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EDITOR
James Graham:
A FIVE-DAY NHVR safety blitz from the WA border to Port Augusta has seen a yearon-year drop in mechanical issues, but a slight increase in fatigue-related non-compliance.
Officers undertook 140 mechanical checks during the May crackdown, finding a rate of 24.5 per cent of “mechanical non-compliance”, a 14 per cent reduction when compared with a similar operation in the same area in 2023, said the NHVR.
There were also 138 work diary checks, resulting in a 7.3 per cent rate of fatigue-related non-compliance, which the regulator said represented a 2 per cent increase in fatigue issues compared to the 2023 blitz.
“It’s pleasing to see mechanical non-compliance decrease so significantly in the space of a year, not to mention a large majority of the mechanical defects identified during this op-
eration were very minor,” said NHVR operations manager Stephen Bryers.
“However, the slight increase we saw in fatigue matters only reiterates how important it is for drivers to be vigilant when it comes to complying with their work and rest requirements.
“Throughout the operation, we identified several potential recidivist operators, and officers didn’t hesitate to enforce the HVNL where required for those pushing the envelope on safety, with 16 infringements handed out, in addition to 37 defect notices.”
The 37 defects were across brakes, lighting, windscreens, windows, steering and structure or body issues with 23 of these self-clearing defects and 14 minor defects.
In total, officers conducted 151 intercepts over the five days, inspecting more than 480 individual vehicle units.
The NHVR chief operations officer Paul Salvati said officers also provided education on compliance and safety to 82 drivers which was aimed at ensuring they understood the requirements of the law and “equipping them with the knowledge and resources necessary to maintain the highest safety standards”.
“As I have said before, education is an investment in safety – the NHVR is committed to supporting drivers by making sure they are aware of how to comply with the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and are able to make informed decisions on the road about their safety,” Salvati said.
“This operation was a massive effort by the NHVR’s safety and compliance officers, and authorised officers from MainRoads WA, highlighting the importance of cross border operations.
“Through this collaborative
effort we were able to harmonise our regulatory approach and on-road resources to obtain data and intelligence, with heavy vehicle non-compliance identified on both sides of the border.
Salvati said the NHVR is focused on sustainable safety practices, rather than handing out prescriptive fines for minor or accidental offences.
“We want to see long-term change and create a lasting impact that extends beyond our operations.”
A MELBOURNE based scrap metal company and three of its directors have been fined following a string of mass limit breaches.
The company and its directors were prosecuted for failing to implement systems and procedures to manage the legal mass limits of their loads after 69 mass limit breaches were detected.
The charges come after
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) safety and compliance officers intercepted one of the company’s heavy vehicles in April 2021, which was loaded at 120.42 per cent of the prescribed mass limit. This led to further investigation into the company’s business practices, where 69 mass limit breaches were discovered over a two-year period.
Of those, 24 were deemed “severe risk breaches”, which means the load is at 120 per cent of its mass limit or over.
The company pleaded guilty to a Category 1 offence – the most serious offence under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) – with a conviction recorded and a fine of $180,000 imposed.
The three directors of the company also pleaded guilty
to offences involving failure to exercise due diligence and ensure the safety of their transport activities, and received fines of $8500, $7000, and $7000.
NHVR acting director of prosecutions Elim Chan commented: “Heavy vehicles which are loaded or operated beyond their prescribed mass limit pose a serious risk to public safety as the excess
load compromises the stability, steering, performance and braking capability of a heavy vehicle.
“It’s imperative to have systems and procedures in place to ensure drivers and loaders are adequately trained in their roles to enable ongoing compliance with the Heavy Vehicle National Law and to keep drivers and members of the public safe.”
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
THE decision by Main Roads WA to force operators to transition to new road train signage has come as a complete surprise to the industry, according to president of the Livestock and Rural Transport Association of WA (LRTAWA), Darran Bairstow.
Operators in the west will have to foot the bill for new pictorial length signage for vehicle combinations ranging from 22 to 60 metres in length. They will replace existing ‘ROAD TRAIN’ or ‘LONG VEHICLE’ signs, with WA operators given until January 1, 2025 to make the switch.
The new signage will be displayed on the rear of restricted access vehicles, including road trains and other heavy vehicles.
These signs show the number of trailers and the total length of the vehicle, depicted with an equivalent number of car lengths.
For Darran, the move to new signage will be a costly one. He’s a second generation truckie who has been operating his agricultural transport business Flexitrans, for the past 22 years, alongside his wife Carmen Bairstow.
“Just with my 36 trailers and dollies, it will cost me about $18,000 to switch over to the new signs, so I’d have
to turn over $200,000 in my business just to cover that cost,” he said.
“I have a brand new set of three trailers I just took delivery of, with three horizontal flip signs – so that’s about $1500 worth of signs that are now redundant.”
Despite heading up one of WA’s key transport associations, Darran says the first he heard of the transition to new road train signage was after seeing a story shared on the Big Rigs Facebook page.
“It would have been nice to have a bit of a heads up or a consultation. We didn’t get any of that. Big Rigs knew about the change before most of WA knew about it,” he revealed.
“There was no consultation with the industry, apart from a survey from Main Roads WA that came out about two years ago. I replied saying I wasn’t in favour of the new signs.
“I haven’t spoken with anyone in the industry who is in favour of the move. For me, the biggest thing is the cost and the second is the logistics of it. I have friends who run 90-100 trailers, so at about $500 a sign, you can imagine how much this is going to cost them.”
As well as having to pay for new signs, Darran says some
companies will also need to make changes to their equipment to accommodate the new requirements.
“At the LRTAWA, we’re estimating this will cost the WA transport industry $1020 million. If this was to be extended to the whole of Australia, you could be looking at over $1 billion.”
A press release issued by Main Roads WA stated the new signs were aimed at giving other road users a clearer idea of the length of the vehicle in front of them – before attempting to overtake.
While Darran says the LRTAWA supports initiatives that improve road safety, he thinks this time Main Roads WA has got it wrong.
“I am sceptical about the safety benefits of this change, when a motorist is expected to comprehend a message 8cm high on the back of truck that is travelling at 100km/h,” he said.
“The lettering is smaller than the existing signs. I’m concerned this is likely to cause more distraction when drivers should be concentrating on the road!
“If you went through any OH&S data, it shows that signage is a poor way of conveying safety. Education is the only way to get a satisfactory outcome.
“Sometimes what seems like a good idea isn’t so good in its practical application – and this is one of those.”
Darren is calling for Main Roads WA to scrap the new road train signage in favour of education to help other road users better understand the length of road trains.
“It’s the people on the coalface who are dealing with this and paying for it. I’m hopeful that enough pressure is put on the ministers for safety and transport, so that
we could at least get some common sense put into this,” he said.
WA is currently the only state to be implementing the new signage.
For interstate heavy vehicle operators heading into WA, there will be no change. They will be able to continue using existing warning signage, which will still be recognised and accepted across the state. Main Roads WA was contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline.
OVER 26,000 drivers are needed to fill the current gaps in the transport sector, says the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad).
These figures come from an Australian survey conducted by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) in partnership with NatRoad.
Results show critical driver shortages across all business sizes and types in the trucking sector, from owner-operators through to large fleet managers, who are most impacted.
“When there is a need for around 180,000 drivers for an effective sector, this represents a 14.4 per cent shortfall, well over the current national job vacancy rate of between 5 and 6 per cent,” said NatRoad CEO Warren Clark.
Clark is now calling on the National Cabinet to immediately address what he describes as a looming crisis for the nation’s supply chain.
“This is not just a crisis for the trucking industry, it’s a crisis for the national economy,” Clark said.
“We’re seeing a huge gap in the number of drivers required and the downstream impact on our supply chain and our country is significant.”
With a large portion of drivers nearing retirement age, the trucking industry is also facing a challenge in attracting young people. The survey found almost 50 per cent of all drivers were over the age of 55, with an average age of 49.
To add, the participation of young people and women
in the industry is very low, with 5.2 per cent of drivers under 25 and just 6.5 per cent being women. NatRoad said these figures indicated a critical need to attract a younger and more diverse workforce.
“We are expecting the NSW road freight requirements to increase by 57.1 per cent by 2040, so we must act now to secure our supply chain,” said Clark.
“The survey results underscore the urgent need for National Cabinet to explore measures to secure the national supply chain.
“We need to develop incentive programs that make the trucking industry more appealing to young people and women, while encouraging current operators to continue their careers.”
NatRoad says this includes investing in training programs that equip new drivers with necessary skills and improving career pathways into the industry.
“We must also improve the quality and competency of training and licensing and enhance their overall working conditions, especially for those in the industry already,” Clark continued.
“This means addressing issues such as non-safety related fines, improving the quality and quantity of rest areas, and recognising the essential role of truck drivers by treating them with respect, including at customer depots and delivery sites.
“The supply chain is the backbone of our economy, and without enough drivers, the entire system is at risk.”
TRANSPORT operators have pledged to keep fighting the ban on live sheep exports by campaigning against Labor in key Western Australian electorates.
The controversial legislation to phase out exports by 2028 narrowly passed through the Senate earlier this month, de spite a last-ditch attempt by the Keep the Sheep lobby group to convince crossbench senators to vote their way.
Minister (but he still didn’t listen),” campaign organiser and transport operator Ben Sutherland told followers.
“Unfortunately, as I’m quickly learning, like with so much of politics, the numbers were already decided.
campaign’s sole focus now is on doing its bit to change Labor-held seats at the federal election.
“That’s why in the coming weeks, we will be launching a billboard campaign in strategic locations in Perth,
Army’ kicked off the campaign with doorknocking and a letter-box drop in the new federal seat of Bullwinkel, followed by Hasluck and Tangney. “We have to secure these marginal seats and push for
look at the science and the evidence when making this decision. They’re working on out-dated information from an industry with different standards to the ones we have now.
“But most importantly,
truckies, and salt-of-the-earth people down the line that are impacted.”
WA Labor Senator and former truckie, Glenn Sterle, said he’s empathetic toward the impacted livestock transporters and his door is always open to discuss how Labor’s transition
The government has set aside $107 million to assist farmers and people within the supply chain to transition away from
A HUGE month of deliveries for Kenworth has seen the Bayswater badge close the gap on arch-rival Volvo in an intriguing heavy-duty sales race.
In the latest numbers just released by the Truck Industry Council (TIC), 409 Kenworths found new homes in the month of June, 143 more than Volvo on 266.
That puts the perennial category leader now just 35 shy of the Wacol-based Volvo in the year-to-date (YTD) tussle.
Volvo, which has topped the monthly results for five of the first six months in 2024, sits on 1746 YTD and a 19.9 per cent market share, with Kenworth on 1711 and a 19.5 per cent slice of the overall heavies’ pie.
Isuzu again recorded a solid month with 254 deliveries for June and locks up third place in the overall stakes on 1248 YTD, or a 14.2 per cent market share.
Of the rest, Scania continued to perform well, notching 164 for June to put some space on a close-bunched pack headed by Mercedes-Benz.
There has been a slight cooling off on sales at the halfway mark to the year, with a total of 1816 heavy-duty trucks delivered, compared with 2294 for the same month in 2023.
But even factoring inflation pressures, there is certainly no
cause for concern.
Last year’s June total was also an all-time record and this year’s tally is still the second-best on record.
The first half of the year is also tracking in the right direction for the heavy-duty dealerships.
Looking at quarter two 2024 in isolation, there were 4981 sales for April to June, down only slightly (-136 trucks) on the record second quarter 2023 result of 5117.
For the first six months, heavy-duty trucks sales remain slightly ahead of those in 2023, 8769 sales versus 8732 sales to the end of June 2023, a slight improvement of 0.4 per cent.
The tally YTD overall is 24,075 units, which is 320 deliveries or 1.3 per cent off the end of June total for last year which stood at 24,395.
There were 5160 trucks and vans delivered in June, a dip of 14.7 per cent, or 894 units on the same month last year.
Isuzu again dominated at the top with 1364 deliveries in June (6635 YTD), good enough for a 26.4 per cent market share (27.6 YTD).
Hino was in second place overall with 568, or 11 per cent market share.
All truck segments were down over June last year, while van sales were up for the month.
The medium-duty segment has seen solid sales so far in 2024, with sales growth over 2023.
However, the brakes went on in June sales with 887 medium trucks delivered, down 17.6 per cent (-190 trucks) over June 2023.
The overall April to June remains strong with 2296 mediums delivered in quarter two 2024, compared to 2373 for the same period in 2023, a 3.2 per cent decrease over 2023 levels.
YTD medium-duty truck sales are performing better than 2023 with 4037 deliveries to the end of June 2024, up 1.7 per cent (66 trucks) on the 2023 half year result.
The light-duty segment has taken the biggest dip in the YTD tallies, a trend that was emphasised again last month.
