FRIDAY, October 27, 2023
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FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Truckies short-changed on Burnett Highway
TRUCKIES’ campaigner Wes Walker has shifted his focus 145km north of the Gatton breakdown pads he’s so famous for to highlight what he believes is a glaring gap between investment in inspection areas versus truckies’ rest bays. Walker’s pictures show that the Queensland state government has spared little expense to build expansive and wellsealed heavy vehicle inspections sites, northbound and southbound, 3km north of Nanango on the Burnett Highway. Yet the nearest dedicated sites for truckies to use to help them with their fatigue management appear to be in a much sorrier state. To add more salt into the wounds, Walker said truckies are only allowed to park in the inspection areas for no longer than 30 minutes. When he approached the Department of Transport and Main Roads for an explanation, he said he was ignored, so he turned to local MP Deb Frecklington to help get some answers. Walker asked: 1. Are the gates permanently open on these parking bays and can truck drivers now park there at all times of the day?
TMR says truckies can only park for 30 minutes in the inspection site.
2. Why is the stopping time 30 minutes? 3. Can the limit be extended to 1 hour? “Although the gates are always open, the primary purpose of the area is for heavy vehicle inspections,” was the emailed response that Frecklington received from the regional director for TMR southern Queensland. “Inspections may include drivers pulling over to check their cargo or other agencies setting the area up as a formal
Meanwhile, just a few kilometres away, the designated areas are in a much sorrier state.
station to carry out weight checks and other approved inspections. “As a courtesy, the area is available to all motorists however the time limit is set to 30 minutes to discourage people from using the area as a rest area or stopping place.” The regional director went on to say that there are two nearby “stopping places” that TMR would encourage Frecklington’s constituents to use: · Northbound: 7km north of this location
· Southbound: 12km north of this location “In consideration of the above, TMR has no plans to change the time limit for stopping at the inspection area.” Walker thanked Frecklington for following up, but was disappointed with the response, particularly given that the inspection sites are empty more often than not. He also argued that the P30 restriction couldn’t be enforced, if the driver had to comply with their mandatory major rest
break under the HVNL. “They’re beautiful facilities that cannot be utilised when they don’t have their mobile scales there,” Walker said. “If they’re not going to use it, why not let the truck drivers use it? And that sign means jack-shit – in a court of law you’d beat that sign hands down.” Walker, recognised statewide by truckies for his parking prowess at Gatton, said the inspection sites could easily accommodate up to eight B-doubles on each side of the highway. But he said the southbound alternative suggested by TMR only fits one B-double, and the northbound option, with its narrow strip of crumbling pavement, isn’t much better There is another option 35km north of Nanango, but Walker said it’s so dangerous because of poor visibility to oncoming traffic, it should be shut down. “The federal funding to upgrade existing facilities has all stalled. So I’m out on my own to stick up for the rights of truck drivers and will go it alone if I have to. “This is about the health and wellbeing of truck drivers and other road users.”
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NEWS 3
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023
Truckie says agency part of problem driver, rather than as president of the National Road Freighters Association. “I have tried to be respectful, have emailed and rang and dealt with these and other state bodies for many years, mostly to be ignored. “I am very frustrated, towards becoming cynical, that our lives on the road as truckies really mean little to those in authority and this is borne of more than 20 years trying to see change.” Hannifey told the inquiry that he would like answers from the state government and TfNSW to a raft of issues, including a guarantee that no more truck bays will be lost. “I do not raise these issues lightly and I request you take this as seriously as I do,” Hannifey added. “It is our lives on the road at risk, not yours and you are increasing that risk, instead of helping to lessen it.
“I do not ring and report road failures and issues for fun, I want the roads safer for all, not just truckies or myself and you have the ability to help, not just say, we will look into it and more drivers die.” In his submission to the inquiry, experienced long-distance truckie Trevor Warner outlined six areas of concern: just-in-time freight; on-demand adhoc freight; driver regulations; roadside infrastructure; law enforcement; and lack of training. Warner said many of the freight issues stem from supply chains using road transport as mobile warehousing. While this can be workable, too often truckies find themselves caught between meeting the freight task, delays and driving regulations (work diary obligations), said Warner. “Problems here generally relate to matching the freight task to the driv-
Authorities must start listening to truckies’ concerns, implores a frustrated Rod Hannifey.
er’s body clock,” he wrote. “Drivers can be wide awake well before the freight is ready. Road transport is so diverse and geographically spread out that only the large businesses can afford to provide parking and rest facilities for their drivers. Small and medium businesses are faced with lack of infrastructure issues and instruct their drivers to wait nearby for further instructions to arrive for the appointment time for the ‘just in time freight’.” Making the designated delivery time only adds more pressure on the drivers, he said. “It is this pressure that encourages drivers to push themselves beyond their ca-
pabilities and fatigue limits.” Warner said the chronic shortage of adequate parking in NSW towns and cities adds more pressure on drivers waiting for a call from a freight agent. “Town planners around the country have ‘landscaped’ streets or ‘upgrades’, as they call them, which has removed many unofficial parking spaces. Wide road shoulders that have been replaced with curbing and bike paths, no longer provide sufficient space for vehicles to utilise. Parking near shopping centres has been removed, or was non-existent in the first place. “All these issues apply to any heavy vehicle driver who
may be required to wait or to sleep.” In his submission to the inquiry, Road Freight NSW CEO Simon O’Hara said drivers and operators are, for the most part, trying to do the right thing, but struggle to see that effort met with the same level of support from the various levels of government. “Given that the freight task in NSW will only continue to grow in years to come, government investment and the rollout of economic and regulatory reforms are urgently-needed, to ensure our industry remains viable now and into the future,” he said. To read more extracts from Rod Hannifey’s inquiry submission, turn to page 14.
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NSW’s transport agency is not playing its part in helping truckies deal with the many safety issues they now face, says high-profile truckie Rod Hannifey. In a hard-hitting submission to the NSW parliamentary inquiry underway into the pressures on truckies and the resulting impacts, a frustrated Hannifey said Transport for NSW (TfNSW) must do better – and start listening to drivers. In his many years of lobbying for safer roads for truckies, more parking bays, or overtaking lanes, among other issues under TfNSW’s control, Hannifey said he had been largely stonewalled at every turn. “Much of this is aimed at Transport for NSW as the regulatory body responsible for many of these issues,” writes Hannifey, who stresses that he made his submission in his capacity as an interstate
4 NEWS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Bridge to reopen before Christmas WA freight operators and remote communities are celebrating this week with the announcement the Fitzroy River Bridge is to open six months ahead of schedule. Main Roads WA said that the key freight route would be open to all traffic before Christmas, less than a year after the bridge was destroyed by once-in-100-year flooding in January. Construction of the bridge project is progressing at a “rapid rate” with the entire bridge deck now substantively complete, said Main Roads. Works are now underway on the deck surfacing and safety barriers, as well as road construction works on both bridge approaches. “I think it’s going to be a huge sigh of relief for everyone in the Kimberley — for freight operators tourism operators and of course the local community,” WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti told media. “Now, of course, a wet season is unpredictable, so you’re never quite sure when it’s going to arrive and how bad it will be. “But we’re now comfortable because we have pretty much completed the structure
Video tips for truckies using Cunninghams Gap
Work on the key WA freight route is progressing at a rapid rate. Photo: Divina D’Anna.
of the bridge that we will now be spending the next few weeks … finishing all the other components,” she said. “I say a big thank you to all the workers involved.” Western Roads Federation CEO Cam Dumesny paid tribute to Main Roads for its forward thinking. “At one stage they were talking about the bridge not even being available until 2025,” Dumesny told ABC News.
“They adopted a technique that hadn’t been done in WA or Australia before; [building] the bridge on one side of the river and sliding it across bit-by-bit,” he said. “You’ve got to give them credit for having the courage to try that method.” After the bridge was wiped out by the floods, many operators were forced to travel from Perth, to Port Augusta to Katherine to Kununurra, a journey of more than 12,000km.
A two-lane stop-gap was hastily built as a solution, but was closed in mid-September ahead of the wet season, leaving just a single lane causeway, 4km upstream of the new bridge, which remains open. Main Roads said it will continue to keep the local community and freight industry updated on the progress of the works and a further announcement on the details of opening to traffic and timing will be made in the coming weeks.
THE Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), in partnership with the Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) have produced a series of videos to support truckies traversing Cunninghams Gap on the Cunningham Highway, Queensland. Under the direction of TMR South Coast Region, the concept of producing the videos was developed during the consultation phase with industry on the Cunninghams Gap Reconstruction Project (CGRP). The CGRP will restore and repair a 2km stretch of Cunningham Highway at Cunninghams Gap which suffered significant road damage during the bushfires in 2019. Truckies have already been warned that they face delays of up to 30 minutes when travelling through Cunninghams Gap between now until early December while remedial work is underway. “With Cunningham Highway being a key freight route, TMR were extremely conscious of the significant impact on road users, in particular, heavy vehicles during this period,” said Transport Minister Mark Bailey. “TMR South Coast initiated consultation with the QTA to coordinate forums with the local trucking industry in the region to better understand
The QTA said the video series will be invaluable for new drivers learning the route.
how to manage delays and closures and minimise impacts on freight movements.” As the complexity of the driving task up and down Cunninghams Gap for truck drivers was realised, the idea of an advisory video series was born. “The consultation undertaken by TMR South Coast was exemplary,” said QTA CEO Gary Mahon. “The feedback informed how closures and delays could be effectively managed with the least impact on industry. The creation of the video series will be invaluable for new drivers learning the route.” The video series, which features award-winning driver-trainer Bill Manton alongside TMR’s Nicholas Lancashire, can also be used generally as a guide for truck drivers navigating roads with long steep inclines and declines, added Mahon. To access the videos, visit qta.com.au/safety-resources.
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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023
Centurion buys ABC Transport
WA transport and logistics giant Centurion has continued its national expansion in recent months with the purchase of the family-owned ABC Transport. ABC Transport is nowadays based in Adelaide but has its roots in Alice Springs where it was founded in 1998, and also has a depot in Darwin. According to a statement sent to staff on October 6, it will be business as usual when Centurion officially takes over the operation on November 1. ABC CEO Andrew Cogan stressed to staff that all jobs are safe and current roles and entitlements will transition over to Centurion. “Sadly, the time has come to sell ABC Transport,” Cogan told staff. “This has not been an easy decision for myself and my family. “I’m excited to watch ABC Transport move forward under the guidance of Centurion, as they will have the ability to bring you more resources and opportunities than I am in a position to offer. “I’m sure the business will
For more than 22 years, ABC Transport has served customers up and down Central Australia. Photo: Facebook
continue to grow and develop further under their watch. I’m confident you will all thrive with nore support and I am excited for what the future holds for you all.” Cogan said it was important for him to allow the staff to continue working for a family-owned business, such as Centurion, which was founded more than 50 years ago by brothers Carl and Frank Cardaci. “The business has grown to a leading freight provider between SA and NT reaching a size where I am extremely happy on all that has been
achieved over the years.” In a media statement announcing the acquisition, Centurion said ABC Transport will be “transitioned” to become part of Centurions operations. “This acquisition adds an important and central corridor into our national presence, providing further opportunities to leverage our existing operations in Australia’s West, East and North,” said Centurion CEO Justin Cardaci. “Our vision is for a seamless national footprint and this acquisition, with its Ad-
elaide to Darwin focus, is a key part of that. We will continue looking for ways to grow our trusted service and build on our commitment to service the regional communities of Australia. “Centurion has a strong presence with service to the mining and energy sectors, and we believe this is an area of future opportunity for the combined business in South Australia and Northern Territory.” Centurion also purchased Rockhampton-based logistics business, Rocky’s Own Transport, earlier this year.
Seesaw battle continues in heavy-duty race KENWORTH is back in front in the intriguing 2023 tussle for heavy-duty truck sales supremacy, but it’s still anybody’s race. In the latest numbers from the Truck Industry Council (TIC), 304 Kenworths were delivered in September – up from 284 in August – to put the Bayswater-based manufacturer just 26 clear of Volvo with a year-to-date (YTD) total of 2565. Volvo slid back to second with 262 deliveries in September – down from 302 in August – but is nipping at Kenworth’s heels on 2538 YTD. Overall market leader Isuzu consolidated its third spot among the heavies with another solid month, recording 186 for September – 18 more than it did in August – and is now on 1734 YTD. In a bumper September across the board, fourthplace Scania also had another big month with 131 deliveries, 15 more than it did in August. Of the others, Mercedes-Benz had a similar spike, up 16 on the previous month (106 vs. 90) and is now in a three-way
tussle for fifth-place honours with Mack and UD Trucks. In total, 1396 heavy trucks were delivered over the month, a new September sales record, eclipsing the previous best September result of 1279 set last year. TIC CEO Tony McMullan said it was a solid quarter for the heavy and medium truck segments, while sales in the light-duty and van sectors had slowed noticeably in the third quarter. At the end of the third quarter 2023, total heavy vehicle sales are up over the same point in 2022, but not to the same degree as we saw at the end of June this year. “I believe that the end of the instant asset writeoff tax incentive, in June 2023 and interest rate rises, are now starting to negatively impact new truck sales,” McMullan said. “However, with just three months to go until year end, the industry is still on track hit a new market peak, though this is mainly due to the stellar sales seen from January to June this year.”
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6 NEWS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Operators critical of medical certificate inconsistencies
BY KAYLA WALSH
TRANSPORT industry operators have slammed the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme’s (NHVAS) Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) rules around driver medicals for not being in line with state requirements. Without a current medical certificate, drivers are required to return to standard hours and are likely to need to take a 48hour rest break before doing so. Under the NHVAS’s rules, medical examinations must be conducted at least once every three years for drivers aged 49 and under, and yearly for drivers aged 50 and over. At the Technical Q&A at the Australia Trucking Association’s Technology and Maintenance
Conference on October 17, host Jodie Broadbent read out a question that was submitted anonymously, asking whether BFM requirements could be changed to align with state requirements. Broadbent explained: “This came about when an operator has BFM in his business and drivers getting a BFM medical
also need one because of their age. “The two don’t seem to speak to each other. The renewals don’t seem to match up.” She also pointed out that longer lead times could help with keeping medical certificates current, as by the time a renewal notice arrives in your
THE National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has responded to criticism over “pinching” mechanics from the trucking industry to work as roadside inspectors. During the Technical Q&A panel at the Australia Trucking Association’s Technology and Maintenance Conference on October 17, a question was raised over their hiring practices and whether they might consider setting up their own apprenticeship scheme for mechanics. The question had been submitted to the panel anonymously but comes amid frustration from transport companies who have put mechanics through in-house apprenticeships only to have them snapped up by the NHVR once trained. Panel member Lyndon Wat-
son, CEO of Victorian-based refrigerated transport and cold storage business Watson Group, agreed that it’s a major challenge for transport companies to recruit enough mechanics to keep their operations running smoothly. “Everyone that’s got a workshop in the industry, whether they’re operators or whether they’re providers to the transport industry, we’re really struggling at the moment to find sufficient numbers of mechanics, let alone trained mechanics,” he said. “There has been talk from other people in the industry, where they have had apprentices come through their business and they have invested time in those apprentices, only to have them be sucked out of the system once fully qualified. “Whether we are losing them to OAMs, or losing them
to the NHVR. “While I haven’t experienced it personally, I’m aware of people who have.” Brett Patterson, director of the NHVR’s central region, responded that the regulator also struggles to recruit people for their compliance roles. “There’s also a struggle trying to get people into the industry in general. “Unemployment in Australia might sound great for the economy, but it translates to staff shortages. “There’s a defined number of mechanics across Australia, and is it really a trade that people are getting into more and more?” He said that most of the NHVR’s compliance staff in NSW are trained mechanics, but this is not a legal requirement and also not the case
Host Jodie Broadbent, left, and the panel tackle the tough questions at the TMC in Melbourne.
mailbox, you might only have three weeks before your medical expires. “In country areas, it can take 6-8 weeks for you to get an appointment to see a doctor who is able to do this assessment,” she added. Paul Simionato, director of the NHVR’s southern region, said it’s frustrating that state
requirements differ from the NHVA’s requirements. “Ideally long-term our national heavy vehicle licence might resolve everything, we’ll have consistency across all of Australia. “Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about state requirements. “But speaking with the accreditation team, they align with the NHVAS business rules. “There was some social media posting recently from the NHVR in relation to the line for medical reviews and getting in there quick. “Everyone is well aware of the doctor shortages in rural areas. It’s all about the planning. But maybe that’s something we need to consider, do we need to
extend that lead time?” Broadbent responded that in her opinion, BFM requirements are the issue here, rather than state requirements. “If the BFM requirement simply said that the driver has to comply with state requirement, or if he is younger than the required age for that state, he needs to follow the BFM process, wouldn’t that make sense?” she said. Simionato replied: “We are well aware that there is an impact on industry at this time. “There is a bit of work at the moment in relation to the policy position around BFM to make some of those changes, to benefit the industry. “We will certainly take your comments on board and see what we can do.”
