Big Rigs 18 August 2023

INDUSTRY has welcomed the decision by the regulator to grant a further four months to allow all impacted parties a chance to comply with the new J4 tipper body design code.

To provide time for modifications which were already underway, and allow industry to adjust to the new standards in the Vehicle Standards Bulletin 6 (VSB6), an initial threemonth period was provided for tipper bodies to be certified under the new requirements in Version 3.2.

Following further review and consultation, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator will now extend the transitional arrangements for the implementation of the new design code to February 1, 2024.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto OAM, said the extension follows discussions with Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) and Approved Vehicle Examiners (AVEs), with the NHVR considering it appropriate to extend the certification period a further four months.

“The extension to February 2024 will provide additional time for AVEs to become accredited by their jurisdiction’s accreditation scheme, familiarise themselves with the up-

dated code, and allow tipper body manufacturers to make the necessary changes to their designs,” Petroccitto said.

“It will also allow the NHVR to work with industry to address any queries relating to the new code and VSB6 Version 3.2 in general.”

Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia chief executive officer Todd Hacking said he wanted to recognise the NHVR for its willingness to engage with HVIA, its members and other affected parties to recognise the issues that are at play.

“The intention of these Standards is to ensure that Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet is both safe and productive, and

we support their ongoing improvement,” Hacking said.

“We will work closely with the NHVR team and other stakeholders towards ensuring there is adequate capacity and resourcing to allow the updates to succeed when the transition period finishes next February.”

One AVE Big Rigs spoke to, however, flagged that there are still issues with the regulation changes.

“As I see it, and it’s probably the bulk of peoples’ opinions within the industry, this change is going to basically shut down the second-hand tipper industry in Australia,” he said.

“No engineer is going to want to certify a design from

20 years ago. I’d be happy to do it but I don’t think any customer would be happy with the price to actually ascertain this.

“In order to reverse engineer this, you’d have to assess the absolute hell out of it, take ultra-sonic thickness measurements of the materials and ascertain what the materials were that were used. Then you’d have to draw it all up into a CAD program and do a stress analysis on it.

“That could be a $5000 assessment to reverse engineer a tipping body.”

Petroccitto said the NHVR understands that some vehicle modifications are complex changes and require extensive

design and work to complete.

“We are asking owners and modifiers that require the extension to February 2024, to apply to the NHVR for the extension so that we can monitor how industry is progressing as well as target any future communications.”

HVIA has also re-instigated calls for the AVE scheme to be harmonised – a position, Hacking says, HVIA has held for many years.

“Some of these issues stem from a lack of national harmonisation of the Authorised Vehicle Examiner (AVE) scheme.

“In 2018, the NHVR publicly announced that a project to harmonise the AVE scheme was underway.

“HVIA is not aware of any further progress on that project, which is regrettable, as it may have prevented some of the current issues with VSB6 version 3.2 from arising.”

• To apply to for an extension of the implementation of the J4 tipper body design code, email vehiclestandards@ nhvr.gov.au with your request including your name and business name and estimated number of tipper body certifications over this period.

Body builders now have until February 1 to adjust to the new J4 tipper body design code.

Truckie pitches parking fix for packed city servos

VETERAN interstate driver and national secretary of the National Road Freighters Association (NRFA), Trevor Warner, has taken up the fight to give Melbourne truckies more city parking.

In light of the ever-decreasing options for truckies in main centres – as highlighted by our page 3 story in the last issue, Busy Melbourne servo gets tougher on truck parking, Warner has written to both the local MP Moira Deeming and council for their help.

With emotions running high on social media about the issue, Warner is adamant that something has to be done soon before tempers spill over.

Through correspondence with the Brimbank City Council, which has jurisdiction over many of the major truck stops in Melbourne, he was told that local drivers park at servos because they don’t want to shell out for a street parking permit.

The result is more demand in the servo slots usually reserved for interstate drivers.

Warner believes the issue is also being exacerbated by warehouses choosing to maxi-

mise the footprint of its buildings over the need for any onsite parking.

So far, says Warner, the council has not proffered up a solution. Big Rigs has also approached the council for comment.

Warner says Deeming is now looking into where the issue is falling down - in planning or development applications.

The truckie believes one of the best short-term fixes would be for Melbourne to make better use of the Derrimut Grassland Nature Conservation Reserve bordering the Western Ring Road at North Laverton.

He’s calling for a special exemption to allow the busy 7-Eleven servos on the Western Ring Road, which many truckies tell us are already running over capacity, to do a joint venture with the local, state and federal governments.

“There’s a nature reserve surrounding those service stations so it’s an environmentally sensitive matter, but from what I’ve seen they could quite easily expand that truck parking by anything up to

200 trucks,” Warner said.

“The businesses are finding it hard to justify the expense to expand the carpark and I’d invite state and commonwealth governments to have a serious look at it to address the issue in that particular area.

“I don’t think people in the positions of influence understand the position that we have. They all think that the industry should provide a solution but in the last decade in Melbourne we’ve seen industry expand beyond belief

and the parking problem has exponentially increased.

“It needs government intervention to be able to provide a solution. I think Senator Glenn Sterle and [federal transport minister] Catherine King are in the ideal position to be able to address it.”

Warner said Sydney is in no better shape for truckies, with rapid expansion in Eastern Creek and Erskine Park only adding to the pressures they face on a daily basis.

“There’s been zero allowance for truck parking.

They’ve landscaped areas to make it look attractive, but that’s actually reduced parking again.”

Warner said Road Freight NSW CEO Simon O’Hara is working hard to address the issue, particularly at the long-running problem area of Port Botany, which continues to offer truckies zero respite.

O’Hara told Big Rigs that after a recent meeting between the NRFA, Port Botany officials, and Transport for NSW there is “constructive” progress toward provision for

three parking bays for dangerous goods vehicles.

“If we can get something for dangerous goods in terms of a rest area that’s more than just 30 minutes for truckies coming in, particularly from rural and regional NSW to be able to rest up and wait, that’ll be terrific,” O’Hara said.

“That’s certainly a positive step in the right direction. We need a dangerous goods park-up area. It’s something I’ve raised with Transport for NSW and NSW Ports for some time.”

This reserve bordering the Western Ring Road at North Laverton offers a good parking solution, believes Trevor Warner.

A drone shot of a packed bp Truganina truck stop earlier this year. Photo: Nicholas Dolan @copperdonkeyphoto

New Fitzroy River Bridge taking shape

THE New Fitzroy River Bridge in northern WA –touted to be about six times stronger than its predecessor –is starting to take shape.

The bridge will be almost 100 metres longer than the old bridge and will include two lanes and a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists.

The first sections of deck for the bridge are on track to be installed next month.

Using an innovative engineering method, a launch pad is currently being assembled on the western side of the river from which the bridge deck

will be moved into place to connect with the opposite side of the river.

Launching the bridge deck in increments will mean construction should not be affected by rising water levels during the next wet season –so the bridge can be completed even if the river is flowing.

“Construction of the New Fitzroy River Bridge continues to make excellent progress, despite unseasonal heavy rainfall in late June, which required both the project’s construction causeway and the temporary crossings to close,”

said WA Deputy Premier and Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti.

“From early next month, the community will start to see the segments of the new bridge taking shape, just nine months after the devastation of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie. This is an outstanding outcome and I thank all those involved in our efforts to reconnect the Kimberley.”

Saffioti says the project is well on track to be completed within the next 12 months.

“But we’re doing everything we can to have traffic moving

across the new bridge as soon as possible,” she added.

Since early June, work has been continuing to drive 34 piles into the riverbed to support the new bridge. Pile caps are currently being constructed on top of each set of piles to enable the columns to be put into place. Installation of the columns will commence progressively after the completion of the respective pile-caps.

Reconstruction works will also include the adjoining sections of the Great Northern Highway, which were severely eroded by flooding.

$25.6 million funding boost for Victoria’s black spots

WORKS to improve safety at 57 dangerous crash sites across Victoria will begin in 2023-24, with the Australian Government committing $25.6 million to address local black spots.

The long-running Black Spot Program funds safety measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at locations where a number of serious crashes have occurred, or are at risk of occurring.

Black Spot Consultative

Panels provide the opportunity for stakeholders to have a say in the project selection process, and ensure nominations of the highest priority and importance to local communities are recommended for approval.

The Victorian review panel includes representatives from the Municipal Association of Victoria, Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, Victorian Transport Association, Victori-

an Police Service, Road Safety Victoria, Traffic Management Association of Australia, and the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning.

“We are continuing to provide $110 million per year under the Black Spot Program to work with state, territory and local governments to improve road safety across Australia,” said Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Carol Brown.

Receiving the biggest slice of the funding is Sloane Street at the Western Highway to Patrick Street in Stawell, with close to $2 million being used to construct two roundabouts, and install central median and kerb outstands with upgraded signage and pavement markings.

Other projects include $1.69 million for Axe Creek Road, Axe Creek for delineation upgrades, shoulders and bellmouth sealing at high-risk

curves with safety barriers at culvert crossings; $1.45 million at Orrvale Road, Orrvale for works that include replacing a cross intersection with a roundabout with splitter islands, linemarking, retro-reflective pavement markers and lighting; and $1.34 million at the intersection of Twentieth Street and Deakin Avenue, which will receive a full intersection upgrade.

Victorian Minister for

Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne added, “We welcome this significant investment as a key part of making sure our roads are safer for all road users. It will allow us to provide key road safety upgrades across our state.

“The Black Spot Program strongly aligns with Victoria’s road safety strategy and will help us achieve our goal of zero lives lost on Victorian roads by 2050.”

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WA Deputy Premier and Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti says the project is well on track to be completed within the next 12 months. Photo: Facebook

$1.25 billion road project may not deliver as hoped

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

SIGNIFICANT cost blowouts and subsequent cut-backs from the originally proposed design of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road in WA means it may not deliver the sorts of benefits many transport operators had hoped.

A total of $852 million was originally budgeted for the road in 2019, but that figure has now blown out to $1.25 billion – which equates to more than $46 million per kilometre of road. And this is after modifications were made to try to bring costs down.

The 27-kilometre Bunbury Outer Ring Road – or ‘Mega-Bridge’ as it’s been dubbed – was supposed to be a game-changer for transport operators travelling through the city, especially those requiring access to the city’s port.

Construction for the fourlane road linking Forrest Highway to Bussell Highway started in 2021 and is due for completion in late 2024. It will cross over multiple roads, a freight rail line and a river.

Around 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles are expected to use

the new road each day once completed – with motorists expected to save between 11 to 18 minutes on their journey, depending on their destination and peak traffic conditions.

The Bunbury Outer Ring Road is also being touted as being able to deliver improved safety for local residents by removing a significant number of trucks from local roads each day.

When extra funding was announced for the project last year, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the extra spend would cover increased costs of materials like bitumen, bridge beams, reinforcements, and the cost of transport.

The Northern Section of the project includes the stretch from Forrest Highway to Boyanup Picton Road, designed to provide better access for Bunbury CBD and Ferguson Valley.

The Southern Section runs from the South Western Highway to Bussell Highway, and includes interchanges at Bussell Highway and Centenary Road, and a connection to Jules Road.

To help with costs, sever-

al key interchanges were also scrapped, with roundabouts added instead.

While the northern section of the road remains largely unchanged, it’s the southern section that’s been vastly simplified to save money – predominantly the major interchanges.

Among the changes was the scrapping of a major interchange at Willinge Drive that would’ve given trucks direct access to Bunbury’s port. That

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too will be left as a roundabout instead.

Rather than the free-flowing, high-speed freeway originally envisaged, what’s left is a farcry from what was planned.

Western Roads Federation CEO Cam Dumesny says the road will be of bigger benefit to tourists than transport operators.

“The Bunbury Outer Ring Road was originally designed to provide benefits to the transport industry, but with

such a skills shortage, the cost of doing anything over here is inflated and that includes our infrastructure projects,” Dumesny said.

“The original design would’ve made it easier for trucks to access to the port, it would have provided a lot more free running and provided benefits to the local transport industry as well. But due to cost blow-outs and subsequent modifications,

the benefits to the transport industry will be greatly reduced. Primarily this road will provide benefits for the chardonnay set heading down to Margaret River.”

The 382 metre Mega-Bridge will include a total of 33 columns and 45 piles, which are drilled and concreted almost 30-metres deep into the ground to ensure the weight of the bridge can be supported.

The columns are being placed across 11 piers to support 60 tee-roff bridge beams –with each beam measuring 26 metres long and weighing over 80 tonnes.

The Tee-Roff beams are unique beams that span across the freight rail line. They’ve been manufactured in the purpose-built facility for the project in Picton East.

The cross-supporting structures – or headstock shells – are being placed on the top part of the bridge’s piers to support the tee-roff beams and the bridge superstructure.

The Mega-Bridge will run over Golding Crescent and Boyanup-Bicton Road, as well as the rail line used for freight and the Ferguson River.

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The first 67 tonne precast concrete headstock shell is lifted into place for the bridge. Photo: Facebook

Once completed, 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles are expected to use the new road daily. Photo: Main Roads WA

Peak bodies argue case for toll relief

WITH heavy vehicles having to pay up to three times more to use some of Sydney’s toll roads, Road Freight NSW (RFNSW) says trucks have become “cash cows” for the state’s toll operators.

In its submission to the NSW toll review, RFNSW highlighted the impact excessive tolls are having on many NSW transport operators.

“It is well known that Sydney holds the dubious honour of having the most extensive, and expensive, urban toll road network in the world. High tolls in NSW continue to have negative impacts on road freight businesses, workers and their families,” RFNSW said in the submission.

“Heavy vehicle tolls have progressively been increased across most routes, particularly across the Sydney road network, at the rate of up to three times the rate of light vehicles.

“RFNSW believes this is unfair and discriminatory. It is instructive to note that in 2017, a NSW Parliamentary Inquiry recommended that the NSW Government identify and publish the evidence to support the decision to charge

trucks three times more than light vehicles, but this has not occurred to date. The fact is, trucks have become ‘cash cows’ for NSW toll operators.”

While RFNSW has welcomed reforms to the state’s toll roads put forward by the new Minns Government, which includes a cap on tolls from January 1, 2024, RFNSW says more must be done to ease financial pressures on trucking operators who are already struggling to pay toll fees that are constantly on the rise, along with other administration costs, such as port surcharges.

“Current tolling fees are unfair and inequitable for our RFNSW members, many of whom are small to medium-sized, family-owned and operated businesses, who must be given incentives for their frequent, and costly, road toll usage, if they are to continue operating,” the submission said.

According to RFNSW, its members are paying tens of thousands of dollars in tolls every month. The transport body pointed to one such example being family-owned

and operated transport company Vellex, which is based in western Sydney. Its toll fees currently sit at around $100,000 each month.

RFNSW said long-term reforms need to be implemented. In the submission, it says these reforms could include:

• Off-peak/time-of-day tolls discounts.

• A ‘per-km’ distance-based tolls.

• Incentives for truckies to use toll roads, such as reduced registration fees and/or specific cash back schemes.

• Tolls based on a heavy vehicle’s mass.

• Tolls based on a heavy vehicle’s environmental features (the cleaner the truck, the lower the toll).

• An independent pricing regulator, such as IPART, overseeing the current tolling system, to ensure transparency and equity for road users.

