Big Rigs 25 October 2024

CONTACT US

Address:

Phone:

Email:

Web:

Push for truckies’ stop in Mackay

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

GROWING truck numbers in Mackay and not enough adequate rest areas for truck drivers in the region are adding to the dangers out on the road, according to a Queensland road safety group.

0478 844 797

danielle.gullaci@primecreative.com.au

Kayla Walsh 0401 551 494

kayla.walsh@primecreative.com.au

DESIGN

Daz Woolley – Art Director

Alejandro Molano - Art Director

GENERAL MANAGER

Peter Hockings: 0410 334 371 peter.hockings@primecreative.com.au

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

MANAGER

Treena Heit: 0403 626 353 treena.heit@primecreative.com.au

CLIENT SUCCESS

Katharine Causer: 0423 055 787 katharine.causer@primecreative.com.au

CONTRIBUTORS

Truckin in the Topics/Spy on the Road:

Alf Wilson, 0408 009 301 David Vile, Graham Harsant, Geoff Middleton and Jonathan Wallis.

Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper is published by Prime Creative Media. It is the largest circulated fortnightly truck publication in Australia with 22,500* copies per fortnight.

*12 month average, October 2022

e Road Accident Action Group (RAAG) is pushing for a new multi-purpose rest area to be built in the suburb of Paget, on a vacant block of land opposite the existing BP truck stop. RAAG said there are currently no designated heavy vehicle parking spaces in Mackay, and BP Paget is literally over owing with trucks, leaving drivers with no option but to park on surrounding streets.

“ ere are heavy vehicles parked up on the roads everywhere in the Paget industrial area,” said Carol Single of RAAG, which has been raising concerns about the lack of heavy vehicle parking in

two decades. Recently she says the group was made aware of police needing to wake drivers and ask them to move their heavy vehicles so wide loads could pass through.

“Every few days, the Bruce Highway between Rockhampton and Townsville is closed due to a crash. It’s an ongoing spiral. ere is just nowhere for heavy vehicle drivers to stop and rest properly; and nowhere for recreational vehicles and caravans to rest in Mackay as all the caravan parks are full.”

e closest heavy vehicle rest stop in the area that meets the requirements set out by Austroads is at Waverley Creek, 160 kilometres south of Mackay. RAAG worked with other stakeholders for 13 years to nally see the construction of this rest area in 2013.

But Single said with the number of fatigue-related crashes between Rockhampton and north to Townsville, a new rest area at Paget is ur-

into a multi-purpose rest area, with a minimum of 100 parking spaces for trucks, caravans and other road users.

Along with parking, RAAG is proposing the site includes a driver changeover facility for truck drivers, along with facilities for caravans and light vehicle drivers. “Currently B-doubles have to split to be inspected at Mackay and we understand the NHVR is looking at a new inspection station in the Mackay area,”

Single added.

e site being suggested for the rest area is located on Industroplex Drive, Paget.

“ e beauty of this location, along with being directly opposite the BP, is that it’s located at the roundabout so it’s in a perfect location for anyone coming from north or south from the Bruce Highway. It also links to the Mackay Ring Road, and it will link to the Walkerston Bypass which will open later this year, and onto the Peak Downs Highway

gle said higher capacity vehicles coming in from the west need somewhere near Paget to decouple, as the closest breakdown pad is over 40 kilometres west at Hazledean.

Paget is a hub for mining activity in Queensland, and Mackay sees high volumes of heavy vehicle tra c. Single said there are more wide loads moving in the Mackay and Central Queensland areas than anywhere else in Australia.

Currently, accidents on the Bruce and Peak Downs Highways are occurring at an alarming rate.

According to data from the RACQ, motorists using the Bruce Highway are ve times more likely to be injured or killed in a crash than those driving on major roads linking Sydney and Melbourne.

Head-on crashes currently account for approximately 50 per cent of crashes on the Bruce Highway.

“ is is a project that is critical to the wellbeing of all trav-

PARTS ON DEMAND

ellers coming through Mackay – from the heavy vehicles to the caravan and RV drivers through to car drivers, who need somewhere they can pull up and rest. I don’t think there is anything more important right now than building an adequate rest area, to help reduce the carnage.”

RAAG’s proposal for a new rest area at Paget has received overwhelming support, with the Australian Trucking Association (ATA), Queensland Trucking Association (QTA), NatRoad, RACQ, Queensland Police, state and federal ministers and the Mackay Regional Council all backing the plan. e group will continue pushing for a new rest area to be built, seeking funding from the federal government’s Heavy Vehicle Rest Areas initiative, which has committed $140 million into the construction of heavy vehicle rest areas, over the next 10 years. “We do have a lot of support,” said Single. “Now we’re really trying to drive this and bring everyone together to progress the urgent need for a rest area to be built in Paget as soon as possible.”

Calls grow for toll discount

BY JAMES GRAHAM

GRAEME Hoare has to keep tabs on up to 50 trucks a week that traverse the troubled Toowoomba Bypass in his role as compliance manager for Martins Stock Haulage.

At a toll rate of $27.88 per truck one-way, Hoare said the Dalby-based company’s bill can be as high as $25,000 a month.

Why then, is the Queensland Government still charging companies such as Martin’s the full price for using a $1.6 billion road that is still not functioning as it should ve years after opening, demands a frustrated Hoare.

“ e tolls should be cut or scrapped altogether until the road is properly xed,” Hoare said. e 41km road, also known

as the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, funnels trucks o the busy streets of Toowoomba and was hailed as a godsend for the fast-growing regional hub and trucking industry when it opened in 2019. But it’s been plagued by building delays and workplace violations, according to various news reports.

A low point came in November 2022 when shipping containers lled with ballast were installed to prevent rock falls after a ‘weather event’ earlier that year exposed structural defects.

Since then, there’s been a number of lane closures to allow crews to repair the damaged retaining wall.

Hoare said those closures are a constant safety hazard for truckies because of the knock-on impact it has with

motorists on the descent.

“Where we merge over to the right-hand lane, there is a safety concern because we’re at very low speed, but everyone’s coming up on us pretty quick.

“We’re on the home straight of getting it all right, but what’s going to happen after the next major weather event?”

Hoare is adamant no one wants to be forced back through Toowoomba city, as has been the case on a regular basis over the last few years.

e Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) said it couldn’t answer questions about toll concessions due to it being in ‘caretaker mode’ before the state election on October 26.

But Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon told Big Rigs that the conversation was long overdue.

“We don’t think it’s an unreasonable ask that if you’re going to reduce its capability by 50 per cent, you could reduce the toll by 50 per cent, until such time that it’s remedied,” Mahon said.

“It’s a tremendous value proposition for the freight task, both in Queensland, and also down the eastern seaboard, and it’s fair to say it’s had a continuing set of issues from not a whole lot longer after its opening.”

Mahon said it’s concerning that there doesn’t seem to

be any sign of a solution to the long-running instability issues in the crumbling embankment.

“So, we think it’s time that serious consideration be given to that toll being discounted.”

Hoare’s other major safety concern is around the section of bypass near the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, heading eastbound, which he says should have been dual carriageway, not single lane.

“ ere’s an uphill section which is reasonably steep, and cars are getting impatient and overtaking us and there have been a number of near misses.

“I think there actually has been a head-on over there and that concerns me. Why did the road get built and not have an overtaking lane in that section?

“It’s a $1.6 billion road and there’s no overtaking lane eastbound near the Wellcamp Airport on the uphill section.

“Everyone just gets stuck behind us because we’re slow.”

TMR said it is continuing to progress construction works on the Toowoomba Bypass.

“TMR is continuing to monitor progress closely and will update motorists once repairs are complete.

“ e single lane closure for eastbound tra c between the viaduct and Morley Road will need to remain in place for the duration of the works to ensure the safety of road users.

As for the construction of a dual carriageway at Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, the TMR spokesperson said that was outside the

scope of the Toowoomba Bypass project.

“Any proposed work regarding a dual carriageway being built at the eastbound section near Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport would need to be considered for funding in future, against other competing statewide priorities.”

Meanwhile, there is at least one positive on the horizon in the form of the proposed Charlton Bypass o the Toowoomba Bypass on to the Warrego Highway, said Hoare.

“So that’ll miss all the trafc lights in Charlton, the new industrial area in Toowoomba. “ at’ll be very positive for the industry and that area will only get busier with the industrial area taking o out there.”

Shipping containers filled with ballast were installed to prevent rock falls after a ‘weather event’ in 2022. Image: TMR

cut or scrapped altogether until the bypass issues are fixed. Image: 7News

Truckies rapt with new Gympie Bypass

EARLY indications from truckies suggest that the eagerly anticipated Gympie Bypass was worth the long wait.

e 26km section of highway – the last part of a 62km Bruce Highway project that took 15 years to nish – was o cially opened to tra c in the early hours of Wednesday, October 16, the deadline for this issue.

Southbound truckie David Oxley travelled through later the same morning at 11.45am and gave the bypass a big thumbs up when he rejoined the southern section at Kybong just 16 minutes later.

Oxley said that same distance would have taken him twice as long on the old route through the busy city.

“ ere was a mixture of trucks and cars, caravans, etc, but all owing smoothly,” he posted on the Facebook group On the Pads Queensland.

“No slow tra c along the Chatsworth stretch anymore. And no stop and go through Gympie itself.

“Overall, a very well-designed bypass. Heaps better than Toowoomba. No steep sections where you might need to drop a few gears – and no potholes yet to be seen!

Oxley also noted that the speed limit is 110km/h for motorists and 100km/h for trucks, and there are plenty of emergency stopping bays. He was also pleased to see the bypass “very well signed”,

with no speed cameras, SafeT-Cams, or tolling systems of any type.

e 26km bypass removes 53 intersections through Gympie and 106 property accesses.

Chris Stanley from Brisbane told Big Rigs before the opening that was looking forward to no longer having to negotiate all the cars pulling out in front of him through the bustling business district.

“I’ve been going through there for 10 years and nearly every trip someone pulls out in front of you or cuts you o , or won’t let you back in when you have the merging lanes coming down to a single lane again,” Stanley said.

“It could save at least a half an hour.

“ at means you can get down and nd somewhere decent to pull up for the night.”

Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon wonders why that 62km section of the Bruce has taken 15 years to nish.

“We’re delighted to see it open, but if we keep on investing at that rate, it’ll be more than 300 years before we reach Cairns with that standard of road,” Mahon said.

Athol Carter, the central Queensland manager at Frasers Livestock in Rockhampton and vice president of the Australian Livestock and Ru-

ral Transporters Association, told Big Rigs earlier this year that he also welcomed the bypass, but did have safety concerns.

“ e minute we get to Curra from what I can see we are back on to one of the worst bits of the Bruce Highway known to man,” Carter said.

“We’ve got this rst and last mile that connects with this beautiful four-lane highway through to Brisbane, which is going to be another bloody death trap.

“People are now going to

come o a 110km/h four-lane roadway back to a narrow, rough two-lane highway.

“I can almost guarantee that there will be an accident there.”

e Gympie Regional Council said work had al ready been completed on one potential trouble spot.

An almost-1km stretch of Flood Rd, one of the main interchange points on the Bypass at the southern end of the 26km stretch, has been upgraded from single to dual lane at a cost of $1.65 million.

Popular roadhouse remains optimistic

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

THE opening of the much-anticipated Gympie Bypass will see tra c diverted around the Queensland town. How this will impact businesses there is still unknown.

Among those businesses in Gympie is the popular Gold Nugget Truck Stop on the Bruce Highway, which has been a mainstay of the town for over 30 years.

Shortly before the bypass opened, Big Rigs spoke with roadhouse manager Ken Lavender about how it could impact business.

“ ere are of course some concerns, but we’ve known this was going to happen for

quite some time, so we have put plans in place,” he said.

e Gold Nugget incorpo rates an old-school restaurant, service station, truck parking, truck driver facilities and car avan park.

“With the road network the way it is, we’re hoping that trucks can still come o the highway and continue head ing north to us, and we’re hoping they’ll be able to easily access us when coming from the south too,” Ken added.

“If we don’t get the support, there may need to be changes to sta ng and operating hours but we’re hopeful that it will all be okay. e Gold Nugget has been around a long time, and it’s well known and loved by the trucking community.

“Most of the truck drivers we’ve spoken to over the years have said they still plan on stopping here – but we won’t know the rami cations until the bypass opens.”

Ken says the charm and character of the roadhouse, coupled with the old style home cooked meals, have kept customers coming back. “ at’s what makes us unique in the market and unique to Queensland. We’ve supported the trucking industry and we hope they’ll continue to support us too.”

AUSTRALIA'S MOST USEDANDTRUSTED FILTER

Image: Gold Nugget Truck Stop

Big spending ‘blitz’ follows controversy

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

A $964 million regional roads blitz has been announced for Victoria as concerns mount over the closure of the state’s Regional Roads Victoria (RRV) agency.

RRV was established by former Premier Daniel Andrews in the lead-up to the 2018 state election, but it quietly disappeared recently – with its website gone and phone number disconnected. is comes as rumours swirl

SRS undertakes contract-based work for the Department of Transport and delivers services to state road authorities, municipal councils, and private industry.

Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, has slammed the move to dismantle RRV, calling it “utter contempt and disregard for the problems facing regional and rural Victorians”.

is follows a survey earlier in the year, conducted by the National Transport

ernment of being “hellbent on blowing the budget in ridiculous big build projects going nowhere in Melbourne”.

He said, “ is latest blow means the deterioration of regional roads will only accelerate.

“Everyone living outside Melbourne knows how bad our road network is, knows how dangerous it is becoming and is now paying the price of new tyres, constant realignments, replacing windscreens as stone and bitumen is ung up from collapsing edges on roads and all while having to slalom down roads to try and avoid the really bad damage.”

As reported on 7News Melbourne, over 500 of Victoria’s roads have a reduced speed limit due to safety concerns for drivers, with repair crews also lling up to 700 potholes

Victorian Transport Association (VTA) CEO Peter Anderson told 7News, “What we need is more of a preventative maintenance program that actually sees those roads remediated before they dete-

Commenting on the impact to the freight industry, Anderson added, “It is a ecting their e ciency, it is a ecting their productivity, and of course, we’re worried more about safety on our roads.”

On October 14 however, the state government announced its new $964 million road

ISRI SEATS

SYDNEY

510 Victoria Street, Wetherill Park NSW 2164

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

BRISBANE

3/120 Gardens Drive, Willawong QLD 4110

maintenance package. Of that sum, around 70 per cent will go towards roads in regional Victoria.

e state government is touting it as “the largest single-year investment in road maintenance in the state’s history”.

e news was announced at the South Geelong depot of Fulton Hogan, one of the contractors that will deliver these works between now and mid-2025.

e spend will go towards road rehabilitation and resurfacing, patching potholes and maintaining bridges, tra c lights, signage and road infrastructure.

ese works will take place across the next nine months, with thousands of projects set to be completed.

e state government says it will target the state’s busiest travel and freight routes, with works set to take place on the Hume Freeway, Princes Highway, Western Highway, Goulburn Valley Highway and Echuca-Mooroopna Road.

Other roads set to be repaired include Terang-Mortlake Road, Mornington-Flinders Road, Horsham-Kalkee Road and Tylden-Woodend Road.

ese roads were prioritised based on expert assessments and community feedback, to focus the repairs to where they’re most needed.

e package of works also includes ood recovery works, with priority given to repairing regional Victoria’s ood-damaged roads. e nal list of ood recovery projects will be con rmed in coming months.

In announcing the funding, Minister for Roads and Road

Safety Melissa Horne said, “We’re investing nearly a billion dollars to rebuild and repair the roads that Victorians depend on every single day – from the highways connecting our major centres to the local roads that keep our

communities moving.

“Crews will be out delivering $2.6 million of works every day for a year – with around 70 per cent of all funding going towards our regional roads.” But the news follows funding to resurface roads being absolutely slashed, to just $37.6m this year – down from $201.4m in 2023. e newly announced big spending blitz also sees some areas in desperate need of road repairs appearing to have missed out on a slice of the pie, including Wodonga.

DEALERS

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

TAMDELE, 21 Hakkinen Road, Wingfield SA 5013

Ph. 08 8347 1222, email: sales@gitsham.com.au, www.gitsham.com.au

NEWCASTLE/HUNTER VALLEY

Unit 2/13 Hinkler Ave, Rutherford NSW 2320

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

Victoria’s regional roads are plagued with potholes.

Proposed penalties unfair, say bosses

BY JAMES GRAHAM

TRANSPORT bosses have welcomed proposed reductions to some driver penalties under the new-look Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) – but two we spoke to were adamant they don’t go far enough.

After a review of 349 o ences, the National Transport Commission is recommending to transport ministers that there be 50 penalties increased and 21 reduced as part of delivering a HVNL that is more risk-based and “proportionate” to harm.

For example, the NTC proposes that the maximum penalty for a minor fatigue breach for a solo driver operating under standard hours should decrease from $5300 to $3980.

e infringement notice amount would decrease from $530 to $398.

e penalty for failing to record information immediately after starting work would fall from $8000 to $5300. e infringement notice amount would fall from $800 to $530.

Proposed increases include a jump from $8000 to $26,610 (indexed) for the o ence of Duty of driver to avoid driving while fatigued, and an increase of $13,310 to $26,610 for false or misleading work diary entries.

ere is also a proposed new

In his summary of the proposed changes, South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) executive o cer Steve Shearer said that o cials and agencies are displaying an “abject refusal to budge signi cantly”.

“Any penalty that ‘takes’ the bulk of a heavy vehicle driver’s weekly wage must relate to very serious safety breaches and not to any form of administrative or clerical breaching,” Shearer said.

“ e proposed amended penalties, whilst better, still essentially take a sledgehammer to a walnut.”

Shearer said overall, the proposed nes are still “oppressive” for drivers.

“While I doubt they would consider it, reducing each category for fatigue o ences would be sensible as the bulk of nes end up around the $2000 to $3000 mark anyway.

“ e ve-times multiplier for corporate entities is also oppressive and should only be reserved for the most serious deliberate breaches or gross negligence.”

Shearer said SARTA would also like to see that all minor breach o ences treated as expiation only.

“Pretty much all the low-end o ences with nes around $3770 should be expiation only.”

a ‘critical’ breach, 2 for ‘severe’ and 1 point for a ‘substantial’.