Call for regulator to stop ‘pinching’ truck mechanics
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across all states. “A lot of my compliance officers with their mobile static enforcement are also required to do heavy vehicle inspections. In southern Australia officers aren’t involved in that, that’s state responsibility. “We look at the southern region and the NTI report and how many accidents are
attributed to mechanical fault. In southern areas we have other issues like fatigue and load restraint and mass and distraction. “Certainly, from the industry’s point of view in consistency, even if we were to run operations we always make sure there are mechanics on site. In particular, when they
are running a vehicle inspection, there’s an interpretation around defects. Just so we have consistency across the nation of what’s a major defect or a minor one.” He added that the NHVR do put their officers through a rigorous training program, and that diversity in their hiring practices is important to them. “It’s not just inspecting vehicles for roadworthiness but checking vechicle mass, checking dimensions, checking work diaries. “Do you need to be a trained mechanic to do that? You need to be trained to understand the law and how you interact with people. “Diversity is something we’re certainly looking to and how we can include that in our future work strategies.”
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8 OPINION
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
How will this help?
EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM
JUST 24 submissions were received by the deadline for the NSW Parliamentary inquiry into the pressures truckies are under and their impacts. Only a handful were from truckies, and frankly, who can blame those that didn’t fire up the computer to have a say. Putting aside for a moment that this whole paper-shuffling exercise began as a result of voters being late for work due to a spate of trucks getting stuck in Sydney tunnels, when was the last time a politician or high-ranking bureaucrat listened to what truckies actually wanted? If that wasn’t a rhetorical question for you, take a moment to read truckie Rod Hannifey’s 8-page submission to the inquiry committee, or at least the edited extracts on page 14 of this issue. Here’s a bloke who has spent countless hours lobbying for positive changes, only to be given the runaround by Transport for NSW at almost every turn.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
It’s time to reassess the age barrier to retaining a truck licence
FIFTEEN years ago the NSW Government recognised that the driving population was aging and in conjunction with the NRMA, Seniors groups, AMA, police and other bodies representing older drivers, the RTA at the time changed the NSW Older Driver Testing regime for car drivers from 80 to 85. It lowered the annual medical to
75 and allowed accredited driver trainers to conduct the Older Driver Assessments as well. However, probably because there was no transport industry representation at the time, the age for heavy vehicle drivers remained at 80 and 70 for road train and B-double drivers. Back then, there were only 620 road train/B-double drivers
in the 65-69 age group, of which only 18 chose to renew their licence when they turned 70. Ten years later in 2020, there were 1797 MC drivers in the 65-69 age group of which 226 chose to do the NSW Older Driver Test to retain their licence. Representations through driver trainer associations, registered training organisations
and state members requesting raising the age that truck drivers in NSW have to do this test fell on deaf ears. Health checks are important and not really onerous, so no request was made to change that requirement. Service NSW cannot conduct MC tests, so drivers have to present a loaded semi (HC)
configuration on a time and date usually weeks in advance if indeed they can get a booking. The logistics for employers, employees, owner drivers as well as that for Service NSW is quite onerous to coordinate this event, In the interests of workplace productivity, current increasing of federal pension allowances, allowance for older workers, ac-
knowledging the tripling every 10 years of this age cohort, it is obvious this “problem” is not going away so it is time to reassess this age barrier and perhaps allow accredited Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessors to participate. Accredited NSW Heavy Vehicle Driver Assessor
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NEWS 9
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023
Winners announced at TMC dinner in Melbourne
BY KAYLA WALSH
SHANE Pendergast from Air Brake Systems has won the prestigious Craig Roseneder Award for Technical and Maintenance Excellence at the Castrol Vecton Awards Dinner in Melbourne. The announcement was made during the Australian Trucking Association’s annual Technical and Maintenance Conference (TMC) in Melbourne from October 16-18. Pendergast has 39 years of experience in trucks, trailers, earthmoving, fleets and as a workshop manager, and his main goal now is to inform the transport industry about the importance of functioning EBS/ABS/RSC. He said winning the award means a lot, not just for him but for his colleagues. “It’s a recognition, not for me but for everyone else that I help and assist and train. “We’ve got a long way to go, and winning the award will help me achieve that.” Pendergast, who is the NSW EBS service manager and national EBS training manager at Air Brake Systems,
Ian Thomson accepting the Castrol Vecton Industry Achievement Award. Photos: Kayla Walsh
was previously nominated for the award in 2019 but lost out on the day. “Here I am today, so the message is never give up!” he continued. He thanked his mum, who was so proud of her son when he was first nominated for the award, but sadly never got to see him win. “It was mum who bought me my first toolbox, from the 1985 Brisbane Truck Show if you can believe it,” he added.
When asked about the highlights from his career, he said: “The highlight is today. It’s sharing the stage with our competitors, it doesn’t matter what brand of EBS or ABS we’re running, we need to be coming together as an industry for better industry for better end results.” As part of his prize, Pendergast will be heading off to New Orleans, USA to attend the US-ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council Annu-
al Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition. The package includes flights, five nights of premium conference accommodation, and $1,500 spending money. The Craig Roseneder Award honours the late Craig Roseneder, who worked in risk management with NTI and dedicated his career to the development of a safer transport industry. Also announced at the TMC awards was the winner
Shane Pendergast making his acceptance speech at the National Trucking Industry Awards.
of the Castrol Vecton Industry Achievement Award, Ian Thompson of BPW Transpec. The Castrol Vecton Industry Achievement Award recognises technical innovation and achievement within the Australian trucking industry. Thomson, who is engineering manager at BPW Transpec, has over three decades of experience in road transport and related equipment engineering.
He has worked hard to improve safety in the industry via implementation of EBS in trailers over the years, as well as carrying out new vehicle PBS assessments and design. He said he was surprised and delighted by the win. “I’m happy to receive the recognition for my years of input to the industry and certainly amongst my peers, working with ATA, ITC, and so on,” he said.
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10 FEATURE
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Veteran truckie cooks up the goods at Qld rest area After retiring from a lifetime on the road, this former truck driver and his wife have set up their own food van at a rest area beside the Bruce Highway. BY DANIELLE GULLACI SINCE opening last month, a food van called Nan & Pop’s Tucker Box has found a home at Yaamba Rest Area on the Bruce Highway. Set up by husband-andwife duo Peter and Joanne Dehaas – aka Nan and Pop – it’s a licenced food van offering delicious homemade fare, from coffees, breaky wraps and burgers, to steaks, fish and chips, baked goods and more. Both aged 60, the couple has 15 grandkids between the ages of three to 21, so the name seemed like a perfect fit. They have lived in the area for the past 15 years and in Yaamba itself for almost five. The small town is
home to less than 100 people and is located about 40 kilometres north of Rockhampton. Peter, who is also a diesel fitter by trade, began driving trucks in the late 1980s. He spent many years as an interstate driver, including driving road trains to Darwin and Perth. He’s also owned his own trucks, most recently working as an owner driver, doing the run between Brisbane and Cairns in his 2003 Kenworth K104 Aerodyne. “I had a go on my own again, then fuel got to $2.20 a litre so I decided to give it up about 18 months ago. I only just sold the K104,” explained Peter. “I’ve worked away most of my life as an interstate
driver, worked in the mines. We’ve just clicked over to 60 so I thought, let’s spend some more time together. I had a yarn to Jo and said how about we give this a go.” And that’s exactly what they did. “When I was a driver, I’d always seen that parking bay just out of Yaamba and thought there was a need for something like this there. Truckies who park up there wake up in the morning and then they can’t get a cup of coffee until they get to Marlborough – and if you miss that, it’s not until you’re up near Sarina. “I would say a good 90 per cent of our customers are truck drivers – and we’ve targeted that market as well.”
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Both Peter and Joanne have been overwhelmed with the support they’ve received.
Already, it’s been a welcome addition to the rest area, particularly for the truckies who regularly use the route. “We’re the right distance from Brisbane too for drivers to arrange their trip, so they can stop here for their
break and then wake up and have their breakfast,” said Joanne. “We do a good breaky wrap and that’s become a favourite for breakfast. Our egg and bacon burgers are also popular. We had one driver tell us one of our
burgers was the best burger he’d had in 100 years – he only looked 40, so he’s kept his age really well!” The secret to their delicious food options is that everything is cooked fresh. They make their own rissoles, sausages, pickles, sauc-
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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 es and biscuits. Even the chicken breasts are bought fresh and then sliced and crumbed by Joanne. “We try and make everything we can ourselves, so it’s fresh and we know what’s in it,” added Peter. “The only thing I can’t organise is the fish because Jo won’t buy me a big boat!” he joked. “I pride myself on my food. I don’t know how many times as a driver myself I’d pull up and there’s nothing but hot boxes. “We got rid of the hot box, so if you want something, we cook it there in front of you.” With a shaded seating area close by, meals such as steak and salad, or fish and chips, are served on a plate, for drivers to sit down and enjoy. “I’ve always believed that if you walk away from my food still hungry, then I’m not doing it right. I’m no chef, but I believe in good wholesome food. Sometimes it’s not the best-looking thing on the plate, but I guarantee you’ll enjoy it and it’ll fill you up,” Peter said. “We have a loyalty card too so if truckies are short on time and rushed on the hours, they can give us a ring and we’ll have their meal ready for them to pick up on their way through.” Both Peter and Joanne have been overwhelmed with the support they’ve received, particularly from the trucking community. “Their support has been absolutely
amazing,” Peter said. “But as I tell everybody, we are not thin-skinned. If we’ve put something out on the plate that isn’t satisfactory, come back and tell us, because if we don’t get that feedback we won’t know and will keep putting that bad thing out!” Nan & Pop’s Tucker Box has also set up a Facebook page with a ‘Rig of the week’ photo competition they’ve
started for a bit of fun. Peter posts a photo of a truck on the Facebook page each week – and if that’s your truck, you win a free coffee and a breakfast wrap or burger. Nan & Pop’s Tucker Box is currently open from 5am4pm from Sunday to Tuesday, and Thursday to Friday. It is closed on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Nan & Pop’s Tucker Box has been doing a roaring trade with truckies stopping at the Yaamba rest area on the Bruce Hwy.
Truckies encourage 1600km charity runner across the line
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
WHEN Brooke Mcintosh set off on a gruelling, 28-day, 1600-kilometre charity run through WA, she knew it wouldn’t be an easy feat. Now that her challenge is complete, she wants to thank all the wonderful truckies she met along the way for their support and encouragement. Setting off from Karratha in the Pilbara on August 20 and arriving at Perth on September 16, she travelled on foot along the North West Coastal Highway. Her goal was to raise awareness and funds for mental health within the FIFO industry and among the younger generation. And she’s done just that, raising close to $72,000 for mental health charities 20talk and Blue Tree Project – and counting! In a video she prepared before setting off from the Pilbara, Mcintosh said, “This is what the red dirt and the Pilbara actually looks like. We are running 1600ks to raise awareness for mental health for the guys who work right here, because it’s isolating, it’s tough and it’s not really spoken about. We need to normalise these conversations.” Mcintosh said that while she loved working in the state’s
Getting to meet so many supportive truckies along the 1600km fundraiser was a big highlight.
north, she noticed that mental health wasn’t taken too seriously. “In 2021, we lost 322 young Australians to suicide. And on our sites, we lost over 200 people to suicide.” Having battled with her own mental health, for many years Mcintosh found that running was her only escape. While she has sought professional help, she continues to use running as a tool to help keep her mental health in check. She says her epic 1600-kilometre run was “isolating as f*** at times,” adding “no day was the same and every day I was faced with a new challenge.” But getting to meet so many truckies was a big highlight. “It was the truckies out here that helped me through the darkest of days,” she said.
“Some truckies would appear in the moments where I needed a little more encouragement to keep going, sing out on the two-way, give a wave of acknowledgement or simply move to the side slightly. The banter that was had – especially when some truckies didn’t realise I carried a twoway – was hilarious and made the memories I won’t ever forget. “Thank you Australian truckies for holding down the fort, delivering to the remote communities and doing the long isolating trips so regularly to keep WA alive! “While the run is done, I am not and there is a lot more coming from me in the mental health space.” To donate to her cause, visit mycause.com.au/p/301161/ impact-to-ignite.
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12 FEATURE
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Passionate young gun truckie wins coveted award Inspired by his father and uncle, who he now works alongside, this second generation livestock transport operator keeps kicking goals. BY DANIELLE GULLACI ANTON Fitzgerald, 27, grew up around trucks and cattle and so it was no surprise that this would cement his future career path. Working for Meandarra Transport Services, Fitzgerald serves as operations and logistics manager. While managing everything that’s involved in the day to day running of the business, he’s also on the road five days a week, transporting cattle between feedlots, paddocks and abattoirs. From behind the wheel of a 2021 Western Star 4900, he’s clocked up over 180,000 kilometres in the last 12 months alone. His dedication and determination have led to Fitzgerald being named the winner of the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland’s (LRTAQ) Young Person in Transport Award for 2023 – sponsored by Cummins-Meritor. Fitzgerald was named the winner, among a pool of seven finalists, at the 2023 Bull Carter’s Ball, which was held on September 29 as part of the LRTAQ 2023 Annual Conference in Townsville. And he was thrilled to receive the recognition. “It was very overwhelming, I didn’t go into it expecting I’d come home with the award,” he said. “The event itself was really good. It’s the first time I’ve been to the LRTAQ Conference but I’d like to keep going and get more involved with them. There was a lot of info presented in a short amount of time, so it was really helpful in many different areas.” The LRTAQ Young Person in Transport Award was developed to recognise and acknowledge the contribution younger transport workers are making to the sustainability of the industry, with the award open to those aged 35 years or younger. As part of his prize for win-
Meandarra Transport Services has five company owned trucks – two Western Stars 6900s and three Western Star 4900s.
