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JUST A THOUGHT PUBLISHED BY Prime Creative Media Pty Ltd ABN 51 127 239 212 11-15 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Australia Telephone: 03 9690 8766 Fax: 03 9682 0044 Email: enquiries@primecreative.com.au Publisher and Managing Editor: John Murphy Editor: Tim Giles Contributors: Paul Matthei Correspondents: Will Shiers (UK), Steve Sturgess (US) Subeditor: Amy Morison Advertising Manager: Trevor Herkess: 0411 411 352, trevor.herkess@primecreative.com.au Client Success Manager: Justine Nardone, justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au Production Manager: Michelle Weston Circulation & Subscriptions Manager: Gordon Watson Designers: Michelle Weston, Blake Storey, Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty REGISTERED BY Australia Post - ISSN 1445-1158 SUBSCRIPTION 03 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au

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A PARKING BAY FULL OF IDEAS

I

f you want to get a roomful of trucking people riled up just ask them to discuss the provision of parking bays. This is a topic guaranteed to get their gander up and, if you say the wrong thing, get a mouthful of short, sharp words.

This is a sensitive topic, but also one which goes to the heart of the matter when considering truckies and their trucks. It’s not the only issue the trucking industry has been struggling to bring to the fore, but, as an issue, it serves as an exemplar of how trucking is treated generally, both by the public and the various levels of government, all of whom have a part to play in the drama.

First, we have to look at the facts, these are not facts which are denied by anyone, but they are completely ignored by all and sundry. There is not enough provision for parking areas for trucks, which is adequate to meet the need for such facilities, and there is no plan to improve the situation on the table anywhere.

There are guidelines to specify what sort of parking trucks need at both a federal and state level. Guidelines! Nobody knows and nobody cares, just blame it on another level of government and move on.

Fact number two, parking bays for trucks are a serious safety issue. The stats come up over and over again, fatigue is an issue in many truck accidents, especially the single vehicle kind. If there was sufficient realistic provision of safe and quiet parking for truck drivers at a level where truckies could find somewhere to sleep if and when they felt fatigued, lives would be saved.

Places to park are at a premium, drivers have to live with the issue of trying to find somewhere to park in the dark with minimal signage and the additional pressure of knowing they need to find somewhere to sleep before they run out of time on their work diary, fatigued or not.

How big is the problem? No-one knows. How many parking bay places are there on our major highways? No-one knows. Where are they? No-one knows.

What do we know? We know there are not enough parking spaces and we also know nobody is doing anything about it.

This issue further reinforces the familiar feeling that trucking is invisible, to the government and the general public. These safety issues, which are killing people, are happening at night out of sight of the Netflix-watching public and uninterested politicians.

I recently sat in a room with trucking people discussing the perennial parking bay problem and we came up with plenty of solutions to the issue. We could design the perfect parking bay, put it in the perfect position. We could even come up with solutions to pay for the provision of decent parking facilities for the trucking people providing the everyday consumer with all of their consumer goods.

We have a solution, but it would seem no-one is listening. Every time a new road is built, the number of truck parking places diminishes. A new truck parking bay is built and then the local council fills it with piles of road aggregate for another new road they are building elsewhere.

We, the trucking industry care about the provision of parking bays to enable truck drivers to safely rest and not risk their own lives and the lives of others, but does anyone else?

EDITOR www.dieselnews.com.au

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ISSUE 110

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Contents THE NEXT STEP FOR KENWORTH

First, we had the introduction of the T610. Now, we see the arrival of the T410 and the T360 – the next step for Kenworth as they integrate their new cabin concept across the whole range. Tim Giles takes the trucks for a short spin.

24 ANOTHER LINK IN THE COLD CHAIN

48 IVECO’S ‘GENERATION X’

At Link Cold Storage and Transport in Wangaratta, Diesel calls in to see how the job should be done.

The new Stralis X-Way represents a comprehensive upgrade from its predecessor.

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60 HOW MANY CLUTCHES DO YOU NEED?

KEEPING COMPLIANCE SIMPLE

A Queensland operator who has found an electronic paperless f ix to auditable compliance.

Diesel takes the truck maker’s newly released dual clutch for a haul up the range.

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66

HINO TRUCKS GET SMARTER

Tim Giles takes a turn behind the wheel of Hino’s latest release.