The National Road Transport Association lodged an eight-point “log of claims” with inquiry, calling for a “fairer go” for truckies on the state’s motorways. They include slashing the

cost recovery “toll multiplier” between cars and trucks from three-times to two-times, exemptions for Euro VI or zero emissions heavy vehicles and toll discounts for off-peak or multiple journeys.

NatRoad CEO Warren Clark said tolls on heavy vehicles on most of the privately-operated network are set using a “three times the cost of passenger cars” multiplier.

“It’s simply too much and the multiplier is well above the cost of road upkeep and damage incurred by trucks,” Clark said.

“There is no priority placed on transport planning outcomes and creating liveable

urban communities by seeking to incentivise goods movement on motorways.

“There is no understanding of commercial realities – higher tolls on trucks are justified by claims of the higher value of time savings, which do not stack up to scrutiny.”

Clark said the lesson of the pandemic and related supply chain crisis was that trucking is an essential industry.

“Private toll road operators (with government agreement) are directly contributing to making a difficult business environment even worse, with impacts on the viability and safety of small business operators,” he said.

The NSW government is expected to release an interim report before the end of the year and a final report in 2024.

Roads Minister John Graham, who campaigned on a promise to ease the toll burden on truckies, said that the reform process on pricing would start before the next term of government.

The NSW Government is set to introduce a $60 a week toll cap for private motorists from January 1, and a reduction in the truck toll multiplier for heavy vehicles on the M5 East and M8 corridors from the start of next year, for two years.

Peak transport bodies highlighted the impact excessive tolls are having on many NSW transport operators.

Kenworth edges ahead in sales race

AFTER relinquishing its usual top spot to Volvo for much of the year, Kenworth has reclaimed a narrow lead in the heavy-duty truck sales race for 2023.

In the latest numbers released by the Truck Industry Council (TIC), Kenworth delivered 217 trucks in July, 41 more than the Wacol-based manufacturer on 176.

That tally gives Kenworth a year-to-date total of 1976, just two more than Volvo on 1974, setting up an intriguing battle for supremacy in the last half of the year.

Long-running overall market leader Isuzu was just six shy of Volvo in July with 170 units, consolidating its stranglehold on the third spot amongst the heavies with 1380 for the year.

Of the others, Scania was next best on 81 for the month and now sits nicely clear in fourth place ahead of a cluster of mid-pack chasers.

Total heavy vehicle sales for the month were 3181 units, down 9 per cent (313 vehicles) over the same month last year.

However, total sales yearto-date to the end of July

still lead those of 2022 by a healthy 13.1 per cent.

In its monthly report, the TIC said the heavy-duty segment remained strong in July, though down on the record-breaking sales seen in the first half of 2023.

In total, 1105 heavy trucks were delivered, up 3.6 per cent, or 38 trucks, on July 2022. Year-to-date the result is looking much better with heavy sales tracking up 23.2 per cent over those of the same period in 2022.

In terms of actual truck numbers, the sales gap is now 1854 more heavy trucks sold year-to-date in 2023, thanks to the record-breaking quarter one and two sales results.

Medium-duty truck sales have been solid, but not spectacular, thus far in 2023 and that trend continued in July with 563 deliveries, up 1.3 per cent (7 units) over July 2022.

Not surprisingly, Isuzu again led the charge notching 331 units, good enough for 58.8 per cent share of the market and an unassailable lead over Hino which recorded 123 sales for the month.

Fuso rounded out the top three with 66 sales, and there’s now a huge gap back to the rest headed by UD Trucks.

Solid results for much of the first half of 2023 has seen the medium-duty segment stay ahead of 2022 sales and year-to-date the medium market remains up over last year by 3.7 per cent, with an additional 161 trucks sold to the end of July.

TIC chief executive Tony McMullan said the overall July sales result was not unexpected, though the drop in sales relatively to July 2022 was potentially concerning.

Total heavy vehicle sales for the month were 3181 units, down 9 per cent (313 vehicles) over the same month last year, however total sales year-to-date to the end of July still lead those of 2022 by a healthy 13.1 per cent.

“Historically we witness a drop in heavy vehicle sales in the month following the financial year end, hence this July result is not unexpected,” McMullan said.

“However, of some concern is the significant fall in new truck sales relative to the

month of July 2022. A 9 per cent fall for July 2023, compared with July 2022 was not anticipated by industry, in what has been a record setting sales year thus far in 2023.

The end of the financial year also marked the end of the Covid financial incentive commitments put in place

by the previous federal government and honored by the Labor government.

Despite calls from industry for the delivery timeline for the incentive scheme to be extended for orders currently placed, government did not agree and the program ended

“I hope that the poor July sales were simply an aberration and not a sign that government has misjudged how useful these financial measures were to the road transport industry,” McMullan added.

CMV Truck Centre - Kenworth DAF Adelaide delivered this T909 beauty to AW Vater & Co in July.

Photo: CMV Truck Centre - Kenworth DAF Adelaide/Facebook

Towing is last resort

EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

LIKE many of you, I was pleased to see bp Truganina take some overdue action and start towing the trucks overstaying their welcome in the parking bays, as we highlighted in the August 4 issue of Big Rigs.

They’re there for everyone to use as a tool to help with fatigue management, not for the sole benefit of local drivers in need of a makeshift metro depot.

It’s not an issue confined to Truganina, of course, as many of you rightly pointed on our Facebook page.

At deadline for this issue, Ampol got in touch alerting us to the fact it was aiming to roll out the same idea, kicking off with its Derrimut site. Watch this space.

Still, as truckie Trevor Warner points out in our follow-up story on page 3, local, state and federal governments also need to step in to play their part. The industry is great at fixing its own problems, but this issue won’t be resolved without their help too.

HOT WEB TOPICS

Why drivers are leaving industry

VETERAN truckie Selwyn

Sinfield’s opinion piece about why discriminatory laws around fatigue are pushing truckies out of the driver’s seat draw plenty of support.

Andy Nguyen called for abolishment of all fatigue-related laws in his online response.

“Not everyone who drives heavy vehicles do so for work and we need to cut back on bureaucracy and red tape!” he wrote.

“In addition, let heavy vehicles travel the same speed as cars, even if overall maximum speed limits increase in future

Black panther roaming highways?

which I’d be keen to see that happening.”

Clive Cripps said the only other industry that is so heavily regulated is aviation.

“I have been involved with cases where a [flight] crew has gone out of hours which resulted in a flight being cancelled or delayed if a replacement crew could not be found. There were also working time regulations in place for ground staff involved with the servicing and maintenance of the aircraft.

I spent 48 years in the industry, 41 years of which were on permanent nights carrying out

inspections and routine maintenance on a variety of large commercial aircraft from Tristars and 747s to A380s.

“Now ya talking,” added John Mcneill. “I totally agree with this.”

OUR Spy columnist’s story about an alleged recent sighting of a black panther roaming a Queensland highway sparked widespread debate amongst readers.

Wayne Agius was convinced he’d seen one run across the road around Paynes Find/Yalgoo area, along with several other drivers.

“Although that’s more like a grey tabby colour. There’s been dozens of sightings of a black one in the Lancelin dunes by 4wders. Dad n his best mate came face to face with one in the Forrests down south of Perth going back around 40 years ago.”

Gary James said he’d also seen

one coming into Wagga from Gilenbah way: “2am 3/4’s of the way up the hill it run straight across the road and jumps the guard rail without jumping almost.”

“I have seen posts claiming tassie tigers (thylacines) are around Bordertown, SA, too,” added Julie Downey. “I agree with Spy’s last sentence though and go one further - pics, or it didn’t happen.”

Shae Stuart wrote that he grew up shooting roos with the “old fulla” and shot heaps of “feral cats”. “Only ever seen the one pitch black one with a metre long tale go over a farmer’s fence

like it wasn’t there. I’m a rural contractor today. Still never seen anything close to that size.”

Jeff Douglass reckons he saw one years ago in bush around St Arnaud in Victoria: “They used to come down from the Grampians. Farmers lost several cattle and horses over the years.”

Black panther? Or just a feral cat? Readers were divided.

No other vehicle driver is expected to manage their fatigue at work, or while driving, argued Sinfield.

First hydrogen refuelling station for heavy vehicles

AUSTRALIA’S first hydrogen refuelling station for heavy vehicles has now opened at Port Kembla in NSW.

Opened by Australian owned industrial gases company, Coregas, the $2 million H2Station was built with the assistance of a $500,000 NSW Government grant and is able to rapidly refuel up to 10 vehicles daily.

Coregas says its H2Station is a low-cost commercial solution capitalising on existing infrastructure aimed to seed a future network of hydrogen fuelled transport.

The company hopes it will help facilitate the introduction of zero emissions hydrogen fuel cell trucks to the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region.

“Locating H2Station alongside Coregas’ existing hydrogen production plant and transport hub for bulk hydrogen in Port Kembla created operational and cost efficiencies,” said Alan Watkins, executive general manager at Coregas in Australia.

“The H2Station will allow hydrogen trucks to access the majority of the Illawar-

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fuel passenger vehicles, have around 20kg/day capacity. This hydrogen dispensing system has the capacity to discharge 400 kilograms of fuel cell grade hydrogen. “The hydrogen system utilises our world-leading compression, storage and dispensing equipment specifically designed and optimised for Port Kembla,” said Stewart Anderson, Haskel Hydrogen business development manager (APAC).

Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty, said that with heavy road transport being a major carbon-emitting sector, Port Kembla is now leading the way towards a more diverse energy future with the opening of the Coregas H2 Station.

Coregas was one of 15 projects to share in $2.1 million in funding through Round Four of the Port Kembla Community Investment Fund.

The fund is a competitive, merit-based program that financially supports projects that revitalise Port Kembla and surrounding areas for the benefit of the community.

Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast, Ryan Park, commented on Port Kembla’s position in the emerging hydrogen sector in Australia.

ra-Shoalhaven region and reach metropolitan Sydney.”

Transitioning Coregas’ diesel truck fleet to FCEVs is a cornerstone of the company’s decarbonisation roadmap. “Coregas’ diesel truck fleet travels almost 6 million

kilometres every year,” added Watkins.

“That’s equivalent to driving 150 times around the world, which contributes to 54 per cent of Coregas’ carbon emissions.”

Working with project part-

ner Haskel, the H2Station will compress hydrogen from the existing Coregas plant up to 500bar, enabling supply into the 350bar cylinders on board the FCEV.

Existing hydrogen refuelling stations, designed to re-

“The NSW Government is proud to have supported this world-leading project to refuel Australia’s first hydrogen-powered heavy road vehicles.

“The H2Station will be the first practical piece of enabling infrastructure towards de-carbonising the region’s 7000 heavy vehicles as we move towards a cleaner, greener future.”

“The H2 Station will facilitate the introduction of zero emissions hydrogen powered trucks to the Illawarra-Shoalhaven to demonstrate the technology’s potential to improve energy security, create jobs and investment, and decarbonise the transport sector,” he said.

“Zero emissions trucks will be able to refuel at the Coregas refuelling station using hydrogen produced at Port Kembla and showcase the viability of introducing hydrogen-powered fleet vehicles to greater NSW.”

driverless road trains to be deployed in West Pilbara

IN a world-first, Mineral Resources (MinRes) will deploy a fleet of 120 fully autonomous triple road trains, which will each carry 330 tonnes of iron ore along a 150km route.

The road trains have been designed and developed for MinRes’ flagship Onslow Iron project in Western Australia.

They are each equipped with an autonomous haulage solution provided by Hexagon AB, will travel a dedicated private haul road from the Ken’s Bore mine site to the Port of Ashburton.

The driverless fleet will be controlled by a team of operators from a central operating centre in Onslow. MinRes is also developing an artificial intelligence-powered monitoring system.

MinRes chief executive, Mining Services, Mike Grey said, “We’re excited to cement our partnership with Hexagon to deliver the world’s first fleet of autonomous road trains, which will be an essential part of Onslow Iron’s safe, efficient and dust-free solution for hauling ore.

“Automation will remove the risk of driver fatigue, lower operating costs and reduce fuel use and emissions. There’s enormous potential for these vehicles to transform mining across the world.”

According to MinRes, the autonomous road trains will provide a cost-effective means to unlock deposits in the West Pilbara that would otherwise remain undevel oped.

Grade separation will ensure there is no interaction between the autonomous road trains operating on the haul road and vehicles using public roads.

Ore will be transported to a 220,000-tonne enclosed, negative pressure storage facility at the port. From there, 20,000-tonne capacity transhippers will move the ore to cape-size carriers 40 kilometres off the coast.

Testing of autonomous road trains has occurred at MinRes’ Yilgarn iron ore operations since late 2021 ahead of the technology’s deploy-

Heavy Load Safety Mats

The site can rapidly refuel up to 10 trucks a day.

The autonomous trucks will travel along a dedicated 150km private haul road.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks adds taller GigaSpace cab

THE taller cab option, which provides more headroom and space, was first debuted on a special 25th anniversary Mercedes-Benz Actros in May, but now the GigaSpace cab has been added more broadly to the manufacturer’s

An optional microwave can be installed in the centre cupboard.

These cupboards are in addition to the space under the bunk, which can include two pull out fridges that are within arms’ reach of the driver.

taining its versatility regarding overall length regulations.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has also taken the opportunity to introduce an improved version of its optional MirrorCam system.

The Actros was the first

improved along with the lowlight visibility.

Mercedes-Benz vice president, Andrew Assimo, says the new options were added in response to customer feedback.

“We are always looking for ways to further refine our

IN BRIEF

TR Group’s acquisition

Heavy commercial vehicle rental and lease business TR Group has acquired Southern Cross Rentals in Adelaide, effective August 1, 2023.

Operating for over 30 years, TR Group has a fleet of around 8500 trucks and trailers across Australia and New Zealand.

This latest move provides TR Group with its fifth rental and leasing outlet in Australia – on top of its existing presence in Melbourne, Brisbane, Newcastle and Perth.

The acquisition will add approximately 130 trailers to TR Group’s fleet, along with the Adelaide Southern Cross Rentals team.

B&H hunts for new CEO

Brown and Hurley’s chief executive officer, Paul Hurley, has announced his plan to retire, with the search now on for his replacement. Paul Hurley, who is a third generation family member in the business, was appointed CEO in July 2018. He will step down before the end of 2024. Brown and Hurley is a fourth generation family business. It has become one of the largest truck dealership groups in Australia, representing PACCAR’s Kenworth and DAF brands.

The board plans to explore all options as it seeks out the best candidate to take over the CEO role.

No chocks needed

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) says wheel chocks should not be required for Australian dangerous goods vehicles due to current braking technology, which safeguards heavy vehicles against unintentional rolling while parked.

This was part of the ATA’s submission to the National Transport Commission’s review of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code. The submission backs NTC’s preliminary view that wheel chocks are not needed.

Proud truckie takes special K200 for a spin

After hearing that the son of a driver was dealing with health issues, Followmont Transport named a new truck in his honour.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

WHEN Followmont Transport managing director Mark Tobin got word that one of his drivers had a son going through a difficult health battle, he wanted to do something special.

It was back in 2018, when four brand new K200s were due to arrive in the linehaul fleet that Tobin decided to name one Lachy.

Lachlan Sanderson is the son of Followmont driver Gary Sanderson, who started with the business in 2015. He’s been in the driver’s seat for over 25 years, following in the footsteps of his father – and now it looks like Lachy may have also inherited that same passion for trucking.

