Big Rigs 23 June 2023

A TRUCKIE has been convicted and fined with two critical risk breaches under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), for working 19.5 hours in a 24-hour period.

The case was heard at the Goulburn Local Court last month, with the court finding the driver guilty of both charges. The driver was fined $10,000 for each charge and another $102 filing fee for each charge, at a total cost of $20,204.

The driver was prosecuted following an inspection in January, where a heavy vehicle was intercepted on the Hume Highway at Marulan by NHVR authorised officers, who checked the driver’s work diary.

The officers identified two

breaches within a 24-hour period.

The NHVR reports that the driver’s longest rest break during the 24-hour period was

only one hour and 30 minutes.

“Solo drivers can work a maximum of 12 hours within a 24-hour period, with seven continuous hours of stationary

rest time,” the regulator said.

NHVR director prosecutions, Belinda Hughes, said it was alarming to see such long hours worked. “Fatigue is an issue we are seeing having a big impact on drivers, resulting in serious injuries or death. Take your rest breaks – it’s just not worth the risk,” she said.

“The magistrate noted the seriousness of this offence, acknowledging the risk that working these types of hours poses to the person and public safety.”

The NHVR added that in addition to the general duty to not drive a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle on a road while fatigued, drivers must comply with work and rest limits.

NHVR director operations Central Region, Brett Patter-

son, said standard hours apply to all drivers who do not operate under fatigue management accreditation.

“Operators who enrol in the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme have a greater say in when drivers can work and rest, as long as the risks of driver fatigue are properly managed,” said Patterson.

This news came as the NHVR undertook a weeklong work diary blitz after 120 penalty infringements were issued in the past few months to truck drivers at the Marulan Heavy Vehicle Safety Station in NSW for not carrying their work diary.

Results of that crackdown had not been released at deadline for this issue. Check bigrigs.com.au for an update.

Truckie cops $3000 fine for dimension breach

enter the Sydney M5 tunnel in December last year.

quirements after the load they were transporting collided with the roof of the tunnel.

The vehicle had travelled past a low clearance sign for the tunnel of 4.6m and was later measured to be 4.86 metres in height, with its legal limit capped at 4.3 metres.

An NHVR spokesperson told Big Rigs the driver was

fined $3000 after entering a guilty plea.

Following a number of incidents of trucks failing to comply with warning signs – and in some cases, crashing into bridges and tunnels – NSW government officials have since increased the on-the-spot fine from $1888 to $4097, with the courts now able to impose a

maximum fine of $5500.

Drivers with overheight vehicles can lose their licence for six months, while penalties have also doubled from six demerit points to 12.

Authorities also have the power to suspend truck registrations for up to six months.

According to the NSW Government, 45 overheight

trucks were detected in Sydney Harbour Tunnel in 2022 – almost double the amount from 2021.

Director of Operations Central Region Brett Patterson said the NHVR wants to remind operators and drivers to measure their loads. He said it’s also crucial that they plan their journey ahead of time.

The NHVR officers identified two breaches within a 24-hour period.

NSW declares ‘zero tolerance’ for overheight

AFTER a recent spate of overheight truck incidents in Sydney tunnels, NSW now has wider powers to remove heavy vehicles from the road for up to six months following a breach.

As a result of an emergency meeting last month between Minister for Roads John Graham, NHVR chairman Duncan Gay and acting chief executive Ray Hassall, the regulator has agreed to refer all overheight breaches at tunnels as “aggravated” events.

Before then, Transport for NSW could only deregister trucks and take them off the road once the NHVR had referred an incident as “aggravated circumstances”.

“In future all tunnel overheight incidents will be deemed aggravated no matter what the level of the breach and Transport for NSW will be able to take action against owners and operators more often,” said the NSW Government in a statement.

Truckies can also have their driver’s licence suspended for six months.

Since August 2022, when heavy vehicle regulatory functions were transferred to the

NHVR, just four registration sanctions have been completed against trucking companies, and one of those was thrown out by the court.

Graham thanked the regulator for working collaboratively to send a clear warning to operators and truckies who are “still not getting the message” about overheight restrictions.

At the same time, the NSW Government said it is strengthening advance warning systems and raising awareness through driver education in collabora-

tion with the NHVR.

The government said it has approved the deployment of $5 million in infrastructure upgrades, which will include moving sensors further back along the Warringah Freeway to ensure heavy vehicle drivers can take earlier evasive action to avoid blocking traffic at the tunnel portal.

The state government has ruled out closing the Harbour Tunnel to trucks altogether because the majority of heavy vehicles are already prevented

from crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge due to mass constraints.

Closing the tunnel to heavy vehicles would also force truckies to use alternative routes across that in some cases would add 42km to a trip between Port Botany and the M1 at Wahroonga.

Meanwhile, the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) said the solution is already in plain sight.

NatRoad says artificial intelligence needs to be applied to a

handful of the state’s 168 existing traffic monitoring cameras near the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and other key height-restricted infrastructure.

“The big stick solution is clearly not working and the obvious problem is the positioning of the cameras,” said NatRoad CEO Warren Clark.

“By the time a truck comes into view, it’s too late. They can’t make a U-turn, so they have to back out, which takes time and has a knock-on effect for following traffic.”

Clark said there are similar problems in the US, where there are 617,000 bridges and 520 tunnels. Damage by overheight trucks is the country’s second largest cause of bridge failure.

“Researchers in New York City are using a very low-cost Artificial intelligence vehicle warning system to combat 200 incidents annually.

“AI could easily identify an over-height truck in the vicinity of the Harbour Tunnel and trigger a strategically placed warning sign long before it enters an approach road.”

Last year, Transport for NSW trialled AI cameras in the

Hunter Valley and at Stanwell Tops as a road safety measure. It has cameras using similar technology called machine learning at 13 locations but only two are in metropolitan Sydney and they only monitor truck loads.

Road Freight NSW CEO Simon O’Hara called for “sensible, practical solutions” to the tunnel issues that won’t see trucks taken off the road.

O’Hara said that an incident earlier this month when a truck set off a tunnel sensor despite being under the legal height limit, showed why the industry and stakeholders need to work together on a better monitoring system.

He’d also like to see an awareness campaign to educate drivers about the varying height limits in tunnels across the Sydney road network.

“RFNSW is obviously concerned that any disruption to traffic on our roads is hurting the NSW economy, which is why we need to keep freight moving safely on our roads, ensuring that any changes to current regulations are only introduced after there’s been thorough consultation with industry,” O’Hara added.

Truckies now face the prospect of an instant fine of $4097 and having their truck taken off the road for six months if caught driving overheight in a Sydney tunnel.

IVECO announces return of the ACCO

THE ACCO is set to make a return to the IVECO product line-up, with IVECO Australia engineers currently testing and validating the latest model prior to its release.

The new ACCO range shares its fundamental architecture with the recently launched S-Way, but is being developed to target specialist vocational applications, namely refuse work, and will include locally engineered dual control variants.

The range will be available in both 6x4 and 8x4 configurations and will feature IVECO’s 8.7L, Euro6 (Step E) Cursor 9 engine – and buyers will be able to select from three output ratings spanning from 310hp and 1300Nm to 360hp and 1650Nm.

The standard transmission across all models will be the Allison 3200 6-speed full automatic, which is well suited to stop and start applications.

Available exclusively with a day cab, the interior of the ACCO has been refined to provide more usable space and accommodate dual control hardware for those relevant models. Additional

driver storage has been incorporated into the design with further areas allocated for PPE and stowage of personal belongings.

Previous generation ACCO models were popular with many bodybuilders due to their clean chassis

rails and mounting options; which will be continued in the new ACCO, with a chassis layout that’s been honed to closely align with requirements of waste industry bodies in consultation with popular body manufacturers and leading companies with-

Kenworth, Volvo are neck and neck

KENWORTH has a race on its hands to claw back its perch at the top of the heavy-duty truck sector in Australia.

in the waste sector.

According to Emiliano Foieri from IVECO Trucks Australia – Heavy Vehicles, preparation for the introduction of the new ACCO range is progressing well. “Development of the new ACCO has been an involved process, particularly the design of the dual control system, which has been engineered locally, specifically to meet the preferences of Australian and New Zealand customers,” Foieri said.

“The overall model lineup is heavily geared towards the waste industry and will closely meet the needs of operators using side and rear loading compactors, overhead front lift trucks and skip bin vehicles.

“Given the long heritage and strong reputation that ACCO boasts particularly in the waste market, we’re working hard to ensure its standing as an industry favourite continues with this new generation model.”

IVECO Australia says that more detailed information and specifications of the new ACCO will be available closer to its release date.

New crown challenger Volvo flew out of the gates in 2023 and hasn’t backed off an inch in the latest Truck Industry Council sales numbers for May.

Both Volvo and Kenworth recorded 307 sales apiece last month, leaving the Wacolbased manufacturer 15 clear of the Bayswater behemoth on the year-to-date (YTD) board – 1301 vs. 1286. Together the pair now accounts for more than 40 per cent of sales in the sector.

Isuzu solidified its spot on the podium with 212 sales for the month, and now sits on 919 YTD, or 14.3 per cent of the total heavies’ pie.

Another Euro invader, Scania, also had a month to celebrate, notching an impressive 159 sales and sits nicely clear of the bunch in fourth place overall with 463 transactions.

Of the others, DAF was also noteworthy in May, recording 85 sales, up from 63 in April and now boasts a 2023 total of 307.

Overall, it was business as usual at the top with Isuzu again dominating across the medium-duties and lights.

In the medium-duty market Isuzu recorded a massive 363 sales in May (a 53.1 per cent market share) and was almost as dominant in the lights with 658 sales, or 42.6 per cent of the total market.

Overall, Isuzu sold 5505 units of the 18,341 vehicles above 3500kg GVM that changed hands in May.

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■ Timing Belts

■ Heavy Duty Tensioners

■ Green Stripe ™ Vulco-Flex ™ Coolant Hose

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■ Straight Vulco ™ 2 ply

Hume Transport celebrated its 50th anniversary with the keys to this Volvo FH16 XXL from CMV Truck & Bus in Albury/ Wodonga. Photo: CMV Truck & Bus/Facebook.

Other waste industry-specific adjustments include redesigned steps, an engine hour meter and a three-blade windscreen wiper system.

Qld tunnel study to cost taxpayer

THE Queensland Government is set to spend $35 million on an investment proposal for a new toll road tunnel between Kedron and Carseldine in Brisbane’s north.

The proposal will be led by newly formed North Brisbane Infrastructure, which will be established through the Queensland Investment Corporation.

North Brisbane Infrastructure will undertake detailed transport modelling, technical assessments and financial analysis as part of the process.

“As a world-leader in funds management, the Queensland Investment Corporation has nearly $30 billion worth of infrastructure assets under management,” said Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick.

“It has the expertise to give us the clearest answer in the shortest time to decide whether a Gympie Road toll tunnel stacks up.”

If it goes ahead, the congestion-busting 7km tunnel would offer a seamless link from the Bruce Hwy to Legacy Way, Clem 7, M1 and Centenary Hwy.

The potential benefits that will be examined as part of the investment proposal include:

• shorter commuter times

• better connections with the Bruce Highway to and from the Sunshine Coast

• better connections to the west of the city through Legacy Way and south through the Clem7 to the M1

• Improving amenity and liveability for locals by removing through traffic from Gympie Road.

Bay region set to increase traffic into Brisbane, now is the right time to do this work.

“Based on Brisbane’s most recent road tunnel projects, from this point the tunnel could potentially be built within about eight years if it stacks up,” he said.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey added, “A Gympie Road Bypass solution would complement the works currently underway to bust congestion and improve connectivity as part of the Northern Transitway from Kedron to Chermside.”

Bridges take shape on Gympie bypass

THE final concrete pile has now been poured for the Gympie bypass project’s 42 bridge structures.

This is the last of 575 piles that have had to be installed, as part of the $1 billion project, which is due for completion in late 2024, weather permitting.

With the piles now in place, works on all bridges on the Gympie bypass are either underway or complete.

There are 42 bridges at 23 locations throughout the 26km Gympie bypass project.

The Keefton Road underpass, Bolcaro Road overpass, Noosa Road overpass and the recently opened Flood Road interchange bridge are now all open.

“The construction of these

bridges is crucial to the flood immunity of the project,” said Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King.

“When completed, this new section of the National Highway will stand 27 metres above the regular Mary River water height in Gympie, at its lowest point.

“The new bypass is being built to a height that would have remained operational during events like the devastating floods of early 2022.”

When finished, the bypass is also expected to significantly reduce traffic volumes on the highway travelling through Gympie, with around 50 per cent less heavy vehicles.

“As a world-leader in funds management, the Queensland Investment Corporation has nearly $30 billion worth of infrastructure assets under management,” said Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick.

“It has the expertise to give us the clearest answer in the shortest time to decide whether a Gympie Road toll tunnel stacks up.”

Dick says that with forecast population growth on the Sunshine Coast and in the Moreton

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According to Member for Aspley Bart Mellish, the tunnel being considered is the best solution.

“Locals tell me they don’t want to see a new road constructed on the Trouts Road corridor, which would effectively cut our northside community in two, and I agree,” he said.

“This is the simplest, most effective and least disruptive solution to Gympie Road gridlock.”

A wider community consultation process begins later this year.

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Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick.

The plan for the congestionbusting road tunnel between Kedron and Carseldine.

Construction of the bridges over Six Mile Creek in Gympie (bridges will be over 250m long).

World-first Double-Stack trailers roll out in Brisbane

A WORLD-FIRST Super B-double ‘Double-Stack’ trailer combination capable of carrying up to eight empty 20-foot containers is now up and running at the Port of Brisbane.

First revealed to truck fans at the recent Brisbane Truck Show, the O’Phee ‘London’ Double Stack Container SKEL Super B-double combination – named after the famous double-decker buses of London – was built by O’Phee Trailers, a division of The Drake Group.

The O’Phee ‘London’ Double Stack Super B-double combination, which had just successfully finished its first on-road trial as we were going to print with this issue, is designed to move four 40foot, or eight 20-foot shipping containers at a time, stacked to an impressive height of over seven metres.

Qube says its excited to be working with O’Phee Trailers and the The Drake Group in trialling stage one of these innovative trailers.

“These High Productivity Vehicles have the potential to increase operational effi-

THIS INNOVATIVE COMBINATION WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY OVER THE EXISTING, VERY EFFICIENT SUPER BS AND PBS A-DOUBLES CURRENTLY IN OPERATION.”

MICK O’PHEE

ciencies, given their ability to move 12 x 20-foot containers at a time, and we believe they could also contribute to lower emissions by eliminating truck movements,” the company said.

“Under stringent safety and operational conditions, the trial saw the vehicle carry eight empty 20-foot equivalent (TEU) containers on a defined route within Qube’s port facilities and limited public port roads. It is the first time a double stacked container vehicle has been trialled on public roads in Australia.”

The O’Phee ‘London’

The Drake Group owner John Drake, NHVR chief engineer Les Bruzsa, Nicola Murray from the Port of Brisbane, O’Phee Trailers’ Mick O’Phee, and Darren Fuller from QUBE.

The innovative Super B-double can carry four 40-foot, or eight 20-foot shipping containers at a time.

Double Stack combinations will only carry empty containers, and accordingly has been designed in a tri-tandem Super B-double configuration.