“If there is no conviction recorded on a guilty plea then there should be no demerits imposed.”

Shearer said all technical/ administrative /clerical work diary breaches should be dealt with using warnings and education, with a second “strike” resulting in expiation and a third, a court summons.

Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon said it was di cult to comprehend the proposed penalties when compared to other industries.

“Where your people make an error, particularly an administrative error, and pay such substantial penalties,” Mahon said.

“Sure, it’s a [proposed] reduction, and that’s better than no action at all. But there are still a comprehensive suite of penalties at fairly signi cant levels.

“You would feel a lot more reassured if the penalties just related to actual fatigue, non-compliances and administrative matters dealt with in some other way.”

To highlight what he sees as an unfair industry penalty bias, Mahon cites the example of a motorist who might be ned $500 for driving unlicenced and over the limit.

“Yet someone can miss something of an administrative nature in a logbook and pay more than $1000.

“ at imbalance is still very

SURE, IT’S A [PROPOSED] REDUCTION, AND THAT’S BETTER THAN NO ACTION AT ALL. BUT THERE ARE STILL A COMPREHENSIVE SUITE OF PENALTIES AT FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT LEVELS.”

QTA CEO GARY MAHON

evident, and one way to eliminate it, which would not be unreasonable, is that penalties should only apply if it’s actually a matter to do with fatigue.

“If it’s a matter to do with administration, it should be dealt with in some other way, because the penalties in place are still disproportionate for the nature of the o ence being committed.”

Mahon said the QTA regularly sees younger people, or new entrants come into the industry and depart “fairly quickly” because they don’t like the ne threat hanging over their heads.

“It’s not that they’re looking to break the law. It’s just they get concerned that if they inadvertently make an error, it can be a week’s pay, easily.”

Australian Trucking Association CEO Mathew Munro said the very high penalties for minor breaches of the fatigue rules do not make roads safer.

“Instead, they are unfair and discourage good drivers from participating in our industry,” Munro said.

“ e NTC is proposing a sensible rebalancing of penalties across the law. Penalties for minor, often inadvertent, o ences would be reduced, while penalties for deliberate o ences, such as deception, would be increased.”

Munro said it is refreshing to see proposals for relief.

“In combination with greater use of formal warnings and fatigue education, fairer penalties would be an important step in the right direction.”

Glyn Castanelli, president of the National Road Freighters Association, also believes the proposed changes are a step in the right direction for drivers.

“ e biggest bene t, which is unwritten here, is that more of the law is moving into regulation which will be easier for us to alter and change, and for the regulator to be able to alter and change.”

Consultations on the proposed penalties and the draft

legislation close on November 21.

To have your say, upload your submission through the NTC homepage under ‘Have your say’, or by emailing hvnlteam@ntc.gov.au.

In its supporting consultation summary notes, the NTC noted that transport ministers last month endorsed 12 recommendations that included updates to fatigue record-keeping and enforcement.

Ministers agreed that authorised o cers would be

able to issue formal warnings for a broader range of breaches, including fatigue record-keeping.

“ is change aims to make the law fairer on drivers for minor work diary errors,” the NTC said.

e new HVNL will also include “formal education” as an enforcement option for work diary administrative offences.

“ is work will be progressed separately and isn’t included in this public consultation draft.”

Defect notice for bent slack adjusters

A DEFECT notice has been issued after a trailer was found to have slack adjusters that the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) says were “deliberately bent.” e heavy vehicle was intercepted at a heavy vehicle inspection station in NSW, where an NHVR safety and compliance o cer checked the vehicle.

According to the NHVR, “ e slack adjusters had been deliberately bent to increase ground clearance. With this level of damage, it wouldn’t have been long before they snapped – meaning the

brakes would no longer be functional, putting both the driver and other road users in a really dangerous situation.

“Bending the slack adjusters has weakened them signicantly. ere are cracks at the bend point which is also the weakest point due to the hole.

“When the brakes are applied, there is signi cant force on them from the brake chambers, and as you can see in these photos, all the push rods connecting the brake chambers to the slack adjusters are now not in alignment, which may lead to a reduction in mechanical force also ap-

plied to the brakes.

“If any of the slack adjusters break at the bend point, then that brake is no longer functional. A heavy load/emergency brake situation could see all of them snap – which could have catastrophic consequences.”

A defect notice was issued for the trailer, however no penalty was issued to the driver or the company.

e NHVR says any driver who feels pressured to drive a defective vehicle can contact the Heavy Vehicle Condential Reporting Line on 1800 931 785 for support.

The Australian Trucking Association said the very high penalties for minor breaches of the fatigue rules do not make roads safer. Image: NHVR

A defect notice was issued for the trailer. Image: NHVR

Consultation on the proposed penalties and draft legislation closes on November 21. Image: NTC

Fatigue Management Solutions

Sleeper Cab Cooling and Heating

How does

EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

there are those, such as the Australian Trucking Association saying relax, the changes are all about a “sensible rebalancing of penalties across the law”.

But others, such as the Queensland Trucking Association and South Australian Road Transport Association, to name just two industry bodies (see story on page 6), who are not as convinced. Our Facebook readers were also understandably sceptical about how the National Transport Commission (NTC) could successfully argue that putting up 50 penalties and only reducing 21 could come anywhere close to balancing the books. However you spin it, there’s still that big scary stick hanging over a new entrant’s head that says, ‘Make one tiny mistake, and you could lose a good chunk of your hard-earned wages, or worse’.

Letters to the Editor

THE article published in the September 27 edition, titled Truck licence loophole exploited , tends to put all truck driving schools in the same boat. While there are some truck driving schools that may cut corners on training and assessment, there are many more that comply with the guidelines set out by TMR.

I believe the problem with the Queensland licencing systems starts long before a driver gets to the MC class of licence. A TMR assessor is not required to demonstrate

or have any experience in operating/driving a HR class licence. ey only need to hold the HR class licence.

Yes, they will have had to operate a HR class vehicle at the time they obtained their HR licence, however, many of these upgraded to the HR licence whilst working for TMR. ere is no ongoing training, no industry currency required. ey only need to hold the HR class licence to be able to assess a driver wanting to upgrade a licence. As a driver-trainer/ asses-

sor for a MC class licence in Queensland, I am only eligible to upgrade a driver from HR/HC to MC. I am required to hold a current TAE40116 training and assessment, a Cert VI TLI41318 in heavy vehicle training and a TLIC4006 Drive multi combination, must be able to prove industry experience and currency and provide evidence of continuous improvement within my skill level.

Should a Queensland MR assessor of a heavy vehicle

class up to and including HC be required to have the skills and industry currency to safely operate that class of vehicle on a public road?

In almost 20 years being involved in the heavy transport industry training and assessing, my skills have never been audited by anyone other than the RTO I work for, despite having to pay a yearly fee to hold my trainer accreditation.

A driver wishing to upgrade to a licence class HC or below must be assessed by a TMR assessor, not an RTO.

No industry currency or experience is required for an assessor to conduct practical on road assessments and no certi cate VI assessor requirement. If industry is concerned about the current heavy vehicle licencing at an MC level and in some cases, there is cause for concern, the current TMR licencing pathway needs to be audited immediately.

From a heavy vehicle industry perspective, the current TMR MC audit process have deemed some MC providers

non-compliant, with some of the non-compliance being deemed serious breaches. Transport industry now has to send sta and members of the public to RTO providers / trainers with little or no practical MC experience. Some of the audited RTOs have passed or failed a desktop audit without anything other than a desktop audit, no consideration, evaluation or recognition of the students ability to safely operate a MC class vehicle.

- Anonymous

IN BRIEF

Speed limit trial for WA

A proposed three-year trial would test the impact of reduced speed limits across the Busselton and Augusta Margaret River regions of WA.

The Safer Speeds Trial is proposed to commence in early 2025 and would see a consistent reduction of speed limits across similar road types, with approximately 1800 roads affected – around 550 roads in the Shire of Augusta Margaret River and 1250 roads in the City of Busselton.

Between 2019 and 2023, 195 people were killed or seriously injured on roads in the two regions, which represents one of the highest figures in regional WA.

Truckies answer SOS

Aussie Hay Runners (AHR) are preparing to make their first run from Victoria into South Australia to help farmers there cope with extreme drought conditions.

Rainfall deficiencies in SA over the past eight months are reportedly the highest since records began.

A total of 26 trucks will transport 832 bales of donated hay valued at $164,160, helping 52 farmers, their families and in turn their communities.

Trucks will meet on Friday, November 1 in Ararat and on Saturday will convoy to Tailem Bend, before dispersing to badly-affected areas including Australia Plains, Callington, Dawesley, Loveday, Mannum, Mt Mary, Monarto, Morgan, Mulgundawa, Parilla, Robertstown, Sutherlands and Truro.

Kenworth tops sales

A resurgent Kenworth looks set to retain its heavy-duty crown for 2024 after another big month of sales.

In the lastest numbers from the Truck Industry Council, Kenworth dominated with an impressive 382 units moved in September, good enough for a 25 per cent monthly market share. That’s 78 more Kenworth trucks than what changed hands in the same month last year.

Although 286 Volvo’s also found new homes last month, Kenworth has now opened up what should be an unassailable lead over the Wacol badge. Kenworth now sits on 2703 units year-to-date (YTD), 286 clear of Volvo on 2417.

$81m freight upgrade

An $81 million package of works has been completed along a busy freight route south of Perth.

Thomas Road sees large vol umes of heavy vehicle traf fic, travelling to and from the South West and Wheatbelt regions.

Works began in 2022 and included construction of a dual carriageway between Kwinana Freeway and Bombay Boulevard, a dual lane round about at Thomas Road and Nicholson Road and upgrades on approach to the intersec tion, a roundabout at Bombay Boulevard and several other projects.

The final package of works involved the construction of new two-lane roundabouts at the intersections of Nicholson and Kargotich Road.

Banding together for mental health

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

NEXT month, in the Queensland town of Nobby, the local trucking community will come together for a special event, raising money for mental health charity Our House Our Haven.

Organised by the West Brook Truck Drivers Association, together with Rudd’s Pub, there will great food, ra es, auctions, live entertainment and more.

Nobby is a small historic town located about halfway between Toowoomba and Warwick.

Its historic pub was built in 1893 and is now owned by Evan Jones and his wife Gayle Jones. After spending his entire working life as a truck driver, he took over

the pub after retiring from the highways.

An active member of the West Brook Truck Drivers Association, he came up with the idea of using the pub for an event supporting the mental health of all who are involved in the transport industry.

Together with fellow members Darren Eyers, Shirley King, Evan Jones, Mick Williams, Neville Eyers, they’ve organised the fundraiser to take place at Rudd’s Pub on November 16, from 9am until late.

“We have a meeting every couple of months. We have experienced drivers, new drivers, everyone can come along,” said Darren.

“Evan was the one who oated the idea of a function at his venue in support of mental health in the transport industry – it’s not just for the drivers, but the mechanics, tyre tters, freight forwarders, the partners at home and everyone in the industry who is impacted.

“Our president and his partner, Craig and Colleen Butler, have also come together to get some great sponsors involved.”

Based in Toowoomba, Darren, 56, is also a truck driver, who’s been on the

roads for almost 40 years. He currently does the Bris bane to Darwin run, carting general freight. “My family had a large transport company in Toowoomba, so I started out there, then I had my own transport company for over 20 years. Now I work as a company driver at Reinke’s Transport,” he explained.

According to Darren, next month’s event will be a fun day for all involved. “As everyone knows, mental health is rife in the community, it’s the world we’re living in today. A lot of people, especially truck drivers, are very reluctant to put their hand up and ask for help if they’re struggling. It’s not an easy

mental health not-for-pro t, led by nurses. It specialises in the treatment of severe and complex mental health issues, including PTSD and depression. Charity co-founder Bethany Porter will be at the event. “Bethany will come and talk about what Our House Our Haven does and how they help the community. She’s very passionate about the service they provide, which is why we’ve decided to support them,” said Darren. “Dr Tim Driscoll from the Royal Flying Doctor Service will also do a talk. He specialises in rural mental health.”

ere is a $10 entry fee to the event, which includes a steak burger or sausage, and entry for the “lucky door prize” draw, with the prize being a $500 debit card.

Among the highlights of the day will be a beard shave-o . “We’ve got people who will be getting their lifelong beards shaved o to help raise money,” added Darren.

e event will take place in Rudd’s Pub’s barn, with plenty of bobtail truck parking available on the day. Rudd’s Pub is located at 45 Tooth Street, Nobby.

Tickets are available at the door, with lucky draw prize entry reserved for the rst 300 people to arrive.

Truckie recovering at home after servo rollover

THE Collins Transport truckie involved in a rollover at the Sutton Forest service station o the Hume Highway, NSW, was recovering at home as we went to print with this issue.

Collins con rmed in a media statement to Big Rigs that the highly experienced 51-year-old driver had suf fered a medical episode

around 8.40am while heading south on the Hume on October 11 before coming to rest just metres from the servo bowsers.

e truckie was taken to hospital with minor injuries. No one else was injured.

e usually busy Shell ser vice station remained closed

fuel from the B-double.

“ e Collins driver who rolled over at Sutton Forest

quick to praise the driver and o er messages of support on Facebook.

blessed to be here today, most importantly with your family, trucks can be xed, you

Truck fan celebrates with Big Rigs

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

TRUCKING sure is in the blood for 12-year-old Madden Connors, who recently went to school dressed as a truckie from Big Rigs to celebrate Book Week.

Based in Wonglepong, on Queensland’s Scenic Rim region, his school celebrated Book Week a little later than most, to coincide with their annual book fair.

Madden’s dad Matt Connors is a diesel mechanic, and his grandfather Les Collier only recently retired from

his role as a truck driver after more than 40 years on the road.

So, when it came time to decide on a costume for Book Week this year, his mother Jayne Connors says it was a no-brainer.

“Madden loves going to work with Matt and wants to be just like one of those guys in the workshop. He’s in the workshop any chance he gets and is itching to nish school and start working,” she said.

“He’s always dressed in work gear – he walks around in his jeans, work boots and his

truck hat. Normally he isn’t fussed about Book Week and doesn’t want to go as anyone, but a trucking newspaper is still classed as a book. He’ll read it when he goes into my husband’s work.

“So, when he was trying to think of something to go as, we said what about a truckie?”

And Madden was all over it, heading to school with his copy of Big Rigs Newspaper in hand.

According to Jayne, her son Madden has been interested in trucks for as long as she

can remember. “He’s loved trucks since forever,” she said.

“Unfortunately, he could never go out in the truck with my dad as the companies he worked for didn’t allow it. His work was all going into the mines.

“Back in the 1990s when I was growing up, I used to be able to go in the truck with him – you can’t do that anymore. But when Madden is at work with Matt, any time they have to take one of the trucks for a test drive, he gets to go out with them and really enjoys that.”

bowsers. Image: NSW RFS

Darren Eyers has been a truckie for 40 years.

Major rebrand for trailer giant

BY KAYLA WALSH

BURSTS of re lled the air and AC/DC’s “Are You Ready” blasted over the speakers as MaxiTRANS announced a major rebrand to a crowd of customers, suppliers and media at its Ballarat facility recently.

e trailer manufacturer is now known as Freighter Group, following the dissolution of its partnership with truck and trailer parts company MaxiPARTS.

Greg L’Estrange, executive chairman of Freighter Group, said the new name was chosen for a number of reasons.

“Our current name was too close to MaxiPARTS,” he explained. “We’ve completely transformed this business, and in keeping with that, a new name is necessary.

“ e Freighter Group name not only connects to our rich heritage, but importantly it connects with our vision of ‘Freight it for Life’, which is our total commitment to supporting our customers for the life of our product.

“We are excited to take the business forward under the Freighter name and continue to deliver product solutions through our wide range of industry leading brands.”

Freighter Group is now offering spare parts for all its OEM products manufactured under the Freighter Group name.

“We are thrilled to announce that customers are able to contact their local Freighter Group dealer to look after their spare part needs,” L’Estrange continued.

“ is is a further demonstration of our commitment to supporting the needs of our customers.”

It will also soon be introducing a new spare parts brand to the market, Hitcher Parts.

“Hitcher Parts will consist of an expansive range of quality trailer parts that are designed to go the distance,” L’Estrange said.

“ e Hitcher Parts range continues to expand and will soon be available on our product, as well as in the aftermarket.”

L’Estrange told Big Rigs that Freighter Group launching its own parts range was the plan all along.

“It wasn’t a di cult decision to end our relationship with

“We always thought the big gest part of the manufactur ing business was its purchas ing power in parts.

“We are now better able to serve our customers.”

Freighter Group has mod ernised its systems to help it to greatly reduce lead times from the “unacceptably long” 12-15 months it has experienced in the past few years.

“We are halfway through the implementation of an ERP system, an advanced way of operating our business to ensure that we can actual ly perform as we want,” said L’Estrange.

“We’ve also done a lot of work on the culture of the organisation, to t with the modern manufacturing and our aspiration to be very customer-friendly.

“Over the longer term, this will provide bene ts to our customers. All of this will lead to a more competitive company.”

In keeping with this, Freighter Group has developed a new ‘Ready Range’ of trailers, a pre-engineered product that aims to streamline orders, further speeding up lead times and delivering competitive pricing.

“With almost 80 years of experience designing and manufacturing trailers for the Australian market, we have developed a Ready Range solution across our expansive product o ering that consists of speci cations suited for a wide array of applications.

“Our message is about being ready. Ready for our custom ers to perform through prod ucts that are meticulously designed, manufactured and supported.

“Ready to meet our custom ers’ needs and provide knowl edge and industry experience. Ready to assist with our deal ership network, service and mobile support network.

“We are never far away from our customer.”

Ahead of Freighter Group’s big announcements, visitors were given a tour of its ad vanced manufacturing facilities in Ballarat, which recently underwent a $50m upgrade.

turing industry in Australia,” said L’Estrange.

“ e completion of the upgrade puts the business in a position to be able to continue to evolve with the changing needs of our customers long into the future.”

He added that he is excited about Freighter Group’s transformation and where the business is heading.

“Our whole team has been dedicated to our vision and I can’t thank them enough for the hard work and dedication they have shown through this transition.

“Freighter Group is ready for the future of the Australian trailer market. We look forward with great excitement as we continue to expand and evolve as a business to further support the changing needs of our customers long into the

e improvements involved purchasing state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment and signi cantly expanding the size of the facility.

