Big Rigs 29 September 2023

Address: 379 Docklands Drive, Docklands VIC 3008

Phone: 03 9690 8766

Email: editor@bigrigs.com.au

EDITOR James Graham: 0478 546 462 james.graham@primecreative.com.au

REPORTER Danielle Gullaci danielle.gullaci@primecreative.com.au

BY JAMES GRAHAM

AFTER months of educating truckies on the benefits of parking their dollies at the front of the busy breakdown pads, unofficial Gatton sheriff Wes Walker says the message is finally getting through.

On a recent drive into the Queensland facility, he was thrilled to see more than 20 dollies in a neat, orderly line in the section he’s been steering drivers to, rather than have them randomly dumped around the site, taking up valuable trailer space.

“Parking has improved immensly,” Walker said. “I only counted nine [dollies] down the back but well over 20 up the front.”

“If TMR would just do the correct thing and put lines there it would make it easier for the men and women and we could get a lot more in there, up the front.”

Walker also reiterated his call for a 48-hour time limit on parking at the site.

Run properly, Walker believes the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has an opportunity to make the pads an example for others to follow around Australia.

“What they’ve got to understand is that there are more people using this facility than what was using them.

“They claim it is only running at 70 per cent capacity, but they need to go there on a Friday night, or Sunday night/ Monday morning to really see how that show operates – it’s a shit fight.”

Walker says the main issues stem from some operators using the facility has a depot, “hogging” the in-demand Friday and Sunday night spaces.

“When you’ve got people using it as yard, with their trailers there for four or five days, that’s when it becomes a pain in the arse.

“If they just time-limited it and worked with me [it could be different]. I’d notify them of a trailer that’s been there too long and then they’d send them [the registered owner] an email saying they’ve got two hours to move it, or we get it towed out at your expense.”

Walker estimates that about 20 per cent of the trailers at the site at any one time have overstayed their welcome.

“That’s a big hog,” he said.

Walker says at least one major national operator has changed its practice of leaving trailers there on Friday and not

moving them again until Monday since he began lobbying the company’s drivers.

“From Friday lunch time until 6am on Monday they were hogging room at the worst time of the week,” Walker said.

“They [the drivers] just said no to the boss, we’re not doing it anymore. We’re the people getting yelled at.

“Now they just run back in and back out on Monday morning. I really appreciate the boys doing that, they listened.”

A TMR spokesperson told Big Rigs it monitors the operation of the Gatton Heavy Vehicle Decoupling Facility (GHVDF) via CCTV.

“CCTV monitoring confirms self-regulated parking is operating as expected, with no need for additional line marking or enforcement measures,” the spokesperson said.

“There are normal peaks and troughs, and recent monitoring indicates the facility is operating at about 70

per cent capacity.

TMR said the layout was designed based on feedback from heavy vehicle operators, and initially built with 30 marked parking bays for trailers. The facility was extended in August 2021 with an ancillary parking area on the southern side.

“We encourage users to show courtesy to others when using the GHVDF by not using the facility as a long-term trailer/dolly parking area.”

Wes Walker says the message is getting through but there is still more work that can be done at the Gatton site. Photo: Wes Walker.

Trailer giant to close doors at new Queensland facility

AUSTRALIA’S largest supplier of local manufactured heavy-duty road transport trailer solutions is closing its manufacturing facility in Carole Park, Queensland.

MaxiTRANS officially opened the 14,300 square metre site in February 2021, but is shutting up shop in March next year to focus on “centralising” its trailer manufacturing business in Ballarat, Victoria.

The media release announcement did not say how many jobs will be lost with the closure, but when the facility opened, MaxiTRANS said it would be employing 70 new people with a further 70 operational jobs expected to follow over the ensuing five years.

A statement said that MaxiTRANS is in the process of discussions with reallocating roles to other areas of the business and supporting relocation to other sites, where applicable, to retain as many staff as possible.

Since Australian Trailer Solutions Group (ATSG) bought the MaxiTRANS trailer business in September 2021, executive chairman

Greg L’estrange said the company has never strayed “on supporting the needs of our people, which makes today’s [September 18] decision an extremely difficult one.”

MaxiTRANS primarily produced tipper products under the Lusty EMS, Hamelex White and AZMEB brands at the Carole Park site.

“The new Carole Park facility is an exciting expansion for MaxiTRANS which will provide greater safety, flexibility, efficiency and quality outcomes for our business and our customers,” said Dean Jenkins, MaxiTRANS managing director and CEO at the time.

“Designed to match the equipment levels and standard processes available at Ballarat, Carole Park will provide greater capacity to the MaxiTRANS Group and will allow us to continue to better serve our customers with the ability to cover any total market growth.

“The existing manufacturing site in Richlands predominantly produced bulk transport trailers. This new facility has the ability to also manu-

facture Freighter product too, allowing us to diversify our manufacturing capability.”

MaxiTRAN said pandemic pressures, including continual changes in the labour market and growing costs, meant the Queensland site was now no longer “viable”.

Executive chairman Greg L’estrange said he was saddened by this decision but is excited for the long-term future of the business.

“Since Australian Trailer Solutions Group (ATSG) purchased the MaxiTRANS trailer business in September 2021, our focus has been on setting the business up for long-term sustainability,” L’Estrange said.

“This is to ensure that we can remain a viable Australian business to continue supporting our customers long into the future, as we have done so for over 75 years in the industry.”

ATSG is coming into its third year of ownership of MaxiTRANS, and the business is preparing for the next phase of its expansion with the company investing significantly to grow and develop

the Ballarat manufacturing site.

“We take this opportunity to thank everyone within the Carole Park manufacturing facility for their total commitment and extensive efforts to try and boost the capability of the site. Unfortunately, the decision was needed so that our business remains here long into the future,” a state-

ment added.

Ahead of the announcement, MaxiTRANS said it has been gearing up to support the growth and expansion of its manufacturing capability at the Ballarat site, where it will now produce the full range of Lusty EMS, Hamelex White and AZMEB products alongside Freighter and Maxi-CUBE.

“Through the site upgrade, Ballarat has the capacity to take on the full production of these brands which will ensure there is no impact to our customers as we transition between the manufacturing facilities.”

All existing and future orders made through Carole Park will be transferred to production in Ballarat.

MaxiTRANS is closing its Carole Park facility by March 2024, just three years after its launch.

Milestone moments for the Wickham team

THE delivery of Wickham Freight Lines’ 350th new Kenworth was also a milestone moment for dealer Brown and Hurley, marking its 17,000th new truck delivery.

Wickham Farms co-founders Peter and Cheryl Wickham and Brown and Hurley board member Kevin Hurley were there for the handover of the new T909.

Family owned and operated, and now in its third generation, the story of Wickham Freight Lines started with two brothers – Peter and Angus

Wickham – in 1978 when they purchased a new Kenworth to transport potatoes from their family farm.

From potatoes, to refrigerated meat, farm produce and express freight, their transport operation continued to grow, until Wickham Freight Lines was officially established in 1992.

Today it sits among the largest privately owned transport companies in Australia. Over the past 30 years, the business has continued to grow from strength to strength.

Since that first truck in 1978, Wickham Freight Lines has purchased all its new trucks from Brown and Hurley.

It took delivery of its 50th truck in 2001, its 250th in 2018 and its 300th in 2021.

The new T909 is powered by a 600hp Cummins X-15 engine and features a 50-inch aero roof sleeper cab. It’s among approximately 30 new trucks to have joined the Wickham’s fleet this year alone.

Along with receiving the keys to the milestone truck, September has been quite the

busy month at Wickham’s, which also just celebrated the completion of its new Armidale depot last week.

The 8000 square metre site features an allocated parking area that accommodates 15 B-doubles and a wash bay.

The company has also collaborated with the Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) and Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) for a safety campaign with its newest signage “Be a Mate. Don’t Tailgate” on its Maxi-Cube B-double last week.

And its new automatic wash bay at the Warwick depot is due to be completed very soon.

“This month holds the most highlights for the year thus far,” the company said.

“We are proud with the

substantial growth within the business over the past few years and will continue to provide a first-class transport service to our customers. These achievements are thanks to each one of our team members.”

$71m project allows trucks to bypass busy Perth suburb

A $71 million project has resulted in the opening of a 4.3-kilometre connection between the Great Northern Highway and Tonkin Highway in WA.

The new Stock Road, which officially opened on Thursday September 7, in the suburb of Bullsbrook in Perth’s north, features a bridge over Ellen Brook, a rail crossing with boom gates, five T-intersections and a roundabout at Great Northern Highway.

Federal Infrastructure,

Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said the Stock Road upgrade increases road safety and allows heavy vehicles to bypass the Bullsbrook town completely, reducing traffic delays and noise disturbances.

“This is a significant investment in one of the city’s key growth areas and it’s an investment that is going to pay off for Perth,” she said.

“Upgrading Stock Road also

opens up substantial new opportunities for industrial and commercial developments in the area.”

The project was led by the City of Swan, with the Australian Government contributing $16.67 million in funding for the works.

City of Swan Mayor David Lucas said, “This upgrade will improve connectivity, slash travel times, reduce traffic congestion and boost road safety, allowing heavy haulage trucks

to bypass the Bullsbrook townsite.”

WA senator and former truck driver Glenn Sterle also welcomed the completion of the project.

“This a significant piece of transport infrastructure and a platform for an exciting future for Bullsbrook,” he said.

“It is set to unlock significant economic potential, enabling the development of land and the creation of an industrial hub in Perth’s north-east.”

City of Swan Mayor David Lucas celebrates the opening of the new bypass.

L-R: Donna Keogh, Cheryl Wickham, Peter Wickham, Rhett Roberts, Darren Eather, Thomasin Roberts, Shane Roberts, Georgia Roberts, Sally Keogh, Rohan Keogh and Hannah Meek.

Photo: Facebook

A-double snub at high-tech DC

IT’S supposed to be the most advanced distribution centre of its kind and the largest in the southern hemisphere, servicing 209 Coles supermarkets in Queensland and northern NSW.

But if you ask some truckies, the design brains behind the $500 million state-of-theart automated DC in Redbank, Brisbane, have overlooked – or ignored – one important modern industry advancement, and it’s costing operators dearly.

According to drivers Big Rigs spoke to, the DC doesn’t allow 30m A-doubles to use the facility because when backed into the loading docks, they protrude 4m over the yellow safety walkways at the front of

the cab, which is against occupational health and safety rules.

The only way around the rule, says a truckie we spoke to, is to make a time-consuming split on the road and go in as one trailer, if the load size permits.

“Someone forgot to put the walkway out far enough,” the frustrated driver told us.

“They need to do a footpath redesign so we can go in there with an A-double.

“Everyone knows that trucks are getting bigger, so they have to do something about this.”

Even the weighbridge on site doesn’t accommodate trucks longer than 26m, adds the driver, who hasn’t received a

response from Coles about why it doesn’t allow for A-doubles at the site.

He says his company doesn’t have this same issue at Woolworths or IGA DCs and can’t understand how Coles has got this so wrong.

Another driver believes the simple solution for A-doubles on the site would be to have them park alongside the fence line with the walkway running alongside.

“It’s actually dangerous having a walkway right in front of the prime movers going to pull out of your bay and a fellow driver is right in front that you can’t see.”

Coles has not responded to a request for comment.

Delays ahead for truckies using Cunninghams Gap in Qld

TRUCKIES can expect intermittent delays of up to 30 minutes when travelling through Cunninghams Gap from Monday, October 9 to Friday, December 8, warns Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR).

The potential hold-ups are due to repair work by TMR and contractor McIlwain Civil Engineering on a 2km section of the Cunningham Highway that was extensively damaged in the 2019 bushfires.

The work will take place between the hours of 6am to

6pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Further traffic changes can be expected throughout the project including in early 2024, with 24-hour, sevenday-a-week stop/slow traffic conditions for up to three months.

From February to July 2023, TMR said extensive engagement was undertaken with the freight, agriculture, livestock, tourism and construction industries, local businesses, and neighbouring communities to gain a deeper understanding into travel

movements through the Gap.

“Community and stakeholder feedback has been so important in this process and has been incorporated into a review of the project design and construction methods,” said Queensland’s Transport Minister Mark Bailey.

“We want to reduce the impact on communities and industry as we deliver these critical repairs.

“My department has also worked with the trucking industry on their specific needs to help mitigate travel delays through project design

changes.”

Key features of the project, to be constructed by mid-2025, include: Scaling and stabilising the slope above the road to reduce the risk of rockfalls; retaining walls on the downslope to enable sufficient carriageway width to install upslope catch fencing ; and constructing an emergency stopping bay 1km before the Alan Cunningham monument.

Following this work, the removal of the 18 shipping containers will begin, added TMR.

While most work associated with the removal will be

undertaken behind the safety barriers, intermittent traffic holds will be required for large machinery to safely remove and transport these shipping containers. The shipping containers will be replaced by fencing.

Activities to be undertaken below the road in the coming months include vegetation removal, earthworks, drainage and construction of retaining walls.

“We thank all drivers and local residents for their feedback and patience while we repair Cunninghams Gap,” Bailey added.

DEALERS ISRI SEATS

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510 Victoria Street, Wetherill Park NSW 2164

Ph. 02 9756 6199, email: isri@isri.com.au, www.isri.com.au

BRISBANE

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Ph. 07 3275 2044, email: sales@isribrisbane.com.au, www.isribrisbane.com.au

MELBOURNE

Unit 1/569 Somerville Rd, Sunshine West VIC, 3020

Ph. 03 9311 5544, email: sales@isrisunshine.com.au, www.isri.com.au

MACKAY , Ph. 07 4952 1844, email: admin@isrimky.com.au, www.isriseatsmackay.com.au

PERTH R , WA 6106

Ph. 08 9362 6800, email: info@mmtisri.com.au, www.mmtisri.com.au

DARWIN

Mobile Sales and Service

Ph. 08 8927 0986, email: info@isridarwin.com.au, www.isridarwin.com.au

ADELAIDE

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Ph 02 4932 0600, email: sales@hvss.com.au www.isri.com.au

When moving Heavy Loads comfort equals Safety.

Seating - on a higher level.

Further traffic changes can be expected throughout the project including in early 2024.

Trucks longer than 26m block the walkway at the Redbank DC.

NSW regional and rural councils now have an extra $390 million for urgent road and pothole repairs under the state’s 2023-2024 budget.

The Minns government said the Regional Emergency Road Repair Fund (RERRF) will be distributed across 95 eligible councils, contingent on the total kilometres of roads under their management and the latest announcement expands total funding for road repairs to $670 million.

Peak trucking body Road Freight NSW (RFNSW) has welcomed the funding boost.

CEO Simon O’Hara said the repair and upgrades of regional and rural roads had been one of the key priorities that RFNSW had raised with both parties, in the lead-up to the state election in March.

“The safety of our RFNSW members and the wider community is the cornerstone of what we do each and every day, which is why we welcome this significant boost in funding for regional and rural roads,” O’Hara said.

“We are pleased that the new program will address urgently needed road resur-

facing, potholes and drainage and other upgrades on the regional road network, which has been badly impacted by natural disasters that NSW has experienced in recent years. This will help make our roads safer and more efficient for truckies, light vehicle users and the wider community, which is important, given the freight task will only continue to grow in the years to come.