A total of 1509 lights were delivered for the month, down a significant 25.8 per cent (-525 vehicles) over the June 2023 record.
The 2024 quarter two result
was also weak for the sector with 3964 trucks sold, down 892 units (-18.4 per cent) over the second quarter 2023 result of 4856 deliveries. For the first half year 7093 light-duty trucks have been delivered, well down on the same period in 2023 when 8778 trucks were delivered. That is a 19.2 per cent year-on-year reduction (-1685 trucks).
“We have seen our economy cooling for many months now and this slower June result may be as a result of the
general economic slowdown that we are witnessing across the Australian economy,” said TIC CEO Tony McMullan.
“However, it may be simply have been a slower month due to other externalities and does not signal an overall trend.
“The coming months will confirm if heavy vehicle sales have reached a peak for the time being and the market continues to cool, or if June was simply an isolated slower month.”
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BY JAMES GRAHAM
JANUS Electric is rolling its ever-expanding collection of converted prime movers back into work after a charging station fire saw the entire fleet grounded as a precaution.
Speaking soon after the official Sydney launch of two new converted prime movers
– a Western Star truck and dog and a Kenworth T909 for bulk haulage company
N.J. Ashton – Janus Electric general manager Lex Forsyth said he was confident the issue behind the March incident at the Berkeley HQ had been resolved.
“It was through different fusing and other monitoring devices in the battery,” Forsyth explained.
“We had a harness supplied by an external party that didn’t perform the way that their data said it performed and we’ve had to change the
routing and design of the harness.
“We’ve had some other devices that we’ve put into our batteries that gives us a whole lot more monitoring, a whole heap of stuff that we’ve updated into the batteries a spart of the process.”
The first truck returned to the road earlier this month and Forsyth said the rest will follow at the rate of about one a week until all of the 20 customer trucks are back in the field.
Conversion production will then resume in late September, early October, with more 130 orders on the books.
Forsyth said the N.J. Ashton trucks – the first of their kinds in Australia – will go into work doing government and tunnel projects and a waste contract.
The 4800 Western Star truck and dog will be tasked with
Sydney tunnel and Heatherbrae bypass work and the T909 will be in the rubbish sector towing a walking floor trailer.
Forsyth expects the converted Western Star will get between 350-400km on each charge and the T909 somewhere between 300-350km, based on early testing.
“The interesting thing with it is that it’s driver habit and regenerative braking. Once they start to take a lot of faith in the regenerative braking and how good it is, we’re seeing a 15-20 percent extension of range.”
Janus is also opening two new charge stations in NSW, one at the new Moorebank logistics park in Sydney and another at the Beresfield industrial park in Newcastle.
Forsyth said the Sydney site will be powered by renewable
rooftop solar energy during the day, with grid power at night.
The Newcastle site will initially operate from a grid connection, but Janus is hopeful of installing rooftop solar on an adjoining 6000 square metre warehouse.
As for its wider long-distance charging network plans, it’s been a case of going back to the drawing board for the pioneering Aussie start-up.
This time last year it was hopeful of electrifying the Brisbane-Sydney run by Christmas 2023.
But is now taking a different tack until the energy density in batteries is more in tune with Australia’s main long-distance freight routes.
“We’re just seeing energy densities that are double what we have now just come into production, so with double
that energy density, it’s double the range.
“That’s going to make it more feasible for a long-distance truck once that technology is available and that’s where we see the transition.”
Meanwhile, Forsyth said production focus is on backto-base operations over shorter urban freight routes.
“In the urban areas where diesel trucks are operating in a concentrated format, that’s where we get the biggest effect on the community from a health benefit, so let’s focus there first.
“I do think that the highways will come available, but I think with what we’ve learned so far, we need a bit more energy density in our battery to make it more effective.
“This has got to be viable for the industry. I don’t want to burden the industry with that
cost because operators are doing it tough at the moment.
“I think we get the low-hanging fruit first and make smart decisions and then learn more in the smaller operations that can then be applied into the longer distance operations.”
Forsyth is hopeful that the Sydney to Melbourne route will be the first electric highway in Australia by mid-2025.
Before then, they plan to run trials of a truck from Melbourne to Brisbane with a linehaul load of ice cream for a customer.
A support truck will follow with exchangeable batteries on board.
“We want to accurately map where we think the best locations are for charge stations and get the best performance out of the batteries.
“What we’re seeing is that modelling data and real-world data are different at this point.”
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EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM
A NATROAD survey (see story on page 4) has put another line under the glaring shortfall of truck drivers in Australia.
Granted, that’s not going to come as any surprise to you. It’s an issue we’ve been battling for months now, and although the vacancies on Seek do seem to have dropped, the needle isn’t moving anywhere near fast enough for the supply chain.
What we don’t hear about enough is all the great training programs, driven by companies and associations, to address the crisis. While governments sit on their hands, or kick the proverbial can further down the road with futile reviews and studies, the industry is cracking on with solutions.
We’re aiming to celebrate many of those in a special Driving Australia showcase in our August 30 issue. Email us at editor@bigrigs.com.au if you have a success story to share.
NATIONAL Female Truckies’ Day is an amazing day of recognition for all women in the transport industry. I simply do not understand how anyone could have anything but a positive opinion about an event like this. Our business is super proud of our female drivers, who we nominated for Toots Awards and supported to attend this special occasion.
Our drivers, both male and female, go into the most remote, underdeveloped, harshest areas of Australia, driving the biggest vehicles that can legally be driven. They are mechanics, tyre fitters and their own roadside assist technicians.
They are constantly under-appreciated by the general population, so any celebration
LET’S talk about fairness and equity in the transport industry. How many women are actually driving? No where near the same amount as male drivers. Why is that? Because of what they have to face every time they get behind the wheel. Called up over the
of the hard work that truckies do is a great thing in our books.
People talk of this event creating segregation - what a load of rubbish. The women in our business who drive for us are sadly on the receiving end of segregation in the form of sexist commentary on the UHF (how gutless), condescending attitudes and downright rudeness and bullying, including being berated and sworn at, predominantly by men.
The best part about our business is our male drivers and our management team who go into battle supporting our female drivers whenever this occurs, to ensure that more people become aware that this behaviour is not OK.
two-way and called disgusting names by male drivers who think it’s their right to talk down to women. Other drivers who assume they cannot handle what they are doing. Don’t break a nail sweetheart.
How’s that okay? Constantly being pulled into MVR test sheds by males
Women drivers in our remote freight industry are gutsy and smart and fearless. If we want more women to feel safe when entering our industry, then we all – from
when males in trucks that shouldn’t be on the road are let by. Going over with a finetooth comb to nit-pick things and get told they are useless and shouldn’t be driving trucks. Being told they can’t handle the combination because girls have no business driving anything bigger then a 4WD.
the top down – need to fight the good fight to lift women up and promote them at every opportunity.
We can’t accept inappropriate commentary from peo-
I can tell you now that the female drivers on our payroll are tough. They are strong women who can do anything they set their minds to. They travel roads and deliver freight to places others don’t want to go. They look after their gear. Why not recognise them for doing something amaz-
ple trying to prevent this from happening.
We salute all the women that have come before us, and hopefully we can all work towards continuing to carve an
ing whilst working in a male dominated industry?
Putting up with adversity because some men are blinded by 1930s gender expectations. When other drivers and employers out there start recognising that women drivers are their equals then there won’t have to be any type of seperate recognition.
improved path ahead for our female truckies of today and the generations of women to come.
Kylie Stanes, co-owner Stanes Transport
But until the ‘boys’ grow up in the industry, we have to promote women drivers. We have to show people that they are just as good. We have to encourage them not to give up. If it takes a day to recognise them then why not?
Skeeta Johnston
Big response to survey
More than 1600 responses were received for the Austroads survey into the management of overseas licensed heavy vehicle drivers.
Austroads said the next steps will be to collate the findings which it will present to states and territories for their consideration.
“That analysis will include possible options for changes to current policy and practice,” a spokesperson said.
“Austroads will then engage with states and territories to determine the next steps.”
Austroads said it will also post the survey results on its website. Keep checking bigrigs. com.au for updates.
The anonymous online survey was a “response to industry concerns and recognising the differences between driving in Australia and overseas”.
Roundabout underway
The biggest roundabout in central west NSW will be built on Condobolin Road as a key feature of the $287.2 million Parkes Bypass.
Once complete, the bypass is expected to take over 1200 cars and heavy vehicles away from Parkes’ town centre each day, via the Newell Highway.
Construction of the new 98m diameter roundabout begins this month, and once complete, will allow motorists to travel through at 80km/h.
A large sculpture will feature in the centre, which has been designed in collaboration with Parkes Shire Council.
“The new roundabout will provide safer and more efficient passage for motorists and heavy vehicle operators,” said senator for NSW Deb O’Neill.
Map in route planner
The National Network Map is now available through the Next Generation Route Planner (NGRP).
NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the transition of the National Network Map into the route planner had been an important goal since the NGRP’s release in April 2022.
“The route planner has always been intended to support the National Network Map, to allow industry to more seamlessly plan and manage journeys across borders,” Petroccitto said.
Petroccitto said by integrating the National Network Map into the route planner, all vehicle networks will be kept up to date.
$200m for new projects
Two new transport infrastructure programs will receive $100 million each over the next four years as part of Queensland’s state budget. The first of these programs – the $100m Productivity Enhancement Program – looks to improve the road network to better support heavy vehicle movements, including Over Size Over Mass movements associated with key existing and emerging energy industries. The second is the $100m Local Congestion Busting Program, which targets improvements to the road network to ease congestion through lower cost upgrades.
BY KAYLA WALSH
THIS year’s National Female Truckies’ Day went down a storm, as drivers from all over Australia made the trip to Adelaide to join in the fun.
The event was bigger and better than last year’s inaugural celebrations, with Women in Trucking Australia (WiTA) teaming up with Camp Quality for a convoy that featured 150 trucks and raised almost $140,000 for charity.
Meanwhile over in Victoria Park Social Club, female drivers gathered for a panel discussion and the presentation of the coveted Toots Awards.
Queensland truckie Karen Hawker was named Female Driver of the Year, with WiTA CEO Lyndal Denny telling Big Rigs she was a deserving winner.
“The word ‘icon’ gets thrown around a lot, but Karen really is an icon,” Denny told Big Rigs.
“She’s a hard-working owner-driver, she’s been in the industry a long time, and she has so much to offer.
“She’s constantly acting as a mentor, sharing her knowledge and experience - not only with women but men also.
“She’s just incredible and we all felt she was a worthy recipient of this year’s award.”
Hawker, 55, is also actively involved in the Lights on the Hill committee, helping to organise the event each year and honour truck drivers who have passed away.
“She is working with families who have lost loved ones on the road, supporting them with the Lights on the Hill memorial,” Denny continued.
“She dedicates her time to helping people.”
Hawker is an owner-driver contracting for Express Cargo Logistics in the gas mining sector, trucking around Western Queensland as well as taking on the odd interstate trip.
The mum of five and grandmother of 12 has only been driving professionally since 2018, but her love of trucks goes way back.
She spent 15 busy years in the Lindsay Transport office, learning a lot about what goes on behind the scenes in the transport industry.
Looking for a change and unable to resist the call of the road, she got her rigid licence in 2015 – and worked her way up the ranks to become a skilled MC driver.
In 2022, she decided to really make a go of it and buy her own rig, a 1997 Heritage Western Star.
“I’ve been around trucks my whole life, and I just got to the point where my kids had left home and I thought, ‘What am I going to do next?’”
Hawker said.
“I had been out in the truck with my husband Simon and I really enjoyed it, and I had this itchy urge to drive so I just went for it.
“I’m loving being an owner-driver. There’s so much freedom and flexibility, and I love seeing the country.”
Hawker said it was an honour to receive the Toots Driver of the Year award, which is named after trucking trailblazer Toots Holzheimer - a hard-working mum of eight who ran her own trucking company, delivering freight across Queensland from the 1960s until the early 1990s.
“It’s totally amazing to think I got singled out from hundreds of women,” Hawker said.
“I was told that I got chosen partly because I live up to the ideals that Toots had.
“I’ve had some bad things happen to me - I was widowed and became a single mother –but I haven’t let those things stop me. I just get up and I keep going.”
The Grantham native said her advice to other female truckies is to follow your dreams.
“Don’t be intimidated to approach an employer and tell them why you would be a good candidate to do the work. If you feel you want to reach out to another female driver for support, we are always there.”
Other winners on the day included Matt Newman, Transport Manager at QUBE, who took out the Diversity and Inclusion Award for increasing female driver participation at the QUBE depot to 40 per cent.
“Matt has been working with WiTA through our Foot in the Door program, and now has a strong group of 17 female drivers at the depot,” Denny said.
“The whole culture of the
place has changed for the better.”
Veteran truckie Suzette Byrnes Statham O’Reilly was also honoured with a lifetime achievement award for her contributions to the transport industry, but sadly couldn’t be there on the day.
