pink initiative.
Go Pink aims to bring the community together each year in June to make a proud pink pledge and raise funds for world-class breast cancer research.
LogicHaul owner Adam Magree says the idea to support Go Pink came about as the result of one of his staff members, Kirsty Sharwood, being diagnosed with the disease.
“In the last 12 months, we’ve had a valued member of the team get diagnosed with breast cancer and she’s had to have a double mastectomy,” he said.
“When Kirsty started working with us, she was someone that just fitted straight into the business. She’s a great worker and a single mum with an 11-year-old daughter,” he explained.
“Kirsty is still working with us and looks to have gotten through the worst of it now.”
It was only when Adam announced his plans to ‘Go Pink’ for breast cancer that he found out just how many of his staff
Though Adam admits, “When I found out she had breast cancer, it was a bit of a shock to me as I hadn’t had anyone close get diagnosed with it. So it was hard to watch her battle through and have to do that as a single parent. The business looked after her throughout her treatment, which was the right thing to do.
members had been impacted by the disease through family or friends who had battled or were still battling through it.
Based in Yatala, Queensland, LogicHaul also has a second depot in Sydney. It specialises in palletised freight, travelling as far north as Cairns and as far south as Melbourne.
Most of the freight is building products, including pavers, bricks, tiles, etc – with Adbri Masonry, MD Bricks and National Tiles being among their biggest clients.
Currently LogicHaul operates a fleet of about 30 prime movers across the Brisbane and Sydney locations, with over 40 trailers operating as semis and B-doubles. Most of the trailers are equipped with Moffat forklifts for unloading at construction and residential sites.
The eight trucks that have been wrapped in pink were strategically chosen in order to spread the message as far as possible. “There are some that operate from the Brisbane and Sydney depots, and some that operate out of customers’ yards
at Newcastle and the Sunshine Coast,” said Adam.
He explained that the idea of going pink started relatively small and then just snowballed.
“To raise money, some of the ideas we floated were to cut or die our hair. But then we said let’s go all out and get our trucks stickered pink and get pink uniforms. For drivers and mechanics, we’ve got pink high vis shirts and for office staff we’ve ordered pink polos. For those wanting to wear the pink uniforms, we’ve asked staff for donations of whatever they’d like to contribute.”
“And our logo is a gold eagle, so we’ve made that pink now too.
“We’ll also see if any of our customers want to do something with our trucks to help raise awareness and money for breast cancer.”
Since hitting the road with their new pink makeovers, Adam says the trucks have been turning heads. “The amount of notice that the trucks are getting already has been really great. People from far and wide have made contact with
us after seeing the trucks on the road.”
The initial fundraising target Adam had set was $5000, but before June had even started the LogicHaul team were already halfway there. Adam says he and his team are hoping to raise as much money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation as they can.
“We’re asking people for donations and also running a raffle too,” he added. “By having our drivers in pink, it gets the visual effect out there so hopefully people can ask questions and donate it they wish to.”
SINCE taking over this remote Queensland roadhouse in March, new owners Corey and Sam Johns have been committed to providing their customers with good old fashioned service.
When the previous owners of the Kynuna Roadhouse decided to sell up so they could retire, the husband and wife team saw the place as a good opportunity to try something new.
“Roadhouses are a dying thing really,” said Corey, 52. “When the opportunity came up, we had a think about it and whether we were up for being here seven days a week. Sam and I decided we’d take it on.
“These days there aren’t that many good places for truck drivers to stop anymore. There are plenty on the coast but coming inland there aren’t
many at all. And all these bypasses are making it hard for truck drivers to get into these places too.
“Here, we’re trying to provide our customers with a good feed, good prices, good company and a bit of banter.”
Originally from New Zealand, Corey has lived in various parts of Queensland since making the move down under about 25 years ago – more recently moving to Kynuna.
He revealed he’s worked in many different fields throughout his working life, including working on and off as a truck driver since he was 20. “I’ve had a coloured history in the workforce. I’ve done a bit of everything but this is the first time we’ve owned a roadhouse,” Corey said.
Open from 6am until 8pm, seven days a week, Kynuna Roadhouse serves up a deli-
cious selection of home-cooked meals lovingly prepared by the couple.
“Sam’s our main head chef and I’m the kitchen hand –so the dish bitch basically,” laughed Corey. Among the most popular
menu items are the rump steak, the ‘works’ burger, savoury mince rissoles and chicken burgers. “Anything anyone wants, if it’s on the menu, we’ll mix and match to suit,” Corey added.
from
and 300km from
It has plenty of parking, with Corey adding there’s ample space for 10 road trains or
The Kynuna Roadhouse is located just off the Landsborough Highway, about 180km from
There is also a caravan park onsite, with powered and unpowered sites available – and there are some cabins and dongas too. A separate section is reserved for truck drivers, complete with toilets, showers and laundry facilities.
Fifty-two
years after passing under a MAN sign in North Sydney, our writer finally gets to experience the real thing up close.BY GRAHAM HARSANT
WHEN I first moved to Sydney from Melbourne back in 1972, I lived north-side but worked in the city.
Each afternoon as I travelled back across the Harbour Bridge, I would pass a tall office building with MAN in huge letters emblazoned on the top. No idea why that building always stayed as a fond memory – possibly because it meant I was heading to the pub rather than the office. Whatever, the brand was cemented in the brain.
During Covid a truck manufacturer dropped off one of their vehicles at my front door to play with for a week or so and it was delivered on the back of a MAN truck.
Looking inside, I was impressed with the fit and finish and asked the driver what he thought of it.
“MAN, I love it!” he responded. “Pun intended.”
Since then I’ve been keen to get behind the wheel for a test drive and the opportunity recently came to fruition with an invitation from Penske, to do just that.
An acronym for Maschinfabrik Augsburg-Nűrnberg, MAN has been around for 260 years. In the 1750s there were two foundries, one in each or those towns.
They amalgamated and created MAN as a business in 1758, making machines, type sets, locomotives, railcars and even blimps.
One day a young bloke by the name of Rudolph Diesel knocked on MAN’s door and said he had a concept for a new engine, but not the funds to finish the design or commercialise it.
They partnered together and MAN developed the first diesel engine - not Cummins, not Detroit, not CAT. That first engine still works and it’s in the main foyer of the Munich head office of MAN.
In 1924 MAN manufactured the first truck anywhere in the world featuring direct diesel fuel injection.
So, the company has a long history of innovation, safety and latest technology all built on 260 years of engineering, know-how and excellence. Today the company is part of the Traton Group, in turn owned by Volkswagen.
So here I am in front of a couple of MAN TG 3 Series S models at Penske’s Wacol facility in Brisbane. These trucks, which underwent some 170,000 hours of design work have won numerous awards –including 2021 International Truck of the Year – since their launch in 2020. Covid delayed any meaningful inroads into the Australian market thanks to supply restrictions, but Penske tell me that is now in the past.
The TGS is the narrow-bodied version of the range and first up I’m to drive the 26.440 Wharf Spec model. Walking around the truck and my minder, Sergio Carboni (how can an Italian support Essendon, and not Carlton?) points out a myriad of design features aimed at reducing drag to enhance fuel consumption. The overall look is appealing to the eye. This ‘Wharf Spec’ is aimed at
for example, container work. Wharf Spec conjures up images of a very basic truck, and indeed this is MAN’s idea of basic.