DAD HAS BEEN CARTING LIVESTOCK FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS AND MY UNCLE HAS DONE IT FOR OVER 25 YEARS, SO IT’S BEEN IN THE FAMILY FOR A LONG TIME.” ANTON FITZGERALD
ning the award, Fitzgerald will head to Melbourne in early November for the Melbourne Cup, and for tours of the Cummins-Meritor and Kenworth facilities. This is the third year that the award has been presented and LRTAQ secretariat manager Tammie Swalling said Fitzgerald was a stand-out among the nominees. “When we talk about all the driver shortages, it was great to see so many young people who are doing really great things. With operators like Anton, the industry is in good hands.” Fitzgerald was born and raised in Meandarra, a rural town in Queensland’s Western Downs region. He credits his father Russell and uncle Lindsay – who are brothers – for teaching him all about trucking and cattle from a very young age. Like many kids
growing up in the country, Fitzgerald was already honing his truck driving skills from as young as 10. “Dad has been carting livestock for almost 40 years and my uncle has done it for over 25 years, so it’s been in the family for a long time. As a kid, I was always in the truck pretending to work. I went with dad in the truck any chance I could – I’ve always enjoyed carting cattle,” Fitzgerald fondly recalled. “I always knew I’d drive trucks. It was inevitable because I’ve always loved them.” Fitzgerald says he got his truck licence “as soon as I could” at the age of 18 and was able to secure his MC by the age of 19. He joined Meandarra Transport Services in 2018. His father Russell has worked for the business, on and off, for the majority of his working career, and his uncle Lindsay has been there for more than two years. The company’s main depot is in Tara, Queensland, with a second facility located in Meandarra. “We’re based in south east Queensland but we go everywhere and do the meatworks down south and in south east Queensland. There are 20-odd feedlots in our area,” Fitzgerald explained.
He’s behind the wheel of a 2021 Western Star 4900 and has clocked up over 180,000 kilometres in the last 12 months alone.
Meandarra Transport Services was purchased by new owners in 2020, after the previous owners retired. Today it is owned by the Hurst and Fea families, who quickly recognised Fitzgerald’s potential, promoting him to the role of operations and logistics manager. Humble in his achievements, Fitzgerald said, “I was a just a driver and the manager was leaving to go back home and work on the farm. I didn’t apply for the position, but it was definitely something I wanted to get into – it was just the right time and the right place. That was nearly two years to the day.” Meandarra Transport Services has five company owned trucks – two Western Star 6900s and three Western Star 4900s – and a full-time sub-contractor, with the trucks pulling anything from B-doubles up to triple road trains. “The Western Stars are a good all-round truck – they’re reliable and sturdy and there’s a lot of room in them. The servicing at Brisbane Truck Centre is good too. We’ve also just ordered a Kenworth T909,” Fitzgerald added. When asked if he thinks he’ll be in it for the long haul, Fitzgerald answered promptly.
As well as being operations and logistics manager, Anton Fitzgerald is also on the road five days a week.
Fitzgerald was named winner of the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland’s (LRTAQ) Young Person in Transport Award for 2023 – sponsored by CumminsMeritor.
“Yeah definitely. I enjoy my role here and can see myself here in the next 10 years that’s for sure, so long as everything keeps going the way it’s going. “I didn’t think I’d be in this sort of role so quickly. I wanted to get more experience up my sleeve before I got into it – but I’m also the sort of person that when I’m thrown into the deep end, that’s where I thrive. I enjoy problem solving. “I’m passionate about cattle and trucking, and I enjoy getting out and meeting people and the relationships you make. You can go anywhere and still know people. I also en-
joy seeing the countryside too. “It’s great to be able to work alongside my dad and my uncle. It’s definitely something you aspire to. Between dad and my uncle, they taught me everything about trucks growing up.” For those considering a career in livestock transport, Fitzgerald’s advice is, “Just go into it with a good frame of mind and be there to learn. It’s a very underrated profession. I’d never discourage anyone from having a go. You learn so much about cattle, trucking, the land, everything – just have a crack at it and don’t be afraid!”
The company transports cattle between feedlots, paddocks and abattoirs.
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14 NEWS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
‘Stop taking our truck bays’ AS part of a state government inquiry into the pressures on heavy vehicle drivers and their impact in NSW, truckies were invited to make written submissions to the committee overseeing the probe. Just 24 submissions were received by the September 18 deadline. Below is an edited extract from the eight pages filed by Rod Hannifey in his capacity as a long-serving interstate driver for Ron Pilon Transport in Dubbo.
Parking bays lost
Transport for NSW has asked where we need them and recognise they are now (after years of us begging) important, yet we are going backwards. You are actually removing sites. I have seen more consultation recently, but the trend is too little too late. Starting at Trewilga, south of Peak Hill, when this work was first started, more than once, before, during and then after, I rang and requested that it be confirmed we would not lose the large northbound informal bay. I was told it would be considered, I was told again at the end, after suggesting eight possible separate sites that could have been used as truck bays at little or no cost, were all bulldozed or ignored, that consideration would be given to looking at replacing the lost site. This is still not done five years on. Then the same at Guanna Hill on the Mitchell Highway, loss of sites on both sides of the road, called and asked, before during and after we will look at it, nothing done. Now the Newell. The section south of Boggabilla had about a minimum of 25 truck spaces, again when work started, I asked would they be retained or at least the same number left. Yes, we will look at it. Work done, money spent on the informal bay at Wallen Creek which actually destroyed a good spot. Previously we could get well off the road and under the shade of a tree. You made it smaller, it is off camber, too close to the road and too small. The money you spent was completely wasted and
made it worse. Then when the work was finished, you tore up 40km of free truck bays, we went from 25 to 6, FAIL! Back Creek, north of West Wyalong, again, asked at start of work will bays be kept, “we will look into it” geez that sounds familiar and what happened, we completely lost the southbound site and you left the northbound site with guideposts front and rear that brought it back from six or more B-double spaces to two. Why must many of these supposed road safety improvements, come at the cost of removing yet another truck bay? Many drivers think we are treated like dogs. There has been some improvement and NSW is not the only state at fault, or way behind helping us to be safe, but you have asked and I have replied. Then there is Dubbo, as the half-way point between Brisbane and Melbourne as well as the crossroads of NSW. It is ridiculous that there is not a truck stop, changeover site or anything with decent facilities. The only place you can get a shower or use a toilet with anything to eat is the BP which has no on-site parking at all and there is really only one place to park without restricting on site or other business traffic. Yes, I recognise it is also a problem that you deal with councils and local government, but how can such facilities be allowed to be built on major highways without any consideration of trucks. Yes, we buy diesel and food etc, but we need to be able to park to eat and use a shower. Other states do have some such facilities, they are few and far between in NSW.
Placement of overtaking lanes
You have, some time ago, finally agreed there was not enough industry consultation with the placement of the overtaking lanes. I specifically asked for one at The Dipper, the one steep hill in the Pilliga section south of Narrabri and was told yes, we will add one.
Interstate driver Rod Hannifey believes the pressures are piling up on truckies because authorities aren’t listening.
I asked, can I meet someone to ensure it is in the right place and now you are building it in the wrong place, not only taking away yet another truck bay, but then leaving a serious issue on a steep hill where you could have improved road safety and are now wasting money and still leaving a problem. I was told when I first complained, “It is hard to pick a hill in a car” and that is why I offered to meet and be sure. Then I was told we have to save money and have them together and I agree, but the one southbound must be on the steep incline past Cusacks Creek, so just at the other end of the northbound one, which would not see us lose another truck bay which I use regularly. Yet again, when I followed up, I was initially accused of marking this site with green reflectors. When I explained it had been officially assigned as a truck bay, I was then told it was not compliant and that you were looking for a replacement site. I could give you five in five minutes, yet the work has removed the bay. There has been no further
consultation and you will finish and drive away and we will have lost another valuable site. Six months on from the last call, nothing further, no consultation or suggested sites and I was forced to drive on tired a month ago due to this bay being removed. More rest areas have been closed for use in works.
Road works
I am seriously concerned with both the value and lack of accountability of road repairs and how they are done. Many machines are there for weeks, with at times only one working. There does not seem to be any real effort to provide better utilisation and value. There often seems to be more money spent on “road safety” that does not increase or improve safety of anyone, including escort vehicles. One example, the road repair just south of Gilgandra was only 150m long, yet there was an escort vehicle, ridiculous. Vehicles parked on the side of the road to call trucks does not change anything if the truck driver has the radio down or off, yet we are paying them to sit there for months.
Hannifey says the current River Street Bridge project will do little to alleviate traffic in Dubbo, and will not provide a flood-proof route through the town.
So many crews on traffic lights at roadworks, again on terrific money for them, seem to spend most of the time on their phones and it is rare to see any fit roadworkers, so very few of them can be working hard. I recognise those who do manual patching have a difficult job, but yet again have watched crews patch one minor hole and leave three worse ones and these can and do both impact trucks and could cause a crash, yet the work is not checked or from where I sit, done properly. Who monitors, repairs, their value, life and efficiency? At times when I have spoken with those working on roads in more than one state, they say the way the funding is done and or the people involved do not listen to those doing the job, or have no real
clue and when the work fails as is done again and again, not only is the problem the cost, but the real condition of the road and how it can and does contribute not just to crashes, but to road deaths. Who really recognises and monitors this? Then there is the way road funding is provided to councils. They hold some aside for repairs, yet then have to spend that money at the last minute of that funding period if not already spent, or it is not provided the following period. This means needed work is not done properly. The work rushed at the end is either not required, or the money is not used to the best value or result and is yet another failure to see best value for road funding and best safety supplied from the funding provided.
The truckie told the committee that there are currently more green reflector bays (informal sites that Hannifey helped establish) on the highway between Dubbo and Sydney than parking bays.
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16 FEATURE
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Old Atkinson pulls a crowd
A proud Robert Rawlins with his head-turning Atkinson. Photos: David Vile
BY DAVID VILE “IT’S fairly obvious…you park close to the road and the amount of people that slow down or turn around and come back for another look there’s always someone looking at it!” said Robert Rawlins with a laugh. And it is a sentiment that would be hard to argue with as his 1979 Atkinson 3800 with matching trailer is indeed hard to miss as Rawlins, from Murray Bridge in South Australia makes his way around the country. Originally painted lime green in the colours of Fluid Freighters, the Atkinson came into Rawlins’ possession in a run-down state around two years ago. Having been on the
lookout for an Atkinson or an International Transtar for a restoration project, through Facebook he found the 3800 for sale on a farm north of Adelaide and bought it sight unseen. “There was a guy from NSW who was after it, and I thought I had missed out on it, but I had Covid on my side as he couldn’t get across the border to check it out - so for ten grand I was able to grab it,” he said. The Atkinson underwent a full restoration, with the Detroit ‘Silver 92’ engine and gearbox getting some close attention. “We went right back to the rails, didn’t do the diffs as they were okay, but we had to do the gearbox as a bearing had col-
lapsed in that. There was also a complete rebuild on the motor - it was very smoky and very ordinary - we had no idea how many k’s it had done,” he said. The project was completed in around 18 months with the Atkinson hitting the road late last year for the first time. “I outsourced a lot of it as I didn’t have the time to do it myself - I had restored a 1951 Bedford previously and it took me ten years to do it, I did source a lot of it out and it cost a bit more doing it that way, but I got it out on the road sooner.” Hooked up to the Aktinson is a customised 1987 Freuhauf trailer which has been nicknamed ‘The Toy Carrier’, which had a varied work life up until Rawlins purchased
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The Atkinson had a full nut and bolt restoration.
piloted the Atkinson to shows in Clunes and Yarra Glen in Victoria, Peterborough in SA and took a longer run to Queensland for the Rocklea Heritage Show in May, before making his way south again to the Echuca American Iron show in September. “The GM is only putting out around 330hp so it’s not real powerful, on a windy day she struggles but on a good day it will do 100 easy. “They have a sound all of their own. Anything under 1500 revs she blows black smoke…you have to boot them along. They sound like they’re running hard but they’re not. With the Hendrickson Walking beam she drives well but she’s a bit rough, so I take her pretty steady.”
After a lifetime of driving trucks Rawlins is planning to take things at a steady pace for the foreseeable future with an open-ended schedule and a few more places to check out through the windscreen of the Atkinson. “My nephew wants the Valiant back at home for his wedding next year and after that I will head for Western Australia. The plan is to end up at Alice Springs in 2025 for the Hall of Fame reunion. “I have certain things I want to do so I just head off and fill in the gaps wherever. I had 56 years driving around the countryside at 100k’s and never stopped to look at anything, so it’s time to stop and have a bit of a look about.”
‘The Toy Carrier’ is well kitted out for both car transport and accommodation.
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it with another ten-thousand-dollar investment. “When I bought the truck, I thought I’d just get a 41-footer drop deck or something and put a container box on it. A mate rang me up and said, ‘I have found you a trailer’. I thought it would be too expensive when he told me about it and he said, ‘For ten grand it’s yours!’ But I have spent an awful lot of money on it since.” Originally it was one of the 1988 Bicentennial Expo trailers that went around the county, and then the Ford Motor Company had it for a while. It was then bought by the Richmond Football Club to sell their merchandise out of, so it was at Punt Road Oval for about 10 years.” The trailer has also been overhauled and is fitted out with a drop-down wall, along with a generator and living quarters, and provides a space to carry either Rawlins’ prized 1974 Valiant Charger or the Bedford truck. The red colour on the both the Atkinson and trailer and the Bedford have been coded to match the Charger as closely as possible. “The Charger was built just down the road from home in Adelaide, and they only made 399 of them. It was a ‘limited edition’ colour, so I did the Bedford with back guards and matched the red for the cab, so I did the Atkinson the same.” Since taking to the highway once again, Rawlins has
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18 COVER STORY
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Diving in at the deep end On the diesel front there were a bunch of FH models on offer, including the 500 Single.
The FH 500 powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil was a star of the show.
Our test driver makes up for lost time by putting a plethora of Volvos through their paces on the Mt Cotton track near Brisbane.
BY GRAHAM HARSANT FULL disclosure: In the 18 years I have been playing with and writing about trucks, I have never driven a Volvo. Not long after I’d gained my HC licence I was invited to go for a spin in a couple at the AARC Vehicle Proving Ground at Anglesea, Victoria but became ill on the morning of the drive and ended up at a local doctor’s surgery whilst the rest of the journalist corps had a fun day. Since then, opportunity has not presented itself - until now. Recently I was invited to attend the RACQ Mobility Centre at Mt Cotton near
Brisbane, where there was not one, not two, but a whole plethora of Volvos of varying size to hop behind the wheels of. Talk about being spoiled for choice. But wait, there’s more. Not only did we have the diesel range, there was also a bunch of fully electric trucks and to round things off, an HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil). For those not in the know, HVO is a diesel-like fuel that can be produced without fossil resources by processing renewable waste lipids. On the electric front, Volvo has jumped to the front of the queue in Australia by
Floor the pedal and she simply goes: no jerk, no shudder, no noise.
A quick charge and we’re back in business.
a big margin. At this point in time, we have Fuso with their (2nd generation) Canter range and SEA Electric with their Hino-based product. These are much smaller trucks. Recent entries into the smaller EV truck market also include Hyundai and Proton. Mercedes is currently evaluating an electric version of the Actros in rigid form, but that is still a while away from seeing the light of day in this country. Volvo has jumped in boots and all with an electric range from medium rigids to big prime movers. They are all available right here, right now, and from 2027 the company will start producing them out
of their Wacol, Queensland factory. There’s no doubting that Volvo sees a solid future in EVs for first/last mile delivery. The company is on a roll in Australia and have run second only to KW in the heavy truck market for a number of years. At the time of writing, they are only 26 sales behind the American-owned brand YTD. This day we are presented with the medium duty FL and FE electric rigids as well as the FH and FM heavy duty prime mover electrics. On the diesel front we had a bunch of FH models - a 500 single, 500 B-double and a 540 single. Then there was that FH 500 HVO. So many trucks, so little time to play with them all, unfortunately. Very few of you will have driven an electric truck so what does it feel like? With the smaller vehicles the best way to describe it is something just about all of you will have experienced – a dodgem car. Go back to your youth and remember putting your foot down in one of those and the instant acceleration that resulted. That’s what you get in an electric truck. Of course, Volvo was keen to put a bit of distance between each vehicle as it left the RACQ’s ‘launch pad’, to avoid the inevitable end that is the name of the game in those dodgem cars.
The electric equivalent of the 16-litre.