Denny said she was delighted with how the whole event went, and can’t wait to do it all again next year.
“Currently only about 2 per cent of truck drivers in Aus-
tralia are women, and our goal is to achieve gender parity by 2050,” she continued.
“National Female Truckies’ Day is a time to celebrate female heavy vehicle drivers, to remember our female veteran drivers that came before us, and to try to encourage more women to become drivers, so we can increase those numbers as the years go by.” For more on the Adelaide Convoy for Kids and some great pics, turn to page 26.
Don’t knock it until you try one, reckons our test driver after taking the new eActros prime mover for a spin around the busy streets of Melbourne.
IN MY 14 years writing for Big Rigs I’ve been fortunate to have driven just about every new truck to come onto the Australian market.
These have ranged from small rigids to the most powerful prime movers. They have been powered by diesel, diesel-hybrid and electricity. And they all have a role to play in moving product from one place to another.
There’s absolutely no doubt that diesel will be with us for the foreseeable future if we want to move goods from one end of the country to another. Hydrogen is touted as a replacement for long distance transportation, but not until the infrastructure is put in place, and that will take some time.
Then there is electricity, a ‘dirty’ word in the minds of many old-school truckies, which is an interesting description of the cleanest form of propulsion available on the market today. Electric cars have come on in leaps and bounds since their introduction, to the point that no one seems to take any notice of a Tesla or Kia EV6 wafting silently past. And yet, there is a chorus of howls and derision when ‘electricity’ is mentioned in the same sentence as ‘truck’.
Electric trucks are not a replacement for your die-
sel-powered pride and joy; rather, they are an additional choice of vehicle catering to specific roles within the industry. These roles do exist, because manufacturers are not going to pour billions into a form of propulsion if they don’t have buyers at the other end.
Mercedes-Benz have led the charge – sorry about the pun – on the electric front, introducing the eActros rigid earlier this year, now followed by the prime mover version. Initially a 4x2, the prime mover’s underpinnings are the same as its rigid sibling. That means three lithium-ion battery packs with a total of 336kW/h. In plain speak they deliver a continuous output of 330kw (443hp) with a peak of 400kW (536hp). Think of it like a turbo over-boost when needed.
Those battery packs have a
heap of automatic safeguards to prevent any mishaps –way more than you’ll find in any electric car running around. From auto cut-off of the high voltage upon impact from another vehicle, advanced cooling systems and individual protection of each of the battery cells, you’re more likely to have your petrol car catch fire than one of these.
Charging can take from as little as 75 minutes with a 150kW charger, but I imagine many would opt for the cheaper 22kW portable charger which is going to lengthen the time by anything up to 12 hours. These figures are to go from 20-80 per cent charge. The two liquid-cooled electric motors are combined with a 2-speed auto gearbox and differential in the one compact (when compared to a Detroit DD16 diesel) unit.
Termed eAxle, this drive system leaves plenty of room between the chassis rails for everything from more batteries to PTO’s. There’s all the safety features such as ABS, Sta-
bility Control, Lane Keeping, Roll Control, Tyre Pressure Monitoring, etc that you’ll find in any Actros. As with the diesel versions the eActros can automatically brake for pedestrians and vehicles if the driver is distracted, using front and left side radars and a front camera.
At speeds below 20km/h the truck emits an audible warning so you can’t sneak up behind workmates and scare the bejesus out of them. As required by European standards for heavy vehicles with trailers – but yet to be incorporated into ADR - the eActros prime mover features a High Power Brake Resistor (HPR) system. HPR means that any additional braking energy that can’t be fed into the batteries will be converted into heat and dissipated.
This ensures the truck has a ‘continuous braking system’ (not counting the service brakes). It means the truck will always be able to be slowed using the ‘engine braking’ electric motor retar-
dation that slows the truck and captures energy to feed back into the batteries, even if they are full.
The driving experience in this truck is like driving any semi from the point of view of steering the truck, but there’s so much more. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the silence is golden! Until you’ve driven one of these things all day, you have no idea how much better you’ll feel after a shift in an eActros. It is literally chalk and cheese.
The interior is all M-B Actros class with clear, easy to operate led screens in front and to the left of you, feeding all the info you’ll need. The second-gen MirrorCam with screens mounted on the A pillars beat the daylights out of any side mirror, full stop!
Press start and wait a tick for the system to check over all its safety features, twist the RH stalk into drive and simply press the pedal – no having to release trailer or cab brakes, it’s all done for you.
Sitting in one of the best seats on the market I head into the city and Port Melbourne – the type of environment in which these trucks will live. The turning circle is tight thanks to the 4x2 and its short wheelbase; a 6x2 will also become available down the line. I talked earlier about electric cars wafting by – that’s what you do in this truck, you simply ‘waft’ along and enjoy the serenity. There’s a 5-stage intarder to feed charge back into the batteries and pull the truck up in double quick time. As an example, I’m coming down the city side of the Westgate Bridge and the battery level jumps up by 1 per cent in the couple of minutes it takes to reach the bottom. And this is what happens all day – the amount of charge varies by
how often you slow down V’s acceleration, pulling uphill V’s rolling down the other side and so on.
Daimler suggest a range of circa 200km as against the rigid’s 300km due to the extra carrying capacity and hence weight.
Do I feel range anxiety? Not at all, and for two reasons: one is that these trucks will be used in situations where range is not a factor and two, I’ve spent a lot of time in electrified trucks in urban environments and have always been surprised at how little distance I’ve travelled over the course of a day. Andrew Assimo, the vice president sales and marketing, operations, logistics and processing at Daimler Truck Australia Pacific, says shorthaul grocery delivery into built-up areas, such as supermarkets, is the perfect use for a single trailer zero-emission truck like the eActros prime mover.
“We are also getting a lot of interest from customers hauling shipping containers from their docks to their yards.”
I’ve no doubt that there will be many other applications for this type of vehicle. In time, the battery range will grow, but this truck is here now and will get a lot of work done in the right applications in urban environments.
The bottom line is that you’re not going to be forced into one of these tomorrow. And if you got a job where you were behind the wheel of an eActros prime mover day in/day out? Well, you’re going to love it!
One day you’re going to see electric trucks like the eActros all around town, just like you see electric cars today and, like today you won’t give them a second glance, unlike the looks I received on this test drive.
WE know it’s hard yakka out there behind the wheel today. Your running costs are through the roof, there’s not enough decent places to rest
and eat the right food, and there’s always someone willing to do the job cheaper. Then there’s the issue of safety to contend with, be it due to the woeful state
of our roads, or the inexperience of the driver coming the other way. Every day we’re hearing more and more stories of older blokes hanging up the keys early because
they just don’t feel safe out there anymore. Something has to change, that’s for sure. But who is really listening to the driver today? That’s why we’re kicking off a new series
of Have your Say pages from this issue to play our part in bringing some much-needed pressure to bear in the right places. To start the ball rolling, we polled 12 drivers
from around Australia to ask: What is your number one issue and how should we go about fixing it? Send us your answers to editor@bigrigs.com.au.
ANDREW JAMES
Benalla, Victoria
Owner, Jamesy’s Transport
THESE new age drivers are causing trouble. There’s just not enough experience out there anymore.
It’s not like it used to be. There needs to be regulation, and we need better training.
The government has got to come up with some kind of decent training scheme.
I don’t think drivers should come over here on an overseas licence and go straight onto our roads. We need a bit of common sense!
Another thing I’ve noticed is, even with car drivers – everyone’s in a rush. Everyone’s busy, everyone’s impatient,
and that’s when they start doing stupid sh*t. Thankfully we don’t have to deal with the new age drivers much, because we are mostly in rural areas and they are on main roads. That’s why I like my job!
My advice to any drivers coming into the industry would be to start out as a yard monkey and work your way up. If you’ve got another job, go in and work on a Saturday. That’s how we all did it, and it’s the best way to learn.
Bathurst, NSW Driver,
PHE
ONE of the biggest issues right now is not having a safe place to stop. Some of the parking bays I now have to pull up in in NSW are absolutely disgusting, atrocious.
When you get into SA and even up the Stuart Highway there’s a lot more opportunity for the parking bays.
They actually provide decent-sized parking bays to park singles, doubles, triples, caravans, motorhomes. There is ample land.
The problem you have in NSW is [the lack of] land. The further you go west, the better it is.
parking areas for trucks; there’s two spots on the east side and there’s one bay on the west and that’s it.
I understand the politics of keeping money right now. We’re not doing so great as a nation so let’s tighten the purse strings a little bit.
But the problem is they’re tightening the purse strings on the pulse that runs the nation.
PEPPI INVERNO
Dalmore,
Victoria
Owner, G&D Inverno Transport
THE main issue I’m concerned about at the moment is facilities on the road. There just aren’t enough facilities for truck drivers, and a lot of roadhouses close at 9pm. There isn’t a lot of choice in terms of places where you can stop, and because of that you end up paying too much and the cost of living on the road is very high.
There also aren’t enough healthy options – we shouldn’t have to eat fast food all the time. Sometimes I bring food on
the road, but you’re limited in terms of what you can carry. And when you’re on the
go, you’re on the go. You don’t have the time to stop and prepare a meal. In the olden days, you pop in at a roadhouse, you buy a meal and have a shower, and you’re in and out within 45 minutes to an hour. It’s hard to find a decent cooked meal now. There aren’t enough parking bays either. We predominantly run Melbourne to Adelaide, and once you leave Melbourne, you get to the end of the divided road and there’s nowhere to stop. If you’re in the transport industry, you need a lot of patience. We’re driving on public roads and the traffic is increasing, and the road network is not keeping up with the traffic.
Bunyip, Victoria
& Transport
I think the hardest thing for young drivers getting into the transport industry is finding the right person to give you a go.
The further east you travel, that’s where we struggle. Bathurst has hardly any
Bayswater, Victoria Owner, Dan’s Trucking
I think the biggest issue in the trucking industry is people’s egos.
Me saying that might stir people up, but that’s my opinion. Truckies don’t seem to remember where they came from.
If they see someone broken down, they tend to ignore them rather than asking if they can help.
Other drivers complain about legislation and governing bodies, and they do make the job hard, I’m not arguing with that. But I believe the NHVR are trying to work with us.
It’s unsafe to park in some of the NSW towns that we pass through. These things that we’re asking for, like keeping roadhouses open, better parking bays, are going to keep our drivers safer, and our safety is priority. We deserve a little bit of safety in the workplace.
Then there are other issues like balancing the job with having a family, which is very hard, especially when you’re driving interstate. There’s a driver shortage, and a lot of older drivers
are retiring. But my biggest thing is egos. It grinds my gears, because I started in a simple Hino concrete truck and I’ve never turned down my nose at anyone.
My old man drives so I’ve been around trucks my whole life, and I’ve always been interested in becoming a truck driver.
But a lot of operators won’t take on young people for insurance reasons. Thankfully my bosses at Elite Transport, Mitch and Jeff Blencowe, are awesome. I’ve been with them for six months and I love it.
ALYSHA DOUMA
Ipswich, Queensland Driver, Eurotrans
THERE aren’t enough young people coming into the industry. I’ve definitely noticed it’s an older age demographic.
I even talked to a guy the other day who was being pulled out of retirement because the company he worked for was desperate for drivers.
I think credit needs to be given where credit is due. With these Euro autos, anyone can drive them, but you still need to be able to do it well.
Truck driving is a skill and it doesn’t get the credit it de-
have no idea of what they’re doing, what weight they are driving with or how to tie down loads.
There is so much that is passed on from the older guys.
I think the best way to learn is to be buddied up with an older experienced driver. They just have so much experience to pass on.
Before, people knew they had to climb the ladder. You started with the sh*t
and earned your way up to the big truck.
serves. We definitely need to see more in the way of training. One of the reasons it’s so dangerous out there is because there are people who
Now you see people being put straight into the bigger trucks, but they haven’t earned it, so they take it as a right rather than a privilege.
Continued on page 16
PETER NAGGAR
Sandstone, WA
FIFO driver
ONE of the main issues is a lack of proper rest areas. I either do the 700km round trip from Sandstone up to Wiluna where the mine is; or the 950km round trip from Sandstone to Geraldton if I’m going to the port. If I go on the mine run, there is absolutely nowhere decent to stop.
Once you’re out of the mine, there’s nothing at all. There’s one toilet on the road but you can’t get in there with a road train, it’s made for cars. There’s not a lot of phone reception either.
There are times where my tablet is screaming at me to stop – but there is nowhere to stop.
You go to one place and
there’s no parking, then you go to the next one and there is no parking either.
Then on many of the highways where they do have parking bays, a lot of them don’t have facilities- we’re not
GAIL RITCHIE
Adelaide, SA Driver, Qube Logistics
I would say licensing is the biggest issue at the moment. We have a lot of people coming in from overseas.