“RFNSW commends the Minns government for listening to our concerns and committing to this new funding and we urge the government to continue working with the Commonwealth to de-

liver a sustainable infrastructure pipeline across the entire NSW road network.”

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchsion said the RERRF supports councils in managing their roads and prioritising works based on the needs of their communities, particularly those damaged by natural disasters.

“This begins to address the inequity of the former government’s Regional and Local Roads Repair Program which saw urban councils receiving five-times more funding for flood recovery compared to regional, rural and remote

Win for freight operators using busy NSW town

councils,” Aitchison said.

“This funding commitment will ensure the roads used by regional communities daily are efficient, safe and reliable so people can travel around town, go to work, education and healthcare, visit their family and friends, and keep our supply chains moving.”

Maintenance work funded under the new program may include heavy road patching, reshaping and smoothing unsealed roads, carrying out work to improve drainage from the road surface, rehabilitating sections of road and resurfacing work.

Additionally, the state government will create a new $334 million Regional Roads Fund for councils to build new roads and roundabouts, replace or repair old bridges and improve safety at crash blackspots in rural and regional areas.

NatRoad also welcomed a $10 million budget commitment to improve the network of heavy vehicle rest stops across regional NSW.

“We just wish it was more,” said CEO Warren Clark.

“Our road transport drivers deserve well-appointed and strategically located rest areas.”

Labor has also allocated a further $770 million for a Urban Road Fund for 23 western Sydney road projects over the next four years.

Shadow Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said he’s pleased Labor is finally delivering some money to regional roads, but it needs to do more – like immediately reinstating the Road Reclassification Program and the $193 million that was allocated to it.

“The Coalition delivered a $19.4 billion regional road and transport infrastructure pipeline, we were building legacy road infrastructure to transform travel in the regions, and repairing roads after the devastating floods,” Farraway said.

AN old NSW bridge, built in 1930, is being replaced as part of a $12 million project that will see it able to carry higher mass vehicles once complete.

The existing bridge on Henry Parkes Way at Manildra is narrow, in poor condition and doesn’t conform with modern design standards. The new Mandagery Creek Bridge will be wider and stronger.

Staged construction of the new bridge on the same alignment is taking place with single lane vehicle access across Mandagery Creek maintained at all times.

According to NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, the switching of traffic onto the completed upstream half of the bridge structure was an important achievement.

“The construction team still have the downstream half of the bridge to build but the traffic switch onto the completed upstream half represents an exciting milestone for the project,” she said.

Work on the downstream half is now the focus, with crews working on demolition preparation.

“The bridge is an important link for Manildra residents to access the town centre, as well as motorists travelling between Orange and Parkes, regional tourists, and freight operators,” Aitchison added.

“The new structure will be wider and stronger, be capable of carrying higher mass vehicles and make for smoother, more efficient journeys for

road users.

“It will also be accessible for pedestrians when the new footpath on the northern side of the bridge is complete.

“There have been some challenging weather-related delays since work began in September 2022, so the fact we’re on track for a mid-2024 completion is a remarkable feat and credit to the teams for their hard work and planning.”

Segments of the bridge will be lifted from the downstream side, out and over the newly completed upstream half of the bridge.

A crane will be used during the second of 10 non-consecutive weekend closures, from 7pm Friday September 15 to 6am Monday September 18.

During the closure, Manildra residents living either side of Mandagery Creek will have no direct access to the other side of the creek and will have to detour via Cudal.

Similarly, motorists travelling on Henry Parkes Way from Orange to destinations on the western side of Mandagery Creek, or from Parkes to destinations on the eastern side of Mandagery Creek, will have to detour via Cudal.

The detour will add about 15 minutes to trips between Parkes and Orange.

There is currently no pedestrian access across Mandagery Creek following the loss of the Council footbridge in the November 2022 flood event, and there will be no pedestrian access during the weekend closures.

Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison, second from right, visits Manildra to learn more about the Mandagery Creek Bridge replacement project.

RFNSW has welcomed the funding boost to fix the state’s regional road network.

$15m truck trade-in scheme

TRUCK operators who regularly use Melbourne’s busy inner-west streets can now apply for a grant of up to $20,000 if they scrap their old prime movers and buy a newer model.

The Victoria Government has $15 million set aside for the subsidy scheme which is designed to improve air quality in the busy freight precinct.

To qualify, you must be a registered Australian business, your truck must be a pre-Euro 4 prime mover registered in Victoria and it must have operated in the inner-west at least once a week undertaking port-related movements over the last six months.

Applications for the ‘modernising the truck fleet program’ close on November 10 with applicants receiving a yay or nay on payment between December 12-21 after an expert panel ascertains the truck’s value.

The assessment panel will consist of staff from the Department of Transport and Planning and a residual committee consisting of truck sales industry experts with

“expertise” in valuing second-hand trucks.

“The industry experts will provide subject matter expertise to assess the value of the truck on the second-hand market up to a cap

of $20,000,” said the program website.

“Each industry expert will assess each vehicle, with the average value being considered the market value of the vehicle. This method of valu-

ing vehicles is commonly used by truck dealerships to value vehicles.”

Successful applicants will then have 60 days after signing the agreement to demolish their old truck.

All grants will be paid within 14 days of receipt of a certificate of destruction.

As part of the clean air grants program the state government is also allocating a further $5 million to local

councils to seal local roads in a bid to reduce pollution.

“We promised we’d make air cleaner in Melbourne’s inner west and that’s what we’re doing: replacing emissions-heavy old trucks and sealing roads to reduce dust pollution,” said Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne.

Community lobbyist, the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group, said it welcomes the grant program to upgrade old trucks but there’s still a lot more work to do around the “alarming health stats”.

“We need a Low Emission Zone to complement the grant program. And we need filtration on the West Gate Tunnel ventilation stacks so that all of that concentrated pollution is removed from the inner west air shed,” said a post on the group’s Facebook page.

The completion of the West Gate Tunnel Project in 2025 and the introduction of truck bans is set to remove around 9000 trucks from roads in the inner-west and cut congestion on local roads.

Volvo wrestles top spot back in nail-biting sales race

IT’S shaping up to be the tightest finish on record between the leading heavy-duty truck brands battling for year-end market supremacy.

In the latest numbers from the Truck Industry Council of trucks delivered, Volvo has edged clear of Kenworth in an intriguing seesaw tussle at the top.

The Wacol-based manufacturing powerhouse handed over 302 sets of keys in August, 18 more than Kenworth with 284.

That represents a massive spike for the big Swede on the July numbers when it notched 176 deliveries versus Kenworth’s 217.

Volvo is now on a year-to-

date total of 2276, 16 clear of the Bayswater brand which has dominated this sector for many years.

Together the pair now holds a 40.3 per cent share of the heavy-duty sector, with Volvo on 20.2 and Kenworth on 20.1.

Isuzu cemented its hold on the third spot with another solid 168 deliveries for August, good enough for 13.8 per cent of this market in 2023 so far.

This trio has put a wide margin on the rest, comfortably headed by fourth-placed Scania which notched a healthy 116 trucks on the TIC sheet for August.

Mack also had reason to bark as it soared up the ladder

into fifth overall spot courtesy of 92 deliveries, a big jump from its 71 in July.

Overall, there were 1419 heavy-duty trucks recorded, up from 1105 in the same category in July.

In the overall tally, Isuzu is again making no race of it at the top.

In August, it recorded 1183 deliveries, up from 1009 in July, and has now has a year-todate total of 9291, or 29.5 per cent of the total truck market in Australia.

Hino also had a month to celebrate with 433, up from 325, and is in second spot overall with a 12.5 per cent market share.

Brett Tynan, director of Exodas Transport, takes delivery of seven new Volvo prime movers from Mark Barnes, VCVA sales.

Operators of older trucks in Melbourne’s inner-west could now qualify for a grant of up to $20,000 if they scrap them for a newer model.

Smells a bit off

EDITOR

JAMES GRAHAM

EVERYONE wants to breathe cleaner air, especially if you’re the owner of a $3m villa in Melbourne’s inner-west, judging by the tone of the many Facebook groups on this touchy subject. But the state government’s latest solution to this issue, a $15m subsidy package to encourage those carting containers in pre-Euro 4 prime movers to and from the port to trash them for new models, is doomed to fail [see story on page 7].

Offering a battling subbiemost of the bigger companies already have newer trucks - a maximum of $20,000 to take it to the scrapyard just isn’t enough of an incentive. At best, the truckie is only going to walk away with another $20,000 from the scrap dealer, still considerably less than what they’d get if they sold the truck on the Big Rigs Market Place, our new online classified platform at bigrigs.com.au.

Let’s call this for what it really is: an ill-conceived Band-Aid ‘fix’ to bide time before the West Gate Tunnel is finished in 2025.

HOT WEB TOPICS

Four times the fun for cattle carter

OUR story about Darwin-based quad road train cattle carter Kattie Risk, 36, sparked plenty of support for the former bus driver now living the dream roaming the outback.

“So proud of you Kattie Risk,” wrote Dee Fleming on our Facebook page.

“I remember when we were working together, you told me this was your dream and you made it like I knew you would…

“Gave me goose bumps reading this!!

“Love ya girl & safe travels my friend.”

Big

Melissa Wheeler said: “Well done chick!”, great to see another chick work her way up the ladder like myself without a golden ticket!

“I started out as a MR bus driver at 21 while completing my apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic, 23 got my HC on my own then MC at 24. Been driving trucks since I’m now 34. Done the last 12 months in the ultra quads in WA. After 10 yrs decided to get out of the truck back into a workshop. Much respect to you chick for doing it the right way.”

Rachael Glaister heaped praise on writer Danielle

Gullaci and Risk.

“What an amazing story. A beautiful person and a strong woman,” she said.

‘Job ready’ program kicks off

THE Queensland Trucking Association’s new ‘job ready’ training for truckies was a hot topic of conversation for truckies when we first shared the story online.

“This should roll out nationally and bring in some kind of apprenticeship scheme so new drivers learn from the ground up,” Russell Palmer wrote on Facebook Tony Stephens said the only way the new drivers will get experience is by actually doing the job.

“Which means those employing new staff need to train them how to do it. The transport industry has so many variations in the type of driving and work they can’t be taught in a class

room, it needs to be taught in the truck on the job.”

El Roy bemoaned what he sees as yet another cart before the horse approach.

“Heavy weights (PBS) longer unit (27mtrs plus) longer hours (AFM) etc, etc. But always forgetting that you need someone sitting in a seat swinging on a stick with their left arm to make it happen. How many new trucks are sold every week maybe 500, and the drivers are coming from where?”

Adrian Bates believes it’s not the lack of experience that’s the issue, it’s the lack of pride and the willingness to learn to get a job.

“To take the time to read the 3500 pages of road rules. And to

keep the truck clean inside and out.”

Pat Sheehan likened the concept to cutting a leg off and covering the wound with a Band-Aid. “Until they make this industry a trade rather than a profession the industry is going to keep on the downhill decline and never going to improve.”

THE news that a number of traffic modelling cameras will be installed throughout the Forbes region, capturing data at 21 intersections and 15 road midpoints, failed to get the thumbs up from many truckies online.

“Yet we can’t put a weight display on the weighbridge so people can check if they are loading correctly,” decried Mick Debenham.

David Roll said he can’t help but laugh every time he crosses the Sheahan Bridge northbound at Gundagai and those “useless X-Ray thingos” have a sign on them saying ‘traffic counting’.

“Do they really think we are that stupid? Some bloke should

load up a trailer full of skeletons and drive past the X-ray things. Hahahaha. But remember folks, ‘It’s all about Road $afety’.”

Asks Andrew Hetherington: “They gunna put them in parking bays and truck stops and monitor suspicious behaviour and get the authorities to act?

Doubt it.......”

Matt Williams was reminded of an investigation in WA. “Allegations that MRWA were capturing private information off personal devices (mac addresses, imei, etc), using similar set ups are being investigated in WA right now; and have already been found in breach of the government surveillance act 1999

for data retention and sharing to third party agencies.”

Dan Nobby Noble felt NSW had its wires crossed with this one: “Plenty of $$ for camera’s, nil $$ for road maintenance, good to see where governments priorities are.”

Blitz on fatigue management

NHVR’s crackdown on work diaries in NSW earlier this month had truckies scratching their heads.

Bruce Skelton labelled the blitz as nothing more than a revenue gathering exercise.

“Nothing to do with safety. What do the safety cam and point-to-point cameras do if not catch out fatigued drivers.”

Tony Stephens said he didn’t disagree with monitoring fatigue management, every driver should know how to.

“It’s when the schedulers and loading docks give you unrealistic times that drivers try to meet that causes the prob-

lems,” he wrote.

Added Trevor Warner: “An accurate Work Diary doesn’t manage fatigue, when management have drivers waiting hours to commence their shift.

“While an executive of a national carrier was presenting a keynote speech at a safety conference, a company driver was calling me about waiting in the yard for up to six hours before commencing a 14-hour shift. But hey, the Work Diary was compliant.”

Mark Visser wanted the same amount of time and money invested to invested into motorcycles and cars.

“For both fatigue and roadworthiness issues along with drugs and actual registration status of the same vehicles.”

Kattie Risk on the Great Central Road.

The first drivers in the program are already with with employers in Cairns and Gatton.

Cameras will capture data at 21 intersections and 15 road midpoints.

The NHVR says operations which focus on drivers carrying work diaries are critical. Photo: NHVR/ Facebook

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New Queen of the Desert

BY JAMES GRAHAM

YOU could excuse general manager Adam Ross if he was a little apprehensive when handing over the keys to veteran company driver Glen Bussey for his first test spin.

It’s not the first Mack the family-owned Martins Stock Haulage has had since launching in 1958, not by a longshot, and there are a handful more bulldogs due to roll through the gate later this year.

But the new 685hp Super-Liner is the only outsider amongst 85 beloved Kenworths at Martins, and with its spectacular pink livery, a tribute to all the women in the transport industry, it stands out like few other rigs on the road.

It didn’t take long, however, for Bussey to be won over by the new arrival.

“He jumped out of the truck and all he said was, ‘Holy wow’, so that’s a pretty good indication,” says former truckie Ross, who was also “blown away” by his first short drives from Toowoomba to Martins’ biggest depot at Oakey.

“He’s tickled pink about it, no pun intended, and he’s a role model for the company.

“We’re expecting to get a lot of people approaching him with questions and asking to have photos taken with the truck.

“The pink Mack is a statement of our belief in and support for the women in our company and in the transport industry as a whole, and it will be taking that message everywhere we operate.”

By the time you read this, Bussey should have had plenty of practice spreading the word.

The truck – dubbed The Women in Industry Mack – is already earning its keep, travelling the length and breadth of the country carting cattle in its new “blinged-up” triple road train set of trailers from Rytrans Manufacturing.

A pink truck dedicated to “all the great women” in the business was something that Ross and Martins CEO

Jason Martin had spoken about for a long time. Fifteen of the 120 staff at Martins are female with more than 100 years of combined experience in the industry.

With truck supply challenges in play during Covid-19, Ross and Martin struck up a conversation with a salesman at the Western Truck Group in Toowoomba and the stars began to align.

“He said have you ever thought about doing something, a pink one, and I said, yes, we have but we’d never got back to it.

“We had a chat, and we thought, ‘you know what, we’re going to do this’. That’s how the whole thing started.”

With many amazing women spread throughout the Martins staff roster right up to the senior level, Ross said going pink was an easy decision to make in the end.