42 DEALING WITH A KNOWN QUANTITY

DEJA VU ISSUES FOR TRANSPORT

The recent LBRCA Conference could be described as yet another one of those deja vu moments.

Paul Matthei speaks with Anthony Mansell, Director of AJM Transport, express freight specialist.

“Seating – on a higher level”

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Standard Issue 08

NEWS

In the news this issue: truck fatalities are down, dobbing on fatigue issues, legislated freight rates are on the cards, rest area strategy now and a Penske Rental refresh.

72 HAULMARK HEADS SOUTH A trailer maker known for its rugged Queensland and Territory-based equipment has found a new home, taking it away from its core market and widening its base and activities.

Diesel Workshop talks to the man who set up the South Australian Haulmark workshop, Darryl Smith.

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ROAD TRAIN VERSUS PLATOONING

Following a recent trip to Australia, Diesel’s European Correspondent, Will Shiers, questions why the UK doesn’t go down the road train route instead of trialling truck platooning.

90

MARCH MADNESS AT THE NORTH AMERICAN SHOWS

Diesel’s US Correspondent, Steve Sturgess, has been doing the rounds of the truck related show around the is time of year and reports on the latest development in US trucking.

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FOTON IS BACK FOR MORE

The Australian truck market is witnessing the return of Foton, as the Chinese truck maker introduces a new range of trucks into the light and medium duty truck market. POD looks at the intention of the brand to release two new models.

84

54 LOOKING AT THE BIGGER PICTURE As President and CEO of Scania Group, Henrik Henriksson is always looking at the bigger picture. He shares his views about the future of truck manufacturing with Diesel.

www.dieselnews.com.au

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NEWS & VIEWS

SURVEY SHOWS TRUCK FATALITIES ARE DOWN The new report from the National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC) reveals that truck fatalities are down.

These new national figures show the number of fatalities involving trucks has dropped 14 per cent in two years with predictions that we could see zero truckinvolved fatalities from 2032.

An analysis of Australia’s largest database of major crashes involving heavy vehicles shows a downward trend, with the number of fatal truck accidents the lowest in nearly two decades.

The NTARC report has been released at the Australian Trucking Association’s Trucking Australia Conference. NTARC further found the trend has Australia within a generation of achieving zero deaths from crashes involving heavy vehicles. The report also showed that the overall number of crashes caused by fatigue was down nation-wide.

“To put the figures in perspective, the decline in the number of heavy-vehicle involved deaths between the 2017 and 2019 reports equates to 1545 lives being saved,” said report author Adam Gibson, from National Transport Insurance.

Adam Gibson, from National Transport Insurance.

“Encouragingly, we’ve seen the lowest number of fatigue-related crashes in the report’s 16-year history. Fatigue was the cause of 9.8 per cent of major crashes, down from 20 per cent a decade ago.”

A State-by-State breakdown reveals: • Two out of every five serious fatigue accidents occur in New South Wales • The risk of a fatigue accident occurring in

Queensland is 51 per cent higher than the national average • In Western Australia, 15 per cent of the State’s major truck crashes are the result of fatigue Fatigue-related crashes in Victoria and South Australia have decreased in the last two years by 68 per cent and 40 per cent respectively.

“As an industry, we welcome new technology which alerts drivers to their fatigue, so that they might take a break and rest, before there’s any loss of life,” said Geoff Crouch, ATA Chair, in welcoming the results although stating there is still work to be done.

“We need to see a strong commitment from our government for practical safety solutions like an improved truck driver licensing system and mandatory safety technologies for new trucks.

“The ATA is working hard to improve safety outcomes, focusing on the improvement and increase of heavy vehicle rest areas, making the fatigue laws more flexible and hearing from drivers firsthand what they think will work.”

FATAL CRASHES DOWN FOR TRUCKS With the release of the latest accident figures by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE), the results show fatal crashes are down for trucks. The latest Fatal Heavy Vehicle Crashes Australia, Quarterly Bulletin for the last quarter of 2018 shows a drop of over 20 per cent in fatal crashes involving trucks.

BITRE provides economic analysis, research and statistics on infrastructure,

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DIESEL May-June 2019

transport and regional development issues for the Australian Government to help in policy development and increase the amount of data available.

During the 12 months to the end of December 2018, 154 people died from 136 fatal crashes involving heavy trucks.