“This innovative combination will significantly increase productivity over the existing, very efficient Super Bs and PBS A-doubles currently in operation,” said trailer legend Mick O’Phee, of O’Phee Trailers, a division of the Drake Group. And this was ratified by NHVR’s chief engineer Les Bruzsa.

The ground-breaking idea came about following discussions between Qube and O’Phee Trailers on ways to improve the productivity and efficiency of moving a large number of empty containers.

Qube was initially considering longer Super B-doubles to carry the containers but since there are no height restrictions or potential hazards at the port, it was decided to look at developing a combination that could go higher to take advantage of these unique operating conditions.

“We asked the question to Les Bruzsa and the Port of Brisbane and all agreed that this was indeed possible, but it may be a journey – that was an understatement,” O’Phee added.

“Back then, myself and John Drake said we could actually do this, and it would be amazing, so John and I embarked on how we could actually get it approved and designed,” said O’Phee.

“We went through all the regulatory avenues –the what fors, what ifs and hows – and got through the approval processes. We then designed what we thought would work, then we had to put it all on the line and actually build it.

“After it was built, we had to prove that the computer simulations would work in a physical test, so we arranged some stability testing, and had NHVR and the Port of Brisbane there to validate and check that it all worked, which it did.”

Complex testing

The NHVR, together with the trailer manufacturer, conducted tilt tests of the Double-Stack combination as a fully laden trailer configuration.

Costs up in 2023

THE National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has released details of cost increases to its access permit fees and to the cost of work diaries, along with increased fines.

Heavy Vehicle National Law penalties and fines will increase from Saturday, July 1, 2023. As an example, the fine for driver not carrying a work diary will increase from $711 to $758.

Access permit fees will rise by $5. Class 1, 2 or 3 access permit applications and HML permit applications will go up from $78 to $83; while the cost of a National Driver Work Diary will increase from $26 to $28.

Fees will also increase for National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme modules, which the NHVR says is in line with the consumer price index.

More details can be found at nhvr.gov.au where the regulator also provides updates on heavy vehicle defects, including including safety, legal and administrative requirements.

These tests evaluated the Static Rollover Threshold (SRT) performance of a vehicle by determining the magnitude of lateral acceleration required to subject a vehicle to roll-over.

General vehicle safety technology is also fitted to the vehicle including ABS and stability control. The vehicle has been fitted with a custom-made, specific suspension system to further improve the stability.

“There are a lot of smarts with how we’ve developed these trailers,” added O’Phee.

“There’s a special computer system on the trailer that interfaces with a touch screen in the prime mover.

“There’s a fair bit in what we do, we’ve been building container handling equipment, general semi-trailers and heavy low-loader trailers for a very long time, and this certainly is not a standard build chassis design.

Load restraint system

Bruzsa says the load restraint systems were proven to meet the performance standards of the Load Restraint Guide.

“The load restraint equipment of this vehicle is particularly unique and designed to withstand forces from all directions,” he said.

“It is an integral part of the trailer’s structure and complimented by bespoke fabricated assemblies of hydraulic and electronic components which assist with the loading, restraining, and unloading of the empty containers.

“The restraint system can be operated from the cabin, and the driver does not leave the vehicle to control the loading or unloading of the containers.”

Where to next

Officially launching in July, the London combination is currently restricted to approved routes within the Port of Brisbane, and Bruzsa tells Big Rigs that there are no current plans to extend the operation outside of the precinct.

O’Phee has had enquires from operators of other Australian ports, who are also interested in adopting this new and innovated technology, since the trailers were

revealed at the Brisbane Truck Show – and others are already in production. The ‘London’ has also been designed to run as a Super B-triple which means it can carry up to a dozen 20-foot containers, or six 40-footers.

“There’s more on order,

with a vision to get these into some of the other states too,” O’Phee added.

“They are on port use only, so the large port users are the ones who will get excited. With vehicles down and drivers down, it’s all about improving efficiency and sustainability.”

There’s also practical information on the different risk categories, defective vehicle labels, the continued use of a defective vehicle, non-compliance with a vehicle defect notice and how to clear a defect notice.

The NHVR also notes there are different requirements for clearing a vehicle defect depending on where the vehicle is registered.

The road trial saw the Super B-double carry eight empty 20ft equivalent (TEU) containers on a defined route within Qube’s port facilities and limited public port roads.

Truckies deliver

JAMES GRAHAM

LIKE you, I’m guessing, I never tire of hearing stories about how truckies just roll up the sleeves and get the job done.

All through Covid, you couldn’t find a more compliant and willing cohort going above and beyond to keep the shelves stocked.

When other truckies call for help, they know their brothers and sisters will rally in support.

Much like Ben Stamatovich, of The Drone Way fame, did when he met a youngster at the Brisbane Truck Show who he later found out was having a tough time at school.

He jumped on social media to rally the troops and before you knew it, 10-year-old Chevy Kite (see story on page 10-11) had a smile on his face wider than a B-double trailer and a much brighter outlook on life.

Wouldn’t it be great if governments could leave us alone to fix our own woes. We wouldn’t still be waiting for a new NHVL, or for adequate rest areas. We’d just work together and get it done.

HOT WEB TOPICS

Cummins’ new big bore engine $3000

fine for dimension breach

ney M5 tunnel in December last year. The vehicle had travelled past a low clearance sign for the tunnel of 4.6m and was later measured to be 4.86 metres in height, with its legal limit capped at 4.3 metres. The driver was charged under HVNL for failing to comply with dimension requirements.

Harbour Bridge. Both trucks were later measured to be within the 4.3m limit. Skelton said at the end there was no apology from anyone for his “wasted five hours”.

crackdown.

THE National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) prosecuted a driver for a severe dimension breach after they attempted to enter the Syd-

Readers like Bruce Skelton and Geoffrey Birchall shared their similar experiences at the Sydney Harbour Tunnel on different occasions, with authorities ordering the drivers to reverse their B-doubles and reroute via the CBD or the

Some readers like Niell Graham, Michael Vella and Christian Rodriguez added that the government should “build higher tunnels” to accommodate all registered vehicles. Others like Trevor Warner and Tom Hinton noted that there should be a full chain of responsibility investigation “instead of just blaming the truck driver”.

CUMMINS unveiled its most advanced ever big bore diesel truck engine recently. The entirely new 15-litre platform, known as the X15D, will deliver the highest-ever outputs for a Cummins truck engine while setting new standards for fuel efficiency at ultra-low emissions levels, the company noted.

Some of the readers, including Ashley Smith wondered if Cummins is going to “do more” than the current X15 model “because they are not even in the same ball park as the Gen 2 Cummins for reliability”.

Rodney Waldron said:

“Let’s see if Cummins can stop the issue of dropping liners and needing midlife’s

and when your fuel burn warranty is over they do a cam gear and your motor is kaput with no warning of imminent failure.

“Cummins has lots of work to do.”

There was also some talk about new technologies, with Stuart Vickers adding that in the United States, Cummins has delivered a X15 variant on hydrogen that is “way more fuel efficient”, and Jory Dunshea saying that hydrogen engines “will do wonders” like in certain parts of the US and some Asian countries.

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EDITOR

Overheight

of an exciting journey for truck lover

This young truck-loving fan is doing his bit to help put an end to bullying, with the trucking community rallying behind him to show their support.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

AT just 10 years old, young Chevy Kite is already doing what he can to help make the world a better place.

A recent visit to the Brisbane Truck Show in May, with his grandmother Sharon Kite, and a chance encounter with well-known truck driver Ben Stamatovich, who shares his travels through his photography page The Drone Way, has left a lasting impact on Chevy – who has since started his own Facebook page.

He launched the page, with the support of his parents Rowena and Jayde Kite, on May 24, just three days after the truck show, promoting the message #WeStandTogether. And in such a short time, Chevy has made quite the mark, as

he shares his own personal story, including his struggles with bullying.

Rowena says Chevy is always willing to give anything a go. “Chevy is very outgoing and energetic. He will jump in and try his hardest to accomplish something new. He is such a great kid with a caring heart. Everyone he meets comments on how well-mannered and respectful he is too.”

Jayde added that he loves “anything with an engine” –from trucks, cars and quad bikes, along with BMX riding, skate parks and Xbox.

His love of trucks started quite early on, sparked by his grandparents. “It all started when his granddad came over with his concrete truck when Chevy was a young whipper snapper. He took him for a drive

and Chevy fell in love,” explained Rowena.

Chevy’s been collecting model trucks ever since. “At the local markets, we found a gentleman selling timber trucks and Chevy would purchase one as a reward for doing well with his schoolwork. What really took it to the next level was meeting Ben from The Drone Way at the Brisbane Truck Show,” Jayde added. “They had an instant connection.”

The couple described Chevy’s encounter with Ben in just two words: “life changing”.

Though Chevy had visited a number of local truck-

ing events, he had never seen anything that was anywhere near as big at the Brisbane Truck Show. “He was so excited when he came home. He had a goodie bag filled with books and pictures. The photo with Ben was his highlight, along with the photo with Little Trucker magazine, the list goes on,” said Rowena.

“Chevy was watching a video of Ben while on the way to the show and was hooked straight away. He wasn’t even sure he’d get the chance to see Ben, but was just excited to go and look at the trucks.

“When Chevy met Ben,

he took the photo and went on his way. It was later on that Ben came and found Chevy to catch up and see how the day went. Ben felt a strong connection to Chevy. Ben then asked if he could do a post on his page as Chevy made quite an impact on him. Then things have just taken off from there.”

Rowena says Chevy and Ben formed an instant bond. “To start with Ben couldn’t connect the dots as to why Chevy and him had such a strong bond. But a few days after the post on Ben’s The Drone Way page, we thanked him for doing what he did and taking

the time to have a photo with Chevy; and explained that he had been struggling with bullying. That was the confirmation Ben needed to make the link as to why he felt so strongly towards Chevy.”

After Ben’s initial Facebook post about Chevy, Jayde and Rowena were inundated with heartfelt phone calls and messages from those in the trucking community, with many offering to take him for a ride in their truck.

“That’s why we thought it would be awesome to start Chevy’s own page so we could post all of these experiences and keep everyone updated

Truckie Clayton Petersen took Chevy for a ride in his Kenworth and even let him sit in the driver’s seat.

Matt, Max, Cohan and Keegan stopped by to visit Chevy.

Chevy loves seeing the trucks roll up.

with what he’d been doing. Then fan mail started rolling in too, so we’ve been posting also to show our thanks and appreciation,” Jayde added.

As this story was written, just a few short weeks after Chevy launched his page, he’s already had numerous truckies take him for a spin in their trucks and has had plenty of truck merchandise sent his way too.

Sadly, Chevy and his parents know the consequences of bullying all too well, but thanks to the incredible support he’s received, this young star has got his confidence back.

“We are still struggling daily with the aftereffects from bullying but Chevy has got his smile back. He is just so much more responsive and happy. He has a stronger carefree attitude towards his bullies,” said Rowena.

“If it wasn’t for the recent support from Ben and the trucking industry we wouldn’t be getting our strong and confident Chevy back – we are so thankful to them.

“Thank you Ben for taking the time to share a moment with Chevy, which has changed his world for the better. We cannot thank the trucking industry enough for their ongoing support through wonderful messages and gifts. To see Chevy smile when he reads the words of encouragement and the surprise on his face when trucks start rolling up to take him for a drive. To take a stand against bullying and to get everyone’s voice out there is truly going to be an amazing journey. To help save a child or adult from bullying is such a gift. To help a bully realise and stop

will be a blessing.”

And who knows, maybe one day we’ll see Chevy behind the wheel of his own big rig too. “We have always told Chevy he can be what-

ever he wants to be – to never limit himself to only what he thinks he can do, but to set his mind to what he wants to do. And he says he wants to be a truckie.”

Trucking luminaries celebrated in King’s Honours List

THREE familiar faces in the road transport industry were awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the King’s Birthday Honours List.

They are Julie Russell, Kevin Pattel and Sal Petroccitto, all from Queensland.

Russell has been at the helm of the third-generation transport company, Russell Transport, since 2007, and also held numerous high-profile association and committee roles, both in Queensland and on a national level.

She was the Queensland

Trucking Association president from 2017-2021 and has been a director of the Australian Trucking Association since 2019. Russell is also the current deputy chair of the NHVR board.

“It’s still sinking in,” Russell said of her latest accolade. “I know the industry has so many wonderful and deserving people that just to be considered in this way is really humbling.”

Russell said she plans to share the official medal ceremony later in the year with family who have played such an

integral role in her career success and are closing in on their centenary year in transport in 2025.

“The acknowledgement is an extension of our family and our legacy in the transport industry.”

Russell said the OAM is another significant “marker” in a career already steeped in tributes.

“I feel like I’m representing the industry in a way. There are plenty of people that contribute so for me to be acknowledged is representative of the broader

industry, not just my own contribution. It’s about how the industry has allowed me to contribute throughout the whole process.

“It’s just created another way that I’ll start to look and view things.”

Livestock legend Pattel, the founder of KM and JC Pattel Transport, also picked up an OAM for his services to the road transport industry and the community of Richmond.

He is co-founder and foundation president of the National Road Freighters Association

and a Shell Rimula Wall of Fame inductee since 2013.

It’s his second OAM, having picked up the same honour in 2019 when local MP Bob Katter was moved to say, “The main road coming into Richmond in Western Queensland is Pattel Road and quite rightly so”.

Petroccitto has been NHVR CEO since 2014. Prior to that he worked as a general manager at the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland.

He’s also held various industry board and member roles.

Meeting truckie and photographer Ben Stamatovich, aka The Drone Way, has had a huge impact on this young truck fan.

Julie Russell paid credit to her family and colleagues for the King’s Birthday Honours List award.

Building on over 50 years of success

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

THE story of Curley Cattle Transport started with the purchase of a single truck in 1972 – a Dodge with a 160 Cummins engine, towing two cattle crates. Fast forward to over 50 years later and the business now operates a fleet of 40 Kenworth T659s, all used to pull triple road trains across Queensland and into the Northern Territory.

With seven Queensland depots – located in Cloncurry, Charter Towers, Normanton, Georgetown, Boulia, Blackall and Winton – the company’s fleet travels in excess of 2.5 million loaded kilometres each year.

Mick Curley, now aged 79, grew up on a cattle station in Morven before moving to

Cloncurry with his family in 1963 – which eventually became home to his transport company’s main base.

By 1975, he was driving a B-model Mack, and then in 1982, Mick and his brother Robert Curley purchased Chaplain Haulage to form their business Curley Brother Cattle Transport.

By 1996, the brothers decided to split their business, with Mick continuing his focus on the cattle transport aspect. Together with his wife Dawn Curley and son Stephen Curley, they acquired Hudson Transport, which included the Cloncurry and Normanton depot, along with three sets of trailers.

Stephen, 48, was just 22 when he joined the family business, after completing an ap-

prenticeship as an electrician.

“I started in the shed and then eventually got my MC licence so I drove trucks on and off for a while. In 1999, I went overseas and then really got stuck into it in 2000. Cattle transport was something that, once I got the hang of, I knew it was going to be my life,” he said.

“Growing up, Dad was always driving, and my sister and I used to go out with him in the truck sometimes too.”

Like many transport industry veterans, trucking runs through Mick’s veins – and although he’ll soon be celebrating his 80th birthday, he’s still there at Curley Cattle Transport, working every day – and he enjoys getting back behind the wheel on occasion too.

“Dad still does a little trip every now and then, about once

a year. He enjoys getting in the truck – it’s something he’s had his whole life, that’s his identity,” explained Stephen. “He’s been semi-retired for about 15 years so I’ve been running things since about 2000.”