With maximum torque from zero revs, take-off is always smooth and linear. A case in point was pulling up the FH prime mover - with some 40 tonnes of ballast in the trailer – to a standstill on a decent gradient. Floor the pedal and she simply goes. No jerk, no shudder, no noise. It’s eerie in the extreme. It’s also going to leave a diesel-powered equivalent in its wake while it spools up into it torque band. The smaller FL Electric rigid, loaded to its maximum 16 tonne GVM has all of two gears, the lower to destress the drivetrain on take-off, and then only when needed such as the hill I’ve just mentioned. Now that truck really is reminiscent of the Dodgem cars. Range? Volvo doesn’t like to quote specifics but rather point to interacting with prospective drivers and training them to get the best out of the batteries. Pressured, they indicate that 300km is achievable if treated correctly. The dash of the FL does without a rev counter for obvious reasons, replacing it with a large plus, zero, minus dial instead. Your job is to keep the needle in the plus zone as much as possible to feed charge back into the battery. Put your foot on the brake for instance and she pulls up like any other truck, but the first, maybe 60 per cent of pedal travel is feeding charge back
to the battery before the actual brakes haul you up to a stop. You find yourself quickly playing the game with that dial. In a presentation after the drive, they put up a photo of New York traffic in 1900 – all horse and cart. Another taken 15 years later was all cars. The point being that we can bet that 15 years from now the trucking landscape is going to look decidedly different. Volvo are certainly investing in a clean and different future. Now that is not to say that they have disregarded the ubiquitous diesel – far from it. They realise that it will be around for some time and as a good corporate citizen they need to continue to refine their engines (and gearboxes) to gain more power and emit less pollution. Enter I-Save on their D13TC engines which let you drive at lower revs and in a higher gear for extended periods of time. The result is a smoother, quieter drive and faster torque response from the powertrain. Although not familiar with past Volvos, I can only concur in that the drive of both the FH 500 B-double and FH 540 single were all of the above. The 13-litre does a sterling job of hauling both loads. Thanks for the invitation Volvo. I’m hoping for an extended drive in your various models well before the next 18 years have passed me by.
Keep an eye on the left dial to maximise the range.
20 EVENTS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Email kayla.walsh@primecreative.com.au with your event details
Truckie stands up to bullies
A TRUCK driver has told how he and his partner are organising a new event to take a stand against bullying in schools and workplaces, including the trucking industry. Andrew Lattin and Sandy Davis were inspired to set up a charity, Truckies Against Bullying, after two of Davis’ children (Lattin’s stepchildren) suffered horrific bullying in school.
Event co-organiser Andrew Lattin with one of his old trucks.
Their first event is the Truckies Against Bullying Truck, Car and Motorbike Show, which takes place at Bendigo Showgrounds in Victoria on November 4. Lattin said: “The whole idea came about because our son, who’s 16, was getting bullied in school. We actually had to pull him out of school due to bullying. Our daughter, who is 14, was getting bullied as well. “This cause is very close to our hearts because not only have our children suffered from the effects of bullying, being ostracised from their peers and feeling totally alone, they also withdrew into themselves which impacted their mental health. “The effects on our family have been massive.” Lattin said that he and his partner tried to do something about their kids being bullied, but their complaints weren’t taken seriously. “We struggled with the schools and the public just not believing it and pushing it aside. “We said it’s time to stop that, it’s time for these bullies
to be held accountable and help out those who are being bullied. “The statistics for bullying in Australian schools are staggering.” Lattin believes a lot of bullying also takes place in the trucking industry, whether it’s discrimination against women or abuse of less experienced drivers. “I’ve been a part of this industry for over 30 years as a forklift driver, a truck driver, a loader and so on. “The bullying and the abuse that goes on just breaks my heart. “I’ve heard women drivers being belittled, getting told to get back in the kitchen. It’s a disgrace.” He and Davis have put a huge amount of effort into organising the Truckies Against Bullying Show and it’s shaping up to be a great day. There will be a truck convoy from the Red Energy Arena to the showgrounds via high St Holdsworth Road, followed by a truck, car and bike show. “We’re only charging a small registration fee of $30
for trucks and $10 for cars and bikes to cover administration costs,” Lattin explained. “There will be no awards ceremony or category winners on the day, but we will be doing a prize draw for all entrants. “We think having awards for Best Truck in Show etc., can create competition and bullying, rather than everyone standing together, so we just wanted to avoid that.” The day will have lots of fun for all the family, with food trucks, a coffee van, face painting and other activities. The award-winning “Dark Devil” car will also be there, as well as Ross Transport’s pink 909, offering some excellent photo opportunities. Lattin has also invited the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and Victorian police to the event, as he said these bodies can often be the victims of bullying in the trucking industry. “We have no sponsors at the moment, and we’ve had to do all the marketing ourselves. It’s all coming out of our own pocket – flyers, stickers, everything.
“We really encourage anyone who wants to come along to stand with us and say ‘We’re against bullying’.” He added, “That’s what the
day is about.” You can find more information about the show on Facebook @TruckiesAgainstBullying.
More great industry events to save in your 2023/24 diary
Convoy for Kids Sydney.
OCTOBER
Convoy for Kids Sydney October 29 Clarendon, NSW convoyforkids.com.au Starting at the Sydney Dragway, the convoy will make its way to the Hawkesbury Showground in Clarendon for a day filled with fun and festivities for the whole family. The event will raise funds for the NETS Ambulance Service.
NOVEMBER
Brisbane Convoy for Kids November 4 Brisbane, QLD brisbaneconvoyforkids.com. au Following a successful 2022 event, planning is already underway to make the 2023 Brisbane Convoy for Kids even bigger and better. Along with the main convoy, there will be a truck show, family fun and entertainment, and an evening fireworks display. White Hill Truck Drivers Memorial Service and Convoy November 4 Murray Bridge, SA facebook.com/White
HillTruckDriversMemorial Honouring truck drivers who have lost their lives, the White Hill Truck Drivers Memorial now has over 100 names. This special day will begin with a convoy, with trucks meeting at White Hill. Each truck will wear a banner and head down the hill towards the monument, where they will line up and toot their air horn ahead of the service that will take place at 11am. Mullumbimby Truck Show November 11 Mullumbimby Showground, NSW mullumbimbyshow.org.au Held in conjunction with the annual Mullumbimby Agricultural Show, the Mullumbimby Truck Show will feature a truck parade through town to the showgrounds at 11am. There will also be a host of activities on offer for all the family, including sideshow alley, rides, food vans, full bar facilities and live music, as well as horse and cattle events. Truck registrations open from 9am at the Mullumbimby Industrial Estate off Manns Rd.
Goulburn Convoy for Kids & Carnival Day November 11 Goulburn Showgrounds, NSW convoyforkidsgoulburn.com. au A jam-packed day of fun for the whole family at Goulburn Showground, Braidwood Road. On the day there will be a huge array of trucks on display following the convoy, free carnival rides, entertainment galore including the return of Bluey and Bingo, activities and interactive games for the kids plus much more. A variety of food and refreshment stations will be available. Entry for kids is free. The Convoy for Kids Goulburn charity provides financial assistance to local families who have a child living with a permanent disability, special need, cancer or terminal illness. East Gippsland Heritage Truck Display November 18-19 Maffra, VIC
facebook.com/gippslandvehiclecollection Held at the Maffra Recreation Grounds on Newry Road, the East Gippsland Heritage Truck Display is open to all trucks of any age, reflecting the history of transport in Australia. There’ll also be live music, catering and kids’ entertainment, including model trucks. Free camping is also available for exhibitors.
Dane Ballinger Memorial November 18 Bathurst Showground, NSW bathursttruckshow.com.au Featuring over 200 market stalls, food stalls, live entertainment and kids’ rides. Registration $55 per category. Public entry $5, children under 12 free. Held in conjunction with the annual Bathurst Swap Meet Car & Bike Show. Gates open 9am to 4pm. For registration and further details email info@ bathursttruckshow.com.au or phone Debbie on 0407 489 634, Haylie on 0438 316 150 or see the event website and/or
The team from the Illawarra Convoy.
Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show.
Facebook page to be part of this popular event.
Illawarra Convoy November 19 Illawarra, NSW illawarraconvoy.com.au Touted as the largest truck and motorbike convoy in the southern hemisphere, the Illawarra Convoy raises funds for individuals and families affected by potentially life-threatening medical conditions, together with charities that work with these people, and local hospitals. Last year’s event raised over $2 million. Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show November 25-26 Castlemaine, VIC rotarycastlemaine.org.au Held at Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve and organised by the Castlemaine Rotary Club, expressions of interest are open now for the Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show. It’s the 35th time this show has taken
place and attendees can expect an even bigger event this year. There’ll be plenty of trade exhibits, market stalls, new award categories and some surprises too.
JANUARY
Geelong Classic Truck and Machinery Show January 13-14, 2024 Geelong Showgrounds, VIC classictruckandmachinery. com.au The Geelong Classic Truck and Machinery Show is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2024, and tickets are already on sale. The weekend will feature everything from trucks to farm machinery to a vintage tractor pull, with a huge variety of model clubs and hobby displays. You can even catch a cannon firing, a military enactment and an aircraft engine demonstration. • Have you got an event you’d like included in our What’s On calendar? Email all the details to kayla.walsh@primecreative. com.au.
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22 EVENTS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Email kayla.walsh@primecreative.com.au with your event details
Family fun at Boort show Category winners Chocs Award – Wilba Snaith Best Farm Truck – Matt Hall Best Special Purpose – Tim McCarthy Best Rigid – Nick Cross Best Fleet – Thurwood Interstate Transport Best Display – Nichols Trading Best Paint – Craig Wilson Best Local – Craig Hird Best Signwriting – Mott Ag People’s Choice - Brad McLean Best in Show – Dean Ashworth
EXCITEMENT was in the air as thousands of people descended on the town of Boort, Victoria for the third annual Boort Truck Show. The event, which took place at Boort Park on Saturday October 14, featured some 140 trucks in the show along with plenty of family fun, from a shearing competition to live music and fireworks. Organiser Heath Saunders, who founded the Boort Truck Show back in 2019, said the day went off without a hitch. “It was a huge success,” he said. “There was a great community atmosphere and lots of smiles all round. “The sponsors and the quality of the vendors we had this year were a huge asset and helped it all run very smoothly. “It was great to see the quality of the trucks and all the hard work people had put into them.”
Best in Show winner Dean Ashworth with his prizes. Photo: Diesel Fumes
Ashworth’s beauty of a Kenworth, which won Best in Show. Photo: Truckspotting Arara
Gierisch Bros Trucking’s custom Kenworth T909 was there on the day. Photo: Truckspotting Ararat
Parson’s towing were represented at the show. Photo: Truckspotting Ararat
Snaith Transport went home with the Chocs Award. Photo: Truckspotting Ararat
Thurwood Interstate Transport won Best Fleet. Photo: Truckspotting Ararat
Webb Haulage brought this stunning Kenworth along. Photo: Truckspotting Ararat.
Awards were handed out across various categories in the show, from Best Farm Truck to Best Paint, as well as to the Top 10 trucks chosen by the judging panel. Dean Ashworth’s faultless W900 SAR Legend was named Best in Show, and he took home a prize of $1000 cash. Ashworth previously won the top gong at the Boort Truck Show four years ago, and Saunders said he was a
deserved winner this time around as well. “It was very hard to judge this year, with a high standard of trucks,” he said. The truck show is run in conjunction with the Boort Agriculture and Pastoral Society Show, so attendees could also enjoy events such as a dog jump, sideshow stalls and more. Saunders, who is a Boort local and works as a signwriter,
said he’s delighted to see how the truck show has grown since its first event. “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. “It’s really starting to gain some traction and getting a good name for itself.”
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24 READER RIGS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Reader Rigs proudly supported by
This glorious sunset sky made for a perfect backdrop in this shot, snapped by Jason Meldrum in Minilya, WA.
Share your truck pics to win with Shell Rimula
SHELL Rimula has partnered with Big Rigs in a big way – so there’s even more reasons to send in your best truck shots. Each month, the Big Rigs team will choose a #PicOfTheMonth, with the lucky winner receiving a $500 Shell Coles Express Gift Card. Keep an eye out for our regular posts on the Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper Facebook page, calling
for your best truck photos and add yours in the comments, or email them to editor@bigrigs. com.au. Don’t forget to include a brief note about the truck and where the photo was taken. We’ll feature some of the best photos in each edition of Big Rigs Newspaper, with one winner announced each month. Keep those amazing truck pics coming!
Michael Roels captured this beautiful morning sunrise out at Gurnang, NSW.
Shane Wilkes was enjoying the sunrise at Noccundra, Queensland, while heading east to Thargomindah.
Matt Langley snapped this shot of the triple road train at Barkly Tableland in the Northern Territory at sunset.
Andrew Campbell shared this ripper of an Easter’s A-double (aka Type 1 road train) heading northbound into Forbes.
Josh Rigney and the Kenworth tip off at Riverina Stockfeeds at Oakey, Queensland.
Darcy Richardson sent this pic of Land Transport’s stunning T909, dedicated to Brock Land and partner Tayla, in celebration of the arrival of their first baby, Ziyah Isabel Land.
READER RIGS 25
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023
When the going gets tough, truckies keep everyone going
“Thought I’d send a couple of pics of the beauty I get to steer around the country,” said Andrew Falzon. Dubbed the “Shiraz Express”, this shot was snapped at Tumblong rest area, enroute to Melbourne.
Dave Hely snapped this ripper shot of the big W924A model.
Stuart Bruckner shared this shot of the 2012 K200, snapped on a cool, foggy morning while loading at Nexans in Lilydale, Victoria.
Wayne Ross at WGR Transport shared this great shot of his Kenworth K104, taken in in Albury, while out and about with the drag car transporter
After transporting three trailers in from Brisbane, Bryant Day went to check out Uluru.
Izak Dempster shared this great shot of a classic 1993 alloriginal Kenworth T900, that’s still hard at work on the daily, working out of Shepparton and carting general freight interstate.
Jemma Spralja snapped this shot of a glorious sunset in Mackay.
26 DRIVER PROFILE
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Truckin’ In The Outback
‘It’s a big dream come true’
After going through the ranks and working his way up to triple road trains, this truckie couldn’t see himself doing anything else. BY DANIELLE GULLACI EZEKIEL Clifford, 31, started out driving utes and vans, but these days you’ll find him steering a 2018 Mack Titan and triple road train on the weekly 3400-kilometre round trip from the Queensland town of Pittsworth to Mt Isa. First starting a schoolbased apprenticeship as a carpenter when he was 16, Clifford says he soon realised the trade just wasn’t for him. “So I started out small, driving utes and vans. I got my truck licence when I was about 21. Since then, I’ve worked my way up. I got my MR, then did my HR a few years after that, then got into semis, then B-doubles and now road trains. I’ve been driving road trains for the last six months or so, since I started working with Mt Isa Carriers,” he explained. “I was a transport manager at the age of 25 but I got sick of the office and wanted to be behind the wheel again. It’s been a rollercoaster, but getting to where I am is something I’ve always wanted to do.
IT’S DEFINITELY BEEN A BIG DREAM COME TRUE DRIVING ROAD TRAINS. I FEEL LIKE THAT’S BEEN UP THERE FOR ME SINCE I WAS A LITTLE ONE.”
EZEKIEL CLIFFORD
“I’ve been a big fan of trucks since I was a little fella. It’s just something I’ve always loved. It’s definitely been a big dream come true driving road trains. I feel like that’s been up there for me since I was a little one.” Based on the Gold Coast, Clifford secured his MC licence about 12 months ago and did B-double linehaul work down to Sydney and Melbourne, as well as into North Queensland, and anywhere in between. “I did that for around six months before getting into road trains, so that was a big step up,” he said. “I’ve been lucky with all my past employers who gave me a go. I remember with one company, I rocked up to an interview and he said there were people in front of me with much more experience, but that I had a great attitude, so he put me on and
His nine-year-old daughter Aaliyah loves coming in the truck.