These included 89 deaths from 78 crashes involving articulated trucks, 74 deaths from 65 crashes involving heavy rigid

trucks and nine deaths from seven crashes involving both a heavy rigid truck and an articulated truck.

Fatal crashes involving heavy trucks decreased by 20.5 per cent compared with the corresponding period one year earlier (from 171 to 136 crashes) and decreased by an average of 6.1 per cent per year over the three years to December 2018.

Fatal crashes involving articulated trucks: decreased by 15.2 per cent compared with the corresponding period one year earlier (from 92 to 78 crashes) and decreased by an average of 7.8 per cent per year over the three years to December 2018.

Fatal crashes involving heavy rigid trucks: decreased by 26.1 per cent compared with the corresponding period one year earlier (from 88 to 65 crashes) and decreased by an average of 1.5 per cent per year over the three years to December 2018.

Fatal crashes involving buses: decreased by 22.2 per cent compared with the corresponding period one year earlier (from 27 to 21 crashes) and increased by an average of 4.7 per cent per year over the three years to December 2018.

NEWS & VIEWS

DOBBING ON FATIGUE ISSUES On the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line, the highest number of calls were from people dobbing on fatigue issues. The second most reported topic was business practices, followed by mechanical safety.

The confidential reporting service has been live since July last year, and has been answering around 115 calls a month, and responding to over 65 reports of noncompliance nationwide every month.

“The Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line enables drivers and parties in the heavy vehicle supply chain to pass on information about possible breaches of the Heavy Vehicle National Law,” said Sal Petroccitto, NHVR CEO. “Between October 2018 and January 2019, 505 calls were received which generated 289 new reports.

Almost one-third of these were reporting fatigue concerns, and 25 per cent related to business practices.

“Concerns with mechanical safety (21 per cent) and load restraint (14 per cent) were the next most commonly reported.

I encourage operators and supply chain parties to take advantage of this service and contribute to the safety of our industry without fear of recrimination.”

The line was established with $250,000 funding from the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, supported by the Commonwealth

Government, to allow heavy vehicle safety concerns to be reported confidentially to the NHVR before being assessed and appropriate action taken.

To date, the Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line has been operated independently, however from March 1 calls have been answered by a special unit at the NHVR. The new operating hours for the reporting line will be 7am-4.30pm (AEST) from Monday to Friday, which covers 90 per cent of all current calls. Calls will continue to be treated in the strictest confidence.

“The reporting line is an important tool for us to gather information that can help make our roads safer for all users,” said Sal. “It’s important that it’s supported beyond the current funding period and that the identity of the reporting individual is protected throughout all stages of the process.”

The Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line number is 1800 931 785.

Meanwhile in South Australia, the NHVR has also been active in a joint operation with WA Main Roads on the SA/WA border.

The multi-agency Operation Long Run was a collaborative effort between the NVHR, Main Roads Western Australia, SA Police and the Department of Transport WA, led

by WA Main Roads.

“Overall the results showed that safety was a priority in the industry with only

43 offences out of 481 units across 177 heavy vehicles detected with safetyrelated issues,” said Paul Simionato, NHVR Operations Manager. “Unfortunately, six vehicles travelling west from South Australia were grounded for failing to hold WA accreditation, which is a concern.

“Operators need to remember that accreditation is mandatory for all heavy vehicles operating in WA, including those travelling from interstate. If your freight task requires you to drive through WA, you must be signed up to the WA Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme before you cross the border.”

Sal Petroccitto, NHVR CEO.

NEWS & VIEWS

PENSKE RENTAL REFRESH Since it began, back in 2014, the Penske Truck Rental fleet has grown to over 200 vehicles. Now, the business has decided it’s time for a refresh. The fleet tries to keep the average age of its trucks to around 2.5 years old. This means, every year, the rental side of the Penske Commercial Vehicles business will have a supply of four and five year old trucks to sell.

So, now a selection of trucks are moving across from Penske Truck Rental to Penske Power Systems. The trucks are mostly MAN TGS.540, TGS.480, and TGS.440 sleepers, all with 300,000km or less on the clock. There are also a selection of Western Star 4800 and 5800 sleepers with around 500,000km and up.

Some may have engine and driveline warranty left.

Penske replace every sold unit with a new prime mover and it is also ordering more to accommodate growth.