And Mick’s contribution to the industry hasn’t gone unnoticed. He was inducted into the National Road Transport Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2009; and in 2021 was presented Life Membership from the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland in recognition of his dedicated service to the livestock and rural transport industry.

Curley Cattle Transport has grown into the business it is today through numerous acquisitions. In 2002, they purchased Hickey Transport, acquiring an additional four road trains and

the Georgetown depot. They bought 150 acres in 2003 to build and establish the Charters Towers depot. The following year, in 2004, they acquired Boulia Transport, which included the Boulia depot and two road trains. In 2005, they purchased Cleary Transport in Mount Isa, including five more road trains. They then purchased Batts Transport Blackall in 2016; followed by Fanning’s Transport and the Blackall depot in 2017; and then Grant’s Livestock in Winton in 2019.

But Stephen insists it’s never just been about getting bigger – it’s about getting better. “There’s only one way to go. In anything you do, you’ve always got to try and keep bettering yourself,” he said.

Today the business employs over 70 people, including 40 drivers. The operations are predominantly centred around transporting cattle from station to station, station to abattoir, station to feedlot, and to the port for export. “We do a lot of inter-station movement for the big cattle companies in Queensland – it could be 1000 kilometres between stations,” said Stephen.

The company employs many long-term drivers, who’ve been there for 10 to 15 years, along with managers who’ve worked there for over 20 years.

“It’s getting harder to get good drivers. To keep staffed you’ve really got to be ahead of the competition. You have to look after your people really well and do things that others

aren’t. It’s about more than just the money – you need to have good equipment, good facilities and treat employees well too,” Stephen added.

In terms of its prime movers, Curley Cattle Transport has been purchasing Kenworth T659s exclusively since it purchased the first one from Brown and Hurley Townsville in 1997. “Originally I went for the T659 because it’s a truck with the least warranty issues. They are just built really tough. They were originally designed as a logging truck, so very little goes wrong with them,” Stephen said.

“We have one driver per truck and buy five new trucks each year, which replace the oldest ones in the fleet.”

The latest truck, picked up on June 14, is the 75th new Kenworth to be purchased by the company. It’ll sport the same white and green livery the company has become known for and will be based at the Winton depot.

“And then next year, there’ll be another five new T659s. Growth has always been a part of this business, so if any opportunities arise we’ll seriously take a look at them. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being like that,” Stephen added.

As this second-generation transport operator continues to push the family business forward, with his father by his side, Stephen reveals his hopes for the future. “I have a 10-year-old boy and eightyear-old twin girls – and I hope they’ll join the business too one day.”

Mick and Dawn, with their son Stephen.

The fleet operates out of seven Queensland depots.

The operations are predominantly centred around transporting cattle from station to station, station to abattoir, station to feedlot, and to the port for export.

The fleet is easily recognisable in its green and white livery. Truck photos: Ann Britton Photography

Over the decades, this father and son duo have continued to grow their business from strength to strength, now transporting over one million head of cattle each year.

2019 Scania G500 6x4

Unused - 2023 Kenworth W900SAR Legend 6x4 Build #82

2015 Freightliner Coronado 114 6x4

2017 Kenworth T900 Legend 6x4 Build #82

2013 Drake 4 Rows of 8 Hydraulic Widening Swingwing

2020 Kenworth T610SAR 6x4

2 of 4 - 2022 Krueger

2018 Kenworth K200 Aerodyne 6x4

2020 GLT Stag B-Double Combination

FM500 6x4 1 of 2 - 2022 Graystar

2017 Kenworth K200 Big Cab Aerodyne 6x4

Bocks’ B-Model shines bright

Isuzu gets the big tick from Big Chief

BY DAVID VILE

WITH the recent Heritage Truck Show celebrating 60 years of Mack trucks being manufactured in Australia, it was fitting that one of the models with which Mack made its mark in Australia was well represented. And in the case of John Bocks’ beautifully restored 1963 B-61, there were few better examples of the legendary truck on display at the Rocklea Showgrounds in May.

Completed in 2020, the finished product is the result of a nut and bolt overhaul which Bocks undertook with the Mack receiving a heart transplant in the form of a bigger motor along the way.

“Originally it was a single drive, and it had a tandem put under the back end as it was being used for carting earthmoving machinery around,” Bocks explained.

“I put it back to a single

drive and changed the motor over, it now runs a 285 Coolpower as opposed to the 185-horsepower motor it was originally fitted with.”

Having driven trucks for 17 years before taking on the grocery store and post office in Theodore, Bocks had always a soft spot for the famous B-Model. Upon acquiring the truck, the restoration was a process over an 11 year period which he undertook with the assistance of his brother and nephew in his shed at home.

“We went right back to the chassis rails, just doing a bit on weekends and so forth. In 2011 when we had just the cab and everything in pieces we had the floods and over six feet of water through the shed which made a hell of a mess, but we just kept going,” he said.

Casting the net for parts and spares to get the Mack back into shape, Bocks got some good assistance from the

late Ian Lee in Victoria, along with Mack specialists Watt’s Truck Centre in Pennsylvania in the US along providing some of the ‘jewellery’ to get the B-Model sparkling. T

The chassis has been painted gold with the interior receiving a brighter tint of green

which was the standard Mack finish at the time. The paint on the exterior was a different matter with the brilliant blue hues more commonly seen on the Ford Performance Vehicles car range.

“The paint code is called Ford ‘shockwave’, the fella I got to paint it he reckoned it was just a nice colour, so we went with that, and it has turned out real nice, and we have added a fair bit of stainless also to it,” he said.

The Mack runs on club registration and is a regular at all the heritage shows, and Bocks also has a Mack B-95 at home but reckoned it isn’t as nice to look at as the B-61.

He was looking at making a few changes to smooth out the ride of the old Bulldogs but overall is happy with how the project turned out, even if it did somewhat exceed his budget.

“I wasn’t expecting to spend the money on it that we did!” he said. “You do one thing, and you think of what it will take to make it look good, so you keep on going. It’s rough to drive but its nostalgic and I just like to look at it.”

HELD in conjunction with the Brisbane Truck Show in May was the Heavy Equipment and Machinery Show (HEMS), located at the ‘Ekka’ just outside the Brisbane CBD.

Given the working relationship that exists between the earthmoving and construction sectors and road transport there was also a trucking element as part of HEMS. Included in the list of exhibitors was Jason Skennar of Big Chief Hire, who had on display two of the Isuzu tipper trucks that he oversees as part of a large hire fleet based out of Ormeau.

Established in South Australia, the Big Chief Hire operation has expanded firstly to Melbourne, with the Queensland depot established around 18 months ago. With a full complement of earthmoving gear across a variety of excavators, graders and rollers for hire, the truck fleet, which numbers around 20 units, comprises rigid tippers and water tankers, with Isuzu the preferred brand across the truck fleet.

“We run both single and tandem axle tippers, the smaller trucks manage the little jobs, and we also have a twin steer/ tandem axle unit as they handle a bit more payload and allow for more value per load. The water trucks are currently a hot-ticket item, and they range from 5000 through to 13000 litres. The bigger water trucks are

great for the civil applications, with all the construction going on in south-east Queensland currently dust suppression is a big thing,” explained Skennar. Given the nature of the hire business where a number of different operators could be operating the trucks, the company has settled on a standardised spec across the fleet including automated transmission.

With some trucks out on long term hire contracts for up to two years, reliability of is also a key factor, which Skennar thinks the Isuzu’s have well covered.

“The reliability of the Isuzu’s is a big thing - and they are efficient on fuel and the drivelines are great, with the auto making the fleet more accessible for drivers. We spec our trucks are to the industry requirements, and we are happy with how they are set up - they haven’t let us down to this stage.”

With building and civil construction still booming, and Brisbane hosting the Olympic Games in 2032, there will be an increasing role for trucks to play their role it would seem the Isuzu’s will play their part in the Big Chief fleet for a number of years.

“Trucks are a really good compliment, they are a primary part of our business…we need trucks working and we need the quality and reliability, and we are happy with the product we have from Isuzu.”

Callie Faulkner and Jason Skennar from Big Chief Hire at their HEMS display.

The Mack has been lovingly restored from bumper to bumper. Photos: David Vile

Plenty of chrome around the tail end of the B-61.

A coat of Ford ‘Shockwave’ blue and periodcorrect Mack badging sets off the truck nicely.

Callie Faulkner and Jason Skennar from Big Chief Hire at their HEMS display.

Road to going full electric

Hino Australia deviated from the trend at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show with what it believes is the perfect transition truck.

BY GRAHAM HARSANT

ANYONE who attended the Brisbane Truck Show (BTS) would have been astounded at the number of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) that were on display.

From a mere three in 2021, this year there were over 20 trucks of all sizes powered by electricity. If there was ever a sign that the industry is headed in this direction, surely this was it.

Many manufacturers are aiming for half their global product to be battery electric or fuel cell electric by 2030 – a mere seven years away.

By 2040 companies such as Volvo are aiming at all trucks sold will be net zero emissions. These are lofty ambitions and for the sake of the health of the world and our children, most of us would hope that these goals are achievable.

Hydrogen, which this country will need for long distance travel (barring perhaps Janus Electric) and which powers fuel cells - in turn powering electric motors - is still some time away. Other hydrogen motive power based on the internal combustion engine (ICE), such as Cummins X 15 with its interchangeable cylinder heads, are closer it would seem.

Hino Australia’s vice president, Richard Emery is sitting back and taking in the transition with interest. Hino Australia did not present a BEV electric on its stand at BTS, instead showing what Emery believes to be the perfect transition truck on the way to full electric.

Emery is well qualified to talk about BEV as he used to be CEO and chairman of Nissan Australia.

“There is an interesting dynamic on display at the moment in Australia and I think I may be in a unique position to talk about this,” Emery said.

“As you know Nissan had the Leaf electric vehicle on sale in Australia in around 2007. In fact our factory in Dandenong was the only factory in the Nissan world that built key componentry for the Leaf.

“Do you think I could get government to engage about the things that we needed to do to decarbonise, not only the factory side of the business, but the automotive side.

“The Coalition government in power at the time weren’t even interested in having a conversation. We got no government support for running the factory that built Leaf componentry and really couldn’t get any engagement with them about how to encourage low and zero emission uptake.

“Now we have gone from that situation to the exact opposite where I believe that the current government’s approach is very tunnel visioned – that it is all one thing. And that’s battery electric, to the exclusion of other technologies. The reality is somewhere in between. It will move and adjust for individual (truck) customers over the next five years.

The prediction is that the transport industry, in terms of the tonnage moved per annum here in Australia, is going to increase by 40 per cent between now and 2030, Emery said.

“The reality is if that is that

the transport industry will in fact increase its carbon footprint over the next five or six years. So clearly something needs to be done.

“The average age of the Australian commercial vehicle fleet is approaching 13 years. If we made that 10 years it would make an immense difference to the amount of emissions emitted by our industry”

Emery believes Hino has the perfect transition vehicle into moving toward all electric in their 300 Series Hybrid-Electric powered vehicle.

“I believe that a truly sustainable change to full electric lies in the electric-hybrid. Hino has, it would seem, the country’s best kept secret (until now) in our 300 Series Electric–Hybrid. As a subsidiary of Toyota we had access to their technology and expertise in this area which has spanned some 40 years, and is well proven.

“The Hino Electric Hybrid has in fact been available on the market since 2007. When I first joined the company I asked why we didn’t sell more of them and couldn’t get a straight answer.

“Soon after, in the middle of last year a few things happened. Of course fuel prices went through the roof and also our Toyota Financial Services business partner had done some homework showing that residual value of these trucks was holding up far better than anticipated and that maintenance costs from a fleet management perspective were less.

“I think it’s been to our detriment that some of our cus-

tomers think it’s a new truck when it’s been there all the time. They just didn’t know.”

Compared to the straight diesel version, Emery said the hybrid can offer a saving on fuel of anywhere between 1530 per cent, depending on how you drive it, of course.

On the open road the difference between hybrid and diesel isn’t great but in urban areas where carbon emissions from trucks are highest, it comes into its own, he said.

“You’re not only saving a heap in diesel costs but also doing your bit to reduce carbon emissions. This is very important to many companies in our industry who wish to be seen as good corporate citizens.

“The base 300 Series truck is bloody good. When you add Hybrid-Electric on top, it becomes quite a compelling argument. A year ago, if we’d sat down with a customer who was going to buy 50 300 Series and asked him if he’d like to make 10 of those hybrids, they would have said no. There was a bit of a view that they would just jump straight to full electric.

“Now they are realising they can’t do that because they don’t have the capacity, the infrastructure and the cost impediments are pretty big. But they see the value that hybrid-electric offers as a stopgap.

“So, in the next five years what I believe will happen is that, let’s say a business has 100 300 Series-sized trucks, they might transition to 10 per cent all electric, 25 per cent hybrid electric with the remaining being diesel. Then over the next 5 to 10 years those figures will

change to something like 30 per cent electric, 40 per cent hybrid electric and it will shift depending on the fleet that you use.”

This ‘relaunch’ of the Hino 300 Series Hybrid-Electric has resulted in a five-fold increase in orders for the truck.

In Japan, Hino also has a hybrid-electric version of their

Big Banger 700 Series. Emery’s next mission is to try and get that truck to Australia.

“I do love to have the 700 Hybrid-Electric here. I reckon it would be fantastic for say, container movements on and off walls and around metro areas. Can you imagine the savings that could offer to an operator?”

Hino is putting its faith in the 300 Series Hybrid-Electric powered vehicle.

In urban areas where carbon emissions from trucks are highest, Hino says its hybrid model comes into its own.

The hybrid can offer a saving on fuel of anywhere between 15-30 per cent.

Just another ordinary day in the rugged outback

BY ALF WILSON

DRIVING triples and quads on red dirt corrugated roads around Weipa on Western Cape York, in far north Queensland, is just an ordinary day for 41-year-old Josh Henry.

He works for Bowyer Group which has a contract with mining giant Rio Tinto to cart bauxite to Weipa Port for export on ships to various countries.

Bowyer Group has been a family owned company for more than 25 years and is the largest provider of quarried products, plant hire and labour hire in the Cape York Peninsula.

The company has depots at Weipa, Coen, Mareeba and Sydney.

“I drive various trucks including a Western Star, a Mack and a Volvo, towing triple and quad combinations with bauxite. The quads and triples are more than 50m long and I enjoy it,” he said.

He rates the 2021 model Volvo as his favourite to drive but said all of the trucks were well maintained.

Henry works two weeks on, and one week off during which time he travels back to his hometown which is the small hamlet of Mt Garnet on the Atherton Tablelands.

“I got my Multi Combination licence to drive the big road trains a few years ago and when in Weipa we are accom-

modated in dongas near the Evan’s Landing wharves and they are very comfortable and have air conditioning, television and other facilities,” he said.

Henry added that the Bowyer Group was great to work for and praised one of his bosses, Darcy Bowyer Junior, who has been good to him.

A genuine ‘Jack of all trades’, Henry also gets to operate graders and diggers around Weipa and said the variety in the job was hard to beat.

His long-time experience driving trucks includes a stint in the Northern Territory during 2015 and 2016 when he was based and working for Norbuilt Booroloola.

That is located on the McArthur River, about 50km upstream from the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Being on the coastal plain between the Barkly Tablelands and the Gulf of Carpentaria, the rivers that run regularly flood in the wet season, making travel on the unsealed section of Highway One along the coastal plain to Queensland impossible.