“I’ve been driving trucks for nearly 25 years. It was a childhood passion of mine to one day drive B-doubles. I started in body trucks, then moved up to the semis and now I drive B-doubles, doing pick-ups and deliveries in the Brisbane area. Followmont helped me upgrade to my MC,” he said.

To surprise the Sandersons, Followmont called Gary to come past on a day off. “They said we’d like to invite you and Lachlan to the depot to have a chat with Mark, because Mark wanted to meet my son,” explained Gary.

“That’s when they presented Lachlan with his own Followmont t-shirt and then they brought us out to the truck that was dedicated to Lachlan. He would’ve been about nine years old and he was

just amazed. He couldn’t stop smiling. They gave him a ride in the truck and even today, he still says to me, dad are they looking after my truck and are they keeping it clean? He’s truck mad just like myself.”

Gary currently drives a refurbished Kenworth K104. Followmont says they invested quite heavily in that truck and chose him to drive it because he is so professional and committed.

“Gary is a valued member of the Followmont family, he is an amazing driver, team player and all-round genuine bloke. His customers and team love working with him as he embodies our company values,” added Tobin.

The Lachy K200 has now clocked up almost 1.5 million kilometres. But as the truck is in the linehaul fleet and Gary works locally, he had never had the chance to drive it. That all changed recently.

“That K200 usually runs up and down the east coast. A few weeks ago I was in the

yard while my truck was in the workshop having some maintenance done. When the workshop manager asked if I’d like to take Lachy for a run, my face lit up. For me it was very special to have that truck for the day that was named after my son,” said Gary.

At just 14 years of age, young Lachy has had to undergo more surgeries than many people will go through in their lifetime.

Lachy has a rare genetic syndrome and has had approximately 30 surgeries to date, but as his father Gary explained, “He’s a very resilient kid. The surgeries are always scary but he bounces back really quickly. He’s doing really well and is a straight A student at school. He’s fantastic.”

Lachy was diagnosed shortly after birth. “He was born with no soft spot on his skull and had a ridge down his forehead, so they did genetic testing to find out what it was and how he got it, and it turned out it was passed on through me.

“The surgeries are starting to slow down. He has four more surgeries before he turns 18. With this particular syndrome he has, it stops becoming apparent once they become an adult.”

When Tobin found out about what the Sanderson family was going through, he says he wanted to do something to put a smile on their

faces. “A member from our operations team told us about the difficulties that Gary and his family were facing. The truck was a gesture from everyone at Followmont to let Lachlan and the Sandersons know that we were all behind them and thinking of them,” Tobin said.

“Lachy is an incredibly resilient kid, and I felt so humbled to see how much joy this small gesture brought to him and his Dad.

“It was great to have the unit back in Brisbane for the day and see Gary behind the wheel performing his local runs.”

For Gary, having the support of Mark Tobin and the Followmont team has been amazing. “Mark is very family orientated. When they first found out about my son and his condition, there wasn’t anything they wouldn’t do to help. They’ve been fantastic.”

Gary Sanderson and his 14-year-old son Lachlan.

The K200 was named ‘Lachy’ in honour of Gary’s son.

Gary and Lachlan at the surprise unveiling of the truck in 2018.

3 - 2022 & 2021 Kenworth T909 6x4 & 2019 Kenworth K200 Big Cab Aerodyne 6x4

5 - 2022 & 2020 MaxiTrans, 3 - 2022 Robuk, 2022 FWR & 2009 MaxiTrans

2022 Kenworth W900SAR Legend 6x4 Build No. 476

2018 Kenworth K200 Aerodyne 6x4

2021 Kenworth K200 Aerodyne 6x4

2017 Kenworth K200 Big Cab Aerodyne 6x4

2019 Volvo FH16 Globetrotter 6x4

2019 Kenworth T909 6x4

Safety warrior commits to long haul in new TIV K200

With a shiny new KW – and brand new trailer set on its way – high-profile safety advocate Rod Hannifey is as dedicated as

BY JAMES GRAHAM

ALMOST 25 years and millions of kilometres later, Australia’s most famous truckie Rod Hannifey still remembers the pivotal 1999 day like it was yesterday.

He’d just had a good night’s rest at Narrabri, NSW, and only been on the road for 15 minutes, barely up to highway speed, when a car went around him with two children in the back, seemingly oblivious to the Lindsay’s B-double looming from the other direction.

“We both put a wheel into the dirt for the car to go in between us and I could see two little kids sitting in the back of that car,” Hannifey, now 66, recalled.

“And I thought, ‘Jesus Christ’, and actually said to the Lindsay’s bloke, Christ Almighty, some people are stupid, aren’t they? And the bloke in car behind me with an UHF heard me and said he’d go and get the rego.

“He called me back with the rego and I rang the Moree Police and when I got to Moree they had the car pulled up on the side of the road, and I hope that they said to them, ‘Be a bit more careful, take a bit more time’.”

About five hours later, a fully-loaded Hannifey gets yet another scare as he’s coming down onto a bridge on the south side of Kilkivan.

It’s a narrow crossing too and there’s a F250 Ford coming so he flashed the lights once to say to the motorist, ‘Lift your foot off the accelerator a bit and let me across the bridge’.

“No, he came straight on to the bridge, and I missed him and the bridge by about 2cm. I actually pulled up in a little rest area in Kilkivan and thought, ‘How do I change this?’.”

With that one burning

question driving him, Hannifey was off and running on an unprecedented road safety crusade that still continues today, all without any financial reward for the father-of-seven who still juggles a full-time driving job for Rod Pilon Transport around commitments at home.

The only element that has changed in that time is the truck in which Hannifey now drives to spread the key safety messages; better roads and rest areas for everybody, better education of motorists, and better industry awareness from the public.

It’s the third iteration of the celebrated Truckright Industry Vehicle (TIV) since Ken Wilkie helped Hannifey kick off the concept in 2008, before Rod Pilon came on board to support the cause from 2011.

Built in May 2021 as one of Kenworth’s 50th anniversary trucks, the latest Rod Pilon Transport-owned K200, one of the badge’s first Cummins-powered Euro 6s in Australia, made its first public

appearance in February 2022.

“It still has the onboard scales but sitting behind that is a program called INSCOM and that reads the impact of the road into the truck,” Hannifey explains.

“Being a big cab there’s a longer wheelbase than your average K200 and that makes them ride that little bit better.”

The Air CTI (central tyre inflation) system has been extended to the steer this time –Hannifey’s last K200 only had it on the drive – to give Hannifey more of a footprint on the road, when light, or even empty.

“They’ve been a supporter since the start, the same as Tramanco and Icepack, and looking at the way we’re going with managing fatigue, that’s where Icepack are involved. Inland Trucks in Dubbo gave me some lights and a couple of things. Kenworth themselves contributed some of the things to the truck.

“So, it’s a joint effort from a lot of people who see value in promoting the industry and to

put something out there that shows a different face to how we’re normally portrayed. I owe a big thank you to all the sponsors.”

Pilons has ordered a new set of similar TIV trailers too –the first two sets are still working hard on other trucks in the fleet – that will carry the same educational and awareness imagery that Hannifey’s TIV is so well known for, including the Truckies’ Top 10 Tips on the rear.

The new trailers and prime mover will also help give Hannifey a platform from which he can spread the message that the industry is not recognised enough for the lives that it saves on the roads.

“We are certainly castigated and hung out to dry for the people that we kill, and the fact that you’re guilty two seconds after the accident before any investigation is done,” he says. “And it’s put in the media as ‘Truck kills so many people’. Well, that implies guilt by default. But we are never recognised for the fact that

we do drive expecting people to do stupid shit, and we try and anticipate it. I reckon that we save dozens of lives a day by being proactive, by looking ahead, by being defensive, by expecting someone to do something stupid.”

It’s a well-known fact amongst industry that 80 per cent of fatalities between cars and trucks are the fault of the motorist, but Hannifey asks, ‘What have we done to change that?’

“The NHVR has done a little bit of late, I’ve certainly tried but it’s bloody hard doing it on your own, believe you me.

“Why aren’t those top 10 tips [Truckies’ Top 10 Tips] part of the licensing process?

A 17-year-old is 10-foot tall and bulletproof and they don’t know any different until they decide to pull straight out in front of a fully-loaded B-double and think, ‘Well, this will stop because I pulled out in front of it’.”

Until the new trailers are ready, Hannifey is proud to

be towing a special set to commemorate Rod Pilon Transport’s 50th year in business in 2022.

“It shows the level of support that Pilons give me, but it also shows the support that they’re prepared to put back into the industry.

“I simply can’t do it without the support of sponsors, and I couldn’t do it without the support of Pilons. It’s a level of support that very few other companies would give a driver, let alone return to the industry.”

There are also those eye-catching lights of course, purposely laid out in rows of seven in honour of his seven children and a thank you to his wife for having them and looking after them when he wasn’t always there to help.

“We know that’s one of the biggest pressures of the industry, and if I can get to 7 million kilometres [he’s just ticked over the 6 million-mark behind the wheel] I suppose it’s a million for each [of my children].”

Continued on page 16

ever in the fight to save lives.

Sponsors such as Air CTI help Hannifey spread the message.

Hannifey is hoping to notch the milestone tally of seven million kilometres behind the wheel. The third iteration of the ITV is also celebrating 50 years in business for Rod Pilon Transport.

Rod Hannifey, 66, is looking forward to four more years in his new K200. Photos: Sarah Barnsley

Tireless safety campaigner wishes he could do more

From page 14

THERE has been plenty of wins along the way for Hannifey. He’s won Driver of the Year accolades from the Australian Trucking Association and NatRoad, and arguably done more to improve the caravanners’ understanding of how to share the roads more safely with truckies than anyone else in the road transport industry.

He’s won several safety awards, fronted dozens of video campaigns, and is also proud of the in-roads he’s made with his ever-expanding network of green reflectors, which count down the

Truckies’ On Road Code, by

1. Respect, assist and treat other truckies as you would like to be treated.

2. Make allowances for car drivers. They don’t drive or understand trucks.

3. Your behaviour on the road and to other motorists is how we are all seen. Try to be courteous and show a good face to represent the industry that feeds you and your family.

4. Do not tailgate. Cars – you are seen as pushy cowboys, particularly where there is no safe place to pass for some time. It’s one of our two biggest public issues. Trucks – help one another, use CB and or flash highbeam when overtaking. Be and be seen to be, working together as those who spend their life on the road.

5. Blatant speeding is the other biggest issue that the public abhor and use to beat us up in the press, and brand us all as irresponsible cowboys.

6. Jake brakes – in hours of darkness turn off at 60 signs and back on at 100 and only use when absolutely necessary in these urban areas at night.

7. Appearance – make an effort to look and act as a professional truck driver. Even if you do not like this term, there’s more chance you’ll be treated better if you make an effort to

look and act the part.

8. Bad language – on CB, particularly UHF with rural community use and longer range. You are not in a closed room. You don’t speak in front of your family like that, don’t do it in case of others who may be listening.

9. Dip your lights first at night. Show a good example for truckies and others.

10. Safe equipment and safe operation will see you home safe as well. Whilst any effort to educate the average car driver will take many years, we can only do our best to travel in safety on the road. Your best efforts may often be overshadowed by bad press from an incident or accident involving a truck and often wrongly blamed upon the truckie, but only with time and education will the public, both motoring and general, come to appreciate the enormous contribution that the road transport industry makes to their comforts and way of life. Your efforts and time on the road will either assist or destroy the attempts being made by many to improve how we are seen and treated, both on the road and off. It is a hard life on families and not respected for the money in equipment and cargo carried, or lifestyle involved.

distance to informal parking bays along the highways.

Every month he fields a call from a driver telling him that the simple but effective idea has saved their life, which only adds to the frustration over the resistance he still strikes from some local and state bodies in adopting the concept.

Even so, Hannifey is arguably the most well-known, and influential truckie in the industry today with a profile that stretches from the remotest roadhouses to the highest echelons of power in Canberra. There wouldn’t be a boss in any of the state or territory transport agencies who hadn’t fielded a call

from him about the woeful state of their roads, or a rest area that needs fixing.

In the week that he speaks to Big Rigs for this cover story, the tireless Hannifey has already spoken to the HVNL steering committee, the NHVR about the future of the industry and helmed a board meeting of the National Road Freighters Association in his role as president.

He’s also hosted his weekly spot on a national radio show, and done more media interviews about his new role as a counsellor for The Open Road, Open Up initiative which uses the UHF CB Channel 24 as a free support

platform.

“I get really frustrated that I can’t do more, that I can’t fix the rest area problem overnight and we can’t have perfect roads everywhere around Australia,” says Hannifey, who is also a member of the first industry-led rest area steering committee.

“Our roads aren’t as safe as they could be. I came home from Townsville two weeks ago and I was only in a B-double at the time on a section of that Gregory Development Road and a truck coming the other way was an inch too far my way and I moved over and I scared myself simply because I moved one inch to the left.

“When I got further down the road a bloke said to me there’s been quite a few dog trailers go over there because once you move over, it just grabs the trailer and pulls you off the road because there’s no shoulder. Our people die because the roads are not up to a standard. We don’t have a national road standard.”

Faced with so much red tape and obfuscation from can-kicking bureaucrats, most would just wave the white flag, pivot into another industry, or quietly fade into retirement.

But not Hannifey. He’s already committed to another four years navigating those all-too hazardous highways with the new trailers in tow behind his beloved TIV.

So, what drives him to keep going in the face of so many knockbacks and roadblocks, when he’s already done so much?

“Yes, the family suffers, it does. Yes, it puts you in a position at times where you think, is it really worth it?

“But when I started this, there was one basis, and that basis was, if I get one bit of road fixed, if I get one rest area built or improved, if I prevent one crash, or one fatality, then everything after that’s a bonus, and that’s the system I worked on since then.

“Sometimes people are critical and give you a hard time because you’ve got a nice truck or because you talk on the radio, and I understand their frustration and cynicism, I really do.

“But you either try and act positive and do something positive for change, or you sit there and whinge, and I’m afraid whinging doesn’t fix much.”

Rod Hannifey

Hannifey makes clever use of every inch of the new trailers.

Rod Hannifey is grateful for the support he gets from a long list of loyal TIV sponsors.

He’s also ready to chat to anyone in range on Channel 24.

New era for the ‘E’ Cab

BY DAVID VILE

DECEMBER 1986 was a pivotal time for Kenworth in Australia, which saw the release of a variety of new models onto the Australian transport scene. With the legendary W Model and SAR bonneted variants being retired in favour of the new T600 and T650 models, the long-serving K-series cabover line also received a revamp, with the new K100E taking its place in the model range.

To display the model range to its customer base, the ‘Kenworth Cavalcade of Trucks’ made its way around Australia to Kenworth dealers with the trucks all presented in an eye-catching gold, yellow and green ‘boomerang’ paint scheme. Fast forward some 37 years and one of the three K100E cabovers that was part of the Cavalcade has been fully restored and is now having its third lease on life, based out of Darwin under the ownership of Russell Brown. He had the Kenworth on display at the Rocklea Heritage Truck Show in May, where it had literally just rolled out of the workshop after a three-year restoration.

“Well it was for sale, and it was cheap…anyone will tell you the cheapest part of these things is buying them – it became a bit of a money pit! There are plenty of K100E trucks around, but I realised that it was one of only eight in the ‘launch fleet’ so it is pretty rare in that respect. It’s not the first ‘E’ Cab as a few snuck out of the factory before the official launch but it’s the one that featured in all the Kenworth brochures and so on. It’s travelled the country – this was probably the first time they [Kenworth] did something like this around the country, and they have

done a few more since then,” Brown explained.