I don’t think people should be able to obtain a licence overseas and then use it here, as it’s a totally different system, with different road rules.
There needs to at least be some sort of training and assessment before being able to get on the road.
animals. The government really needs to do something. There’s land there – they need to allocate it so they can build some proper rest areas and stop just talking about it.
Dubbo, NSW Driver, Ron Pilon Transport
ROADS are our biggest problem – it’s the failure to build them properly, to repair them and lack of recognition of the impact they have.
Not only in terms of maintenance for the truck, which has gone through the roof, but also in how some of the failures are contributing factors to crashes. They don’t look back 100m up the road to find the big divot the bloke hit.
Everyone else has to have a safe workplace but the truck driver.
I see potholes every day a foot wide and a foot deep on the highway that aren’t fixed. You can’t fathom it. Then they put up a rough surface
sign and leave it there for eight months.
How can they legally do that?
How can they be aware and not fix it? Then they go and put road works signs up.
Signs that say slow down and be careful. I can live with that. But not road
works signs when there is nobody there.
I was coming into Melbourne, and they had a 40km/h limit on the Hume Highway. There’s no rain and they have everyone on the Hume doing 40km/h for 4km because their road is rooted.
UP here, the only thing that bothers me and really grinds my gears is rest areas.
I think that’s a problem Australia-wide, but up here they’re few and far between and what we do have is just a pad to park on, there are no facilities.
There are that many caravan pull-up areas with tables, toilets, reception and they’re only used for six months of the year.
You have a lot of triples up here and half of the rest areas are only big enough to get two trucks in.
At least put toilet blocks and what not in them, even a long-drop and a water tank would go a long way and
or anything fancy like the
There also needs to be a lot more done in the way of training.
Even though I do a relatively short run – it’s a 600km return trip – some of the things I’ve seen could’ve ended quite differently.
The biggest thing is the way
overseas licences are handled when someone comes here and wants to drive on an international licence.
If I went overseas on an MC licence, I wouldn’t expect to be able to use it there, I’d expect to start from scratch.
Geelong,
Victoria
Driver, Riordan’s Grain Services
DICKHEAD drivers are our biggest issue and that hasn’t changed in the 45 years I’ve been doing it.
But the issue is as much our own as it is the motorist. They, as far as I’m concerned, have an excuse to be dickheads because they’re not trained. Our fellow truck drivers don’t have that excuse because they’re supposed to be trained.
Whether they are or not is another matter.
The bottom line is we’re supposed to be the professionals so it’s up to us to anticipate stupidity on the parts of the motorist.
We’re not trained as well as we should be but they’re
much worse trained.
The loss of the camaraderie is also a problem, as is the fact you can’t get a decent
meal anywhere. How am I supposed to eat well and look after myself when I can only go to McDonalds?
AT the moment, traffic in Queensland is impacting work diary restrictions which means everyone is driving like lunatics to get to where they need to go in the time they need to do it.
Once you navigate the highway then you’ve got to deal with the red tape and the safety nonsense, endless inductions at your consignor and consignees.
Some young drivers up this way say they’re not getting the support from their employers because they want to go BFM but the employer doesn’t want to because they don’t want the expense and more worryingly, the extra scrutiny of NHVR.
I’m a bit of an AFM spe-
cialist now and have been saying that I can help them write some rules so you won’t have to worry about it. Just do your electronic work diary and your pre-trips and use the electronic platforms and it pretty much takes care of itself.
But they just say, oh no, no, no. They don’t want the extra
scrutiny. That blew me away. They’re stitching themselves up as far as I’m concerned.
It gives the drivers an extra two hours’ wriggle room so you don’t have to go like a scalded cat to get from Brisbane to Mackay just to squeeze out the seven or eight hours, or whatever you need.
BY KAYLA WALSH
truck-
ie turned social media star
Aaron Farquhar has said he wants to end the ‘us vs them’ mentality that many heavy vehicle drivers have towards the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.
Farquhar, who has 89,000 followers on Facebook and 55,300 on TikTok under the name “Aaron, the Typical Trucker”, is known for his comedic videos that share a glimpse into trucking life, as well as some more serious content around mental health and safety.
Now he says one of his major goals is teaming up with the NHVR to develop a bet-
ter relationship between the regulator and the trucking community.
“I want to collaborate with them so that they can understand what’s going on in our heads, and we can understand what’s going on in their heads,” he said.
“For a lot of years, it’s been ‘us vs them’, and it shouldn’t be that way.
“I want to try to close the gap, so we can work together to make the roads safer.”
Farquhar thinks many drivers are unfair in their attitude towards the NHVR.
“A lot of truckies have had bad experiences with inspectors in the past, so there is a stigma towards them.
“If drivers get pulled up on something, they get caught up in being defensive instead of learning from it.”
The western Sydney native, who transports cars between dealerships for automotive logistics company PrixCar, said most of his interactions with NHVR inspectors have been pleasant.
“I’ve been pulled over into weighbridges a lot recently, and almost every inspector I’ve met has been an absolute champion,” he said.
“I think in the last few years they have changed their approach, and they are not just picking on us.
“However, there are some assholes. I had a go at one guy outside of Melbourne who just had a bad attitude.
“I told him that if he wanted the respect of drivers, he was going to have to treat us a lot better.”
For the most part, Farquhar thinks the regulator’s rules are there to keep everyone safe.
“A lot of the drivers who whinge about the NHVR are the ones that are doing the wrong thing or driving unsafe trucks,” he said.
“That’s not always their fault, it could be the company’s fault, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s putting people in danger.”
However, he thinks there
are some instances where the NHVR could be more lenient.
“Back in the day, if you had an error in your logbook, the inspector determines whether you deliberately falsified information, or whether it was an honest mistake.
“You’d get a warning and you’d be more careful next time.
“Whereas now there’s more ‘gotcha’ revenue raising.”
In Farquhar’s opinion, highway patrol is worse than the NHVR when it comes to dishing out fines, but he thinks a fairer system is needed.
“Usually, the NHVR is understanding if you’re over by 15 minutes in your logbook, or something like that – but not always.
“With one little mistake, you could lose your wages for the whole week.
“Fines like that can really hurt drivers, especially with the cost of living these days.”
He hopes that collaborating with the NHVR could help address issues like these.
“I’ve got a mate that’s an inspector at a weighbridge, and he showed me an email that was sent from the NHVR head office all around the country.
“It was one of my videos, and it urged inspectors to watch it
and read the comments.
“Through my page, they can see what’s really bugging drivers – and that can help them understand where we’re coming from.”
He wants to clarify that first and foremost, he’s on the side of the truckies.
“There are a lot of inexperienced and unsafe drivers on our roads, who need to be trained properly.
“I want to help, because I’m sick of seeing people dying because of dangerous behaviour on the roads.”
“I want to protect the drivers, limit their chances of getting fines and fatigue breaches, and just try and make things better out there for them.
BY KAYLA WALSH
TONY Innaimo is, according to his best friend and colleague Michael Hogan, a very humble man.
It was no surprise, then, that when Big Rigs gave him a call to talk about celebrating 30 years in business, he was reluctant to take the credit for his transport company’s success.
“I can’t believe it’s been 30 years – it really snuck up on me!” he said.
“It’s an honour to still be in the industry after all this time.
“I think the main reason for our success is having such great people in the business –
I’ve been very lucky.”
Tony started out with one truck, an S-Line International, back in 1994.
Since then, he has grown his fleet to over 40 prime movers, with 20 staff on board plus many more subcontractors.
“When I started out as an owner-driver I was doing Woolworths deliveries for Ron Finemore Transport,” he said.
“That finished up in about ‘99, which forced me to go out on the highway for a while.
“Then I got the opportunity to take over a depot in Queanbeyan. I bought a second truck then and it went from there!”
Tony Innaimo Transport
now has depots in Yass, Wagga Wagga, Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra.
“We’ve got a decent little show going now,” he laughed.
Tony admits there have been some tough times over the years, but he persevered.
“Of course, everything has its challenges, but if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
“If there were no problems you’d probably get a bit bored, I reckon!”
One thing he has noticed, though, is how much harder it is to get drivers now than it was when he started.
“There’s no incentive to become a driver these days, apart
from good money,” he said.
“There aren’t too many other industries where you make a small mistake – I’m not talking about something dangerous, but something that’s not going to hurt anyoneand you get a $500 fine.
“I think the authorities need to sit down with the drivers and understand what’s going on, you can’t just have rules because it looks good to the politicians.”
Despite these frustrations, Tony does his best to create a positive work environment for his staff.
“I know how hard it is to be away from home, so I try not to have the drivers working weekends,” he said.
“The odd one could be running late, but most of our blokes are home on the Friday night and not out again until Monday morning.
“Everyone’s got families, so I try to give them that family time.”
He said having his own family and friends involved in the business has made it a more enjoyable place for him to work.
“My CEO Mike Hogan, I think we were 12 years old when we first met and he’s been with the business 15 years now.
“My sister has worked with us for 20 years, and my moth-
er and father worked in the business before Covid too.
“If it wasn’t for my parents’ support in buying my first truck and teaching me to work hard from day dot, I wouldn’t be in this position.”
He is also grateful to all the customers who have supported his business over the years.
“I have some customers that have been with me for ten, 15 years.
“They’ve all grown over the years too, along with my business.
“There have been a lot of friendships and a lot of happy memories, that make it all worth doing what we do.”
To mark National Diabetes Week from July 14-20, two drivers share how they cope with the condition while on the road.
BY KAYLA WALSH
TWO years ago, Jacques Morin was working a demanding job as an MC driver, travelling up to a thousand kilometres a day – when he started to notice some strange symptoms.
“I wasn’t feeling great and I found I was having to go to the bathroom quite a lot, so I went to the doctor to get it checked out,” he told Big Rigs.
“He sent me straight to the emergency room, where they did a finger prick blood test.
“They said a good reading for glucose levels is maybe four to six – mine was 57.”
Morin was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and kept in hospital for a week while doctors brought his glucose levels down and monitored him.
Since then, the 59-year-old has faced a daily battle to manage his condition while driving full-time.
As well as having a medical every year in order to keep his licence, he has to take insulin every day.
“I inject insulin into my stomach, and I take vari-
ous other medications in the morning and at night,” he added.
He also has to wear a sensor that continuously tracks his blood sugar and sends readings to his smart phone.
“The alternative is pulling the truck over all the time to do a finger prick test, which isn’t really practical,” he said.
“The sensor has an alarm that goes off if my blood sugar is too high or low, so it’s a game-changer for my health, my safety and the safety of others on the road.”
The main disadvantage of the sensor is the price, with the Sydney truckie shelling out $104 every two weeks.
He said this fee really adds up over the course of a year, especially given the rising cost of living.
“It’s frustrating because sensors for Type 1 diabetes are subsidised by the government, whereas Type 2 diabetes is considered to be ‘self-inflicted’, so we don’t get the subsidy.
“There has been some talk about extending it to those with Type 2 diabetes, and I’m
trying to push that along as best as I can.”
Morin wants to send the message that truckies who have developed diabetes are not just a “bunch of fatties”.
He continued: “Diabetes is something that I have developed because of the lifestyle that comes with driving a truck, and truck driving is an important job.
“Australia runs on the back of a truck.”
He pointed out the various factors that make it difficult to live healthily while driving long distances in a truck every day.
“It’s obviously a sedentary lifestyle so you’re not getting much exercise, and it’s very difficult to find healthy food options on the road,” he said.
“In the job I’m doing now, I only get a half hour break, which isn’t much time if you want to have a decent, healthy meal.
“Not to mention the fact that if I’m doing a country run, I’m driving a B-double, so it’s hard to find somewhere safe to park.”
Since being diagnosed with diabetes, he’s had to step up his organisation, planning his journeys well in advance.
“If I’m on a day run, I’m travelling through two meal times,” he said.
“I need to know where I can stop for a healthy meal that will have plenty of protein and not too much carbohydrate, because that will spike my blood sugar.
“I also have food with me in the truck, some sweets for emergencies, and a three-litre bottle of water that I drink instead of the processed drinks I used to have.”
Morin said he’s learned a lot about nutrition since his diagnosis, and his ambition is to reverse his diabetes com-
I HONESTLY THINK IT’S MORE OF A DANGER TO TRUCKIES THAN INEXPERIENCED DRIVERS ON THE ROAD.”
GREG ROSS
pletely.
“I was reasonably thin most of my life, and then I gave up smoking,” he said.
“I started to replace cigarettes with food and I just ballooned.
“I was well over 100kg but I have lost a lot of weight now, and I’m hopeful that one day I won’t have diabetes anymore.”
One truckie who has managed to reverse his diabetes is Greg Ross, a road train driver based in Perth.
“I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2018 – I was exhausted all the time, and piling on the weight,” he said.
“My doctor put me on the diabetes medication Ozempic in April, and it has changed everything.