“I drove Mack and Kenworth triples to some of the more isolated places and areas,” he said.

His other jobs have included driving trucks on return trips from Cairns to Gatton.

“One of the best things to happen on the Bruce Highway which I used to get on

often was the upgrade of the Cardwell Range section. I drove one of the first trucks on it after it was officially opened. It was a Volvo F7,” he said, adding he enjoyed being a truckie around the scenic Atherton Tablelands, which is one of Australia’s beautiful regions.

I asked him to rate the conditions of the Gillies, Palmerston and Kennedy Highways from which access to the Atherton Tablelands is along.

“The Palmerston is in pretty bad shape and when it gets fixed it is often a bandaid job. The Gillies is winding and you have to take care on the Kuranda Range stretch of the Kennedy Highway,” he said.

Another road which Henry has found challenging to travel is the 450km of mostly dirt between Chillagoe and Kowanyama.

“But the road from Musgrave Roadhouse to Pormuraaw has improved in recent times and is good now,” he said.

A proud Aboriginal man who is a descendant of both the Girramay/Jirrbal First Nation’s Peoples, Henry started driving trucks when he was just 16.

“My uncle Cedric Congoo taught me about trucks at Laura and when I got into my first rig I had to ask him what the R was on the gear stick. He said it was for reverse. But I learnt quickly and fell in love with trucks,” he said.

The first truck he drove as an employee was an old Nissan UD which he still has a photograph of.

Over the years Henry has driven trucks for various companies including for Cairns based Tuxworth and Woods, which delivers lots of freight and food to Cape York.

“I used to do the Cairns to Weipa run along mostly red dirt roads and liked to stop at the Palmer River Roadhouse which had good food and welcomes drivers. The road between Laura and to near Fairview used to be terrible and sometimes travel was restricted to 20 to 40km an hour. But now most of it is good to drive on,” he said.

On his week off, Henry enjoys heading back to Mt Garnet which has a population of about 400.

“I have lots of family there and go hunting for kangaroo and fishing for black bream in the fresh water reaches of the Herbert River. We also have a family farm, Badguballa Station, at Kennedy near Cardwell and have 300 cattle there and others come for agistment. There is green grass all year round and it is a peaceful place,” he said.

His other passion is playing cricket and over the years Henry has lined up for a team called Black Bream at the annual Goldfield Ashes Carnival at Charters Towers each January. The team was formed de-

cades ago by his uncle Dick Davidson and some mates, and named after the Black Bream fish they regularly caught in the Burdekin River near Charters Towers.

Henry is an all-rounder who has also played at the Reedybrook Ashes which is held on a station via Mt Garnet with proceeds going to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and other charities.

His most recent cricketing experience was organising the Mt Garnet men’s and women’s side to compete at the recent carnival held at Musgrave Roadhouse on the way to Cape York.

Many road transport identities from around the north participated and former Test cricketers Doug Walters and Jeff Thomson were special guests. His Mt Garnet side took out the men’s comp which had 12 teams and the women were

runners up in their division.

“We had a good time there and the people who run Musgrave are friendly and good to deal with and lots of drivers stop there,” he said.

When at Weipa during his time off, Henry likes having a meal once a week at the Bowls Club there.

“They serve up really good food,” he said.

On the subject of Weipa, Henry added that he admired the late and great female driver Toots Holzheimer who used to travel in an old MAN truck all over Cape York.

Toots tragically died in an accident at Evan’s Landing in February 1992 but her legend lives on. There is a monument in her honour near the Archer River Roadhouse.

“Toots was a legend and still inspires drivers including women. I want to get to see her restored truck which is at a museum,” Henry said.

Josh Henry drives triples and quads for Bowyer Group.

The Mt Garnet cricket team, which won the men’s division against 11 other teams at the Musgrave Roadhouse, with Josh Henry on the right.

You won’t hear this truckie complaining about travelling some of the nation’s roughest and most remote roads – in fact, he loves it.

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Truckin’ In The Tropics

Veteran truckie excited about his next chapter

“I have been driving since I was young and want to enjoy my retirement and will probably caravan around Australia with no destination in mind and no set return date,” he said.

Born at Stawell in Victoria I asked Morgan if he’d ever entered the famous sprint there when he was younger. “No but I have seen a few Stawell Gift races,” he said.

Before starting with Outback Logistix, Morgan owned two small road transport companies which he sold in 2018.

Morgan lived and worked in Darwin for almost five years and since moving to SA has returned back to the NT a few times on fishing expeditions.

When Morgan can’t get to a roadhouse on his travels he eats tin food which he takes with him.

“I always take some tucker with me just in case and just near the BP Cluden is a shopping centre with a Woolies supermarket in it. I am about to head over now to stock up,” he said.

Another hobby he enjoys is clay pigeon shooting and he has done some of that at Adelaide and in Alice Springs.

He nominated the Tanami Track in the NT as the worst road he travelled on. I told him he wasn’t on his lonesome as many other drivers also rate it poorly.

with Alf Wilson

WHEN I met up with South Australian driver Dave Morgan, he was counting the days until he retires.

The 74-year-old was parked up at the BP Cluden Roadhouse on the outskirts of Townsville when I saw him on May 2. He works for Outback Logistix Pty Ltd, based in Adelaide and was sitting in the driver’s seat of his 2020 Kenworth T659, which has a 650hp Cummins engine up

front and an 18-speed Road Ranger gearbox.

The company has its headquarters in Adelaide with depots at Moomba, Laura (SA) and Eromanga (Qld).

“I have just 28 days to go before I retire on June 30 and I am counting the days. I will turn 75 in September,” he said.

Morgan had hauled hook lift bins and a Toyota Ute from Moomba in SA for delivery to Townsville.

“We used to go to a place called Dundee Beach, west of Darwin, chasing barramundi. Also caught some mud crabs which make good eating. I don’t know of anybody who doesn’t enjoy a feed of crab,” he said.

His favourite food is steak with chips and he said that the BP Cluden was his favourite roadhouse.

“I have never seen a roadhouse with such clean facilities for truckies. The food is good and the staff friendly. Over the years I have been to a lot of roadhouses around Australia and this is amongst the cleanest,” he said.

His family is of Welsh descent, and I told Morgan that I had snapped pics of at least 10 other truckies over a period with his same name.

Morgan is a popular man and whilst I was doing the interview he received several calls on his phone.

In conclusion we spoke about which Big Rigs edition Morgan would appear in, and I replied “probably June 23”.

“That will be just seven days before I retire,” he said. I wish him well in retirement and for his future life and will be ringing him from time to time to get his views from a caravanner’s perspective.

Fishing and footy for truckieKeeping truckies nourished

AIDIN May, 31, drives a Kenworth T659 for Oakdare Holdings and was heading from Townsville to Rubyvale near Emerald when I saw him recently.

May lives at Ingham, which is 130km north of Townsville along the Bruce Highway, and works from the company’s Townsville base.

“I mainly carry mine and quarry material,” he said.

A full-time truckie for the past six years, May added that the western backroads were often challenging to travel on.

“The Townsville to Mt Isa road is not the best,” he said.

May enjoys football codes and played rugby union at Toolooa High School near Gladstone as a youth. He follows the NRL rival rugby league comp.

“I barrack for any team that beats Manly,” he said.

He likes stopping at the Road Runner Roadhouse in Cloncurry.

The Greenvale Roadhouse, run by long time operator Judy, is another he prefers when along Lynd Road.

“I used to also like the Carpentaria Fuel one at Richmond but it has closed,” he said.

Like many other truckies who live in the tropics, May enjoys fishing when he gets time off.

His favourite spots are the pristine creeks and rivers in the Hinchinbrook Channel.

“I also go pig hunting

around Ingham,” he said.

As for rest areas, May said there were generally not enough with facilities for drivers.

“But one I do like is at Cape River along the Belyando Highway between Charters Towers and Clermont.”

WHEN Big Rigs saw Dineshreddy Chowlapally, just after 9am, he had just pulled up in an Isuzu 450 to set up his popular fruit stall.

It was at the Frank Partridge VC rest area on the Remembrance Highway between Sydney and Canberra.

Soon after Chowlapally opened a side at the back of the Isuzu, he was swamped by customers wanting to buy some healthy fruit. ese included some tourists and a few truckies who were having a break along this

busy stretch of highway.

“I have been doing this for four years and the most popular fruits are mangoes, cherries, strawberries and lychees. But I have most fruits,” he said.

Originally from Hyderabad in India, Chowlapally said it was good to see so many people wanting to eat fruit.

A couple of truckies told me it was their 2023 resolution to eat more fruit and vegetables.

“Having a stall like this where many drivers stop for a

rest, to use toilets and sit in the shade on chairs gives us an opportunity to get fruit,” he said. e fruit is sourced from markets and as far away as Queensland. at rest area is one of the busiest for truckies in NSW and has plenty of parking for them.

Chowlapally said he tried to be there seven days a week and enjoys meeting people from around Australia and overseas.

“ e Isuzu is very good and suited to what I do,” he said.

Aidin May carts mine and quarry material for Oakdare Holdings.

Behind the wheel of the Kenworth T659 he drives for Outback Logistix. Photos: Alf Wilson

Dave Morgan is excited to be retiring at the end of June.

Dineshreddy Chowlapally sets up for the day’s trading at the Frank Partridge VC rest area.

Our work never stops piling up, so we

a truck we can trust.

Going the Extra Mile

To find out more, contact your UD Trucks dealer on 1300 BUY A UD or visit udtrucks.com/australia

need

When you’re running a complex waste and recycling management operation, there’s a mountain of jobs to tackle every day. With 23 trucks, 2 depots and a 24/7 business cycle, we need a truck we can trust.

UD Trucks delivers market leading safety, driver comfort, value, and absolute minimum down time.

Josh Lannen General Manager, MAMS Group, North Queensland

Reader Rigs proudly supported by

Share your truck pics to win with Shell Rimula

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

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

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

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

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

Bryce ‘Baldy’ McGahey hanging out with The Water Diviner in Barraba, New South Wales.

Dave Hely takes a minute to enjoy the view at Mount Canobolas in Orange, New South Wales.

Aaron Fuller’s washed up rig soaking up the sunset in Hawkesbury, New South Wales, after a massive week.

Michael Roels captured this beautiful sunrise in Gurnang, New South Wales.

Bill Birdie shared a photo of his Kenworth 909 paired with the Cummins Gen 2 signature 600hp while waiting to unload at Goonyella Riverside Mine, Moranbah in Central Queensland.

Brett Keating shared this photo of a great sunset with the perfect break in the clouds in Ararat, Victoria.

Milly MC snapped this shot of Brian from Goldsprings Heavy Haulage delivering an oversize switch room to Cowal Gold Mine in NSW.

When the going gets tough, truckies keep everyone going

Paul Freeth caught this sunrise view at Mataranka in Northern Territory.

Peter McMurray captured this shot of a lovely morning in the Pilbara, Western Australia.

James Hadley and his Kenworth enjoyed this Friday morning sunrise at the Nu-Pure facility in Queensland.

Patrick Knight waiting to unload a 5.5m wide frame at BHP South Flank in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Tom Charlton captured this awesome shot of the sunset in Wallumbilla, Queensland.

Sarah and Ashley took this shot of a sunrise in the Lockyer Valley, South East Queensland.

Joel Hanlon unloading pumpkins in St George, Queensland.

‘This old truck will outlast me,’ says Leader lover

Leader trucks

Veteran driver Peter McConnell, 72, is so in love with his model A600 Leader truck that he told Spy he will never part with it.

He runs Peter McConnell Backhoe Hire based at Tweed Heads and purchased the Leader in the mid 1990s from Duce Truck Wrecker’s in Brisbane.

A truckie had snapped a pic of the Leader at Fingal Heads and sent it to Spy. “It would make an interesting story, being an Australian-made truck. There are very few of them left on the road,” my snapper said.

So I phoned McConnell to glean a history of the truck and found he was a genuine character.

“It used to be owned by Mayne Nickless picking up bones from butcher shops around Toowoomba,” he said.

“As a roller this truck had blown the engine up and had no engine and gearbox. It was an auto – that didn’t fit with me so I bought a Turbo 3208 CAT and a 6613 Overdrive Road Ranger,” he said.

“I discovered why the truck had no engine in the

early days because when I was fitting the new engine there was a rattle in the muffler and on inspection I found the head chewed up.”

From a long rigid, the truck had been shortened to a bogie tipper size. “I put a turntable on it, making it a prime mover to tow my drop deck Githsam trailer, to carry my backhoe and implements,” McConnell added.

“Sometimes it would transport my race car to the racetrack too.”

Seeking more power, he decided to upgrade the engine again. “I wasn’t satisfied with the small 3208 Caterpillar motor because it didn’t provide much grunt. I was looking for more horsepower, so in 2001 I upgraded it with an 8.3 litre after-cooled Cummins engine, which has 275 horsepower and a

11x09LL Eaton gearbox. That brightened up the old girl up to no ends!”

That’s the engine that has remained under the hood to this day. “And it’s going great guns but I had to change the diff gears to a taller ratio.”

With registration becoming too expensive, McConnell made some further alterations. “In 2013, I brought it back to a long body truck with a chassis extension, so it’s back to its original length.”

He’s also added a tray, ramps and sleeper box; while the interior, bull bar, mirrors, sun visor and decals are all original, as is the interior.

“This old truck has been a good old workhorse. It’s real simple considering today’s standards. I use it every day,” McConnell added.

“We’re two old things

enjoying the last of our lives together. I will retire driving this old truck but I reckon it will outlast me.”

The truckie who sent the photos of McConnell’s truck had also taken a pic of another Leader truck at Plains Station, just south of Tabulam, NSW.

“The truck belonged to [and probably still does] a harvesting contractor by the name of Wilkinson. He had other trucks but he was proud of his Leader,” he said.

The former truckie and road transport enthusiast did some research on the Leader Trucks brand, and found it was a truck-manufacturing company based in Toowoomba, Queensland. Nearly 2000 trucks (ranging from 4 to 250 tonne) were manufactured between 1972 and 1984.

Leader found a niche in the truck market, predominantly building rigid 4x4 and 6x6 models for tray, tipper and agitator applications –and so were used largely in the earthmoving and off-road construction industries.

Leader was apparently the first manufacturer to fit Caterpillar engines and automatic transmissions to diesel trucks in assembly. It was also the first truck manufacturer in Australia to offer disc brakes.

The manufacturer claimed its components were 80 per cent Australian built; with only the engine, transmission and steering box being imported.

Leader sold its 1000th truck by 1980 and had also sold its vehicles to New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, China, Caribbean, Middle East and Indonesia.

Tax time tips

With the end of the financial year almost here, it will soon be time to lodge a tax return.

Here’s is a hint for truckies, especially smaller operators who claim expenses whilst travelling.

If you receive a receipt on thermal paper, make sure you photocopy it.

Because the thermal paper writing often fades and if you get audited by the ATO and the officer can’t read it, the

claim will be rejected.

That good advice has been passed on to Spy by a number of truck drivers with past experience.

So whilst it may be a totally legal deduction, make a copy of all receipts on normal paper.

Roebuck Roadhouse

About 20 triple road trains can park at the Roebuck Plains Roadhouse near Broome, which is a popular place with drivers.

It is located 33km from Broome at the junction of the Great Northern Highway and Broome Road.