“We set about embarking on a signi cant transformation

New Freez-R trailer breaks the ice

IN addition to Freighter Group’s other major announcements, the Ballarat manufacturer also launched a new refrigerated trailer –Freez-R.

A high performing refrigerated trailer solution, Freez-R has been designed to deliver industry-leading thermal performance, capable of achieving minus 30 degrees Celsius – ideal for transporting frozen goods and other tempera-

Created in partnership with German-owned trailer manufacturer Schmitz Cargobull, the trailer is constructed from Ferroplast technology, combined with a locally-manufactured Freighter chassis.

“We are thrilled to announce a signi cant milestone for our business with the release of Freez-R to the Australian market,” said Freighter Group executive chairman Greg

“ rough our partnership

with Schmitz Cargobull, collaboration with customers and our industry experience, we have been able to design and create a product with the exacting needs for the Australian market,” L’Estrange said.

Freez-R is Freighter Group’s rst trailer o ering to come with TrailerConnect telematics as standard, which is a big selling point for clients.

L’Estrange said Freighter Group, which manufactures and distributes leading brands Freighter, Maxi-CUBE, Lusty EMS, Hamelex White, Trout River and AZMEB, was “overwhelmed and delighted” by the response of customers to the trailer.

Attendees at the company’s recent Ballarat event were presented with a complete B-double combination proudly on display, with the ability for customers to explore the product up close. ere were also many interactive discussion areas for customers to

talk with the company’s inhouse product experts, as well as talk directly with representatives from Schmitz Cargobull.

“It was great to walk customers through our new product and provide them with a rsthand insight into what makes the product achieve its industry leading thermal capabilities,” L’Estrange added.

“It was also fantastic to see so many of our customers interested in the technology which has the most comprehensive trailer information available from any telematics provider in Australia.

“It delivers data from the fridge plant, as well as internal temperature control and EBS systems, allowing drivers and eet operators to access real time information that assists with freight management, predicative maintenance and servicing.”

Freez-R comes with support provided by Freighter

Group’s national dealer and service support network, with the service network expertly trained to service and repair Ferroplast bodies.

“Freighter Group is committed to delivering total peace of mind for customers when it comes to purchasing any of its products, which is demonstrated by the total commitment to supporting customers for the life of the product,” L’Estrange said.

“ is means greater access to a mobile support network, the expansion of service centres in conveniently located areas and comfort in knowing when accidents occur or when maintenance is required, we are there ready to help manage their uptime.

“We are thrilled with the o cial launch of the Freighter Freez-R and look forward with great excitement to see the product cement itself as a key part of the Australian trailer market.”

Freighter Group’s Ballarat factory recently underwent a $50 million upgrade.

Finish Strong, Start Stronger.

Sell before the year ends. Australia’s Unreserved End Of Year Auction. November 27-28

Sell with certainty before the year ends! Consign your equipment with Ritchie Bros. for a guaranteed sale and quick access to cash—contact us today to get started!

Superload move a world rst

A local heavy haulage specialist recently transported a 170-tonne transformer across three states, using a new and innovative trailer that’s been two years in the making.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

A SPECIALIST in complex oversize and over mass loads, Ares Group has delivered over 10,000 loads to date, including more than 500 complete wind turbines.

One of its latest moves however, was a rst for the company, debuting its innovative M500 modular platform trailer – which took around two years to design and then nine months to build.

Built exclusively for Ares under licence, by Kennedy Trailers in Bairnsdale, Victoria, the trailer was a joint e ort between the manufacturer and Ares owner and managing director Jason Millar, 44, who is also an engineer.

While Ares is no stranger to transporting transformers –having moved many previously – this latest one, weighing in at 170 tonne, is de nitely the biggest.

Along with transporting complex loads, Ares is also a project management company, coordinating every piece of the puzzle; including the full logistics process, from feasibility, planning, design and approvals to transport, lifting, o oading and escorts.

Its head o ce is located at St Kilda Road in Melbourne, with yards in Port Kembla and Parramatta in New South Wales, and Bairnsdale in Victoria.

“Ares is basically a project management company which also has in-house equipment capability,” Jason said. “It’s more about engineering than transport.

“We spent a year planning for this transformer move and then we moved it in a week and a half.

“ is sort of heavy haulage work is very complicated. You

that’s why not many people want to do it.”

e huge 170 tonne transformer was manufactured by Wilson Transformer Company in Glen Waverley, Victoria. Ares was tasked with transporting it approximately 2700 kilometres from Melbourne to the Stanwell Power Station in Queensland – located around 30km west of Rockhampton.

It departed from Melbourne on September 8 and arrived at its nal destination on September 24.

“ e transition to renewables has seen a massive spike in transformers in the last ve years. e biggest transformer we’d moved prior to this one was about 120 tonne,” said Jason.

“ is will be used as a backup transformer at the Stanwell Power Station. ey haven’t had a transformer this size moved up there for a while, so transformer moves of this scale don’t come around that often.”

Typically, these sorts of moves would be done using a beam trailer set, however by using its new M500 modular platform trailer, Ares was able to complete the journey far more e ciently.

e entire combination used to deliver the transformer measured nearly 62 metres long, complete with two Kenworth C509s, with three drivers involved: John Kelly, David Pancino and Liam Khan. All up, it had a gross vehicle mass of 312 tonne, and measured 4.4m wide and 4.7m high.

Jason explained how the concept for the new M500 trailer came about, “Before we designed this trailer, we would’ve used a beam set, which weighs around 100

barriers and tra c lights – we knew it was going to be tight, but it actually went even better than what we’d planned.

e trailer has fully independent steering on every axle, so every axle steers. It means we can get it into places you wouldn’t expect.”

As Jason continued, “ e length of this unit hasn’t been done before, and at that weight, nothing like this has ever been done anywhere in the world.

“ at transformer is worth millions of dollars and took about two years to build, so if we damaged it during the move, the repercussions would have been enormous.

For Wilson Transformer Company to put their trust in us took a lot of faith, because this has never been done before. So I want to say a big thank you to James and Ed Wilson, who are the brothers who run the company.”

While Ares has many

unique trailers in its eet,

i ed platform trailers with cut-outs, innovative bookend trailers and more, Jason says there’s nothing quite like the M500.

For the transformer move, the trailer featured 14 lines of axles and a drop frame, however because of its modular nature, the M500’s uses reach far and wide.

“ e M500 trailer is like having a giant LEGO set. We have 30 axle lines built so far, with another 100 coming,” revealed Jason. “ ey can be used with a 3x8 low loader with a normal goose neck, right up to a four- le platform that can cart 500 tonne. e pieces can all connect together, front to back, side to side and can have di erent goosenecks put on them. We can swap out the gooseneck with a drawbar, and we can hook them up to our SPMTs. “ ese trailers are kind of the envy of the industry. If we only had our modular stu , there’s nothing we can’t trans-

port with it. It’s an expensive way to move things though, so we use it for the more complex stu ,” added Jason, who started Ares in 2016.

His expertise in heavy haulage, however, goes back much further.

“I’ve been in transport for about 25 years. My father had a transport company too called Millar’s Transport, doing mainly cotton and paper in B-doubles. He had trucks since the 80s.

“I started working for Dad when I was about 22, in the

o ce. I wanted to be an architect, so my background is engineering. I started to do engineering design and stu like that, then that turned into heavy haulage and it all evolved from there.”

Jason merged his rst heavy haulage company with Toll in 2012, and stayed with the business until 2016, before going back out on his own and launching Ares.

When his father retired last year, Jason took over Millar’s Transport. And more recently, in August 2024, purchased

another business called TJ Clark & Sons. Across his three businesses, Jason runs approximately 40 trucks (including 11 Kenworths at Ares) and 70 trailers.

While wind turbines have become Ares’ core business, accounting for about 60 per cent of its revenue, Ares has several more transformer moves in the pipeline too –with four transformer moves taking place throughout October, and two big transformer moves coming up in January.

[L-R] Ed and James Wilson who operate Wilson Transformer Company, with Ares owner and managing director Jason Millar.

‘There’s no room for error’

House removal and relocation is a complex operation – and one that this third generation family business has mastered, with over 60 years in the game.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

ROBBIE Mackay says he always knew he’d follow his father and grandfather into the house removals business. He’s just 40 years of age but has already spent the past 15 years at the helm of Mackay and Sons House Removals.

“As a kid I was at the depot on weekends and every school holidays – that’s just what you did, you went to work with Dad and Pa. Obviously you really enjoy it as a kid too,” Robbie recalled.

“My siblings and I would all do shifts in the trucks with Dad and with Pa – no one got left out. Back then the trailers had levers instead of remotes, so we’d get out and help guide the trucks for them. We probably weren’t as much help as we thought we were though,” he laughed.

“I loved working at Pa’s depot. He always found stu for us to do, to make us feel like we were helping. He’d even pay us, so once we were done we could go and buy some lollies.”

Based in Queensland, Mackay and Sons operates from two depots in Narangba and one in Gin Gin, complet ing an average of four house relocations each week.

e house relocation eet is made up of eight Mack Superliners – along with six hydraulic gas trailers worth approximately $1.2 million each. e business also runs a demolition arm, with four prime movers, including a Mack Super-Liner, a Mack Triton and two Volvos.

“My grandad loved the Macks, so it’s been born and bred into me – I can’t change now!” said Robbie. “ ey have good visibility, driveability and horsepower, and have really moved with the times.”

e Mackay family’s foray into house removals began in 1961, when Robbie’s late grandfather John Mackay recognised an opportunity. Working two jobs, six days a week to support his young family (as a re ghter and a garbage collector), he had noticed the number of old houses in the area that needed restumping, so began doing that on his only day o .

He started his own restumping business, eventually expanding into house raising and sliding houses. en in 1969, he came across a house removal business for sale. He purchased the equipment and completed his rst house move in September of that year. It took 20 hours to move that house just one kilometre. By the 1970s, through growth and acquisitions, John’s business became one of the largest house removal operations in the country.

John’s eldest son Bob joined him in 1975, taking the reigns in 1996 after his father’s retirement.

Bob’s children all went on to join the family business too, including Ben in 1998,

Robbie in 1999 and Matt in 2002. Bob sold the business to his three sons in 2009 and by 2015, Robbie became the sole owner.

Robbie was only 14 when he o cially started working at Mackay and Sons, so he worked as a labourer until he was old enough to get his truck licence.

He says the business has grown a lot in the past 10 years or so, with advances in technology making the job faster and safer.

“ e trailers are worlds apart from what we used to use. When Dad retired, the trailers went up and down and that was about it. A job that would take six blokes two days to complete, can

vealed Robbie.

“When I worked with Dad, we would be lucky to do one house move every two weeks, now we’re doing four houses a week. It’s the technology that’s really changed things and made that possible. Everything is quicker and safer.

“Now we have hydraulic jacking systems, the trucks have hydraulic drives on them and everything you can get to make the job easier.”

e company’s state-ofthe-art trailers, which represent a sizeable investment,

and two from MTE. e newest one is an MTE trailer and it’s all computerised. e older ones were hydraulic but not computer controlled.

With these newer trailers, they lift, level and steer, they tell you how much everything weighs, they have cameras and are operated with the push of a button,” explained Robbie.

“Compared to the old trailers, these newer ones have double the steer angle which makes it steer twice as quickly. You can change the

Due to the size of the loads carried and the required permits, house moves are done at night. Robbie says having his own workshop makes it easier, especially if anything goes wrong.

“We work in the middle of the night, so if you have to wait until 8am in the morning to x something, that can cost us a lot of money. We opened the workshop not long after Dad retired. It was done out of necessity. It means we can do all our maintenance, our custom fabrications for the trucks, tyres and all the rest of it.”

Continued page 18

and Sons has appeared on numerous seasons of popular television series Outback Truckers, including season 10, currently airing on 7Mate and 7Plus.

You can catch Mackay and Sons on episodes 1, 2, 4, 7 and 13.

To add, they’ll soon begin filming for season 11, due to air next year.

Mackay

Robbie Mackay is at the helm of third generation family business Mackay and Sons House Removals. Main image: Prospero Productions. Other images: Robbie Mackay

A young Robbie on his grandad’s truck.

This shot was taken in the 1970s at Dayboro, Queensland.

Robbie, who started as a young labourer, is now sole owner. How

‘It’s been in the blood since I was a kid’

Though she got into the trucking game later than she’d hoped, this log truck driver is out there living the dream – and just made her television debut.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

FROM behind the wheel of her 2008 Kenworth T408, Mel Michelsen is a log truck driver based in the rural town of Kogan in Queensland’s Western Downs region.

Mel says she always knew she wanted to drive trucks. “It’s been in the blood since I was a kid. My step-father was a livestock truckie. I learnt to drive in a Ford LTL, driving when I shouldn’t have been. I would have been about 12 when I began learning the ropes in the truck.

“I just loved it from back then. e passion for trucks started from him. When I was growing up, I was always playing with my brother’s trucks and Tonka toys.”

Unfortunately though, not everyone was keen on see ing her get into the trucking game. Now aged 49, it wasn’t until Mel was in her early 30s that she took the plunge and decided to go for her truck licence.

south to Grafton, but it’s usually mainly around here,” she said.

and really enjoyed it, so then I went out on my own,” explained Mel.

the port – but Dave prefers to keep our timber in Australia where we can.”

series Outback Truckers. She admits it took some convincing before she agreed to make her rst appearance for Season 10 of the show.

As she explained, “My rst husband of 17 years was a truck driver but he never wanted me to get into it.”

Originally from Victoria, Mel moved to Queensland in 2006. She runs two Heart’s Logging trucks, pulling singles, B-doubles and AB-triples across Queensland and into New South Wales.

“I travel as far as Winton and Hughenden, and down

Mel bought her current green machine about a year and a half ago. “She’s an older girl, I absolutely love this truck.”

In her 15 or so years as a truck driver, Mel has done livestock, tippers and general work, including road trains into Darwin and Perth. She got into log trucking eight years ago after seeing a job ad. “I saw there was a job going. I’d never done logging so thought I’d give it a go

Her partner Dave Collison operates a timber mill. “I do work for that and outside work too. I don’t do the long distance stu anymore. Since I met Dave, I don’t want to go away as much, so I’m back home at night.

“We have our own paddocks, so Dave will cut down the trees and we’ll bring them to the mill, where we make them into boards. Sometimes I’ll transport our timber to other mills or to

Being at home more also means she gets to spend more time with her seven grandkids. “I have six grandsons and one granddaughter, aged between six and one years old. ey love the truck. I’ll put the car seat in and take them for a drive around town.”

Mel often shares videos of her travels in the truck on her TikTok page cowgirl_logger, and it was through her videos that she was approached by the team behind television

Mel will appear on episode 5, which aired on 7Mate earlier this month, and then later in the season, she’ll appear on episode 12. Both episodes will also be available to stream after they’ve aired, on the 7Plus app.

“ ey had been trying to get me to come on the show for ve years and I kept saying no. In the end, it was my grandkids who changed my mind. ey’ll be able to watch it and see more about the work I do.”

On episode 5 of Outback Truckers, the production crew follows Mel out of Injune to pick up a load of cypress pine.

Mel also revealed she’s be-

gun lming with the crew for Season 11 of Outback Truckers, which is due to air next year.

When Big Rigs asked Mel what she enjoys most about her work, she told us, “I like the freedom of it. ere’s no one standing over you, saying you can’t do this or you can’t do that. I love singing while I’m on the road too. It also gives you a lot of thinking time though – sometimes you can be your own worst nightmare!”

Mel also spoke of some of the issues drivers face too. “ ere seems to be more idiots on the road you’ve got to worry about. It’s getting worse and worse,” she said.

“Another issue I hate is when people post other people’s mistakes on social media instead of helping them – there’s a lot of racism too in the industry.”

Focused on driving business into future

From page 16

WHILE technology has made things easier, the amount of paperwork and permits required to get the job done are growing.

“Due to the amount of permits and approvals involved to move a house, you can’t just delay it. If one job gets pushed out, it’s not just as easy as we’ll do it tomorrow. You can’t just push the permit out by a day, that’s not how it works,” said Robbie.

“ ere’s no room for error, you need to have your nger on the pulse.

“House moving is one of those things where you need to have that ‘get it done attitude’, there’s no ‘I can’t do it’. You have to work out a way.”

On average, Robbie says it takes about 30 days to get road permits and up to 12 weeks to get council approval for the building’s new site.

“ at’s a good case though. If there are issues, it could take six months,” added Robbie.

Typically, Mackay and Sons will travel up to 1000 kilometres from their depots.

“Further than that isn’t really nancially viable for people, but it’s all up to how much the client wants to spend. e cost for all the escorts we need to have keeps going up,” said Robbie.

Most houses are transported in one or two sections, but it all depends on the size of the building. In Queensland, they can go up to 8.5 metres wide and in NSW it’s up to 5.5 metres wide. “You can go bigger than that but it’s a much bigger process, with more approvals required. Anything bigger means we might need to go through road engineers too.”

When Robbie rst took over the business, there were around 10 sta . Mackay and Sons currently employs around 60 people and most

truck drivers have been there for over ve years. “ e truck driving aspect is the glamourous part, but the work is a lot more involved and they need to get all of that right too,” explained Robbie. “We’ve had a lot of people come through to learn the job rst and then I’ll get them their truck licence and teach them that aspect.

“Every crew has 8-10 people in it. ey’ll do the job from start to nish, and then we also have a welding crew that comes across for any steel work.

“During Covid we were doing upwards of six houses a week. But it’s hard to get good sta , so we chose to wind things back and do less moves.”

As the company has grown, Robbie has had to take a bit of a step back from being on the road. “Between the three depots, there are so many moving parts. You do miss being in the trucks. Moving something big like that down the road is a great feeling. I still get in the truck for the more di cult moves, which might be once a month or so.

“We train the boys up and give them the responsibility to do the moves. And they are really good at what they do.”

With the Mackay fami ly being in the business for the past six decades, Rob bie remains rmly focused on continuing to drive the business into the future. “I’m very proud to be running the business my grandfather started – that’s something you carry with you. It’s an achievement to be able to continue this but it comes with a lot of pressure too – I don’t want to be the one who drops the ball,” he said.

“My nan is 84 now and she’s blown away every time she comes in and sees what we’ve done.”