But it is here that the Volkswagen connection comes to the fore. Any of you who may have hopped into a VW product will know what a great job they do of interiors which are superbly put together and manage a look of understated class in any variant.
I don’t know if VW talk to their truck division, but I’d lay odds that MAN take inspiration from them. This two-tone base spec cab is not covered in lashings of chrome but, by gee she looks smart.
Climb inside and the electrically adjustable steering wheel feels just right in the hands. Every button and knob is within easy reach. The dials and multi-media screen are big and super legible. Every storage shelf and cup
holder is covered in grippy stippled rubber padding to stop stuff sliding around and to negate rattles that could drive you nuts at the end of a long day.
The passenger seat base lifts for more storage and cleverly the top half of the seat back folds forward to create a table. Slide the seat forward and sit on the very comfortable bed to use it as a desk or have lunch.
Under the bunk is more storage and space to fit a fridge (standard in up-spec models) if desired, although the space between the seats will comfortably take a decent sized portable.
The LH stalk handles indicators and wipers, while the RH is the auto gear shift and 3-stage engine brake. The wheel spokes have the usual stuff – scrolling through dash info, answering the phone and the most logical cruise control buttons I’ve come across.
Press an overhead button and the full width sun visor drops electrically to your desired position, complimented by pull down side window shades. Up top is a manual opening hatch.
Falling to hand on the left, under the multi-media screen is a palm-sized flap. Pull it back to reveal a knurled knob and you’ve uncovered MAN’s pièce de résistance.
Called Smart Select, this knob controls every function of the multi-media screen. No more taking your eyes off the road to try and hit the (usually small) correct icon. No more grubby finger prints on the screen.
Is it hard to learn? I had it down pat in the time it’s taken you to read the last two paragraphs – and that was without instruction.
It is simply brilliant! The only truck in the world to have this system, Smart-Select
is the result of focus groups conducted with operators and journos during the design of the truck.
Another clever feature are the four buttons low down on the driver’s door that can be used from the ground. One opens or closes the window, another operates the hazard lights and the other two are programmable to do whatever you wish.
On the safety front the truck has every acronym on the market – both active and passive – so getting into trouble will probably be your own wilful fault.
The doors close with a solid thunk, again reminiscent of a VW, I fire her up and am greeted with… well sod-all actually.
It is as silent as a church on a Monday and I’m to discover that the decibels in the cab don’t go up much at any speed. Continued on page 18
IN many places around the world, fire appliances can be easily identified by their bright red colours and for many people, their first exposure to a heavy vehicle is through seeing a fire engine.
With all states and territories in Australia having their own firefighting organisations in both city and regional areas, a diverse range of firefighting trucks and vehicles from many manufacturers have had a presence over the years. But custom fire appliance manufacturers are somewhat of a rarity today.
Dennis Brothers Limited of Guildford in England, which had its origins in 1895, was one such custom appliance builder, with a number of Dennis models being put into service in various parts of Australia as far back as the 40s.
One of those was the Dennis F49 from the early 70s, with three F49 units purchased by the New South Wales Fire Brigades (now Fire & Rescue NSW). After a working life in the Sydney city CBD, one of the three is now owned by
Kyle Cozens, of Romsey in Victoria.
Kyle had the Dennis pointed northwards once again to NSW recently, taking part in the 2024 Crawlin’ the Hume convoy from Melbourne to Albury and gave a background to his rare, and uniquely built truck.
“I’m a volunteer firie and I love fire trucks - I had seen this one in a museum in Cowra previously and they were having a clear-out of all their stuff, so it came up at auction and I bought it in a terrible condition in 2016,” he explained.
“I got it restored and on the road in 2019.”
The 1971 Dennis runs a Rolls-Royce P81 motor with an output of around 185hp, coupled to a 4-speed automatic transmission with the pumping gear on the back of the appliance driven off the motor.
In the early 70s the NSW Fire Brigades took delivery of a number of Dennis appliances, the majority of which were the Dennis ‘Jag’, fitted with a Jaguar engine capable of pumping 600 gallons of water per minute, and three of the larger capacity F49s, with an output of 1000 gallons/minute were the largest appliances in the NSW Fire Brigade Fleet at the time.
With the other two F49s based at Wollongong and Headquarters’ brigades, Kyle’s
appliance was posted to The Rocks fire station in the Sydney CBD.
“The Rocks in Sydney is ‘Station No.3’ and as this is one of the biggest pumpers they had it was known as ‘The Flyer’. It had to be first truck out the door within 30 seconds of an alarm - had to be ready, it was designed to get-up-and go,” he said.
Bringing the fire engine back to Victoria, Kyle had a bit of a job getting the Dennis back into shape given the construction materials used on the cab and body.
“Basically, it’s a metal chassis with a wooden-framed cabin and body with tin and fibreglass shaped over the top,” he said. “All the back with the storage lockers and so forth were made of plywood which had rotted away along with some of the door frames so to all had to be rebuilt.”
The restored Dennis is kitted out with some of the ‘tools of the trade‘ including hose lengths, a ladder and portable fire extinguishers.
An onboard tank also holds
approximately 100 gallons of water; however, Kyle does not get the truck hooked up with water running through the pump on a regular basis.
“We did try and run the pump, but she blew the radiator hoses off - she got pretty hot! A 1000 gallons (approximately 4500 litres) per minute is a fair bit of water,” he said.
With a somewhat healthy appetite for fuel, the Dennis does not get out and about as much as other historic trucks and given it was built for a specific work purpose it does not possess what many would consider a favourable driving environment, with the Dennis lacking a few creature comforts.
“It will take five in the cab, with the bench seat in the back – it’s meant for firefighters to get in it and go.
“The motor has a fixed fan on it so it is incredibly noisy inside as you drive along -it will get up to 100k’s but it only has a fibreglass cowling in the cab so you are virtually sitting beside the engine as you drive
along.”
The Dennis was making its second appearance at Crawlin’ the Hume, with Kyle’s father Jeff also making the trek in a customised Kenworth C500.
The other major trip undertaken was a run back up to Sydney for the Historic Fire Engine Association’s 50th anniversary in 2019.
At the Winton lunch stop Kyle was dipping the tanks to ensure the Rolls-Royce had enough fuel to get it up the remainder of the old Hume Highway to the overnight stop at Albury.
“She’s pretty thirsty, running on unleaded it will burn around 30 litres an hour. Coming up on a longer trip like this today it has had a few bits and pieces rattling on itit’s a city truck, it’s not really meant for comfort.
“But it’s rare; there is another one of these in Darwin and another one that I know of down in Tasmania that isn’t running, so this is the only one I know of still running out on the road.”
From page 16
Heading off around town and into the countryside and I quickly feel at ease. With parabolic springs at the front (I had to ask) and eight airbags behind me, the truck rides and steers beautifully over any type of terrain.
The seat, a Recaro, is as good as any I’ve sat in. The ride is limousine-like. Seriously!
The 12-speed gearbox, developed in conjunction with ZF is a pearler and changes up and down the range seamlessly.