“We wanted to recognise them, not only for being women in a male-dominated industry, but also because all the women in our business

are there on their own merits; they’re the best people for that job.

“We didn’t want it to be a pink la-di-da truck, it was always meant to mean something. As a business, we’re very, very proud of what we put out, and the more it got spoken about, the more we thought we’d step outside our business and recognise the great women in transport and agriculture sector as a whole.”

The support has been phenomenal, adds Ross, with the truck a star attraction at both the Women in Lot Feeding Ball and more recently the Queensland Trucking Association’s 2023 Road Freight Awards.

“It’s an absolute head-turner. There are more photos of this truck being taken than anything else.”

Women in Lot Feeding and the QTA are proud supporters – and role models for Martins – and were quick to add their logos to the back of the Mack cab, along with Transport Women Australia Ltd and

many others from the agriculture sector.

“The other companies [whose logos adorn the truck] are our 10 biggest corporate customers and they also wanted to throw their weight behind this great cause.”

Each supplier involved in the project also added their unique touch: the painting and the mural supplied by Bel Air Truck Spray Painting, the chrome and lights from Bling HQ, finishing scrollwork from Signs ‘N’ Lines, while Ultimate Shine Metal Polishing put the final finish on it.

Martins is now hopeful that the end result will help entice new faces into the business, one of the largest of its kind in Australia with depots in Oakey in Queensland, and Scone and Dubbo in NSW running prime movers in every configuration up to triple road trains into some of the remotest corners of Australia.

The livestock operations alone cover all of eastern Australia, from western Queensland to South Austra-

lia, while they also have tankers carrying dangerous goods for the mines in WA.

Ross believes the female driver pool is still largely untapped and he’s aiming to get the ratio up 35 per cent at Martins.

“It’s a tough one, but as an employer, first we have to make it a safe working place.

“I think also it’s a bit of a blend of the culture we have here at Martins. We’re a family-owned business, 65 years [in business] this year.

“We also have to get the home life/work life balance right to keep or trucks full, which is something we work very hard on.”

For the right person, the financial rewards are industry-leading, upwards of $150,000 a year, but Ross concedes that it’s not just about being able to drive a truck.

“You can teach a stock man to drive a truck, but you sometimes have a lot of trouble teaching a truck driver to work stock. It’s not something that everyone can do, and it’s

quite physical.

“If you’re in the middle of summer loading cattle at Winton, you’re working pretty hard.

“It’s a whole heap of different transport industries rolled into one operator. It’s also about work ethic, personality, and resilience.

“If you’ve got those attributes, you’ve got the job with us, whether you’re a man or woman.”

Ross says young drivers are the future of the industry, but it can’t be left up to the operators alone to solve the shortage issue.

“The associations are doing all this framework around driver apprenticeships, well the insurance companies have to get on board and back them.

“We’re still having a lot of trouble getting young drivers insurance and if we can’t get them insurance they’re no good to us.

“I think the industry as a whole has to push back in that insurance sector a little bit. In saying that, young people will

Pretty in pink: the striking new Mack is already turning heads wherever it goes.

Kenworths are still no.1 at Martins with founder Gordon Martin, pictured above, recently welcoming the company’s 50th Anniversary Edition SAR Legend.

Adam Ross, left, and Jason Martin, at the official unveiling of the new Mack at the Wacol HQ. The spectacular new rig will be put to work as a triple road train carting cattle in some of the remotest corners of Australia.

Operators at this long-running family-owned livestock haulage business are hoping their latest fleet addition will inspire women all around Australia.

make mistakes, so we have to be there to back them when it does go wrong.”

Drivers at Martins are given a progressive path toward a seat in a road train, up to 12 months of training with an experienced truckie beside them before they are let loose by themselves.

Safety always comes first at Martins which prides itself on adopting the latest technology for its truckies.

Ross says the company was one of the first to adopt Seeing Machines’ in-cab monitoring systems, which has proved to be an indispensable tool. Ross will never forget viewing the footage of one of his drivers being woken by the system’s vibrating seat function soon after it was installed.

“That was the selling point very early on,” he says. “Seeing that footage was the lightbulb moment. You knew you’d pulled the right rein here; it was a great decision.

“At first the boys and girls weren’t happy about it, but we got them in to look at themselves on camera.

“Once they worked out that we’d got the whole cab blocked out other than the driver’s face, that we can’t see what they’re doing in the cab and weren’t spying on them, they were fine about it.

“As an old driver myself, I don’t agree with spying on the boys while they’re lying in bed or cooking, or whatever, but I love the safety aspect and we sleep better at night knowing that if one of the boys or girls

shuts their eyes that vibrating seat will wake them up.

“Operations will get a phone call and we can pull that truck up and tell them to go to bed.”

Ross is quick to add they’ll always be predominantly driving Kenworths: “We love our Kenworth trucks.”

But founder Gordon Mar-

tin, who proudly posed up recently alongside the company’s 50th Anniversary Edition SAR Legend, is also no stranger to Macks.

“He had over 100 new Macks in his day, a lot of B and R models, so that’s nothing new to us, we’ve just jumped back in with a few. If they perform, who knows.”

The Martins have another three Super-Liners and four Titans due to come off the line later this year.

All the Macks are fitted with sleeper cabs, and all feature the renowned Mack powertrain of the 685hp MP10 engine, coupled with the mDRIVE automated manual transmission.

The pink Mack has been

kitted out with all the creature comforts – Bussey could be away for weeks on end –including a custom-made Joe Bradley Fibreglass bunk, stand-up fridge, microwave, TV, and power inverter, among other modern features.

“As fathers of young girls, both Jason and I wanted to dedicate this truck for the

right purposes,” Ross concludes.

“We want it to be that every time they see that pink truck it’s not a case of, ‘Look at that pretty pink truck’, it’s something to inspire the girls with and a little something to let them know that if you work hard and dedicate yourself, you can achieve anything you want to do.”

Martins acknowledged the support of associations and customers with their logos on the back of the cab.

The Martins team was proud to have the truck centre stage at the Women in Lot Feeding Ball.

Revered truckie honoured with top prize at awards

WHEN you meet driver trainer Bill Manton for the first time, he’ll introduce himself as “just a truckie”, said the judges’ notes at Queensland Trucking Association’s annual Road Freight Industry Awards.

The popular winner of the glitzy night’s prestigious Industry Excellence prize also humbly acknowledges that the transport industry has given him more than he could ever repay, despite his many achievements.

Manton, 57, has spent a large part of his career with Simon National Carriers and as a driver trainer with Volvo Australia and his passion for the transport industry is unwavering.

He’s actively spearheaded initiatives to enhance the transport landscape, such as advocating for improved parking bays, road upgrades and safety issues.

“His relentless dedication has dramatically improved the working conditions and safety standards for all involved in the industry,” judges added.

“Bill Manton stands as a humble yet inspiring figure within the transport industry. His solid passion, integrity, and commitment to the betterment of the industry make him an exceptional winner of this award.”

Manton, who nowadays splits his time between helping his wife Merry with her insurance business and a role as national training development manager with Simons, rates the QTA accolade as a career highlight.

“I was a bit surprised to even be nominated,” said Manton, who has been behind the truck wheel since circa 1984.

“There were some big names up there in my category, and we all do what we have to do to try and better our businesses and our industry, and to take that award out just blew me away.

“I’ve had a few things as far as awards go in my time, but I think that one is probably the icing on the cake.”

More than 450 people attended the big night at the Royal International Convention Centre (RICC) in Brisbane on September 9, to celebrate Manton’s many achievements, along with those of the six other award winners on the night.

QTA CEO Gary Mahon opened the evening by soft launching the new innovative heavy vehicle driver safety videos to instruct drivers on how to navigate the complex ascent and decent of Cunningham’s Gap, including managing the current roadworks occurring during the Cunningham’s Gap Reconstruction Project.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (South Coast) worked with the QTA to produce the videos and partnered with Wickham Freight Lines and Bill Manton who provided the driving instruc-

tion.

The videos will be released to the public in the coming weeks on the QTA YouTube Channel.

“This is a great example of government working in partnership with industry to produce a tangible practical and relevant outcome for heavy vehicle drivers,” Mahon said.

Mahon also spoke about what the QTA has contributed to the shaping of the recently released Industrial Relations ‘Closing the Loop’ draft legislation, and the need for the heavy vehicle driver apprenticeship in Queensland to be fully funded, equal to other trades currently on the Skills Priority List.

“The need to create pathways for professional employment and attract new entrants to the industry is critical to sustain the road freight industry into the future,” he said.

The other winners on the night were:

Professional Driver of the Year

Jay Reed from Harvey’s Towing Service

“Jay has been working for Harvey’s Towing for over 10 years and is a specialist in the heavy haulage towing sector. He demonstrates a high level of knowledge, competence, and skilled experience. Jay has extensive knowledge in logistically difficult recovery services, safety, loading and unloading procedures, route planning and navigation, securing his loads, vehicle maintenance and flexibility to adapt to any environment he comes across. Jay is an asset to the industry and possesses a high degree of knowledge and experience in route optimisation, compliance and technology.”

Trucking Woman of the Year

Bronwen Howell from VE Group

“Bronwen’s journey in the trucking industry began in 2006 alongside her husband Nathan, when VE Group was established. As one of the visionary founders of VE Group, she has been instrumental in transforming the industry’s landscape. Over the years, VE Group has flourished with the guidance of Bronwen’s astute leadership.

She has been instrumental in motivating and supporting the company’s growth and improving efficiencies and systems within the diversity of the company. Beyond her role at VE Group, Bronwen has been an active advocate for the trucking industry. Her dedication to community involvement and support and her drive to further improving the industry’s standards and reputation has earned her widespread respect and admiration among her peers and the wider community.”

Young Achiever of the Year

Stevie Ashley-Cooper from CKC Haulage

“Stevie is a pocket-rocket dynamo and there is nothing she can’t do in her job in the industry. Since leaving Ag college where she cleaned trucks to earn some money, she has been employed in the family business based in Townsville. Stevie is a determined young person who successfully progressed her heavy vehicle licences to achieve her MC licence at 20. She drives road trains, has her DG licence, forklift licence and experience carting all sort of freight including oversize machinery loads. On top of all of that, she also has the responsibility of being CKC Haulage’s Mackay depot manager. This talented young person one day aspires to take over the trucking business from Mum and Dad.”

Training and Skilling Excellence Award

South East Queensland Hauliers

“In the current labour market, the importance of training and skilling is crucial to attracting and retaining staff. From changes to workplace flexibility since covid to adapting to different learning styles and diversity, employers are having to be innovative in this

space and SEQH is excelling at this with its Road Master Program.”

Industry Safety and Innovation Award

Russell Transport and All Purpose Transport

Russell Transport was awarded the Safety Award for its CallB4 U Climb initiative which is designed to reduce the risk of falls from heights by providing a process of communication between a driver or mechanic to ascertain the necessity to climb on a truck. Following a workplace incident, the CallBU Climb education campaign was designed by the safety committee.

Delivered in short training bursts to achieve maximum uptake and engagement, any time a driver is required to climb on a truck, they call a supervisor to determine the need and troubleshoot alternative options. The success of the campaign has now seen it integrated into the Onboarding Training Process.

All Purpose Transport (APT) was presented with the Innovation Award for Project EV: Sparking the Last Mile –a zero emissions vehicle transition strategy. Its main goal is to explore, and implement, sustainable delivery methods for last-mile operations and significantly reduce emissions from delivery activities while ensuring that APT’s owner-driver business model remains intact during the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). APT was the first transport company in Queensland to commence new furniture home delivery services with an electric vehicle. At the end of July 2023 there were 10 vehicles operating in Brisbane. By the end of 2025 APT intends to have increased their EV fleet to over 30 vehicles operating around South-East Queensland.”

• For more on All Purpose Transport, turn to page 42.

Professional Driver of the Year Jay Reed from Harvey’s Towing Service.

Bill Manton was a popular winner of the glitzy night’s prestigious Industry Excellence prize.

QTA CEO Gary Mahon gave attendees an overview of key association projects.

A record 450 people turned out for the big night at Royal International Convention Centre which also featured a spectacular backdrop of prime movers.

Tough act for new owners to follow at Qld roadhouse

BY ALF WILSON

SITUATED on the way to Cape York in far north Queensland, the Archer River Roadhouse was owned by Brad and Modena Allan for close to two decades.

But on July 4, the legendary roadhouse was taken over by a group of investors who own five other roadhouses in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

This is only the second time in the roadhouse’s 40-year history that it has changed hands.

It’s located on the banks of the Archer River, on Peninsula Development Road, 65km north of Coen, 166km south of Bramwell and 200km southeast of Weipa.

Big Rigs spoke to Brad, 59, about his time at the roadhouse and what comes next.

“We bought it in 2004 with a long-time friend named Hugh Atherton, and

then bought his share out in December 2019 just before Covid hit when it was a bit of struggle. But as a long-time business we managed to survive,” he explained.

“After that we have been flat out, with huge tourist numbers hitting the Cape after lockdowns, combined with the nearby road and bridge construction works.

“It’s definitely been one of the best chapters of our lives. We leave with a lot of friends and a lot of good memories.”

It was Brad and Hugh who first set sight on the property in the 1990s and pondered the idea of taking over from then owner Sherrill Mehonoshen (nee Jackson), who carved out the 1000-acre plot from her family’s Wolverton Station to create the roadhouse.

“Hughy and I used to come up to the Cape to go fishing. We’d go camping at False Pera with a few boys we went to

Archer River’s new owners

Sydney-based Tony McFadzean is one of three investors who have purchased the Archer River Roadhouse along with Brisbane-based Thomas Collins and Thomas Robson, to add to their growing portfolio of remote properties, which includes Kings Creek and Erldunda Roadhouses in the NT.

“Brad and Modena are a hard act to follow and whilst we are learning at Archer River I can’t see many changes. This was a perfect takeover for us and I was up there recently and mowed the lawn which was new for me. It has such a proud history. We have 10 staff,”

McFadzean said. He has been interested in trucks since he was young and holds a HR licence.

A bridge will finally be built over the Archer River next year, which should stop motorists risking their lives by driving through floodwater each wet season.

Countless cars have been swept off the causeway in the last two decades and one man was killed in 2014 after an unsuccessful crossing attempt.

That will result in more tourists coming to Cape York and more business for the roadhouse.

school with. We’d gather on the Tablelands around Anzac Day and drive up. It took two days then because the road is nothing like it is now. We’d seen the roadhouse and Hughy and I had these long drives and were talking about buying one. He was in Beaudesert and I was at Childers and we’d sit in the Toyota and have a yarn,” said Brad.

“We’d ask Sherrill every year we’d come up if she would sell and every year she would say ‘Nah, nah, I’m not ready’. Then one year she said she was open to the idea and we didn’t get there on the price.

“We left it for a couple of years and she said she was negotiable and keen to move on.”

Brad recalls that the now 58-year-old Modena, who had never laid eyes on the place, wasn’t as keen.

“I remember ringing her from the phone box, basically the same phone box that is out the front of the place now. She said: ‘What are you doing? Come home and stop dreaming’.

“But we came up with the kids in the June school holidays of 2004 and sat in a unit for the week and watched how busy it was.

“We worked out a deal and took the keys on the 1st of March in 2005,” he said.

Brad said that a lot of truckies stopped there as well as caravans and other travellers.