Mel Michelson makes her Outback Truckers debut this season. Image: Prospero Productions

Robbie during filming of Outback Truckers.

Robbie with his kids Jordyn and Kyson at the Brisbane Convoy for Kids. Images: Robbie Mackay

Mel with the production crew. Image: Mel Michelson

Truckies rally for great cause

BY KAYLA WALSH

WHEN truckie Dan Hillcoat and his wife Kristine put their four-month-old baby Matty to bed on October 7, 2011, they had no idea it would be the last time they held their son alive.

Tragically, Matty was found unresponsive in his crib the next morning, having fallen victim to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

In the years after their son’s death, Dan and Kristine searched for a way to spare other parents from the pain they experienced.

ey came across River’s Gift, an organisation that fundraises and advocates for scienti c research around SIDS, as well as safe sleep education.

“ e founders of River’s Gift lost their son, River, the same year we lost Matty,” Kristine told Big Rigs.

“We had been making a donation to them each year that coincided with the date Matty passed away.

“So, we were connected with them in that way, and then they came up with the idea to do something called ‘Unite to Stamp out SIDS’ – throwing it out there that anyone who wanted to could organise an event to help raise money.”

Dan and Kristine, who own their own transport company, Hillcoat & Sons, decided to stick with the industry they know best, organising a Queensland truck show in honour of their little boy.

e rst ‘Matty Hillcoat’s Truckies’ Day Out’ took place in Gympie in 2017, and it’s

only gotten bigger and better since then.

is year they had 201 trucks, with awards handed out across 25 categories –from Best Livestock to Too Busy to Bu .

Anywhere Truck and Machinery Heavy Towing took out Rig of the Show with its stand-out Kenworth T909, while B&K Bulk Haulage won Best Fleet.

“ ere were so many great trucks, the judges had a tough job!” said Kristine.

“ ere were some really nice eets – Morgan’s Long Dis tance Transport from Yandi na brought 20 trucks, so they easily took out the Biggest Fleet award.

“Laurie Williams brought his Bullet Burnout truck and some of his other tow trucks.

“We had so many Ken worths – I had four pages of Kenworths registered!”

Kristine said the show was a great day out for families, with a truck parade, car, bike and 4X4 show, a tractor pull, wood chopping, chainsaw sculpting and much more.

Category winners

Rig of the Show

1. AnywhereTruckandMachineryHeavyTowing – KenworthT909

Best Fleet

1. B&KBulkHaulage

2. MorgansLongDistanceTransport

3. BernieTobinTransport

Largest Fleet

1. MorgansLongDistanceTransport

2. Powers/Sanbella

3. B&KBulkHaulageandandMasondale Pty Ltd (tied)

People’s Choice

1. MorgansLongDistanceTransport – KenworthT909

2. Masondale Pty Ltd – KenworthT610

3. BernieTobinTransport – Mack LTL (1956)

Too Busy to Buff

1. HanicourtTransport – KenworthT909

2. Powers/Sanbella – MackSuper-Liner

3. TonyDoyleTransport – Kenworth904

Best Light/Medium Rigid

1. AnywhereTruckandMachineryHeavyTowing – Peterbilt355

2. Claytons – Isuzu

3. MAKHaulage – KenworthK100

Best Heavy Rigid/Tipper

1. BoardmanSandandGravel – MackTrident

2. LittleRocksTipperHire – KenworthT658

3. B &K BulkHaulage – KenworthT909

Best Heavy Recovery Truck

1. AnywhereTruckandMachineryHeavyTowing – KenworthT909

2. AnywhereTruckandMachineryHeavyTowing – KenworthK200

“ e highlight was the truck parade, where all the trucks roll into the showground arena and parade in concentric circles, so you get a really good look at the trucks,” she said.

“We also had the Junior Truckies’ Fun Zone, with multiple amusement rides, a sand pit and petting zoo.

“ ere’s quite a lot of people who come along who have been a ected by SIDS, they’ve been coming since the very rst show and they bring more and more people every time.

“It’s great to bring the community together and see everyone supporting each other.”

e nal tally has yet to be con rmed, but Kristine estimates that this year’s Matty Hillcoat’s Truckies Day Out raised over $100,000 for River’s Gift, the Gympie Show Society, and TIACS, a free phone and text counselling service o ering mental health support to Australia’s blue-collar community.

“TIACS o ers a service that’s targeted at truckies,

farmers, tradies, people like that,” said Kristine.

“ at’s us, that’s our community. e bulk of the money raised will go towards River’s Gift and the Gympie Show Society, but we chose TIACS as our third charity partner because we know what it’s like to have tough times and rough days.

“We are still crunching the numbers, but we are blown away with what we’ve raised so far, and so grateful to the community.”

3. AnywhereTruckandMachineryHeavyTowing – WesternStar 4900

Best Heavy Haulage Truck

1. BlackCatCivil – KenworthT909

2. Masondale – KenworthT909

3. Corbet’sGroup – KenworthT659

Best Livestock

1. Corbet’sGroup – WesternStar 4900

Best Ruff n’ Tuff Log Truck

1. Masondale Pty Ltd – KenworthT659

2. Masondale Pty Ltd – Kenworth T410

3. R.J.Maguire – WesternStar 4800 Series

Best Vintage Truck 50+ Years

1. KenLawrence – DaimlerDM5A(1912)

2. StevenStockden – Ford(1937)

3. BernieTobinTransport – Mack LTL (1956)

Best Classic Truck 30-49 Years

1. PaulMcMahon – KenworthK100E

2. RedRockGroup – KenworthW924SAR

3. L&THaulage – Kenworth925

Best Truck 10-29 Years

1. AnywhereTruckandMachineryHeavyTowing – WesternStar 4900

2. RockleaTruckElectrical – KenworthT900Classic

3. HanicourtTransport – KenworthT908

Best Truck 4-9 Years

1. HanicourtTransport – KenworthT909

2. AlastairMackayTransport – Kenworth610

3. STATrucking – KenworthT909

Best Truck 0-3 Years

1. MorgansLongDistanceTransport – KenworthT909

2. STATrucking – KenworthSARLegend

3. B&KBulkHaulage – KenworthK200

Best of the Rest – Bonneted

1. ColinLobwin – FordLouisville LTL 9000

2. Powers/Sanbella – WhiteRoadBoss

3. RedRockGroup – InternationalABD184

Best of the Rest – Cabover

1. CarrollPlant & Haulage – MercedesBenz2233 V Series

2. UniversalHaulage – AtkinsonMK23800

3. MorgansLongDistanceTransport – Hino300

Best Western Star

1. AnywhereTruckandMachineryHeavyTowing – WesternStar 4800

2. WaldockTransport – WesternStar 4800 Constellation

3. AnywhereTruckandMachineryHeavyTowing – WesternStar 4900

The show attracted rigs old and new.

Show organiser Dan Hillcoat brought his Super-Liner along.

Best Fleet went to B&K Bulk Haulage. Images: Ren Graphic Design

FREIGHTLINER IS SERIOUS ABOUT SAFETY.

Every Cascadia comes with a complete suite of fully integrated active safety features and connected technology that helps you get on with your work.

With Active Brake Assist, which can even detect moving pedestrians, Side Guard Assist, a driver airbag, and forward-facing camera footage that can be sent on-the-go for immediate incident reports, the Cascadia sets a new standard for practical safety.

Scan for video demo

Boort Truck Show draws a crowd

BY KAYLA WALSH

THE SUN was shining in the small Victorian town of Boort as 140 rigs turned out for the annual truck show.

Organiser Heath Saunders told Big Rigs that there was a great mix of trucks, from vintage through to brand-new models.

“ ere was such a high standard of trucks on the day, the judges had their work cut out for them,” he said.

“Whiteheads from Mount Gambier brought their latest 909 in full combination with the trailer, which was de nitely a stand-out – that won Rig of the Show.

“ e Boort Truck Show is a real get-together. ere are a lot of trucks we have here that you don’t see in the usual show circuit because they are mainly working trucks.”

Held at the local showgrounds in conjunction with the Boort Agricultural and Pastoral Society Show, Saunders estimates that there were 3,500 to 4000 people in attendance on the day.

“ e sun was shining, with temperatures around the high 20s to mid-30s, and we had a

great crowd,” he said.

Trucks aside, there was plenty to entertain young and old at the event – from kids’ rides to dog trials and sheep shearing.

“ ere’s something for everyone,” Saunders added. Saunders, who is a signwriter by trade, said he’s delighted to see how the truck show has grown since its rst event in 2019.

“I actually came up with the idea for the truck show to reinvigorate our local Agriculture and Pastoral Society Show. I thought if we incorporated a truck show it would give it a bit of strength and keep it going.

“We had a couple of years o over Covid, so this was our fourth show. It’s really starting to gain some traction and getting a good name for itself.”

e event was capped o with live music and a rework display – with attendees also lucky enough to catch the spectacular Aurora Australis lighting up the sky.

Visit bigrigs.com.au and search ‘Boort Truck Show’ for the full list of winners.

Trucking community unites for kids

BY KAYLA WALSH

THE atmosphere was electric in Perth as 180 shined-up trucks rolled in for the city’s second annual Camp Quality Convoy for Kids.

A roar of engines lled the air as trucks travelled a 53km route around Perth City and Osborne Park, starting and nishing at Hockey Stadium.

Back at the stadium, a family fun day took place with free rides, face painting, balloons, toy trucks and mini go-kart rides for the kids, while the adults enjoyed the live entertainment and truck display.

An incredible $412,000 was raised for Camp Quality, a charity that improves the qual-

1. Shane Coyne - $25,463

2. WA Fuels/Tracie

3. Mitchell Bishop$14,172

4.

ity of life of children facing cancer.

Sandie Hall, Camp Quality’s GM of Revenue, told Big Rigs that the organisation could not be more delighted with the support from the WA trucking community.

“It’s been absolutely tremendous,” she said. “We set a fundraising target of $250,000, thinking that was ambitious, and they’ve blown us out of the water!

“ is was the second year of the Perth convoy, and even last

year we were overwhelmed by the generosity of the community, raising $190,000.

“But to see those donations rise to over $400,000 in a tough economic climate is incredible.”

Local truckie Shane Coyne earned the honour of lead truck in the convoy by raising the most money – rustling up $25,463 in donations all by himself.

“Shane signed up because it was a great cause, and he’s just got a huge heart,” said Hall.

“I think his community really got behind him – the people he works with, customers, suppliers.

“I think he was a bit overwhelmed at how much he managed to raise but it was a beautiful truck to lead our convoy.” is year’s Perth event saw the highest number of trucks at a Camp Quality convoy to date.

Entries were capped at 180 due to capacity issues at Hockey Stadium, but Hall thinks there’s room to expand next year.

“Looking at the way we parked this year, I think we could t in another 50 trucks if we stay on the same site, or we might move somewhere else.

“We got so many ideas and so much feedback from the Perth community, we just want to grow!

“It’s a win/win because the Camp Quality families receive support, but it’s also a great opportunity for WA truckies to get together and show their values.”

Phil Crossen - $11,962

5. Noel Dearing - $9,689

This W Model got plenty of attention.

Bendigo Heavy Towing brought this eye-catching rig along.

Frankling Truck and Silo showed off its flash fleet. This vintage “Mack Muncher” Kenworth stood out.

The show has picked up steam since it was launched in 2019. Images: Truckspotting Ararat The show was made especially memorable by the appearance of the Aurora Australis.

Trucks proudly bore banners displaying their inspiration for taking part in the convoy – the kids. Images: Damo Nguyen Truckies, families and Camp Quality volunteers enjoyed the day.

Shane Coyne was given the honour of driving the lead truck in the convoy, showing off his fully rebuilt 2007 Kenworth T904.

kenworth.com.au/legacy

Fallen truckies remembered

During an epic weekend of festivities earlier this month, 54 truck and coach drivers who have lost their lives were honoured.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

EACH year, the Lights on the Hill memorial convoy and ceremony brings the trucking community together to remember and celebrate truckies who have lost their lives, and their contribution to the industry.

Over the weekend, truckies and truck fans gathered to honour the 54 people who were added to the Lights on the Hill Memorial Wall at Lake Apex Park in Gatton.

ousands made their way to the town as the event kicked o with two convoy routes on Saturday October 5.

ere were 732 trucks taking part in the convoys, departing from Mica Street, Carole Park in Brisbane and Brown and Hurley Toowoomba at 9.30am. Many of the rigs proudly displayed banners in honour of loved ones who are no longer with us.

Leading the convoy from Brisbane was Jarratt Transport Solutions’ Kenworth T610, while lead truck on the Toowoomba route was Darcy Transport’s Kenworth T909 – with both trucks receiving the honour after being picked out of a draw featuring all the trucks who had pre-registered.

e mammoth convoys made their way through the streets, eventually arriving and parking up at the Gatton Showgrounds for a fun- lled day of comradery and remi niscing, along with entertain ment, truck awards and more.

Entertainment this year was provided by Kerry Kennedy, Peter Smokie Dawson, Josie, e Viper Creek Band, Lane Pittman, Jase Lansky, Jere my Turner, Liam Brew, Je Brown, Steve Sparrow and Mackenzie May.

“We had a lot of trucks par ticipating in the convoy this year and a lot of foot tra c too,” said Lights on the Hill secretary Juanita Johnston. “Last year there were over 500 trucks, so this year it was a huge convoy.”

She says the atmosphere was amazing. “It’s hard to describe really, but everyone is always so happy to be there. It’s di cult to put it into words.

“ ere was an amazing bunch of people who came along and lots of trucks. As soon as the drivers pull up from the convoy, they get out and get the trucks polished up again. e drivers really do such a great job in paying tribute to their mates and family members.

“For me, my highlight each year is seeing all the people who line the sides of the road, and all those kids who pull their arms as the trucks come past, and the smiles it puts on the faces of the truckies as well as the kids.

“It was nice to see a lot more women drivers this year too. ere seemed to be a lot more than what we usually see.”

An auction was also held at the Showgrounds, raising around $19,000, which goes towards maintaining the wall, holding the next event, along with donations to community organisations.

e convoy day culminated in a spectacular reworks display, followed by more live music.

Continued page 26

Names added to the Memorial Wall

Robert James ‘Bob’ BAGLEY

Glen Robert BEAN

Kevin ‘The Ox’ BEATTIE

Daniel James ‘Belly’ BELL

Philip Adair ‘Phil’ BLACK

Robert Clive ‘Roosta’ BONNELL

Ian Neville ‘Browndogg’ BROWNSEY

Nathan BURR

Neil Leslie CAREY

Rodney ‘Rocket’ CHAPMAN

Jake ‘Crighto’ CRIGHTON

Colin ‘Col’ CHRISTIAN

Scott Hamilton COMER

James Andrew ‘Jimmy’ CURTIS

Frederick George ‘Freddo’ DAHTLER

Peter Edward DAWE

Terence ‘Dusty’ De LESLIE

Colin Sydney ‘Doddsy’ DODD

Timothy John ‘Tim’ or ‘Gully’ DOESSEL

Keith Harold ‘Porky’ EDWARDS

John Henry ‘John’ FARNHAM

Wayne Ross ‘Finny’ FINN

John Joseph ‘One Eyed Doc’ or ‘Fitzy’ FITZPATRICK

Rowan William ‘Rowda’ GOLTZ

Malcolm John ‘Gator’ HEATHCOTE

Peter William ‘Hillbilly 1’ HILL

Preston ‘Percy’ HOWARD

David Patrick ‘Dave’ JEFFREY

William Henry Thomas ‘Bill’ JEFFRIES

James KELLY

Allan Lance ‘Kirky’ KIRKEGAARD

Frederic Leslie ‘Peter’ LARNER

Dana Jan Lester ‘Dan’ LAWSON

Alan McEWAN

Joseph (Joey) ‘Redmow’ McPHERSON

David ‘Dave’ MOORE

John Charles ‘Cowboy’ MUNDT

Robert Bede ‘Smiley’ NEALE

Andrew Dallas ‘Andy’ NIELSEN

Rein ‘Pancho’ OLT

Desmond John ‘Des’ O’MEARA

Bruce Joseph PHELAN

John Allen ‘Plattsy’ or ‘Big Dog’ PLATTS

Norman James ‘Gunna’ ROBERTS

Lennie John ROSE

Mervyn Lloyd ‘Spuddy’ SCHWERIN

Darryl ‘Tin Man’ SMITH

Noel ‘Towelly’ TOWELL

Brendon ‘Ross’ ‘Twid’ or ‘Twiddle’ TWIDALE

Darryl John ‘Vico’ or ‘Bones’ VICTORSEN

Brian WALL

William Donald ‘Don’ WILLIAMS

Brent Robert WILLIAMSON

Dale Brian WINKLER

This year, 54 names were added to the memorial wall. Images: Shutter Shock Photography

Over 700 trucks lined the Gatton Showgrounds.

Nolan’s Transport had a large presence at the event, with this

So many families came together to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have passed.

The event at Gatton Showgrounds featured a fireworks display.

Jarratt Transport driver Greg Shying and Tracey pose with the lead truck for the Brisbane leg of the convoy.

Special tribute to truckie dad

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

THIS year’s Lights on the Hill Convoy and Memorial Ceremony was quite an emotional one for Nolan’s truck driver Grant Platts.

His father John Allen ‘Plattsy’ Platts was among the 54 names added to the Memorial Wall at Gatton this year.

John passed away on June 28, 2008 at just 54 years of age. A truck driver for all his working life, he had spent about 10 years working for Nolan’s Interstate Transport before his sudden passing.

As Grant explained, “Dad passed away from a brain tu-

mour. He was actually in the truck at the time and managed to safely pull over before he collapsed. at was how we found out that he had a brain tumour.”

Following in the footsteps of his father, Grant joined Nolan’s about 10 months ago, based at Gatton. Prior to that, he spent about 27 years as a re ghter with Queensland Fire Department (QFD). ough he’s still an active member with QFD, he said he made the move into trucking full time as he was looking for a change.

Grant’s eldest son Jye Platts works for Nolan’s too, as an

apprentice refrigeration me chanic.

Nolan’s has had a banner in honour of Plattsy featured on one of its trucks at the Lights on the Hill Convoy each year since his passing. e trans port operator had a strong presence at the 2024 event, with 22 of its trucks taking part in the convoy.

is year, Grant had a second banner made up for his dad, which was proudly placed on a Nolan’s Ken worth T610 SAR.