We’re loaded to 26 tonnes GVM and the truck is loping along effortlessly. It’s then that I ask Sergio what size the donk is and literally don’t believe him when he says 10.4 litres/440Hp/2100Nm. This feels much more powerful!
We’re an hour or so into the drive, and having discussed kids, mortgages and Aussie Rules followed by a companionable silence, Sergio says, “Well, what do you think?” “About what?” I reply.
Looking at me as though I’m
stupid, he says, “The truck of course!”
“Seriously….I forgot I was driving one.”
And that folks is the absolute truth! In the afternoon I’ve moved up a notch into the 26.510 GM with Jayme Deves. This – apart from the 510Hp/2600Nm out of the 13 litre – has upped the ante with auto air-con, fancier interior, upgraded sound, fridge and an electric glass roof hatch. This time we go find some crap roads to traverse and the truck handles them with consummate ease. Heading back into town and time to play with cruise control and let the truck do its thing – and it does it superbly.
At one point, going downhill, the cruise is off, and Jayme tells me to just hit the brake and slow to my desired speed. I do, and the truck stays there all the way down; the gearbox, engine brake doing their thing. By the by, the disc brakes and pedal feel is also great. This model has lane keeping
which keeps you bang in the middle of the white lines. It works brilliantly without being overly intrusive. A gripe with the previous model was that it wallowed too much. I can’t comment on that, except to say that it is non-existent in these.
I’m really glad I’ve had the
opportunity to drive these trucks, they are a great bit of kit. The ergonomics and the driver interaction is smooth and seamless. I really tried to find something to gripe about and the best I could come up with was the lack of a footrest on the wharf spec model. Did
the other truck have it? Dunno, because I really didn’t need it.
Fifty-two years after passing that MAN sign in North
I finally got to experience the product. It was worth the wait. Unfortunately, I didn’t
get the opportunity to drive the bigger bodied and engined TGX, designed for B-double work – the 26.510 will also haul B-dubs.
I think Penske should invite me back, because MAN, I’m seriously impressed.
After more than 40 years on the road in various roles, this veteran truckie says he’s now right at home in a job he loves.BY DANIELLE GULLACI
FOR Colin Reid, 60, his truck driving roles have been as diverse as the terrain he’s travelled.
Originally from Melbourne, he spent a few years moving between Darwin and Queensland, before eventually settling on Townsville, which he now calls home.
Colin joined Townsville-based operator Morgan Transport Group about 18 months ago and says the job has been a perfect fit.
From behind the wheel of a Kenworth T909, Colin can usually be found heading as far south as Mackay, up to Mossman, out west to Mt Isa and even into the Northern Territory, carrying general freight into supermarkets as well as mine sites.
Though recently he was given an opportunity to head away to Cobar, delivering containers from mine to port. Big Rigs spoke with Colin as he was heading into the mine, on a stint that will see him based at the outback mining town for up to six weeks.
“It’s been about three and a half weeks on this job so far, and it’ll probably go until the end of June,” he said.
“I’ll have anything from a triple road train, a double road train, a B-double or a single –that’s the versatility of it.”
Colin originally got into trucks when he was 18. “I just wanted a job and then it got bigger and bigger,” he said. “I did rigids for 10 or more years, then started in the banana backs and conventional trucks, and from there I went on to tilt trays, which had only just started coming out back then.”
Colin didn’t grow up around trucks. He explained that he was raised by his adoptive parents, who worked in other fields. As an adult though, he made an interesting discovery.
“I didn’t know this but my biological father was actually an interstate truck driver. I didn’t meet him until I was about 23 or 24. To turn around and find out that he drove trucks was incredible,” he said.
Colin admitted that in his early days in trucking, he was hesitant to go into HC work “because I knew if I did, I’d end up doing interstate. And that’s what I did. As soon as I got my HC, I started doing interstate and I haven’t looked back.”
Colin has been driving trucks throughout his entire working
life – apart from a brief break.
As he explained, “Back when we were still living in Melbourne, I came home one night and said to the wife, I want to get my own truck. She said, ‘Well I want to get my own pub!’ So we thought, let’s do that instead.”
The couple purchased the Farmer’s Arms Hotel in Benalla, in north eastern Victoria and ran it for three and a half years, before deciding the time was right for a sea change.
They moved to Darwin, where Colin got a job driving road trains. “From 2015, we went back and forth a couple of times until we settled in Townsville in 2017,” he said.
He also revealed that they did make one failed attempt to return to Melbourne in the process too. “Our families are all down in Melbourne, so we thought we’d go back. We got in the caravan and got as far down as Hervey Bay. It was cold and pissing down and I said, you know what, we’re going back to Townsville!” laughed Colin.
And his wife agreed. “She said I know our family is down there but we can visit – it’s just
too damn cold!”
Upon moving to Townsville, Colin secured work doing B-double refrigerated work across the east coast and into Adelaide.
“Then I got sick of being away from home so much –I’m starting to get on a bit in age too. I gave up the fridge work and that’s when I started working with Morgan’s. The older I get, the more I want to be home with the family. My daughter and her 10-year-old son live with us too, so being able to see them every time I come home is fantastic.”
With that being said, he still doesn’t mind doing the occasional long stint away, so long as it’s not too often.
“Yes I’m away at the moment, but I know this ain’t forever, I’m just helping out the boss with this particular job in Cobar. When you get to go away, you realise how much you miss it.
“While I’m down in Cobar, I’m staying in a mine camp, so we get fed breakfast, pick up our lunch and in the morning there are six different choices of dinner to choose from. The lodge is fantastic there. It’s run
by a husband and wife and a couple of their kids as well. I haven’t had a bad meal yet!”
And that’s been a great fit for Colin who’s been focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, after losing over 30kg. “I can really feel the difference now,” he said.
“I’m still on my diet, still doing the right things. For the last few months or more – when I’m back on the usual runs – I’ve been bringing my own food in the truck. It’s hard sometimes to find healthy options when you’re out on the
road.
“Back when I used to oversize and car carriers to over to the west, there were times where nothing was open. Now it’s worse. At some places, all you can get is a meat pie.
“So before I leave, I look at what I need: I take a slab of water, grab some small meals and use the microwave in the truck. But I’m living like a king over here in Cobar at the moment!”
As much as he’s enjoying the experience, Colin is also looking forward to being back home with his loved ones.
“When I get home I’ll be back on overnights, so I’ll be able to have dinner with the family before heading out to work,” he said.
“Even when I’m running out west in Mt Isa, you’re only gone overnight. Or if it’s the Territory, you might have a few nights away.”
Colin says Morgan Transport Group, which is run by husband and wife team Dave and Kelly Morgan, has been a really good fit. “It’s a fantastic company to work for,” he said. “I’m really enjoying it.”
The UD Quon may be our greatest modern achievement.
From its 2004 introduction with the world’s first ‘Selective Catalytic Reduction System’. To its reinvigoration in 2017, with Euro 6 compliant technology. To today, with the reimagined Enhanced Quon, that continues to break boundaries with greater safety, productivity, comfort and sustainability. We continue to go the Extra Mile to ensure our flagship Quon is better for business, better for people, and better for the planet. There’s a reason the UD Quon is the truck Australia trusts.