Accordingly, the second hand truck inventory will grow each year as the total fleet grows.

The trucks are being offered with complete maintenance histories as servicing and repair has been performed at authorised Penske dealerships. Penske Power Systems has second hand truck sales teams in Brisbane, Sydney, and Perth but have confirmed they can sell into any state, supported by the authorised dealers, who can then assist with service and parts sales.

The MANs are an interesting group of trucks to come on the market. There are not many second hand examples of these trucks, and not much to compare them to.

“It’s a unique supply that will replenish itself every year,” says Adrian Beach from Penske Truck Rental. “It’s still early days and what we’ve listed so far

is a small sample size, but we’ve had a lot of action and they’re selling well.

Purchasing gently pre-loved low-km MAN prime movers for half the price of a new truck might be a winning strategy for a medium-sized fleet operator.

Maybe the next-best thing to our fullymaintained operating leases.”

LEGISLATED FREIGHT RATES ARE ON THE CARDS In the wake of the Transport Industry Standards Forum convened by Senator Glenn Sterle at Parliament House

Senator Glenn Sterle.

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DIESEL May-June 2019

in Canberra, it looks like legislated freight rates are on the cards, if a Labor Government is formed after the coming federal election.

Senator Sterle emerged from the meeting commending the 70 organisation which took part in the discussions, talked about the squeeze coming from the top of the trucking industry, describing the situation as an existential crisis.

The Senator stated clearly that if Labor win the May federal election, the government will implement ‘legislated rates’ which address the problem of the ‘squeeze’ from the top. He did not go into any further detail, suggesting any legislation will follow a period of consultation with the whole industry, following on from the Transport Industry Standards Forum.

NatRoad was part of the discussions at Parliament House on what the future of the transport industry may look like under a Labor government.

“It was a great opportunity to come together with the Labor Party, the TWU and other Industry associations to discuss a sustainable future for transport with Senator Sterle,” said

Warren Clark after the forum.

He said discussions were positive, with everyone providing valuable suggestions on how to address the challenges the transport industry faces, and steps that need to be taken to improve safety outcomes.

“It was encouraging to discuss a united way forward for the transport industry, and I look forward to continuing the conversation with Senator Sterle,” said Warren.

“It is clear that the tide is turning and that our industry is united in pushing for a way to make things better,” said Michael Kaine, Transport Workers Union National Secretary. “The industry realises that a huge gap has been left since a road safety watchdog was torn down and that rates, payment deadlines, safety and sustainability has gotten worse.

“We believe that the ALP got the policy right in December at their national conference and that binding legislation to tackle the gross imbalances and a skewed power dynamic in our industry is the way forward. We look forward to moving ahead now and pushing for the implementation of this policy.”

NEWS & VIEWS

NATIONAL TRUCK REST AREA STRATEGY NOW Perennial Trucking industry advocate and campaigner, Rod Hannifey, is behind an initiative to get a National Truck Rest Area Strategy now. According to Rod there is no time to lose as the provision of rest areas deteriorates rather than improves.

“It seems every day, we lose one more space or spot to stop and rest in a truck,” said Rod. “Yes, we have some new rest areas and we are thankful and appreciative of them, but they are still so far behind what is needed in capacity for trucks, let alone for cars and the growing number of caravans and motorhomes etc.”

A recent study showed not only that not one of our major highways, met the minimum number of truck rest areas spaces deemed necessary, but they were thousands short. So many sites have been closed due to perceived safety reasons, instead of fixing them, they get closed, the authorities choose to close them.

Road realignments see more spaces disappear.

“I have made suggestions, contacted road authorities more than just once when such work is undertaken and been completely ignored,” said Rod. “Yet the biggest omission currently, must be the lack of a designated changeover facility on the Pacific Highway. We waited 30

Trucking industry advocate and campaigner, Rod Hannifey.

plus years for one on the Hume and drivers died waiting and we have a similar situation now on the Pacific.

“It was never safe doing changeovers at Clybucca, yet we now have a fantastic four lane highway bypassing most towns with nowhere to swap trailers safely. Who do we hold liable for the death of the next driver? The road authorities have been told, so are they guilty? I think so.”