Grant had the honour of driving that truck in the convoy, “I have driven in the convoy before with QFD, but this time it was very emotional and very special –especially to now also be part of the Nolan’s family and driving a Nolan’s truck,” he said.

“I also had my uncle Kenneth Platts with me in the passenger seat, who is dad’s brother. He’s retired now but he was a truck driver too.”

e other Nolan’s truck with a tribute to Plattsy was driven by Nolan’s company driver Dean Linde, and his son Cooper Linde who also works for the company, in the wash-bay.

Following the convoy and event at Gatton Showgrounds on Saturday October 5, the memorial ceremony was held at the Lights on the Hill Memorial Wall at Lake Apex Park in Gatton, on Sunday October 6.

ough Grant has been to

the ceremony in the past, he said this year was really special to him. He was joined at the service by his uncle and aunty, along with other family members. “ ey were so impressed by the service, and being from interstate, they didn’t realise the size and scale of the event, and how much went into it. e weekend was very special to be a part of.”

Jye also had the opportunity to sound the truck’s air horn as part of the salute to fallen drivers, at the memorial service.

Grant also added, “A big thank you goes to Flea and Sandy Nolan too for all of the e ort they put in for us, and at Lights on the Hill across the weekend.”

Touching ceremony highlight of weekend

From page 24

AS the sun set on the rst day of festivities, it made way for the main event, a touching memorial ceremony at the Lights on the Hill Memorial Wall, held at 10am on Sunday October 6.

Around 60 trucks and up to 2000 people gathered at the wall. is year marked the 20th anniversary of the Lights on the Hill Memorial Service.

“We released four doves during the service. We always release three but this time we had an extra dove to commemorate the 20th anniversary,” explained Juanita.

“A bottle tree was also planted beside the wall to commemorate the anniversary, with Tanya Milligan, Mayor of the Lockyer Valley Regional Council, and local member for parliament Jim McDonald both involved in that.”

To mark the milestone year, Juanita revealed that a special commemorative book is also in the pipeline. “ ere was a book published in 2008, so we’ll do a reprint of that one and release a second volume as well. We’re hoping to have it available at the 2025 Lights on the Hill event.”

Juanita also revealed that she will be stepping aside from her role as secretary, leaving big shoes to ll. Having been in the role for the

past 16 years, she’s lived and breathed the event each day and has been a key part in bringing it to fruition year after year.

ough she won’t be going too far. “I’ll remain secretary until our next annual gener al meeting and will then be come a regular volunteer just like everyone else involved. Once I step aside from that role, I’ll be able to focus on putting the book together too.”

Juanita also took the op portunity to thank all of the event’s sponsors. “ is doesn’t happen without them, whether they’re big or small, we appreciate every single one of them,” she said.

Truck show trophy winners

Rig of The Day: S&J McMahon Transport

Best Custom Rig: Tobin Transport

Best European Truck: Nolan’s Transport

Best Heavy Recovery: Knight’s Towing

Best Light Recovery: All Coast Towing

Best Rigid: Heavy Machine Transport

Best Cabover: JKA Haulage

Best Bonneted Truck: The Tribute

Best Custom Paint/Graphics: S&J McMahon

Transport

Best Fleet: Nolan’s Transport

Best Small Fleet: VE Group

Grant and the family at the Memorial Wall following the service. Image: Grant Platts

Grant Platts and his uncle Kenneth with the truck bearing a tribute to Plattsy at the convoy. Image: Grant Platts

Family and friends came together at the Memorial Wall to pay their respects.

Four doves were released during the memorial ceremony.

Share your truck pics to win with Shell Rimula

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

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

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

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

Don’t forget to include a brief note about the truck and where the photo was taken.

We’ll feature some of the best photos in each edition of Big Rigs Newspaper, with one win ner announced each month.

Keep those amazing truck pics coming!

Dave Hely snapped this great shot while rolling home empty with a mate from the Tumut Visy Mill.

Brock Gladman showed off his photography skills with this pic of Burkinshaw Transport’s fleet at the Temora Truck Show recently. wide load on.

Thanks to Wayne Bryen for this cool shot, taken while he was parked in Crestmead.

John Mulder snapped this shot of a B-triple heading from Howlong to Port Hedland.

Martin Penwald took this great snap while heading east towards Conargo to reload beans for Lang Lang.

Henry Geyer sent us this pic of his 104 tipping off.

When the going gets tough, truckies keep everyone going

Cheers to Steve Grant, who sent us this snap of the 410 SAR he drives around the Northern Rivers and the Scenic Rim.

Gary Morton took this fantastic snap in the Pilbara at sunset.

Ross Howard shot this while at Sydney Airport, unloading sheep and goats to go to Kuala Lumpur.

Dennis McKenna took this pic just out of Wagga, heading to Sydney.

Tom Charlton shot this while taking a break at Kooragang Island.

Luke Curtis took this amazing pic of the big 904, washed and sitting pretty.

Industry answers call for help

After a few anxious moments for the organisers before this year’s running, the immediate future of this noble Bendigo event now looks assured.

BY GRAHAM HARSANT

ANDREW and Sandy Lattin instigated the rst Truckies Against Bullying in November of 2023 at Bendigo as a result of their children having been bullied at school, and the couple wanting to create more public awareness around the issue.

Being a truck driver, Andrew felt they could garner some interest from the industry to come along to the Bendigo Showgrounds to show support and create a truck show at the same time.

With the outside world often regarding truckies and their trucks as ‘tough’ and ‘aggressive’, the couple saw an opportunity for the public to come along to a show and realise that was not the case.

“It was a dual opportunity,” said Andrew. “We would be able to educate the public about the trucking industry, in that we’re not all big and

success and the Lattin’s undertook to repeat the exercise, moving it forward by a month and turning it into a two-day event from October 5-6.

“To be honest, we weren’t sure we could get it up and running again this year,” said Andrew. “It was pretty tough trying to nd support and at one stage Sandy was talking about selling her car. We were prepared to do anything we could to get this up and running.

“ ankfully, Daimler Trucks at Ballarat got right behind us and came through with some fantastic sponsorship. I can’t say enough about them. e way that they got behind this they have set the precedent for anyone else. What they’ve thrown in for the show has been incredible.

“Pickering Transport, who have a depot here in Bendigo also jumped aboard, as have Kennards Hire and Air CTI. en we have Mutated Mo-

owns Macway Transport and runs a couple of Freightliner Cascadias. He was instru mental in helping us gain the Daimler sponsorship. I’d also like to thank Big Rigs for their publicity and support for what we are doing.

“Whilst the number of trucks of trucks coming along has not dramatically in creased over last year, we have come a long way over the past few weeks in terms of spon sorship and that will allow us to promote the event in a big ger way going forward.”

Shane Martin has been a supporter of Andrew and Sandy’s e orts since day one.

“Mate, why wouldn’t you come out to show your appreciation for their e orts and the cause,” he said.

“We had a convoy on Saturday morning and the noise was incredible as drivers happily answered kids pleas to blast their horns. I’m telling you, next year we will really light Bendigo up! We had some newcomers this year joyed it and their response

before it gets too late. I have a son, Macklin, who at the age of seven or eight got bullied at school through no fault of his own.

going on inside. at’s what’s scary.

joined the group and I’m now on the committee here.

“He had a bit of a tumble up on the monkey bars when he was a young fella and knocked his two front teeth out which had to be removed. Consequently couldn’t speak properly and he got bullied mercilessly to the point where we had to pull him out and put him into another school.

“ e thing about bullying is that you can’t see it coming and you want to get onto it

“Now that might not sound like much to an adult, but the e ect on him was pronounced. You look at somebody but you can’t see what’s

Shane said too many people lose loved ones through silly stu that could be easily avoided.

“When I joined the group I just thought of Macklin and remembered what a shit time it was for him. I just don’t like bullies!

“To me they are just cowards behind a keyboard or on a phone. ere is obviously an underlying issue with them but it just doesn’t sit well with me because as I said, you don’t see the impact it has on people.”

“ at’s the reason why I

Hopefully over the next couple of years we will take this truck show to new heights to where we are well and truly respected on the truck show calendar.

“ e thing about trucks being involved in something like this is that the perception of trucking and truckies is that they are big, tough, strong men. Truck drivers are people just like every other Joe Blow.

“We bleed like everybody else, we go through all the emotions. In the trucks we go through the loneliness and

‘Hillbilly’ from the Victorian Brotherhood came to talk with those needing help to change their lives.

Scott Purchase, who led the convoy, is pictured here with children Matthew and Emily.

Andrew Lattin with Australian Horizons Foundation’s Anita Donlon. Images: Graham Harsant

everything that goes with it. It is a tough job when you’re away from home but the camaraderie out there with some of the blokes on the road, I absolutely love it. It still does exist and their support for events like this prove it.

“ is is a visual support for the kids who have been bullied. I think this industry can carry a lot of weight. Nothing melts my heart more than to drive one of these and see a little fella sitting on the side of the road indicating for me to sound the horn.”

In a classic case of, ‘It never rains, but it pours’, the

heavens opened up on the Saturday afternoon, the deluge and strong winds sending people scurrying and the myriad of stallholders – of which there were many –packing up shop. In a great show of support, most of those stallholders were back on the Sunday morning setting up again. e weather event could not have been more badly timed, with the Australian Horizons Foundation funded concert, featuring e Party Animals and others scheduled that evening. While the weather meant crowds were down, that

didn’t stop e Party Animals from putting on one heck of a show.

To undertake putting on an event such as this is massive. You cannot do it by yourself, but until recently Andrew and Sandy have done just that.

eir e orts it appears have not gone unnoticed with the recent in ux of sponsors –and more such as Kenworth Shepparton dealer, Graham ompson Motors, indicating that they would like to be more involved ensuring that Truckies Against Bullying will be on again in 2025. Hats o to you all.

DETAILING & METAL POLISHING FOR ALL TRUCKS AND HEAVY MACHINERY FOR ALL OF SE QLD

Heavy Boys Detailing is your No.1 mobile truck and vehicle detailing group, servicing from Tweed to Toowoomba, Brisbane to Sunshine Coast and everywhere in between

Macca McCarthy brought Fancy Fancy to the event to show his support.

Fraser Engineering at frontline

BY DAVID VILE

FROM modest beginnings

as a general engineering company based in Wellington on New Zealand’s North Island around 60 years ago, Fraser Engineering Group (FEG) has grown into a leader in the innovative design and manufacture of re and emergency rescue vehicles.

FEG-built vehicles are in operation around the greater Paci c region including the Cook Islands and Fiji, and around 600 at the frontline of re and emergency response in Australia.

e company recently had one of its most technically advanced re ghting trucks on display at the annual AFAC exhibition in Sydney. AFAC is the Australian and New Zealand National Council for re and emergency services.

Built for the South Australian Country Fire Service, crew member safety is a key priority, as is having a vehicle

that is e cient and versatile to respond to various emergency situations.

Along with its New Zealand manufacturing facility the company also operates out of another site in Woodville in South Australia.

“Every component on the vehicle that we can we manufacture in-house,” said FEG general manager, Martin Simpson.

“ at way we have control over our manufacturing destiny, we can deliver the vehicles faster and we have our systems in place to manufacture multiple vehicles at one time.

“Usually on our production line we can be running 20 vehicles of a particular type at a time, and our aim is to keep the highest quality and innovation - we can tailor-make systems and this truck here today represents what would be one of the safest and most advanced re appliances in the world.”

display could best be described as a multi-purpose response vehicle, built to respond to res and other emergencies on the rural-urban interface. Based on an Isuzu FTS 139-260 4x4 Crew Cab chassis the work gone into its design and manufacture, along with the list of features is extensive.

“It carries 2000 litres of water and runs two foam systems with 100 litres of Class A and 60 litres of Class B foam,” Martin explained.

“It runs a Darley 500 GVM pump, with both live and dead hose reels with electric hose systems we have patented and manufactured.

“On the side are 2 dropdown breathing apparatus sets and there is also a water monitor mounted on the bullbar which is controlled form inside via a joystick.”

are also tted.

Providing a high level of protection to re crews who may nd themselves involved in ‘burn-overs’ (caught in the path of a bush re) involves building a vehicle to withstand extreme conditions and therefore the process of taking a truck chassis in and rolling out a turn-key response vehicle is quite complex, as Martin explained.

“ ese are an advanced strip down - every electrical and fuel system on the truck is lagged and re-proofed to ensure the truck does not stop in a burn over,” he said.

“Every lter and air intake is ameproof, and we t ame retardant barriers on the door seals. All the ame guards have been developed from burn overs and what has been learnt from burn overs - we have then incorporated all the systems to minimise any harmful e ects to re crews.

e re truck FEG had on

Crew protection sprays are also tted to the outside of the cab whilst the inside a breathing deluge system and dropdown, heat-retardant curtains

“Everything is developed with the customer; in this case

we work with some very good engineering people from the CFS. Further to that a lot of our sta in South Australia are CFS volunteers so we are fortunate to have that understanding and experience and feedback in making our product better.”

Along with the building of vehicles, the company also provides a full maintenance and service backup.

“We provide a full turn-key service out of Adelaide, we will build the trucks, get them out and get them roadworthy and also do remote service on all re appliances as well as ours.

ing, Martin was keen to point out how customer involvement is a key in building and developing new product.

“We continue to develop and build on feedback; continuous improvement is a big thing for us. Our customers can be direct as to how things can be improved and it’s how you respond to that to exceed their expectations.

We provide a full support to re authorities - and their vehicles over their working life,” he said.

“We have maintained a good solid workforce through the growth of the company, and we pride ourselves on the fact that our manufacturing team love what they do, and if you can build equipment to survive in the most hostile conditions, you are setting the benchmark.”

NSW RFS test drives the Volvo FM Electric

THE New South Wales Ru ral Fire Service (NSW RFS) has taken the Volvo FM Elec tric, with water tanker in tow, on a 550-kilometre test run.

e electric prime mover and tanker combination trav elled from the NSW RFS’s Glendenning logistics head quarters in NSW to the bor der city of Albury – arriving to be displayed at the NSW RFS Championships in the suburb of urgoona.

e aim of the test run was to help NSW RFS better un derstand how low emissions vehicles can be integrated into its emergency services eets in the future.

e driving team consisted of RFS logistics manager In spector Brendan Doyle, and RFS logistics and transport supervisor Peter Du .

e pair shared driving du ties over the route to assess the performance and drive ability of the vehicle, as well as the heavy vehicle charging experience.

“ is drive presented a great opportunity for us to touch, feel and experience an elec tric prime mover on public roads,” said Doyle.

“It also allows us to consider where a vehicle like this could ll roles within our logistics eet in the future.”

cutta.

“ e driving experience was sensational,” added Du .

“One of the key takeaways for me was that you could take anyone familiar with an existing Volvo truck and they’d be able to drive this without additional training

Volvo Group Australia vice president, governmental sales, Cameron Bettany, says there has been a lot of interest

Charging time to complete the

in battery electric trucks from re and emergency services around the country.

“Fire and emergency services are on the front line when it comes the impact of climate change on our local environment,” Cameron said.

“Many in these services are acutely aware of the need to

was

reduce emissions, not only from a climate perspective, but also from a health and safety perspective for those rst responders.

“Emergency services operate in a complex environment and with that a mix of technology types will be required to enable sustainable operational capability.

“Battery electric trucks are a key part of this mix.

“It’s fantastic to see RFS getting out there and investigating how these vehicles perform in a real-world setting.”

Volvo Trucks Australia now o ers an electric equivalent for its entire range of diesel-powered vehicles.

The Fraser-equipped Isuzu FTS on show at AFAC, ready for

The CFS unit is a multi-purpose response vehicle and can carry 2000 litres of water for bushfire fighting. Photos: David Vile

RFS logistics manager Inspector Brendan Doyle.

6.2-hour trip

120 minutes.

Right tyre pressure for load

AIR CTI is a central tyre ination system (CTIS) proving an all-round answer to tyre in ation pressure for the load being carried while providing several key attributes necessary for safe, reliable and economical service. Among these are:

• Load capacity requirement noting manufacturing recommendations

• Transfer of driving and braking forces from the vehicle to the road

• Resistance to environmental conditions and aggression from the road surface

Establishing proper tyre in ation pressure is typically based on the maximum likely load expected at each vehicle wheel position. e tyre in ation pressure is set at a xed value based on the anticipated maximum tyre load at highway speeds, taking into account the varying load, speed and environmental operating conditions actually experienced by the tyre and vehicle.

AIR CTI is a central tyre ination system that integrates between the vehicle, environment, and tyre/wheel assembly to determine the correct in ation pressure for each tyre at any given moment.

AIR CTI has the capability to in ate and de ate the tyre as necessary to meet the actual tyre operating environment.

e AIR CTI system also

recognises and creates an ideal method for:

• Compensating in ation pressure in all tyres based on current ambient temperature i.e. cold pressures, hot pressures and the environment

• Incorporates vehicle speed monitoring with automatic in ation capability if the speed is exceeded above a preset level

• Provide an immediate alert to the driver with adverse in ation pressure via an audible and visual alert if unexplained loss of tyre pressure occurs

• Monitors in real time tyre in ation pressures with combination vehicles i.e. truck and trailer(s)

• e AIR CTI system is robustly designed, protected from corrosion and operational damage, being designed to ensure that the quality of compressed air provided to the tyre is free of contaminants and water

• AIR CTI also provides unique safety technology to isolate a singular wheel allowing operational needs to continue AIR CTI is a complete tyre in ation pressure management system that takes a total vehicle systems approach to real-time in ation pressure management based on dynamic operational con-

ditions integrating between the vehicle, environment, and tyre/wheel assembly to determine the correct in ation pressure for each tyre at any given moment. is is achieved via the user friendly and intuitive Controller Display with advanced technology created by AIR CTI with decades of proven use.

e AIR CTI system provides many immediately tangible bene ts, including:

Safety

Tyres that are underin ated for the load being carried su er from excessive sidewall ex and higher operating temperatures, which can lead to serious material degradation.

Tyres that are overin ated for the load being carried have less tread rubber in contact with the ground (footprint) as the tread contact area is the interface between the road surface and the vehicle, all driving, braking and turning forces are transmitted through this area.

Less tread rubber on the ground results in forces being spread across a smaller amount of footprint impacting the vehicle’s moveability including steering. Overin ated tyres are also more prone to road shock and impact damages.