“In just a few months I’ve gone back to being pre-diabetic, and I feel fantastic.
“I’m 73 years old and working 12-hour days, five or six days in a row, without a problem!”
Before he started taking Ozempic, Ross struggled to lose weight through lifestyle changes alone.
“Before I became a truck driver in my sixties I was in a marketing manager and CEO, so there were a lot of long lunches,” he said.
“That was just compounded by the truckie lifestyle – eating terrible food, working terrible hours, and sitting down all the bloody time.”
He has tried to bring healthy food with him in the truck when driving interstate – only
Type 2 diabetes: Spot the signs
Diabetes Australia says the signs of Type 2 diabetes are not always obvious, and can easily be mistaken for other conditions or missed entirely.
A few signs to watch out for include:
• Feeling tired all the time
• Going to the toilet more often
• Feeling thirsty
• Blurred vision
• Numbness or pain in your hands or feet
• Cuts or wounds that heal slowly
If you have one or more of these symptoms, you should ask your GP about
to have it confiscated.
“You try to bring fruit for a healthy snack and it’s taken off you the minute you get to the WA border,” he said.
“There are no allowances given to truckies – so you go to a roadhouse and get yourself some deep-fried chips, or you grab a chicken roll and eat it in your truck because you’re tight on time.
“People don’t even realise how much sugar is in food and drinks, from iced coffees to tomato sauce. They are full of the stuff.”
Ross said he knows an “astounding” number of truck drivers who are diabetic, particularly in the mining industry.
“You can see the guys in their 30s who are heading for diabetes, and you just want to shout ‘Stop! Stop!’
“It almost seems like every second driver has it.
“I honestly think it’s more
getting a diabetes test.
How to manage it
If you get a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, the good news is that there are practical steps you can take that will make a real difference.
These include:
• Eating a variety of healthy foods like vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains and avoiding processed foods
• Exercising regularly
• Monitoring your blood sugar levels with regular tests
• Taking medication
of a danger to truckies than inexperienced drivers on the road.”
He is calling on transport operators and the government to step up and do something.
“There can be so many complications with diabetes, from blindness to amputations.
“Companies and governments need to be doing far more to alert truckies to how bad this is.
“We need to reach the drivers who are pre diabetic and get them to change their lifestyle, and get the drivers who are already diabetic to start taking Ozempic.
“Because diabetes really is a killer, and it’s coming for us.”
Continued on page 22
• National Diabetes Week runs from July 14-21, 2024. For more information about diabetes, visit diabetesaustralia.com.au
MARC SOFTLY, WILLATON TRANSPORT
As a marine rescue commander, as well as a truck driver, this Tweed Heads local feels right at home on the road or the water.
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
BY day, you’re likely to find Keith Smith, 64, behind the wheel of the Kenworth T610SAR B-double set-up he drives for Brim’s Transport, carrying scrap cardboard and paper reels. Or you may find him by the water, coordinating his team to ensure they’re ready for action if an emergency strikes.
Keith has been commander of the Point Danger unit at Tweed Heads for Marine Rescue NSW for the past two years. It’s a volunteer role that sees him managing over 182 people. The unit has three of its own rescue boats and operates from a newly built $6 million radio facility, where volunteers are prepared to leap into action whenever necessary.
Keith says a total of 159 rescues have been completed from the Point Danger unit
in the past 12 months. “Point Danger is one of 46 Marine Rescue NSW units, which run up and down the NSW coast. Many of the rescues will be for people whose vessels have broken down or for those who’ve run out of fuel.”
Though Keith had volunteered with Marine Rescue NSW between 1991-1993 as a boat crew member, he only came back onto the scene about five years ago. “I left after I broke my leg travelling through 6 metre swells. I came back in 2019 as part of the boat crew and then the position of unit commander became available – so I went for it and was elected unopposed.”
Keith admits that when he first joined Marine Rescue, he didn’t have a great deal of experience on the water. “All I had was a tinnie. I was always interested in boats and
Marine Rescue gave me the ability to work and get thoroughly taught about how to use a boat properly.
“Everyone has to know how to helm the boat, how to take it across the bar, and be able to dock the boats. As commander, I look after all the crew, the radio operators, the skippers, etc.
“Being a volunteer, you seem to get a whole lot more out of it than you put in.”
But it was well before all of that that Keith got his truck licence, in 1983. It was while he was working on high rises as a scaffolder and rigger. “I’d drive the truck for that job – that’s how I got into truck driving, it started out that simple really,” he said.
Keith was working in the construction industry right up until 1999. “I wanted to get away from the building game, so I thought getting my own truck was a good way to work for myself.
“I had been working for a steel company so bought the truck to tow their trailers and then it just kept growing. They asked if I could work with them for a few weeks until they got their new truck and I ended up contracting with them for 16 years.”
What started with one truck, an International T-line, eventually progressed into a whole fleet. At its peak, his business had three B-doubles, five semis, a crane truck, and employed 14 people.
“That business was quite successful and did pretty well. But I was ready to get out so I decided to sell all the trucks,” added Keith.
So he went back to being a
company driver. From then up until 2018, Keith drove crane trucks locally and interstate, then during Covid he began carting general freight into the mines in Queensland, before starting his current role.
“When I started at Brim’s, I said I’d work two days a week in the truck because I was also doing the Marine Rescue work five days a week.
“I did that for about two years but as it was getting harder and harder to get drivers, I began working more days. Luckily I’ve delegated a lot of tasks to my team now at Point Danger, so I can spend more time in the truck,” Keith explained.
“But I still have oversight on what is happening and lay down the expectations of
what is required.
“For the past six months I’ve been working five days a week,” said Keith, adding that he’s really enjoying the role.
“I like to think that now I’m at the pinnacle of my truck driving. I travel from Tweed Heads to the Snowy Mountains, unloading and reloading at the same place. When I leave the trailers are already loaded and the trucks are detailed before each trip.”
For Keith, driving the truck and being a unit commander provides the perfect balance.
“When I do the Marine Rescue work, I’m dealing with people all the time. Then when I get in the truck, I enjoy that time on my own –getting away and turning up the podcasts.”
From page 20
MELISSA Weller, director of industry relations and program management at Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds, said the organisation is working with several of its partners to offer programs
that will improve the physical health of heavy vehicle drivers and help combat diabetes.
“Our programs not only focus on education and longer-term behavioural change but are practical,” she said.
“Our nutrition program is
working to provide increased access to healthier choices. It is not enough to just tell people to make healthier choices, you must make sure these foods are available at their workplaces, which is on the road.
“Increasing physical activity is also essential to avoid diseases like diabetes, which is why we have included exercise videos and instructions in the Healthy Heads App. These videos are easy for drivers to access and follow, and can be done anytime, anywhere.’’
She shared one example of a Healthy Heads initiative, a
recent partnership with bp. “We created the Healthier Choices Menu available at 31 locations across the country. The menu includes lists meals that are rated green on the nutrition guidelines traffic light system.”
Healthy Heads is also providing free health checks at its road show outreach events throughout the year.
According to Austroads, a person with diabetes treated by diet and exercise alone may drive a heavy vehicle without licence restriction. They should be reviewed by their doctor periodically regarding the progression of their diabetes.
If a driver has diabetes treated with insulin or other glucoselowering agents, a conditional licence may
be considered by the driver licencing authority, subject to at least annual review. This will take into consideration “the nature of the driving task” and information provided by an endocrinologist or consultant physician specialising in diabetes on whether the following criteria are met:
• There is no recent history (generally at least 6 weeks) of a
Weller added: “People are often surprised when they complete the blood sugar test, in terms of where they sit regarding diabetes risk.” For more health advice truckies should also visit the site healthingear.com.au where you will find industry-specific tips and timetables for free on-road health checks.
“severe hypoglycaemic event” as assessed by the specialist.
• The person is following a treatment regimen that minimises the risk of hypoglycaemia.
• The person experiences early warning symptoms (awareness) of hypoglycaemia.
• There are no endorgan effects that may affect driving.
SHELL Rimula has partnered with Big Rigs in a big way – so there are even more reasons to send in your best truck shots.
Each month, the Big Rigs team will choose a #PicOfTheMonth, with the lucky winner receiving a $500 Shell Coles Express Gift Card.
Keep an eye out for our regular posts on the Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper Facebook page, calling
for your best truck photos and add yours in the comments, or email them to kayla.walsh@ primecreative.com.au.
Don’t forget to include a brief note about the truck and where the photo was taken. We’ll feature some of the best photos in each edition of Big Rigs Newspaper, with one winner announced each month. Keep those amazing truck pics coming!
When the going gets tough, truckies keep everyone going
BY KAYLA WALSH
TRUCKIES from all over Australia converged in Adelaide recently for the city’s inaugural Camp Quality Convoy for Kids.
Over 150 trucks hit the streets to show support for kids facing cancer and their families, bringing smiles to everyone’s faces and fundraising over $138,000.
Camp Quality’s general manager of Revenue, Sandie Hall, said she was delighted with how the July 6 event turned out.
“Right from the get-go, the Adelaide community has been supportive, welcoming and generous.
“They came together and celebrated and it was just a really great day, and a great indicator of the values of the trucking community.
“Our fundraising target was $90,000 and we’ve smashed that. When you factor in the raffle, merchandise and other donations we’re likely to get up around $140,000 overall.”
Local transport operator Craig Arthur was given the honour of leading the convoy after raising an impressive $29,648 for charity.
“We want to support Camp Quality as it is something that is all very close to our hearts,” Arthur said.
“We have all been close to someone that has battled can-
cer, whether that be a child or an adult.
“Showing off our trucks at the convoy was a real highlight, but we were most excited about bringing joy to kids and their families.”
Two “People’s Choice” awards were also handed out on the day, decided by an expert panel of three Camp Quality kids.
Best Presented Truck was awarded to The Truck Factory, while Best Presented Fleet went to Trimboli Contracting.
Female truckies were also well represented at the convoy, with Camp Quality teaming up with Women in Trucking Australia.
“Women in Trucking Australia reached out to us to organise this convoy, and I really have to thank them,” Hall continued.
“They really eased our introduction to Adelaide and the community, and helped us park the trucks on the day.”
The Camp Quality crew are already looking forward to coming back next year.
“We’re already received about 20 expressions of interest for a 2025 event,” Hall said.
“We’ve definitely got a lot of enthusiasm and support and we can’t ask for more than that.”
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Let’s go further®
BY ALF WILSON
EXPERIENCED Dave Aldridge is one of 25 truck drivers who transport V8 Supercars around Australia and was happy to provide Big Rigs with an insight into what is carried in the trailers and how it all fits.
Dave works for the Melbourne-based Tickford Racing Team and had his flashy B-double Kenworth K220 parked at the marshalling area before the Townsville Transporters Parade on July 3.
The annual parade is a precursor to the main event, the NTI Townsville 500 from July 5-7, the biggest annual sporting event in North Queensland.
“Everything has to fit perfectly in the purpose-built race transporters,” Dave said.
“I have two Supercars which are driven by Cam Waters and Tom Randall. There are two spare engines, two axles, compatible sets of panels, nine sets of wheels, suspension parts, and 40 litres of engine oil and 20 litres for the transmissions.
“In total the truck and trailers are 26m in length and the engine is a X15 Cummins and it has an automatic gearbox.”
While Dave said that the truckies were not allowed to let anybody, other than staff, into the trailers which were empty then anyway, he was happy to let me snap pics of the cabin.
“It is just like inside the normal Kenworth model with some added stainless steel. It is very comfortable and sometimes I use the sleeper box whilst away. It is not much different to a model used by general freight trucks,” he said. Dave had travelled to Darwin for the event there and
then returned to Melbourne before heading off to Townsville.
“It was cold when I left Melbourne around eight or nine degrees and is more than 25 here,” he said.
The 54-year-old Dave has worked for Tickford for 14 years and loves visiting Townsville.
Near Dave were two other drivers Wayne Cowper, who works for Shell V Power and steers a flashy MAN, and Dave Lewin, who is a longtime Red Bull driver of a Mercedes.
The trucks were also parked at the parade marshalling area on Webb Drive preparing for the noon start.
Nearby was Paul Eddy who drives a Mack Athem for Brad James based at Albury in NSW, near the Victorian border.
The bonnet was open, and Paul was doing some general cleaning of the windscreen and around the 535 Mack engine.
All along the route fans lined the streets and intersections and cheered on and waved at their favourite teams.
They sat on the back of 4WD vehicles, on chairs, some had umbrellas as shade from the heat, and others watched from their yards.
“The Townsville transporter parade is one of the best of the year, it’s an honour to be a part of for all Supercars’ teams,” said Jason Routley, Supercars Logistics manager and lead truck driver in the parade.
“Every truckie looks forward to seeing fans old and new along the route to the circuit to really kick off our event celebrations.”