The owners for the past 10 years are brothers Leeland and Matthew Sharpe.

Numerous truckies have told Spy they stop there often. “The food is good and the facilities clean and there is lots of parking,” one told me.

Leeland said that many trucks stop off and they come from around Australia.

“Truck drivers love ordering steak and our staff are friendly. We want to make them happy. Many use the free showers which will soon be upgraded,” Leeland said.

The roadhouse is open from 6am to 10pm seven days a week and has 24-hour fuel access.

WA rules gone crazy?

The feedback Spy has received from some truckies in WA is that the industry is getting harder for drivers when it comes to compliance rules for wide loads and low loader operation.

“They used to be fair and much easier but now there are stricter rules which dictate what you can do and can’t and they have become a nightmare,” one driver said.

The fines for breaches are heavy, which many can ill afford considering fuel costs and other rising costs.

On a positive note, reports have reached me about improvements to the Great Western Highway east of Southern Cross.

“It used to be terrible and riddled with potholes but they are fixing it up,” a driver said.

Golden Mile rated bronze

Spy spoke to a long-time truckie who was highly critical about the state of the Golden Mile Road located near Dysart in Central Queensland.

She travelled on it recently and said that whilst it was mostly a bitumen surface, “There was not much bitumen left! There were potholes galore and whilst roadworks have been going on for more than a year, not much progress seems to have been made,” she said.

This lady is also an advocate for the improvement of facilities at roadhouses and rest areas for female drivers. “I know it is a male dominated industry but it would be good if more facilities could be provided for women,” she said.

Although she did praise the company she works for. “They have about four female truck drivers employed,” she added.

Roadkill good Samaritan

There is a truckie that spent two weeks running triple side-tippers between Duchess and Selwyn who has become a knight in shining armour for other drivers.

His actions have taken place south of the Cloncurry to Mt Isa road, which sees very little traffic.

“Every day I pull up and drag dead animals off the road. I don’t have to, but they can be a hazard for other road trains and I don’t want all of the gunk underneath my truck. And every morning more animals are just left on the road – most hit by cars by the looks of it because of little impact marks on the animals. I can’t work out why people don’t pull up after an animal strike and drag the carcass off the road themselves,” he told Spy.

On a positive note, he said that every truck driver he happens to see always has a yarn and slows down.

“So we can both drop a wheel off the bitumen to pass safely which means old school courtesy still survives far away from the city lights,” he said.

The Leader Truck a reader spotted at Plains Station, just south of Tabulam, NSW.

Aerial shots of Roebuck Plains Roadhouse near Broome in WA.

Peter McConnell with his A600 Leader truck.

From a long rigid, the Leader A600 had at one point been shortened to a bogie tipper size –before bringing it back to a long body truck with a chassis extension.

SPY ON THE ROAD WITH ALF WILSON

The mystery of the spiky bridge in Tasmania

Palm Island on June 1, aged 86.

Whilst Dennis was not a truck driver he was well known in the industry by many drivers.

Uncle Ray, as he was known on Palm Island, trained an amazing 68 Australian, 70 Queensland and more than 100 Golden Gloves boxing champions since arriving there in 1999.

Over the years hundreds of truck drivers would travel to Palm Island, which is 48 nautical miles across the sea from Townsville, for deliveries or whilst working on construction sites.

Mystery surrounds bridge origins

It’s a bridge like no other in Australia because it has spikes on the top of the sides.

Situated in Tasmania beside the Tasman Highway, 7km from the scenic town of Swansea, mystery surrounds why the spikes were erected on the bridge, which has long been closed to tra c.

But it is not far from the highway and every day hundreds of people including truckies pull up to check it out.

e bridge was constructed in the 1840s on an old convict coach road, which connected Swansea and Little Swan Port on the east coast of the Apple Isle.

In long gone eras, the bridge had lots of tra c including horses and drays carrying supplies from Hobart.

Many possible theories have been put forward as to why the spikes were built into the bridge top. Were they for structural purposes, or to stop cattle going over the side, or was it a folly of

La Farelles’ (the architect)?

It has been recorded that a number of convicts were injured when they accidentally impaled themselves on the spikes.

e bridge is made from eld stones laid without mortar or cement and the parapet features upright stones, giving the bridge a spiky appearance.

On the nearby hill are the remains of the governor’s cottage which overlook the bridge.

Cowboy confusion

A small minority of truck drivers Spy comes across have nicknames which have stuck like glue.

Some have told me their nickname, and when I ask for the Christian and surname, a common comment has been “nobody would know my full name”.

I heard a rather humorous incident involving one who was known by the name of ‘Cowboy’.

Nobody, not even his colleagues, knew his full name.

When his mother phoned

work wanting to wish Cowboy a big happy birthday she referred to him by his proper title.

“Nobody at work knew who that was and when somebody asked if that person was here, I realised it was me and took the call. Now they know my birth name as well,” he said.

Logbook dilemma

Spy hears of numerous truckies being held up for almost ve hours after a ve-car pile-up on a bridge closed the highway near Singleton in NSW.

Truckies already have deadlines for delivery and face severe penalties for logbook infringements.

I asked one of those who was held up how it a ected his logbook entries.

Could he mention the delay and not have to worry about being breached by the cops or scalies. “No way, we just have to mark it down as a rest period,” he said.

Another Covid victim

A South Australian truckie well

known to Spy has been forced to retire from long distance haulage claiming severe side-affects after Covid vaccinations.

He told Spy that he had his rst two vaccination needles without any problems, but that changed after the third, which was a booster.

“ at was more than 12 months ago and my body shut down and I was very sick and had to give up long trips,” he said.

After a long period at home resting, the 66-year-old started to feel a little better and now does a couple of days a week driving a light rig on local runs around his town.

Most truckies I have spoken to report no serious problems after Covid vaccinations but there are some who do.

Personally I have had all the needles and have never been a ected.

Vale Ray Dennis

I was saddened to hear the news that legendary boxing trainer Ray Dennis passed away on

Most would end up having a cold beer with him at the Coolgaree Bar and Grill.

I often would travel to Palm and stay with Uncle Ray when he was caretaker of dongas

which were about 2km from the CBD.

On numerous occasions truck drivers would pull over and give us both a lift.

During the past decades I was honoured to travel with Uncle Ray and his boxers to tournaments at Mount Isa, Emerald, Blackwater, Clermont, Charters Towers, Ingham and Cairns amongst other places.

Along the way, most of the truckies we would see at roadhouses or rest areas would know him – not surprising as he had appeared in many papers, magazines and on television programs including documentaries.

A few years back he was inducted into the Queensland Boxing Hall of Fame.

RIP Uncle Ray.

The unique spiky bridge in Tasmania.

For years, none of his co-workers knew the real name of this truckie, known simply as ‘Cowboy’.

Legendary boxing trainer Ray Dennis has passed away at the age of 86.

Big turnout for Alexandra show

THE 2023 Alexandra Truck, Ute and Rod Show turned out to be biggest one in the event’s 26-year history.

Held on Sunday, June 11, in the north-east Victoria town of Alexandra, the show was a huge success with more

than 15,000 people in attendance.

The event also helped raise $33,000 funds for a local mental health charity.

“It was just a perfect day. The weather in Alexandra, for a change, was great. There was

no fog and no rain and just a massive crowd turnaround,” said Andrew Embling, who has been on the show’s organising committee since the start.

“We had over 350 registered trucks and 32 registered rods this year. It was our biggest event in 26 years, with over 15,000 people attending,” he added.

There were 30 trophies to be won this year, out of which 18 were for different truck categories.

Embling said the truck lineup was nearly 3.5 km around from the main street in Alexandra and up and down side streets. There was live music, wood-chopping events, and the annual truck auction that ended up raising $18,500 for the foundation.

“We missed a couple of years during Covid, but it’s been great to be back again this year after a successful show last year. All 10 of the committee members are proud that we can run a show that draws in that many people and supports our town and supports the trucking industry.”

This year’s winners include:

Best Tipper: Zach Edwards for 2022 Kenworth T909

Best Log Truck: Stuart Moloney for 2022 Kenworth T909

Best Special Purpose Vehicle: Matt Tennant for 2019 Mack

Midland.

INSURANCE BROKERS

Trident

Best Rigid: Jason Duell for 2020 Kenworth K200

Best Euro: Tim McCarthy for 2021 Scania P320

Best Tow/Recovery: Michael Bonanno for 1984 Kenworth

W Model

Best Tiltray: Steven Loader for 2021 Isuzu Tilt Tray

Best Peterbilt: Don Calleja for 1964 Peterbuilt Needle

Nose

Best Mack: Tom Nicholson for 1983 Mack Superliner

Best Kenworth: James Bottomley for 2022 Kenworth

W900 SAR Legend

Fleet of the Show Maloneys: David Maloney for his selection of seven Kenworth trucks.

Best Restoration/Show: Tom Nicholson for 1983 Mack Superliner

People’s Choice: David Maloney for 2018 Kenworth

T900 Legend

Best of the Rest: David Carlton for 2006 Kenworth 404

SAR

Best of the Rest: Lee Petersen for 2023 Kenworth K200

Best of the Rest: Damian Toms for 2021 Kenworth

T909

Best of the Rest: John Turner for 2020 Kenworth T909

Truck of the Show: Nick Gierisch for 2021 Kenworth 909

The 2023 Alexandra Truck, Ute and Rod Show was the biggest one in 26 years.

Andrew Embling with his son, Ayden Embling, who is the current chair of the truck show committee, along with his granddaughter, Gabby Embling.

Nick Gierisch’s 2021 Kenworth 909 won this year’s Truck of the Show Award.

Over 350 trucks were registered at this year’s event. Photo by Cam Marchetti.

Tom Nicholson’s 1983 Mack Superliner won the Best Mack prize. Photo: Brodie Spacek

No financials – low doc equipment loans explained

IF you’ve been wondering if no financials – low document equipment loans are right for your business or what you need to qualify for one, then this information is for you.

These equipment loans, like so many areas of our life, are evolving rapidly to make the process easier, quicker and more convenient.

Just think back to how Uber Eats changed the game when it came to takeaway. Or how online shopping can be brought to your door in 24 hours.

Equipment finance today offers plenty of low-doc and nodoc options that will fast track the process.

What is a no nancials – low document equipment loan?

A low-doc loan requires little to no documentation for equipment finance purchases if you meet a certain criteria. It can be a swift and seamless option, settling in a matter of days without needing to provide stacks of financial information.

What’s the criteria for a no nancials – low document equipment loan?

Up to $150,000 for vehicles:

- New and used (<10YO dealer/private sales)

- 1 year in business + clear credit history

- Property owner or renter

Up to $250,000 for equipment:

- New and used (<10YO dealer/private sales)

- Private sales up to $150,000 (<7YO)

- 2 years in business, clear credit history & property owner (or 20 per cent deposit)

Up to $500,000 for replacement and upgrades:

- New and used (<7YO dealer/private sales)

- Satisfactory credit references

- Clear credit history

+Equipment lines of credit from $500,000 - $5,000,000

FAQs

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions we are often asked at Finlease when it comes to no financials – low document equipment loans:

• Do I need to provide my financials to apply for equipment finance?

No. We deal with numerous lenders who offer low doc or no financials products up to $250,000 and in some cases $500,000. This means you can get a loan without supplying financials or tax returns.

• Do low doc or no financials loans attract a higher interest rate?

In most cases, no. Generally, the lenders will charge a slightly higher rate for used equipment and private sales though.

• Do big four banks play in this low doc space? Certainly. The big four have been the main drivers of these products over the years.

• Are the big four always the cheapest option? Not always. We have numerous lenders that we deal with that are as competitive if not cheaper than the majors.

• Am I limited to only a handful of lenders playing in this low doc space?

Not at all. We have access to over 30 different lenders offering these low doc products – all with slight

variations to equipment appetite, financed amount and client risk and our job is to find you the best solution.

• With these low doc products, I’ve heard I can only purchase from a Licensed Dealership, is that true? This is not the case. We have multiple lenders who are more than happy to finance from private sellers. In actual fact, as a result of the recent supply issues for new gear we have seen a significant upswing on private sales.

• Do I need to have equipment finance history in order to qualify for these loans?

No. The banks understand this could be your first loan and we have plenty of finance providers willing to partner with establishing businesses.

• Is the loan application process extensive and time consuming?

Not at all. In almost every instance our brokers can take the application over the phone.

• I’ve heard getting approval from the bank can be a long

drawn-out process, how long will it take?

Typically, the finance is approved within 24 hours of receiving the basic information.

• Do I need to sign paperwork at your office?

Not at all. At Finlease we encourage our team to travel out in person to sign the paperwork with you. Any time of the day or night, we work with you and your business’ needs.

We do our best to take the confusion and stress out of equipment finance for a hassle-free, clear, and seamless experience. If you feel your current finance provider is still in the dark ages, has you constantly providing financials and information updates as well as taking an age to get back to you, give us a call. You may be very pleasantly surprised at how easy finance can be in this ever-evolving market.

Have all the information you need to get started or still have more questions for us? Reach out to a Finlease broker today on 1800 358 658 or visit finlease.com.au.

Finlease deals with numerous lenders who offer low doc or no financials products up to $250,000, and in some cases up to $500,000.

Showcase of innovation and progress in Brisbane

WITH its successful conclusion, the Brisbane Truck Show 2023 has left attendees and industry professionals buzzing with excitement. This year’s event exemplified the dynamic and innovative nature of the trucking industry, showcasing ground-breaking releases from Howmet Wheel Systems, the manufacturer and distributor of Alcoa Wheels, with the release of the lightweight Alcoa ULT36x wheel, weighing just 16kg.

This revolutionary development holds immense promise for improved efficiency and sustainability in the trucking sector.

Let’s explore the positive impact of this release and its potential to shape the future of the industry.

Enhanced e ciency

A standout achievement of the Alcoa ULT36x wheel lies in its lightweight design, which employs advanced materials and an innovative hand-hole-free structure. These wheels offer a significant reduction in weight without compromising performance. This breakthrough translates into higher efficiency and cost savings for trucking companies, as the increased payload capacity allows for optimised operations, reduced fuel consumption and decreased carbon emissions.

The Alcoa ULT36x wheel is 1.6kg lighter than its predecessor, weighing just 16.3kg. It is equipped with proprietary Magna Force alloy, 17 per cent stronger

than the industry standard, and has played a critical role in developing the ULT36x. Commercial fleet operators can achieve maximum efficiency and profitability with the ULT36x wheel, even in tough conditions.

Some of the highlights of the new wheel include:

• Savings of up to 2L of fuel per 1000km when converting from steel to aluminium on all positions

• Exceptional strength with a 3355kg load rating

• Alcoa advanced finishes LvL One and Mirror Polish

• Exclusive Alcoa Dura-Bright and Dura-BlackTM surface treatments

• Patent-pending wheel design – No hand holes, impact tested and designed for strength.

Innovation is the key

Innovation remains a driving force within the trucking industry, as demonstrated by the introduction of the Alcoa ULT36x wheel. Technological advancements play a pivotal role in improving safety and efficiency. By embracing these innovations,

the industry exemplifies its commitment to continuous improvement.

The Alcoa ULT36x wheel also incorporates the company’s vHubTM Bore Technology, which reduces hub-to-wheel contact area by up to 64 per cent compared to other aluminium wheels, minimising surface area for corrosion to form.