Savings

Reductions in tread mileage from rapid or uneven tyre wear directly impact total tyre life cost. Incorrect tyre in ation pressure costs money in the form of tread wear and casing life. Additionally, tyres contribute to total vehicle fuel consumption, and underinated tyres require more energy to rotate due to increased rolling resistance.

Performance

Tyre manufacturers design their products to deliver many attributes. Excessive tyre in ation pressure leads to less sidewall de ection; the resulting smaller tyre footprint can have a negative impact on through increased the tyre wear and reduction in resistance to irregular wear. Insu cient tyre in ation for the load carried creates excessive buildup of heat in the tyre, which will reduce its service life.

The Gen 7 tri zone controller. Images: Air CTI

The Gen 6 controller display.

The Hyway controller display.

Kenworth’s latest accessories catalogue for the mighty K220 cabover is brimming with kit that enables operators to transform their truck and stand out from the crowd.

Kit out your Kenworth K220

FROM light bars to mudguards, wheel nuts to seat covers, and sun-visors to cab steps, Kenworth’s K220 Accessories Catalogue has it covered when it comes to making your rig stand out on the road.

e latest iteration of the renowned K Series cab over range, the K220 is already one of the most instantly recognisable trucks on the road and Kenworth’s latest range of accessories are designed to highlight its new sleek design lines.

Released in 2022, and hailed as Kenworth’s most evolved, re ned, and technologically advanced truck yet, “ e K220 is largely targeted at east coast B-double applications but is suited for practically any application,” according to PACCAR Parts Australia aftermarket engineering product manager Brenton Campbell.

It’s also one of the most customisable trucks on the market thanks to the wide range of Kenworth genuine accessories developed speci cally for the K220, a range that

SECURE

has expanded signi cantly in the 12-months or so that the truck has been on the market.

“With the growing number of K220s now on the road in di erent customer con gurations, we felt the time was right to release a more comprehensive list of accessories for the truck,” added Brenton.

Included in the comprehensive 20-page catalogue are popular and essential K220 accessories like driving lights, radios, cameras and aerials, along with interior accessories such as dash mats,

seat covers, and oor mats.

e list of stand-out exterior accessories includes stainless steel sun-visors, exhaust stacks and side steps.

“Accessories fall into two main categories, the rst being those for functional applications,” said Brenton.

“For instance, if the truck is going to be doing a lot of overnight work, the operator will want to make sure it has fantastic lights. In this sort of environment high-quality driving lights become much more important because

they’re a key safety feature. Similarly, things like bullbars and other protection accessories are often tted with a view to the type of road conditions the truck will be operating in.

“ e second category are for those people who take extra pride in their truck. ey want it to look its best and really stand out. is group often t high-quality stainless-steel accessories which can include highly functional components like sun-visors and mudguards, but also accessories like grille bars and exhaust stacks which are more about giving a truck its own distinctive look and feel.

“Grille bars, sun-visors and fuel tank straps are expected to be among the most popular stainless-steel accessories, while 9-inch round driving lights and light bars are perennial electronic favourites, with a wide range of options available in both light con gurations,” said Brenton.

“We’ve got a much larger range of stainless-steel prod-

ucts including mudguards and sun-visors than we’ve had in previous years and these are always popular. Likewise, our expanded range of branded interior accessories like sheepskin seat covers and dash mats are great ways to personalise the K220 interior.

“From the factory the K220 is already a great looking truck, so this range is all about complementing the factory- tted parts to really accentuate its features. As we say in our marketing ta-

gline, these accessories allow operators to ‘transform their truck’.”

e Kenworth K220 genuine accessories catalogue and range are available at any of the 60 PACCAR Part dealer locations nation-wide, so call in and chat to the friendly team who will be happy to showcase the new products. View the full brochure at paccarparts.com.au/ken worth-accessories or nd a dealer at paccarparts.com. au/ nd-a-dealer.

These genuine fuel tank straps are a great finishing touch.

Stainless steel sun-visors are among the list of stand-out exterior accessories.

There is a wide range of Kenworth genuine accessories developed specifically for the K220. Images: Paccar Parts

HELLA’s all-new driving light

HELLA is thrilled to introduce the Antares 9” Driving Light, a groundbreaking addition to our lineup that re ects the brilliance of its namesake, Antares – one of the brightest

stars in the night sky. Designed to keep drivers safe and guided, the Antares 9” sets a new benchmark in automotive lighting with its cutting-edge technology,

unique aesthetics, and unmatched performance, ideal for a variety of truck driving conditions; whether short or long-haul, city or rural roads.

At HELLA, we understand that lighting is a critical component of safe driving for all road users, especially in challenging conditions.

at’s why the Antares 9” is equipped with our advanced Umbrella Re ector Technology, delivering an eye-catching diamond glow light output that enhances visibility both day and night.

e lights’ selectable output modes (high and low) are designed to reduce glare in certain situations, helping to minimise fatigue and increase comfort for drivers as well as maintaining a safe light output level for oncoming tra c. Uniquely designed with composite lighting functions, the Antares 9” doesn’t just look good – it performs at an exceptional level.

e wide beam illuminates an impressive 80 metres in width, which extends up to 150 metres in distance, thanks to ultra-wide LED clusters.

For those situations where maximum visibility is crucial, HELLA’s headlight technology allows the Antares 9” to project light exceeding 800 metres with precision spot beams, providing ultimate clarity on the road.

All these individual technol-

ogies seamlessly merge into one with a smooth transition of light out to the side and into the distance.

Taking HELLA’s decades of lighting know-how and expertise, these lights are proudly co-designed and engineered in Australia for Australian roads and are built to endure the country’s harshest environments.

Diecast aluminium housing and bracket helps resist corrosion and remains lightweight, while durable, integrated daytime running lights (DRL) covers protect against bugs, mud, and sand, ensuring a longer service life. Even without the cover, the light is IP69K-rated for dust and waterproo ng, featuring a hard-coated, UV-stable

polycarbonate lens. e sleek, all-black design complements HELLA’s Black Magic light bar series, adding a touch of sophistication to any vehicle. Additional features also add to the innovative design. Australian Design Rules (ADR) compliant DRLs within a driving lamp is a rst for safety, and HELLA is one of the pioneers in DRL technology. An integrated magnetic cover detection system automatically deactivates the main beam when the covers are applied, but still allows the DRL to operate. is feature protects the covers from overheating while also optimising e ciency and conserving battery life.

HELLA Australia is proud to present the Antares 9” Driving Light, a product that not only meets but exceeds industry standards in performance, durability, and design. Highlighted by the bold Greek Letter “lambda” representing the distant road converging at the vanishing point, HELLA’s vision is ever-evolving – and just like its celestial namesake, the Antares will guide you safely through any journey, no matter the conditions.

For more information about the HELLA Antares 9” driving light kit, email info.au@hella.com, call 1800 061 729 or visit hellacommunications.com.au/ antares.

Commercial brake friction explained

THE name Meritor is well known in the trucking industry. For over 100 years the products produced under that name have been the axles and braking solutions tted to truck OEMs in Australia including Kenworth, Mack/ Volvo, Isuzu, Western Star, Freightliner and Iveco.

Now under the stewardship of another well know trucking brand, Cummins, following its acquisition in 2022, the Meritor name continues to be applied to over two million production brake assemblies per year for heavy commercial vehicles including trucks, trailers and coaches. In this

article we take a closer look at the company’s brake friction o ering in this space.

Although Meritor is used extensively among OEMs as rst tment, when it comes to the aftermarket replacement of brake friction materials, the market is very competitive. Like oils and lters for engines and transmissions, pads, rotors, brake shoes and drums are common replacement maintenance items for commercial vehicle wheel ends.

Meritor has a range of brake shoe kits to suit the needs of varying customers from rsthand owners to second, third

and so on. Australian customers can now select brake frictions from several di erent price points and value propositions to suit their needs and application.

Newest in the Meritor suite of friction materials is the OEM production friction material; MA2301 (GG / 23,000lb GAWR). Recently introduced to Australia, MA2301 meets the reduced stopping distance requirements in the USA and has minimal copper content to be more environmentally friendly to waterways. It’s now the friction of choice and used in OEM truck production. e most popular and well known of the Meritor friction materials available in Australia are MA212 (FF / 21,000lb GAWR) and MA312 (FF / 23,000lb GAWR) friction materials. MA friction materials are used by vehicle OEM’s installing Meritor production brakes on new vehicles. MA friction materials still provide the highest levels of stopping performance, in many cases exceeding industry standards as well as FMVSS 121 requirements. MA212 is the standard friction used on Meritor trailer axles and provides outstanding friction stability without sacri cing lining or drum wear and is suitable for truck, trailer and coach applications. MA312 is a premium long life friction material that provides

superior stopping power in demanding heavy duty linehaul and vocational applications. It o ers a 20% service life improvement over comparable products.

For aftermarket customers Meritor also o ers two linings MG1A (FF / 20,000lb GAWR) and MG2A (GG / 23,000lb GAWR). ese friction materials o er outstanding value without compromising on quality. All MG friction materials continue to

meet or exceed FMVSS 121 requirements.

Both the MA and MG brake shoe kits are manufactured in Australia according to strict Meritor quality standards and contain two lined shoes and brake hardware to suit a range of di erent truck and trailer applications. e in-house production allows multiple quality checks to ensure that the brakes are manufactured to the highest standards.

The Antares 9” is equipped with our advanced Umbrella Reflector Technology, delivering an eye-catching diamond glow light output. Images: HELLA Australia

Customers can select brake frictions to suit their needs and application. Images: Cummins

The MA212 and MA312 brake linings.

BOGIE ROADTRAIN DOLLY

Aussie CTI extends tyre life

WHAT’S important to you, as a driver, out on the road each day? Is it safety, comfort, pro t or all of the above? It doesn’t matter if you own one truck or operate a eet, truck owners are aware of the costs of running and maintaining trucks –and tyres can equate to quite a signi cant cost.

But what if there was a way to extend your drive tyre life from 50,000 to 90,000 kilometres, at the push of a button? And imagine being able to do that while at the same time reducing punctures and eliminating blow outs. Increasing your truck’s uptime means an increase to your bottom line.

Di erent transport tasks can vary your tyres’ life expectancy. But whatever the task, simply using Aussie CTI will increase tyre life by at least 30 per cent. On the tougher jobs, it can increase tyre life even further, from 50 to 100 per cent.

Half the time, many trucks are operating unloaded. Take for example a tip truck, tankers, concrete agitators, to name a few. Tippers often have six tonne or less on the drive tyres when empty and are often towing a six- or seven-tonne dogs back to load.

In these circumstances the driver could be running at 30 psi, signi cantly increas-

ing the tyre footprint which in turn increases the tyre life, decreases body shock and vibration, and reduces braking length by up to 20 per cent with your rig stopping straight – with no jack-knifing. You can travel back to load at the quarry or sandpit at 30 psi and when you start loading, go to a medium pressure of 60 psi and then travel back to the bitumen, going to the higher pressure of 90 psi.

Loading in the paddock with silage, cane or grain is no problem with Aussie CTI as the pressure can be dialled down to give maximum traction and minimum ground compaction. With a two and a half times longer footprint, it is equivalent to having 20 drive tyres on the ground, so you won’t get bogged in the cultivated paddock when turning as you have maximum traction available at your ngertips.

Whether you drive on the bitumen or the dirt, and regardless of the transport task at hand, you can take advantage of these bene ts, by using Aussie CTI.

With over 50 years of combined experience in developing and manufacturing central tyre in ation (CTI), the team at Aussie CTI Systems has proudly designed and built a rugged, tough, reliable system which has

been designed speci cally for Australia.

Stuart and David have designed all of our components and almost 100 per cent of our materials are sourced locally.

Our in-cabin controller comes with a seven-year full replacement warranty and has an expected service life of another 10 years. Our pressure distribution safety

valve (PDSV) is a great safe ty feature and is not available with imported CTI systems. e PDSV controls the air going to each wheel set and stops cross pumping, pro tecting the integrity of the system in the rare case of a major air leak.

Our rotators are purpose built for Australia’s tough conditions. ey are man ufactured using 6061 alloy housings, which are hard ened anodised for corrosion resistance, making them tough and reliable with a long service life, ey are also fully rebuildable in your workshop.

For our drop pipes we uti lise common half inch J844 air brake tubing which is readily available across Aus tralia. e drop pipes are connected with weatherhead olive and spigot style ttings sealed for life at t-up. All nylon hoses used throughout the system are reliable and made in Australia.

If you are interested in learning more about how Aussie CTI can bene t you, contact Andrew on 0459 222 137. He has many years of experience in the CTI industry and is ready to discuss your requirements.

The system’s in-cabin display.

The Aussie CTI system makes a huge difference on tyre life, even on outback routes like Gibb River Road.

THE 2024 State Election comes at a time that generations of Queenslanders are facing challenges they have not previously experienced. ese unprecedented challenges also critically impact business. is is why the next Queensland Government must commit to future proofing investments that ensure the survivability of business, enable the economy and rejuvenate the con dence of Queenslanders. For example, is the Rockhampton Ring Road multi-laned?

e following are the Queensland Trucking Association’s key infrastructure investment priorities for the next Queensland Government

Fix the Bruce

In the lead up to the 2024 State Election, the QTA has run a substantial campaign on “Fixing the Bruce” and other critical road infrastructure with RACQ. Statistics from the RACQ Bruce Highway Report reveal that the Bruce features in 8/10 top accident hotspots in the state. is is just not good enough for a highway that forms part of the national highway network in Australia.

In 2024, we have 1398 kilometres of the Bruce Highway (from Gympie to Cairns) that is still single-lane and undivided, leading to an average ‘per kilometre travelled’ crash rate that is three times higher than rural sections of the Paci c Highway and ve times higher than rural sections of the Hume Highway.

e Bruce Highway serves as the backbone of this state, and is a supposed national highway, but compared to the Paci c or Hume, it’s substandard. We need a 10-year funding commitment from the state and federal govern ments to continue upgrading the Bruce Highway by wid ening narrow sections and

bridges, installing more overtaking lanes, and installing decent truck rest areas every 200km. ere needs to be a future-thinking focus on progressively duplicating the road to a dual carriageway standard, like the Hume and Paci c Highways in NSW and Victoria.

To achieve this, the federal government needs to restore the 80-20 funding split for Queensland – it is time for Queensland to get a fair go.

Continue to invest in the

Inland Freight

for the Inland Freight Route was an indication that our advocacy voice is cutting through in Canberra. e commitment to an 80 per cent/20 per cent funding split with the state government was particularly good news. e work has already started but will also need further capital injections.

e QTA urges the next Queensland Government to continue to invest in transformative road and bridge upgrades that would activate northern Australia via an alternative Inland Freight lishment of processing and

Truck-Way connecting Queensland to the Port of Brisbane

e upgrade of the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing (Toowoomba Bypass) as a key freight corridor between Toowoomba and Port of Brisbane has unlocked a large part of the enormous economic potential of both the South East and South West of Queensland that will deliver regional prosperity and support jobs.

However, the Bremer River Bridge is impeding productivity progress in Queensland. e current planned remediation of the bridge will only restore it to a 2014 load limit capacity.

A future-thinking solution is needed beyond the proposed rail corridor to connect Inland Rail to the Port of Brisbane. e preservation and, ultimately, construction of a dedicated freight rail corridor would allow a small percentage of road freight movements to be removed from the road network. is will make minimal impact to alleviating congestion.

e QTA contends that this corridor (Toowoomba/Port Link) represents an opportunity to establish a complementary dedicated Truck-Way to the Port of Brisbane. A Truck-Way

is a controlled environment that o ers a unique opportunity to utilise future heavy vehicle technology improvements such as automation, electric powered, hydrogen and other alternatives, specialised prime movers in multi-trailer combinations in a fully controlled and dedicated environment. ese options o er a reduced footprint in emissions, substantially quieter operations, and signi cant exibility, as well as creating a safer, more ecient, and productive freight route.

A future-shaping plan is needed to cultivate business con dence through long term infrastructure investment – It’s time to get Queensland moving.

Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) CEO Gary Mahon.

Daltrans celebrates in style

TO celebrate his 50th birthday, owner of Toowoomba based Daltrans Bulk Haulage, Dallas Kropp, has treated himself to three brand new Kenworth T659s, and three sets of A-doubles, all running on Hendrickson’s premium integrated suspension and axle with long-life wheel end package.

e business is heavily involved in the agricultural space, delivering bulk commodities such as wheat, barley, cotton seed, fertiliser and more, to Brisbane port for export, as well as throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Dallas comes from a cattle farming background and says he fell into trucks almost by accident. “I owned a farm and to help pay the bills, I started driving a truck. Once I sold the farm, I went into trucking full time.”

His company currently runs a eet of 11 trucks – 10 Kenworths and one Volvo – and 13 trailer sets, predominantly A-doubles, with a few AB-triples thrown in for good measure. e AB-triples are used for some of the longer runs.

“I never thought I’d come to own the amount of equipment we now have. My background in farming puts me in good stead with our current clients, because I can see their operations and what they do – and I understand what

they’re all about.”

When he started Daltrans in 2015, Dallas says he saw the bene ts of the Performance Based Standards (PBS) scheme early on, going straight into using A-doubles.

“PBS A-doubles aren’t an option but a way of life for operators like myself. Almost everyone in this space has gone that way and it’s very hard to compete if you’re running

B-doubles. You’re looking at about 15 tonne more payload on an A-double as opposed to a B-double,” explained Dallas. “People make all these comments about PBS but if you’re not embracing it, you’re only hurting yourself.”

Dallas has also been using Hendrickson axles and suspensions since starting his business, with all trailers in the eet now running on

INTRAAX suspension, MAXX22T air disc brake system and HXL7 wheel end bearing package. is premium axle and suspension system o ers signicant weight savings over similar designs, allowing Dallas to achieve payloads of up to 58 tonne on his A-doubles. In addition, the HXL7 wheel end package helps to keep the trailers working more of

the time and reduce maintenance costs.

“Firstly, the team at Hendrickson have a good product, and secondly, they back it up. ey are the two most important things in this business. We’ve used other brands of axle and suspension over the years, when we’ve either bought oor stock or bought trailers second hand – but we found the back-up support

and customer service hasn’t even come close to what Hendrickson o ers,” said Dallas.