Upon the completion of the Cavalcade, the truck’s proper working life began, with Brown becoming the vehicles’ third owner in the intervening years. “It was owned by a guy in Albury who was running for Refrigerated Roadways and then Richie Beaumont at Ipswich had it, and then it got parked up for about 10 years before I got it,” he said.

As such, the Kenworth carries a 1986 build plate and under the square cab, with its original roof kit is a Cummins NTC444 with a 13-speed Roadranger sending the power through to the rear end. “It did have a torsion bar

suspension, but it had a sixrod put under it to take a bit more weight, as they did back then,” he said.

Originally from Bendigo in Victoria and now based in the Northern Territory, Brown had been on the lookout for a project truck. He found the Kenworth at Burpengary and thought the truck’s history helped set it apart from other trucks to restore, as he explained, “I was looking around for something to do, I used to drive my father’s White Road Commander so I was hunting around for a White as a ‘maybe’ to restore for sentimental reasons. I’d always liked the COE Kenworths, and this came up. I thought

it looked alright for not a lot of money; which I found out there was a good reason for, but it was pretty original and a bit unique so I thought I would keep going with it.”

The Kenworth has had a full overhaul including new wiring and hoses. The bulk of the work was undertaken by PJ’s Custom Spray Painting and Truck Mechanical, with the restoration interrupted firstly by Covid and then the floods in Queensland last year, which saw over a metre of water though the PJ’s Custom Rocklea workshop. Prior to its show debut, the Kenworth had only virtually just rolled out of the PJ’s yard making it in time for the Heritage Show. “I picked

it up this morning! Put 150 litres of fuel in it, then went across to Brown and Hurley to get the mattress and put it in the sleeper and then here. It will be off to the sparkie on Monday for a few bits and pieces and then home,” Brown said.

Back home in Darwin, Brown operates two Camera House photographic outlets and has converted a dropdeck trailer to operate as a mobile photographic store with accommodation up the front and a retail/sales area in the back. With the restoration complete on the K100E he was looking forward to getting the unit connected up and hitting the highway, “It’s a bit of a semi-retirement

plan, the trailer has bunks, a stove, toilet and shower so it will be good to get it all hooked up and go for a bit of a drive about.”

With the Kenworth again looking sharp and ready to roll, the only thing Brown was lamenting was the absence of a trailer in Brisbane to hook on to for the trip home, grimacing at the thought of bobtailing the E-Cab over 3000 kilometres back to Darwin. “As long as I am home by next weekend I will be right, I’m thinking it will be a fairly steady trip back – might just let the tyres down a bit and take it easy home across some of those Queensland bumps!” he concluded with a smile.

PACCAR factory tour is icing on the cake for birthday boy

FOR truck fan Glen Lewis, his epic 60th birthday celebrations were made even better, thanks to a story published by Big Rigs.

In late June, Lewis set off on a six-week adventure right around the country with his 1993 model Kenworth T950 and a shipping container he’s converted into a mobile home. He was on the road for 41 days, arriving home as planned on Saturday August 5, at about 12.45pm, after completing 15,558km without a single hitch.

But before his journey was over, Lewis made one very special stop.

After Big Rigs shared his story online, PACCAR Australia got in touch to offer Lewis an exclusive tour of the factory, located in Baywater, Victoria –which he was more than happy to take up.

When Lewis mapped out

his trip, a stop at the home of Kenworth and DAF in Australia was already on the cards. The plan was to get a photo of his truck parked outside the factory. But PACCAR Australia took it one step further, by offering him an invitation to tour the facility and see what goes into the making of each Kenworth truck.

Ryan Hooper, marketing manager at PACCAR Australia, personally extended the invitation to Lewis. “It turns out he was already planning to stop here in Bayswater to have a look over the fence, so we were definitely able to give him a better experience!” he said.

On Wednesday August 2, Hooper took Lewis on a personal tour behind the scenes.

“My plan was to stop in front of the factory to take a photo – I was hoping there’d be room to pull up out at the front,” revealed Lewis. “But

to actually go through and see how they make these trucks is amazing. The attention to detail is incredible, you can see why Kenworth is still number one.

“Watching the way the cabs are put together was incredible,

it’s still very hands on. I was surprised by just how many people are involved in the process. And the majority of it is done by people, because every single truck is different – unless you order identical trucks for your fleet. The focus their

people have to have is incredible, because every truck is so unique.”

Over the years, Lewis has owned four different trucks but the T950 is his first ever Kenworth, which he purchased in 2014. When he’s not exploring the country with it, the T950 is now a show truck, visiting numerous events as well as being used when Lewis volunteers to take part in hay runs.

In one word, Lewis described the trip as “brilliant”.

“I completed it without any mechanical or electrical issues, not even a flat tyre. It’s a testament to Kenworth. They’re a great product. A 30-year-old truck, it’s just done this without any issues at all, it’s been perfect. And the container provided terrific accommodation too – I’m really happy and proud of that.

“The whole trip exceeded my expectations. I always

dreamt it would be fantastic, but it was even better – especially to get home all in one piece without any issues.”

Along with the PACCAR factory tour being a major highlight, so too was travelling WA’s coastline and the Nullarbor. “I hadn’t been along the west coast before, it was just magnificent,” Lewis said.

“There’s also been such a great response from people who have read the article, it’s amazing how wide it’s gone. I’ve had so many people call me up on the radio or come up to me at roadhouses too.”

As his 60th birthday celebrations come to a close, Lewis already has his sights set on his next trip. “I’ve got a bit of a bug now. The map has a bit in the middle that needs scratching –up through Broken Hill then up through Alice. It won’t be as big a trip as this one but hopefully in 2024.”

Glen Lewis at the PACCAR factory in Bayswater, Victoria.

“Pretty original and a bit unique.” Russell Brown with the K100E.

Straight out of the workshop the K100E sparkles in the afternoon sun. Photos: David Vile

This special K100E underwent an extensive three-year restoration before its recent debut on the show circuit – fresh out of the workshop.

Versatility that’s good for business

Versatility is what distinguishes the DAF range from other trucks in its class. So you’re in the business of transporting liquid goods? There’s a DAF for that!

Whether your needs are long-distance haulage, city distribution, construction transportation, bulk or tank transport, the versatility of DAF keeps you moving, and that’s good for business.

Towing business coming to the rescue for over 50 years

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

AFTER 53 years in business, Bill and Mary Clayton are still as devoted as ever to the company they built together from the ground up – with their son and grandchildren all working by their side.

Though the humble couple admit they’ve thought about retirement, that’s not quite how it’s worked out. Bill, 76, and Mary, who just celebrated her 77th birthday, are still there every day at the head office in Nambour, the town they’ve always called home and where the story of Clayton’s Towing began way back in 1970.

“We have both considered retiring but that just didn’t work for us. We have good staff so we’ve been able to slow down slightly but we still come in every day,” said Bill. “If we don’t do something, we’d go nuts!”

Employing around 170 staff across 16 locations, Clayton’s Towing has quite the diverse fleet comprising of 90 licenced tow trucks, 12 low loaders, off road recovery equipment, excavators, a recovery boat, a barge and a jet ski; providing towing and recovery services across land and sea.

A spare parts salesman by trade, Bill and Mary met in their early twenties while working together and were married in 1969. Interestingly, the company they worked for had a rule that married couples couldn’t both work within the business. “So in the end we both left,” said Bill.

He had a fascination with tow trucks, so he traded in his old Ford Falcon for an even older International AA120. “It was quite old when I bought it because my old Falcon wasn’t worth that much. I only paid about $1000 for it,” Bill said.

He got to work doing it up as a tow truck, working out of Mary’s father’s wrecking yard in Nambour.

“I didn’t know how to build or weld, so Mary’s brother and her father taught me how to do it and we built a tow truck. It took about 12 months to build it up. I was working at the same time in a wrecking yard, battling along back in those days,” explained Bill.

The end result was quite impressive, being among the first tow trucks on the Sunshine Coast decked out with a power-driven winch and revolving flashing lights.

That truck served the couple very well. “There were other tow trucks around in the area at the time, but they all had hand winches – that’s why we went with the power

winch,” said Bill.

“It meant we could do things faster and better because we had more power. That truck was going for quite a long time, probably about 10 years, and we added many more trucks in that time too. I wish I had kept that International now but in those days we were expanding and we had so many things happening, so we had to get rid of it to make way for the newer stuff,” said Bill.

In the first few years of business, they built two smaller tow trucks. “The first truck we built had a power winch, but the budget only allowed for hand winches on the next two,” said Mary.

By 1974, there was another larger tow truck added to the growing fleet and Clayton’s employed its first driver.

In the mid 1970s, they bought their first brand new truck, a Toyota Dyna. “That was a baby truck and Mary drove that one,” said Bill.

“I got the Dyna for Mary because the other trucks we had were quite hard work, whereas the Dyna had electric winches and she didn’t need a

truck licence for that one.”

Then came the first big new addition to the fleet, an F600 Ford.

In those early days, most of the new trucks were handbuilt from the chassis up, from the carport of the couple’s home. Though they soon outgrew the space and moved to Bli Bli Road, Nambour, which is still home to the company’s head office. “Nambour is a beautiful place. That’s where we started and that’s where we’ve always been – we’ve expanded out from there.”

Recognising an opportunity in the heavy equipment transport space, Bill hand-

built his first low loader in the 1980s.

It was also during that time that the company’s longest serving driver, Jim ‘Jimbo’ Haulihan, started in the business. He’s been at Clayton’s for over 40 years and plans to retire later this year. Bill said, “He’s one of our heavy recovery truck drivers and he’s been around with us forever. As we upgrade the fleet, he always gets the newest truck. As technology improves, it makes the job easier too – that’s the aim of the game. The truck he’s in now is a FMX Volvo twin steer bogie drive tow truck.”

Continued on page 22

Mary and Bill in the 1980s with a Toyota Dyna that Mary also drove.

Mary, 77, is still there every day at the head office in Nambour.

Over more than 50 years, Mary and Bill Clayton have seen their business grow into a diverse fleet operating across 16 locations.

The fleet includes 90 licenced tow trucks, 12 low loaders, off road recovery equipment and more.

This pic of Bill with his son Mike (who is now CEO) was taken in the 1970s.

From hand-building their first tow truck in 1970, this family business has grown into one of Queensland’s biggest and most diverse towing operations.

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Continuing their success through the generations

“Mike’s son-in-law is a diver, so he’s on board with the diving as well as an external group of divers we use when needed.

“Then we have a boat captain in charge of the boat and some people who are specially trained in marine work – they do other work here too. The marine crew is out at the Gold Coast today – then there might be nothing for a month. Sometimes you get calls every day of the week, other times it isn’t as regular, so all our marine staff adapt into other roles too.”

From page 20

THEN by the 1990s, the couple were joined by their son Mike, 53, who now serves as CEO. He came into the business in his 20s but had already made a separate career for himself before that. “As Mike grew up, Mary and I decided he should work for other people first to see what that’s like – as sometimes Mum and Dad can be too forgiving,” said Bill.

“Mike became an accomplished earthmoving machine operator. He worked for a number of companies for a number of years. And the people he worked with were excellent teachers of young people, so he learnt very well.”

And now Mike’s kids are in the business two, bringing Clayton’s Towing into its third generation. His daughters Samantha and

Bethany work in the office and his son is an auto electrician.

A big portion of the fleet – 70 trucks – are light duty tilt trays. The remainder are the bigger heavy recovery units, with Volvo being the preferred choice in this space.

“We’re rebuilding one now that’ll get moved onto a 700hp Volvo twin steer bogie drive,” Bill said.

Though light vehicle recovery is still the company’s mainstay, Clayton’s Towing has evolved and diversified over the years to include a range of other services.

“Clayton’s Towing has grown bit by bit by bit,” said Bill. “At one stage we used our car carriers to cart cars around Brisbane. We still have the car carriers but now we use them for our own recovery work.”

This willingness to adapt

and seek out opportunities has enabled the business to grow into what it is today. “There were a lot of different things we had to get into,” said Mary. “We’d find an opportunity and get in there headfirst. We’d work hard, put the hours in and when that opportunity dies out, we’d move onto the next one.”

She added, “It’s also about consistency; being available 24 hours a day, seven days a week – and we still do that.”

Clayton’s Towing has moved all sorts of things. “We’ve done whales, boats, we’ve had to do a lot of dead animals – sometimes it’s the sorts of things a lot of people don’t want to do. Sometimes unfortunate things happen, so whatever is required, we’ll do it,” explained Bill.

“The railway train that rolled over just south of Gympie a few years ago was

probably the strangest recovery I’ve ever done. I got to go out and play on the road for that one.

“We also have a recovery boat and a barge, a jet ski, and have another new boat

being built now. The marine side has come in over the past five years. We’ve found there is work in it and a lot of our recovery equipment can be adapted for marine use.

Moving mountains to keep customers happy

SPARKED by a chance conversation, in 13 years this hire business has amassed nearly 500 pieces of capital equipment, servicing some of the biggest infrastructure projects.

Charles and Jerry Nipper started Focus Machinery in 2010. The idea came about while on a family holiday in the United States.

Chatting one night to friends who owned a quarry that was busy during the summer months, they asked what the business did during the cold season. The answer was dry hire, and so the Nippers decided to launch their own dry hire business back home in Australia.

When the Nippers first went into business in 2010, the plan was to import machinery from the United States and sell on to the Australian market.

This was put to rest though in favour of local dry hire with international market pressure bearing down on the Aussie dollar.

“It was dollar for dollar for a time there,” explained Charles, Focus Machinery co-founder and branch manager.

“Once the dollar started

dropping again, it wasn’t feasible to do that, that’s what made us really get into dry hire.”

Together with their employees, Charles and Jerry have since grown Focus Machinery into a giant in the Victorian hire industry.

Included in their 500-strong range of hire equipment is a range of Isuzu tippers.

The trucks for hire include Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work range, which offer a GVM range of 4500kg (drivable on a car licence) to 8700kg on N Series models, through to an 11,000kg or 14,000kg GVM

in the FRR and FSR model range.

In the medium-duty space, the Isuzu F Series tippers are also specified with a Gross Combined Mass (GCM) of either 16,000kg or 21,000kg. Rope rails, tie-down points and the auto-release two-way tailgate are fitted as standard.

“We’re trying to keep up with the demand, which is always a good problem to have so we have up to 30 Isuzu Tippers across the size range and another 11 Isuzu trucks on order for 2023,” said Charles.

“We understand our cli-

ents have time restraints and time-critical projects,” Charles added. “Providing only quality equipment means we can eliminate downtime for us and our clients to the best of our ability.

“They’re a great vehicle for our customers on site, they’re versatile and very popular with our customers.”

“In previous years, we were trying to say yes to everyone and anything that came our way, now we’re being a bit more selective with our opportunities to ensure we can cater for larger projects,” Charles continued.

When asked what it is that sets Clayton’s Towing apart, Bill responds with, “I think it’s just our variety of equipment. We have long term knowledge of the trade and a fleet of all sorts of trucks so we can tackle most jobs – there aren’t too many things we won’t have a go at.”