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A stunningly restored International ACCO turned plenty of heads at its first public appearance since its 12-month overhaul.
BY DAVID VILE
IF YOU had a 3070 International, or a 1418 ‘Benz you were going really well, you made money, reflected Kim Woods at the recent Crawlin’ the Hume convoy from Melbourne to Albury.
“That was the norm back in the day,” said Kim, recalling an era when these trucks were at the top of the shopping list for many transport operators. With the passage of time, fortunately some of these trucks have managed to avoid being sent to the wreckers, and live on today to still turn a wheel, usually at a more relaxed pace.
In Kim’s case, his overhauled 1978 International ACCO 3070/A was making its first journey post-restoration as part of the Crawlin’ the Hume earlier this year.
Hailing from Brisbane, Kim had made his way south to Victoria to take part in the event with four trucks, with the striking paint scheme in particular on the ACCO drawing a number of admirers at the Winton lunch-stop.
Having purchased the ACCO two years ago, the relatively good condition of
the truck allowed for a fairly straightforward restoration.
“I purchased it off a farmer in Kingaroy, sight unseen. He promised me it had no rust in it - it had been shedded, so we got it home and he was true his word, there was no rust in it, it was a good as gold.
“He had owned it for about 20 years, and it was set up with hydraulics for a farm tipper.”
The restoration process, which was overseen by Geoff McGregor, took about 12 months and saw a new clutch fitted along with the guards getting some attention along with the interior being retrimmed.
The chassis was sandblasted before the cab was painted in its blue and silver hues. Given the age of the truck, finding new ‘old’ parts was somewhat of an issue.
“The biggest problem we have is International don’t have a lot of parts for these anymore so it’s a matter of sourcing them,” Kim explained.
“The dash is not quite finished as we can’t get the correct switches and so forth –that’s been the biggest hassle we have had, we only finished it last Wednesday, so we were frantically getting it ready to get down here.
Glynn who owned trucks and they were his colours.
Under the cab, the running gear is standard late-1970s hardware, with a Cummins V903 married up to a 9-speed gearbox and ‘38’ diffs.
“Without the turbo, it puts out 290 horsepower which back in the day would have been pretty standard. It came out with wedge brakes, but the previous owner converted it to full S-Cam brakes, which has made a better truck out of it,” he said.
The inspiration for the colour-scheme on the ACCO came from a former operator in NSW.
“I originally came from Harden, and there was a guy at Young called Merv Mc-
“I always reckoned it was a beautiful colour scheme and I reckoned if I did up an ACCO I would do it in the same colours. It’s actually called ‘Voodoo Blue’ which was a VZ Holden Commodore colour, and pretty similar to McGlynn’s trucks.”
Back home in Queensland, Kim runs Bondwoods Transport where Kenworth is the preferred choice, with a restored W-Model and SAR also making the journey south for the convoy.
Also flying the IH flag along with the ACCO was a 1967 GM 6/53-powered Loadstar which had also been given a new lease on life, and the truck Kim drove up the
Hume as part of the convoy.
“I don’t mind them (Internationals), we have about 40-odd Kenworths, but I just go back a long way with Internationals - I was only a young kid when the old bloke I used to knock about within his yard bought a Loadstar brand new, and I always thought I would have one.
“We picked it up in Toowoomba with a blown motor and it sat behind the shed for about 10 years until we had a crack at it about two years ago, then we had a mad brainwave to get an ACCO and do another one.”
Having arrived in Melbourne and spent the Friday prior to the convoy cleaning and polishing their trucks the fickle Victorian weather
may have taken the shine off on the run up to Albury, but that did not deter Kim and his team.
“This is our first Crawlin the Hume, we are very impressed with the event and have really enjoyed it. We will do Haulin’ the Hume next year and take the same crew with us.”
At the Bondwoods Hillcrest depot there is a dedicated bay in the shed for all the ‘toys’, with work about to commence on the next project, a ‘Seattle’ Kenworth.
“I also have a passion for the old ‘coffin cab’ Atkinsons - I have been looking for one of them to restore for years but they are a bit hard to find. But also said I would never do another one, so we shall see,” he concluded with a smile.
VETERAN truckie Rocky Lord drives a new DAF for Team Transport Logistics. In my opinion, he would rate as one of the most interesting drivers I have ever interviewed at random.
Rocky, 67, was sitting in the driver’s seat of his flashy DAF when I saw him parked up in drizzling rain at the BP Cluden at about 1pm. “This truck is only four weeks old and is great. Very comfortable,” he said.
Most truckies I speak to rate the Bruce Highway as amongst the worst they get along.
But Rocky said he has found the Bruce okay when compared to another one he recently negotiated. “It’s the Capricorn Highway out from Emerald, which is terrible. Very rough,” he said.
Rocky was hauling general freight from his base at Brisbane to Cairns in the Far North.
I asked Rocky about whether he thought there were enough rest areas for drivers
and he answered with a resounding “no”.
“The one at Palm Tree Creek near Mackay is great for us because there is a sign up advising vans aren’t allowed there,” he said.
You would not have to be Einstein to know that most truckies have a lot of complaints about the habits of caravan drivers.
But then I gleaned that when he gets time off, Rocky gets to travel in either his own van or motorhome.
“So how do you find van drivers having been in both,” I queried.
“Most van drivers have no brains and they don’t have time regulations like truck drivers do. They can drive and stop as long as they want,” he said.
Rocky follows the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL and I asked him who was his favourite player. Surprisingly, it wasn’t a Broncos player but the late and great immortal Arthur Beetson. “I just loved his playing style,” he said.
Rocky was surprised that I had yarned to Arthur many times including when he was VIP guest at the Island of Origin rugby league carnival at Badu Island in the Torres Strait back in 2011, shortly before he passed away.
Rocky says his favourite roadhouse is the BP Cluden for several reasons. “They have clean facilities, lots of parking and serve up a good meal,” he said.
We yarned about trivial matters including the time I spoke to a truck driver and discovered my biro was out of ink.
“What an embarrassment having to ask a driver for the loan of a pen” I told him.
Then just before I left as the rain became heavier, Rocky emerged from his cabin with a gift for me which I gleefully accepted.
It was a biro with his company name inscribed on it.
I found Rocky to be a genuine character and a pleasure to talk to.
IT was just before dusk when Big Rigs met up with friendly driver Adam Raffin who had had travelled to a variety of scenic places in Far North Queensland including Julatten and Tolga.
The 49-year-old truckie was hauling general freight for AJR Transport in a 1999 Kenworth K104, powered by a 600hp motor with an 18-speed road ranger gearbox.
Based at The Entrance in NSW, Adam said he loves delivering to the small hamlet of Julatten which is located near Mount Molloy in Far North Queensland.
“I also got to have steak and salad one night at the Tolga Hotel and really liked it,” he added.
Tolga is a small town 5km from Atherton and just across the street from the hotel is a pull off area for truckies.
I asked Adam to nominate his favourite roadhouse and he replied, “It would be the Ampol at Wodonga on the Victorian border.”
Adam added that many rest areas were “not too bad” and when asked about the worst highway he gets along, he said, “The Golden Highway is terrible.” Golden Highway is a
313-kilometre highway, located in the Hunter and Orana regions of NSW.
Being from a region near Newcastle I expected Adam to be an ardent Knights supporter in the NRL. “I am not into football but like restoring old cars,” he said.
That posed the question about which cars he loves. “I have rebuilt a 1972 Holden HQ,’’ he said.
Adam was parked up at the Townsville BP Cluden which was chock a block with trucks.
“I was here the other day and it was near empty,” he said.
YOUTHFUL looking Roland Gibbs drives a Kenworth K200 for Pat Carew Transport based at Logan Valley in southern Queensland.
Aged 46, Roland was carting aluminium from Brisbane to Cairns when Big Rigs caught up with him recently.
“I have been a driver for 24 years and it is a great job working for a good company, which I have been with for six years,” he said.
Roland is another truckie who enjoys stopping at the BP Cluden Roadhouse. “It is very good here with lots of parking,” he said,
At first Roland was reluctant to have his pic snapped for Big Rigs, for fear of his many mates making humorous comments. But he soon agreed.
Roland added that there were not enough rest areas for drivers. “We do need more,”
he said.
Roland enjoys fishing when he gets a chance but said he usually didn’t have much luck. But when I told him another driver had caught a prized barramundi in a riverway near the roadhouse he was interested.
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Tully servo opens
A new roadhouse at Tully has opened and reports coming to Spy from truckies is that it is an excellent addition in the north.
It is the 15th site operated by Marano’s Fuel and is located at the intersection of the Bruce Highway and Andersen Street.
Open 24 hours, the fuel outlet has created 20 jobs for the local community.
Some of the features include: sit-down café-style dining, a complete commercial kitchen, heavy vehicle access, a truckie’s shower, high-flow diesel and Adblue at the bowser.
Marano’s Fuel chief executive officer Angelo Marano said the new Tully service station had been a long-term strategic goal for the company.
“The addition of another service station to our existing portfolio of locations will ensure that we are able to continue to service our network of pre-existing clients in the Tully area,” explained Marano.
The company owns and operates 15 service stations and retail sites across Far North Queensland including at Cairns, Port Douglas, Mossman, the Atherton Tablelands and Cooktown.
Bruce Highway deaths continue to mount
The latest tragic deaths on the notorious Bruce Highway have again raised concerns about the safety of the busy national route.
Safety issues were raised by numerous truck drivers who were discussing the accident which claimed three lives at a packed roadhouse parking area two days earlier.
Three women died when the Greyhound bus they were travelling in collided with a car towing a caravan near Gumlu between Ayr and Bowen.
There was no truck involved and no evidence that the state of the highway there had anything to do with the incident.
Instead, police have alleged that the driver of the bus carrying 33 people may have been fatigued.
Early investigations indi-
cate the bus had veered onto the wrong side of the Bruce Highway.
Despite no truck being involved, drivers of heavy vehicles are extremely concerned about the general condition of the Brice Highway along many stretches after a lot of accidents in recent times.
Hundreds of truckies I have spoken to in recent times are asked about which roads they find the most dangerous to travel on – and more than 80 per cent have nominated the Bruce.
It is the season where many grey nomads travel around towing vans and with more traffic on the roads, the risk of accidents increases.
A lot of money has been spent on upgrading the Bruce Highway but the accidents continue.
Debate on mechanic charges
Spy has heard considerable debate amongst truckies from various states regarding the price per hour charged by mechanics.
A couple from Tasmania told me they have paid $170 an hour plus GST which they consider excessive.
“That is highway robbery for us,” one said.
However, another said that he paid $85 an hour at a NSW business which he reckons was fair.
“It just all depends which area you live in and how long you have dealt with the mechanic,” he said.
That figure is half what some old mates from the Apple Isle have forked out.
But there are several other factors which must be taken into account according to drivers from the bigger state like Queensland, WA and the NT.
“I would think that $170 an hour may be for call outs after breakdowns far away from your base beside some highway. Some mechanics get called out of bed in the middle of the night and they have to factor the cost of fuel to get there,” a WA driver said.
Signs for rest areas
In a recent column Spy touched on complaints by some drivers about the lack of signs beside some highways to indicate where a rest area is located.
Spy received a call from a NSW driver who said that a driver who was new to the area drove 10km past a rest area when he had problems with his truck.
“I was told he had brake trouble and just up the highway his trailer caught fire. If he had seen a sign, he would have pulled into the rest area and got assistance,” the man said.
This fellow said he drove past the spot a few days later to where the fire took place and could see the evidence.
Midlands upgrades welcomed Tasmanian truckies Spy has spoken to in recent weeks
have been mostly happy with the upgrades along the Midlands Highway connecting Launceston and Hobart.
Work on the important route has been going on for a decade and now 65 per cent of the highway has either three or four lanes.
“It is pretty good compared to what it used to be like and all the delays for traffic over the years has been worth it,” one said.
Another said that there were still a few short sections which required care to get along.
“But overall, it is okay and we are happy with what we have got,” he added.
Others have no doubt it is much safer than it was before the upgrades.
Work has included widened shoulders, widened corridors, duplications on numerous sections, multiple overtaking opportunities and major junction upgrades.
Soon work on the 10km stretch between Campbell Town and Conara will be completed.
Top Camp Roadhouse
There will be a lot more than ordering bacon and eggs soon at the popular Top Camp Roadhouse near historical Ravenswood in Queensland.
The aptly named roadhouse has a genuine rural atmosphere and many drivers have told me they like stopping off there when in the area.
Located along the Bur-
dekin Dam Road, it is 47km from the turn-off on the Flinders Highway at Mingela.
The roadhouse has an extensive menu and is 2km from Ravenswood where there are a couple of mines.
On Sunday July 28, the roadhouse will host an annual “Boar Busters” weigh in and some of the participants will be off duty drivers from around the region.
Hunters will bring in feral pigs to be weighed in with prizes in numerous categories.