Going the Extra Mile
To find out more, contact your UD Trucks dealer on 1300 BUY A UD or visit udtrucks.com/australia
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 kayla.walsh@ primecreative.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!
When the going gets tough, truckies keep everyone going
ONE of these years on the Sunday of the King’s Birthday weekend, it is absolutely going to bucket down in Victoria’s high country.
The roads will flood, the rich red earth will splash rust-like stains on anything it touches – and still, over 300 trucks and 15,000 plus lovers of them will come to Alexandra for their annual truck show.
In this, the 28th running of the event, the weather gods, as they have always done, delivered threatening skies together with the odd short sprinkle here and there throughout the day, just to remind you they are hanging close by, then they retreat.
The locals swear this is god’s country and they may just be right.
The result of a crazy idea to put on a truck show in winter all those years ago, the Alexandra Truck, Ute and Rod Show has paid off handsomely for the organisers and the town of 2200.
This year 320 big rigs registered for the event, covering an estimated 21/2 kilometres of tarmac down the main street and its tributaries. A record number of stallholders filled the centre of the street and the estimated crowd of 16-18,000 made sure that they all did a roaring trade.
When Don Madafferi was born, he was brought home from the hospital in a truck. Where others may have received a scooter or bike for their fifth birthday, Don was given a hand-held grease gun.
“Yep, trucking’s in the blood,” he quips.
Anyone who’s seen one of Don’s trucks will never forget them. Running TCB (Taking Care of Business) Transport out of Dandenong South, with offices in Sydney and Brisbane, Don has a fleet of 60 trucks and 119 trailers. He brought two of them to Alexandra – an eye-catching red Kenworth 2002 T404 and equally startling 1997 K100G cab over, both with 60 Series Detroits. With customised grills, more lights
than a Christmas tree, strapless tanks (on the cab over) and chrome everywhere, these hot rods are something special.
You’d be forgiven for thinking they are just show ponies, but Don says they’re both working trucks, hauling precast concrete slabs onto building sites.
“Often it’s into mud and slush and they have to be towed in and out,” he said.
“It’s a credit to the drivers that they keep them like this all the time.”
TCB has been featured in a three-part series on 7Mate (now on 7Plus) called Rides Down Under Aussie Truckers and Don informs us there is more to come from July, with a second series commissioned for next year.
Andrew Burgoyne is a towie for Modern Towing & Salvage and brought a two-tone yellow and white T610 heavy salvage vehicle Alexandra.
The company has recently bought Eagle Towing into the fold and this truck is part of a fleet now numbering some 22 heavy haulage units, plus tilt trays. With a unit cost of around $950,000, you can bank on a hefty bill should you need to call one of these beasts out.
Like others in his trade, Andrew has seen too much of the sad side of trucking.
“You hope for a simple breakdown, but there’s always the heartbreaking side of the business when attending an accident,” he said, beseeching everyone to take care out there.
Shaun Bradley from Maryborough has attended the show for the past five years as a spectator, but this time turned up with a truck you’ll rarely see - a 1998 Freightliner FLB. With only some 200 brought into the country, the truck underwent a full nut and bolt restoration 127,000km ago.
“I was looking for a Kenworth when I came across this,” said Shaun, who is a flooring installer by trade.
“I’ve had enough of that trade and I’m hoping to get into trucking and put this old girl to work.”
Some trucks are older, like Shaun’s, and others are newer. You couldn’t get much newer than Andrew James’ Mack Superliner, whose maiden voyage was to Alex.
“Don’t lean on the paintwork,” Jamesy quipped. “She ain’t dry yet.”
Finished in stunning purple on a black body with orange scrolling, The Mack has been added to Jamesy’s K200 and T950 Kenworths, and his Freightliner Argosy which, in what may be a surprise to some detractors, he reckons he just can’t kill.
The Superliner puts out 685 hp running through a 13 speed auto. Set up for three trailer work, hauling tankers of molasses to feedlots, the truck is Jamesy’s first new one, and probably his last.
“Mate, I’m hitting 60 so I reckon this’ll see me out,” he said.
When asked why he went for an auto, he repeated his age: “I’ve driven it from Wodonga to here and I’ll never go back to a manual. Changes are superb, got bog gears for heavy loads, virtually idles at 100kph and it’s like driving a car. The 60” sleeper will also suit this 60 year old as I’m away five nights a week. Time to spoil myself a little.”
The 12 months of effort that went into producing ‘Backroads Motel’, as the truck is called, paid off with Jamesy winning best truck under 12 months and second overall in Rig of the Show.
The top award went to Damian Reid and his magic, Whitehead of Mt Gambier, 2022 T909 Kenworth, no doubt aptly named ‘Over Budget’. Over budget the truck may have been, but it certainly paid off for Damian.
We could spend the next ten paragraphs describing this truck, but we would run out of superlatives, so we’ll let the accompanying photograph do the talking instead.
The awards could only go to the chosen few, but everyone who brought their truck along was a winner.
More pics on page 26
FOR Australian fleet managers, navigating the complexities of the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS) is essential for maintaining operational excellence and safeguarding against potential risks.
NHVAS Fatigue Management Standard 5, focusing on Internal Review, serves as a cornerstone for continuous improvement within fleets.
Here at Hubfleet, we’ve partnered with Glyn Castanelli, who is an NHVR approved auditor from Transport Health and Safety, to delve into the seven fatigue management standards established by the NHVR.
Our goal is to provide insight into what these standards mean and how transport companies can implement practical systems to fulfill their obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).
In this article, we’ll explore the significance of Standard 5, provide insights into meeting its requirements, and discuss how innovative solutions like Hubfleet software can streamline the internal review process.
Understanding NHVAS Standard 5: Internal review
NHVAS Standard 5 underscores the importance of regular internal reviews within fleet operations. This standard aims to promote a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging fleet managers to evaluate their compliance with NHVAS standards, identify areas for enhancement, and implement corrective actions as necessary. Key components of Standard 5 include:
1. Regular Audits: Fleet managers are required to conduct regular audits of their operations to assess compliance with NHVAS
standards, including those related to fatigue management.
2. Corrective Actions:
Upon identifying areas of non-compliance or opportunities for improvement, fleet managers must develop and implement corrective actions to address deficiencies and enhance compliance.
3. Documentation and Reporting: Standard 5 emphasizes the importance of maintaining thorough documentation of internal reviews, audit findings, corrective actions, and outcomes to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements.
4. Continuous Improvement: Internal reviews should not be viewed as a one-time exercise but as an ongoing process aimed at driving continuous improvement within fleet operations.
Glyn Castanelli has spent over 30 years in the heavy vehicle transport industry in many roles including his current role as an NHVR Accredited Auditor at Transport Health and Safety. Glyn has the following practical tips for fleet managers:
• Establish clear procedures: Develop clear procedures and protocols for conducting internal reviews, including the frequency of audits, criteria for evaluation, and processes for implementing corrective actions.
• Train personnel: Ensure that personnel responsible for conducting internal reviews are adequately trained and equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their duties effectively.
• Utilise technology: Leverage advanced fleet management software like Hubfleet to streamline the internal review process, automate data
collection, and generate comprehensive reports for analysis.