He says business has reached a stage where much of the work performed by the hire fleet is now on Tier One government projects such as the West Gate tunnel in Melbourne. Their equipment range is expanding to reflect this progression, with over 1000 attachments also available – from loading ramps and pallet forks to augers and grinders.

“It’s not just about being able to have equipment available for big projects, we also need to make sure the gear that’s going out under the Focus Machinery banner is up to

spec,” added Charles.

Customer service has been central to the company’s success.

“We make sure customers are notified – even if it may not be what they want to hear, they’re never kept waiting, everyone in the chain is kept in the loop,” said Charles.

“We base ourselves around a 90-second response time.

“We’ve got skilful people in the phone room able to answer questions of a technical nature, like if someone is needing an excavator out in the northern suburbs, they would know to offer a rock hammer because there’s so much rock out there.

“Small things like this add up to make our hire process a lot easier.”

Charles also spoke of a customer who had a piece of equipment break down on site.

“It was going to cost a lot of money to be idle, a lot more than the hire price. We made sure to replace this very expensive piece of equipment and have it available for him on site the following morning,” he said. “Because of that speed of response, we have a customer for life.”

Over the years, the fleet has come a long way.

Bill Clayton (right) with his son Mike (left) and grandson Anthony (centre).

Focus Machinery co-founder and branch manager, Charles Nipper.

Included in their 500-strong range of hire equipment are Isuzu tippers.

Volvo is the company’s preferred choice for the bigger heavy recovery units.

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Share your truck pics to win with Shell Rimula

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

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

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

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

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

Fully loaded and ready to go, Col Sherlock hits the road with his Kenworth T909.

Mathew Moreland transports machinery in the Pilbara, WA.

Brad Russell snapped this great shot at Victoria River in the Northern Territory, on his way to WA to drop off “big brother”.

This great shot was taken by 13-year-old Archie Constable, of a Bowers Heavy Haulage rig heading through Merriwa, NSW.

Julia and Daniel Harm snapped this shot in Cobar, NSW, while on their way to the Victorian town of Carwarp.

A glorious sunset at Buronga, NSW, snapped by Aaron Fuller, after loading up to return home.

A great shot snapped by Michael Roels, during a beautiful winter’s day at Gurnang, NSW.

When the going gets tough, truckies keep everyone going

Adrian Nourse was ready to strap the load after a frosty dawn at the Manoora hay sheds, bound for Johnsons at Kapunda, SA.

Willz Tupaea captured this great pic, while unloading timber in Penrith, NSW. Bound for Melbourne, Ryan Mckelvie took this shot in a parking bay just east of Ararat, Victoria.

Bryce ‘Baldy’ McGahey snapped this great pic of the new girl while stopped at Arcadia Valley, Queensland.

Filip Schubert captured this great shot while driving through fog on a changeover.

Valley Express shared this great shot of the Western Star, taken by Dom, who is one of their semi drivers.

Luke Curtis snapped this shot while stretching his legs at the Southbound Coolac Rest Area.

Honouring our trucking legends

Life lessons from the passenger seat of a Mack

BY AINSLEIGH BILATO

SCOTT Gillespie was born in 1972, the same year his father, Jim, started driving road trains for Baldocks in Tennant Creek.

Jim began his journey in the industry unloading trailers. He soon found himself behind the wheel of a Leyland Hippo and, later, an R-model Flintstone Mack, carting freight and bagged copper dust from Warrego Copper and Gold Mine.

Unlike many operators, Jim did not have a grandfather or father in transport to follow in the footsteps of. He simply saw an opportunity, fostered a passion and pursued the path as far as he could. What Jim did not realise as he toiled for the likes of Baldocks, Red North and Ascot Haulage, was that he was inspiring the next generation of operator in his son, Scott.

Hard work was the standard for Scott as long as he can remember, his childhood spent droving cattle with his grandparents throughout remote Queensland and the Northern Territory.

The 18-hour days in the outback heat and nights away from home in the frigid winters were preparation for when Scott, aged 10, swapped the schoolroom for the passenger seat of a Mack as an offsider for his father. Scott, before he could ever hold a licence of his own, had travelled hundreds of thousands of kilometres for a number of quintessential Territory companies.

From Ascot Haulage to Timor Transport, and NT Fuels to Gulf Transport, Scott learnt how to drive, diagnose, and doctor road trains better than his colleagues who were thrice or more his age.

Scott and Jim were a recog-

nisable and impressive team, and Scott often reminisces on the quality time he was able to spend with his father during these years. He recalls carting fuel across the wet Barkly Tablelands, headed for Gallipoli Outstation north of Camooweal. Scott, shovel in hand, had been tasked with moving mud to get the bogged road train on its way.

Jim, ready to head out, shouted to Scott, “I’m off and I’m not waiting for ya! Jump on the trailer and make sure you hold on!”. Scott knew his father would deliver on his promise so swiftly climbed up onto the drums to avoid being left behind. Although not the most comfortable perch, Scott stayed there as they travelled the next 10-15km before the rig was again bogged and he was back to shoveling.

Scott, now a father himself

of two sons, hopes he can one day teach them the nuts and bolts of the industry in the same way Jim taught him. At age 6, Harrison, Scott’s eldest son, has decided that he too would like to drive road trains when he is old enough.

When asked what he wants to do when he grows up, he declares without hesitation “I want to go with Dad in the truck!”. Bevan, aged 5, has taken an interest in cattle and horses. Scott foresees they could be an effective team –“One can work the cattle and one can cart them!”. Scott urges his sons, along with other operators wanting to learn the industry, to leave ego at the door, “listen to the older blokes who have been there and done it and work your way up through the ranks”.

By starting in the workshop and earning your place behind

the wheel, Scott believes operators can gain a better appreciation of the literal and figurative moving parts that come together to keep trucks on the road.

Starting his transport career as young as he did, Scott has watched the industry evolve in real time and acknowledges that his sons will be entering a completely different industry to the one he did.

Aside from the overhaul of the legislation that regulates the transport industry, Scott is most conscious of the rapid developments to the technology of the machines. Recognising the skepticism that surrounds electric trucks, Scott remembers when electronic fuel systems first replaced the mechanical fuel systems on truck engines.

The familiar arguments of “What happens if something goes wrong when we are cart-

ing to the most remote parts of the country?” were just as common then as they are today.

Scott, for all his years in the transport industry, was most proud when he first stepped out on his own, securing a role with Road Trains of Australia.

To get his truck licence, Scott was required to undertake a driving test from Tenant Creek to Three Ways. Sat in Jim’s new truck with Jim and Scott Radke, manager of Gulf Transport at the time, Scott remembers to this day how nervous he was, despite having driven this route plenty of times without the audience.

Scott spent 15 years hauling cattle with RTA, heading east toward Charters Towers and west as far as Port Hedland. He then transitioned to carting fuel and doing tipper work, which he believes was more straightforward than

cattle. Carting fuel, Scott says he got to go to bed every night, however once the cattle were on your truck, you had no choice but to go.

Today, Scott is still carting fuel for FuelTrans, running from Darwin to the Granites Gold Mine. He jokes that he cannot get away from the Granites, the notorious Tanami Road being a consistent thread in his driving career. He first visited the Granites via the Tanami Road at age 12 alongside his father – a visit that would certainly be against mine site rules today, but is much smoother given the widespread bituminising of the road in recent years.

In 2016, at age 44, Scott was the youngest ever inductee of the National Road Transport Hall of Fame. He is in good company, with Jim having been inducted in 2008.

Scott notes that the National Road Transport Museum, the biggest of its kind that he has seen in Australia, plays an important role in illustrating how far the industry has progressed in a short period of time, and the great deal of effort needed to do so.

Scott believes that we have inherited a better industry due to the hardship of the operators who came before us, and that it is vital to recognise their sacrifices.

The National Road Transport Hall of Fame is proud of the role it has played in Scott’s extensive career and looks forward to potentially honouring Harrison and Bevan alongside their father one day.

Scott learnt how to drive, diagnose, and doctor road trains better than his colleagues who were thrice his age, or more.

Scott was most proud when he first stepped out on his own, securing a role with Road Trains of Australia.

A young Scott, circa 1983, helping dad Jim with some running repairs out of Warburton.

In 2016, at age 44, Scott was the youngest ever inductee of the National Road Transport Hall of Fame.

Inspired by his hard-working truckie dad, Scott Gillespie ditched the classroom at the age of 10 and never looked back.

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Queensland trucking family keeps the wheels turning

BY ALF WILSON

BASED in Mount Garnet in Far North Queensland, Smith Brothers Transport has been a respected company in the industry for more than 30 years.

The company is comprised of brothers Denis and Brian Smith, who have been working together since they were boys, for their father Roy Smith, who was in transport in the early 1960s at Julia Creek in the Queensland outback.

After many years working in different areas throughout Far North Queensland, logging and then contract mustering, the pair began Smith Brothers Transport in the early 1990s.

The move into the transport industry gave the brothers an opportunity to expand, beginning by carting a few cattle with a body truck to buying a prime mover and a couple of trailers. Transporting everything from hay to farming equipment to peanuts, they even had side tippers for a couple of years.

As their slogan says, “Everything for the man on the land”. To this day, they stay true to that.

The Smiths now predominately cart cattle, with flat tops to also transport hay, cotton and general freight.

All trucks are white Kenworths with the iconic red arrow, and cattle crates are red with the white arrow.

They have a fleet of five trucks, with the newest bought last year – a Kenworth T909 that they’ve named Captain Albert Jacka VC MC & Bar.

It was a long process to choose the name for Brian’s new truck, as the original ‘Lucifer’s Peril’ has been so iconic.

Many names were thrown around, but at the end of it all, a true Australian hero won out, a symbol of Australia’s strength and courage.

Each truck has its own name and story. There’s even

a story about the line written on the bunk of the trucks: Just Another Hillbilly Show, Hillbilly Deluxe, Hillbilly Warrior, Hillbilly ANZAC.

Someone made the remark that the Smiths were just another Hillbilly show, which the Smiths found amusing, so they used it. Every truck after the original ‘Just Another Hillbilly Show’ had a hillbilly something written on it, except for Denis’ newest truck.

Denis’ Kenworth C509 was built in 2020, the same year as the James Bond film No Time to Die was released, which seemed to suit the truck down to a T as the rego reads 007-shaken, Not Stirred.

It is a genuine outback family business and Louise Smith has been working alongside her husband Brian for 40 years, doing everything from cooking and being an incredible parent to their four children (and working a part-time job) to driving six decks of cattle crates throughout Cape York. She’s even carting cotton down to Emerald these days. Over the years, Louise has been instrumental in the running

of Smith Brothers, doing the office work and anything else that’s needed.

Maxine has also been working with her husband Denis since their bull-catching days.

Living life rough to driving across the countryside so their three children could play sports while helping the business wherever she could, she is now driving the gas ute to Cairns and back to Mt Garnet before returning to the farm at Dimbulah, still doing many kilometres.

Maxine’s time is taken up by keeping the farm at Dimbulah running, feeding animals and maintaining the property.

Ian Davies has been working in the Australian transport industry for over 30 years, with a brief stint back home in New Zealand.

He’s still a proud Kiwi, ensuring he buys New Zealand products wherever he can.

Ian drives one of the company’s trucks, a Kenworth T909, mainly carting general freight and cotton.

Over many years with the company, he’s carted everything from portaloos to old

army tanks, to oversized loads and cattle.

Brian and Louise’s son, Edward, works for the business as the head maintenance bloke and boiler maker, he is very busy with the company – and is fully equipped to build their own Smith Brothers Transport Equipment trailers and dollies.

Edward likes to unwind in his off hours by working on his stock car, which he has raced in Herberton, Springmount and Cairns. The red car and white arrow distinguish it, and we all know red goes faster.

Brian and Louise’s daughter Alex has worked for her parents on and off for five years, first just helping around the office and cooking and cleaning.

Now, Alex manages all the NHVAS Compliance and recently started doing the invoicing for Louise while she is driving.

She is studying to become a qualified Safety Officer in her spare time.

Over the years, Big Rigs has spoken to several Smiths Bros drivers, and the company now employs four people whilst Brian, Denis and Louise all drive as well.

One of them is dedicated truckie Graham Fraser who had parked his 2015 Kenworth triple next to the Flinders Highway outside the Caltex Calcium Roadhouse when Big Rigs saw him at about 1pm on July 14.

More than 50m long, it was an imposing sight on a section of the Flinders Highway frequented by numerous triples and quad road trains.

Fraser, 48, loves working for the company, which also has a

depot at Dimbulah.

“I have barb wire and stock lick for Amber Station at Mount Surprise from Townsville,” he said.

Fraser has worked for this company for two years and likes stopping at the BP Cluden Roadhouse in Townsville.

“The food there is good and I like a nice steak. The amenities, such as toilets and showers, are always clean,” he said.

The day I saw him Fraser had just walked into the Calcium Roadhouse for some food.

“I ended up buying a chiko roll there,” he said.

He nominated the most challenging road he gets along as the dirt highway to Weipa on Western Cape York.

“When I go up that way I stop at the Archer River Roadhouse which is a good place for drivers,” he said.

Outside work, Fraser loves riding horses and barracks for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL. His Kenworth is dubbed Lucifer’s Peril and I asked him how that came about. “I don’t really know,” he said.

Brothers Denis and Brian Smith.

Edward likes to unwind by working on his stock car, which he has raced numerous times.

Truckie Graham Fraser has worked for the company for the past two years.

The Smith Brothers Transport fleet.

Wide Range of Trailers

34 PALLET DROP DECK B DOUBLE

2016 HBT B-DOUBLE STOCKCRATES $275,000 INCL GST

2019 HAULMARK EXTENDABLE FLAT TOP $143,000 INCL GST

2010 CANNON STOCKCRATE $148,500 INCL GST

2021 MAXITRANS 34 PALLET B-DOUBLE COMBINATION $308,000 INCL GST

2010 BYRNE B-DOUBLE STOCKCRATE $220,000 INCL GST

2023 MAXITRANS 45FT DROP DECK CURTAINSIDER $187,000 INCL GST

2022 HAULMARK STOCKCRATES R/T COMBINATION $770,000 INCL GST

2022 VAWDREY DROP DECK B -DOUBLE CURTAINSIDER $352,000 INCL GST

B-DOUBLE FLAT DECK CURTAINERSIDERS

Truckin’ In The Tropics

with Alf Wilson

30-year-old Kenworth doesn’t miss a beat for Qld operator

SMALL fleet operator Matt Binsted was hooking up trailers loaded with hay when Big Rigs saw him in the parking area of the Caltex Calcium Roadhouse just after noon recently.

Based in Charters Towers, his company is called BRT Transport and Contracting.

He was in a 1993 Kenworth.

“This is the oldest truck in my fleet and it is a good one. I purchased it about five years ago from an Ingham station,” he said.

Binsted’s B-double was heading back to Charters Towers, about 85 kilometres away, after it had picked up hay at a property not far away from the roadhouse.

“I like stopping here as the facilities are clean and

THIS IS THE OLDEST TRUCK IN MY FLEET AND IT IS A GOOD ONE. I PURCHASED IT ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO FROM AN INGHAM STATION.”

MATT BINSTED

there is lots of parking space. I also enjoy pulling up at the Hann River Roadhouse in Cape York,” he said.

The worst route he’s been on this year is Einasleigh Road heading to Kidston due to the solar farm traffic along with the Peninsula Development Road to Weipa in the far north, after the tourist season.

Outside work this super

friendly driver enjoys fishing with some success.