“Once a truck pulled up here and the driver came in and ordered two meals. But his occupant wasn’t anywhere to be seen. After some time we were going to call the police

and report him missing but he suddenly turned up and had been wandering in the bush,” Brad said.

Truck drivers Big Rigs has spoken to over the years were glowing in their praise of Brad and Modena, including Weipa based Gavan Roy who has been stopping there since 2006.

“We (truckies) were always made to feel like part of the family, with their regulars being allowed to come round to the back table behind the kitchen, help ourselves to coffee and tea, order a feed or sit down to a home style meal for dinner with the staff and owners,” Roy said.

“The showers were always clean and open all night so it didn’t matter what time you rolled in you’d always get a hot shower.

“My family and I became good friends with Brad, Modena and Hughy over the years and would always call up before leaving Weipa or from down south to see if they

needed anything picked up.

“Caretaking the roadhouse over Christmas/New Year period in recent years was always a highlight, seeing the change from the dry season and thousands of travellers to nearly no one on the road apart from locals trying to move about for the holiday period.

“I wish Brad and Modena all the best with their next chapter, and I thank them for always looking after me and my family, always making us welcome whenever we called by.

“It won’t be the same without them but 20 years of being in business at a busy roadhouse, I think they’ve got a lot of fishing to catch up on,” Roy concluded.

Cairns based Stewart Lambert drives a Western Star 4900 for Tuxworth and Woods and said that Brad and Modena were great people who looked after truckies.

“I would stop there on the way to Weipa from Cairns and on the return trip and get a steak sandwich,” Stewart said.

“They were always friendly and the facilities clean. Lots of trucks stopped there.

“Once I got caught on the other side of the river after

rain and walked across to the roadhouse in shallow water but I have seen drivers swim across it.”

Veteran small fleet operator Dennis Dent is based at Mareeba and has been going to the roadhouse for years.

“Brad and Modena will be a big loss for Cape York. They have been a brilliant couple who really have looked after me and my drivers,” he told Big Rigs.

Dent said on one trip up to the Cape heavy rain closed a crossing and he was stuck on the other side of the river.

“I swum across the flooded river to get some grog whilst I was there,” he said.

As for life after Archer River, Brad and Modena say they’ll always keep a connection with the many characters like Dent that have become such good friends along the way.

They have a property in Cairns and are looking for a house on the nearby scenic Atherton Tablelands, perhaps at Mareeba.

“I have a helicopter and make barbecues so we will be kept busy,” Brad said.

“But we will never leave up this way where we have so many friends,” Brad said.

Truckie Gavan Roy, left, and Brad Allan enjoy a beer near a river.

The Toots memorial outside the Archer River Roadhouse.

Long-time Archer River Roadhouse owners Brad and Modena Allan.

This popular couple gave hundreds of truckies a home-away-from-home in the state’s remote far north.

Engineered to be brighter and bolder, the Mk2 range of Ultima LED High Powered Driving Lights produce a mind-blowing 30% more light with a 20% longer beam than the first generation. An improved Colour Rendering Index o ers natural light colour and improved visibility.

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Blown away by Hino’s 4x4 head-turner on road trip

BY GRAHAM HARSANT

“HEY man, that is one of the coolest looking trucks I’ve ever seen!”

High praise indeed, coming as it does from the driver of one of Fred’s Transports latest – and also very cool – Kenworths parked opposite me.

The driver is talking to me as I’m sitting in the cab taking a breather from traipsing around the Casino Truck Show.

And the cab I’m sitting in belongs to a ….. Hino!

Yep, a Kenny driver has walked across the way to heap praise on a Japanese truck. And it’s not even one of Hino’s big 700 Series but in fact from their smaller 300 Series – not that this truck looks small to the casual observer because in the driver’s seat I’m at eye level with just about every big banger I’ve crossed paths with on the highways I’ve traversed over the past couple of days.

The story begins with a visit to Hino HQ and a test drive of the Hino Hybrid 300 which you will already have read about at bigrigs.com.au, and/ or in the previous print issue.

On that drive I casually (and hopefully) threw a suggestion at Daniel Petrovski, Hino’s department manager –product strategy.

“You know what mate?” said I as casually as possible. “I’d love to go to Casino to see their truck show, but hell, I couldn’t afford the petrol to get there from Victoria, much less all the other costs. So, I reckon you should put me in one of your trucks and I’ll drive that up there.”

In for a penny, in for a pound I add, “And I reckon it

should be that 4×4.”

The next day I open up my emails and there’s one from Hino’s PR guru, Clare Arthurs, which begins: ‘Dan tells me….’

I’d driven one of Hino’s 4x4s on an off-road test track – so I know what they’re capable of when they’re taken bush – and also on a trip to FNQ where that particular Crew Cab tray truck stood out like the proverbials with its XPEDITION Series paint scheme and All Terrain Warriors (ATW) add-ons.

Dan takes me to my drive and to say I’m blown away by this iteration is an understatement. This is reminiscent of Hino’s multi-winning Paris-Dakar Rally trucks which use this model as a base.

Like the XPEDITION model, this truck has been worked on by ATW, but this time with a full canopy on the rear instead of the tray.

Presented in stunning black and white, the 817’s (wide body 300) windscreen is surrounded by bush-bashing protective steel tube that flows up over the crew cab where it becomes a cargo carrier, or picnic/lookout/drinks deck from which to watch the sun setting over the ocean – or maybe your Yoga exercises while the sun rises. Personally, I’d go for the former.

The framework also houses two of the three LED light bars, with a third built into the ATW bumper, also containing the winch. More on those shortly.

The canopy is topped by solar panels to keep the ancillaries – like the booze and meat fridges – running, and contains bulk storage compartments to hold everything you’d need for

a month or more in the bush.

The whole lot is supported by four massive Founders M/T All Terrain 305/70R19.5 Super Single tyres, replacing the double truck tyres normally on the rear of the 4×4 but maintaining the Hino’s intended GVW. A couple more sit on the back of the truck, flanking the fold-down 2-inch square tubing ladder – the means by which you can enjoy those rooftop views. A roll out Fiamma awning completes the picture.

To say that the whole setup is superbly built is a masterclass of understatement!

Inside the cabin is working class, built as it is for a particular client base: read mining companies who can’t get enough of them, power companies that have to go where few vehicles could take them, tradies with specific requirements and of course the adventurous traveller.

That said, it is still appealing with all controls within easy reach and Hino’s utterly brilliant latest 12-inch (Australian designed) multi-media screen taking centre stage.

Up front the driver’s seat has an adjustable suspension base which I only discovered on the last day. When will men learn to read instruction books? My backside breathed a sigh of relief (read that any way you want) when I softened it up. There are another two seats up front. The rear bench seat takes four bods, with air-con outlets back there as well.

The six-speed manual transfer case with hi and low has 1st gear dog-legged to the left, simply because you’ll only use it to climb Mt Everest.

That leaves 4th and 5th in the centre plane and 6th out to the right.

Change gears with a light hand like you would a Road-Ranger (without the double declutching) and she swaps cogs like a hot knife through butter. The clutch is light with smooth uptake. Similarly, the brake pedal is light and progressive and disc brakes all round haul the truck up in short order. All the goodies that you’d expect of a truck such as this – hi/low range, locking hubs and difs, etc are all there.

I’ve picked the truck up from Hino’s Sydney HQ and set out to my first night’s destination, Port Macquarie. Fighting the ‘burbs and I’m finally on the Pacific Highway with the cruise control on.

First impressions? This truck rides rough. A look underneath tells me why when I see 11 leaf springs under the rear axle. Add a couple of tonne into it and I imagine it would smooth out a lot. Secondly, those tyres! They look great but man, are they noisy! This is no doubt compounded by minimal insulation in the floor and the fact it’s a crew cab. Answer? Retrieve my Spotify play list, connect the Samsung (wirelessly) to the

screen and turn the volume to LOUD!

I’m thinking to myself that this could be a long day’s drive when the driver of a Kenworth coming toward me waves. What the …? I’m in a Japanese truck. No KW driver waves to a Hino driver! He’s followed by more KW’s, Macks, Actros’, etc, and they’re all waving. Another Kenny passes me (remember we’re at eye level) and as I glance at him he gives me the thumbs up. Man, I could do this all day!

The second day it’s to Ballina and there’s more of the same. Wherever and whenever I pull up there’s admiring glances and people coming over to talk about the HINO 4B – the clever number plate Dan Petrovski chose for the truck.

At Ballina I’m up at 4am to head up to Casino for their truck show. It’s a pea-souper so I flick on those three LED’s. Holy Hell! Maybe just two? One is way more than sufficient.

I park up next to an old 1985 Mack Econodyne and, although the 4×4 is based on Hino’s smallest 300 range, it makes the Mack look tiny. Later in the day that Fred’s driver comes across with his high praise and he’s not alone. Ev-

ery time I return to the truck for a breather, someone comes over to talk about it

I so wish I’d registered the truck in the show because I’ve no doubt it would have won ‘Best Japanese Truck’ and Hino could have had another award to display in their cabinet at HQ.

The next morning, after a great show, I leave Ballina and head to Toowoomba where I’m to drop the truck off. Up ahead there’s a large parking bay with four police setting up shop. They wave me in and I’m thinking what have I done?

“Just wanted to check the truck out mate. Bloody cool that is! While you’re here might as well give you a breath test.”

Over the years I’ve driven trucks of all sizes from all the brands and I can honestly say that I’ve never received the attention this truck has had.

Rough? Yes. Noisy? Yes. Cool? Absolutely! I’d love to have one just to park in my driveway. If you don’t like talking to people don’t buy one of these.

I’m already thinking of my next meeting with Dan Petrovski. “Hey Dan, I want to go to the Paris-Dakar Rally and I think…..”

The Hino more than held its own alongside the big rigs at Casino. Photos: Graham Harsant

Volume up to counteract the Founders MT tyres.

Our correspondent didn’t expect to be the centre of attention when he was thrown the keys to the new Hino 300 Series 817 4×4.

Historic trucks shine at big annual show on Murray

BY DAVID VILE

THE Murray River town of Echuca has once again played host to ‘American Iron’, the annual get-together and truck show, held by the Australian Chapter of the American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) across the weekend of September 9-10.

A wide variety of trucks, from heritage models through to their more modern counterparts rolled into Rotary Park, with attendees coming from as far afield as Lakes Entrance in Victoria and Murray Bridge in South Australia.

Well-established on the truck show calendar, the Echuca event is one of the three events put on annually by the ATHS, and the 2023 gathering saw vehicles ranging from everyday work trucks to recently completed restorations take their spot on-show.

It was a thumbs up in Echuca for Luke Nicholson with his dad Tom, who brought along their beautifully restored Mack Super-Liner.

This 1965 International DCO-405 sparkles in the September sunshine.

Working trucks such as this Cummins 903-powered Ford Louisville were all part of the show.

With a Detroit ‘Silver 92’ rumbling, this immaculate Kenworth T650 rolls into Rotary Park, with an ex-Cleveland Kenworth T600 ‘Mack Muncher’ on the float.

This 1986 Kenworth C500 came complete with a couple of Macks on the drop-deck trailer.

Time warp to the 1970s with this Leyland Reiver and Fiat 110NC.

It wasn’t all trucks on show, with this 1955 Ansair-Flxible Clipper bus drawing plenty of attention.

Plenty of bark in the V8-500 horsepower Mack Value-Liner from Bickleys at Goornong.

As always, the Sheppard Transport Western Stars from Geelong were beautifully presented.

This Morris-Commercial light truck was one of the many restored vehicles on display.

Two of International Harvester’s heavy hitters of the 1970’s, a Transtar CO-4070/A and an Atkinson 3800.

There would be few better collections of restored Internationals in Australia than those of Ian Sidebottom, who had his AA,AB, C and D-line models on display. Photos: David Vile

‘Most people have to take holidays to see this stuff’

For this second-generation truckie, the bigger the trip behind the wheel of his Kenworth T909 , the greater the adventure.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

RYAN Mckenzie’s path into trucking is quite a familiar one. e son of a truck driver, he decided he’d get a trade before getting his start behind the wheel. ough he confessed, “I was always going to drive trucks. I never liked the trade but I loved the trucks.

“I’m a diesel mechanic by trade. I started doing my apprenticeship in year 12 and kept at that for eight or nine years.”

at all changed when he was asked for a favour from a mate. Having already secured his MC licence when he was 25, that one trip turned into an 18-month role with Sprenger’s Rural Traders, doing molasses transfer.

“He asked if I could do a trip for him in his truck and I’ve been driving ever since,” said Mckenzie, who just celebrated his 35th birthday. ough he has fond memories of his father’s truck from his early years, after his

parents split up when he was ve years old, Mckenzie didn’t see as much of him for quite some time. “I’ve always loved trucks, I used to go out with the old man. When I was really young I was always in the truck with him.

He was an interstate driver. As I got older, my interest in trucks kept growing – it’s a stupid thing to be interested in though!” he said. “I taught myself how to drive and picked it up fairly quickly. When you’re in-

terested in something, you make an e ort to learn how to do it. I just liked being in a truck, I didn’t care what it was – and then before long I was in B-doubles.

“I’m based in Ipswich and Dad is in Melbourne – he just does local work now, so I see him when I’m down that way.” e father and son have their own Kenworth T608, which Mckenzie was driving up until recently. “But that’s at the workshop waiting to get xed, so I’m in the process of buying this truck that I’m in at the moment. It’s a 2021 model Kenworth T909.”

Since taking up truck driving full time, Mckenzie has done everything from general and refrigerated, to container work and oversize.

After the role at Sprenger’s, Mckenzie was o ered a job doing local refrigerated transport. As he quickly found, it just wasn’t for him. “I only lasted about two months because I wasn’t really interested in the local work,” he said.

From there, he began working for Fred’s Interstate Transport before giving local just one more crack, this time transporting containers on A-doubles from the Port of Toowoomba, while still doing odd interstate trips to Sydney for Fred’s.

“I don’t do very well on local, I don’t like the hectic tra c,” said Mckenzie. “Anywhere that’s not repetitive is what I like. I enjoy general freight because you need to use your brains to put the load on. It’s always

di erent, you learn new things all the time and there’s di erent rules everywhere, so you have to gure out all of that too.”

ese days Mckenzie sub-contracts to Brisbane based Tareve Plant Haulage, a small family owned out t that’s been running since 2017. It specialises in the transport of general freight, bulk haulage, earthmoving equipment and oversize loads.

“All the work I do now is for Tareve. I’ve been with them since the end of last year. I travel all over Australia. A lot of our work has been over to the west but we’ll go anywhere and everywhere,” Mckenzie said.

When we chatted, he was somewhere between Pardoo and Port Hedland in the Pilbara. Mckenzie says his favourite roadhouse to stop at when over in the west is the Roebuck Plains Roadhouse up near Broome. “It never disappoints there – the food, the people, plus they sell beer there which is great!

“ e only state I haven’t travelled to is Tassie but if it ever comes up, I’d be willing to do it. ere’s still a lot of places I haven’t seen yet.”

Mckenzie says the work usually sees him on the road for three to three and a half weeks at a time. “It’s de nitely not a Monday to Friday job. I enjoy going to Darwin, which is really laid back, and north Queensland is beautiful too. I’m not a big fan of heading into Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide though.