Clifford has been with Mt Isa Carriers for the past six months.
gave me a go – and that gave me a lot of confidence.” Now with Mt Isa Carriers, Clifford says he’s found a brilliant company to work for. “It’s a great family run business and everyone gets along with each other. They’re not too big, so you’re not just a number. They help me, develop me and have been really supportive since I started. “Our boss Kent Baillie is really great – he engages with everyone. There’s no rush to get from A to B. They give us reasonable times and they’re all about safety as well – making sure we’re getting our breaks and properly managing our fatigue.” Clifford’s home on the Gold Coast is some three hours away from the Pittsworth depot, but he’s more than happy to travel the 260-kilometre journey to pick up his truck each week. “It’s only once a week and I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love what I do,” he said. Clifford’s typical working week begins on a Tuesday, where he picks up the truck and makes his way to Mt Isa, carrying general freight and equipment for the mines, sometimes with a few stops along the way. He’s usually away for four days – or five at most – typically arriving back home on a Saturday morning or sometimes on the Sunday. “I do a set run from Pittsworth to Mt Isa, but sometimes have extra deliveries along the way,” he said. “It’s predominantly bitumen; but the worst road I’d say is from Morven out to Augathella. It gets pretty rough out there, heading out to Mt Isa.”
Ezekiel Clifford does the weekly 3400-kilometre round trip from the Queensland town of Pittsworth to Mt Isa.
Clifford added that the Titan is great to drive and easy to handle, rolling along without a hitch since he began with the company. Along the trip, Clifford says he likes stopping at the Walkabout Creek Hotel in McKinlay, which was made
famous after it was featured in the iconic 1980s film Crocodile Dundee. “I’ve been stopping there for the last six months. We also deliver mail into there as well. It’s always been a great spot to stop in. I get along really well with the publicans Deb and Frank, they’re great people with great hospitality every time I go there, and they’re always great to chat to. They offer a great feed too.” For Clifford, he has certainly found his passion and plans to be in the game for the long haul. “I definitely see myself doing this for a while. I won’t be getting out of trucking any time soon,” he said. “I love getting out there in the middle of nowhere and driving the country roads. You’re your own boss once you get out there. I still look back in my mirrors and when I see that road train behind me, I think wow! And then to be able to park up under-
neath the stars, I think that’s one of the things I enjoy the most.” But out of everything he loves about the work, he says his biggest highlight is being able to share his passion with his nine-year-old daughter Aaliyah, who has also had the opportunity to travel in the truck with him. “Recently my boss allowed me to take her for a trip during the school holidays,” revealed Clifford. “I’ve got a great boss, it’s a great company to work for and I get along with anyone and everyone out there, including our clients.” When asked about the most challenging parts of the job, Clifford replies, “I love everything about my job – I can’t say anything is hard, because any challenge is a learning curve. This is a stable job, where I feel good and I feel comfortable. I couldn’t see myself working anywhere else any time soon!”
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28 SPY ON THE ROAD
FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
State of Cape York road costing truckies plenty SPY ON THE ROAD WITH ALF WILSON
Focus on Peninsula Development Road
Our Big Rigs story on scalies infringing drivers for minor defects when travelling back from Cape York had a big response from many truckies, with a majority focusing on the bad condition of the Peninsula Development Road (PDR). Truckies were being fined for minor things such as a broken light, a loose battery or a damaged sensor. Weipa based Gavan Roy was like many respondents who said the minor damage on the way back was caused by the state of the PDR. “They need to be more lenient, particularly when trucks are returning from Cape York, there are going to be things broken or needing attention. “Everyone thinks because there is all these bitumen works, bridge works and general upgrades going on up here that the roads are in better condition, but it’s quite the opposite. Some dirt sections are absolutely horrendous and dangerous. For example there is one section of road just out of Weipa – Myall Creek to York Downs – which is 11km long. This is taking me one hour and seven minutes, you can imagine the toll this is taking on the trucks, particularly those of us who are travelling on it daily.” Roy continued, “But it’s not just the scalies ruffling feathers, the road command coppers are also out there doing their bit, paying particular interest to work diaries. They also need to take a step back and understand that sometimes we can’t just pull up for our regulated breaks – there just isn’t anywhere to pull up safely. There are a few roadhouses and a
couple of communities along the PDR, with next to no facilities for truckies in between. “These authorities need to take into account the extreme conditions we deal with and have some empathy when handing out defects or fines.”
Big mark-ups on fuel prices
Since my last column more truckies have contacted me regarding the huge difference in fuel prices around Australia and the profit that many outlets make by marking up the price. One small fleet operator who gets fuel bulk delivered to a remote town said that he was paying 30 cents a litre less than the price being charged at roadhouses in his area. When you take into account the cost of fuelling a truck, that equates to a big profit. Another truckie told me that at the Eucla Roadhouse in WA it was $2.77 per litre when he stopped there. “But if you go 12km to the east to Border Village Roadhouse in SA you pay $3.17. In Perth it was around $2.25,” he said. Another sent me a pic from Cloncurry in the Queensland outback where diesel was at 233.9 cents per litre and up around Cape York it was selling for about $2.66 a litre. One well known small fleet operator said that fuel price increases are always concerning. “But I think you just have to have plans in place that can be implemented if and when fuel prices reach certain benchmarks. Also, people (customers) need to understand that increases in running costs need to be passed on down the line, a lot of smaller transport operators can’t afford to carry these extra costs,” he said.
Kewdale Roadhouse
Some truck drivers have contacted Spy with good reports about the Kewdale Roadhouse in WA. “It is open 24 hours a day, is road train friendly, has good
A pic taken from Gavan Roy’s dash camera of his truck in a table drain.
food, clean showers, plenty of parking and there is even a truck wash and cleaning zone but you have to make a booking to get your truck washed,” one who travels from interstate told me. Kewdale is a suburb of Perth, within the City of Belmont. I tried to contact the roadhouse by phone to glean some extra information but was unsuccessful.
Eerie rest area
Whilst the rest area at the top of the Burra Range between Pentland and Torren’s Creek in north Queensland would appear to be a nice place for truckies to have a break at, many won’t sleep there at night. Over the years Spy has spoken to numerous truckies who reckon it is a wonderful location to stop at in daylight hours, but after dark it is another story. They reckon it really is an eerie place to be at after sunset. Some decades ago a truckie named Rossco McCrae who drove for Muldoon Transport on the mail run between Townsville and Mount Isa claimed he saw a hairy man figure or yowie there at night. His claim was followed up by a national current affairs program which sent a film crew to investigate. Another man followed who also claims he also saw a yowie there. However veteran NSW driver Ted Markwort, who is a true gentleman of the road transport industry, told Spy
he often sleeps there at night when in the area. “I have never had a problem there or seen a yowie,” he said. Spy stopped off there during a recent trip (in the day) and enjoyed the scenic views. It is on the edge of the Flinders Highway and has a couple of sets of tables and chairs under shade and rubbish bins, but no toilets. There is space for a limited number of trucks to park there. It is on the White Mountains National Park and situated along the Great Dividing Range.
Notice board awareness
Rooms set aside for truck drivers at roadhouses have been proving an effective means for smaller operators to pick up extra work. I have been to numerous such eateries in the past few months and have noticed more and more notes on the boards providing details of these drivers. “I generally snare at least one job a week from such notices and they are deliveries to places where I am already going to so it is just a matter of picking up the material and placing it in the trailer,” one told me. Others have said they also attach their details on notice boards at shopping centres which have proven successful. Especially when the centre is not far from a roadhouse.
Police active along Flinders Highway
The boys in blue have been actively patrolling along the
A police car stops a caravan along the Flinders Highway.
Flinders Highway between Charters Towers and Hughenden. Whilst on a drive between the two towns in late September Spy noticed several patrol cars. At one location between the Towers and Balfe’s Creek they had pulled over a grey nomad in a caravan. I could see their flashing lights in the distance as I approached. Truckies have also reported being pulled over for vehicle and licence checks around Balfe’s Creek, Pentland and further along at Prairie.
RBT near popular roadhouse
There was a police RBT set up on both sides of the highway near the popular Puma Gold City Roadhouse which is on the inland side of Charters Towers. It was also in the vicinity of a local park where many drivers stop for a call of nature and a break. Spy was tested and returned
The Kewdale Roadhouse in WA.
The Burra Range rest area.
A patrol car passes a parked road train on the Flinders Highway.
The Puma Cloncurry Roadhouse where diesel was at 233.9 cents per litre.
Parked at the exit to a big roadhouse was Martin Purcell .
a negative reading and the young cop was very courteous and fair. “You never know where we will be setting up an RBT,” he said. On occasions there is also an RBT located at the Mingela rest area 47km on the other side of the town.
No fixed address
When one frequently visits roadhouses you never know what characters you will come across. In October I saw an old broken down station wagon parked at the back of a big roadhouse. It had a sign on the back which read “Veteran Nees (sic) Help”. It looked like the driver was sleeping in the back seat on a makeshift mattress. It sparked the curiosity of numerous truckies who had been parked there and most asked Spy if I knew what his story was. So I walked over to the vehicle with camera in hand and spoke to the 68-year-old owner Martin Purcell. “I have broken down and have no fixed address and am waiting to get towed to a repair place,” he said. Purcell had been an Australian Army paratrooper and travels around the country. He praised truckies overall for always being willing to help on his travels. A few days later I drove past the area where he had been parked and Purcell was gone. If any truckies see this lad on his travels say gidday. He really is an interesting gent.
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Focusing on the finer things
AFTER two successful decades in business, Mark Eastwell and his wife Robyn have decided to take a little step back – but it’s definitely not goodbye. The couple run cargo and freight company Eastwells Haulage in Redbank, Queensland, as well as River Road Mechanical, which they have used primarily to service their own fleet for the past seven years. They have recently made the decision to disperse the trucks and trailers in their fleet and move in a different direction, so they can slow down and focus on the finer things in life. Eastwells Haulage will continue to operate in the same capacity and service it has come to be known for, but looking after its subcontractors, who have stood by them in the past. Meanwhile, River Road Mechanical will open to outside transport companies for all servicing and repairs of heavy vehicles within the Brisbane area. Mark said: “It’s been a great 20 years, and our businesses
have served us well. “I was one of the fortunate ones in that I could choose when I wanted to get out and come out on top. “We just felt like we had achieved what we wanted to achieve in our business, and we wanted to channel our energy into other places. “We’re a very tight-knit family, our kids all still live in the area and we’re looking forward to spending more time together, as well as spending time with friends and doing some travelling. “We’re very comfortable with the decision, it’s put us in a great position and we couldn’t be happier.” Eastwells will be selling their fleet and the majority of their trailers via Ritchie Bros. – about 145 pieces of equipment in total. “We have a great relationship with Ritchie Bros., we have sold through them for the past three years. “They always do a very good job. They present their gear well. “We have a guarantee for the sale and if they go over and above that, we get a percentage.
Mark and Robyn Eastwell.
“We have a very modern and well-maintained fleet and Ritchie’s were extremely impressed with the quality of the equipment.” Mark and Robyn started their business with just one truck and a dog back in 2003, and expanded over the years to a fleet of about 32 trucks at its largest. Mark has been involved in almost every aspect of the company, from maintenance to driving to payroll, while Robyn is mostly on the admin side of things. All of their four children have also worked in the family business at one point, both in and out of the office, teaching them valuable life skills.
“Having the business has allowed our children to follow their dreams in their chosen careers,” Mark continued. “While this doesn’t include the trucking industry, we are more than grateful for the opportunities that this has afforded our family and for the friendships we have made along the way.” Looking back over his career so far, Mark said the highlight has been the people he’s had the privilege to work with. “The amount of different people you get to meet, not only other company owners but their drivers, their families, even our own drivers who have just left the company.
Eastwells is selling most of its fleet and equipment through Ritchie Bros.
“We have built a lot of strong friendships, and our relationships with other companies is what we’ll use to grow the mechanical side of the business now.” Mark thanked his customers for their ongoing support and reassured them that Eastwells will continue to offer the same great services as before thanks to their reliable subcontractors. “We have a very good
group of subcontractors and some top operators towing our trailers as well. “That way, we can keep good control of the service we provide.” He also thanked his wife Robyn for her support and hard work over the years. “A lot of times the wives are forgotten about in businesses like this and there’s an awful lot of behind-the-scenes support that goes on.”
Heavy Vehicle Mechanical repairs and services • Diffs, gearboxes, clutches, and other drive line repairs • Scheduled servicing for all A, B and C services • Breakdown services for areas between Port of Brisbane and Gatton • Hendrickson Suspension & Airtec Service Agent • All tyres (Drives, trailers & Steers) Inc onsite and breakdown • Major works, Bearing rolls, head exchanges, turbos, compressors etc. • American truck specialists (Mack, Kenworth Western Star) • Mack/Volvo & Cummins Service specialists 0415 169 520 40 River Road, Redbank QLD 4301 riverroadmech@gmail.com
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A leading force in hydraulics SUPERIOR performance, outstanding quality, excellent service, and expert advice. Those are the cornerstones of the global hydraulics capability represented by Hydreco Hydraulics. Engineering excellence is at the core of the organisation. The product range is geared towards offering the best possible solution for many applications within construction, earthmoving, transport, industrial, ma-
terials handling, and many more. Hydreco takes pride in supporting customers through leading edge products, designed to provide optimum performance and extensive reliability in continual hard-working applications. With innovative technology, their products have evolved and developed, leading to a range of some of the highest quality products available in the marketplace.
Hydreco Hydraulics WA is located at 36 Pilbara Street, Welshpool.
Having quality products is just the beginning. Hydreco has understood that the service and repair of the vehicle’s systems is just as important or even more important for the success of their customers and their own businesses. For over 35 years, initially under the name Hydraulic Hoist and Winch, Hydreco Hydraulics WA has provided install, service, and repair services to the WA market. Working with other industry leading companies to supply and fit complementary components, they quickly became the one-stop shop for the truck market. It provides sales and distribution for their own Powauto PTO’s, pumps, valves, controls, telescopic hoists, oil tanks, and water pump assemblies (complete with close coupled hydraulic motors). Supplying side tipper and agricultural hydraulic cylinders from QMN was a natural progression, filling a need in the product line up. As was the case for indus-
trial and recovery winches from the world’s leading manufacturers, and fuel and oil bulk transfer pumps and valves. Hydraulic power units (Electric [AC or DC], petrol or diesel powered) were also a natural progression for a company like Hydreco with its vast experience, knowledge, and engineering capability in the hydraulic sector. It is in the service, installation and maintenance of the products and vehicles that helps keep Hydreco at the forefront of product development. For the customer, providing full ‘wet kit’ installations is a unique service from a manufacturer. For Hydreco, having this firsthand information on the installation and application of their products to new applications provides feedback to help refine and develop new and innovative solutions that becomes available to Hydreco’s distributors and customers worldwide. The continued success of Hydreco Hydraulics WA
Full fit-outs are available from the Hydreco workshop.
comes from offering services outside of new ‘wet kit’ installations. The provision of prime mover fit ups and modification, including guards, fifth wheels, rear light bars, and dangerous goods work has enhanced the workshops reputation through the transport industry. But not all requirements are for new fit ups. A large proportion of work is in repair and maintenance. Therefore, Hydreco offers a full removal, teardown and repair service for PTOs, pumps, valves, winches, and hydraulic cylinders. This is topped off with the ability to make, supply and fit hydraulic hoses and fittings to the applications. For Hydreco, having its workshop offer service and
repair of new and existing systems combined with the back up from the engineering and sales department is driving their products development forward for the benefit of the transport and mobile hydraulics market.
Fast fact
Hydreco Hydraulics is the designer, manufacturer and distributor of products servicing the transport and mobile hydraulics sector. Hydreco has a combined history of 100 years in developing solutions through a rich heritage of legacy companies. The joining of David Brown Hydraulics, Powauto and Hydreco in 1997 brought together some of the most respected products, people, and heritage brands in the business.