Many local councils or businesses do not want trucks parking in their area and act accordingly. Major capital cities also increase parking restrictions. Rod reckons getting access to a supermarket or shop for food and supplies on the road

is virtually impossible in a B-double, even worse finding a chemist or doctor.

“We now have design guidelines for truck rest areas and informal green reflector informal bays, but we need more and we need them with shade and toilets and we need them now, to allow us to safely manage our fatigue on the road,” says Rod. “We do not want to drive when tired, but need good places, for decent sleep. You can’t leave your dog in the car in the heat, yet many of us sleep in such conditions.

“If we could get some serious discussion in place with road authorities about using some suitable and agreed stockpile sites for informal truck rest areas, we could solve the current truck rest area inadequacy problem within a month in some places. Many have excellent useable shade, something missing in the vast majority of truck rest areas.

“If we had a national truck rest area strategy that had some driver input to placement and design, that meant not one spot was closed without consultation and or replacement, then we will at the very least, stop going backwards. New roads and realignments must be looked at with truck rest areas in mind, possibly using the old road for some rest areas, instead of wasting money ripping up what could be nearly free sites.”

NEWS & VIEWS

PINPOINT AND EZY2C IS NOW NETSTAR AUSTRALIA Australian-based Pinpoint Communications was acquired by Netstar three years ago and acquired Australian based EZY2C two years ago, with this the two companies merged in March 2019, changing the name to Netstar Australia.

Netstar is a subsidiary of Altron, a group with primary focus on providing innovative technology solutions in various

sectors, including health, finance, safety and security, and is one of the largest suppliers of vehicle tracking and stolen vehicle recovery in Southern Africa.

Netstar has more than 600,000 vehicles fitted with GPS tracking technology globally.

Pinpoint Communications has been a certified provider of telematics applications

in the National Telematics Framework since November 2010. The change from Pinpoint Communications to Netstar highlights how global developments are demanding greater assurance in the capability of telematics services.

Netstar says it will be releasing an EWD in May 2019 and submitting it to the NHVR for certification.

FIRST ELECTRIC TRUCKS DELIVERED Volvo Trucks has announced that the first electric trucks delivered by the company are now working as garbage and distribution trucks for waste and recycling company Renova, logistics company DB Schenker and partner haulier TGM, all operating in Sweden.

The Volvo FL Electric trucks are part of a pre-series developed in collaboration with selected customers. The next stage will be series production of the Volvo FL Electric and the Volvo FE Electric, which will commence with a limited number of trucks for the European markets in the second half of 2019.

According to the Swedish truck maker, the absence of motor noise and exhaust emissions contributes to better working conditions for the drivers and a quieter, cleaner urban environment.

“Our close collaboration with drivers and customers has enabled us to develop, in a short space of time, electrified transport solutions that meet high requirements in terms of performance, driving distances, cargo handling and vehicle use,” said Roger Alm, President Volvo Trucks. “The drivers who will operate the electric trucks have had the opportunity to testVolvo FL Electric and the Volvo FE Electric.

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DIESEL May-June 2019

drive them prior to delivery, as part of the operator training.

“The drivers were particularly impressed with the responsive driveline, delivering fast and seamless acceleration, and the low noise level. We will continue to develop our electrified offering. At the same time, we are steadily reducing the environmental and climate impact of our diesel and gas powered trucks, primarily through energy-efficient drivelines.”

Both trucks are primarily intended for transport operations in urban conditions.

The Volvo FL Electric is designed for gross weights of up to 16 tonnes, while the Volvo FE Electric is engineered for heavier operations, with gross weights of up to 27 tonnes.

The Volvo FE Electric is also available with a Low Entry Cab that makes getting in and out more convenient and also increasing traffic safety by higher visibility, making it easier to keep an eye on other road users.

For the Volvo FL Electric, the electric motor has a maximum power rating of 130 kW. The Volvo FE Electric has dual electric motors for a maximum power rating of 370 kW and continuous power

output of 260 kW. Transmission to the driven wheels is via Volvo’s two-speed gearbox, propshaft and rear axle.

The battery capacity and battery packaging is flexible to suit customers individual transport needs, but both trucks can have up to 300 kWh capacity.

Discharged batteries can either be fully charged with up to 150 kW direct current in one to two hours, or with 22 kW alternating current from the mains grid in about ten hours. In practice, however, Volvo says the charging time is shorter since the batteries are never completely discharged.