Advance surface treatment

ULT36x will be available with Alcoa Dura-Bright Wheels surface treatment, which acts like a force field around your wheels that repels dirt. So, when it’s time to clean, a simple soap and water wash gets you back on the road. No more polishing. Less time washing, more time driving.

Alcoa

Dura-Bright

Wheels are manufactured using proprietary technology and production processes specifically tailored to achieve superior aesthetics, easy maintenance, and durability. Alcoa Dura-Bright surface treatment penetrates the aluminium, forming a molecular bond that becomes part of the wheel it-

self. That means it will not crack, peel or corrode like coated wheels, looking newer for longer.

These advancements showcased in the trucking industry signify a brighter and more prosperous future.

The Alcoa ULT36x wheel marks a significant milestone in efficiency, sustainability and safety. As the industry embraces these innovations, we can expect continued progress and collaboration in the sector.

For more information about the world’s lightest and strongest heavy-duty truck wheels, contact Howmet Wheel Systems at 1800 955 191, email alcoawheels. sales@howmet.com, or visit alcoawheels.com.au. Stay updated by following Alcoa on: alcoawheelsaustralia.

A showcase of innovation at the Brisbane Truck Show, with the new Alcoa Wheel ULT36X.

The Alcoa Wheels team at the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show.

Embracing the future of fleet

IN the fast-paced, competitive landscape of fleet operations, finding a balance between efficiency, compliance, and safety is more important than ever. Gone are the days when fleet managers could rely solely on conventional wireless technologies like Bluetooth for on-board scales.

An established, more efficient solution is now necessary to meet the demands of a modern fleet, whether small or comprising thousands of vehicles. That’s where Air-Weigh steps in. Bluetooth technology, while effective in certain circumstances, has proven to be inadequate for the intricate task of pairing trucks with trailers. Manual selection and pairing can be time-consuming and taxing for drivers. What’s worse, research has shown that drivers often overlook or fail to use the necessary applications, leading to potential noncompliance with Performance Based Standards (PBS) permits. Enter Air-Weigh, a game-changer in the world of fleet management. Offering a value proposition that far surpasses traditional

wireless or Bluetooth scales, Air-Weigh brings efficiency to your doorstep, making your fleet operation virtually “wireless”.

Air-Weigh eliminates the need for additional cabling

between your trucks and trailers. Instead, our innovative system cleverly uses the pre-existing 7-pin electrical suzi coils that power your lights. The result is an operation that requires min-

imum driver intervention. All a driver needs to do is ensure the legally required 7-pin electrical suzi coil is connected. But that’s not all. AirWeigh’s cutting-edge system

also automatically assigns trailers in the correct order. This means every truck-trailer configuration will be compliant with your company’s PBS permits, all without requiring any driver input. It’s

as simple as turning the key and hitting the road.

One of the standout features of Air-Weigh is the “hot swapping” capability. With our technology, you’ll never have to worry about pairing or reprogramming trucks and trailers again. It’s all about plug and play, whether from truck to trailer or trailer to trailer.

What does this mean for your drivers? Reduced distraction and a safer environment. By eliminating the need for mobile phones or tablets, we drastically lower the risk of on-road distractions, thus significantly enhancing the safety of your fleet.

Understanding the vital role Smart OBM systems play in modern fleet operations, Air-Weigh ensures compatibility with all telematics providers approved by Transport Certification Australia (TCA). This offers flexibility that most On-Board Mass (OBM) providers can’t match.

Whether your fleet is small or numbers in the thousands, Air-Weigh is the future-proof solution you need. Embrace the ease of use, enhance safety, and ensure seamless fleet operations with Air-Weigh’s pioneering solutions.

Air-Weigh LoadMaxx touch screen trailer scale.

Installing Air-Weigh, online at Vawdrey Trailers.

Air-Weigh truck and trailer scale displays.

SAF-Holland to the rescue

ODELL Resources is a family-owned and operated mining service provider with more than 25 years of experience in the Western Australian mining sector. The business itself has been around for just under 10 years, and its services revolve around mining contracting which involves it with open-pit loading and hauling along with mine bulk haulage services.

The company also offers heavy equipment rental solutions throughout the state with an extensive range of late-model, low hour Caterpillar equipment.

It can deliver these options to any site in WA backed by its 24-hour field service support

along with its workshop and wash bay facilities.

Odell Resources has been using SAF-Holland’s axles and suspensions for over 15 years. After running them on a fleet of more than 50 road trains at his previous company – another large mining services business –managing director, Daniel Cox, knew it was the right choice for Odell’s on- and off-road applications in its 24-hour line haulage operations.

“I think it has held up, we get a good run out of SAF-Holland,” he said. “We perform over 37,000 kilometres per month on our road trains. As far as disc brakes go, they are lasting just under 300,000 kilo-

metres before we do our changeouts.”

All of Cox’s Howard Porter Ultra Quads are fitted with SAF-Holland components. Due to the fleet’s high demands, having a quality axle and suspension manufacturer to rely on is key for Odell Resources.

“We expect high uptime on these with low maintenance to meet our targets each month,” Cox added. “We have ships booked in advance and we’ve got to ensure we are delivering. We can’t send ships out half loaded so it’s very important we meet our tonnage requirements each month at the port. Availability now for good quality suspensions and axles is tight so we haven’t been interrupted too badly on our orders, but we’re getting the kilometres out of them with low maintenance.”

Odell Resources carries over 150 tonnes of iron ore per combination. These units don’t stop and are very rarely parked up –some of them have already travelled up to 300,000 kilometres in a very small amount of time.

So, in order to ensure they are always performing at their

best, they are maintained regularly with weekly service intervals.

Majorly contributing to the longevity of the combinations, Cox says, is the SAF-Holland product.

“Low maintenance, that’s the biggest thing,” he said, “Reliability and low maintenance are our biggest takeaways from the product. Less downtime equals more utilisation and better production performance.

“All around, I just think it’s a great, reliable product. Performance is key in our industry. We work very remotely, so if we

have any issues on the side of the road it could mean it takes up to five to seven hours before a mechanic can get out to those distances, so we heavily rely on good quality equipment.”

Demonstrating its position in the market, Cox says the SAF-Holland product has spoken for itself in his 15 years of experience dealing with it.

“We’ve had no issues with it, and the support’s been there in the background if we’ve needed it,” he added. “But we haven’t had any major issues at all with the SAF product. It does what it needs to do.”

ODELL RESOURCES CARRIES OVER 150 TONNES OF IRON ORE PER COMBINATION. THESE UNITS DON’T STOP AND ARE VERY A EL PA ED UP SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY TRAVELLED UP TO 300,000 KILOMETRES IN A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME.”

The company’s road trains clock up an average of over 37,000 kilometres per month.

Odell Resources has been using SAF-Holland’s axles and suspensions for over 15 years.

Robust electrical components: sealed one-piece harness, long-life LED lights, durable inductive sensors, and steel encased logic module ensure reliable operation in the toughest conditions.

WHEN it comes to flexibility in the field, a KEITH WALKING FLOOR trailer offers an advantage over its tipping counterpart. Operators can unload almost anywhere. The horizontal unloading of a moving floor trailer allows for loads to be discharged at nearly any location, including inside of buildings and in areas with overhead hazards like trees or utility lines.

“Horizontal unloading is also a clear safety advantage,” said Zyggy Reinoga of KEITH WALKING FLOOR Australia Pty Ltd. “Not only does it eliminate the dangers of hitting power cables; the risk of trailers toppling like a tipping trailer is removed.”

As a result, WALKING FLOOR trailers can be safely unloaded in a variety of environments not suited for tippers. “This offers operators more unloading options,” added Reinoga. “If a customer wants the material off-loaded under a covered location or wants the load distributed at multiple locations in the yard, it is no problem for a WALKING FLOOR trailer.”

Moving floor trailers feature a hydraulic drive, located under the trailer. The drive actuates a series of floor slats inside the trailer that “walk” material out the back. No tipping or tilting is needed to completely discharge the load.

According to Reinoga, operators cite the ability to haul a wide variety of materials as an advantage of using WALKING FLOOR trailers. “Moving floor systems don’t only handle bulk materials, you can also unload bales and pallets. This makes the WALKING FLOOR system attractive to operators interested in backhauling options.”

Fine materials, such as feed, seed and mulch often benefit from a clean

out tarp. KEITH offers its CleenSweep tarp system as an optional accessory to its WALKING FLOOR unloader. Used in conjunction with the WALKING FLOOR system, the CleenSweep tarp sweeps out the residual material as the trailer unloads. Operators no longer need to enter the trailer to use a broom or manual tarp for cleanout.

“Keeping personnel out of the trailers is always preferable,” said Reinoga. “The risk of being buried by material, falling or having a back injury are all increased when operators are getting in and out of the trailers.”

The tarp is attached to a winch system, where it extends inside of the trailer. The load rests on the tarp and as the WALKING FLOOR system unloads the trailer, the weight of the material pulls the tarp along with the floor, cleaning as it goes. Once the unloading is complete, the CleenSweep tarp is reset at the push of a button.

Since 1973, KEITH has provided a variety of industries with WALKING FLOOR technology. For more information on KEITH WALKING FLOOR systems, visit keithwalkingfloor. com or contact Zyggy Reinoga of KEITH WALKING FLOOR Australia on 0404 041 833 to discuss your material handling needs.

Operators can unload inside buildings with the horizontal unloading of a WALKING FLOOR trailer.

The CleenSweep tarp sweeps the trailer, then automatically resets itself for the next load.

On a revolutionary road

in fleets like

IT was during the early 90s when John Krueger wanted a reliable, lightweight suspension coupled with ease of fitting. Being an innovator in transport manufacturing, he and his design engineers began work to release the first version of Krueger Transport Equipment’s own air suspension, Road Friendly Suspension (RFS), in 1997.

According to Krueger parts manager, Peter Grey, RFS has been a proven winner since its inception because it succeeds in all key areas of manufacturing, ease of fitting and servicing. This, he says, is why it continues to be a top tier choice for fleets today.

“The vision and tenacity to design, test and then implement and manufacture an Australian air suspension is something that we are very proud of being able to provide our customers,” he said. “The milestone of 25 years of RFS is testament to its original design function, ‘built for Australian conditions’.”

The difference between RFS and all other suspension units in the market, Grey explains, is seen in its simplicity of design.

“The RFS parabolic spring and U-bolts in both under and over slung configurations

have not changed in 25 years because of their proven reliability,” he said. “It’s genius in design is futuristic and testament to its 25-year service span utilising much of the original components. For example, trailer suspensions require different running heights for different applications, so for different ride heights to be achieved, other suspension suppliers use different height air bags and shock absorbers.”

Grey says this means a fleet of six B-double trailers running the same brand of suspension may need to stock six different sized air bags and shocks to keep them on the road. Whereas with RFS, there is only one air bag and one shock absorber size being used due to its design in all ride height configurations.

To back up its RFS product, Krueger has a national spare parts department which carries over 15,000 product lines on shelves across the eastern seaboard with access to thousands more.

Krueger manager – national spare parts, Ben Raudino, says this has directly benefitted the RFS product by preventing shortages and supply issues.

“The benefit for us having

our own suspension with a spare parts department is that we’re not relying on third parties to provide the product,” he said. “We’re in charge of our own importing so we’ve always got stock on the shelf. In the 10 years I’ve been here we’ve never run out of our own RFS product, whereas our suppliers tend to have shortages and delays with all their importing and involvement with third parties overseas.”

Having the amount of stock that it does, Krueger’s spare parts department also minimises downtime for customers.

“We tend to carry as much as we can on the shelf to minimise that downtime,” added Raudino. “We also have access to our manufacturing plant which is only a couple of kilometres down the road from us, so for anything we don’t have on the shelf that’s RFS or Kruger-specific, we are able

to source parts from there as needed as opposed to putting in an order and waiting for it to get packaged and shipped out.”

Adelaide-based freight forwarder, Diamond Bros., invested in its first batch of trailers from Krueger in 1987 and hasn’t looked elsewhere since. The fleet has purchased a variety of trailer types ranging from 4.6-metre units, flat floors, drop decks, mezzanines and dry vans with Krueger’s

HeavyLoadSafetyMats

K-Hitch suspension axles and RFS air suspension as well.

Diamond Bros. CEO, Kym McDermid, says having RFS suspension fitted to the fleet’s 4.6-metre trailers with higher centres of gravity has paid off.

“It gives a better ride to our trailers,” he said. “We’re carrying a lot of cages with loose freight, so it stops it from moving around anywhere as near as much, and therefore there is less breakages and issues with movement of freight within the curtains.”

According to McDermid, Krueger’s product is better in longevity – and that applies for RFS too.

“They’re just really wellmade trailers,” he added. “They last longer, they have less hassles and downtime, and the equipment is a lot better because of that. They just do the right thing by us as we don’t have a lot of problems with them.

“RFS has made a massive difference to the industry as a whole, let alone just Krueger and Diamond Bros.” For more information, visit krueger.com.au.

Krueger National Spare Parts keeps plenty of parts on shelf so Diamond Brothers relies on Krueger’s RFS to keep their freight moving with minimal downtime.

RFS was on full display in a unique way at the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show.

Krueger Transport Equipment’s Road Friendly Suspension (RFS) has stood the test of time over the last 25 years, and through extensive use

Diamond Bros., it is evident why.

Hydreco’s new VA40 takes efficiency to new levels

WORKER safety is paramount in today’s society and under VSB6 version 3.2 it is a requirement to have a hose burst protection valve installed and operational on a tipping hoist.

The hose burst valve is an inline safety valve that prevents the tipper body lowering in the event of a hose rupture. However, operators have strived for quicker turnarounds between loads to maximum work and yield for the vehicle. One way to improve the work rate is to increase the lowering rate of the tipper body. The use of the hose burst valve is seen to in-

troduce a larger pressure drop into the system and reduce the flow of oil back to tank, slowing the potential lower speed of the body. Manufacturers have had to devise ways to overcome this deficit.

Hydreco Hydraulics has looked at all the issues and requirements and is pleased to announce its new VA40 hose burst valve which has a number of unique design elements that offer improved safety, better performance and improved environmental impact. The device uses an adjustable flow dependent check valve (also known as a velocity fuse), in a

patented arrangement, that is “de-sensitised” by the use of a solenoid valve with a separate tank line – they work in unison to provide reliable hose burst protection.

The flow dependent check valve is simple and reliable in operation but is also adjustable to suit individual hoist requirements. This design is also more tolerant to oil contamination than all other designs, meaning it will work when needed in a hose burst condition.

For controlled safe lowering in a hose burst condition a solenoid operated cartridge valve is used to channel the oil from the hoist to tank via an auxiliary tank line, ensuring that oil is not spilt, resulting in less contamination for the environment. Another added benefit is the ability to also have an optional slow lower function (separate from the tipping valve) by activation of the solenoid valve only. For ultimate protection, a low flow bleed screw is provided on the valve body for field emergency safe lowering when power is not available to operate the solenoid. The oil returns to

tank through the auxiliary tank line.

In a normal lowering operation both the flow dependent check valve (with extremely low pressure drop) and the solenoid valve (up to 50 l/ min additional flow) are operational. This provides faster flow rates on lowering than all other designs.

This has been shown through testing conducted at Austec Fabrications on a body mounted tipper using a Hydreco S64-169-4-4700 hoist. An initial control run was performed with a “standard” hose burst protection valve and the steel body lowered in 1 minute and 1 second. A second control run was performed without a hose burst protection valve fitted and the body lowered in 32 seconds. Confirmation of operators’ observations about the hose burst protection valve slowing down the lowering of the tipping body had been achieved. The new VA40 was then installed, and the same test conducted, with the result of the body lowering in 32 seconds, the same result as without a hose burst protection valve fitted.