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Greasing system specialists
The Sterk grease pump is strong and sturdy, with an easy-toread pressure gauge.
THE Deja Lube dream started in July 2019 when David Condron came across an opportunity to be a self-employed greasing system installation contractor, servicing Victorian truck dealerships by fitting greasing systems to all makes and models of trucks, trailers, earthmoving equipment and agricultural machinery. Bringing two decades of
experience in greasing systems, Condron’s customers were kept satisfied. Not only did Deja Lube have the products to supply and install, it also had an experienced team to support and service the grease systems as required. Since he started the business, Condron was keen to begin importing his own branded grease system, which would enable him to
EARLIER this year Projecta broadened its market-leading INTELLI-START Jump Starter range with the launch of its IS1400 and IS2000 mod-
els – and now the line-up is complete with the addition of two powerful new variants, the IS3000 and IS5000. Power-packed, the IS3000
provide customers with even greater levels of support – with a high quality product being fitted and fully backed by Deja Lube as one entity. As the journey continued, Condron set off to the other side of the world to a small industrial town called Gorchim in the Netherlands. After over eight months of searching, he found a business called Sterk, which manufactured and supplied greasing systems made of 304 stainless steel. Condron couldn’t believe this type of product existed – and that it was yet to reach Australian shores. Sterk is a quality brand, built to last, with a robust stainless steel body and UV treated clear reservoir that comes in a 4kg or 6kg grease capacity; ticking all the boxes for the Australian transport industry. The Sterk brand is used extensively worldwide, in North America, Canada, South Africa and throughout Europe. The biggest drawcard for Condron was the simplicity of the system. As he explained, “Mechanics and workshops in the Australian transport industry need a simple, easy to use diagnostic product that doesn’t have a heap of buttons, warning
lights, etc, to assist, as these can become a problem to drivers and mechanics. “The Sterk system has a basic dial type controller in the cab which is fitted near the fuse panel so it’s easy to find and the grease pump itself is fitted with an easy to read pressure gauge which displays to mechanics that it’s doing a cycle.” As the business has continued to grow, Deja Lube has appointed two installation technicians in Victoria who look after the state’s dealerships. They share a combined 20 years of experience. As a business owner, Condron says his technicians have helped to bring the business to a whole new level, due to the quality installations the team undertakes on a daily basis. “We are currently celebrating our 150th Sterk greasing system being installed, which is such a huge milestone for the Deja Lube team,” Condron added. “We just can’t believe we have achieved this number so quickly and the response from our customers has been so positive, which gives us so much confidence moving forward with the brand.” The system runs an EP-0 type grease due to it being an
injected grease system. Having measured injectors that feed the grease point requires a lighter viscosity grease so it can penetrate through onto the pin surface effortlessly. After investigating the grease type, Deja Lube found a grease manufactured and blended in Melbourne that does the job well, exceeding expectations. Condron says the grease has high tack ingredients that ensure the oil in the grease is stuck to the surface longer. It also has a high temperature drop rate so even in temperatures of up to 170°C, the soap and oil stay intact. And that’s exactly what is required for the harsh
and IS5000 Jump Starters are ideal for use on large industrial and commercial equipment including heavy-duty trucks, tractors and agricultural equipment. Until now, there hasn’t been an easy or efficient means of jump starting heavy equipment, with users often resulting to moving large batteries around on unwieldy trolleys to jump start the machines. With their easy portability, light weight (10.6kg and 13.5kg respectively) and patented Rapid Recharge Technology (RRT), the IS3000 and IS5000 industrial jump starters alleviate these pain points, adding convenience and efficiency for users. The IS Jump Starter range also reduces the risk of being caught out without charge when going to jump start a vehicle, as recharging the trolley rigs can often be forgotten.
then be ready to use in the next emergency without needing regular recharging – its clever technology that is unique to the Projecta INTELLI-START Jump Starter range. The IS3000 is suitable for both 12V and 24V electrical systems and provides 1000A clamp power for 12V systems and 850A for 24V electrical set-ups, along with 3000 peak amps – it’s enough to start petrol and diesel engines up to 12L displacement in 12V machines and all 24V engines. The larger IS5000 has even greater clamp power, an impressive 1500A in 12V electrical systems and 1000A for 24V systems – in both cases peak amps are 5000. This output is sufficient to breathe life into petrol and diesel engines up to 16L capacity in equipment with 12V systems, and unlimited capacity in the case of vehicles with 24V electrics. The two jump starters also offer ‘no battery’ operation and can jump start vehicles without a starter battery. Both the IS3000 and IS5000 Jump Starters feature a strong exterior casing that uses a steel chassis and rubber over-moulded construction with integrated handle and concealed cable storage. Also ensuring reliability and safety
are ‘no solder’, high current connections and solid 3mm clamp teeth, while an advanced all-in-one protection system prevents surges, short circuits and overheating in these units. For greater convenience, both models also boast auto sensing clamp connection, while operating this equipment is also simple via the intuitive LCD display with real time updates. A further benefit of the new models is their ability to jump start vehicles and machines that use a variety of battery types including lithium, wet, AGM, gel and calcium. When it is finally time to recharge the IS3000 and IS5000, this is done using the included docking station, which provides hassle-free benchtop charging. Owners can also rest easy knowing that the INTELLI-START range is equipped with premium LiFePO4 batteries, the safest lithium technology available. Additionally, the units feature an advanced, ‘all-in-one’ protection system that prevents surges, short circuits and overheating. The IS3000 and IS5000 also deliver excellent longevity for users because they’re designed to deliver up to 2000 battery cycles, around four times more than competitor lithium cobalt based jump starters.
climates that we have here in Australia. The beauty of this grease is that it’s always readily available and it doesn’t carry a high price tag. The Sterk product is fully backed by a three-year pump warranty and if customers use the Deja Lube grease they will receive a further one-year warranty on top of that. “This warranty has been selected because we want to ensure our customers know they are making the right decision to use our product on their vehicles,” Condron said. Deja Lube has installers located in Queensland, NSW, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.
David Condron started Deja Lube in 2019.
Projecta expands heavyduty jump starter range
Rapid Recharge Technology
The INTELLI-START range is equipped with premium LiFePO4 batteries, the safest lithium technology available.
By leaving the INTELLI-START Jump Starters connected to a vehicle’s battery once started, Rapid Recharge Technology (RRT) can fully replenish the energy that was discharged during the starting process in just 40 seconds. This feature means that the INTELLI-START Jump Starters will
Other Projecta INTELLI-START models in the lineup include the IS920, IS1220, IS1400, IS1500 and IS2000. All INTELLI-START variants are Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)-compliant, and Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) certified. The latest additions to the INTELLI-START Jump Starter range are available from leading automotive and transportation outlets nationwide and are covered by a generous two-year product replacement or refund warranty. A Division of Brown & Watson International Pty Ltd, Projecta is Australian owned and operated with worldwide partners who are experts in their respective field. Projecta is a leader in the design and development, manufacture and supply of battery chargers, battery related and electrical accessories for motor vehicles, trucks, boats, 4WD and recreational vehicles. The company has five offices across Australia plus one in New Zealand with representation in a number of countries. For more information, please visit the Projecta website at projecta.com.au.
AUSTRALIA’S EXPERTS IN AUTOMATED LUBRICATION EQUIPMENT ONLY AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR FOR STERK STERK ECOSTAR PNEUMATIC GREASE LUBRICATION SYSTEM The Sterk Ecostar Pneumatic Grease Lubrication System is a revolutionary system, brought to you exclusively by Deja Lube Services. It has been meticulously designed to improve equipment performance and lifespan across the transport, earthmoving and agricultural sectors.
Trust in our skilled technicians to provide meticulous service work that keeps your automated lubrication systems in peak condition. Regular maintenance ensures consistent performance, extending the lifespan of your equipment.
32a Apex Drive, Truganina VIC 3029 0491 288 835 dejalube.com.au
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Accident Assist service goes above and beyond When an accident does happen, NTI makes the experience as seamless and stress-free as possible.
Accident Assist gives you access to NTI’s authorised heavy vehicle recovery operators to recover your vehicle using the latest skills and equipment.
Richard Gibson, NTI’s national manager for Repair Quality and Incident Response.
NO-ONE ever expects to be in an accident, but if something does go wrong, you’re going to want to be protected by an experienced and reliable insurer with the equipment, networks and knowledge to take control of the situation. With heavy vehicles becoming increasingly expensive and their cargo more delicate, and with clients becoming more time-sensitive than ever before, there’s nothing like the peace of mind that comes with being insured with NTI, Australia’s Specialist Insurance provider. With over 50 years of experience in the insurance industry, NTI offers premium specialist assistance products designed to protect Australian businesses and families at their most vulnerable and help reduce lost income. NTI Accident Assist offers support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, giving you immediate access to their inhouse services when an incident happens. Richard Gibson, NTI’s national manager for Repair Quality and Incident Response, said the company’s services are fully integrated and really go above and beyond for their customers in a time of need. “If a customer calls Accident Assist on 1800684-669, we provide overthe-phone accident scene management, along with the ability to dispatch specialist services if required. By calling Accident Assist, you get access to not only NTI’s in house expertise, but also NTI’s authorised heavy vehicle recovery
operators to recover your vehicle using the latest skills and equipment, to prevent further damage and ensure that the scene is cleaned up with safety in mind and returning the environment to its native state. “We have a list of heavy vehicle recovery operators contracted to us. If we need specialist equipment to help clean up a unique situation, we’ve always got access to someone that will help us out. “That’s a major selling point for us. It can cost tens of thousands, right through to millions of dollars to clean up the side of the road when you deal with certain chemicals or damaged infrastructure, so we make sure you’re not getting stranded when an expensive bill or complex situation comes along.” Accident Assist provides many extra services, depend-
ing on the situation presented at the time of an accident. It takes the thinking out of “what to do next” during an accident. A key benefit is that NTI can launch your insurance claim automatically if contact is made through NTI’s Service Centre. “If you ring the Accident Assist number, you can start lodging the claim process as you go through. It’s very seamless because all functions are integrated. “In the event of a traumatic experience, Accident Assist can arrange post-incident counselling for the driver if needed. We look after the mental health and wellbeing side of things as well, which NTI is quite passionate about. Included in this is our trauma counselling which is offered during an accident. “We also have access to registered nurses, so if you are in an accident you can speak to a nurse. They can give you advice over the phone and let you know whether you need further assistance. “We can relay urgent messages to loved ones if required. If we need to, we’ll also engage with emergency services. “We can arrange for your
IF YOU RING THE ACCIDENT ASSIST NUMBER, YOU CAN START LODGING THE CLAIM PROCESS AS YOU GO THROUGH. IT’S VERY SEAMLESS BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS INTEGRATED,” RICHARD GIBSON, NTI’S NATIONAL MANAGER FOR REPAIR QUALITY AND INCIDENT RESPONSE.” driver to be transported back to base, if they are away from home. We even had one on the weekend where that extended to the owner’s dog that was travelling with them as well.” Depending on the size of the incident, NTI will activate their internal Incident Response Managers to help with an accident scene. “As an example, we had a livestock incident recently. We sent one of our guys out to attend the scene. Unfortunately some of the livestock on board suffered during the roll over and required attention. “It was a Sunday and we were struggling to get hold of somebody to help with that, we need expertise that had the relevant licensing etc. One of our service provider pain points is quick payment, especially for operating out of hours. In this
Registered nurses can give you advice over the phone and let you know whether you need to go to a hospital after an accident.
instance we had the ability to offer quick payment if they came out, so we were able to get it sorted and the highway opened up again. They are tricky situations you are not expecting to solve when you start your day.” If an incident has to be reported to the EPA or a relevant government organisation, NTI has an existing relationship that can make the process as efficient and painless as possible. Different states and councils can have different rules in place and require differing levels of response. The more accidents you handle the bigger your contact list gets, and getting access to the right departments helps control the timeline. “That helps with repatriating the environment the right way, which also controls cost and customer experience. The more you can
control these things, the less painful it is. “At the end of the day, we’re the sort of people you really want to know when you have an accident.” NTI abide by the principle that they are so much more than “just insurance”. Gibson continued: “We set out as a business to be bigger and better in the service we provide. We are constantly trying to improve our service to meet the market. “We treat every claim, assessment and accident like it’s our own situation. “Having had family go through accidents and trauma in the past, we like to provide the experience that we would provide for our own family. You want your drivers looked after and cared for. “We don’t want our customers to have accidents, but knowing that they will one day have one, we are there to make the experience as seamless as possible and to remove as much pain as possible.” For more information about NTI’s Accident Assist, contact your insurance broker or call 1800 684 669 (1800 NTI NOW) any time, day or night.
In the event of a traumatic experience, Accident Assist can arrange post-incident counselling for the driver if needed.
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Goodyear Fleet: Working towards a better future
GOODYEAR Fleet serves as a commercial tyre and service partner for prominent transport, freight, construction, and mining businesses, offering trusted premium quality products, reliable services, and technology-driven tyre management solutions, while helping these companies reach their corporate sustainability goals.
If it rolls, we respect it
In the ever-evolving landscape of the world, leading brands are pivotal in shaping a more sustainable future for our planet. It is now more vital than ever for businesses to adopt sustainable practices and technologies to minimise their environmental impact. The Sustainable Reality Survey by Goodyear suggests that one in every three fleets think of sustainability as an opportunity to reduce operating cost. Goodyear Fleet is leading the charge towards a better future as a commercial tyre and service partner for fleets by being dedicated to deliver advanced energy efficiency, tyre longevity and digi-
tal-based tech solutions.
If it rolls, we are connected to it
Continual technological advancements are more important than ever to maximising operating efficiencies and sustainability initiatives. Goodyear Fleet’s Tyre Optix can help optimise the tyre performance of fleets and increase their operational effectiveness. This digital inspection system assists in monitoring tyre health with a focus on keeping tyre inspections consistent, organised, and efficient. Long term, Tyre Optix helps fleet owners and managers make informed tyre decisions to keep their fleet rolling and confidently stay ahead of any issues that may arise.
If it rolls, we improve it
While Goodyear may be a 125-year-old institution, it focuses on identifying new opportunities for innovation including technology and materials. This approach to tyre innova-
Innovative technology that drives efficiencies for fleets.
tion is about constant modernisation, and leveraging a number of trends that are on the rise, such as autonomous driving, connected tyres, electric vehicles, and sustainability. By 2030, Goodyear’s goal is to introduce the first 100 per cent sustainable-material and maintenance-free tyre, working closely with industry partners, suppliers, and others to meet this goal. This is in line with Goodyear Fleet’s long-term objectives to use materials that
are not only sustainable but lasting longer to give cost improvements to key business partners, minimise waste and maximise the life of tyres. At Goodyear Fleet, we align with partners who are on the same journey.
If it rolls, we make it roll more efficiently
The Shell V-Power Racing Team (DJR), who are sponsored by Goodyear Fleet, are the first team in the Supercars Championship to achieve carbon neutral sta-
Building a better future through focusing on sustainability.
tus. They are also the first team in Australian motorsport to be recognised with the FIA’s highest three-star environmental accreditation. Sustainability is important for the Shell V-Power Racing (DJR) team. Therefore, their race car transporter has recently been fitted with Goodyear KMax T 265/R70 19.5 tyres. The tread design and robust construction of Goodyear KMax T tyres does not only offer all season mobility
(confirmed by M+S and 3PMSF rating) combined with high mileage and robustness even in demanding low platform usage but are retreadable. Goodyear truck tyres have been developed for optimised sustainability, allowing fleets to make the best use of their tyre assets and substantially reduce their cost per mile and environmental footprint. If it rolls, let’s talk about it! Call 13 18 98 or visit goodyearfleet.com.au.