Pardon the pun, but these drivers will be “bringing home the bacon”.
The subject of rest areas around Tasmania has been a hot topic amongst truckies there.
Spy was told by drivers about a rest area along the Murchison Highway and checked it out.
The Hellyer Gorge Rest Area is a nice spot for drivers travelling from Burnie to Strahan.
There is limited parking for trucks but it has toilets and a shaded area.
A lot of van drivers do stop there as they head to Cradle Mountain or Waratah.
It is a welcome place to stop for drivers along what can be a boring route.
A South Australian veteran driver suffers from an Irregular heartbeat which prevents him from partaking in his favourite recreation outside of work: watching football.
A fanatical Port Adelaide Power supporter in the AFL, he used to try and attend as many of their home games as possible.
Formerly from NSW he also follows with passion the St George Dragons in the rival NRL.
One of his favourite pastimes had been watching away Power matches and Dragons games on the box.
But on medical advice he has been told it would be dangerous to watch any footy. That advice is that he could
have a heart attack if he got too excited checking out the games.
Roadhouse visitor on foot
Customers of roadhouses around the country mostly arrive in motorised vehicles such as trucks, cars, vans and sometimes on bikes.
However staff at the Stuart Wells Roadhouse in the NT were surprised when a woman who was walking around the vast country turned up.
“She stopped here for a while and had a rest before heading off,” one worker told Spy.
Apparently, truckies who have seen the lady in her travels have been kind to her.
Over the years I have seen many unusual travellers stop at roadhouses.
Twice I have yarned to men walking around the country with a religious cross they were pulling. Both had support teams with them in vehicles.
On the subject of the Stuart Wells Roadhouse, Spy heard that popular owner Spud has been ill and spent time in an SA hospital. I wish him all the best for a speedy recovery.
Ants or saucers?
Plagues of flying ants which are active on and beside highways around the country are making life difficult for many truckies to clean their pride and joys.
In the space of a week, Spy yarned to 12 drivers who were contemplating having to clean thousands of dead ants from the front of their semi.
“They make such a bloody mess and are hard to get off even with a power sprayer,” one said.
They just appear during the night and splash over windscreens, which needed to be cleaned soon after for visibility.
One genuine character driver came up with a humorous sentence to describe his experience. “I would rather have flying ants crash onto my windscreen than a flying saucer,” he said.
Roadhouses or pub meals?
More and more drivers I speak to are patronising pubs to have a meal whilst on the road.
They tell me that at a lot of pubs they can purchase a value priced meal, especially from the specials board.
One Victorian driver said when in an area he goes to a suburban pub and buys two roast beef and vegetable meals for $25.
“I eat one there and buy a takeaway container for $1 extra and put it in my fridge and have it the next day,” he said. Of course the roadhouses which provide value for money will always have plenty of hungry truck drivers.
Trucking isn’t just moving a load from one place to another. It’s a journey of a thousand experiences. It’s golden skies, fierce storms, hours of solitude and hard work.
Whether it’s on the road, in the yard, behind the scenes or in the back office, it’s not just a job, but a passion. It’s something you’ve inherited from those who came before you, that has paved the way for the next journey.
It’s heritage. It’s a legacy. kenworth.com.au/legacy
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A 133,000 square metre site, strategically located with direct road train and B-triple access to the major freight route, is being transformed into an $80 million logistics hub to serve Barossa Valley’s wine industry.
Local business Nuriootpa Traders is constructing the new logistics hub, which will incorporate a transport depot, storage and distribution facility.
The new facility will include 50,000 square metres of undercover warehousing, 50,000 square metres of concrete hardstand for truck parking, a 700 square metre office space, and a 2000 square metre workshop, equipped with an automatic truck wash and four maintenance bays.
Nuriootpa Traders director Jamie Cooper said the new facility will be ideally positioned to handle the needs of the growing wine industry directly from the Barossa.
“Once completed, this new facility will greatly improve the operations for our wine production customers by streamlining storage through to direct transportation to major interstate distribution centres,” Cooper said.
Due to be completed by March 2025, Jaytex Construction is handling the build.
The purpose-built facility will place a strong focus on environmental sustainability. It will feature extensive solar panels; specialised in-
sulation and roof raiser systems to maintain a high level of thermal efficiency; and stormwater basins.
Nuriootpa Traders director Michael Chard said the new depot addressed a critical gap in the region by bringing large-scale, modern warehousing capabilities to the Barossa, reducing the need to transport products further afield for storage.
“By providing storage solutions closer to their origin, we are able to facilitate reduced customer transportation costs and carbon footprint,” Chard said.
Following its completion, there will be future scope for a second stage should customer demand require additional large-scale warehousing.
Ever
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
GROWING up around trucks, 27-year-old livestock truckie Alex Maloney developed a passion for the industry very early on. “I always wanted to drive trucks and follow in my father’s footsteps,” he said.
no doubt already learning some of the ropes.
“Dad has been in trucks his whole life. He started driving years and years ago. Some of my earliest memories are sitting in the truck with Dad. He used to cart livestock all over New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and the Northern Territory, and I loved going with him on the school holidays,” Alex fondly remembers.
A yellow Kenworth T950 his father Michael Maloney drove for Martin’s Stock Haulage holds a special place for Alex, who was lucky enough to make some great memories in the truck from when he was as young as five or six years old –
His grandfather Martin Maloney, who sadly passed away earlier this year, was also involved in trucks, running his own body truck business in Casino many years ago. “Pop grew up on a farm and then just started carting. He eventually sold that business to my uncle.”
When Alex finished high school, he moved to New South Wales’ west for a few years, to work on a farm. “I spent a lot of time in the trucks there too. Once I finally started in trucks full time, I’ve loved every day of it,” he said.
“Dad started out as a sheep carter and I would go with him, so I had always wanted to cart sheep. I love working with animals, but there are some days where animals can be challenging!”
These days Alex drives for Maloney’s Livestock Transport, a company his father started around five years ago in the family’s hometown of Tamworth.
It’s grown to a fleet of eight company-owned prime movers, along with four sub-contractors, all used to cart sheep and cattle right across the country – between farms, saleyards and abattoirs.
Alex is currently behind the wheel of a new 2024 Kenworth T659. Since receiving the keys to the new rig in January, it’s already racked up over 100,000 kilometres on the clock.
“It’s a good truck and is beautiful to drive. I stepped out of a 909 before this one and didn’t know how I’d go, but I really love it,” said Alex.
When he chatted with Big Rigs, he was travelling along the Golden Highway in New South Wales, somewhere between Dunedoo and Merriwa, pulling a B-double loaded with sheep.
While he usually tows B-doubles, sometimes he’ll go up to a road train and other times it’s down to a single, all depending on what’s required.
“There are some weeks where I’ll cart a lot of cattle and not much sheep, then other times I’ll be carrying sheep for a straight fortnight. I’ll travel as far as Western Australia – we go Australia-wide,” explained Alex.
“Our rosters are 11 days on
and three days off, because we operate on Advanced Fatigue Management. Sometimes I come home during the week as well, depending on the runs.”
Although he says being away from family can be hard at times, he’s really enjoying the work.
When asked if there are any roads he finds challenging, Alex’s response is quite succinct, “Every road is a different challenge. You never know what’s around the next bend. You’ve just got to treat the road with respect.”
For Alex, the adventure and freedom of the work has been a great fit. “I enjoy seeing different parts of Australia, the parts
that you don’t normally get to see. Then there’s also the people you meet – the agents and the farmers, and the lifelong mates you get to meet out on the road.
“I enjoy the freedom and flexibility of the work. What I do isn’t time-slotted or anything, so if I want to stop, I can.”
Asked about his favourite places to stop, Alex nominates the Tuckerwagon at Moorland in New South Wales, when he’s travelling up the Pacific Highway. “It’s probably one of the best roadhouses out there, I reckon.” Along with the Morven Roadhouse on the Warrego Highway when he’s travelling through Queensland.
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I HAVE often been asked by truck drivers about what’s commonly referred to as the ‘100 k radius’.
Every so often a driver will also tell me they didn’t need to complete their work diary page because they were not outside the radius.
Or it’s the other way around; they were giving me work diary pages because they thought they were outside radius, but they actually weren’t.
Understanding and interpreting fatigue legislation in the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) isn’t easy. This
article is not intended as legal advice, please seek legal advice if needed.
For drivers of fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles (weighing over 12 tonnes, combinations over 12-tonne, or fatigue regulated buses designed for over 12 adults, including the driver), the HVNL fatigue provisions apply.
What exactly is this ‘100 k radius’, and how can you check where that starts and finishes?
The Heavy Vehicle National Law covers what the radius is in the following clause:
289 What is 100km work and 100+km work
(1) The driver of a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle is undertaking 100km work if the driver is driving in an area with a radius of 100km or less from the driver’s base.
(2) The driver of a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle is un-
dertaking 100+km work if the driver is driving in an area with a radius of more than 100km from the driver’s base.
(3) To remove any doubt, it is declared that the driver of a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle to whom subsection (2) applies—
(A) is taken to be undertaking 100+km work even while the driver is driving in an area within a radius of 100km or less from the driver’s base; and (B) if the driver is required to record information in a work diary under this Part, must record particulars of the journey in the driver’s work diary from the beginning of the journey.
This simply means that if you’re outside a 100km radius from your driver base, you need to complete your work diary, and if you’re inside the
radius, you don’t.
If you are in Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) or Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM), the radius is irrelevant – you must complete your work diary every time you drive the truck under those hour rules.
It’s also important to remember that a radius is only halfway across a circle, like this:
This all seems fairly simple, and it probably is now that you’ve read what the actual law states, but you’d be surprised how many drivers don’t know this.
Often, they listen to other drivers who seem to know what they’re talking about, or they’ve been told by someone in management who sounds
like they know what they’re talking about.
But the downside is that even those with the best intentions can miss an important part of the interpretation.
And, let’s face it, who really wants to read legislation in a rest break (actually, that might be considered work, but let’s talk about that in the next article!)
Now that you understand what the 100-plus km radius is (and is not), how can you accurately measure where that magic line is on a map?
The 100-plus km radius is related to the driver’s base, so making sure that you have this written in the front of your work diary is the first important thing to check. Then, you can use one of these apps or websites to help you: For Apple: Radius: Distance From Me apps.apple.com/au/app/ radius-distance-from-me/ id1507604241
For Android: Radius Around Me: play. google.com/store/apps/details?id=studio.coloredpixels. radiusaroundme&pcampaignid=web_share
For the internet:
www.calcmaps.com/map-radius
If it is the first time using one of these tools, be sure to check that the measurements are in metric (kilometres), not imperial (miles).
Once you put in the address and select a 100km radius, a circle will show up on your screen. You should be able to zoom in to see the exact point where you need to start keeping your work diary.
If the location you’ve set on the map isn’t quite right, you might be able to use your finger to tap and ‘drag’ the centre point to the right location. Of course, there are some exemptions for the “hundred k radius” rule, and these can be found on the NHVR website, towards the very bottom of the page: https://www.nhvr.gov.au/ law-policies/notices-and-permit-based-schemes/national-notices
If you still aren’t sure whether you should complete your work diary page or not, then a good little motto that a professional driver once told me was: “When in doubt, fill it out!”
Projects like the West Gate Tunnel and North East Link are recognised for their potential to enhance capacity and productivity.
THE Victorian Transport Association (VTA) responded to the June 2024 discussion paper by the Department of Transport and Planning on updating the Victorian Freight Plan.
We acknowledge the evolving context since the plan’s last publication in 2018, particularly focusing on the road freight sector.
Our submission underscores the necessity for freight businesses to maintain profitability to sustain operations, highlighting that road transport must be treated as a business rather than a community service.
The VTA asserts that the updated plan should deliver on three key pillars: improved productivity, efficiency, and safety outcomes.
Roads and bridges are crucial infrastructure assets.
However, issues such as 24/7 curfews on heavy vehicles and tolls in northern Melbourne pose challenges. The VTA recommends planning for an Outer Ring Road to further alleviate congestion.
Bridges, often limited by their structural capacity, are vital for the road freight industry.
We call for the implementation of weigh-in-motion sensors on all nominated freight route bridges to provide accurate data on vehicle types and weights, enhancing the assessment of bridge life and supporting productivity improvements.
Our submission highlights the gap in the Heavy Vehicle National Law regarding technology. Road transport operators heavily invest in technologies like GPS, data analytics, and AI to drive efficiencies.
The VTA stresses that data generated by private enterprises should remain proprietary and suggest that the government should develop its own data collection mechanisms,
such as weigh-in-motion sensors and traffic management systems, to improve route and freight task analysis.
The VTA notes the increasing freight demands due to population and consumption growth. To address future capacity needs, allowing larger trucks on the road network is essential.
The current permit system for these vehicles is seen as complex and revenue-focused, hindering productivity.