“I enjoy seeing the countryside. Most people have

to take holidays to see this stu , I get paid to go and see it. ere are so many people who want to leave Australia to go overseas and explore other countries, but they never really explore what we have here.” ough he loves the job and the places it takes him –being away for long stretches at a time is also the hardest part of the work. “I have a wife and four kids, aged 13, 10, ve and 21 months. My ve-year-old loves the trucks but I tell him he’s not allowed to do it. And my oldest has been away with me a few times, but doesn’t like being away for too long,” revealed Mckenzie.

“ eir mother already stresses out with me doing it, I couldn’t imagine me and our kids doing it.

“ e things you miss with your family are de nitely the hardest. I’ve missed all my kids’ birthdays this year – and the look on their faces when you tell them you can’t be there. It’s always hard to tell them you can’t make it. But I’m not the only truck driver in that boat, we’re all doing the same job. I missed Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Easter too this year.”

However, before this issue of Big Rigs went to print, Mckenzie was looking forward to a well-earned family break. “I’m on holidays from September 22 and have about 10 days o , I’m going to Fraser Island with the family, to watch the kids go swimming and have a beer or two. All my kids love the beach and they love camping too.”

His work is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

He’s been sub-contracting with Tareve since late last year.

Ryan Mckenzie’s work usually sees him travelling the country for weeks at a time.

He carries all manner of freight from behind the wheel of this 2021 Kenworth T909.

Reader Rigs proudly supported by

Share your truck pics to win with Shell Rimula

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

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

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Ben Longhurst shared this great sunset shot, snapped in Adelaide, mixing the new with the old SAR.

Angelo Guarino transports a boiler for Barossa Valley Wines in this impressive Kenworth set-up.

Aaron Boothey shared this great shot of Paul Jolly’s SAR Legend, getting the job done in Port Adelaide.

Kev Cameron sent in this stunner, snapped while loading barley near Boree Creek, NSW.

Jacob Elliott snapped this great shot, unloading molasses at the small town of North Star, NSW.

Nicholas Dolan captured this stunning sky, while travelling through Finley, NSW.

Brad Russell heads east from Norseman, WA, to West Wyalong, NSW.

When the going gets tough, truckies keep everyone going

Aaron Fuller stopped just outside of the tunnel while heading southbound to tick this shot off the list.

Nick Mackie and the big Benz trying to outrun the storm.

This Bakewell Haulage rig was looking sharp while heading southbound at Bulahdelah, NSW. Thanks for sharing Luke Curtis.

Joshua Sanders snapped this shot fresh out of the wash bay at the Mortlake sale yards. “Never late in a 90h,” he said.

Despite the conditions making for a great shot of the Mack, Stax BJR was “looking forward to some warmer weather”.

Second generation truckie and NSW log carter Dave Hely shared this ripper shot.

Paul OD shared this ripper of a shot, snapped before he heads to Brisbane from Bowen, loaded up with tomatoes.

Followmont supplies special trailer for convoy

FOLLOWMONT Transport will support the Brisbane Convoy for Kids once again in 2023, supplying the Trailer of Hope to assist in fundraising efforts for a very worthy cause.

The Brisbane Convoy for Kids is dedicated to raising funds for children’s charities, with Hummingbird House selected as it’s beneficiary charity for 2023.

Hummingbird House is Queensland’s only children’s hospice, providing specialised paediatric palliative care services to babies, children and young people with a life-limiting condition, helping them make every moment precious when life is short.

Followmont will once again provide the Trailer of Hope for the upcoming 2023 Brisbane Convoy for Kids.

Launching the inaugural trailer in 2019 and fol-

lowing the success of the 2022 B-double, the Trailer of Hope has become one of the most significant revenue generators for the event’s fundraising efforts.

This unique initiative invites individuals, families and businesses to contribute between $20 and $2000, allowing their names or logos to adorn the Trailer of Hope B-double set, which will become a traveling billboard of community support.

Mark Tobin, managing director of Followmont Transport, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership. He says the company is looking forward to once again helping the convoy make a big impact.

“Our team wholeheartedly embraces this event, with a large number of our drivers and staff participating in the convoy itself. The trailers are yet another way we can make a meaningful

MARK TOBIN

difference in our community,” said Tobin.

“Last year, it once again became the highest fundraising tool for the event, so we are pleased to play our part in making a difference.”

The Brisbane Convoy for Kids has grown significantly since its inception, with over 650 vehicles now participating in the convoy, cheered on by Brisbane families along the route.

The event culminates

in an exciting end-of-route gathering at Redcliffe Showgrounds, featuring a truck show, kids’ rides, a petting zoo, auctions, live entertainment, markets and food stalls.

Dana Browne from the Brisbane Convoy for Kids says Followmont Transport continues to show its passion for the cause. “Brisbane Convoy for Kids would like to thank Followmont Transport for again supplying the B-double for our 2023 Trailer of Hope,” she said.

“The Trailer of Hope is such a unique and special part of our fundraising ef-

forts, allowing individuals, families and companies of all sizes to unite in support for everything we do.”

The new Convoy trailer will continue the tradition of traversing the east coast immediately after the convoy event, delivering for Followmont’s customers – giving the community an opportunity to see the B-double in action on the road.

The 2023 Brisbane Convoy for Kids will take place on Saturday, November 4. Registration is now open for community members to support the Trailer of Hope.

Trailer manufacturer wins ‘Australian Owned’ award

A NSW based manufacturer of heavy vehicle trailer and tipper bodies has been recognised for its commitment to Australian manufacturing.

Sloanebuilt Trailers, based at Smeaton Grange, NSW, was awarded the title of Australian Owned Business of the Year 2023.

The manufacturer operates from a nine-acre facility, where it produces custom

rigid bodies and trailers, that have become nationally renowned for their strength, durability and reliability.

The state-of-the-art site accommodates over 36,000 square metres of hard stand with 15,000 square metres undercover, four drive through bays, twin spray booths, machine shop, sandblast booth, weigh bridge, spare parts store as well as

modern and state of the art administrative and engineering facilities.

Sloanebuilt Trailers was established in the mid 1970s by Ken Sloane, with Fred and Helen Marano taking on the business in the mid 1980s.

The company’s product range includes everything from rigid bins and dog trailers, right through to B-doubles and drop deck wideners.

General manager of Australian Owned, Kristy Ponting, visited the company’s Smeaton Grange facility to present the team with the award, with Sloanebuilt coming out on top.

Ponting commended Sloanebuilt’s unparalleled commitment to quality, safety and comradery in manufacturing. She attested that the Australian Owned judges panel meticulously selected Sloanebuilt out of 200 entries due to the company’s remarkable capabilities and exceptional processes.

She praised Sloanebuilt’s incredible facility and growth over the years as well as the company’s pivotal role in advancing the Australian economy.

Fred Marano, managing director of Sloanebuilt Trailers, said, “We are humbled and deeply honoured to be recognised as the Australian Owned Business of the Year for 2023.

“For over 35 years, we have strived to set new benchmarks in Australian manufacturing keeping all processes in-house. This award under-

scores our commitment to delivering end-to-end solutions that ‘meet standards’ and ‘exceeds all expectations.

“This recognition is a testament to the team’s hard work, dedication, and the trust placed in us by our customers and strong partnerships we established with local suppliers. We would like to dedicate this award to them as we could not have done it without their contribution.”

Australian Owned general manager Kristy Ponting presents the award to Sloanebuilt managing director Fred Marano.

The Trailer of Hope has become one of the most significant revenue generators for the Brisbane Convoy for Kids’ fundraising efforts.

Followmont Transport has once again supplied a B-double to be used as the Trailer of Hope.

Sloanebuilt Trailers’ nine-acre facility is located

LAST YEAR, IT ONCE AGAIN BECAME THE HIGHEST FUNDRAISING TOOL FOR THE EVENT, SO WE ARE PLEASED TO PLAY OUR PART IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE.”

THIS RECOGNITION IS A TESTAMENT TO THE TEAM’S HARD WORK, DEDICATION, AND THE TRUST PLACED IN US BY OUR CUSTOMERS AND STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WE ESTABLISHED WITH LOCAL SUPPLIERS.”

Top steel cable and rubber products under one roof

ANDROMEDA Industries

is a pioneering and innovative business that has been producing Superflex Steel cable and slings along with their huge range of rubber products since 1972. Andromeda Industries is the only manufacturer of Superflex Steel cable and can produce steel cable from 1.0t lifting capacity right through to 168.0t lifting capacity in a straight pull and 330.0t in a cradle configuration.

Being located in the rural village of Moonbi, 22km north of Tamworth on the New England Highway, Andromeda Industries is well versed to cater for your transport requirements – having an easily accessible site and large quantities of stock available for immediate delivery.

Andromeda Industries carries a vast range of lifting and rigging equipment along with general wire rope and accessories for your towing needs, whether it is tow winch cable, or trailer axle cables, Andromeda Industries has you covered.

Not only do Andromeda Industries produce amazing steel slings and cable, they are also renowned for their

reusable rubber division. Our reusable rubber division produces a wide range of rubber products to suit your heavy

vehicle and transport needs, whether it is our Heavy Load Safety Mats for the transportation of heavy machinery to increase the coefficient of friction from the grouser plates of the machinery and the steel floor of the float, through to rubber mud guards for trucks, trailers and dollies.

Andromeda Industries’ range of rubber is also used extensively throughout workshops right across Australia to protect the flooring from heavy machinery and implements whilst being serviced or repaired. Our Fenner Belt is a fantastic product that is fire retardant and resistant to oil and fuel spills, creating a product that will last an incredibly long time and preserve your workshop flooring.

Andromeda Industries has made a name for itself by repurposing used mining conveyor belt into a multitude of different products. By repur-

Do you have a work ute or vehicle that requires rubber matting? Andromeda Industries has you covered with their premium grade holeybelt ute matting. A first-grade product that is UV stabilised to ensure its longevity in the harsh Australian environment, it is the perfect product to protect your valuable asset.

There is a rubber product that will suit just about every

HeavyLoadSafetyMats

need, with over 240 different uses including equine and livestock, residential, erosion control, landscaping and environmental applications, to name just a few.

To find out more about our full range of products or to see if we have the right products for you, contact our sales team on 02 6760 3773 or visit our website at andromedaindustries.com.au.

Premium grade holeybelt ute matting.

Andromeda Industries’ range of rubber products have a multitude of uses.

These mudflaps are easy to install and very durable.

Andromeda Industries can produce steel cable from 1.0t lifting capacity right through to 168.0t lifting capacity in a straight pull and 330.0t in a cradle configuration.

Here’s how balanced trailer wheels ‘sing’ together

SO, you take the family drive car, let’s say it’s a Landcruiser or a Hilux, in for balancing the wheels, and you say, “Mate, just balance the front two wheels thanks!”

It’s unthinkable, right?

And even more so when you consider the business end of your rig. Many drivers have of course begun by balancing just the steers with Atlas Balance Rings, and the difference is felt immediately, so pretty soon they work out the benefits of balancing the drives and trailers too.

Here’s what Nicholas Thompson from Thompson Transport has to say, “We started by putting a set of balance rings on just one of the Kenworth B-doubles running super singles. The driver came back two days later asking what we had done to the truck as it simply held onto the road better. Since I hadn’t driven it myself yet, I took it for a ride the next day and noticed how smoother a drive on our country roads it was, hence why we put in another order to fit out the whole fleet. A few months on and we

have a flat even wear on the tyres for a change.”

Gary Faulkner, of Faulkner Carrying, Boonah had the same experience. “We currently have our fleet of UD and Volvo curtain sider trucks running Atlas Balance Company rings and we are very happy with the results. Given the condition of some of the roads we travel on, wheel balancing is an issue. Before fitting the balance rings, drivers regularly complained of steering shake or shudder. Since fitting the rings this problem has been eliminated altogether, also removing the need for our tyre fitter to remove and balance steer tyres at least two times in the life of the tyre. The added bonus is that once you purchase the balance rings you have no more balancing costs as they will outlast most trucks.”

Mick Harrold at Harrold Services also started off just doing the steers. Now every truck

WE PUT IN ANOTHER ORDER TO FIT OUT THE WHOLE FLEET. A FEW MONTHS ON AND WE HAVE A FLAT EVEN WEAR ON THE TYRES FOR A CHANGE.”

NICHOLAS THOMPSON

and trailer (as it is coming out of Graham Lusty Trailers) is fitted out completely as well.

Even the maths make sense!

At $250 per tyre x 8 (or 16 or more) drive wheels – even if you save only 25 per cent tyre life, and most report up to 50 per cent longer tyre life, that’s $750 in savings on every $2000 you spend on tyres.

It was a pleasure to catch up with so many of you at the Brisbane Truck Show. Drivers like Simon Savage, Marty Mur-

phy and more are all seeing the benefits of balancing the whole truck, for ride comfort, for diesel and tyre savings. The subject of balance beads came up of course, with most drivers well aware of the impact and wear of beads wearing the inside of the tyre as well as beads getting caught in the seals allowing air to escape. There’s no doubt that a completely encapsulated liquid system of balancing is by far the best, especially when you use recycled materials. Yes, we depend on fossil fuels to power these magnificent cargo carriers we call trucks, but where possible we reduce the load on the planet by using less fuel, less rubber, and recycled materials safely.

When aware drivers are matched with the right tyre pressures, wheels aligned and balanced, the wheels sing together, drivers are safer and less weary, and so is our Planet Earth.

Atlas Balance’s Euro and Asian steer rings.

Atlas Balance Company’s Simon McQuillan with Atlas Balance Trailer Rings.

EXTENDING its range of high mileage tyres, Goodyear Fleet has recently introduced Goodyear KMAX D210 295/80R22.5, a next generation regional haul drive tyre with higher mileage potential combined with enhanced traction and durability.

In the ever-evolving world of transportation, the pursuit of efficiency and durability remains a top concern for fleet operators and drivers alike when it comes to tyres for their vehicles, as their ultimate objective is to reduce the fre-

quency of tyre replacements and maintenance, saving both time and money.

Goodyear KMAX D210 tyre is designed to address these needs through a thoughtful engineering approach, featuring a pattern of deep sipes and grooves to enhance traction throughout the tyre’s lifespan. Its stone-ejecting design minimises the risk of stone retention by opening the grooves under torque, which helps protect tyre casing and promotes overall durability.

Furthermore, Goodyear

KMAX D210 tyre offers improved traction and mileage thanks to its shoulder design. In challenging conditions like wet or muddy roads, the large shoulder grooves come into play, enhancing traction, and facilitating water and mud evacuation. With this technology, Goodyear KMAX D210 is built to withstand the challenges of any paved roads, no matter in what weather conditions they may be.

Tyres that wear unevenly can lead to imbalanced handling and reduced traction. The tread profile of Goodyear KMAX D210 provides optimal pressure distribution in the footprint for high mileage, more regular wear until the end of tyre life and enhanced fuel efficiency. Its fuel saving tread compound with low rolling resistance optimises the balance between higher mileage and lower fuel usage, which – in the long term –helps stay on top of the operating costs.

The key benefits of Goodyear’s KMAX D210 tyre.

operators. Goodyear Fleet has tested this drive tyre on Australian regional and line haul routes between Melbourne and Perth over a combined 750,000 kilometres. The controlled testing of Goodyear KMAX D210 with B-double and road train con-

figurations indicated a significant noise reduction and a mileage potential that was up to 25 per cent higher than its predecessor.