IF IT ROLLS
WE’RE RACING TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE
Proudly partnering with the Shell V-Power Racing Team - Australia's first carbon neutral race team If it rolls, let’s talk about it! Call 13 18 98 or visit goodyearfleet.com.au
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Boosting tipper body safety
The innovative stand can be positioned between the raised tipper body and vehicle chassis.
LOCATED in Rocklea, Queensland, ABS Trailquip is a prominent player in the trucking industry, serving both as a wholesaler and retailer of trucking components and as a manufacturer specialising in special application axles and suspension systems. ABS Trailquip is unwavering in its commitment to excellence, offering topnotch quality, competitive pricing, exceptional service, and reliable delivery. ABS proudly holds ISO 9001 certification, boasts an in-house quality control system, and is certified to provide components that adhere to Australian Design Rules (ADR Specification). At the heart of ABS Trailquip’s mission is the constant drive to enhance their product range, with a focus on the advantages of efficient and safe heavy vehicle equipment. Their latest addition to the portfolio is a safety stand designed for tipper bodies. This innovative safety stand can be positioned between the raised tipper
The new safety stands are also 100 per cent made in Australia.
body and the vehicle chassis, effectively preventing unintentional lowering of the tipper body, which grants those working on the vehicle peace of mind that they are safe. The safety stands are 100 per cent made in Australia, rigorously tested to meet Australian Standards, and adjustable to accommodate various tipper body beam sizes. A safety chain attachment ensures it stays securely in place, and thanks
to local production, availability is never an issue. ABS Trailquip’s dedication to quality, safety and innovation shines through in their latest offering – a locally-made, reliable, and certified safety stand for tipper bodies, designed to enhance the safety and efficiency of heavy vehicle maintenance. Visit youtube.com/ watch?v=MC0axRNNW ZQ&t=18s to check out ABS Trailquip’s new video.
MaxiTRANS relocates NSW dealership to bigger site
MAXITRANS has relocated its company-owned dealership in NSW to a new site in the southwest Sydney suburb of Campbelltown, greatly enhancing its workshop capabilities. Previously located in Smeaton Grange, the new site features additional service and repair facilities on site, as well as new and used equipment sales. At 37,000 square metres, the new location is almost double the size of the previous site. It has double the general servicing bays, purpose-built fibreglass repair bays, dedicated tipper and dog servicing and fit-up bays, as well as a greater capacity to support major repairs and
refurbishments compared to the previous site. “Since MaxiTRANS opened a company-owned site in NSW in 2015, we have seen our dealership grow considerably along with our customer’s needs,” said MaxiTRANS NSW general manager, Glen Sharman. “To ensure we can continue delivering exceptional levels of service and support, the decision was made to move to a new site that has the capacity to facilitate our future growth plans.” Along with the facility’s enhanced capabilities, MaxiTRANS also offers 24/7 emergency trailer breakdown sup-
port within the Sydney basin, and on-site servicing which has grown extensively over the past two years. “We have seen significant uptake with this service offering, which is about the convenience of being able to conduct routine trailer servicing at our customer’s facility, working around their schedule to deliver ongoing uptime for our freight customers,” Sharman added. The new MaxiTRANS dealership site is located at 16 Badgally Road, Campbelltown, not far off the Hume Highway. It has A-double accessibility to and from the site to the major highway.
The Campbelltown facility has double the general servicing bays, as well as greater capacity to support major repairs and refurbishments.
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Truckin’ In The Tropics
Celebrating 32 years in the towing business
FOR more than half of his life Cam Duffy has run a towing business on the scenic Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland. The 60-year-old owns Cam Duffy Autos & Towing and has been in the business for 32 years. The company has four trucks: a flashy new Isuzu, two Nissan UDs and a Hino and has depots at Atherton, Mareeba and Malanda. His wife Andrea is a partner and an integral part of the operation. She says the Isuzu is the pride of the fleet. A lot of their work is around the Atherton Tablelands and they have secured the RACQ contract for the area. “But we have been as far away as Brisbane, Gold Coast and western destinations to return people home when they have had car issues. We have been doing that from Malanda for 27 years and since then from Atherton for the past 13 years and we recently picked up Mareeba district as well,” Andrea said. “It is very hard to get driv-
with Alf Wilson
Loving the view from the cab and the cockpit
Cam Duffy beside his tow truck. Photos: Alf Wilson
ers these days, but we have 12 in the business.” Big Rigs was told about the company by Townsville man Phil Burnett whose car broke down whilst towing his caravan at Millaa Millaa. “Cam brought myself and wife Judy back to Townsville which is 300km away and had the car on the back of the Isuzu and towed our van. He was fantastic and a real gentleman. The trip took about four hours. It was a comfortable ride and we thought it would be rough. We stopped at Cardwell on the way back and I would recommend him to people,” Burnett said. The trip took them from Millaa Millaa along the Palm-
erston Highway to the south of Innisfail and then along the Bruce Highway for the 250km journey to Townsville. Burnett said Duffy even dropped his van off at his Vincent address and then delivered the 4WD to a Garbutt mechanical workshop for repairs. “Nothing was too much trouble for him,” Burnett said. Andrea was asked what was the most challenging road to travel on was. “It would have to be the stretch between Millaa Millaa and Malanda. It has lots of potholes. They put in bitumen to fill the holes and expect vehicles to go over it and harden it. But you can get tar on your truck so we avoid doing that,” she said.
Michael Chambers was driving a Mercedes triple road train for Townsville Logistics.
AN apt description of 37-yearold truckie Michael Chambers is that he is a ‘high-flyer’. Whilst Chambers is a friendly driver who is enthusiastic about his job, he is also a light plane pilot. I saw Chambers when he pulled up near the Exchange Hotel at Torren’s Creek along the Flinders Highway just after noon. Working for Townsville Logistics, Chambers was driving a Mercedes triple road train.
“I delivered Q-lime to Kennington Mine and picked up a backload of zinc for Townsville. The Mercedes has an automatic gearbox and is comfortable to drive,” he said. A full-time truckie for six years, Chambers also has a pilot’s licence for small planes. “I have flown one to Greenvale and also Ingham from Townsville,” he said. Chambers added that Townsville Logistics was a
company that gave young drivers, including females, an opportunity. “They have hired a young lady aged about 28 and she is doing well,” he said. Another passion of Chambers is fishing and he has a bevy of choices about where to catch a feed in the rivers and creeks around his home town. After our chat, he walked into the Exchange Hotel for a cold soft drink on a very hot day before heading on his way.
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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023
Blown away by the depth of work carried out at Nadrasca
WOMEN IN TRANSPORT JACQUELENE BROTHERTON Chair of Transport Women Australia
DURING the month, I visited Nadrasca, which is a social enterprise. In short, Nadrasca Employment is the commercial arm of Nadrasca and provides supported employment opportunities to over 120 people with disability. I was able to tour their site and meet with Estelle Synaphet who is an important member of their transport team. Estelle joined Nadrasca’s school leavers’ program, My Life My Future in 2014 and later secured a full-time working position at Nadrasca Employment. She has progressed during her employment and is now a leader within their warehouse administration responsible for all transport bookings, which includes pickups and deliveries.
Estelle has shown such dedication and endeavour, the business wanted her to be recognised among other women working in the transport industry. Transport Women Australia Limited (TWAL) presented Estelle with a membership and a bag of merchandise and goodies and encouraged Nadrasca to become an active part of the TWAL community. I was blown away by the depth of the work carried out at Nadrasca and the positive culture throughout the organisation. Nadrasca also has a micro business of corporate gift sets; the Eye of Eden collection is a range of gift sets for your stakeholders, featuring items that are high value, locally sourced and longstanding. Our micro business team build and enhance their skills in stakeholder engagement, inventory management, administration and general office duties, production, delivery, social media, and email marketing. It was a very rewarding morning, and we are now planning to take a new K220 Kenworth to the site, so ev-
eryone is extremely excited, including me. I was excited to give the keynote speech at the 12th Victorian Major Projects Conference 2023 and to meet new people and renew old friendships. The Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre is such a great location. We have the 23rd World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in November. We will shortly be announcing the 2023 Trish Pickering Memorial Award recipient, and we have all of our EOY events to look forward to, in late November and early December. Time is running out to get your applications in for the Driving the Difference Scholarships as applications close on October 31 and late applications will not be accepted and there will be no extensions. You must be a TWAL member or the employee of a corporate member to apply. For application forms and criteria, please contact chair@transportwomen.com.au. Expressions of interest for the board of directors have been sent and all members, who have been members for more
I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE DEPTH OF THE WORK CARRIED OUT AT NADRASCA AND THE POSITIVE CULTURE THROUGHOUT THE ORGANISATION.” JACQUELENE BROTHERTON
than 12 months are eligible to apply for board positions. It is a working board so applicants if accepted need to be prepared to contribute to the board. The AGM is being held on November 13 and all members are invited to attend, the details have been sent to your inbox. If you cannot spare the time for the board, you may wish to join a subcommittee. If that is something that would appeal to you, please contact me at chair@trans portwomen.com.au. Book your tickets for the EOY functions for Wollongong, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth Melbourne, and Dubbo. Bookings are available now from trybooking.
Transport Women Australia Limited (TWAL) presented Estelle Synaphet with a membership and a bag of merchandise and goodies.
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NHVR launches new Freight PASS interactive online tool NHVR EXPERT BRAYDEN SOO Manager freight & supply chain
THE National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is excited to launch Freight PASS, a new interactive tool for the heavy vehicle industry to bolster safety, productivity and sustainability improvements for road managers, operators and the NHVR. The new tool will help operators by improving the speed, accuracy and consistency of road manager decision-making by helping them understand the comparative safety, productivity, and sustainability benefits of different freight vehicles for a nominated freight task. It’s a fantastic new tool for the heavy vehicle industry that will fill a vast knowledge gap for operators and road managers when they
The tool will help operators and road managers when they are assessing opportunities to let bigger and heavier vehicles on their roads.
are assessing opportunities to let bigger and heavier vehicles on their roads, to meet Australia’s growing freight task. Freight task growth – 2020-2050 (BITRE 2022, Australian aggregate freight forecasts – 2022 update, Research Report 154, Canberra, ACT) Road freight growth – 77 per cent total freight growth – 26 per cent rail freight growth – 5.7 per cent. The new tool will also support the industry’s tran-
sition to a more sustainable future by helping road managers to better understand heavy vehicle performance and informing industry vehicle purchase decisions to support the transition to zero emission vehicles. It will eliminate biases using data and methods that road managers trust that is scalable and flexible in application. It will also support industry by enabling the estimation of transport time and cost savings associated with
shorter routes and arming road managers with the information and confidence to grant access to higher performance vehicles. Freight PASS is one of the first heavy vehicle access and productivity tools that marries different vehicle classifications and naming conventions, with their associated data and modelling methods, from across governments, industry, research agencies and the NHVR. The platform allows the user to input scenario data
including the type of vehicle, load mass, trip length, average speed, commodity to estimate time, crash-rate, fuel consumption, carbon emissions, average cost and estimated savings. The outputs standardise evaluation of vehicles based on their performance in a freight task, rather than comparing individual vehicles undertaking single trips. For example, the tool shows that a 30m PBS A-double will complete a nominated freight task more safely, in half the time, with almost half the fuel consumption and carbon emissions than a 19m conventional semi-trailer. Freight PASS dispels the notion that larger vehicles are more dangerous and polluting, by improving industry and road manager understanding of heavy vehicle performance via a platform that is visual and interactive. The NHVR is committed to leveraging technology to boost safety, promote productivity and increase
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heavy vehicle standards, ultimately benefiting everyone on our roads. We encourage users to take advantage of this dynamic tool to ensure they balance and consider the long-term effects of road freight activity on productivity, safety and sustainability. The new technology will support evidence-based decisions and improve consistency across state and territory borders. It will also enable operators to leverage technology to obtain streamlined and consistent access decisions. The NHVR is working with the heavy vehicle industry to drive continuous improvement in the sector to make it easier for our members to improve safety, productivity and sustainability across their fleets. Freight PASS is the first of a suite of productivity related tools that will be released for consultation in the coming months. The NHVR will shortly release details for a series of webinars on Freight PASS.
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Boosting truckie ranks from sub-continent is a win-win
VTA COMMENT PETER ANDERSON CEO, Victorian Transport Association
WITH the pandemic reasonably behind us, life is slowly returning to normal, and with-it Australia’s borders are open to new migrants and permanent residents. Indeed, the conversations are now reverting to the concept of a “Big Australia”, and definitions around a reasonable annual immigration in-take. Much of this discussion is framed in the context of rising living costs, and concerns that housing, transport, food, medicine, and other essential goods and services will disproportionally increase with higher numbers of immigrant workers. While there is some merit in this point of view, it must also be remembered that Australia still faces major labour shortages, and that migration
must be one of several tools to increase our national workforce. This is especially the case with transport where the VTA has been advocating for professional drivers to be added to a list of priority occupations under the Migration Act. The sub-continent, including countries like India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, is well-suited to helping replenish our pool of drivers because there is already evidence of migration spikes among these community groups, many of which boast a rich tradition of transport work, particularly driving. Australia’s vast landscape demands an efficient freight industry. Transport is the lifeblood of our economy, ensuring that goods reach their destinations across great distances. However, our ageing workforce, driver demand exceeding supply, and challenging work conditions that discourages some demographics, are among the many factors in transport worker shortages. To address this pressing issue, Australia must embrace freight workers from the sub-continent, who bring
valuable skills and experience to the table. It makes sense because countries like India and Pakistan have a proud history of freight and logistics. Their workers often come with valuable skills and experience, which can significantly benefit the Australian freight industry. As well, these workers can make an immediate contribution to the industry after training in rules and regulations that are specific to Australia. This can help bridge the labour gap and increase productivity, reducing the cost of goods transportation which benefits consumers and businesses alike. Embracing sub-continent workers also enhances the diversity of Australia’s workforce, fostering a more inclusive and multicultural society. This diversity can also improve cultural understanding and international trade relations. Melbourne’s Indian Punjabi community is one that is wellplaced to help alleviate transport worker shortages, and I’ve had the recent pleasure or working closely with this community and being welcomed into their traditions.
Sharing their industry experiences at a recent VTA new members networking evening were: (L-R) VTA president Mike Lean (Wettenhalls), Harman Singh (Hawk Logistics) Fady Ahmad (Hawk Logistics) and Priya Singh (Hawk Logistics).
Western and north-western parts of Melbourne are the epicentre of freight and logistics in Victoria with two new freight terminals earmarked for construction, Inland Rail, two major airports, and major national road infrastructure in the region. The Punjabi community has recognised the opportunities for the industry in these
communities, which is why we are seeing pronounced growth in their numbers in Melbourne’s west. To ensure a smooth integration of sub-continent freight workers into the Australian industry, tailored training programs are essential. Training that helps foreign workers obtain the necessary licenses and certifications re-
quired to operate commercial vehicles in Australia is essential, and the VTA will continue to advocate for change to increase standards. Of course, language barriers can hinder effective communication, leading to safety issues, confusion, and potentially deadly mistakes. Language training to improve workers’ English proficiency, ensuring clear communication with colleagues and clients, is essential. On the flipside, established workers need to be sensitive to the cultural norms and diversity of our migrant workers. Australians are generally a generous, caring, and welcoming lot, and this attitude of care and acceptance must be encouraged for us to be internationally recognised as a desirable place to live and work. Embracing sub-continent freight workers to alleviate the driver shortage in Australia is a win-win solution. Not only can we address the critical shortage in our freight industry, but we can also enrich our society through diversity and inclusion.