Promote accountability: Foster a culture of accountability within the organisation by clearly defining roles and responsibilities for conducting internal reviews, implementing corrective actions, and monitoring compliance.
Hubfleet software offers a powerful solution for streamlining internal review processes and enhancing compliance with NHVAS Standard 5. Here’s how Hubfleet can assist fleet managers in meeting the compliance standard:
• Automated audits: Hubfleet automates the audit process, allowing fleet managers to schedule and conduct audits efficiently, track compliance metrics, and identify areas for improvement.
• Real-time reporting: With Hubfleet, fleet managers have access to real-time reporting and analytics, providing actionable insights into compliance levels, audit findings, and corrective actions.
• Document management: Hubfleet facilitates the documentation and storage of
audit reports, corrective action plans, and compliance documentation, ensuring easy access and retrieval during regulatory inspections.
• Continuous monitoring: Hubfleet enables continuous monitoring of compliance status, alerting fleet managers to potential issues or deviations from NHVAS standards, allowing for timely intervention and corrective action. By incorporating Hubfleet software into their compliance efforts, fleet managers can streamline internal reviews, enhance accountability, and drive continuous improvement within their operations,
ultimately contributing to safer roads and more efficient fleet management practices. Disclaimer: This article offers general guidance. For specific legal advice and detailed information on Fatigue Management Accreditation, always consult the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) website or an accredited legal advisor.
HYDROGEN fuel cell vehicles, along with their application in industrial processes, hold great promise in driving Australia towards the country’s net-zero goals. However, a critical question remains: How can we establish effective training systems to prepare workers for an industry that is still being imagined? The future of hydrogen in Australia depends on skilled individuals, as they will play a pivotal role in creating a landscape where green hydrogen is abundant, fuelling our ambitions. Regrettably, the availability of such skilled workers will limit this industry’s ability to establish at pace. This challenge led to the creation of a range of Hydrogen Microskills by TAFE NSW, in partnership with industry, to ensure training is infused with real-world expertise and innovation. These Microskills can be completed online in as little as two hours and provide es-
sential knowledge to enhance safety for workers and consumers in this emerging field.
This year Australia’s first commercial hydrogen refuelling station for heavy road vehicles opened at Port Kembla, New South Wales. Coregas, Australia’s largest owned industrial gases company, played a pivotal role in establishing this station. According to Coregas executive general manager Alan Watkins, “The company will start to switch its fleet from diesel to Hyzon Motors trucks.”
Like their electric vehicle counterparts, Hydrogen Fuel cell vehicles are emissions-free. They utilise fuel cells to generate electricity, powering the vehicle while emitting only water vapor. To supply the hydrogen refuelling system for the Port Kembla facility, Coregas engaged Haskel Hydrogen Systems Group, who is one of the world’s leading providers of high-pressure industrial gas and liquid handling equipment. Hydrogen will be drawn from the Coregas plant and then pumped to a dispenser located 50 metres away at the vehicle refuelling station.
collaborated with vehicle manufacturers ARCC and Foton Mobility, along with Fire and Rescue NSW and local councils. These organisations actively participated in ideation sessions to identify skills gaps. They also served as reviewers to ensure that the learning outcomes for the Microskills were met during development. This approach ensured that the Microskills remain relevant from as broad an industry perspective as possible.
tensive 2-hour training course. This training benefits not only NSW First Responders but all emergency response personnel. The Microskill is also designed to assist NSW Police, NSW Ambulance, NSW Rural Fire Service, SES Volunteers, and tertiary responders such as motorway contractors and tow truck operators, equipping them to manage incidents involving lithium batteries.
For TAFE NSW, partnering with Coregas and Haskel was an obvious choice to produce Hydrogen Microskills, as they had established a first-of-itskind facility in Australia. Having previously worked with bus manufacturer Foton Motors to produce Hydrogen fuel cell training for automotive technicians, it made sense to bring additional stakeholders together to create Hydrogen Microskills.
When bringing specialist
partners together it is also important to ensure that everyone maintains a broad industry perspective and avoid content that is overly aligned to a specific brand. This is vitally important given the competitive nature of an industry that supports energy producers, vehicle manufacturers, and infrastructure providers where Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are still in their infancy.
In response, TAFE NSW
Furthermore, the rapid emergence of innovative technologies such as vehicles powered by hydrogen and lithium batteries necessitates continuous education for the industries involved in this sector.
By working with the Safety of Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology (SARET) team at Fire and Rescue NSW, TAFE NSW has been able to develop Microskills for First Responders, addressing the unique challenges posed by batteries in electric vehicles.
Since its official launch in March 2024, over 4000 emergency responders in NSW have participated in this in-
As the transport industry hurtles toward a future of emission-free vehicles, the commitment of TAFE NSW remains unwavering. Key to this is helping shape a workforce that can confidently handle tomorrow’s technologies and support safeguarding lives and communities. Through collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision, TAFE NSW and industry are building a safer, more sustainable futureone Microskill at a time. If you want to learn more about TAFE NSW Microskills, which are available online, on demand, and can be completed in as little as 2 hours, simply visit: tafensw. edu.au/microskills
Enrol in the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Training program
Hydrogen energy has the potential to cut Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions to onethird of current levels by 2050. Developed in collaboration with industry experts, these future focused Microskills pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future. Equip workers with the fundamental knowledge and skills to safely operate and integrate Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles. Upskill online, on-demand in less than 2 hours.
Microskills for a macro impact
Our Microskills focus on three key areas that lay the foundation for a sustainable future:
1. Hydrogen Energy Fundamentals
2. Introduction to Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles
3. Refuelling of a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
In collaboration with:
AN innovative solution from JOST is offering added peace of mind for Brisbane based transport operator KS Easter.
Specialising in overnight and time sensitive local and linehaul transport across the east coast, KS Easter operates a fleet of over 100 trucks and around 300 trailers – with JOST products including turntables, kingpins and landing legs fitted right across the fleet.
More recently however, KS Easter has begun seeing the benefits of JOST’s Loc-Light technology, a dual sensor monitoring system to ensure the fifth wheel has been se-
curely connected. As KS Easter general manager Kenny Easter explained, “When the driver hooks up a trailer and plugs in the electrical lead, it supplies power to the trailer which will turn on the light that’s at the base of the turntable where the kingpin goes in and lights up that surrounding area.
“It will also have a red indicator light on the side of the turntable to indicate that nothing is hooked up. And will alert a beep. Once the driver has backed underneath it, the beep will stop and the light will turn green, indicating that it’s hooked up.
“As a secondary step, the LED light that’s lighting up where the kingpin goes into the jaws also helps to do that visual inspection as well.”
KS Easter is now fitting the Loc-Light as standard fitment on any new equipment. This comes after successful testing of the product out on the road.
“Some of our largest custom ers have had an issue across the board with multiple carriers dropping trailers – just from drivers taking shortcuts or not doing a visual check to make sure that everything’s hooked up properly,” revealed Kenny.
“When you drop a trailer, everyone looks for excuses for why it happened and ways to
RISING expectations on cost and environmental performance are transforming engine technology and lubricant requirements, as stricter emissions standards present new maintenance challenges for the heavy vehicle industry.