Electric power offers rapid and linear acceleration since the electric motor delivers full torque from start. The Volvo FE Electric also has power shift functionality which delivers smoother gear changes.

An electric truck with four batteries carries about one tonne less payload than its diesel-driven counterpart. The Volvo FL Electric trucks that will operate in Gothenburg have just three batteries since battery capacity has been optimised to maximise payload on the particular routes where the trucks will operate.

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NATROAD NEWS

HARMONISATION OF SAFETY LAWS IN ROAD TRANSPORT LONG OVERDUE

A

ustralian safety law is founded on the idea of sharing responsibility for safety. In 2011, Australia moved towards getting harmonised work health and safety laws (WHS) where this approach is adopted.

As with other approaches to making laws in Australia uniform (– such as the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) the harmonised WHS law doesn’t apply in two states, Victoria and Western Australia. We are not sure if the current review of the WHS laws that was recently published will lead to these two states adopting the WHS laws, but we hope that true uniformity might be achieved. But the essential starting point is that these laws have applied to the road transport industry for some time.

The HVNL focuses on the safety of a heavy vehicle on a road while WHS laws cover all work-related hazards and risks.

This means there is a significant overlap.

Multiple duty holders with concurrent and overlapping duties are a common feature of many work activities, particularly in the transport industry dominated by supply

chains, and the approach set out in the WHS laws is now being applied in the HVNL. There is an increased emphasis on shared responsibility and broader risk-based duties being introduced in the HVNL, with the first ‘Issues Paper’ published by the National Transport Commission discussing a risk-based approach to regulating heavy vehicles.

In both the case of the WHS laws and the HVNL, NatRoad wants the laws to be harmonised so that multistate organisations can operate under consistent safety practices, language, descriptions and interpretations of safety duties, those in the HVNL and in WHS law.

This uniformity would have a positive impact on safety and productivity. We also want the duties under the WHS laws and the HVNL to be aligned as much as possible so that compliance with two different safety regimes doesn’t mean two sets of compliance practices.

The HVNL recognises that the responsibility for ensuring safety on the road is shared between various parties in the supply chain, including consignors, schedulers, operators and loading

managers. Recent amendments to the HVNL, that took effect from 1 October 2018, are aligning chain of responsibility provisions more closely with WHS laws to include outcomes-based primary duties and duties for executive officers. The HVNL clarifies that if possible, to comply with both the HVNL and WHS law then both must be complied with. But where there is any inconsistency between the WHS laws and the HVNL, the WHS law prevails.

Ultimately, we would like to see both the HVNL and the harmonised WHS laws underpinned by an expanded duty holder list defined by reference to those who have influence or control over the transport task and workplace health and safety. We believe that this change would effect reform in the industry that would advance safety and incorporate into the chain of responsibility parties who currently escape liability e.g. digital platforms. This measure would also reinforce that safe rates are a defunct and inappropriate response to increasing the protection of owner drivers and other industry participants.

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

The Next Step For

Kenworth First we had the introduction of the T610, and now we see the arrival of the T410 and the T360, the next step for Kenworth in the process of integrating their new cabin concept across the whole range. Tim Giles takes the trucks for a short spin.

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DIESEL May-June 2019

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

T

he two new models from Kenworth are the T410 and the T360, effectively replacing the current T409 and the T359. These are the latest updates to the Kenworth range, as the 2.1 metre wide standard cabin design works its way across the offering from the Bayswater-based company.

The first in the sequence was the introduction of the T610, which came out two years ago and has been accepted as a viable model. In fact, the T610 and the T610 SAR has comprised over 30 per cent of the recent production at Paccar’s assembly plant in Bayswater.

This is not just a new cabin introduction; it is radical progression of the Paccar

product in Australia, designed to keep up-to-date with developments in the US and in Europe. Along with the 2.1 metre cab shell there is also the latest electronic architecture. Gone is the tightly packed spaghetti of wiring behind the dash.This has been replaced with a state-of-the-art CANbus – electronic control and sensors all communicating and powered through the same channels.

While the rest of the Kenworth range, now becoming known as the ‘legacy’ models, were conceived in the preelectronic age, the new truck models are capable of handling the future demands of ever-increasing sophistication in systems. The new trucks are able to offer,

as options, all of the latest and greatest safety equipment, like active cruise control, lane keeping, reversing camera, dash cams and more.