“I like to go to Lucinda and fish in the Hinchinbrook Channel,” he said.

Just before I saw Binsted at the roadhouse, one of his drivers Graham ‘Spence’ Spencer had been at the same spot. I only missed him by about 20 minutes.

Spence is a golfer of some note around the Charters Towers area.

He has tried to encourage his boss Binsted to have a game, but isn’t having much luck in convincing him to join him on the fairways.

“I just don’t see the point in hitting a ball with a golf club in the sun, when I can be sitting in a boat drinking a beer!” he said with a grin.

Truckies looking out for each other on Townsville deliveries

IT is great when truckies look out for one another and that occurred just before lunch recently, when driver Tash Taylor became an unexpected Good Samaritan.

The 40-year-old truckie drives an Isuzu Automatic for PFD Food Services and had been delivering refrigerated goods to the Fat Dogz Café, which is part of the Hammett Street Precinct in Townsville.

Nearby her, also making deliveries, was a Max Stocks Hino driven by Jack Horton.

I saw Taylor on the way out of the café and asked if I could snap her pics for Big Rigs and have a yarn to her about life on the road.

The photos were duly taken and Taylor was giving me a rundown on how she enjoys her job which she has been in a for a year.

“I do a lot of deliveries

IT IS GREAT WHEN TRUCKIES LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER AND THAT OCCURRED JUST BEFORE LUNCH RECENTLY, WHEN DRIVER TASH TAYLOR BECAME AN UNEXPECTED GOOD SAMARITAN.”

around town especially to businesses such as Zambreros, cafes, roadhouses, hotels and other places. The most popular deliveries are frozen chips and other food. I also can get to Ingham up north and Ayr down south,” she said.

“I also have a HR licence and hope to get into the heavy vehicles down the track,” she said.

At that point the Max

Stocks Hino drove off and Taylor noticed that the trolley they use for loading and unloading had been left behind.

“They will get to the next

Driving from north to south along Qld’s inland roads

EACH week driver Phillip Daniels does the run between Cairns and Brisbane. Daniels was driving a

Western Star for J&V Transport when Big Rigs saw him parked at a pull off area beside the Flinders Highway

near Woodstock.

“I am taking timber blocks to Brisbane,” he said.

Aged 45, Daniels has been a truckie for six years and with this company for a year.

“I am heading down to Brisbane along the inland roads as there are too many roadworks along the Bruce Highway,” he said.

His favourite roadhouse is the BP Mackay and he loves tucking into a chicken parmigiana meal.

“I really like spending time with my family when off work,” he said.

Not really a sports fan, I asked Daniels the reason why.

“I used to love rugby league when it was an old school sport back a few decades,” he said.

Daniels like many other drivers reckons more rest areas are needed with facilities for truckies.

job and discover they have no trolley. It can happen to any driver,” Taylor said.

So she waved hoping to attract the attention of the two in the Hino.

When the Hino was about 50m up an alley, either the driver or passenger noticed through a side mirror that the trolley had been left.

The Hino reversed up

and Horton got out of the driver’s seat and retrieved the trolley.

A genuine case of one truckie looking out for another.

The right truck for the job

DRIVING an Isuzu 8.7 tonne tipper, young driver Kayle Wright, 30, is a common sight around Townsville.

He runs KMW Concreters and Big Rigs saw him pull up outside and come into the Coffee at Tiffany’s Café in Townsville, so we had a yarn.

“We do most of the work around here and have lots on at Alligator Creek just south now, but do get as far away as Mount Isa which is almost 1000km from here. This Isuzu is a trusty truck which handles the job well,” he said.

The Isuzu carries concrete, tools and a variety of other things.

Wright has had the Isuzu for two years and it has 50,000km on the clock.

“Before this I had another Isuzu which was 6.5 tonnes,” he said.

Outside work, Wright enjoys restoring old houses.

A Brisbane Broncos supporter in the NRL, Wright likes stopping at the Yabulu

Roadhouse north of Townsville.

“It is very good there and when in town I like this café

where I am a regular,” he said. His father Kevin Wright is a well-known and popular fellow in the region.

Matt Binsted runs Charters Towers-based BRT Transport and Contracting.

Tash Taylor hopes to work her way up to the bigger rigs.

Jack Horton retrieves the trolley that was left behind.

Kayle Wright uses his Isuzu 8.7 tonne tipper to carry concrete, tools and more.

Rolling towards a  better future

IN today’s fast-paced world, businesses play a crucial role in shaping the future of our planet, as it becomes increasingly

essential for companies to embrace sustainable practices and technologies to minimise their environmental impact.

Goodyear Fleet is leading the charge towards a better future as a commercial tyre and service partner for fleets

by being dedicated to deliver advanced energy efficiency, tyre longevity, convenience, and digital-based tech solutions.

Goodyear Fleet’s commitment to excellence and sustainability is exemplified by its constant search for innovative collaborations with industry-leading partners, such as Cement Australia.

Cement Australia is focused on delivering increasingly sustainable cement products to future generations. Their business understands the need to ensure a social license to operate, which is at the core of their sustainability strategy.

To help contribute towards the cement and concrete industry’s net zero concrete 2050 ambitions, Cement Australia has recently deployed its new Janus JE410 truck – a converted Kenworth T410 Glider, an electric heavy-duty truck innovation, which is believed

to be the first fully manufactured electric Class 8 truck in Australia.

The Goodyear tyres this new electric truck is fitted with – K Max S Gen II (steer), FuelMax D Gen II (drive), and LHT-R re-tread (trailer) – have been designed to be compatible with electric vehicles, offering several features that cater to the unique needs of EVs.

One of the most significant advantages of these Goodyear tyres is their highload capacity, which ensures that the truck can carry heavy loads without compromising performance. In addition, the right tyres for electric trucks are of paramount importance for other reasons as well.

Electric vehicles rely heavily on their tyres’ low rolling resistance to maximise their limited battery range, ensuring efficient energy utilisation. By reducing rolling resistance, these tyres help

Cement Australia’s Janus JE410 travel longer distances on a single charge, making it a more practical and viable option for transporting cementitious materials.

Another notable benefit of these electric vehicle-compatible tyres is their improved internal and external noise reduction. Electric vehicles are renowned for their quieter operation compared to traditional vehicles. However, road noise from tyres can still be a factor. With Goodyear K Max S Gen II, FuelMax D Gen II, and LHT-R retread tyres, Cement Australia can ensure a more pleasant experience for both drivers and the communities they pass through.

The key partnership between Goodyear Fleet and Cement Australia drives positive change and helps build a better future for all of us.

If it rolls, let’s talk about it! Call 13 18 98 or visit goodyearfleet.com.au.

The prime mover of Cement Australia’s Janus JE410 is rolling on K Max S Gen II tyres.

Jason Laurie, asset performance and reliability manager at Cement Australia and Justin Harding, fleet major accounts manager at Goodyear Fleet, with the new electric Janus JE410 truck.

34 SPONSORED CONTENT LIGHTING

JW Speaker lights the way

The revolutionary JW Speaker EVO 3 and EVO 2 Pro LED headlights deliver pure power, reliability and performance.

WHEN it comes to driving at night, especially in challenging conditions, having reliable and high-performance headlights is of paramount importance.

Enter the JW Speaker EVO 3 and EVO 2 Pro LED headlights which are designed to transform your driving experience like never before. Packed with cutting-edge features and built with uncompromising quality, these headlights set a new standard for excellence in truck lighting.

These LED headlights both feature JW Speakers Dual Burn Technology. When the high beams are activated, the Dual Burn technology kicks in, supplementing the standard high beam pattern with additional LED elements. These added LEDs provide a powerful and focused centre hotspot, effectively extending the range of the high beam. This results in significantly improved long-range visibility, making it easier to see obstacles, signs and potential hazards ahead.

“The beauty of the Dual Burn technology lies in its seamless transition between low and high beam modes. When the driver switches from low to high beams, there is no need to toggle between separate bulbs or light sources. The transition is smooth and automatic, providing en-

hanced visibility without dazzling oncoming traffic. This makes the driving experience safer and more convenient, as drivers can enjoy improved visibility without constantly switching between different headlight settings” said Wayne Blackman, managing director of Invision Sales.

The EVO 3 stands as the pinnacle of truck lighting technology, boasting an impressive array of features that set it apart from the competition. As the most powerful headlight in the JW Speaker EVO series, it leaves no room for compromise when it comes to illumination. This versatile LED headlight insert combines low and high beam functionalities, providing drivers with unmatched visibility in any driving situation.

Additionally, the EVO 3 is equipped with front position

lights, ensuring that your vehicle remains visible to others on the road at all times. The inclusion of daytime running lights further enhances safety, making your presence known during daylight hours. Also included with the EVO 3 is integrated turn signals, stream-

lining your truck’s lighting system for a sleek and functional look. With the JW Speaker EVO 3, you can experience the ultimate in performance, reliability, and convenience for an unparalleled driving experience.

JW Speaker has been a

leading force in the transport and automotive lighting industry, producing innovative and high-quality lighting solutions that have set the benchmark for excellence.

JW Speaker’s commitment to engineering prowess and customer satisfaction continues to

shine through in every product they create.

For further information about JW Speaker EVO 3 and EVO 2 Pro LED headlights and the full range of LED lighting solutions, visit invisionsales.com or contact Invision Sales on 03 9336 2066.

Nominations now open for 2023 Craig Roseneder Award

NOMINATIONS are now open for the ATA’s 2023 Craig Roseneder Award for technical and maintenance, with a trip to the US up for grabs.

The Craig Roseneder Award winner will be sent on an all-expenses paid trip to attend a US Technology and Maintenance Council’s Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition.

The winner receives return airfares to the US, five nights premium conference accommodation and A$1500 spending money.

They will also be invited to

Midland.

INSURANCE BROKERS

attend the next ATA Technology and Maintenance Conference.

The winner will be announced at the 2023 Technology and Maintenance Conference (TMC), during the Castrol Vecton Awards Dinner on October 17.

TMC will run from October 16-18 at Kangan Institute at the Docklands in Melbourne.

The selection criteria and nomination form for the award can be found at new.truck.net. au.

Jason Button from CHS

Broadbent won the Craig Roseneder Award last year.

He has been maintenance manager at CHS Broadbent for almost 10 years and has been in the technical and maintenance field for over 30 years.

During his time at CHS Broadbent, he has implemented a system that has significantly reduced down time for large fleets, and has also introduced an automated safety management system.

Nominations close Friday September 8, 2023, at 4pm.

The winner of the Castrol Vecton Industry Achievement

Award will also be presented at this year’s TMC.

The award recognises technical innovation and achievement within the Australian trucking industry.

A recipient of this award will be a group or individual who has developed and implemented new technologies, designs or procedures to improve the industry’s safety, efficiency or productivity. Through their work, a recipient will have demonstrably improved not just their own operations, but also made these improvements available to the industry as a whole.

THE BEAUTY OF THE DUAL BURN TECHNOLOGY LIES IN ITS SEAMLESS TRANSITION BETWEEN LOW AND HIGH BEAM MODES… THE TRANSITION IS SMOOTH AND AUTOMATIC.” WAYNE BLACKMAN

Rear light is the EVO 2 PRO, front light is the EVO 3.

Jason Button from CHS Broadbent won the Craig Roseneder Award last year.

Great headlights are Powerful and Reliable

The JW Speaker EVO headlight range deliver a powerful clean white beam that are amazing to drive with. Being JW Speaker headlights, you can trust their reliability is amazing as well.

EVO 3

ULTRA powerful and reliable

MODEL 8700 EVO 3

This headlight has it all. Ultra powerful high and low beam and a full range of functions. 7" Round LED headlight inserts available in 12V.

High Beam: Dual Burn® for both widespread and long-distance visibility

Low Beam: Brilliant short-range illumination

Daytime Running Light: Eye-catching visibility for daytime driving

ADR APPROVED With Dual Burn® Technology

Turn Signal: Amber LEDs stand out against white for clear indications

Front Position: Emit brilliant white LED light for maximum visibility

Dual Burn technology combines the high & beams to deliver the ultimate headlight.

EVO 2 PRO

VERY Powerful and reliable

MODEL 8700 EVO 2 PRO

A very powerful high and low beam with daytime running light incorporated. 7” Round LED headlight inserts available in 12V.

High Beam: Dual Burn® for both widespread and long-distance visibility

Low Beam: Brilliant short-range illumination

Daytime Running Light: Eye-catching visibility for daytime driving

ADR APPROVED

With Dual Burn® Technology

Connector: The Kenworth T610 SAR uses 2 × AMP connections rather than the standard H4 plug. Includes SAR connections pre-installed.

Dual Burn technology combines the high & beams to deliver the ultimate headlight.

For further details about the J.W. Speaker range contact: Invision Sales: Ph: (03) 9336 2066 www.invisionsales.com

Bruce comes clean

FUEL tanker driver Bruce Andersen, famous for efficiency in his rig, has done it again.

With his customised DAF CF450 prime mover and 43,000 litre tanker he is able to save about $20k a year in fuel costs, on his route between Hervey Bay and Brisbane.

After a few 600km round trips, his baby needs a bath. And what pressure cleaner does a man famous for efficiency choose? An Aussie Scud 351 Truck Wash Special.

Why I bought Aussie Bruce tells the story of how he came to buy an Aussie Scud 351 pressure cleaner.

“I was at the Brisbane Truck Show in May, looking to buy a new pressure cleaner,” said Bruce. “After two weeks, nobody had got back to me and I had to call them. They were disorganised and didn’t know my details.”

After this disappointing experience, Bruce saw an Aussie Pumps ad in Big Rigs, and gave them a call.

“I spoke to the boss, and he really knew about his product. I thought I wanted a hot water machine, but we decided a cold water with higher pressure would be best for my needs.

“He said what he would do, then he did what he said,” recalls Bruce. “That’s why I

bought the Aussie.”

Half the time

With Bruce’s old 11 Lpm/180 bar machine, it took 4.5 to 5 hours to clean the truck.

But now it only takes him 2 to 2.5 hours to wash down his rig.

Bruce uses the same chemicals he’s always used: Eazy Gleam Rip Off heavy-duty cleaner/degreaser, and Car-

nauba Wash & Wax.

He only needs to scrub the front if the bugs are bad, and the back to remove road grime.

With the Aussie Scud, the 21 l/min flow at 2600 psi means the lance does the scrubbing for you.

The 30 metre hose means Bruce can walk right around the rig without moving the Aussie Blaster. There’s no need for a ladder because a 2m

Aussie Lance has a 20 degree bend and reaches to the top.

Attention to detail Bruce considered using a truck wash service, but realised he might miss signs that maintenance was required. It was better for him to clean his own rig and be alert to any subtle changes.

Bruce’s attention to detail on his truck and its mainte-

nance has led to direct savings in costs and time.

“I highly recommend the machine and the service we’ve got from Aussie Pumps,” said Bruce.

Dedication runs in the family

Bruce is clearly committed to keeping his rig well-maintained, and it seems that dedication runs in the family.

His 12-year-old daughter was looking forward to helping her dad. However it seems the Aussie Scud 351 was so powerful, Bruce wouldn’t let his daughter use it yet. Never mind, the Scud is so durable it will still be working hard for the Andersen family when his daughter has grown up. They last decades.

For more information contact aussiepumps.com.au.

The Scud cold water pressure cleaner.