Scientific testing shows engine lubricants are the primary source of ash build-up in the diesel particular filter (DPF), accounting for approximately 90 per cent of ash sources. Ash clogging in the DPF leads to reduced engine efficiency, increased fuel consumption, reduced fuel economy and higher maintenance costs and downtime over the life of the engine.
Caltex is responding to the challenge with its Delo 600 ADF with OMNIMAX engine oil, a premium, high performance “ultra-low ash” synthetic technology oil that is formulated to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions.
David Sawyer, manager B2B fuels and lubricants for Caltex said Delo 600 ADF with OMINAX was a game-changer.
“Delo features an ultra-low 0.4 per cent sulfated ash con-
DAVID SAWYERtent that minimises DPF clogging and cuts down metallic residue by up to 60 per cent,” Sawyer said.
“It also includes a powerful antioxidant system that prevents oil breakdown at high temperatures, enhancing oil longevity and reducing maintenance costs.”
Maintaining optimal fuel efficiency delivers significant cost savings throughout the life of the engine, and importantly in today’s climate – helps operators to meet the community’s expectations in terms of operating in a more efficient and sustainable manner.
The Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water estimates
that the transport sector made up 19 per cent of Australia’s emissions in 2022. Without intervention, it’s estimated transport will be Australia’s largest source of emissions by 2030.
“We know that the heavy transport industry is looking for opportunities to reduce fuel consumption and make their fleet cleaner, more ef-
ficient and cost-effective to run,” Sawyer said.
“The low metallic ash formulation of Delo 600 ADF actually boosts fuel efficiency by up to 3 per cent thanks to reduced engine backpressure from minimal ash accumulation and more efficient regeneration,” explained Sawyer. Testing indicates that the Delo 600 ADF “ultra-low ash”
diesel engine oil increases DPF maintenance intervals by up to 2.5 times through a reduction in DPF clogging, helping to minimise service costs and equipment downtime.
Delo 600 ADF significantly outperformed in engine durability tests, with a 94 per cent better deposit rating on the Industry Standard Piston Deposit Test compared with
ACEA
IT was a sleepy Saturday afternoon when Joel Abdiel pulled up in the Scania 620hp truck he drives for Exodas, out of his base at Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands.
Joel looks a lot younger than his age of 46 and is super fit.
“I am taking produce from Mareeba down to the Brisbane markets,” he said.
Joel has been behind the wheel for more than 25 years.
When asked the worst road he has travelled on, Joel paused for a short period and said he had to nominate two.
“Parts of the Belyando out to Emerald and also the one between Gin Gin and Apple Tree Creek,” he said.
Regarding rest areas with facilities for drivers, Joel said he doesn’t stop at many.
However, he does like having a well earned break at the BP Cluden Roadhouse.
“It has clean facilities, plenty of parking, nice staff and the food is good,” he said.
Having said that, Joel added that when he is away
PARTS OF THE BELYANDO OUT TO EMERALD AND ALSO THE ONE BETWEEN GIN GIN AND APPLE TREE CREEK ARE THE WORST ROADS I’VE TRAVELLED ON.”
JOEL ABDIEL
on trips, his favourite food is homemade and prepared by his wife.
“It is shepherd’s pie, which I love. I take it with me in the truck,” he said.
Mareeba is deep in the territory of Cowboys supporters when it comes to NRL football and one of their star forwards is Jordan McLean who hails from the town.
But Joel barracks for the Sydney Roosters which would be playing the Cowboys the following day after I met him.
“My favourite player is Roosters fullback James Tadesco,” he said.
Although Joel has not entirely abandoned
Queensland sides. “I barrack for the Queensland Maroons in the State of Origin,” he said.
Whilst spending time with family outside work is his main passion, Joel does have a hobby.
“I do timber work and have built my own bar at home which is popular with mates,” he said.
Some other drivers I have spoken to with similar home bars often tell me they drink home brew, however that wasn’t the case for Joel. He said while he didn’t make his own, some of his friends crafted their own home brews.
Mareeba is located 50km from Cairns up the Kennedy Highway with access also from Innisfail and Gordonvale along the Palmerston and Gillies.
It is the gateway to the north, south and west including to Cape York Peninsula.
The Atherton Tablelands is one of the most scenic regions in the country.
“I love living there and also love my job,” he said.
Joel Abdiel has been a truckie for over 25 years and currently drives for Exodas. Image: Alf Wilson
WHEN I saw Bill Kiely on a quiet weekend afternoon he had just exited the driver’s seat of his Kenworth T610 and was surprised to see Big Rigs there.
the highways was delighted to have his pic snapped and have a brief yarn before walk ing over to a nearby road house.
works for Brown’s Citrus out of Gayndah and was carting general freight from Brisbane to Cairns.
“I have been with the company for more than six
answer was swift.
“It would have to be the Morven Roadhouse,” he said.
On the subject of bad roads, Bill said the Miles to Goondiwindi stretch was a
ENTHUSIASTIC young truckie Morgan Power, aged 30, drives an Isuzu 350 for Townsville based CKC Haulage.
When Big Rigs saw Morgan mid-morning recently, he was parked at a business on busy Bowen Road.
“I am delivering carpet and mostly do work around town,” he said.
Morgan has worked for this company for a year and before that was employed by Bidfood.
“I used to drive a Freightliner out to Mount Isa,” he said.
That is a gruelling 900km trip along the Flinders and Barkly Highways.
Morgan loves the job and the truck which he said was well maintained and comfort
ly-owned and operated business that spans generations.
Since 1993, owner Kev and his team have provided general, bulk and dangerous goods transport for domestic, commercial, mining and construction clients throughout Queensland and Australia-wide.
It employs 20 staff and has depots in Townsville, Mackayaged by Kev’s daughter Stevie, while daughter Taylor books all the freight for the Townsville depot. And mother Cheryl also
Idiot driver angers convoy truckies
It was a dangerous act by an idiot ute driver when he travelled at high speed in the opposite lane to truckies participating in the Townsville Convoy for The Cure.
The trucks were going along Ingham Road across Blakey’s Crossing when the black coloured ute was sighted in the other lane.
It was in a 60km/h zone and it was estimated the ute was speeding at around 100km/h.
Spy saw the ute as it flashed along and later on at the convoy’s family fun day heard numerous truckies discussing it.
They had a bird’s eye view of his actions from the rig cabin as did any passengers they had along for the trip.
“The ute driver could have killed somebody and probably himself,” was a common comment.
The police escorts at the front and back of the long convoy wouldn’t have sighted it.
But a couple of the truckies may have had dash camera footage which they could provide to the local traffic police branch.
Sleeper box insomnia
After discussions with truckies, it has come to my attention that many have trouble having a well earned snooze in their sleeper box.
“I just can’t get to sleep in the box but when I am home in my own bed it is different. I sleep all night,” was a common response.
One NSW driver said it was terrible laying in the sleeper box looking at the top.
“I have even tried light medication but it works to a degree but then I feel tired the next day,” he said.
I suggested that they visit a sleep apnoea establishment to have a test and maybe purchase or hire a CPAP machine.
When other drivers saw a truck at a busy roadhouse parking area, a name on the front sparked their curiosity. It read “Dad’s Dream” and one can only ponder that it has something to do with the driver’s father or somebody in the transport industry.