If it rolls, let’s talk about it! Call 13 18 98 or visit goodyearfleet.com.au Follow us on Goodyear KMAX D210 High mileage tyre, delivering better fuel economy and battery range IF IT ROLLS WE MAKE IT ROLL FURTHER

Goodyear KMAX D210 is also tailored to meet the demands of a variety of load conditions and applications, offering versatility to fleet

going demand for high-mileage tyres while excelling in traction, making it a reliable drive tyre choice for regional and line haul fleets facing diverse conditions. If it rolls, let’s talk about it! Call 13 18 98 or visit the website at goodyearfleet.com.au.

Southern Refrigerated gets right cut with MaxiTRANS

SOMETIMES it takes a butcher to know exactly what a butcher needs. The owner of Southern Refrigerated Transport relies on his meat industry knowledge and the right trailer solutions from MaxiTRANS to ensure his customers are happy.

If anyone knows how important quality refrigerated transport is, it’s Rob Hawthorn. As a former butcher, he understands the value of the product his equipment is carrying as they make their way from various abattoirs around the country.

“We can have up to 20,000 kilograms of meat on a truck at any one time and that can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars,” he said.

Hawthorn’s progression from butchering to refrigerated transport evolved over time. He started with small delivery trucks and now owns road trains, as the managing director of Southern Refrigerated Trans-

port, which is now in its 12th year. The company, which works primarily with butchers and abattoirs, specialises in handling chilled and frozen produce.

“I’d like to think that what I’ve done in the meat industry previously has enabled me to understand things like shelf life, and allows us to set a high standard,” said Hawthorn.

“It’s the final consumer who’s the ultimate customer and it’s the end result that counts.”

For Hawthorn, turning to MaxiTRANS for its refrigerated trailers was a natural fit and he appreciated the broad range of equipment they could offer.

“They are a one-stop-shop for us. We can buy our A-double dollies, flat tops and meat hangers and then we can also get full freezer vans. They’ve got the versatility there to service everything we need.”

Trailer manufacturer Maxi-

TRANS has been an industry stalwart, providing trailers and equipment solutions for more than 75 years. Meanwhile its refrigeration brand, MaxiCUBE has been on offer for more than 50 years and are built locally to cater to Australian conditions.

The Maxi-CUBE range varies from dry freight through to models that can carry frozen goods and come with a large offering of standard and optional inclusions that are designed to give customers a leading edge and help them to continue delivering industry excellence.

Southern Refrigerated Transport runs about 50 MaxiCUBE refrigerated trailers purchased over the years from MaxiTRANS in Derrimut, Victoria, and Hawthorn says he is impressed at both their longevity and resale value.

“I like to look at the second life of my equipment and how quickly can we resell them. They don’t battle scar and are a nice clean look that presents well even with a bit of age. They keep their shine a bit longer than the others.”

The opportunity to deploy Performance-Based Standards (PBS) equipment is also a huge draw, Hawthorn added, as the A-double combination gives him extra product space.

“All of our PBS A-doubles can be split up,” he said. “You get a lot better productivity on the highway from the doubles. We read that playbook and worked out that getting more volume is better than looking for more drivers.”

Hawthorn says he is also

happy with the aftersales service MaxiTRANS offers, getting support at any hour of the day.

“I’ve rung on a Saturday night just with mechanical questions and we got the guidance we needed and got it fixed.”

Although he misses butchering every day, Hawthorn says he is now in the place where he belongs, and the challenges his job brings him is what keeps him coming back.

“We all sell cold air at the end of the day. It’s just about who sells it better.”

To find out more about MaxiTRANS, please visit maxitrans.com.

Trailer Sales commemorates major 40-year milestone

FOUR decades ago, a humble but determined company took its first step into the Australian road transport industry.

Today, Queensland-based Trailer Sales continues to serve the local industry, with access to the full suite of trailing products available under the MaxiTRANS offering.

The company now celebrates its 40th year milestone as a business and MaxiTRANS dealer.

Trailer Sales was established as Freighter Queensland in 1982, beginning operations in 1983.

Initially the company distributed well-recognised trailer brands like Freighter; but then expanded its reach in the late 1990s by acquiring distribution rights to Maxi-CUBE refrigerated vans, subsequently rebranding to Freighter Maxi-CUBE Queensland (FMQ).

In 2009, another turning point came when FMQ acquired Trailer Sales NQ, a move that included the trailersales.com.au domain. This acquisition not only expanded the company’s reach

but also led to the current, familiar name of Trailer Sales in 2012.

Trailer Sales has two branches (Rocklea and Townsville), and employs 70 people.

It provides access to the full suite of MaxiTRANS trailer brands, as well as specialised products from FWR and RoadWest Transport.

Trailer Sales prides itself on being a one-stop-shop for road transport operators, offering a broad range of products and services, as well as parts. It provides coverage here locally in Australia and in various international markets.

From brake lining or wheel bearing repairs to complete vehicle rollover solutions, the company’s service division has consistently provided high-quality, comprehensive services.

A core aspect of Trailer Sales’ success has been its commitment to customers, cultivating relationships that span generations.

Sales manager Scott Thiesfield, who is a two-decade veteran of the company, explains

the Trailer Sales’ philosophy: “We’re here for long term relationships. It’s not about selling one trailer; it’s about having a long-lasting relationship with that customer.”

Despite challenges thrown their way, including the Global Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, Trailer Sales has proved its resilience by “rolling with the punches”.

The company’s flexibility and customer-focused approach allows it to make decisions swiftly, keeping business operations efficient and customer satisfaction at the forefront.

Trailer Sales is partially owned by leading national trailer manufacturer MaxiTRANS.

Dealer principal Mark Kelly says that the 40-year milestone is a testament to dedicated staff and a loyal customer base.

“We appreciate the support from our staff and the customers who have supported us along this journey. May there be many more years to come,” he said.

General manager Mark

Sutcliffe has driven the company that evolved into Trailer Sales over the decades, increasing a limited number of products to the wide range of trailers from MaxiTRANS available today.

Despite the successes and

the inevitable challenges, the management team at Trailer Sales remains humble and grounded.

As Thiesfield points out, “We don’t normally put too many things out there and give ourselves a pat on the

back, but the 40th anniversary is an exception.”

The celebration is not just about marking a milestone. It’s about appreciating the staff, the customers, and everyone who has supported the company along the way.

L-R: Mark Sutcliffe, Mark Kelly, Kevin Manfield and Scott Thiesfield.

The company has recently adopted PBS approved A-double combinations for greater productivity benefits.

Southern Refrigerated Transport turned to MaxiTRANS for its refrigerated trailers due to the broad range of equipment they could offer.

WHAT A CLASSIC

Get longer slat life with the J-MAX steel slat floor

HERE’S why operators who haul abrasive materials need the J-MAX steel slat.

Hauling abrasive materials with moving floor systems can prove challenging if you don’t have the right flooring. Sand, gravel and even mulch can create premature wear for standard aluminium slats. Designed for longer wear when handling abrasive loads, the J-MAX steel slat is a versatile choice for unloading a variety of materials.

Trailers outfitted with moving floor systems are used to unload a wide range of materials. The horizontal unloading systems discharge material without the assistance of a tipping system. Instead, a series of hydraulically driven floor slats “walk” the material out the rear of the trailer.

Constructed of roll-formed, high strength steel, the J-MAX floor system offers operators more flexibility in the products they haul. “In addition to handling regular bulk products like agricultural products or waste, the J-MAX slat stands up to construction debris, light demolition and even glass,” said Zyggy Reinoga of KEITH Walking Floor Australia Pty Ltd.

Compared with standard aluminium flooring, the J-MAX has a longer slat life. This durability ensures that the floor can withstand the wear and tear of frequent unloading of abrasive material. The unique ‘J’ floor seal, located between the slats, reduces the sifting of material through the trailer floor. This makes the J-MAX flooring suitable for hauling loads of sand, mulch or similar materials.

“Another area in which the J-MAX slat excels is in specialty applications such as unloading mineral concentrates,” added Reinoga. “Materials like gypsum are not free-flowing but tend to be sticky. Combined with the correct drive unit, the steel slat will do an impressive job of unloading the material.”

The trailer subdeck is re-

IN ADDITION TO HANDLING REGULAR BULK PRODUCTS LIKE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS OR WASTE, THE J-MAX SLAT STANDS UP TO CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS, LIGHT DEMOLITION AND EVEN GLASS.”

ZYGGY REINOGA

inforced with full length floor bearings, with a hold down design. This provides a maximum support surface for the flooring, creating a forklift compatible system. Backhaul opportunities are expanded with the ability to handle pal-

lets and bales.

Overall, the J-MAX floor slat offers durability, versatility and efficient trailer unloading capabilities. Whether it is handling abrasive materials or ensuring long-lasting performance, the J-MAX floor slat is designed to meet the demands of various industries and applications.

Learn more about the J-MAX Floor

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

Roll formed, high-strength steel provides longer life than standard aluminium flooring.

The J-MAX slat is designed for longer wear for unloading abrasive material, such as glass.

and increased

STARTED in Queensland by second generation truckie Brett Tynan in 2001, Exodas Transport has grown quickly.

Specialising in transporting produce, refrigerated and general freight, Exodas runs an impressive fleet from its six depots across Queensland and NSW.

The sizeable fleet has grown to include 113 prime movers, 29 rigids and 255 trailers. About 70 per cent of the fleet is refrigerated, providing services across the eastern seaboard.

Recently, Exodas took delivery of its first combination running under Performance Based Standards (PBS) in the form of a quad-quad B-double.

Based at the Yatala depot, the 38-pallet set-up is comprised of a show-stopping Kenworth Legend SAR – the first Legend in the fleet – and a Vawdrey set of trailers. The new set carries produce into Melbourne and Sydney, and refrigerated goods on the return trip.

“Normally we’d get around 32 tonne of payload in a B-double but in this set we can get up to 42 tonne,” said Nathan Bennett, fleet controller at Exodas.

The B-double is running on Hendrickson suspension with its HXL7® extended life wheel end package and CONNEX™ST steerable suspension.

With a 1.2 kilometre/five

year warranty, the HXL7 system is designed to maximise uptime and performance. It features a premium seal, high-performance synthetic semi-fluid grease and Hendrickson’s Precision320 spindle nut system, which allows for ultra-precise bearing adjustment.

Also included in the set-up is Hendrickson’s CONNEX ST steerable axle, which is an ideal choice for a PBS application, as it assists operators to meet applicable regulatory needs for steerable axles. It is designed to be compatible with trailers fitted with both top mount and low ride drum-brake Hendrickson INTRAAX® suspensions.

CONNEX ST combines Hendrickson’s proven suspension systems with its innovative steer axle technology, complemented by the axle lift system, for maximum operating efficiency. It also means reduced tyre wear and a lower cost of life for the self-steer axle.

“This set has steerable axles on the back of the first trailer and the front axle on the rear trailer. It provides a lot more maneuverability – they don’t cut as much as you’d see in a normal B-double, so the trailer steers around better. There’s a much better swept path,” said Bennett.

For Exodas, the ease of maintenance of the Hendrickson package has also been a winner.

As head mechanic Mick Burton explained, “We’re finding it’s easier to maintain than some of the other suspensions we’ve used. You just jack it up to check the wheel bearings, there’s no need to take the cap off and adjust them. From a servicing point of view, the Hendrickson is quicker.”

Exodas also has a second PBS quad-quad B-double due to join the fleet very shortly. It will be the first combination in the fleet to use Hendrick-

son’s TIREMAAX™PRO, an advanced tyre inflation system providing constant active inflation, relieving and equalising of tyre pressures. Bennett expects to see it deliver great results.

“On the new one coming in, it will have the TIREMAAX PRO system included as a trial. It monitors all your tyres to keep the pressures equal, so it reduces tyre wear,” he said. “We haven’t used this system before so it’s new to us. If there’s a noticeable difference, we’ll definitely look to purchase more.”

Burton added, “When a

driver has a flat tyre out on the road, it costs about $1000 to get someone out there to replace it, so if we can find tyre issues before the truck goes out and get it fixed in the workshop, then that’s a good thing.”

Bennett also commented on Hendrickson’s service. “They’ve been great to work with. We haven’t really had any issues and the minor ones we did have were resolved very quickly. When I was in Melbourne, they also sent me on a factory tour to see how everything is done, which was really impressive.”

The B-double runs on Hendrickson with its HXL7® extended life wheel end package and CONNEX™ST steerable suspension.

Exodas runs a fleet of 113 prime movers, 29 rigids and 255 trailers.

Tag trailers on agenda again Lighting way to safer trucks

WITH rules around tag trailer mass differing between states, Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) is hoping that long-standing issues surrounding this can soon be resolved.

HVIA’s chief technical officer Adam Ritzinger says rules concerning the maximum mass of tag trailers has historically varied between jurisdictions.

“Prior to the introduction of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) in 2014, some states imposed a mass limit on tag trailers, while others classified them as semi-trailers and did not impose any specific mass limit at all, other than axle mass limits,” he said.

“In late 2018, the HVNL was updated to formally define tag trailers and limit their mass to no more than the mass of their towing vehicle.

“This change was made without industry consultation, did not include a transition period, and to HVIA’s knowledge was not supported by any safety case or history of prior incidents.

“The negative effects on the industry were immediate and included considerable op-

erational limitations for operators carrying indivisible loads such as mobile plant, and the trailer manufacturers that supplied those operators.”

At the time, HVIA brought up the issue with its members. It then put forward a proposal to regulatory bodies including the National Transport Commission (NTC) and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) in 2019.

HVIA says the NHVR conducted its own technical investigation and was supportive of changes – and began to work with the NTC to amend

the regulations.

“Unfortunately, those changes stalled in 2020 due to a wider and broader review of the entire HVNL that the NTC was undertaking at the time.

“As work on the HVNL is now coming to a close, the issue is back on the reform agenda with the NTC, supported by the NHVR.”

HVIA is hoping the remaining technical queries can be resolved by the end of this year, with changes included in the regulations to be approved in 2024.

AS we navigate the intricate web of our transport systems, heavy vehicles play a crucial role in keeping the wheels of commerce turning. However, their sheer size and weight can also pose significant challenges, making safety a top priority. HELLA Australia recognises this and places significant importance on road safety for heavy vehicle operators.

HELLA is committed to staying at the forefront of truck safety, and the company is constantly developing new products and technologies to keep drivers safe. These include lights, electronics and sensors.

When it comes to heavy vehicles, visibility is key, and HELLA’s lighting systems are engineered to provide just that. Light is essential for both seeing and being seen. This is especially crucial for the heavy vehicle sector where profes-

sional drivers and vehicles travel long distances day and night. Low visibility can increase the risk of an accident by 30 per cent or more. HELLA’s quality lights provide better visibility in all conditions, whether it’s powerful LED headlights that pierce through the darkness or innovative signal lamps that communicate crucial information to other road users, HELLA Australia ensures that heavy vehicles remain visible and safe in all conditions.

HELLA also offers a variety of sensors that can help to increase safety. These sensors can improve steering precision and situation-dependent handlamp adjustment. This enables drivers to control the direction of the vehicle accurately, avoid obstacles and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. The handlamp adjustment ensures that drivers have the best possible visibility, as the

headlights can be adjusted according to the current driving conditions. When trucks are equipped with these quality sensors, drivers are more aware of their surroundings and can make better decisions while driving.