The VA40 design intents had been confirmed. Another important feature of the VA40 is the included port to allow the fitment of a pressure switch. The pressure switch can then be used to activate a “body up” alarm and/ or indicator light. The enhanced features of the VA40 hose burst pro-

tection valve will make your tipper more efficient, while keeping personnel and the environment safe.

For further information on this product or Hydreco’s other truck and trailer products, please contact the sales team on 1300 HYDRECO (1300 493 732) or visit the website at Hydreco.com.

Testing confirmed the new VA40’s intent had been achieved.

The typical installation of the VA40 hose burst valve.

Ramping up safety and reliability

AS a leading supplier of highstrength, heavy duty loading ramps in Australia, Jetland has an extensive product portfolio designed to help operators get the job done safely.

With a reputation for quality and safety, Jetland ramps are the ultimate solution for businesses looking to improve their loading efficiency and safety standards.

Safety is a top priority when it comes to loading ramps, and the Jetland team has gone the extra mile to ensure their ramps meet and exceed safety standards. The ramps feature

anti-slip surfaces, ensuring maximum traction for vehicles and machinery during loading and unloading. Additionally, they are fitted with safety pins, ensuring the ramp remains securely in place during use.

Jetland loading ramps are also incredibly simple to use. They can be moved and positioned quickly and efficiently, allowing for a seamless loading process. This means businesses can save time and improve their efficiency, ultimately increasing their productivity and profitability.

The loading ramp range

spans from a 1 tonne up to a 16 tonne load capacity, and measures from 2m through to 6m in length, decked out to cater for a range of industry requirements. Custom-built ramps are also available to suit clients’ individual needs.

For Jetland, strength and durability are key. Made from high-quality raw materials, Jetland ramps are built to withstand the toughest conditions Australia can throw at them, making them ideal for use in industries such as mining and construction. Across its different product lines, Jetland provides a comprehensive range, enabling clients to match ramp load capacities and lengths to their specific requirements.

The ramps come in a range of sizes and configurations, making them suitable for businesses of any size. These include:

• A Series – suitable for rubber track machines; available in 2-8 tonne load capacities and 2.5-4.2m lengths.

• B Series – suitable for rubber track, rubber tyre machines; available in 2-8 tonne load capacities and 1.8-3.9m lengths.

• C Series – suitable for rubber track, rubber tyre machines; available in 4-21 tonne load capacities and 2.5-4.5m lengths.

• Jetland’s heaviest duty offering, the D Series, is suitable for steel track, rubber pads on steel, rubber track, and rubber tyre machines, and is available in 2.5-4.8m lengths.

According to Jetland, the D series has recently been upgraded to support much heavier loads, a move that highlights the company’s commitment to innovation.

Designed by Japanese engineers, the D Series now sup-

ports up to 40 tonnes, where it was previously only rated up to 21 tonnes – which Jetland says makes it the first 40-tonne rated loading ramp available in Australia. As well as a wide range of other ramps, including removalist ramps, rolling ramps, and wheelchair ramps, Jetland also offers custom-built ramps, which can be tailored to any specifications for a customer’s particular needs.

When evaluating ramp loading capacity, Jetland says it’s important to consider the machine wheelbase and to choose a ramp with an internal width that is at least 5cm wider

GEARBOX & DIFFS

than the wheels or tracks of the loaded machinery.

Based in Victoria, Jetland offers free shipping Australia-wide directly to a business address (loading facilities such as a forklift required) or to the nearest depot (information on Jetland’s depot network is available via its website). Jetland also offers a 12-month warranty with its loading ramps, providing additional peace of mind.

To learn more about Jetland’s range of loading ramps, or to find your nearest delivery depot, visit jetlandramps. com.au.

Jetland ramps can be moved and positioned quickly and efficiently.

Jetland offers free delivery to business addresses across Australia.

following

IN an article online reporting on a B-double that broke down at the intersection of Portrush Rd and Greenhill Rd at 5am, the sensationalist culture of The Advertiser is again on display.

They describe the B-double as a “Giant truck” and report that a tow truck is on its way to remove the “Monster vehicle”.

Seriously?

That sort of immature sensationalism in reporting on trucks went out of date 15 to 20 years ago.

When a Dodge Ram is in

HEAVY Vehicle Industry

Australia believes that the NHVR has jumped the gun in releasing a discussion paper exploring options for applying the Safer Freight Vehicle (SFV) reforms.

The proposed reforms include increasing the overall width of trucks up to 2.55m or 2.6m, providing they are fitted with a mandatory technology package.

But Adam Ritzinger, the chief technical officer at HVIA said that inviting industry comment is an odd move that is likely to cause confusion.

Ritzinger said the paper’s release means the regulator is seeking public comment on regulatory changes that have not yet been signed off by ministers.

“The release of the NHVR’s implementation plan has confusingly put the cart before the horse,” Ritzinger said.

“Yet despite that, a greater concern is that the NHVR has considered implementation of wider trailers, which needs

a collision, adjectives such as monster, giant, huge, enormous, do not seem to dribble from the Advertiser’s keyboards.

The trucking industry doesn’t move freight for the fun of it or for our own use, it’s for the community’s benefit and sustains the community’s

further detailed impact assessment before any decision can be made.”

He said HVIA’s position on truck and trailer width has been clear since 2019, and strongly articulated to all levels of government:

• Any changes to regulations must apply a ‘no disadvantage’ test for Australian industry

• Current limits to truck width can restrict model availability and add costs to the industry – HVIA supports increasing truck width to 2.55 metres, with axle mass limit increases

• Current limits to trailer width do not limit model availability, nor add cost to the industry, and are not a productivity impediment –therefore, HVIA does not support blanket increases to trailer width.

“In the past, HVIA has called for a RIS [regulatory impact statement] that segments the trailer market, and evaluates the impacts on a case-by-

lifestyle. B-doubles provide major benefits for the community.

The very substantial volume of freight has to be moved from thousands of points of origin to thousands of delivery points and 85 per cent of the freight simply is not practical to move by rail.

case basis,” Ritzinger added.

“It is absolutely critical that the impact on the competitiveness of the Australian industry and the retooling costs are adequately considered.”

HVIA’s national policy and government relations manager Greg Forbes said the proportion of trucks with the safer freight SFV package fitted needs to be large enough before changes to trailer width will make sense.

“The model proposed by the NHVR would restrict wider trailers from being towed by vehicles which did not have the full suite of SFV features fitted,” Forbes said.

“This would cause basic interoperability issues for fleets with wider trailers; having a fleet of trucks with and without the safety features would be difficult to manage, in an operational sense.”

NHVR chief regulatory policy and standards officer David Hourigan acknowledged that the Australian Government is still finalising

So, it’s on the road and will continue to be.

The only question is, how can we best move that essential road freight safely with the best environmental and amenity outcomes?

The answer, which all governments around Australia understand, is to optimise the

use of the most productive and safe truck configurations, such as B-doubles.

This benefits the community by minimising the number of trucks on the road and the number of truck movements.

That dramatically reduces freight-related congestion on

the road, emissions and noise by over 40 per cent.

It also provides a major safety gain because as government figures continually show around the country, including in SA, over 80 per cent of fatal car-truck crashes are caused by the motorists involved.

Thus, by minimising the number of necessary truck movements, the opportunities for those motorists to make bad mistakes, usually through carelessness, is also cut by over 40 per cent.

So instead of bagging the trucking industry, as we sustain the community’s daily lifestyle AND The Advertiser itself, perhaps The Advertiser should educate its reporters and editors and support the 300,000 hard-working people in the industry who keep the community and the economy going.

the finer details of the reforms, but the regulator is proactively considering how these changes might change the HVNL.

“The heavy vehicle indus-

try and truck manufacturers are ready for this next generation of safer trucks,” he said.

“The NHVR wants to make sure the HVNL is pre-

pared to get these safer trucks on our roads.”

The closing date for written submissions is Friday, June 30, 2023.

The regulator believes the industry and truck manufacturers are ready for this next generation of safer trucks.

Over 80 per cent of fatal car-truck crashes are caused by the motorist involved.

A month of celebrations for TWAL

WHAT a wonderful time we have been having at Transport Women Australia Limited (TWAL) with four finalists at the Women in Industry Awards: Annastasia Denigan (Safety Advocacy), Louise Azzopardi (Mentor of the Year), Ann Lopez (Excellence

in Transport), and Coralie Chapman (Excellence in Transport), all deserving finalists.

For Coralie, the TWAL vice chair to take out the Excellence in Transport Award on the night was just superb, so well deserved and so exciting for all of us.

It was the first time for me as chair to have all of our finalists in the audience and for them to have brought their families along.

Super exciting, especially for Coralie to have her mum and her mother’s husband in the audience to see her be presented with this award on the night. I’m not sure who was most excited, myself or her mum. I think we were more excited than Coralie for sure.

Coralie made a fantastic speech on the night reminding us of how far we have come and how what we say has such an impact on others, and how we need to change our words to change the world.

There was so many amazing women in the room and many male supporters, the positive energy in room was truly incredible.

Coralie and I followed this up with the Alexandra Truck Show on the King’s Birthday long weekend, and what an awesome day it was.

This was my first time to attend and while I did not like the early morning start or the drive to Alexandra, the line-up of beautiful trucks was something not to be missed. Plus, the noise of them all leaving together was both a sight and sound to behold.

We had so many visitors to our stand and were inundated with people trying to guess the amount of jellybeans in the jar. It was eventually won by a critical care nurse from the local hospital, so a great result.

An added bonus for me was that the TWAL stand was adjacent to a bookstore, so I was able to escape and buy eight books. We were assisted throughout the day by Owner Driver magazine managing editor Geoff Crockett, which left Coralie free to roam and also to present at the industry forum that was held in conjunction with the truck show. Without a doubt, we will be back there next year for an even more spectacular event. We have the CeMat event coming up on July 26, this will be a great day and True, Kat and I are looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Not to be forgotten is the Annual TWAL breakfast in Alice Springs on the Friday morning of the Festival of Transport, followed by the Transport Women Unite Red Ball and the Dream Maker Awards presentation on Saturday August 26th.

Plans are also going full steam ahead for the 2024 Living the Dream conference, while our song has been short-listed for two awards at the Australian Song Writing Awards.

For all queries regarding events, projects or sponsorship, please contact chair@ transportwomen.com.au or phone 0417 422 319.

Jacquelene Brotherton, left, and Coralie Chapman at the Alexandra Truck Show.

TWAL will be back to Alexandra next year for an even more spectacular event.

WOMEN IN TRANSPORT

JACQUELENE BROTHERTON Chair of Transport Women Australia

Freight gets short shrift in new Melbourne CBD plan

thrive. With over 5000 commercial vehicles servicing the city of Melbourne’s ‘Hoddle Grid’ every day, the freight industry acts as the lifeblood for numerous businesses, commercial developments, and public transport projects.

increasing the chances of injuries. Furthermore, outright bans on vehicles hinder the flexibility required by commercial drivers who operate under tight timelines in a congested urban environment.

A RECENT proposal by the City of Melbourne to further restrict access to key city thoroughfares for commercial vehicles has drawn criticism from the Victorian Transport Association (VTA).

We argue that such restrictions, as outlined in the Future Streets Framework, disregard the importance of freight and transportation in supporting small businesses and city traders.

It’s important to shed light on the essential role commercial vehicle access plays in maintaining productivity and economic vitality in urban centres, so that other major jurisdictions avoid the path civic leaders in Victoria have embarked on.

The VTA emphasises that small businesses heavily rely on the transport industry to

By restricting access to motor vehicles, the proposed plan overlooks the fact that these vehicles play a crucial role in delivering goods, collecting waste, and ensuring the smooth functioning of daily operations.

The plan’s focus on prioritising cyclists and pedestrians neglects the reality that cars account for a significant proportion of trips, particularly during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are significant unintended consequences of limiting commercial vehicle access to the city centre. Removing loading zones to accommodate dedicated bicycle lanes not only inconveniences businesses but also puts delivery workers and pedestrians at risk.

Without nearby loading zones, delivery workers may be forced to transport goods on trolleys and pallet jacks,

The VTA acknowledges the importance of creating sustainable and accessible cities, and it supports efforts to attract workers and shoppers back to the city centre. However, achieving these goals should not come at the expense of small businesses and transport operators.

The VTA argues that a comprehensive plan should strike a balance between sustainable modes of transport, such as cycling and public transit, and the continued accessibility of commercial vehicles. Neglecting the needs of the transport industry jeopardizes the viability of city traders and their ability to cater to the community effectively.

We’re concerned with the City of Melbourne’s historical disregard of the freight and logistics sector in planning decisions.

The limited mention of “freight” and “truck” in the

64-page report on the Future

Streets Framework is indicative of the oversight and follows on from similar ambivalence toward the industry in the municipality’s Transport Strategy 2030.

The VTA asserts that policymakers must recognize the immense value of transport operators and their workers in upholding the vitality of the city. Collaborative efforts should involve representatives from the

transport industry to ensure their perspectives are considered in urban planning and development.

Access for commercial vehicles is crucial for maintaining productivity, supporting small businesses, and enabling the smooth functioning of urban centres. The proposal by the City of Melbourne to restrict motor vehicle access overlooks the essential role of the freight industry in the city’s economy.

To create a truly welcoming and accessible city, policymakers must find a balance that accommodates sustainable transportation options while ensuring the continued vitality of businesses and the transport sector. By recognising and addressing the needs of the transport industry, we can build a prosperous city that thrives on the synergy between various stakeholders.

If councillors get their way, trucks will be erased from CBD streets like this.

Celebrating Australian female heavy vehicle drivers

THE first ever awards specifically designed to celebrate and showcase the work of Australian female heavy vehicle drivers have been set down to coincide with the establishment of “National Female Truckies Day” on July 5 – the birthdate of Australian female trucking industry icon Toots Holzheimer.

Widely regarded as the guardian angel of Australian female heavy vehicle drivers, Women in Trucking Australia are delighted to announce that the Holzheimer family have not only given their blessing for WiTA to name these prestigious awards in Toot’s honour but also to celebrate this national day of significance on her July 5 birthdate.

WiTA, now regarded as the peak advocacy body representing female heavy ve-

hicle drivers, is dedicated to empowering and supporting women across all heavy vehicle license classes.

Inspired by their namesake’s remarkable legacy, the Toots Awards will not only honour and recognise the work of today’s female truckies, but will also inspire and encourage future generations of Australian women to consider trucking careers and remember our pioneer sisters as we look back to celebrate the rich tapestry of Australian

female heavy vehicle driver history.

Female truckies are a closeknit group who regularly come together to support and mentor each other at truck stops across the nation and on the WiTA Facebook page. With 63,000 followers, WiTA is proud to host the fastest growing social media platform in the industry.

With that in mind, moves are underway to celebrate our inaugural National Female Truckies Day through

an impressive show of unity as the largest group of female truckies gathered in one place come together on the WiTA Facebook page to mark this new day of national significance. Female drivers are asked to submit a selfie with their truck along with details of their licence type, state/territory and freight type via WiTA’s Facebook Messenger.

Pics will be posted onto WiTA’s Facebook page from Wednesday, June 21, and by

popular vote, the winner of the inaugural Toots Award will be determined and announced on National Female Truckie’s Day on Wednesday, July 5.