Spy could not see the driver around and parked nearby for 30 minutes hoping they would come along to get an explanation.
However, they didn’t and must have been in the sleeper box or over at the roadhouse eatery.
But if they read this, it would be great if they could contact Spy and then I’ll pass on the reason behind the name.
The bp Peak Downs Roadhouse near Moranbah has been a popular place for drivers to stop at.
Several have contacted Spy singing the praises of the establishment including veteran Deniliquin owner-operator Ted Markwort.
“I just had breakfast there and it was a big serving at a reasonable price and delicious,” Ted said. There is plenty of park-
ing there, clean showers and toilets and a good variety of takeaway options and food off the menu.
Tassie log trucks
Drivers from the southern mainland states who deliver in Tasmania have told Spy of the large number of big log trucks they have seen.
Especially along the Bass Highways and other roads in the north.
When I was down there recently I saw many at places around scenic Deloraine and near the Detention River roadhouse.
There were also a lot travelling past Burnie and Devonport and even down south towards Huon Valley.
Road transport company gets drafted
Family owned and community minded, Bill Matton Transport sponsored one of the main events – the Open Draft – at the recent Paradise Lagoons campdraft in Central Queensland. The Open Draft saw 246 horses and their riders compete.
Gracemere based, the company is owned and operated by Bill and Christine Matton and Spy has come across its
trucks at many locations including in the outback.
One recent meeting was with a driver at Homestead beside the Flinders Highway.
The driver gave me a cap which I passed on to my grandson who wore it with pride.
Since then numerous friends have seen it and asked how could they obtain one. Campdraft is very popular, especially in Queensland, NSW and Tasmania; with many road transport people involved.
There is a middle-aged Victorian driver who has been entertaining fellow users at rest areas with his use of a yoyo.
Spy has been told that this gent surprises many when he parks up and brings out his yoyo and does lots of tricks with it.
I hadn’t heard of a yoyo since my high school days when they were very popular for some years.
Yoyo sellers would stop at parks and usually get an audience as they did lots of moves from the string on their finger.
I don’t know the trucker’s identity but have asked a cou-
ple of drivers who have seen him to try and snap a pic and forward it on.
But from the info provided he is very good at using the yoyo.
Those paper carry bags which major supermarkets and other businesses provide for customers are a disaster.
They are not free at most places and patrons have to pay 25 cents for each one.
They have replaced plastic bags which many people preferred.
One SA driver purchased some milk and other goods to place in his fridge and the bag busted just outside the checkout.
It was very embarrassing and lots of people looked on and some even found it funny. A carton of milk burst leaving a slippery mess on the floor and supermarket staff had to mop it up.
Most truckies I speak to keep some of the old plastic bags in their cabin and use them instead.
A former NSW driver who
has been holidaying in the US is keeping a close eye on the road transport industry there.
He emailed me a pic of some trucks he spotted in Fort Worth.
“There’s a sameness about trucks in Fort Worth. Tandem drive and tandem axles,” he said.
A tandem axle truck is equipped with two drive axles, such as those found on the rear of the typical 18-wheeled semi-rig’s tractor.
Utilising eight tyres and wheels on the drive axles, this type of truck is able to support a tremendous amount of weight as well as provide improved traction despite poor road conditions.
While the engine sends power to the lead axle, the trailing axle receives its power via a short drive shaft extending from the rear of the lead axle housing.
This typically allows the driver of the truck to select drive power from the front axle only, or by activating a switch, the power is divided between the two drive axles. This provides increased traction in inclement weather conditions.
AT DSE Transport, we believe in the power of community and the impact we can make when we come together for a cause.
This year, we’re proud to announce our partnership with Red Nose, an organisation dedicated to saving little lives, supporting families and funding vital research.
To support this incredible cause, we’re participating in the City2Surf, the world’s largest fun run, with the aim of raising significant funds to help prevent the sudden and unexpected deaths of babies and children.
Raising money through Red Nose
Each year in Australia, over 3200 babies and children die suddenly and unexpectedly. That’s nine deaths every single day. This devastating statistic is more than just a number. It represents the lives of children lost and the families left to grieve.
This cause is incredibly close to our hearts at DSE Transport, which is why we are determined to support Red Nose in their mission to work towards a future where no child dies suddenly or unexpectedly.
What is Red Nose?
Red Nose is an amazing charity that has been at the forefront of the fight against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sudden and unexpected infant deaths.
Their work includes providing education and resources to parents and caregivers, supporting families who have experienced the loss of a child and funding critical research
into the causes and prevention of these tragic deaths.
We believe we’re contributing to a brighter, safer future for all children by raising funds for Red Nose.
Raising Money at City2Surf
City2Surf is a celebration of community spirit and the power of collective action.
As the world’s largest fun run, City2Surf spans a challenging 14 kilometres and has been a beloved annual tradition for 54 years.
This year, our team at DSE Transport is proud to join the race as “DSE Chafing the Dream,” featuring our dedicated runners Ryan, Paul, Josh, Dave, and Alisha.
Our goal is to raise $20,000 for Red Nose through our participation in City2Surf.
With the first $10,000 coming from our back pockets.
One of our values is “making a difference” and we mean it.
We are training hard and gearing up for the big day, knowing that every step we take and every dollar we raise brings us closer to saving lives and supporting families in need.
The journey might be tough,
but it’s nothing compared to the challenges faced by the families who have lost a child. We run in honor of those children and in the hope that our efforts can prevent future tragedies.
Last year, our team raised over $12,000 for another great cause. We are determined to exceed that amount this year. This incredible achievement was made possible by the generosity of our supporters, and we are confident that, with your help, we can reach our new goal.
How we’re preparing for City2Surf
Good health and fitness are crucial not only for participating in events like City2Surf but also for overall wellbeing.
As a transport company, promoting fitness among our team is a priority. We encourage our staff to stay active and healthy, knowing that a fit team is a happy and productive one.
To prepare for City2Surf, we have a personal trainer who visits our office regularly to work with our team. Our onsite gym is a fantastic re-
AS A TRANSPORT COMPANY, PROMOTING FITNESS AMONG OUR TEAM IS A PRIORITY. WE ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF TO STAY ACTIVE AND HEALTHY, KNOWING THAT A FIT TEAM IS A HAPPY AND PRODUCTIVE ONE.”
RYAN HOWISON
source that allows our staff to train together and stay motivated.
Setting fitness goals as a team has been incredibly effective. We’re working on these goals together and creating a supportive and motivating environment at the same time.
Through our collective efforts, our team has managed to lose a combined total of 66kg!
And remember – DSE Transport is a family business. Our commitment to fitness and community extends beyond our staff.
Family members of our managing director are also participating in the run, making it a true family affair.
This helps reinforce the importance of health and fitness in all aspects of life.
Help us save lives
We cannot do this alone.
We need your help to reach our goal and make a real difference in the lives of families across Australia.
Every donation, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to preventing the sudden and unexpected deaths of children. Here’s how you can help:
• Donate: Visit our fundraising page at fundraising.rednose.org.au (search for DSE Transport) and make a donation. Every dollar counts and brings us closer to our $20,000 goal.