HELLA’s products are reliable and well-suited to the Australian environment. Take LED lighting as an example, which has revolutionised the transport industry through its unparalleled reliability and durability. They are manufactured by HELLA New Zealand under the most rigorous, verified testing standards. Every product that leaves its factory is individually tested, and every order line is QA inspected, so drivers can be confident that they will perform as expected in even harsh environments. HELLA has continuously improved the latest designs from ongoing research and market experience; to create a product of truly lasting value and safe operation. But it’s not just about the products; HELLA Australia’s dedication to road safety extends to education and awareness campaigns. Actively supporting the community through partnerships such as Transafe WA is equally as important. Transafe’s iNSTRUCKTA! truck, a mobile road safety education centre, travels to schools and communities teaching children and adults about road safety. HELLA understands that safety is not just about equipping vehicles with the right tools but also about fostering a culture of safety among drivers.

New loading guides released

THE National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has released three new loading guides for the industry, covering side curtains, side gates and headboards.

The regulator explained, under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), parties in the Chain of Responsibility (CoR) and drivers have an obligation to comply with loading requirements to maintain safety for all road users.

The new loading guides developed by the NHVR are designed to assist industry in complying with the HVNL loading and loading performance standards.

These one-pagers highlight common loading mistakes and best practice methods for securing a load. Each of the load restraint guides provides a case study, which is used as an example of what can happen with an insufficiently restrained load.

For example, in the side curtains guide, a case study points to a truck that was intercepted because of a bulge in the curtain on the rear of the passenger side. The driver said it was ok when he left the depot and there was no issue when he walked around the truck.

When the driver opened the

rear doors, it was that a small industrial machine had broken its restraints and was leaning on the unrated gate and unrated curtain. The NHVR says this could have been avoided by restraining the load properly inside the curtain as if the curtain was not even there. The gates could have also been braced to add some strength.

NHVR says the new guides have been designed for parties in the CoR to print out and

display in their workplace to increase awareness, or to be placed in loading manuals as a quick reference.

The three new loading guides aim to promote safety through good load restraint practices to help industry comply with loading requirements.

To access all the latest guides, visit the website nhvr.gov. au/road-access/mass-dimension-and-loading/loading and click on ‘Loading Guides’.

This truck was intercepted because of a bulge in the curtain, caused by a small industrial machine that had broken its restraints.

HELLA’s products are reliable and well-suited to the Australian environment.

HVIA is hoping the remaining technical queries are resolved shortly. Photos: HVIA

Maximum mass rules vary between jurisdictions.

compatibility achieved with AXS Series

WHO says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? With the new upgrades available with Airtec Corporation, you can!

Airtec’s latest mass management product – the AXS is said to be Australia’s smartest smart OBM. It’s a game changer for the heavy vehicle industry and is sure to save time and money.

Good news now comes to those already operating an Airtec OBM system under compliance. You might have been thinking you’d missed the boat. But you’d be wrong…

After listening to customer feedback at their product launch in May, CEO and co-founder of Airtec Corpora-

ton, David Hewett, has ensured backwards compatibility can be achieved with the AXS Series.

If you’d like to begin a transition to the AXS Series, but your existing AXM/AXL combination works perfectly, this is a great “try before you buy big” scenario. It ensures you get the most out of existing products.

Airtec now offers a technical upgrade for existing customers running AXM/AXL smartOBM combinations.

The change will allow existing gauges to communicate with the new AXS product line. Meaning the latest smartOBM technology is available without the sting to your back pocket.

The upgrade, which connects existing units to the Bluetooth-Mesh network, will provide the following benefits:

• Allow existing AXM/AXL smartOBM gauges to communicate with AXS Series;

• Improve your gauge’s signal strength, reducing dropouts and making scan-ins easier;

• Shorten data transmission times, delivering your load mass to the Master Unit on your prime mover as well as the TruckOBM App;

• Prolong the overall life of

your gauge.

The best part? Your OBM system will retain its TCA Type B Classification and Approval. Which is imperative if you’re operating within Queensland, Victoria and NSW.

As with any upgrade process there are considerations to take into account. Customers must be aware that once connected to the Bluetooth-Mesh

network, your upgraded gauges can no longer communicate with those using the old legacy radio modules.

If you are part of a large fleet where combinations change regularly and you’re introducing the AXS, all gauges must receive the Bluetooth-Mesh upgrade to communicate with each other. If you don’t upgrade all applicable gauges, your total

mass data will not be collected. You can upgrade your AXM/ AXL combination for $220 per unit plus shipping. A fraction of the cost of a new gauge. Better still, if your gauges are still within Airtec’s 12-month warranty, the upgrade is free of charge. All you pay is shipping to Airtec’s Adelaide Warehouse. To learn more, call 1800 818 884 or visit airteccorporation.

A Bluetooth-Mesh upgrade allows your AXM/AXL system to integrate with the new AXS Series.

David Hewett and his product development team, David Morton, Jake Gillingham and Jacinta Lane, answering customer questions at the AXS product launch in May 2023.

is one of the leading global manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality axles and suspension systems, fifth wheels, kingpins, coupling products and landing gear to the commercial vehicles industry.

Superior choice for Detroit Diesel engine filtration

WHEN it comes to safeguarding your Detroit Diesel DD13, DD15 or DD16 engine, Fleetguard filters stand head and shoulders above the rest. Although Fleetguard is a leading manufacturer of engine filters for a wide range of vehicles, its popularity with owners of trucks and equipment that use Detroit Diesel DD13, DD15 and DD16 engines is legendary. And there’s good reason for this.

Fleetguard filters are specifically designed to comply with all manufacturer specifications for their intended engine. This ensures every Fleetguard filter meets the engine’s requirements and performs correctly. The result is a properly protected engine, and peace of mind for owners.

Modern diesel engines use HPCR or High-Pressure

Common Rail fuel systems. Unfortunately, these systems have smaller component clearances and extremely high operating pressures, making them more susceptible to fuel contaminants than older diesel engines.

Fleetguard’s FK13850, FK48556, and FK11011fuel filters for Detroit Diesel engines are specifically designed to protect these engines against particulate damage caused by particles released during engine vibration and fuel surge. This extends the

life of fuel injection components and helps lower maintenance costs over the life of the fuel system.

Cold weather increases oil viscosity and reduces its flow rate. This can potentially starve engine components of oil, resulting in insufficient lubrication and excessive wear and tear on affected components. Fleetguard’s environmentally friendly LF17511 and LF17810 oil filters ensure that even in icy operating conditions, your Detroit Diesel engine’s oil can get where it needs to go. This protects vital engine components and ensures they remain correctly

lubricated and functional.

Over time, coolant in a radiator can pick up contaminants that damage cooling system components. Fleetguard’s coolant filtration systems help remove these contaminants, reducing wear on components and extending coolant service life. The WF2187 Water Filter from

Fleetguard for Detroit Diesel engines has a 65-micron rating and a 160,000 kilometre service life. It reduces wear and maintains all cooling system components.

In addition to their superior filtration performance, Fleetguard filters are also backed by a 12-month/20,000km warranty for added confidence and protection.

Fleetguard is committed to providing customers with the highest quality filters for Detroit Diesel and other engines. With a wide range

of resources to help customers

choose the right filter Fleetguard is a trusted brand that has been providing customers with quality filters for over 50 years. For more information, please visit fleetguard.com.

Fleetguard’s new range helps keep trucks like the new Detroit Diesel-powered Western Star X-Series working at their best.

Fleetguard’s urea filter.

The WF2187 Water Filter from Fleetguard for Detroit Diesel engines has a 65-micron rating and a 160,000 kilometre service life.

Fleetguard offers a range of DEF filters for medium and heavy-duty truck applications.

Why GPS tracking is a must for every operator

BY ANTHONY LARAS, NATIONAL MANAGER FOR TRANSPORT, TELETRAC NAVMAN

OPERATORS of all sizes –from three vehicles to 3000 –can take advantage of the benefits of GPS vehicle tracking. By knowing where your assets are at all times, you can manage fuel costs, track usage and maintenance, comply with the relevant NHVR rules, including the Chain of Responsibility (CoR), as well as improve driver safety and behaviour.

GPS-powered fleet management solutions help to digitise paper-based manual processes, enabling operators to better compete in this digital age. The worry of human errors can be reduced so both your drivers and fleet managers have all the information they need, when you need it, at any time.

Fleet tracking lets you do predictive maintenance

Technology needs to be easy to use, and must show benefits, both immediately and in the

long-term. Teletrac Navman’s platform brings together artificial intelligence and machine learning to help operators easily interpret and share data via its insights tool.

This data can also be used for predictive maintenance. Patterns in breakdowns or malfunctions can be forecast over time if all services are recorded and all assets are maintained properly. You can better understand service intervals based on the distance travelled, so oil changes, brake inspections and tyre rotations, along with many

other tasks, can be performed as they’re needed so you don’t fall behind.

Depending on your fleet characteristics, preventative maintenance may need to be carried out before the manufacturer’s set intervals. While it may seem like an extra expense to do an oil or fluid change or service the engine or conduct brake maintenance ahead of time, it can save money in the long run.

No one wants a break down due to an overlooked maintenance schedule. You don’t want to be hundreds of

kilometres out from your destination and the coolant isn’t topped up, or a tyre wasn’t checked. The downtime associated with a breakdown is also expensive in terms of wages, lost productivity, unsatisfied customers, and missed loads – having a truck off the road can be a major blow to any operator’s budget, regardless of its size.

When it comes to maintenance, it’s just as important on your vehicles as it is on your assets, equipment or trailers. Asset tracking continues to help with jobs that are often spread across state lines or even just longer distances across town. You’ll know that the vehicle is where it is supposed to be for the maintenance engineer to work on. It’s not uncommon for an engineer to drive several hours to a site and then find the equipment they were sent to work on is no longer there. With fleet management software, costly, time-consuming mistakes like this are avoided entirely.

The role of drivers

Drivers are the people who interact with your vehicles

the most, which means they have a critical role to play in maintenance and roadworthiness of your fleet. But drivers also need training on how to conduct pre-and-post journey inspections. This training enables them to identify problems before they arise and have an impact on your business.

As a driver, you can use an electronic checklist that lets you complete inspections via an in-cab device. The device then sends a digital report to your fleet manager or workshop team, alerting them in real-time so they can plan the needed service and maintenance to the vehicle.

Managing trailer weights and maintenance

Trailers can get overlooked when it comes to service and maintenance, but operators can maximise the service life of their trailers, as well as achieve compliance with necessary regulations, using Smart OBM, along with telematics monitoring applications (TMA).

Most operators would be

familiar with the concepts of Smart OBM and TMA, which use digital technology to collect and transmit the mass of axle groups and then calculate the gross vehicle mass in a reliable and standard way.

By having fleet management data at your fingertips – and allowing the driver to know, with the press of a button, what their axle loadings are – Smart OBM empowers operators and their drivers to run productively and safely in purpose built vehicles and trailers for the task at hand.

Understanding axle and wheel loads also helps operators know when trailer maintenance, including tyre rotations, must be carried out. This ultimately saves time and money for the operator by minimising any periods the trailer is off the road for repair. There are myriad benefits to a tracking solution, both for the prime mover and its trailer. Operators using these solutions can be on top of maintenance, saving money through avoiding unplanned downtime and bolstering the bottom line through more efficient fuel use.

Patterns in breakdowns or malfunctions can be forecast over time if all services are recorded and all assets are maintained properly.

TN360 provides the tools to help eliminate guesswork. See past the day-to-day to identify and mitigate risks that would previously have been invisible for a safer and more productive operation.

Truckin’ In The Tropics

with Alf Wilson

Loving life on the road This truck is his ‘own little office’

BEFORE gaining a job as a truck driver, Cairns-based Allan Gong worked as a tree lopper.

A cousin of famous Torres Strait Islander and Australian basketball player Patty Mills, Gong now loves life on the road delivering dairy products around the scenic Atherton Tablelands.

Big Rigs saw the 40-yearold truckie when he pulled up in the Hino refrigerated light truck he drives for Pauls.

“I deliver milk, other dairy

products and confectionary around the Tablelands to places as far away as Ravenshoe, Dimbulah and Port Douglas to the north of Cairns,” he said.

We saw Gong when he was making a delivery to the Puma Roadhouse at Emerald Creek near Mareeba recently.

Gong said he is proud of his Torres Strait descent on one side of his family tree.

“I have many relatives on Thursday Island including from the Fujii, Ward and

Mills families. I haven’t been up there for a while but hope to do so soon,” he said.

Before starting this job two years ago, Gong was a tree lopper.

“I gave it away because I was sick of green ants up trees and this is a great job where I meet lots of people and travel to nice places,” he said.

Outside work, Gong loves fishing and crabbing especially in the Barron River. He also barracks for the Dragons in the NRL.

In The Tropics

with Alf Wilson

Old Mack a real crowd-pleaser at big army open day

man told Big Rigs that the role of the Mack R Series is to provide the Australian Defence Force (ADF) land forces with an eight tonne cross-country and ten tonne highway capacity vehicle capability.

“The vehicle’s carrying capacity can be increased using a towed eight-tonne dual axle trailer or 20-tonne quad axle trailer. The bulk fuel variant of the Mack truck is capable of carrying all fuel types and is designed for forward refuelling of air and ground assets,” the spokesman said.

Sustainment Group (CASG) and equipment manufacturing partner Liebherr Australia to finalise the modifications to the crane to suit specific Defence requirements,” the spokesman said.

The Liebherr LTM10603.1 crane is one of 13 types of earthmoving and materials handling vehicles, with a total of 292 vehicles being delivered under the contract.

It is equipped with six-

wheel drive offering off-road capability and has a rated lifting capacity of 60t (48t in Defence configuration).

It offers industry leading technology, safety and lift analysis.

Whilst it was free entry to the open day, many gave donations which went to the Northern Queensland Legacy and Ronald McDonald House.

The Open Day is the local Defence community’s way of

saying thank you for the ongoing support from the Townsville community.

This event features a showcase of local Defence unit capabilities with interactive displays, demonstrations and activities for the whole family.

There were food trucks and information stalls from a number of community groups including one providing information about careers in the military.

AN old Mack R series truck driven by trooper Billy Mills was the centre of attention at an Army Open Day in Townsville which was attended by more than 10,000 people.

Known as an RFI-TTF-A MK II Aviation Refuelling truck, it is eight tonnes, has a turbo charged diesel engine and manual transmission.

It is a series RM6866RS, with an NSN of 661533721 and has 114,000km on the clock.

Its engine size is 11 litres, 212KW at 1800 rpm and has a Mack Maxitorque TRL1078 five speed gearbox and a storage capacity of 14,890 litres.

It was introduced into service during 2011.

Originally from Coff’s Harbour in NSW, Mills is a member of the 5th Aviation Regiment based at Townsville.

“It is a great old truck and supplies fuel for a Chinook CH47 helicopter,” he told Big Rigs.

Nearby was the Chinook and there was a big queue waiting to see it up close.

The open day was held at the giant Lavarack Barracks, the biggest military base in Australia, on Sunday August 27. Numerous trucks were also on display that day.

A Lavarack Barracks spokes-

Deliveries to the Australian Army went from 1982 to 1986.

“In 1988, a further 19 trucks were delivered, bringing the total to 925 of all variants,” he said.