We recommend a comprehensive review and overhaul of the heavy vehicle permit system to improve service outcomes and meet the freight industry’s needs.
It is essential to integrate the Victorian Freight Plan with other government and institutional bodies. This integration ensures shared values and priorities across entities, enhancing the plan’s effectiveness.
For instance, transport corridor preservation priorities in the Freight Plan should be acknowledged by the Victorian Planning Authority. The VTA calls for the final plan to be formally shared with and incorporated into other government entities’ strategies.
While road transport dom-
inates, intermodal connectivity with sea, rail, and air freight is crucial for improved productivity, efficiency, and safety. Successful examples like the seamless transition of airfreight to road freight demonstrate the benefits of intermodal systems.
We’re advocating for the development of the Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal (BIFT), Western Industrial Freight Terminal (WIFT), and the Eastern Freight Hub to facilitate efficient mode transitions and enhance Vic-
toria’s freight networks.
Attracting and retaining staff, especially drivers, is a significant challenge.
The current heavy vehicle licensing process is inadequate for training drivers and attracting young talent.
The VTA recommends a reformed licensing system with comprehensive training, including a five-day behind-the-wheel program for pre-qualified individuals starting at 18 years old. This approach aims to create a skilled and committed
workforce for the road freight industry.
The VTA’s submission emphasises the need for longterm objectives and integrated strategies in the updated Victorian Freight Plan. The association aims to stimulate constructive discussions to benefit not only the road freight industry but all Victorians.
We look forward to engaging further on this submission to ensure a more productive, efficient, and safer transport network in Victoria.
THE recent changes to the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Act 2024 marks a significant shift in Australia’s industrial landscape, with implications for small operators in the trucking industry, alongside larger fleet owners.
Taking effect from August 26, these changes aim to address employment issues by closing loopholes that have historically allowed for worker exploitation and inconsistencies in employment practices. For small operators, both those with one truck they drive themselves and those with an additional driv-
er or two, these changes bring both challenges and opportunities especially when we consider the current national operating environment alongside the broader social issues impacting everyone, like costof-living pressure.
One of the primary challenges presented by the act is the reform of casual employment definitions and casual conversion rights. The act introduces a standardised definition of casual employment and grants casual workers the right to request conversion to permanent employment under certain conditions.
For small operators who rely on casual labour to handle fluctuating workloads, this change could pose operational difficulties. The need for flexibility is vital in the trucking industry, where demand can be unpredictable.
We are concerned that adhering to these new regulations could increase admin-
istrative burdens as well as labour costs.
The introduction of the ‘right to disconnect’ provision is another challenge. The hours worked by truck drivers are not aligned with the 9 to 5 experiences of other sectors and industries. A driver on the road cannot simply ‘switch off’ if they are hauling freight over night or on weekends. Staying connected is vital when operators are at work. Additionally, the economic pressures of rising fuel costs, supply chain disruptions, and the ongoing impacts stemming from the pandemic (like driver shortages) compound these challenges.
Small operators must navigate these financial strains while adapting to these new regulatory requirements, making it a delicate balancing act. We believe help must be at hand, with practical advice available to assist owner-operators to understand
these changes as they happen.
The act’s provisions for multi-enterprise agreements which aim to streamline collective bargaining and enhance workers’ representation are welcome, so long as it doesn’t place smaller operators in difficult negotiation positions, when they may not have the capacity and capability to negotiate effectively. However, this will have less impact on small operators, who may not be impacted due to their small number of employee or contract drivers. Despite these challenges, the act also presents opportunities for small operators to improve and modernise their practices. One such opportunity lies in the reform of independent contractor arrangements. The act addresses “unfair contracts” for independent contractors, allowing disputes over unfair terms and the encouragement of fairer agreements.
This change can help create a more equitable, predictable and stable environment for small operators, ensuring they receive fair compensation and working conditions, allowing for longer-term planning and investment. By fostering a fairer industry, these reforms can attract more skilled drivers, helping to address the chronic driver shortage faced by the trucking sector.
To navigate these changes effectively, small operators must strike a balance between compliance and operational efficiency. Investing in technology and training, for example, could assist small operators to manage their own workload and that of their drivers more effectively, ensuring compliance with new regulations while maintaining flexibility.
Additionally, ensuring a culture of safety and continuous improvement can help
maintain a strong business. Regular safety audits, training programs, and engaging drivers in safety initiatives can ensure that safety standards are consistently met, protecting both their drivers and the small operator’s reputation.
The act represents a significant shift in the industrial relations framework, posing challenges but also offering opportunities for small operators.
By embracing these changes and proactively addressing the associated challenges, small operators can build on their operational efficiency, improve driver satisfaction, and create a safer and fairer working environment.
In the long run, we hope these reforms can drive the industry towards sustainable growth and long-term success, even in the face of broader economic and social challenges.
SOMETIMES, it seems easier to keep doing things the same way because that’s the way it’s always been done. Yet relying on paper-based processes could be holding your organisation back. Going paperless is more important than ever, and it’s a sure way to improve efficiency, boost safety and productivity, and bolster the bottom line.
One of the big changes for fleet operators this year is the imminent closure of the 3G network. 3G is on the way out, but it’s not only telemat-
ics that’s affected. If you haven’t begun your migration, now is the time to talk to your Teletrac Navman representative about moving to 4G devices.
While considering the switch to future-proof your technology, replacing outdated processes with digital solutions can help your business move into the future and become more competitive in a tough market. Telematics can quickly propel your goals for the future forward.
No one wants to spend the day filing paper – or worse, looking for something essential and not being able to find it because it’s lost in a filing cabinet somewhere. A shift to paperless operations could be right for you if you constantly find yourself doing this. By embracing digital applications, you’ll have the insights and analytics you need to rethink your organisation’s processes for the future. Getting rid of paper also means you – and your administrative staff – will save time and effort, which can be refocused on more strategic initiatives to help with profitability and innovation.
Fleet management systems continue to improve asset management and maintenance scheduling. Using Teletrac Navman’s asset tracking solutions will help you to keep your jobs on track and profit margins intact, know exactly where your equipment is, and how it’s being used at all times.
By setting up geofences across your sites, you can provide security and the insight needed to know if a piece of hardware is being misused or operated outside hours –things that could indicate fraud or theft. By protecting your assets with technology, you could potentially reduce your insurance premiums and operational expenses by knowing how, where, and why your equipment is being used.
Digital maintenance and vehicle analytics provided by a telematics platform will allow you to schedule maintenance and servicing when needed – not when something breaks and the vehicle must be taken off the road for unscheduled downtime.
As any fleet manager knows, unscheduled repairs are costly, both in terms of direct expenses to rectify the fault and in terms of the time the truck isn’t available to perform revenue-paying work.
Finally, going digital with an integrated video telematics system can give you re-
al-time visibility to simplify risk management. It will keep you and your drivers informed about poor driving habits and allow for coaching issues before they become behaviours and lead to safety concerns.
Coaching drivers to avoid these behaviours will reduce fuel costs – one of the major inputs needed to run a fleet – and will minimise wear and tear on the truck, reducing service costs and lowering the chance of unplanned
service outages. For modern operators, going digital is the most logical way to increase profitability, and the lead up to the 3G shutdown is the perfect time to consider how digital processes could help your business.
Are you ready to leap into a digital future? Get started by talking to your Teletrac Navman representative today. Visit teletracnavman. com.au/build-your-solutionflow-a-get-started.
BY KAYLA WALSH
AN apprentice mechanic who recently brought home the gong for Progressive Excellence at the 2024 Automotive Industry Awards has been commended for his dedication and positive attitude.
Isaac Taylor was delighted to be honoured at the ceremony, which celebrated Victoria and Tasmania’s finest automotive businesses and top apprentices.
“I was very excited,” he told Big Rigs. “Though I was definitely nervous going on stage – thankfully I didn’t have to make a speech!”
The 20-year-old has been working for Palm Trans in Laverton North, Victoria for the past 18 months and is loving it so far.
“It’s a fun job – they are a great team to work for,” he said.
“I’ve learned a lot about me-
chanics, and I’ve become a lot more confident in myself and the work I’m doing.”
Isaac was reluctant to sing his own praises but said his work ethic and attention to detail might have helped him impress the awards judge.
“I always make sure I do things right, and if I’m not sure I check it again,” he said.
“And I’ve always shown up to work even when I’ve had other stuff going on in my life.”
The Melton native has been passionate about the road transport industry from a young age.
“It was my family that got me interested in trucks.
“My dad was a truck driver and truck mechanic in New Zealand, my uncle was a truck driver, and my great grandad was a mechanic as well.”
Isaac is officially employed by the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) as part of the VACC Automotive Apprenticeships Program.
The VACC has placed him with Palm Trans to learn his trade, and he thinks doing an apprenticeship is the best way to get a start in transport.
“School is good, but apprenticeships are better because you get hands-on experience.
“My advice to anyone who might be interested in mechanics is just to get in there and do it.
“I procrastinated a lot before I started this apprenticeship – I worked in a chicken shop and I was scared that if I left, it wouldn’t work out for me.
“As soon as I started with
Palm Trans, I felt like I was finally doing what I should be doing.”
Chris Mifsud, national maintenance manager for Palm Trans, said he and VACC field manager and mentor Kris Stellini nominated Isaac for the Progressive Excellence Award because of his strong work ethic.
“He’s a good young kid, he’s interested in the trade and he applies his trade well,” he said.
“We are facing a skills shortage, so it’s encouraging that there are still young people out there who want to come on board in this industry.
“It’s also excellent that the VACC want to nurture the development of young people in this industry.”
VACC CEO Geoff Gwilym congratulated Isaac and all the 2024 Automotive Industry Award winners on their success at the awards ceremony, which took place during the VACC President’s Gala Dinner at the Crown, Melbourne.
“It is a huge accolade to be named the best in Victoria and Tasmania,” he said.
“The winners go above and beyond, and have proved themselves more than worthy of these titles.”
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
WITH the right attitude and an eagerness to learn, Brenton Rodgers just needed someone willing to give him a chance.
That’s where Russell Transport – and the Queensland Trucking Association’s (QTA) Heavy Vehicle Safe Driving Program – came in.
Aged 34, Brenton had already worked in other fields including as an automotive
mechanic and in the construction industry, but trucking was something he’d wanted to try his hand at for some time.
“My old man drove trucks for a few years when I was a young fella and I’d go out in the truck with him on school holidays and weekends – so I always had an interest in trucks and machinery.”
Having grown up in Daylesford, Victoria, Brenton made the move to Brisbane eight
years ago, lured by the warmer weather and by his best mate who had done the same a few years prior.
It was just a few months ago that Brenton secured his open HR licence. “I was looking to be given a go. It can be hard to get a start in a new industry,” he said.
After posting to a Facebook group in search of weekend work to further his skills, not one, but two drivers from Russell Transport – both newcomers to the industry who had completed QTA’s driver training program – recommended he get in touch with the company.
And Russell Transport was more than willing to give Brenton a shot, offering him a role in May, based at the Carole Park site.
He’s behind the wheel of an Isuzu FVY 12-metre rigid, complete with a HIAB crane, which he uses to deliver reinforced steel bars and mesh for the construction industry, predominantly throughout Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Before being thrown in the deep end, Brenton was buddied up with experienced truck driver Rob Mulquiney, who was able to impart his wisdom.
“I spent three weeks with Rob. As part of the program, you need to do at least 160
hours of supervised training with a driver mentor,” explained Brenton.
“It was really enjoyable. We got along well and he had a lot of handy info. I learnt everything I needed to know before being sent off on my own.
“The training involved a lot of on-the-job training –watching, learning and getting advice on driving techniques. It covered everything the job entails, including training on safely operating the crane, load restraint, vehicle prestarts, and breakdown and incident procedures.”
Brenton says he found the load restraint training to be
particularly beneficial. “The steel bars we transport are all different shapes and sizes, so load restraint is a big one, because every load is different.
“Once I finished the QTA driver training program, I got put in my own truck and away I went. I’m enjoying being on the road and seeing new places and sites. I’ve always enjoyed driving – I like the freedom of it.”
Still new to the industry, Brenton is happy in his current work and says Russell Transport is a great company to work for. Once he gains more experience, he’d like to eventually work his way up
to the higher classes of licence and maybe one day even try his hand at getting his MC.
“I’d like to upgrade my licence in the future but for now I’m just going with the flow,” he added.
Having now been through the QTA’s Heavy Vehicle Safe Driving Program and secured full time work, Brenton believes the program is a great incentive for companies who are looking to attract new drivers into the industry. For those who are considering a move into trucking, Brenton’s advice is simple: “Just go and get your licence and give it a go!”
nationally
2. Careers Ad placed online at www.bigrigs.com.au
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Contact Treena Heit 0421 330 031 treena.heit@primecreative.com.au
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 are permanent 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