• Share: Spread the word about our campaign. Share our story on social media, tell your friends and family and encourage them to get involved.
• Join us: If you’re in the area, come out and support us at City2Surf. Cheer us on as we run for this vital cause. Together, we can make a difference. By supporting us, you are helping to save little lives, support grieving families, and fund the research needed to ensure a future where no child dies suddenly or unexpectedly.
Thank you for being a part of this important journey with us.
Let’s run with purpose, let’s run with heart, and let’s run to save lives.
EXPERT ADVICE
Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.
1 Which term means threefold (6)
8 What is an error in naming a person or thing (8) 9 To ride at full speed, is to do what (6)
10 To be tainted, is to be what (8)
11 Which metallic element has the symbol Ag (6)
12 Which term means otherwise (4)
13 What is a saloon car also known as (5)
16 What term means to move with the feet or body rhythmically (5)
19 What is a term meaning to entreat or exhort earnestly (4)
is a compound found in many animal and
tissues such as egg yolk (8)
Which political group aims to protect the environment (6) Down
2 To understand clearly, is to do what (7)
3 Sucre is the judicial capital of which South American republic (7)
4 What is an aggregate of nations (6)
5 To have given displeasure, is to have done what (7)
6 What is a feeling of excitement (7)
7 To be learned or scholarly, is to be what (7)
13 What is a light baked dish (7)
14 Which device is used for lifting and moving heavy weights (7)
15 What is another name for banded anteaters (7)
17 What term means improper use of words or grammar (7)
18 What is wariness (7)
20 To be flowing backwards, is to be doing what (6)
APPLICATIONS are now open for Brown and Hurley’s popular apprenticeship program, which sees in-depth training provided at the company’s dealerships across Queensland and northern New South Wales.
Started in 1946 and still family owned and operated, Brown and Hurley is a dealer of new and used commercial trucks and trailers.
It offers a wide range of career opportunities from entry level through to senior management across its 21 locations.
Brown and Hurley offer careers and apprenticeships in all aspects of heavy vehicle, trailer and machinery maintenance, as well as apprenticeships in spare parts and vehicle sales.
Throughout the month of June, Brown and Hurley is accepting applications for its 2025 apprentice intake for trades that include mechanics, auto electricians, spray painters, panel beaters and boiler makers.
According to Brown and Hurley, “This program presents a golden opportunity for individuals passionate about the field of mechanics to kick-start
their careers and gain hands-on experience in a dynamic and supportive environment.”
Applications will be evaluated based on various criteria,
including academic performance, relevant coursework, passion for the field, and a demonstrated commitment to learning and growth.
THE Queensland Trucking Association’s (QTA) series of Road Freight Forums: Driving Regional Solutions are continuing across numerous regions throughout the state up until August.
The next instalment is slated to take place in Toowoomba on July 3, with events to follow in Emerald, Roma and Townsville.
The Road Freight Forums are targeted at fleet owners; aiming to drive regional solutions in a collaborative way.
Candidates who successfully meet the initial screening criteria will proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which includes an interview with Brown and Hurley’s panel of mechanic experts.
“This interview is an opportunity for us to get to know you better, assess your communication skills, and delve deeper into your technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities,” Brown and Hurley said.
“We encourage you to come prepared, showcasing your passion for the field and your eagerness to contribute to real-world projects.”
Those interested in applying can view apprenticeship job openings at brownandhurley. com.au/vacant-positions. Applications close on June 30.
The forums bring together Transport and Main Roads Queensland (TMR), the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), local councils and the Queensland Police Service.
Registrations are open to all businesses who own and operate trucks as part of their business and who need support with any regulatory, access or compliance related issues.
Some of the key topics discussed will include connecting the freight network, opening
up road access and navigating workable solutions.
The QTA has been a strong advocate for increased access for multi-combination vehicles and establishing an all-weather national freight route in Australia. Recent cyclones, floods and fires have further shone a light on the importance of the issue.
The association says that approving greater access for high productivity combinations and upgrading key bridges in regional areas will connect the arteries that feed onto the Inland Freight Route, taking traffic off the flood prone Bruce Highway.
Ahead of the Queensland election in October, the QTA is continuing to advocate the importance of the road freight industry to Queensland’s economy and the wellbeing of regional communities.
Places for the upcoming Road Freight Forums are limited. To book a place, please visit qta. com.au/events.
A TRUCKIE with a baby bump isn’t something you see every day – and pregnant HC driver Lindsee Cameron admits she’s drawn a couple of “raised eyebrows” during her runs around South Australia over the past few months.
Lindsee, who did tipper work for Natrio Global Logistics right up until she was eight months pregnant, is expecting her first baby any day now.
And although some people were surprised when they noticed the growing bump underneath her PPE, Lindsee said she’s received nothing but support and positivity from the trucking community.
“When I found out I was pregnant, at first I was a little hesitant to tell my boss,” she told Big Rigs.
“There can be a bit of stigma around women in this industry, and I’m the only female driver at work.
“But my boss has been so supportive throughout my pregnancy, and my colleagues have been absolutely wonderful as well.”
Lindsee, 42, said Natrio Global Logistics went out of their way to accommodate her during her pregnancy.
“They helped me to keep working for as long as possible,” she said.
“They gave me longer distances as opposed to jobs like unloading the ships, where I would have to get in and out of the truck anywhere from 20 to 40 times a day.
“That made a big difference.”
Women in Trucking Australia has been another major source of support for Lindsee – from helping her to get her HC job in the first place, to offering advice after she found out she was expecting.
“I used to be a chef, but I was looking for a big career change,” she said.
“Women in Trucking Australia helped me get into the transport industry through its Foot in the Door Program.
“They have been amazing, and I know I can always go to them if I have any questions.”
Overall, Lindsee said balancing pregnancy with trucking has been a great experience.
“I had morning sickness at the start,” she said.
LINDSEE CAMERON“That was a bit of a struggle, but I researched things that could help – I always had ginger lollies and popcorn on hand!
“I actually quite enjoyed being pregnant while truck driving.
“It was just me, my baby, my music and the road.”
Lindsee was a casual employee with Natrio for just under a year, so she won’t get any official maternity leave, but she hopes to rejoin the company when she’s ready.
“I would definitely go back to Natrio, if they’ll have me,” she said.
“I could potentially get a permanent part-time contract, after I have the baby.
“I’d like to move up the field and get my MC licence, and get into pneumatic tankers.”
Lindsee, who is originally from southeast Queensland
but moved to Adelaide a couple of years ago, wanted to share her story to inspire other female truckies.
“We’re quite often led to believe that when we get pregnant, we’re useless or incapacitated,” she said.
“A lot of that is put into our minds, and then we believe it.
“If you feel comfortable, it’s actually pretty empowering to keep working for as long as you can – especially if you’re behind the wheel of a big truck!
“I just wanted to show other female truckies that it can be done.”
Lindsee said her best advice to other female drivers who are pregnant or thinking about having kids is to listen to your body.
“That’s something that I probably could have done better,” she said.
“Keep the lines of communication with your boss open, and check in about what is going on with your pregnancy - what jobs you can do and what you need to stop doing.
“That’s really important. The job’s great, but the baby comes first!”