“If I’ve ever had any issues, Hendrickson is very quick to help us out. ey always back their product and get it xed, with minimal downtime. ey are there, on time and ready to go when you need them. And on top of that, they’re priced very well within their market.”

Dallas says Hendrickson’s overall durability and generous ve-year/1.2 million kilometre wheel end warranty have been major drawcards too.

On top of being a great birthday present, the newest Kenworth T659s and A-doubles to join the eet has Daltrans well placed for growth. It was three years ago that Dallas decided to treat himself to the new rigs and he was excited to see them join the eet earlier this month. “At the time, I thought there are two things I’m never going to do again: turn 50 or buy three trucks and trailer sets all at once,” he said.

“I’m fortunate that we’re coming into a good season, with a bumper crop, so having the work for them and good sta on board for our growth is always the biggest challenge. By growing our eet using our own trucks instead of sub-contractors, it gives us a bit more control over our future too.”

Hendrickson’s

Dallas Kropp with his father John. Images: Daltrans

Driving better e ciency through safety

EMBRACING the power of innovation isn’t just about better understanding routes. It’s about taking charge and avoiding potential dangers before they happen.

AS operators across Australia implement the latest telematics advancements, the goal is to become more e cient and use that boost to bene t the operation’s safety culture.

Today, technology can detect more than just speed. What was dashcams has evolved into video telematics to signi cantly o er the ability to monitor behaviours while recording in

real-time. With both forward and inward-facing cameras providing real-time driver assistance alerts, the system can provide a more comprehensive view of the driver’s surroundings – a technological co-pilot. It also gives eet and safety managers deep insights into what’s happening on the road, allowing them to coach drivers for better on-road performance and optimise signicant cost centres like fuel burn and scheduled maintenance.

A smart video telematics solution works right alongside the driver and will warn them

if they’re braking, accelerating or manoeuvring too harshly. e smart cameras will also let drivers know if they’re drowsy or distracted, allowing them to act immediately.

When an event is triggered via a speci c threshold, such as looking down at a mobile phone, the system triggers an audible alert to the driver. It also records and securely uploads the footage and telematics data to the cloud for the eet manager to review.

is means managers can actively coach their drivers for better performance and reward the drivers who are doing

Video telematics is fully integrated into our eet management software, TN360. is enables seamless integration into a control hub for eet managers, allowing you to view event footage or request additional recordings.

Empowering drivers during emergencies

e real-time platform lets you easily access the data you need to improve safety, streamline coaching and protect your

Driver-initiated events let them press an emergency record button, which means critical footage is retained and instantly available in the telematics platform, serving as the ultimate safety net.

To ensure optimal performance and integration, Tele-

trac Navman o ers advanced features that go beyond monitoring, providing real-time assistance and contributing to a culture of safety.

Rewarding a safety-first culture river rewards programs are a way of incentivising drivers to operate safely and e ciently by recognising driver achievements. It can also o er a signi cant return on investment. Rewards programs focused on performance and safety can lead to a measurable increase in eet e ciency and can help you save costs with fewer accidents and lower insurance premiums.

Driver safety programs can also positively impact the company’s public image.

A eet known for its safety standards and e cient operations is more likely to attract new business, maintain current customer relations and foster growth.

Inclusive practices drive safety benefits

Incorporating diversity into safety training acknowledges varied backgrounds, experiences, and learning styles of employees, promotes equity, enhances communication, understanding and engagement, leading to safer and more ecient workplace practices.

Teletrac Navman, in partnership with the Australian Trucking Association (ATA), has created a diversity and inclusion program to enhance safety and e ciency within the trucking industry. e “Driving Inclusion” program aims to attract and retain a diverse workforce by overcoming barriers such as unconscious bias and fear of discrimination.

Are you ready to leap into a digital future with the latest camera solutions and integrated coaching applications?

Get started by talking to your Teletrac Navman representative today.

Get ahead and make the switch to an EWD

By going digital with your fatigue management, you can reduce risk, eliminate guesswork and improve scheduling. With Teletrac Navman’s NHVR-approved EWD, you can exceed expectations with a solution designed to help drivers safely get on with their day without the worrying of rest breaks and available hours. Benefit from real-time fatigue status information at all times.

Teletrac Navman’s video telematics are fully integrated into its fleet management software, TN360. Images: Teletrac Navman

A smart video telematics solution works alongside the driver, warning them if they’re braking, accelerating or manoeuvring too harshly.

Ensuring compliance with TM Fleet

BY CAMERON BLACK TRANZMILE

I don’t think there is anyone in the transport industry anymore that is not aware of the chain of responsibility requirements in place and the requirements for all transport operators to have in place and an active eet maintenance plan.

e problem is the paper-based systems that have been traditionally used are cumbersome, time consuming and prone to failure. Who hasn’t had to spend hours and even days chasing service invoices, repair orders, pre-start logs, parts invoices and more when annual or bi-annual audits come round?

ere is now a better and more e cient way.

And it is not limited to just large eets. TM Fleet is an advanced eet management software product that is available 100 per cent free for Australian eet owners and operators.

With TM Fleet, one single online software product will manage your complete eet management and maintenance requirements – for both good business purposes and for NHVR compliance.

TM Fleet will record extensive information on every vehicle and asset you own, putting all of this essential information in one easy-toaccess place. e simple information is easy – rego, build

date, engine number, VIN and so on, but you can also record your build sheets, service manuals, speci c guides or how to info for complex assets (such as tankers and dangerous goods vehicles) and plenty more.

e next step is putting in place an active service management schedule for each asset, planning and then recording every planned, and non-planned service. TM Fleet can even generate re-

pair orders so you can schedule work with third parties, tracking everything in a single place for future reference. Of course your daily eet management has to start with a pre-start on each vehicle and asset in your eet. e TM Fleet Driver App makes this easy, fast and fully tracked. Your drivers can open the app and run a fully customisable pre-start, passing, failing or generating warning on every review item. When a driver

notices an issue, they can take photo and log this in a prestart – and TM Fleet will then actively track this through to completion, recording each step and every touch by your team in reviewing and then resolving the issue. A complete issue identi cation and resolution process – exactly what every auditor wants to see. All seamlessly integrated in one software application, all done in real time with ease. Used by some of Austra-

lia’s largest eets, including complex mixed eets such as mining and gas giant Santos, you would think TM Fleet would cost thousands and be exclusive for large companies. Amazingly, the developers of TM Fleet, Australian owned Brightfox, have elected to make it 100 per cent free for small eets and owner drivers. If you have under 10 assets in total, you can implement this amazing software for free! Sure it works for the largest

and most diverse eets, but it is also perfect for small and medium on-highway truck and trailer eets. ere are already hundreds of drivers around Australia completing pre-starts every morning with the TM Fleet app so you know it works in the real world.

To nd out more about TM Fleet and to get a free account up and running go to tm eet.com.au or visit brightfox.com.au.

TM Fleet is an advanced fleet management software product, free for Australian fleet owners and operators. Image: Tranzmile

Technology key to protecting truck drivers

IN the fast-paced and perilous world of road transportation, driver safety is paramount. e importance of this is underscored by the National Truck Accident Research Centre’s Major Incident Investigation Report 2024, which revealed a 27 per cent increase in overall incident rates in 2023 compared to the previous year. Incidents related to human factors rose by 42 per cent, with inattention and distraction incidents doubling any other cause and increasing by 75 per cent since 2022. Additionally, fatigue accounted for 9.5 per cent of incidents caused by human factors in 2023. ese statistics highlight the critical role of Fatigue and Distraction Detection Technologies (FDDT).

To enhance safety, Seeing Machines pioneered its FDDT, Guardian, in 2008.

to date, it has played a vital role in safeguarding heavy vehicle drivers as well as feeding into the software now keeping drivers safe in over 2.2 million passenger vehicles. As the company prepares for the launch of Guardian Generation 3, it’s timely to re ect on the lessons learned.

A brief history of Guardian

e rst iteration of Guardian, then known as the Driver State Sensor (DSS), launched in 2008 in the o -road/ mining sector. Monitoring a driver’s face using a dashboard-mounted sensor, the DSS analysed eyelid closure to detect fatigue and tracked head movements for the identi cation of distractions. It issued audio and vibration alerts, storing data for analysis or transmitting critical information to eet management

ation 1 launched for on-road heavy vehicle eets. is version introduced a forward-facing camera and the Guardian Centre, providing 24/7 monitoring and analysis. Guardian Generation 2 followed, o ering advanced technology with reduced hardware needs, along with Guardian Live, enabling eet managers to interact with real-time data.

Over the years Guardian’s mission has remained constant: detecting fatigue and distractions to reduce accidents and get people home safely.

Five key lessons from Guardian 1. Detection accuracy

Investing in a high-quality FDDT is crucial to avoid false positives and undetected risks. With more than 20 years’ expertise in impairment detection, Seeing Machines works with brands like Mercedes Benz, General Motors, and Ford to ensure precision under all driving conditions. Guardian’s advanced computer vision algorithms, optics, and processing technologies guarantee accuracy, even in challenging situations such as varying light or when drivers wear glasses or masks.

2. e power of real-time alerts

Real-time intervention is critical for safety. While audio and visual alerts are common, haptic alerts provide tactile

feedback, particularly e ective in noisy environments or when a driver’s attention is elsewhere.

3. Human intervention

A 2017 study showed significant reductions in fatigue incidents when real-time feedback was provided to drivers and employers. In-cab warnings resulted in a 66 per cent reduction in fatigue events, escalating to a 94 per cent+ reduction when in-cabin alerts were enhanced by adding real-time analyst feedback direct to the operator.

4. Value of data

Comprehensive, real-time data can help businesses improve training, education, and operations. Insights gleaned can also help to identify long term trends, high risk times and more, aiding driver wellbeing and eet safety decisions.

5. Driver adoption

When implementing FDDT, gaining driver trust is essential. Transparency, communication and taking time to educate drivers on its function and purpose builds con -

dence and acceptance of the technology.

The road ahead Guardian’s legacy of safeguarding drivers continues to evolve. With global regulations increasingly mandating safety systems like FDDT, Guardian Generation 3 is ready to meet these demands. By learning from the past and adapting to future challenges and conditions, Guardian remains a driving force in road safety, protecting lives and paving the way for safer journeys.

The first iteration of Guardian, the DSS, launched in the off-road/mining sector in 2008. Images: Seeing Machines

Smart wearable fatigue technology

DEVELOPED by WHG Technologies in conjunction with Sleep Advice Technolo gies (SAT), FleetPREDICT is the latest in wearable technol ogy, an easy-to-use solution for fatigue management and driver safety.

Backed by medical research, this cutting-edge technology brings together a family of patented algorithms designed to predict fatigue and sleepi ness in individuals – which utilises your smart watch, in conjunction with the Fleet PREDICT mobile app. With the majority of society wear ing smart watches, adoption is easy.

As WHG director of op erations Dylan Hartley ex plained, “ is technology was developed using smart wearables to unlock new po tential in the transport and consumer markets.

“Traditionally when it comes to fatigue manage ment, the only way we do this is through electronic work diaries and AI camera systems. e challenge with AI cameras is that they are very expensive and from a privacy point of view, there are driver concerns around being constantly monitored.”

weight, it uses the medically proven algorithm to predict the transition to sleep.”

Compatible with Garmin smart watches, FleetPREDICT brings highly accurate fatigue management to eets – at a very low price-point. So how does it work?

FleetPREDICT uses real-time analysis of brain/ cardio-respiratory activity to predict sleep. It generates alarms to warn users of impending transitions from wakefulness to drowsiness, well before the onset of sleep.

“ e watch monitors the parameters in a person’s vital systems including heart rate, heart rate variability, and other vitals,” said Dylan. “ en, based on a person’s age and

With Garmin being such a strong and well-known brand in the wearable technology space. Sleep Advice Technologies and WHG collaborated to bring its new fatigue solution to market.

“Garmin o ers consumer watches that monitor a range of biometric data like heart rate and breathing rate through sensors in the watch,” explained Garmin’s head of B2B sales – ANZ, Harry Gasiamis.

“We’ve provided the canvas and amazing companies like WHG develop great ideas and technology solutions.”

FleetPREDICT not only continuously tracks your fatigue levels, it provides early

fatigue warnings before you become drowsy – preventing micro-sleep related events and provides real-time in-cabin intervention through audible and vibration alerts.

It features a simple and intuitive design for easy use on the go.

“When you jump in the cab, the technology starts working,” said Dylan. “ e app on your phone detects movement, so it can identify when you’re driving, which then activates the technology. Within the rst three minutes of driving, it builds a fatigue pro le, which continues monitoring until you switch o your ignition and stop moving. e monitoring can also be controlled manually through the app if required.

“Some of the Garmin

watches, like the Instinct 2, have a 28-day battery life, so you can use the device without the burden of having to constantly charge it.”

Harry commended WHG on bringing this new fatigue technology to market.

“What they’ve done is turn the science from SAT into a product that people can use. We’re really excited by what WHG and SAT have put together as a team. e solution will become more dynamic and provide additional insights as it develops.”

Harry continued, “It’s a way to integrate a wrist wearable device that can make a di erence, helping drivers and improving safety out on the road.”

is wearable technology is already being used in eets

in Europe, and more recently has been launched in Australia, following extensive onroad testing.

Since WHG launched FleetPREDICT at its TechDRIVE Roadshow in Melbourne, Dylan says the uptake of the product has been fantastic.

Talking to a user of FleetPREDICT, who has implemented the wearable technology for several months on long haul trips, it’s helped to enhance safety – and he’s been impressed. “With the app, you don’t need to think about it, the watch connects automatically and works as required,” he said. “I’ve found it to be very accurate. And as you’re just wearing a watch, it’s nothing extra that you need to carry on a dayto-day basis.”

Revolutionising fuel management

IN the transportation industry, where fuel costs represent a signi cant portion of operational expenses, e cient fuel management is critical. PETRO Industrial’s iPETRO Vendor Management Inventory (VMI) system o ers a cutting-edge solution designed to streamline fuel monitoring, inventory control, and operational oversight. Tailored to meet the needs of fuel depots, freight services, vehicle rental companies, and truck eet

owners, iPETRO’s cloudbased platform centralises all fuel-related data into one powerful dashboard, transforming how fuel is managed across multiple locations and assets.

A key feature of the iPETRO VMI system is its ability to consolidate data from multiple fuelling points – whether at depots, service yards, or mobile fuel trucks – into a single dashboard. is means every fuelling event, transac-

tion, and stock level update is captured in real time, giving eet operators a clear view of fuel usage across all their vehicles and sites. e iPETRO VMI also integrates seamlessly with existing fuel management systems already in place, allowing businesses to link their entire fuel storage infrastructure to the cloud-based platform for comprehensive, uni ed monitoring.

iPETRO’s cloud-based technology allows transportation companies to remotely monitor and manage fuel levels, equipment calibrations, and fuelling activity. Fleet managers can track fuel consumption, identify trends, and address any irregularities or equipment issues before they become major problems. is kind of visibility across multiple locations is invaluable, particularly for those managing large eets or operating multiple depots, where manual fuel tracking can be time-consuming and error-prone.

One of the most signi cant bene ts of iPETRO’s VMI system is its ability to provide

Since its launch, FleetPREDICT is getting noticed. WHG has been nominated for the FleetPREDICT product in the Safety Innovation category of the 2024 HVIA National Awards, with the winner to be announced in December.

Recently, SAT won the ‘Most Innovative Solution’ award at the 2023 Garmin Health Awards for its PREDICT algorithms. WHG and SAT recently showcased FleetPREDICT at the ITS World Congress in Dubai, generating huge interest on a global scale. To learn more, scan the QR code shown above – or contact the WHG team on 1800 474 387 or support@ whgsolutions.team.

real-time alerts and automated reporting. is enables eet operators to proactively manage fuel supplies, preventing stockouts or over-ordering. e system can ag low fuel levels, equipment malfunctions, or calibration issues, allowing managers to take action quickly and avoid costly downtime.

In addition to improving operational e ciency, iPETRO’s system supports businesses in reducing fuel waste and opti-

mising inventory based on actual usage data. By having instant access to detailed reports on fuel stock levels, fuelling activity, and vehicle consumption, companies can better plan their refuelling schedules and streamline logistics. is ensures that fuel is available when needed without unnecessary overstocking or excessive trips to fuel depots.

For freight services, rental vehicle companies, truck owners, and eet managers,

iPETRO’s VMI system o ers a game-changing approach to fuel management. It not only simpli es fuel tracking but also delivers actionable insights to enhance e ciency and cut costs, making it an essential tool for the modern transportation industry. Talk to the PETRO Team today for more information. Call 1300 987 789, email sales@petroindustrial.com. au or visit the website at petroind.com.

Medically backed, FleetPREDICT uses real-time analysis of the brain/cardio-respiratory activity to predict sleep.

Smart sensing FleetPREDICT is powered by science. Images: WHG

A fuel depot managed with iPETRO Pro and VMI. Images: PETRO Industrial

A special birthday treatOn the road for 50 years

TRUCK

mette will celebrate his 70th birthday on Melbourne Cup Day on November 5.

Dubbed the race that stops a nation, it will be held at Flemington Racecourse and broadcast in many countries.

“I will be having a week o to enjoy my birthday on this famous day,” he recently told Big Rigs.

Robert drives a Mack Su per-Liner for Geo Richards Transport and is based at Brisbane.

I saw Robert checking out his trailers at the BP Cluden earlier this month.

“I have to pick up produce from Mareeba, Giru and Bowen for Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne markets. I came up with Ipec products,” he said.

Robert added that his fa voured roadhouses are the Caiguna Roadhouse in WA and the Caltex in Goondiwindi. “Both are great for truck drivers,” he said.

He says that the most dangerous route to drive on was the Bruce Highway.

the upcoming Brisbane Con-

“I was in it last year and it is a Chris likes the BP Cluden Roadhouse because he says it has good facilities such as

clean showers and a comfortable room for truckies.

He added that more rest areas are needed for truckies only, and like many other drivers says they are often

packed up with vans.

But he did say there was a good one at Waverley Creek between Rockhampton and

I asked Chris his hobbies outside of work and he said he likes relaxing at home, which include lots of time in his spa.

“I also like eating fresh sh such as red emperor and mackerel cooked on the barbecue. Also I enjoy gardening,” he said.