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Taking it back to basics with achievable goals INDUSTRY ADVOCATE WARREN CLARK NatRoad CEO
THE EXISTING MEMBERS OF THE INDUSTRY PANEL ARE UNDOUBTEDLY EXPERTS IN THEIR OWN FIELDS, BUT THE EXPERTISE DOES NOT INCLUDE A STRONG FOCUS ON EITHER SMALL BUSINESSES OR EMPLOYEES.”
RENOWNED American businessman Jack Welch once said: “Strategy is actually very straightforward. You pick a general direction and implement like hell.” Of course, coming up with a National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy that sign-posts the way forward for road transport in Australia isn’t as simple as that. But the general principle applies. That’s why NatRoad has called for a re-calibration of the forthcoming strategy so it has a stronger focus on delivering outcomes. Take it back to basic, achievable goals, and implement like hell. We recently told the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts in a submission that its
In contrast, the August 30, 2023 ministerial roundtable held about the review of the strategy included broader representation, including industry representatives selected by and accountable to industry, so we live in hope of change. Taking stock of the process, the next five-year action plan will take us to the eve of the 2030s. It should have these objectives in its sights: The new Heavy Vehicle National Law should be legislated and operational. Major decarbonisation pathways should be cost effective for road transport businesses. The road network should be funded to achieve system-wide outcomes of improving safety, productivity, sustainability and connectivity. The proposed National Service Level Standards
A whole range of non-legislative reforms to improve heavy vehicle access should be implemented and operational.
needs to recognise that financially viable road freight operators are critical to success of the strategy. All those decarbonisation, innovation, productivity and safety outcomes won’t be achieved without a financially viable industry to drive investment. While the 2019 National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy has given our country
national strategic direction for improving our freight and supply chains, its success ultimately comes down to the decisions of state and territory governments. It’s time for a re-set and to hold all governments to account. A good place to start is governance. Which is a fancy word for describing how decisions are made.
There is Industry representation on the panel advising governments about the strategy there’s room for more direct industry-led representation, including by groups like NatRoad. The existing members of the industry panel are undoubtedly experts in their own fields, but the expertise does not include a strong focus on either small businesses or employees.
Framework (NSLSF) for Roads should be operational and guiding investment decisions by no later than 2025, ensuring a fair go for all Australians. A whole range of non-legislative reforms to improve heavy vehicle access – as suggested by the Kanofski Review - should be implemented and operational. Technology adoption has to be managed properly. The focus of connected and automated vehicles should be to improve safety, productivity and increasing job choice through new career pathways. And all state, territory and local governments should have published freight plans which align with the national strategy and the national urban freight planning principles.
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7 Reasons why you can’t ignore tyre management
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023
Regularly check tyre pressures.
FULL disclosure – at the end of this article, you will read about the new HVIA Training course: Best Practice Tyre Management, but the content between here and there could save you a motza. The course’s development was funded by the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative program, supported by the Australian Government. As the initiative’s title suggests, they choose projects to support based on the prospect of good safety outcomes. Right now, however, we
want to talk to you about another incentive to give your tyres and wheels more consideration – do it to save money. Fuel prices have been fragile for a long time, what with everything going on from both an economic and geopolitical standpoint. That has only been compounded by the latest upheavals. Of course, a good road transport operator is always across all of their costs, and as a reader of a publication like this, we can assume that you are pretty well-informed yourself.
Regularly examine tyre and wheel condition.
So, I’m guessing you already look at all the efficiencies you can build into your business, without compromising safety and the wellbeing of your crew and the community. The magic bullet then, is to address the two biggest consumable costs every operator has to contend with – that is fuel and tyres. The question is: how do you look at the two in the same breath? I’m glad you asked. The tyre is the only piece of equipment on a vehicle that is in contact with the road, so it is the only real means by which a vehicle can safely accelerate, steer, and most importantly, brake. There are seven key principles of best practice tyre management, and if you make these a part of your business processes, you will not only enjoy the comfort of a safer fleet, you will also reap the rewards of less wear and tear (i.e. longer tyre life) and better fuel economy: 1. Choose tyres and wheels that are fit for the task 2. Regularly check tyre pressures
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Choose tyres and wheels that are fit for the task.
3. Regularly examine tyre and wheel condition 4. Monitor wheel balance and alignment 5. Set appropriate inspection intervals 6. Plan for repairs, and storing tyres and wheels and other parts 7. Establish procedures, responsibilities, training, and equipment. These principles are explained in thorough detail in the Best Management Tyre Management online course by
HVIA Training. The course is supported by diagrams, graphics, animations, and videos. No matter what your role is in the heavy vehicle industry, these courses are invaluable for on-boarding and refresher training for staff. If the tyres or wheels on a vehicle are not functioning correctly, a vehicle’s handling, maneuverability, and stopping distance may all be negatively impacted, possibly to the extent that the vehicle becomes
unsafe to drive. In their 2020 Major Accident Investigation report, National Transport Insurance (NTI) analysed the causes of truck crashes resulting from mechanical failure, and found that steer tyre failure (blowout) contributed to over half (52.9 per cent) of all mechanical failure crashes. Remember, if you have any concern about a safety issue please talk to your team leader or supervisor and help make your workplace and tasks safer.
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QUICK CROSSWORD Across: 1. Iffy 3. Forgiven 9. Partner 10. Inner 11. In the long run 14. Owl 16. Cacti 17. Eon 18. Hierarchical 21. Brute 22. Maudlin 23. Election 24. Ants. Down: 1. Imprison 2. First 4. Oar 5. Going without 6. Venture 7. Nark 8. Undercurrent 12. Occur 13. Inclines 15. Leisure 19. Colon 20. Able 22. Moo.
U T
21
DOUBLECROSS
18
5
T
I R
G A S
G E
R E S
Insert 1 the missing Remedyletters to make ten words — five reading 2 theSteal cattle across grid and five reading down. 3 Decree
Note: than one solution 4 more Cult may 5 be possible. Wet spongy ground
6 9 11 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 22
Optic Appendage Encountered Allof puzzles Writer verse © The Puzzle Company Garb Vegetable Farm birds Cause corrosion Garden tool Headwear Attempt
cram curt marc maria mart raita rata rimu tarmac tart5tiara Across: 1 Caries, Bet, 7 Decoy, 8 Rustic, 10 Gem, 12 Tact, 13 Lit, 14 Pact, 16 tract trait tram trauma TRAUMATICPeel, trim 17 Got, 18 Feet, 20 Act, 23 Retina, 24 Aries, 25 Spy, 26 Terete. Down: 1 Cure, 2 Rustle, 3 Edict, 4 Sect, 5 Bog, 6 Eye, 9 Tail, 11 Met, 14 Poet, 15 Attire, 16 Pea, 17 Geese, 18 Fret, 19 Rake, 21 Cap, 22 Try.
GK CROSSWORD Across; 1 Pottery, 4 Conga, 7 Warp, 8 Monrovia, 10 Steve Davis, 12 Edison, 13 Slaves, 15 Clark Gable, 18 Anteater, 19 Pall, 20 Yonks, 21 Tetanus. Down: 1 Pawns, 2 Turmeric, 3 Yeoman, 4 Cardiology, 5 Nova, 6 Amadeus, 9 New Orleans, 11 Eva Braun, 12 Estuary, 14 Argent, 16 Ellis, 17 Eton.
R M I
R E E D S
C A
A T
E G R E T
How many words of four letters or more can you make? Each letter must be used only once and all words must contain the centre letter. There is at least one nine-letter word. No words starting with a capital are allowed, no plurals ending in s unless the word is also a verb.
20
SUDOKU G E A R S
WORD GO ROUND
4
Down 1. Jail (8) 2. Initially (5) 4. Paddle (3) 5. Abstinence (5,7) 6. Dare (7) 7. Informant (colloq) (4) 8. Feeling, atmosphere (12) 12. Happen (5) 13. Leans (8) 15. Free time (7) 19. Punctuation mark (5) 20. Competent (4) 22. Low (3)
Across 1. Uncertain (colloq) (4) 3. Absolved (8) 9. Associate (7) 10. From inside (5) 11. Over time (2,3,4,3) 14. Night bird (3) 16. Succulent plants (5) 17. Immeasurable period of time (3) 18. Arranged by rank (12) 21. Violent person (5) 22. Tearfully sentimental (7) 23. Poll (8) 24. Colony insects (4)
N I T R E
Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.
3
23
SOLUTIONS
EASY
2
A S S E T
SUDOKU
22
MOORE
SOLUTION
1
21
QUICK CROSSWORD amir amrita aria arum atria atrium attar aura auric carat cart
EASY
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Riding high with best of both worlds
This dedicated Queensland jockey, 31, reckons she’s onto a winner by also having truck driving skills on her CV. BY KAYLA WALSH GEMMA Hogg is no stranger to serious horsepower – in more ways than one. The 31-year-old from Emerald, Queensland is possibly the only woman in Australia juggling simultaneous careers as a jockey and a truckie. And while this takes an incredible amount of discipline and organisation, Hogg isn’t the type to be put off by a few hurdles. “I get up at 3.30am every morning to ride between six and 10 racehorses,” she said. “Then I get ready and I jump in my truck for the day. “When I get home in the evening, I have to do about two hours of exercise before I go to bed, because I have to stay fit for the horse-racing. “Then there’s usually a race day on the Saturday so I’ll go
to that. I used to find it exhausting but I’m getting used to the routine now.” As a jockey, your weight is very important, so Hogg also has to be very strict when it comes to her diet. “Obviously food from servos is not great for a jockey,” she explained. “I have to have rules. I’ll do food prep at the start of the week. “And then I try to go to a particular truck stop servo to fuel my truck up because you can use your fuel cards there and you don’t have to go into the servo. “It’s definitely harder to diet when you’ve got hot box food right in front of you.” Hogg grew up around horses, with her stepdad encouraging her to pursue an interest in horse riding. “I always had horses, but I wasn’t the best at pony club,”
she laughed. “I had that need for speed and excitement – pony club was too slow for me.” She moved on to Active Riders, which ran equestrian events more suited to her talents. “By the time I was 12, I was competing against adults – parents stopped putting their kids in events that I was in!” As for truck driving, she first developed an interest in it in her early 20s, but it wasn’t until a decade later that she got her first job as a truckie. “I’m a bit artistic, and I had gotten an airbrushing kit for my birthday,” she remembered. “One of my friends owned his own truck and he offered to teach me how to drive it and pay for my licence in exchange for me painting the firewall.” Hogg started her driving
Hogg’s big break as a truckie came when her current boss, Benjamin Scully from BT Tilt Trays in Emerald, offered her work as a tilt-tray operator.
career behind the wheel of a bus, bringing kids to and from school and transporting workers in the mines. Her big break came when her current boss, Benjamin Scully from BT Tilt Trays in Emerald, offered her work as a tilt-tray operator. “I welcomed the opportunity with open arms and got
to work learning to drive the company’s 18-speed Kenworth as well as learning how to load and unload machinery and mining equipment. “I also started towing a dog trailer. “With the support of my boss and loads of opportunities, I pretty soon I outgrew my little tilt tray truck so got
my HC license and I haven’t looked back.” Since then, Hogg has driven road trains hauling everything from cotton and hay to mining equipment and portable toilets. “I’ve also done wide load under escort work and learned to operate all kinds of machinery. I now drive all five trucks in our yard. I love getting
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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2023 my hands dirty in the workshop and out at breakdowns and make a point of pulling my own weight.” She is grateful to her boss Ben not just for giving her the opportunity to challenge herself at work, but for being flexible around her horse racing career. “Ben is awesome,” she said. “For example, if I have to travel for a race day, sometimes he might get me a load out of that town, so I can take a truck and I get paid to go. “I would never be able to do both the trucks and the horses if it wasn’t for a boss like him.” Horse racing and truck driving are both male-dominated industries, which Hogg said can be frustrating. “As a woman truck driver, I get spoken over a lot. Like, I might suggest an idea or something that might work, and I won’t be listened to until they’ve exhausted all other avenues. “Then finally they try what I
said and nine times out of ten it works. But yeah, usually I won’t try to overpower the men, I’ll just play dumb. “However, I will put my foot down when it comes to my trucks. For instance, the tilt tray I drive, Ben paid over $400k for it and we’ve kept it in pretty good condition. “If I see that someone is getting a bit too close to it with a forklift or something, I will step in and pull them up for that.” On the other hand, Hogg said there can be some advantages to being a female truckie. “If it’s a really hot day I might be allowed to go into a workshop to load or unload, and there’ll usually be some bitters there for me and they’ll be like ‘Hold on, I’ll roll your straps up for you!’ or they’ll get me a stepladder so I don’t have to climb up the side of the truck to get in. “It does have its perks as well.”
Truck driving has given Hogg an extra income stream, as well as a backup plan for later in life. “At the moment I’m 31, single, no kids,” she said. “But I eventually want a family, and I can’t be risking my life on racehorses if I want to be a mum. “I’m giving myself two more years of the racing before I fold on that. “The trucks have given me a backup plan, something that I could do if I was six months pregnant.” Sharing her advice for other women who are considering becoming a truckie, she said: “It’s hard to learn, but you will learn. “And once you’ve learnt it, you’ll love yourself for it. It’s really empowering. “I love waking up and going to the horses and then I can’t wait to get in my truck. It’s a really good life.”
Hogg celebrates her first win as a jockey aboard Levalet at Twin Hills on September 23.
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Truckload of opportunity
Army heavy vehicle drivers play a vital role in helping the ADF to respond to domestic disasters.
BY CAPTAIN KRYSTEN CLIFTON
WHILE some people don’t think twice about how groceries, household goods and online purchases get to them, many are aware of the importance of Australia’s trucking industry. But it has a problem and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) might be able to help. The trucking industry is experiencing workforce shortages, with key industry players pointing to challenges in recruiting, training and retaining heavy vehicle operators. The Australian Army trains and licences thousands of soldiers to drive and operate the ADF’s extensive heavy vehicle fleet. Although there is no formal agreement between the indus-
try and Defence, the benefits go both ways. Commanding Officer Army School of Transport Lieutenant Colonel Philippa Cleary said people joined ADF for high quality training and qualifications. “The training continuum requires candidates to have only a provisional car licence before commencing driver training at Puckapunyal at the Army School of Transport,” Lt-Col Cleary said. “The continuum licences drivers for Heavy Vehicle Over Mass Over Size codes through an 11-week, comprehensive training program. Defence issues the licence under an exemption framework and all licences can be transferred to the civilian equivalent upon separation from the ADF. “Army supports lifelong ca-
reers in the Australian transport and logistics industry, both in and out of uniform. “Our part-time soldiers play a vital role in helping us to respond to domestic disasters and contribute to maintaining and protecting Australia’s national interests, while keeping Australia moving.” Army also offers recovery technician training. Candidates conduct the same training as drivers before moving on to the Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in Wodonga to complete 12 months of intensive complex heavy transport and armoured vehicle recovery training. “If heavy vehicle drivers are up for a challenge, the Australian Army offers fast-track pathways for experienced operators, in both full-time and part-time roles,” Lt-Col Cleary said.
Easter Group Pty Ltd 73 Formation St, Wacol Easter Group, located in Wacol, provides time sensitive road transporting solutions to many companies throughout Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. . We are a family owned business, operating since 1976. We currently have the following positions available:
OPERATIONS ALLOCATORS (Brisbane based only)
You will be required to work on a rotating roster including Days-Nights-Weekends Previous Operations experience preferred.
MC LOCAL, LINEHAUL & 2-UP DRIVERS WANTED
(Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Based) Come and work for us as we are committed to: • Training and further education • Your safety • Maintaining an impressive Fleet On offer are permanent full time and roster positions including paid leave entitlements and public holidays. Drivers will need to be available to be scheduled for work falling across the 7 days of the week. The successful Applicant will: • Hold a current MC licence (minimum two years) • Have knowledge of the HVNL and Load Restraint • Be professional • Be reliable
To apply for the Operations/Driver positions please contact Operations Manager or by emailing your resume to
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