Another big attraction on the day were the Liebherr crane trucks.

“A fleet of Liebherr LTM1060-3.1 cranes have been delivered under the Land 8120 Phase 1 contract Ventia has with the Australian Department of Defence. The first of the vehicles arrived from Germany in August 2022 and Ventia’s Support Services team have since worked closely with the Capability Acquisition &

The golden oldie Mack R Series truck with the Chinook helicopter which it provided fuel for.

Trooper Billy Mills with the Mack R he drives.

Truckies singing praises of new WA rest area

Top rest area in WA

Menzies is a small town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia and truckies have been singing the praises of a new rest area there which has clean toilets, lots of parking for heavy vehicles, and hot showers.

Spy had never heard of Menzies, which is 728km north-east of the state capital Perth, and 133km north-northwest of Kalgoorlie.

It has a population of less than 200 but benefits from some mining operations nearby.

A Perth owner operator

told me he stopped there one night in early September and was surprised to see such a good facility.

“It had a hot shower there and it is free of charge. Us truckies love a shower after a hard day’s work and there is also enough parking for three triple road trains on both the northbound and southbound directions. There is not much

else for us drivers between Menzies and Kalgoorlie,” he said.

It was built by the progressive Menzies Shire Council.

A few years ago Spy discovered a similar facility at the Queensland town of Dirranbandi which was extremely popular with drivers.

Dirranbandi is near the NSW and Queensland borders

on the Castlereagh Highway and the Balonne River.

Not such a good rest area

Whilst on the subject of rest areas in WA, other drivers have complained about the state of the one between Auski and Port Headland.

It is a distance of 274km from Auski to Port Headland, which is the second largest town in the Pilbara region.

“I stopped at the rest area the other day and bolted out from the toilet as soon as I could. It has those hole in the grounds toilets and was dirty, smelly and full of flies and mosquitoes,” a driver told me.

Roadworks to decrease in Victoria?

A handful of Victorian truckies have contacted Spy with similar concerns after hearing that the number of roadworks being carried out across the state is about to decrease dramatically.

“It is all about the lack of money in the budget and I have heard a lot of talk that roadworks will be few and far between soon,” one said.

The subject has apparently been a hot topic of conversation at roadhouses, rest areas and on the UHF radio.

Another posed the question that if any such decrease occurs, what about the safety issues?

“I want to know where our fuel tax is going if this happens,” another said.

Rain, hail, but not much sunshine

Truck drivers in the Northern Rivers district of NSW were amongst many motorists who braved a hail storm in late August.

Large hail stones along with lots of rain fell on the region which triggered concerns that there may be more to come in the looming storm season between September and March.

The SES received about 20 calls for assistance after the hailstorm hit the area.

The Bureau of Meteorology reported hailstones of up to four centimetres in diameter falling at Murwillumbah.

A Bureau spokesman said it was a sign that the storm season was getting underway in the region.

“Here in the Northern Rivers we are all very much accustomed to storms and Mother Nature seems to have caught us a little bit earlier this year,” he said.

He urged drivers to take care on the roads and start turning their minds to what could lie ahead.

Escort van at roadworks

Whilst waiting at roadworks on the Hervey’s Range Road, Spy saw an escort van leading the way after the green light signalled that it was right to go.

Having stopped at hundreds of roadworks over the decades I have never seen this before.

If there are traffic controllers

you normally have a red and green light system at each end to signal where waiting traffic must stop and then proceed.

This van had a flashing sign on the back roof advising motorists “not to overtake” along the roadworks area.

Old Spy was a passenger in a vehicle and snapped some pics of the van and when downloading them noticed one had just “overtake” displayed.

Scalies unpopular at Mt Carbine

To say that scalies who regularly set up a heavy vehicle inspection station at Mt Carbine are unpopular would be an understatement.

Mount carbine is 130km north of Cairns on the way to the Gulf and places like Weipa.

Drivers have to travel over rough corrugated red dirt roads – and such things as a light can break during the return trip.

I know of one driver who was fined for a light which didn’t work even though it was in the middle of the day.

I hear that other drivers were breached for a missing mirror or a broken battery box. One would think the scalies would show a bit of leniency and common sense especially on the way home from the Gulf!

Live export positive news

The news that live exports are set to return to Indonesia is great news for Australian live-

SPY ON THE ROAD WITH ALF WILSON

A free hot shower and plenty of parking for tired truckies at the new Menzies site.

The escort van after a green light signalled traffic to go on the Hervey’s Range Road.

Could the raft of roadworks in Victoria begin to decrease?

Menzies is 728km north of Perth and has a population of less than 200.

stock carriers.

Live animals are exported to other countries from Aussie ports at Darwin, Townsville and WA.

The probable commencement is after a meeting between Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo.

Indonesia had suspended imports on July 30 from some facilities over concerns about Lumpy Skin Disease.

A spokesman for the Australian government has told the ABC no formal agreement has been reached, but “the government is buoyed by positive discussions in recent days”.

The disease is transmitted by insects and is highly infectious in cattle and buffalo.

It poses no risk to humans.

Stowaways on the wrong track

In the last column Spy discussed the opinions of drivers about picking up hitchhikers as they travel the highways

and byways.

There was an interesting offshoot to this piece as Spy overheard some drivers yarning about the subject and a couple mentioned stowaways discovered on another transport system.

They spoke about two stowaways being discovered on a passenger train which had travelled in Queensland.

The stowaways were found by staff near St Lawrence and were detained.

“I have never heard of a truck driver finding a stowaway in a trailer,” one said.

Attack not so funny

A middle-aged truckie from South Australia didn’t find an incident during which he was the subject of an “attack” anywhere near as funny as some other drivers did.

He was far away on an interstate run and was parked up at a big roadhouse and walked across a paddock to a nearby shopping centre.

About halfway across he was continually swooped upon by an aggressive magpie.

Other truckies who had been parked near him found the incident quite humorous and laughed.

The lad was far from happy and gave a couple of them a spray when he returned.

It is the season when magpies breed and often swoop to protect their young in nests.

Spy has heard of other truckies being swooped on around the country – it can be frightening!

Meeting the big meat

As Spy drove into the parking area at a suburban shopping centre I noticed a Freightliner which had “Big Meat” written on the trailer.

The back door of the refrigerated trailer was open and two workers from the nearby butcher shop were helping the truck driver unload the meat.

After purchasing some rissoles and steak for a barbecue that night I was walking outside and spoke to the driver Ross Bailey.

He is based at Redlynch which is a suburb of Cairns and his company is Mustard Seed Refrigerated Transport.

“I do the run down to Townsville every week,” he said.

Ross is a true gentleman and you could see inside the butchery he was well liked by staff.

He was busy that day and I couldn’t snap his picture but the next best thing was to get one of his Freightliner as it drove off.

Bottle shop with B-double access

A giant new bottle shop has opened in Townsville which has access for B-doubles.

It is part of the Riverview Tavern on the banks of the freshwater reaches of Ross River. It opened with much fanfare in late August.

Owned by the Lillywhite Group, staff say that truckies don’t have to leave the cab of their B-double to be served.

It has a large covered drivethrough area and a 1150 square metre roof area.

Campervans, tradies and even B-doubles can fit through the high-roof drivethrough, group retail manager Geoff Grey said.

“There’s nothing that can’t come in here … We would have loved to do this over the years but we did not have the space.”

The Lillywhite Hotel Group is owned by Reg and Ann Lillywhite, with six hotels and taverns across Townsville and 16 Celebrations outlets from Charters Towers to Mareeba.

United Nations at roadhouses

Finding staff at many businesses around Australia can be a difficult task and a lot of truckies reckon that more foreigners than ever are working at many roadhouses.

Several truckies I have spoken to have described the staff they came across at a lot of roadhouses as being “a United Nations” of diversity.

Especially at remote road-

houses in many states where the population of nearby towns is small and local workers are difficult to find.

After hearing the “United Nations” comment Spy thought about it from my own observations at roadhouses or popular stops for drivers.

Also from phone calls to many roadhouses which had been nominated by drivers for being popular places to stop.

Just in the past months, I have seen or spoken to roadhouse workers from Argentina, Vietnam, Indonesia, England, France, Spain, Ireland, India, Holland and America.

Recently I was at a popular truckies’ gathering establishment at 2.30pm when the manager had to close the place.

It was because the woman who was to start work at 3pm was sick, and the only

workers she had were from overseas and they could not operate the Keno and TAB terminals.

There is another place I stop off at when travelling remotely and each time there are a couple of different workers from countries around the world.

It must be pointed out that Spy has no criticism whatsoever of foreign workers and indeed the ones I have come across have been courteous. Indeed they are assets to the roadhouse as many operators have told me.

Most are hard workers and get a job during their stay in Australia, get accommodated at the establishment, and meet lots of genuine Aussies like truckies.

Albeit the odd one had a language barrier.

I would be interested to get some opinions from truckies about the subject.

Cattle on Aussie roads.

The Freightliner that transports refrigerated meat drives off from the butcher shop after a delivery.

Double the glory for Queensland operator

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

IT’S shaped up to be quite a big month for All Purpose Transport (APT), which was presented with awards at two separate events – both held on the same night (Saturday, September 9).

At the 2023 Queensland Training Awards, APT was one of 14 winners, taking home the gong for Medium Employer of the Year.

While at the Queensland Trucking Association’s (QTA) annual Road Freight Industry Awards, held at the Royal International Convention Centre (RICC) in Brisbane, APT was awarded the Innovation Award.

Started in 1975, APT now employs over 120 staff and 300 owner-drivers. Its head office is located in Berrinba, with another depot on the Sunshine Coast. APT services Queensland, providing taxi truck, furniture delivery, heavy haulage transport and courier services.

APT’s head of people and safety, Belinda Polglase, said it was great to be nominated for both awards and exciting

to walk away with the wins. “There were two groups of us at each event. Normally I would have been at the QTA event as I’ve gone every year for however long but as I look after training, I went along to the Queensland Training Awards.”

The Queensland Training Awards were held in Brisbane.

They showcase great work in vocational education and training (VET) state-wide, with categories honouring apprentices, trainees, vocational students, teachers and trainers, training providers and employers.

APT’s training program

‘Project APT’ is now in its 11th year and provides the

opportunity to earn a qualification. In that time, over 500 workers have received a Certificate III or higher.

Polglase explained that the Project APT training program has seen staff gain formal qualifications relevant to their field of employment.

“2011 is when we did a big roll out of the program across

the business, for all staff as well as our owner drivers. They’re representing our business so it’s important to know that they’re properly trained. We’ve actually found this to be a really good way of validating the training we do in house-through external qualifications.

“We partnered with TAFE

back in 2011 and still work with TAFE now. For driver operations, there’s a trainer that goes out in the truck with the drivers. There is also a 12-month personal development program for people aspiring to develop themselves and progress into management roles. They come out of that training with a Certificate IV in Leadership and Management as a base qualification, however most employees enrolled in that program are now going for their diploma and advanced diploma.

“Then there’s the next level of training for the executive leadership team. Our focus on training doesn’t stop at any given level for our employees, it always continues throughout their journey.”

APT won the state training award after coming out on top in the regional awards a few months prior, where it won in the South East category. The company will now go up against other state winners to compete for national accolades at the Australian Training Awards in Hobart on Friday November 17.

While at the QTA awards,

All Purpose Transport’s regional Queensland team.

it was APT’s path to electrification that saw the company walk away with the win.

APT was recognised for its ‘Project EV: Sparking the Last Mile – a zero emissions vehicle transition strategy’.

The primary goal of Project EV is to explore and implement sustainable delivery methods for last-mile operations and significantly reduce emissions from delivery activities while ensuring that APT’s owner-driver business model remains intact during the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

APT was the first transport company in Queensland to commence new furniture home delivery services with an electric vehicle.

As Polglase explained, “One of our key contracts is with IKEA, which is obviously a global company. They have set a global target of wanting to reach 100 per cent emission free vehicles by 2025, so we’ve been on that journey with them for a little while now. However it’s really developed and taken off in the past year or so, because technology has advanced a lot more in that timeframe.”

The first truck used as part of Project EV was actually a converted diesel truck.

“This vehicle had the engine removed and was fitted with an electric motor and battery, There are a few more options out there now and costs have come down from where they

started. When you factor in the savings you make – you don’t have the cost of diesel, there’s the cost of electricity versus diesel and the fact that you don’t have the same maintenance costs as you do with a diesel engine – over five years or so, an electric vehicle is quite a viable option.”

Polglase added that Project EV has been a great journey for the company. “There was always the concern at the beginning of whether the EVs could keep up with the capabilities of a diesel – and they certainly do. We started off doing deliveries within a close radius to our base, but now we have them going down to the Gold Coast and other areas slightly further afield. Our

Bringing kids and trucks together

A FREE family event at Regency Reserve in Adelaide is giving youngsters the opportunity to get up close to a range of council trucks and vehicles.

The inaugural ‘Touch a Truck’ day is an initiative of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. Visitors will be able to see the inner workings of council’s vehicles, SA Power Networks, waste collection, Adelaide Electric Vehicle Association, and SES, SAPOL and MFS vehicles.

Operators will also be on hand to chat about how these vehicles work, where they’re utilised, and their role in sup-

porting the community.

There will also be additional activities on offer from the YMCA, Scouts, Shanx Mini Golf, Nature Play SA, Junior Tradies SA, and the PAE Libraries team; along with roving performers, demonstrations, a sausage sizzle, ice-cream and a coffee truck.

The event will run from 10am-2pm on Saturday October 7, at Regency Reserve, Days Road, Angle Park. A dedicated sensory hour will take place from 10-11am. During that time, families seeking a calmer experience can enjoy the event with reduced noise.

owner drivers are getting on board with it too. The drivers on those runs have learned where the charging stations are so they factor that into their runs.”

Though the project started with IKEA, Polglase says that several of APT’s larger customers are seeing the benefits of going electric.

At the end of July 2023, APT had 10 electric vehicles operating in Brisbane, with Polglase revealing there will be more delivered this year and into the new year, bringing the number up to 16 by 2024. APT’s goal is to increase its EV fleet to over 30 vehicles operating around South-East Queensland by the end of 2025.

Easter Group Pty Ltd Easter Group Pty Ltd

73 Formation St, Wacol

Easter Group, located in Wacol, provides time sensitive road transporting solutions to many companies throughout Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. We are a family owned business, operating since 1976. We currently have the following positions available:

OPERATIONS ALLOCATORS

(Brisbane based only)

You will be required to work on a rotating roster including Days-Nights-Weekends

Previous Operations experience preferred.

MC LOCAL, LINEHAUL & 2-UP DRIVERS WANTED

(Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Based)

Come and work for us as we are committed to:

• Training and further education • Your safety

• Maintaining an impressive Fleet

On offer arepermanent full time and roster positions including paid leave entitlements and public holidays. Drivers will need to be available to be scheduled for work falling across the 7 days of the week.

The successful Applicant will:

• Hold a current MC licence (minimum two years)

• Have knowledge of the HVNL and Load Restraint

• Be professional • Be reliable

To apply for the Operations/Driver positions please contact Operations Manager or by emailing your resume to

WORKSHOP MECHANICS & TYRE FITTERS WANTED (Brisbane

based only)

To apply for Mechanic positions please forward your resume to Workshop Manager via email to employment@kseaster.com.au

years of service.