Whilst on the road Chris often takes along meals which he stores in his fridge and cooks in the microwave or his small gas cooker.

His favourite football team is the WA based West Coast Eagles in the AFL.

Even though they nished down the bottom in the 2024 season, Chris said success goes in cycles and they will improve.

Triple the fun for this truckie

Outside work Robert enjoys cars and has restored a super charged Commodore.

During the football season Robert barracks for the Syd-

“It is not good between Rockhampton and Sarina. ere is a high volume of tra c.” is friendly truckie wants to see more rest areas for drivers at which caravans are banned.

ney Roosters in the NRL and for Queensland in the State of Origin Series.

Wishing Robert a wonderful birthday, and we hope he backs the winner of the highest pro le horse race in the country.

FORMER mechanic Ryan Mckenzie loves driving triple road trains around Australia, including to remote parts of the Northern Territory.

I saw the 36-year-old truckie checking the trailers be-

Townsville. He was heading o to Douglas Daly in the NT carrying a load of general freight.

In the next lane at the breakdown pad was a squadron of scalies checking out trucks.

been driving trucks for the past 12 years.

He is based at Ipswich and works for his father Grant who runs Whanau Transport out of Melbourne.

As for rest areas around Australia, Ryan reckons many more are needed for truckies.

“We need ones with facilities such as toilets – lots are just pull o areas with lots of dirt,” he said. By far his favourite roadhouse during his extensive travels is the Roebuck Plains Roadhouse in WA.

“ ey serve up the best feed you would get anywhere,” he

A Cowboys supporter in the NRL, Ryan has no real hobbies outside of work and just enjoys quality time with family.

“My wife is Tess and we have four children aged 14, 11, six and two,” he said.

Looking to head stateside

A MAJOR concern for truck driver Patty Moulds is pulling up at a rest area and being un able to nd a parking space because of caravans.

“It happens all the time and even at rest areas with desig nated spaces for trucks only.

“So, I pull up beside them and most of the time they move. We need more rest areas for us drivers with facilities such as toilets,” he said.

e 42-year-old driver works for Carters Transport and had pulled up in K200 Kenworth when I saw him.

“I have a load of carboard from Townsville to Brisbane,” he said.

A truckie for 17 years, Patty likes stopping at the Golden Nugget Roadhouse in Gympie.

“ e food is great and the steaks big,” he said. Patty has been with Car-

ters Transport for a year and before that drove for other companies which took him around Australia.

“In the next few years, I am looking at going to the US to drive trucks over there,” he said.

Robert Willmett works for Geoff Richards Transport, driving a Mack Super-Liner. Images: Alf Wilson

for 16 years.

Ryan Mckenzie spent eight years working under the hood, before switching to behind the wheel.

A truckie for 17 tears, Patty likes stopping at the Golden Nugget Roadhouse in Gympie.

Scalie blitz in Townsville

IT WAS mid-morning on a cloudy overcast day when the truckies bush telegraph started buzzing that scalies were conducting a blitz at the breakdown pad along the Townsville Port Access Road.

So, Spy headed out there and saw the road transport o cers in big numbers.

It is a place where plenty of heavy trucks must pass which are either coming from out west along the Flinders Highway, or from south or north on the Bruce Highway.

Lots of triples and quads pass there with many heading to and from the busy Townsville Port.

e scalies had set up on both the inbound and outbound sides of the road.

bound lane waiting for trucks and several climbing on and checking trailers on the out bound side.

had no other route to take, so they had no alternative other than to be pulled over.

told me they didn’t feel lone some.

er blitzes on trucks at many places in the country,” one told me.

al Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) for comment.

the nal phase of a safety and compliance o cer re cruitment course last week at sites across the Townsville area, including the Townsville

Port Access Road interception site,” said an NHVR spokesperson.

“During the operation, recruits were checking safety factors such as mass, fatigue, and load restraint, using the skills they have learnt since their employment began just prior to the NHVR assuming responsibility for the delivery of heavy vehicle on-road compliance and enforcement services in Queensland on 20 April 2024.

“ e On-Road practical assessment saw eight new safety and compliance o cers successfully complete their training, with these sta to be stationed at sites across the Central and Far North areas of Queensland including

Over

the alcohol level query

If a driver had a few beers whilst on a fatigue break after his shift and was having a snooze in his sleeper box, but had the keys in his possession, could he be nabbed for being over the limit?

It sounds like a hypothetical question and was brought to Spy’s attention by a truckie who was woken at night by a police o cer, who knocked on the door of his sleeper box. e cop was investigating a complaint that vandals had been active in the parking area of the roadhouse he was at. is driver had enjoyed a few beers after nishing work and may have been over the

start time the next day.

Although very courteous, the cop mentioned if the driver had keys in his possession he could have been asked to blow into one of those devices.

Check opening times for remote area fuel

If you are heading to the remote centre of Pormpuraaw up Cape York Peninsula way and want fuel, make sure you check with the local council in advance regarding opening times for the outlet.

It is a coastal town located on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula approximately halfway between Karumba and Weipa on the Edward River.

But he would have registered a zero blood alcohol level by

Even though he had been asleep and had no intention of getting behind the wheel. It would have to be a very nasty o cer who would take such an action.

You can use a debit or credit card or purchase one from the council. It costs about $3 a litre for diesel.

It is about 650km by road from Cairns and was formerly known as Edward River Aboriginal Mission. I have been there several times to cover the crocodile races and also a Barramundi

Scalies at the Port Access Road breakdown pad. Images: Alf Wilson

The Richmond Arms Hotel in southern Tasmania is ready for Halloween.

shing competition.

e people are friendly but it does pay to check for the opening times of the fuel outlet if you go there.

Gearing up for Halloween

Drivers who park up at roadhouses or rest areas near towns at night are preparing for Halloween on ursday, October 31.

It has been tradition that youngsters taking part in trick or treat have woken drivers at night while in their sleeper boxes.

is is not always welcome especially when our mates need a well earned fatigue break.

Spy is told that down in Tasmania some o duty drivers will be celebrating Halloween big time at Richmond Village.

But some drivers have told Spy that they love travelling the road from Katherine in the NT to the WA capital of Perth.

“I drove it recently and it was about 3700km and the road was great. ere were plenty of pull o -areas for trucks to park. On average they were 30 to 40km apart which is good for us,” one said.

He said that whilst the speed limit for trucks was 100km/h, most drivers stuck to around 90.

Swimming with crocs

When a South Australian driver told me he went swimming with saltwater crocodiles in the NT and survived, I thought it was a shy tale.

But when he told me the circumstances I found it to be a 100 per cent true reptile

My SA contact said it was a

portant transport mode on Australian islands which are surrounded by the ocean.

ey travel by barge to the mainland and pick up supplies so businesses can operate.

Magnetic Island in north Queensland is one such place where trucks play a major role in daily life.

Every day you will see light, and some larger trucks, on the barge which crosses from Ross Creek in Townsville to Nelly Bay on the island.

Spy was there recently and snapped some pictures of trucks on the barge as it left Nelly Bay to head across Cleveland Bay.

Being a tourist destination, Maggie as is it known is a place where many truck drivers on holidays go with their families.

ey often take cars on the barge so the families can get around the scenic 10km of bitumen roads.

On the island there are several successful trucking companies which send their vehicles to Townsville multiple times weekly.

Price difference query

Much travelled NSW owner-operator Ted Markwort was at a loss when he compared the prices he paid for a scotch llet steak and salad at WA and NT roadhouses.

Ted is based at Deniliquin and delivers freight all around Australia.

He purchased a steak and salad at the BP Newman Roadhouse in WA and paid $38 and sent the receipt to Spy.

However at Daly Waters in the NT he bought a similar steak and salad and paid $28.

“I don’t know how a $10 di erence for the same food is justi ed. e steak was great at both places,” he said. en at the Stuart Wells Roadhouse near Alice Springs

Ted paid $17 for a nice sized breakfast steak with eggs and toast for $17.26 which he said was great value. Spy would be interested to hear from other drivers who have experienced a big di erence in prices for food.

Mango madness arrives e mango season has arrived and for several months there will be trucks carrying the prized delicacies seen around Australia.

Picking has commenced all around North Queensland where they are grown and I have already spoken to lots of drivers who will be delivering to markets around the country.

Whilst you can buy them relatively cheaply in the north, that is not always the case in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

e most sought after mangoes which attract a good price are the Bowen Specials.

Maintenance blitz bene ts all operators

rely heavily on Victoria’s regional roads. ese industries are the backbone of regional economies, and well-maintained roads are essential to ensuring goods can be transported to market e ciently and safely.

THE VTA welcomes the Allan government’s signi cant investment in Victoria’s road network through the $964 million road maintenance blitz announced by Roads Minister Melissa Horne.

is initiative marks the largest single-year investment in road maintenance in Victoria’s history, and it will bring considerable bene ts to regional freight operators, farmers, and the broader community.

We commend the government’s commitment to improving road infrastructure, particularly in regional areas, where around 70 per cent of this funding will be allocated.

For the road freight and agriculture industries, this investment is much more than just a much-needed infrastructure boost.

It represents a fundamental commitment to improving the safety, e ciency, and productivity of supply chains that

e impact of repeated ooding and above-average rainfall over the past few years has been devastating for regional roads.

Many routes have su ered extensive damage, hindering the movement of freight and placing added pressure on transport operators who are already facing rising operational costs.

We applaud recognition that simply resurfacing these roads is not enough. By focusing on rebuilding and rehabilitating the most damaged roads, this blitz will ensure that repairs are long-lasting and resilient to future weather events, which is a signi cant win for the state’s regional industries.

Key trade routes, such as the Hume Freeway, Princes Highway, Western Highway, and Goulburn Valley Highway, are critical to the movement of goods across the state and to interstate markets.

e prioritisation of these routes, as well as other vital roads like Echuca-Mooroopna Road, Terang-Mortlake

Road, and Horsham-Kalkee Road, re ects understanding of their importance to Victoria’s freight network.

ese roads not only connect regional producers to ports and processing facilities, but they also link rural communities to essential services and support the movement of agricultural products, including livestock, grains, and fresh produce.

Farmers stand to bene t greatly from this road maintenance blitz. e agriculture sector is heavily reliant on road transport to move goods from paddocks to processing plants and markets.

Poor road conditions can lead to delays, increased vehicle wear and tear, and higher costs for farmers. With these improvements, farmers can expect smoother, safer roads that reduce travel times and minimise damage to their vehicles and equipment. is is especially crucial during peak harvest seasons when timely transport is critical to ensuring the freshness and quality of agricultural produce.

e safety bene ts of this investment cannot be overstated. Road transport is a dangerous industry, and poor road conditions signi cantly increase the risk of accidents.

By prioritising road safe-

ty and ensuring that roads are properly maintained and repaired, the government is not only protecting the lives of drivers and road users but also reducing the likelihood of accidents that can disrupt the supply chain.

is is particularly important for heavy vehicles, which are more di cult to control

on deteriorating roads and are at greater risk of causing serious accidents when conditions are unsafe.

Better roads mean less strain on local infrastructure, improved access to services, and a stronger economic outlook for regions that rely on agriculture and manufacturing. We look forward to

WITH THESE IMPROVEMENTS, FARMERS CAN EXPECT SMOOTHER, SAFER ROADS THAT REDUCE TRAVEL TIMES AND MINIMISE DAMAGE TO THEIR VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRUCIAL DURING PEAK HARVEST SEASONS.”

continued collaboration with the government and regional stakeholders to ensure that these projects are delivered e ciently and with minimal disruption to freight operations.

As the road maintenance works roll out over the next nine months, the VTA encourages regional freight operators, farmers, and transport businesses to stay informed about project timelines and road closures and to notify VicRoads on 131 170 of maintenance requirements. It is critical that the industry works together to adapt to any temporary disruptions while these vital improvements are made.

Regulator pushes for PBS scheme reform

AT the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), we are rmly committed to the development of a safer and more productive heavy vehicle industry.

We recently released a paper, Removing Roadblocks to Reform, which looks at how we can break down the barriers to transforming the heavy vehicle eet via the Performance Based Standards (PBS) Scheme.

As many in industry would know, the PBS scheme allows for vehicles to be designed for a speci c freight task so long as they meet strict safety and infrastructure performance standards.

Despite the bene ts of being the safest, most productive, and least polluting vehicles in Australia, PBS vehicles face more barriers to get on the road than a standard ‘prescriptive’ heavy vehicle. As a result, opportunities to reduce crashes and emissions, while increasing productivity, are being lost. In releasing the Removing Roadblocks to Reform paper, the NHVR is calling for reform to the PBS scheme. When it was launched in 2007, it was the most sophisticated heavy vehicle

scheme in the world. It has also proven to be extremely e ective, preventing more than 100 fatalities, reducing CO2 emissions by over 3.2 million tonnes, reducing fuel consumption by over 1.2 billion litres and saving over $23 million in air and noise pollution costs.

Looking ahead to 2030, the PBS scheme has the potential to prevent another 30,000 crashes, saving up to 340 lives.

e scheme has proven popular, with more than 20,000 PBS combinations now on Australia’s roads.

While this has had great bene ts, it has now outgrown its regulatory settings. PBS vehicles must go through potentially expensive design approval and road access pro-

cesses to get on the road.

ere are very few reasons that a vehicle design used many hundreds of times, which has proven itself over tens of millions of kilometres of travel, still requires speci c approval to be built. But the current Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) provides no alternative.

We think changes are needed to make the safest and most e cient vehicles more

generally available to transport operators.

e NHVR also wants to keep the PBS scheme at the cutting edge of technology by having the exibility to revise and update the PBS standards themselves.

As it currently stands, the regulator cannot change the standards of its own accord, even if it means better outcomes for all.

We want to work with

industry and government to update the HVNL so the NHVR has the ability to change PBS standards, which would provide greater exibility in updating them and allow us to keep up with improvements in safety technology.

It is clear the PBS scheme needs to be modernised and this mean changes to the HVNL are needed.

By removing barriers for safer and more productive heavy vehicles on our roads, we can accelerate the transition to a younger and less polluting heavy vehicle eet, and most importantly, save lives.

To access the paper, visit nhvr.gov.au and search ‘Removing Roadblocks to Reform’.

Roads Minister Melissa Horne, second from left, says she’s listened to truckies. Image: Melissa Horne

NHVR wants the PBS barriers removed. Image: NHVR

It’s never too late to try something new

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

AFTER over 20 years operating heavy machinery at Queensland’s mines, Daniel Gray was looking for a career change.

e freedom of the road

il jobs, operating all sorts of stu – diggers, dozers, scrap ers, back hoes, skid steers, rear dump trucks…

“Some of the dumpies I’ve driven were 550 tonne gross; and I’ve driven the big Hita chi 5500 and Caterpillar D11

“When I rst jumped in the truck to learn the Road Ranger, there was no way I could blu my way through it, but I had excellent trainers and picked it up really quickly. I

Looking For Staff? 3 steps to gain employees

took to it like a duck to water. I had wanted to do this for a while so I had something to Daniel says it’s been an easy -

“I love it, it’s been great –you have all that power and all those gears to play with. I’m a bit of a rev-head so I really enjoy it.” His machinery experience

Daniel Gray says his previous experience in machinery proved beneficial in learning the Road

will also prove an asset in his new role too. “Because we have other machines here, like the big loaders, the supervisor has asked if I’d be interested in doing some of that too.”

Now that Daniel has achieved his goal of getting into quads, his ultimate dream is to one day be able to work in other locations around the country.

“I already had all those ma-

chinery tickets and experience, so gaining road train experience will help to open up work opportunities around the country,” he said.

“I have a bucket list of locations where I’d love to work.

I’ve already done Weipa and Groote Island. I’d also love to work in Gove in the Northern Territory, the Tanami, Pilbara, all the major mining regions.

“My dream is to one day sell my house and set o in the caravan, going wherever the work takes me. at’s the ultimate goal.”

His advice to those considering giving trucking a go: “It’s never too late to try something new if you want to do it. I think I’ll keep driving trucks and machinery until my body can’t do it anymore.”

UD technicians to represent Australia in Japan challenge

head to the home of UD Trucks in Ageo, Japan, in November, to compete in the UD Trucks Gemba Chal

A global bi-annual techni cal competition, the Gemba Challenge sees UD techni cians from all over the world compete for glory.

Locally, the Gemba Chal lenge in Australia saw record participation, with 105 Aus tralian teams – comprising 400 UD sta – competing from March to August, vying for a spot in the upcoming Australian participation was up by a whopping 200 per cent compared to the last event in 2022.

Each team took part in two qualifying rounds of theory.

e word ‘Gemba’ loose ly translates to “where value is created”, which for UD Trucks and its customers, is its dealership and workshop oors, where passionate sta are committed to delivering premium and dependable products and services.

technicians and all share a passion for customer success.

e two Australian teams that have earned their spot in the nal in Japan are from ‘Stop Looking at Me Quon!!!’ from CMV Truck & Bus Epping, Victoria; and ‘Team UD11’, from Truck Centre WA, Forrest eld. Stop Looking at Me Quon!!!

Team UD11 also performed particularly well and earned one of the two coveted wildcard spots up for grabs among over 650 global competing teams. Led by Sam Morris, with team members Neil Aramil, Nik Glovata, and Chris Gunning, the team embraces a culture of learning and leadership.

“ e teamwork, dedication

resand, vice president services and retail development, Volvo Group Australia. “ e theme for this years’ competition is ‘All Stars’, and it couldn’t be more tting given the level of performance we’ve seen. Each team has completed a combined 80 hours of training as part of the challenge, which is a solid commitment from our dealer network to developing its people.”

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

Daniel joined Qube in June. Image: Daniel Gray

MERITOR® BRAKE SHOE KITS WE MATCH YOUR NEEDS

• Original equipment stopping performance that meets FMVSS 121 requirements

• Covers the majority of brake sizes from premium to value range

• Available in 20,000 to 23,000lbs GAWR and FF to GG friction ratings

• Competitive pricing on unmatched OE quality components

• Available from most major commercial vehicle parts outlets

MG1A (FF) / MG2A (GG) BRAKE LINING ONE YEAR UNLIMITED KMS WARRANTY

MA212 (FF) / MA312 (FF) BRAKE LINING TWO YEAR UNLIMITED KMS WARRANTY

MA2301 (GG) BRAKE LINING TWO YEAR UNLIMITED KMS WARRANTY