In addition to the Toots Award, there are many great prizes to be won including gift baskets, WiTA polo shirts, gift cards and 200 pairs of gorgeous pink work socks gifted by WiTA corporate member Finlease!

Interestingly our Canadian, English and US sisters

who have also embraced the concept are now working to establish their own days of national recognition – so there’s a lot happening globally.

The board and staff of Women in Trucking Australia – eight of whom are heavy vehicle drivers – will continue their work developing innovative programs and initiatives to support and empower female heavy vehicle drivers with the ultimate goal of fostering a more inclusive and diverse trucking industry.

The awards have been named in honour of legendary truckie Toots Holzheimer.

Female truckies, such as Qld MC drivers Errin-leigh, left, and Joeleine, pictured, can submit a selfie with their truck and share it via WiTA’s Facebook Messenger to be in the running.

THIS article is the ending of an era for the transport industry with the demise of this magazine under the restructure and rationalisation of News Corp

It is a sad day for all of us in the industry as Big Rigs magazine has been a part of our lives for almost 30 years.

For some, their entire careers so far.

It will leave huge gap as the editors and staff have supported the industry, provided fair and rational debate and given everyone a fair say in industry doings to all, as well as stories, pictures and news of our people, our trucks and our unsung heroes.

Our lives will be the poorer for its demise; being a columnist for Big Rigs for the past year and half has allowed me to fulfil yet another childhood dream, to write, and it has given me great pleasure and I hope it has at least been enjoyed by some.

While so many are focused on the negatives of the industry, I have tried to focus on the

positives aspects or those issues about which I am most passionate and have a chance of making a contribution to change.

I began writing column when I was returned as Transport Women Australia Limited chair in November 2017.

In the interim, TWAL has had many successes and achievements.

It has expanded the relationship with Girl Guides Australia and been involved with several successful projects with them, the Victorian Snoozefest in April 2018, the “Great Bag Migration” for the International Jamboree in Sydney in October 2018 and other interactions that are expanding the knowledge of the transport industry.

We launched the Women Driving Transport Careers initiative with our partners Wodonga TAFE and Volvo Group at the 2018 TWAL Creating Connections conference.

This initiative has been in hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic but all partners are excited to move forward to expand the program as soon as possible.

We held a well attended and exciting conference in May 2018 and we have plans in place with the date saved and venue booked for our Driving the Difference 2021 conference

Across

1 When one formulates, one does what (6)

8 Name a more common term for a lycanthrope (8)

9 Which musical direction means slowly (6)

10 What is an apostate from a religious faith (8)

11 What is a colloquial term for a kid (3,3)

12 Name the horizontal piece beneath a window (4)

13 Which term suggests the minimum (5)

16 To apportion, is to do what (5)

19 To be above, is to be where (4)

21 What is a place, or a site (6)

22 To enlarge, is to do what (8)

23 What is another term for dwelling places (6)

24 What are arithmetical means (8)

25 Name an annual Christian festival (6)

Down

Sad day for all in transport

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE SUDOKU

in Melbourne.

In November 2019 we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the organisation (TWAL) with a fabulous gala dinner at The Windsor Melbourne where we also presented our first four winners of the Driving the Difference scholarships with our amazing sponsor, Daimler Truck and Bus Asia Pacific.

We also presented the inaugural Trish Pickering Mem-

orial Award, sponsored by the wonderful Wes Pickering.

This was awarded for longterm outstanding contribution by a female to the road transport industry, the inaugural winner was Pam McMillan the longest serving director and chair of Transport Women Australia Limited.

This is an annual award and the recipient of the 2020 Trish Pickering Memorial Award

2 Which early English worker organised to destroy manufacturing machinery (7)

3 Name spectacles devised to protect the eyes from wind, dust, etc (7)

4 What are long-bladed weapons (6)

5 When one lays something open to view, one does what (7)

6 What is a stroke of good luck (7)

7 What is a transgression (7)

13 Name an Australian political party (7)

14 What are some Parisian gangsters called (7)

15 What is a striking scene (7)

17 What is another term for bullies (7)

18 To alleviate pain, is to do what (7)

20 Name a polite addition to a request (6)

18 Relieve, 20 Please.

will be announced later this year at an event still to be determined.

We have also launched our Learning Initiatives Breakfast Series with several partners so far, including NTI, MOVE BANK and rt health.

In early 2020 the Creating Connections Mentoring program was finally ready to commence with both mentors and mentees signing up to the pro-

gram.

I would like to thank the fantastic team at Big Rigs newspaper for their incredible support and wish them ongoing success.

I hope that I get the opportunity to continue to work with some of them and so work towards making the trucking industry a better appreciated, and a safer place for our people.

their parts

the owner and the employee.

It’s been the voice that calls out for fair pay for the work you do, for safety in the drivers’ cab and on the road, the voice that seeks to relieve the pressure on the driver pushed by clients’ incessant cries for increased productivity for the same rates and conditions.

It is obvious we still have a long way to go – we have been through countless road, freight and transport ministers and nothing changes.

Truck drivers are still dying at work.

It’s a pretty safe bet to say this is due to the lack of strong government policy in place,

policy that should be keeping safe one of the most dangerous industries in Australia.

To quote one truck driver turned Australian senator, Glenn Sterle, “a death at work or on the road should not be the price of doing business”.

The TWU puts it to governments that we must stop the inequality that exists between truck drivers and clients.

Drivers must be paid proper rates, owner-drivers must be able to trust they will be paid properly for the work they do and on time. Families depend on this.

Many of the ongoing problems that occur are down to the big clients squeezing our

industry as dry as they can.

They want operators to meet their unrealistic deadlines and take on more freight for less or they face the risk of

losing their contracts and the ability to support their families.

It appears the government does not care.

There are unsafe vehicles, dodgy licences, poor payment times, wage and superannuation theft – just a few of the many things we have called for to be stopped.

A reminder to governments and the transport industry clients: the industry that has kept Australia moving during the pandemic is facing an uphill battle.

Employer groups should be standing alongside transport workers to unite for a safer and fairer industry.

A final reminder to all Big Rigs readers: now is the time to unite, now is the time to ensure equality in this industry.

Together we can stand on common ground working to ensure the government continues to support transport workers and the industry they support.

The TWU will continue to voice the needs of transport workers to the employers, their industry bodies and the clients.

Better standards mean job security and ultimately a safer and fairer industry for all. We can lift the standards we need together – our lives depend on it.

CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENTS: Jacquelene Brotherton (far right) enjoys a night of celebration at a Transport

Limited event with (from left) Rachel Hesse, Paul Fleiszig and Coralie Chapman.

Recognising outstanding achievement

THE Women in Industry Awards recognises outstanding women from across a range of different industries that are traditionally male dominated – with Coralie Chapman, national logistics manager at Humes Concrete Products –taking out the Excellence in Transport Award for 2023. The awards are hosted by

Prime Creative Media. The company’s chief operating officer, Christine Clancy, welcomed over 370 guests who attended the sell-out event in Melbourne on Thursday, June

8.

Prime Creative Media has hosted the Women in Industry Awards for the past seven years and according to Clancy, this

Women in Industry Awards 2023 winners

Excellence in Transport:

Coralie Chapman (Humes

Concrete Products)

Industry Advocacy Award:

Jemma Walshe (Fulton

Hogan)

Excellence in Mining: Ashara Moore (BHP)

Business Development

Success of the Year:

Stefanie Frawley (TMX

Global)

Excellence in

Construction: Trudy Grimshaw (Department of Finance, Western Australia)

Excellence in Engineering: Elsa Antunes (James Cook University)

Excellence in Manufacturing: Kristi Riordan (Harvest B)

Mentor of the year: Teagan Dowler (The BCW)

Rising Star of the Year: Sophia Kurianski (Jinolo)

Safety Advocacy Award: Giselle Phillips (Fredon QLD)

Woman of the Year: Giselle Phillips (Fredon QLD)

year’s rendition has been the most successful to date.

“We received an outstanding 158 nominations this year – more than triple what we received when we started – and our ticket sales have sold out,” she said.

“Now is when I would love to say that the result is an increase in gender equality in the workplace. However, it’s been seven years, a major pandemic, a shift to remote work and the most significant job mobility in two decades – and guess what? Women are still paid $26,000 less than men on average – the exact same number as 2016 when we started these awards.

“The answer to gender equality might not sit in gathering more statistics and analysis, or more drafts of workplace policies. At Prime Creative Media we’re betting we can make a difference by celebrating women in historically male-dominated industries.”

The Excellence in Transport Award recognises an individual who has gone above and beyond to improve and positively impact the Australian transport industry.

Coralie Chapman, who has

worked in the industry for the past 24 years and is also vice chair at Transport Women Australia Limited (TWAL) was up against five other finalists in the category: Amanda Bradfield from EES Shipping, Ann Lopez from Lopez Bros Transport, Caddie Green from Metro Trains Melbourne, Jenny Lancaster from Aurecon, and Leonnie Carter from Carter Heavy Haulage.

Chapman originally came into the industry almost by accident, at the age of 19, when she began working as a trainee with Linfox in 1999 – and she’s never looked back.

She continues to encourage women to embark on a career in transport, which is why she originally joined the TWAL board in late 2016. She was also awarded the National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year in 2019.

In accepting her latest accolade, Chapman said it was an honour to win the Excellence in Transport Award.

“First I’d like to thank Prime Creative Media for putting on these awards and an amazing night. And to Transport Women Australia Limited for nom-

inating me. Also congratulations to all the other finalists,” she said.

“I love working in transport and I have loved it since day one. But for me, I’m quite lucky these days, I work for Humes Precast Concrete, so I do construction manufacturing but I also get to play with trucks every day. What more can a girl ask for?”

In closing her acceptance speech, Chapman stated a case for changing our language to help get more women into transport and other industries.

“Instead of saying ‘male-dominated’, which can sound very threatening, especially for young women, change it to ‘predominantly male’,” she said.

“Predominantly male doesn’t sound as threatening and it actually sounds more inviting.

So, if we can learn to change our language when we’re talking to women and to younger people in the industry, I think it’s a big step towards getting more women into any predominantly male industry.”

Coralie Chapman, national logistics manager at Humes Concrete Products, with her award.

From desk to open road

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

DESPITE working within the transport and logistics space for over two decades, getting in the driver’s seat hadn’t initially crossed the mind of Nicole Phillips, 43.

That was until she came across an ad for Visy’s female

driver training program back in 2021. “I saw it advertised online and thought I would give it a crack. I was actually looking for a different job and it came into my feed,” said Phillips.

“The appeal of driving a truck looked like a bit of fun and something a bit more physical – and a chance to get

away from the office work. I also felt that from working in the logistics industry a sideways move to driving would be less daunting than totally shifting industries. I felt like I had some base knowledge of what’s involved.”

She says the course covered everything from OHS, vehicle handling and securing loads, to compliance, customer service and practical training out on the road.

After completing the fourweek training program, Phillips became a qualified heavy rigid driver, operating out of Melbourne. She’s now behind the wheel of a Scania P450, which is based in Mentone, and carts packaging, plastics, cardboard, aluminium, paper reels and recyclable products throughout metro Melbourne – with occasional runs into Ballarat too.

“I was lucky enough to get a new truck when I started,” said Phillips. “I was a bit anxious to start with but once I got the hang of it, I found the work enjoyable. I love the flexibility it gives me. I can get home early to spend time with the kids and do all of the other jobs that I need to do as a mother.”

The Opportunity

Fulton Hogan Transport currently have a vacancy for a tanker owner driver to join our transport team based out of McGraths Hill in NSW. Reporting to the NSW Transport Manager your primary duty will be the transportation of bitumen products to our plants and customers.

You will be Responsible for

 Adhering to all Safety procedures to operate the Tanker

 Ability to work effectively to deadlines

 Accurate completion of all trip paperwork

 Work in accordance with all Fatigue laws

 Ability to work as part of a small team

 Delivering hot bitumen to required sites and ensuring all safety regulations are adhered to during transportation

We Offer

 Continuous work

What we need from you?

 Dangerous Goods License

 MC Driver License

 Experience in Asphalt industry an advantage

 Willingness to travel and work away when required

 White Prime Mover

 (Late Model) capable of towing a Single tri-axle trailer or B-Double

 Fulton Hogan Transport will provide training and all specialised PPE

 Remuneration is paid twice monthly

 If you are willing to work the opportunity is there to develop a very profitable and sustainable business for yourself.

 Fixed term cartage contract

Fulton Hogan Philosophy

We build and maintain critical infrastructure that connects and enhances communities across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Everything from roads and bridges, to airports and utilities. We’re committed to ensuring the Good Work we do will make a positive difference to the quality of life for our people, our customers and the communities we all call home. Our continued success relies on generating new and diverse ideas, which is why our ‘Good Work’ culture encourages ownership and empowerment, while never forgetting the importance of balancing life’s priorities.

Sound like you?

If this sounds like you and you would like to help build on our Good Work culture, then we would like to hear from you.

In the First instance please contact

Phillip Martin@fultonhogan com au

Transport Manager

She says each day begins early and involves lots of driving. “I pick up my truck and go to load. Usually a typical day would involve two to four deliveries, always supported with my lovely customer service and a few jokes with forklift drivers. Having banter throughout the day makes it a bit of fun.”

When asked if the industry was as she expected, Phillips

said, “Yes it is. My previous industry exposure gave me a good sense of what to expect. I had to earn respect at the start. Being a male dominated industry, I was welcomed but it did create surprise to a lot of people. Once they saw I could do everything they did, and just as well, they certainly treated me as an equal.”

For other women consider-

ing getting into truck driving, Phillips’ advice is, “Absolutely give it a go. If you think you are a capable driver, why not!” Though she’s enjoying driving a semi, Phillips recently upgraded to her MC with Visy and is waiting for an opportunity to get into something bigger. “Once my kids have finished school I might even have a look at linehaul!” she said.

Easter Group Pty Ltd Easter Group Pty Ltd

73 Formation St, Wacol

Easter Group, located in Wacol, provides time sensitive road transporting solutions to many companies throughout Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. We are a family owned business, operating since 1976. We currently have the following positions available:

OPERATIONS ALLOCATORS (Brisbane

based only)

You will be required to work on a rotating roster including Days-Nights-Weekends

Previous Operations experience preferred.

MC LOCAL, LINEHAUL & 2-UP DRIVERS WANTED

(Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Based)

Come and work for us as we are committed to:

• Training and further education

• Your safety

• Maintaining an impressive Fleet

On offer arepermanent full time and roster positions including paid leave entitlements and public holidays. Drivers will need to be available to be scheduled for work falling across the 7 days of the week.

The successful Applicant will:

• Hold a current MC licence (minimum two years)

• Have knowledge of the HVNL and Load Restraint

• Be professional

• Be reliable To apply for the Operations/Driver positions please contact Operations Manager or by emailing your resume to

WORKSHOP MECHANICS & TYRE FITTERS WANTED (Brisbane

based only)

To apply for Mechanic positions please forward your resume to Workshop Manager via email to employment@kseaster.com.au

Phillips currently drives a Scania P450.

After more than 20 years working in the office, Nicole Phillips says she was ready to try something new – now she’s just upgraded to her MC.

VALUE AND RELIABILITY

MERITOR RED AFTERMARKET RANGE

• A value range of quality aftermarket parts

• Approved to Meritor standards

• Suits heavy-duty truck, trailer and bus