Bruce Andersen’s DAF CF450 prime mover and 43,000 litre tanker.

New campaign highlights the cost of non-compliance

GLOBAL telematics business Teletrac Navman has launched a new campaign highlighting that safety regulation compliance is the responsibility of every person within a business.

The Cost of Non-Compliance aims to emphasise the importance of compliance with safety regulations in the road transport industry. By shedding light on the true toll of non-compliance, Teletrac Navman says it seeks to create awareness, drive behavioural change, and foster a safety-first culture among all stakeholders in the supply chain.

“Safety and compliance are not just legal obligations; they form the backbone of a smooth, efficient, and secure road transport sector,” said Teletrac Navman’s national manager transport Anthony Laras. “It’s challenging for fleet operators and drivers to navigate the complex regulatory landscape. The campaign brings to the forefront the significant penalties and consequences that businesses and individuals may face due to non-compliance.”

Under the Chain of Responsibility (CoR), every party involved in the road conveyance supply chain, including directors, managers, employees, contractors, and suppliers, shares the responsibility for compliance. In the event of prosecution, every party must demonstrate that they’ve taken every reasonable step to prevent law breaches; otherwise, they may be held partially liable for incidents or collisions that occur on the road.

CoR ensures all parties in the chain, such as employers, contractors, operators, consignors, and loading managers, collectively strive to eliminate or minimise risks associated with heavy vehicle transport activities to the extent reasonably practicable.

But Teletrac Navman explains that, surprisingly, more than half of the CoR functions also apply to people or businesses not directly owning or operating heavy vehicles. Whenever a business uses

a heavy vehicle to send or receive goods, they automatically become a part of the CoR. Non-compliance with CoR regulations carries severe penalties and impacts various parties along the supply chain. Teletrac Navman’s new campaign highlights the following penalties for non-compliance:

• $3,721,686 – The maximum monetary penalty for NSW companies found guilty of category one offences for reckless conduct according to the Work Health and Safety Act. This highlights the ethical duty for businesses to prioritise safety and protect their most valuable resource – their people.

• $300,000 and five years

jail – The penalty for individual company directors found guilty of category one offences under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), holding them accountable for their employees’ or contractors’ actions.

• $10,000 – The maximum penalty under HVNL for consignors and consignees who encourage or require unsafe behaviours from heavy vehicle drivers or parties in the CoR.

• $15,000 – The penalty for schedulers, supervisors, or any person arranging goods for transport in heavy vehicles, responsible for ensuring drivers’ wellbeing, working hours, and compliance with speed limits.

• $16,119 – The maximum penalty in Victoria for an unsecured load causing harm or damage, highlighting the responsibilities of those handling goods and loading/unloading heavy vehicles.

• $5500 – Drivers are not exempt from responsibilities; they must ensure they

follow road rules, with personal fines applying to drivers with over-height vehicles.

“At Teletrac Navman, we are dedicated to supporting the heavy vehicle industry in safety and compliance, ultimately making roads safer for everyone,” said Laras.

Teletrac Navman says its solutions streamline compliance with regulatory programs, including the Chain of Responsibility (CoR). With real-time visibility into the responsibilities of different parties in the supply chain, businesses can minimise risks, reduce breaches, and avoid penalties.

“Supporting businesses to foster a safety-first culture, our campaign emphasises that compliance is integral to ensuring the health, wellbeing, and safety of drivers, other road users, and the community,” Laras added.

“By adhering to CoR and HVNL obligations, heavy vehicle operators not only avoid legal consequences but also showcase their commitment to being responsible industry leaders.”

Non-compliance with CoR regulations carries severe penalties and impacts various parties along the supply chain.

MORE THAN HALF OF THE COR FUNCTIONS ALSO APPLY TO PEOPLE OR BUSINESSES NOT DIRECTLY OWNING OR OPERATING HEAVY VEHICLES.”

Dangerous overtaking putting others at risk

Risky driving on Flinders

During a recent trip along the section of the Flinders Highway on the way to Charters Towers I was amazed by the high number of wide loads.

Add to that scores of triples and quads.

What was a worry is that I saw five instances of car drivers conducting dangerous overtaking to get around heavy vehicles, some of which are more than 50m long.

One of those stupid acts almost resulted in a car having a head on collision with an oncoming vehicle.

I reckon the only thing that saved that reckless driver was the actions of the quad driver who slowed down considerably.

What is the Min Min light?

The piece in a recent column about an alleged sighting of a black panther sparked a huge response and some of those who contacted Spy also mentioned the elusive and mysterious Min Min Light.

So what is a Min Min, does it really exist and how many people have seen it?

Over the years Spy has spoken to many truckies who

claim to have seen a Min Min whilst travelling remote roads at night.

Others have provided what they say are feasible explanations for what it is.

The Min Min has remained one of Australia’s true mysteries for more than 100 years and opinion is divided about what it actually is.

Hundreds of creditable people have reported seeing the phenomenon along the 376km stretch of road between Winton and Boulia in the Queensland outback.

Visitors from all over travel to Boulia in the hope of seeing the Min Min light which was first sighted by Cobb and Co coach passengers in the late 1800s.

It is described as being an orange glow, which moves around at great speed over flat country. It can jump up and down, and seems to move away as one approaches it.

In the main street of Boulia is a large sign advising visitors of the Min Min being a genuine mystery.

Many truck drivers travel along the Winton to Boulia Road, where the only stop for refreshments in between is the Middleton Hotel, which is about halfway.

Numerous truck drivers have stopped there over the decades claiming to have seen the light.

The Min Min Encounter

Centre in the main street of Boulia has a record of many alleged sightings and included is a pic taken during 2003 in the town, which appears to be an unexplained light.

It was snapped by a Western Australian lady staying at the caravan park in the main street of Boulia and the shot is of the street outside.

One of the pictures taken amazingly shows a large unexplained light on the side of the road.

Well-known and famous outback businessman and ex truckie, the late Cliff Donohoe, used to travel between Townsville and Boulia, and wrote a book about the Min Min.

Donohoe claimed it was real but couldn’t say exactly what it was.

A Brisbane scientist claimed that that the Min Min Light is a cold layer of air, which reflects light.

A highly respected woman who was raised in Boulia said that she was born at the Min Min Hotel, which is 108km from there.

She said her father’s grandmother was named Granny Lilly and used to walk around the hotel area each night, carrying a kerosene fuelled hurricane lamp, before going to bed.

Sadly she died and it is claimed her spirit was seen with the lamp, hence the origins of the Min Min.

If you doubted some of those I have spoken to who claim to have seen the Min Min light you might well receive a “knuckle sandwich” on the jaw.

Of course there have been opinions which include that it is light from a UFO and the odd humorous one.

The late Larry Dulhunty, who travelled the outback for more than 50 years before he died in 2007, had never seen it but had spoken to many who had.

“They reckon a chemical such as phosphorus on the bum of a roo or emu is the cause,” he said.

So if you are a truckie and have seen the Min Min or have your own opinion about exactly what it is, we want to hear from you. Any pictures are welcomed.

Sharp edges on seats

One of the major complaints from truck drivers is the shortage of genuine rest areas, specifically ones which have toilets, and shaded areas with tables and seats.

So Spy was reluctant initially to report concerns from drivers about rest areas which have these.

Their whinge was that some of those with concrete tables and seats have sharp edges which has resulted in cuts for users.

Half a dozen drivers say they have received wounds which have resulted in bleeding as they have gotten up to leave the seats.

These sharp edges are on the corners of both the tables and chairs and their wounds have been on the back of the legs or the stomach.

HV Compliance is Australia's leading Chain of Responsibility consulting & compliance Company.

Heavy Vehicle Compliance & Training for Aussie Trucking is exactly what we do. At HV Compliance we specialise in delivery of customised systems for all types of trucking fleets weather large or small with a team of experienced industry professionals who work with you & know exactly what you need to get results.

•

•

An oversize load on the Flinders Highway.

One of the tables with concrete seats with sharp edges at a rest area.

The picture reported to be the Min Min Light.

Trailers carrying hay at a roadhouse parking area in Queensland.

SPY ON THE ROAD

ALF WILSON

Spy experienced this whilst taking a break at one such rest area.

This may seem like a menial complaint but not so for anybody who has suffered a wound.

Hay trucks in large numbers

It is that time of the year when a large number of trucks hauling hay can be seen on our highways and byways.

So Spy asked one long time truckie who had two trailers chock a block loaded with hay what was the reason.

“There is a lot of cattle being shifted as the demand for beef increases.

Also mustering is going on everywhere and in the far north and the NT cattle are being taken to ships for live export,” he said.

Also the stations on which the cattle have grazed have little grass so the demand for hay is great.

Public phones scarce

Due to the fanatical use of mobile phones by most peo

ple, those public phones which had once been around in large numbers are now scarce.

Once upon a time public phones were found everywhere.

Whilst on a trip along the Flinders Highway recently Spy noticed a public phone booth outside the Caltex Raodhouse at Calcium.

There was even a person inside either making a call or trying to.

More panther sightings

My piece in a recent edition about a couple in a caravan allegedly spotting a black panther-like big cat resulted in a heap of responses.

One WA truckie who lives in Baldivis said that in 2009, at about 10pm, he was standing outside a donga and saw a

tioned here in World War II had panthers as mascots and released them into the bush when hostilities finished.

However, this gent who still drives a Hino in his hometown, which is 46km from Perth, has a second possible explanation.

“I heard that some escaped from circuses and bred in the bush,” he said.

Piddle problem

As truckies negotiate the highways and byways often along remote routes they come across roadworks, some of which have traffic control officers.

A percentage are female and it seems that many have a problem finding a location when they need a piddle.

Male controllers can slip behind a tree or scrub where one is available. However, it

Along with his wife, they had been away and had no idea that the bill was overdue.

They returned home to discover the power had been cut off.

However, pardon the pun here, but he was in the dark as to which of the five electricity providers in the Perth region serviced his residence.

So he phoned them all and you guessed it, his provider was the last one he contacted.

In the end the power was restored after three more days and he had to pay a reconnection fee.

Shirt centre of attention

A man wearing a colourful shirt who was standing with his back facing traffic entering a busy shopping centre was the centre of attention.

The shirt he had on stood out like dog’s you-knowwhat and had the words “Without trucks Australia stops” screen printed on it.

Spy saw the gent and heard numerous patrons who were heading into the local IGA store discussing it.

It was the first time Spy had ever seen such a shirt but it certainly was a positive for the road transport industry.

Snapper to the rescue

Around Australia, Spy has numerous contacts who are keen photographers, with an eye out for pics they can send to me.

One who has provided lots of images over the years is retired NSW journalist Graham Hunt who also has a road transport background

through his father who had been a long-time truckie. Hunty, as he is known, usually sends pics of trucks, roadhouses or other things pertinent to the industry.

However, on this occasion he sent me sensational snaps he took whilst attending the Australian inshore rescue boat (IRB) championships at Kingscliff, just over the Queensland border in NSW.

I know this sport doesn’t have a road transport industry flavour. But lots of truckies I have spoken to over the years while doing stories for Big Rigs follow it.

Recently, I had the pleasure of going on a road trip with Hunty to Ravenswood and Charters Towers and enjoyed it.

The public phone booth, which is rare these days, outside the Calcium Roadhouse.

The old ruins of the Min Min Hotel.

Action shots from the Australian inshore rescue boat championships in NSW, sent in by reader Graham Hunt.

A truck hauling hay outside a NSW roadhouse on the New England Highway near Armidale.

Countdown is on to big awards night in Melbourne

many essential workers in this industry - truck drivers, freight carriers, logistics experts, and other professionals who tirelessly work to keep supply chains operational –often go unnoticed.

THE countdown is on for one of our industry’s most significant and best attended events with the gala presentation of the 33rd Australian Freight Industry Awards, proudly sponsored by TWUSUPER and Viva Energy Australia.

The VTA invites you and your operation to join in the celebrations of our great industry by attending the gala presentation.

Members and operators have made reservations to ensure their enjoyment of the dinner and entertainment and celebration of AFIA winners in the Palladium at Crown Melbourne on Saturday, September 2, and we’d love to see you there.

AFIA presentations will be made in the following award categories:

• Female Leadership Award sponsored by Viva Energy Australia

• Investment in People

Award sponsored by Logical Staffing Solutions

• Application of Technology Award sponsored by Transport Certification Australia

• Young Achiever Award sponsored by Daimler Truck Australia Pacific

• Best Practice Safety Award sponsored by Gallagher

• Sustainable Environment

Award sponsored by NTI

The VTA also acknowledges CMV Truck & Bus for its generous sponsorship of the Personality of the Year Award.

I am thrilled with the quality and calibre of the many nominations received across each of the award categories.

Last year we set a record for entries, and with so much innovation and best practice taking place right across our great industry, the quality and calibre of nominations for our 33rd presentation of the awards are second to none.

The contributions of the

This is why the Australian Freight Industry Awards hold immense importance, as they not only celebrate the many achievements of the transport sector but also recognise the hard work and dedication of transport workers.

From outstanding safety practices to efficient logistics management and sustainable initiatives, these accolades recognise the best practices that drive the industry forward.

The AFIA Gala Presentation features a spectacular stage show with entertainment from acclaimed cover band Furnace and the Fundamentals.

The band features an immense repertoire of hit songs, performed with incredible musicianship and with a stunning stage presence.

From The Beatles to Beyonce, Queen to Daft Punk, The Lion King to Dirty Dancing and everything in between, Furnace and the Fundamentals are unlike anything you’ve seen before and are sure to have guests on their feet throughout the evening.

We look forward to a sensational evening celebrating everything that is great about our great transport industry and the phenomenal efforts and achievements of its people.

The Australian Freight Industry Awards play a crucial role in recognising the transport industry and its workers, highlighting their achievements, and promoting continuous improvement.

By acknowledging excellence and innovation, boosting morale and motivation, enhancing the industry’s reputation, and attracting talent, these awards contribute to the overall growth and success of the transport industry in Australia.

It is imperative that we

THE AUSTRALIAN FREIGHT INDUSTRY AWARDS HOLD IMMENSE IMPORTANCE, AS THEY NOT ONLY CELEBRATE THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE TRANSPORT SECTOR BUT ALSO RECOGNISE THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF TRANSPORT WORKERS.”

continue to appreciate the efforts of those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our economy moving.

I invite you and your colleagues to join the industry for the black-tie gala award presentations at Crown Melbourne on Saturday, September 2, and to celebrate our great industry and its high achievers.

To secure your ticket or table visit afiawards.com.au.

Livinia Nixon will act as master of ceremonies for the 2023 AFIAs.

Furnace and the Fundamentals will provide plenty of entertainment at the gala presentation.

General manager Safety Jason O’Keife accepted the 2022 Best Practice Safety Award for Wettenhalls.

PETER ANDERSON

TWAL signs partnership with Viva Energy Australia

rate member of TWAL for many years and this partnership underpins their commitment to the organisation.

Secretary for being such a wonderful MC and Facilitator on the day.

TRANSPORT Women

Australia Limited (TWAL) is excited to announce the signing of a silver partnership with long term sponsor Viva Energy Australia.

The agreement was signed recently and is an ongoing commitment by both organisations to the advancement of women within the transport and logistics industry.

The partnership will strengthen the bond between the two groups and enable TWAL to continue to provide programmes and initiatives to its members.

This partnership with Viva continues the exciting year for TWAL and we are looking forward to collaborating more closely with the Viva team.

Viva Energy Australia has been a sponsor and corpo

We have always collaborated closely with Viva, their support for our events and conferences and other projects has meant their contribution going well beyond sponsorship. This new partnership is just further cementing of that relationship.

This is the third partnership TWAL has signed in recent months with both Linfox and Prime Creative Media becoming Gold Partners of the association.

TWAL had a hugely successful day at CeMAT recently with our private event being well attended and the audience and speakers enjoying a very interactive and productive discussion.

Our panel provided great insight and information and we are incredibly grateful for their contribution, thank you to Courtenay Skinner (Ross Transport), Emma Andrew (Amazon Australia) and Lauren Bourke (TalentWeb) and to True Ross-Sawrey, TWAL Company

We had a marvellous speaker at our event, Joana Feiteira (Transdev) speaking about her career, her achievements and her challenges working in a predominantly male industry, moving across the globe without a job and how wonderfully well it had all turned out in the end. Joana was a Driving the Difference scholarship winner in 2022 and recently won the TWAL 2023 photo competition.

We had Kat Attana (Tasman Logistics Services) represent us on a panelRecruitment and Career Building amidst a Labour Shortage, on the Main Stage and I was honoured to speak about Creating A Truly Diverse Work Force, also on the Main Stage in the Knowledge Theatre. The expo was a wonderful experience, and we certainly hope to be back next year.

Next week we will be off to St Francis Catholic College Edmondson Park for their VET Experience Day

and then we are all off to Alice Springs for the Festival of Transport, our Annual TWAL Breakfast, the inaugural Transport Women Unite Red Ball and the very first Dream Maker Awards. We all have our red dresses ready to rock the night away.

Other exciting news involves our “Living the Dream” song which is available on Spotify and often heard on Australian Truck Radio, it has made it to the final thirty in two categories in the Australian Song Writing Awards, both Australia and Country. We are so stoked and hoping to get to the next level of Finalist when they are announced in late September, getting there one level at a time!

Sponsorship opportunities for the 2024 Living the Dream Conference will be going out this week, anyone interested can contact chair@ transportwomen.com.au or phone 0417 422 319.

Also, anyone wishing to sponsor an EOY function can contact chair@trans portwomen.com.au or call 0417 422 319.

Nick Lubransky, marketing manager – Transport at Viva Energy Australia, and TWAL chair Jacquelene Brotherton.

Carrot vs stick approach is worth a fresh look

while the vehicle to detect under or over-inflation, sensors to warn of the presence of pedestrians or cyclists at low speed, and detectors for drowsiness or inattention.

THE announcement that a new Australian Design Rule will make reversing technology mandatory in all new vehicles in Australia, including trucks, from 2025 shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

Reverse cameras and cameras have been a required safety feature in all new American-made vehicles since May 1, 2018.

In Europe, they’re taking things a step further, and all vehicle registrations must comply with a new road safety directive, the General Safety Regulation (GSR), from July 2024.

The GSR mandates that every truck and bus registered in Europe by vehicle manufacturers must include eight specific automatic driver assistance safety features.

They include constant monitoring of all tyre pressures

An alcohol Interlock system, and intelligent speed assistance that uses cameras and GPSlinked map databases are two more controversial mandated inclusions.

Safety is always a hot topic in our industry.

I’d argue that truck drivers are the most safety-conscious people on Australian roads. How can you be otherwise when you’re confronted daily by potentially hazardous situations brought on by drivers of light vehicles that are far more manoeuvrable over short distances?

The figure varies from year to year but in 80-90 per cent of fatal crashes involving a truck and a car, the light vehicle driver is at fault.

For some years in Australia, arguments have raged in road safety circles about the wisdom of making reversing technology compulsory.

Some experts contended that the tech would lull drivers into a false sense of security.

In no way do reversing cameras take away the need for pedestrians to be aware of how to behave when near a heavy vehicle.

If reversing cameras create another layer of safety in interactions between people and trucks, we should be all for them.

The last NSW election was notable in that both Labor and the Coalition argued the respective merits of allowing

motorists to be credited with a demerit point after a period of unblemished driving, or for cleanskins to be excused penalties for low-level infringements upon appeal.

It raises the question of whether clever use of a carrot can have more of an impact than a stick.

Professor Steven Greaves of Sydney University’s Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies wrote an article a few months

ago about driver behaviour and asking if it could be improved by offering incentives.

He cited a 2010 trial in which three-quarters of Australian motorists reduced their speed when part of an incentive scheme that paid a few cents for every kilometre spent under the speed limit.

Professor Greaves wrote:

“While government efforts to incentivise better driving behaviour will likely continue to

be met with scepticism due to their overtly political undertones, insurance companies competing for market share face no such constraints.

“Incentive-based products, where motorists can earn rebates back on their premiums, based on demonstrating ‘good’ driving captured through an in-vehicle tracking device are widely available overseas.”

Light vehicle drivers aged 18-25 are the highest risk, highest premium, most under-insured group on our roads. The only policy premium reductions available to them in Australia are for kilometres driven.

Professor Greaves reckons this is the chance for state governments to step in and offer incentivised discounts on mandatory CTP Green Slips and I can only echo him.

Maybe there’s an angle for heavy vehicle drivers as well.

Given their safety focus and the fact that most fatal collisions are down to motorist behaviour, proportionate incentives for reduced premiums for truck policies make sense for drivers who have a clean record and spend large amounts of time behind the wheel.

The life-saving technology is already standard in trucks like the popular Isuzu N-Series.

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

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

For some, their entire careers so far.

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

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

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

KNOWLEDGE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Across

1 Avoirdupois means what (6)

7 To be frugal, is to be what (8)

8 What is an underground passage (6)

9 Name another term for a lift (8)

10 What excites the anger of a bull (3,3)

11 What might we call automatic behaviour (8)

14 Name a renowned Australian cyclist and politician, Sir Hubert ... (8)

18 What is forcible restraint of liberty (6)

19 Who are trained in exercises of physical agility (8)

21 Name a class of warm-blooded vertebrate (6)

22 To think hard, is to do what (8)

23 Which hospital workers tend the sick (6)

Down

1 Where was Napoleon decisively defeated (8)

2 Name the class below the nobility (6)

Sad day for all in transport

3 What is another term for a wire (8)

4 Not any, is described by which word (4)

5 Which silver-white metallic element has the symbol Co (6)

6 What are pins, upon which things rotate (6)

12 Which musicians play in brass orchestras (8)

13 What are objects or weapons that can be thrown (8)

15 What might we call a customer of a shop (6)

16 Name a light, finger-shaped cake (6)

17 Which paint is applied to a surface as a base (6)

20 To defrost, is to do what (4)

CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENTS:

in Melbourne.

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

We also presented the inaugural Trish Pickering Mem-

orial Award, sponsored by the wonderful Wes Pickering. This was awarded for longterm outstanding contribution by a female to the road transport industry, the inaugural winner was Pam McMillan the longest serving director and chair of Transport Women Australia Limited. This is an annual award and the recipient of the 2020 Trish Pickering Memorial Award

Fighting to end the inequality: Big Rigs

the owner and the employee.

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

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

Truck drivers are still dying at work.

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

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

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

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

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

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

industry as dry as they can.

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

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

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

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

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

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

played their parts

losing their contracts and the ability to support their families.

It appears the government does not care.

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

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

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

A final reminder to all Big Rigs readers: now is the time to unite, now is the time to ensure equality in this industry. Together we can stand on common ground working to ensure the government continues to support transport workers and the industry they support.

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

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

Jacquelene Brotherton (far right) enjoys

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

Rising Star winner kicking goals for TGR Transport

AT the joint Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) and Livestock and Rural Transport Association of WA conference in Busselton, WA, the winner of the inaugural Rural Transport Rising Star (RTRS) award was revealed.

Amy Throckmorton, who works at TGR Transport in Victoria, was named the winner and was presented with a trophy, a $5000 cash prize and a GME GPS Personal Location Beacon.

She currently works as operations manager for TGR Transport in Victoria.

Throckmorton came out at the head of a very strong field of nine nominees, with entrants from all over Australia being put forward by their employers and associates. The panel of four judges admitted that it was difficult to single out the winner, as the quality of nominees was so high.

Growing up in rural Victoria, Throckmorton’s father owned trucks and her grandfather had a farm.

This introduction to the industry saw her washing trucks to pay for phone credit. Her

first real role in transport was with Wettenhalls, where she started processing run sheets.

Over time she moved into other roles, gaining experience in fleet maintenance administration, and then going on to manage both the workshop and fleet maintenance. We now find her as an operations manager at TGR Transport. The fleet handles grain cartage as well as heavy haulage around Australia.

Throckmorton’s job involves most parts of the business, including scheduling trucks, organising loads, managing drivers, co-ordinating with customers, scheduling maintenance, processing payroll, completing invoicing and even organising work training functions. She describes her role as being, “a jack (or jill) of all trades role” and says she loves it.

“I learnt early on that trans-

port is about learning on the job,” Throckmorton said. “You learn quickly when things go wrong! My roles have varied from scheduling milk trucks at McColls to running the Kenworth service office. I take every chance to attend truck shows, conferences and courses as this industry always changes.”

TGR transport director, Tom Allen, described Throckmorton as, “A country girl with a strong passion for the

transport industry. Very content working with trucks in the rural sector.”

Damian Swalling, a livestock transport operator from Toowoomba in Queensland, was the runner-up for the RTRS award and also received a GME GPS Personal Location Beacon.

The RTRS award was developed by PowerTorque Magazine, in association with the ALRTA, and this year is sponsored by BP.

The aim of the award is to shine the spotlight on, and encourage, the best in young people who are working in the industry and driving it forward into the future.

PowerTorque editor Tim Giles said the the RSRT initiative was developed because, like many sectors of the economy, the rural trucking sector is crying out for bright new entrants into the industry.

“The award is designed to highlight young people currently working in many roles across this sector, creating change and improving the industry, with the aim of demonstrating the possibilities for other young potential entrants into our industry,” Giles said.

“The RSRT award is intended to extend and complement the young persons awards, which some rural transport state associations already have in place.

“This award can bring those involved at state level to national attention and emphasise the wide variety of roles rural transport offers. It’s not just about truck drivers, but anyone involved in rural transport – and in any capacity.”

HEAVY VEHICLE DRIVER/OPERATOR POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Due to company expansion, we have multiple positions available providing heavy vehicle support to CSG field operations in South West QLD.

About the position:

• Semi, road train and truck & dog combinations

• Water and vac tanker operations e.g., dust suppression/road watering, transporting drilling fluids, water etc

• Specialised landspray operations

• Managing fluid transfer operations on the lease

• On the job training provided

• 12-hour shifts

• Roster is either 2/2 or 2/1 weeks (depending on the operation)

• Meals and accom provided

• This role can be labour intense which requires applicants to be physically fit and have a sound knowledge of positive manual handling techniques

• Sign-on incentive/bonus (conditions apply)

• Above award wages, with the potential to earn up to $52/hr plus super

Requirements of the positions:

• Heavy vehicle licence required

• Min 2 years (recent) heavy vehicle driving experience

• Competently drive an 18-speed road ranger transmission

• Mandatory medical assessment and traffic history checks

• Commitment to health, safety and environmental practices and standards

• Knowledge and understanding of heavy vehicle maintenance

Please direct all applications and enquiries to: careers@coho-resources.com

Craig Davis: 0455 538 253

L-R: Scott McDonald (ALRTA), Damian Swalling, Amy Throckmorton, Kathy Young (BP) and PowerTorque editor Tim Giles.

Amy Throckmorton is the winner of the inaugural Rural Transport Rising Star (RTRS) award.

She asked for a microwave, and got a truck

K. S. Easter’s longest-serving driver was recently handed the keys to a new 2023 model Kenworth T610 SAR, complete with personalised plates.

Kathryn Mobbs, 57, has been in the driver’s seat for 36 years. Growing up on a dairy farm on the Pacific Highway in Moorland, NSW, she would watch in awe as the trucks went past – and that’s what helped to cement her future career path.

The first truck she ever drove was an old cattle truck on the family’s property. Then as soon as she was old enough, she went for her truck licence – and she’s never looked back.

Mobbs started working at Easter Group/DTC in 1997. Based in Brisbane, she’s an express linehaul driver and was last year named the Queensland Trucking Association’s 2022 Professional Driver of the Year. Humble in her achievements, Mobbs said, “I just enjoy it, I’ve always enjoyed driving, but it’s also the work and the company. They’re very family orientated.”

Mobbs was handed the keys to the T610 about six weeks ago. “It’s got a microwave and that’s all I wanted – I asked for

a microwave and they gave me a whole new truck with the microwave!” she joked.

“When I get a new truck, I like to keep it until it reaches its million. I don’t like to swap and change too much. I was in a Western Star before this one. It reached its million the week after I got out of it.

“The Kenworth is so different to the Western Star, but you

get used to it really quickly. It’s really nice to drive.”

Though Mobbs knew she was getting the new truck to drive, her bosses kept the plates under wraps. “I knew it was coming but the number plates were a big surprise,” she said.

“They were a bit sneaky!”

The LK on the plates stands for “little kid”. As Mobbs explained, “When I started, I was

with some really big drivers and I was really tiny, so I got the nickname Little Kid. But I haven’t been called that for years, now it’s just ‘LK’.”

Mobbs’ new truck was one of two new Kenworth T610 SARs delivered to K. S. Easter at the end of June. Both trucks are running B-doubles between Brisbane and Sydney.

The company has welcomed

Reader reaction

Timothy Jennings:

“Congratulations Kathy, job well done! Also well done to Easters for recognising a driver that has really worked hard for them for a lot of years. A rarity these days.”

Mick Ziersch: “That is really nice to see that the employer and employee have a great relationship, well done guys and girls.”

Adam Black: “Well done. It’s a shame other majors don’t take the personal approach to their drivers. Talk the talk, but you don’t see them walk the walk.”

Jilly Parrish: “Well deserved for the great job and loyalty to one company.”

plenty of new gear to the fleet in recent months including a Western Star 48X, two new Volvo Globetrotter FH16s delivered in late June for B-triple and A-double work, and another two new Volvo Globetrotter FH16s that arrived this month.

The company is also in the process of constructing a brand new site, which it hopes will be completed in coming months.

Shirley George:

“Congratulations you obviously deserve it so pat yourself on the back girl.”

Neil Kennett: “Outstanding achievement, Kathy and you earned it.”

Easter Group Pty Ltd Easter Group Pty Ltd

73 Formation St, Wacol

Easter Group, located in Wacol, provides time sensitive road transporting solutions to many companies throughout Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. We are a family owned business, operating since 1976. We currently have the following positions available:

OPERATIONS ALLOCATORS (Brisbane based only)

You will be required to work on a rotating roster including Days-Nights-Weekends

Previous Operations experience preferred.

MC LOCAL, LINEHAUL & 2-UP DRIVERS WANTED

(Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Based)

Come and work for us as we are committed to:

• Training and further education • Your safety

• Maintaining an impressive Fleet

On offer 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

Kathryn Mobbs was thrilled with the new Kenworth. Her bosses also kept the personalised plates under wraps.

THE RIDE YOU CAN COUNT ON.

MERITOR MAF AIR SPRINGS

• Exceptional corrosion resistance

• Proven rubber and chord quality

• Lightweight high strength pistons

• Comprehensive range for truck, bus and trailer