This increased computing power also puts more data at the disposal of both the driver and the operator. All of the parameters a driver needs are available from scrolling through the screens and there is also a suite of driving tips that mark a driver’s performance and congratulates them when they do a good job.

It is important to understand that Kenworth are thinking very differently about how they build trucks than they were 20 years ago. The customised Kenworth trucks are highly prized and the brand’s reputation was built on the truck maker’s ability to build a truck to suit the task in a tailormade way. This led to the development of a diverse offering of trucks with many interchangeable components.

Truck manufacturing and technology have changed swiftly in recent years and many customers are looking for vehicles with sophisticated electronics to control, monitor and keep the truck safe. At the same time the number of components available to the Kenworth buyer has diminished with the growth of the proprietary driveline by global truck manufacturing groups.

Paccar as a group has the capacity to build these highly sophisticated systems in both Europe and North America. There has also been a move towards a more proprietary driveline with the introduction of the Paccar engines and, now, even a Paccar-branded transmission.

At the same time, Kenworth sales in Australia continue to boom – they dominate the heavy duty market. The relatively small plant at Bayswater has been undergoing a series of improvements and reconfigurations to make it more efficient and increase build capacity. Now, a new extension is being built to increase capacity even more to cope with increased demand.

One of the premier efficiencies being developed is the use of a single design for a standard 2.1 metre wide cabin across much of the top selling range.

This simplifies the building process, speeds it up and reduces the costs of research and development across the range. The new design also includes an electronic architecture capable of taking the Kenworth product into the foreseeable technological future.

www.dieselnews.com.au

17

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT SEGMENT BY SEGMENT In introducing these new models, Kenworth are classifying their truck offering in a more rational fashion. The market is now divided up into models designed to utilise a particular engine configuration and not the previous mix and match approach.

“We always had the intention of introducing the cabs from the T610 into the rest of the product line-up,” says Brad May, Director Sales and Marketing Paccar Australia. “We wanted to do a bit of a reset on our range. We looked at designing the trucks specifically to what the markets are.”

The new models are part of a general realignment of the model range in the Kenworth world. The T610 trucks are now those fitted with 15-litre engines from Cummins and the T410 range are trucks fitted with the 13-litre engine from Paccar, the MX13.

In the past, a model like the T409SAR was often sold fitted with a 15-litre X15 engine, but this is no longer the case. If you want a 15-litre engine, you go the T610 or any of the other T6 models still available, plus, of course, the T909. The T410 will only be available with a Paccar 13-litre.

The new classifications have the effect of limiting choice to a certain extent, but quite a lot of customisation is still available to the Kenworth buyer with engine choice now being brought up to date. There may be some who might be put off by the single Paccar engine choice, but these improved engines also come along with a lot of innovation for Kenworth.

Also, these choices reduce the cost of truck and driveline development. The research and development teams have only had to design the entire truck to be fitted with one and not a series of choices.

Going to the much more modern design of the new cabin across the range brings a number of improvements to all the new trucks. This includes better visibility and access with the enlarged glass windscreens and deeper door windows.

These are further aided by modern mirrors added to the A pillar and not the door. The doors also open at a wider circumference than Kenworths of the past.

Further increasing the safety options on the new trucks, the electronic architecture means that all new models have the same safety system. Truck buyers can option in active cruise control, lane keeping, stability control and the latest braking technologies in both the T410 and the T360.

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DIESEL May-June 2019

T410 The more specific role for the new T410, with only one engine size option, still covers a large spread of applications. It will be seen hauling a wide variety of different loads around our cities and on intrastate freight routes where the top power 15-litre is not required.

“The core of this truck is we have one engine,” says Brad. “We have the Paccar MX13. It is an engine available in Euro-5 and has been around for a very long time in the DAF product and in Kenworth for five years. It’s a proven product, but now we have managed to put some upgrades into it.

Now, we have a two-stage engine brake.

“Previous installations of this engine were 24 volt, so we had to adapt the truck to handle the higher voltage with converters and the like. This engine now has a full 12 volt electrical system, which means a simplified installation, taking away some cost and some complexity.

“Most importantly this gives us full compatibility with the Bendix Fusion system, which we have sold a lot of in the T610. It gives us a whole package of safety systems, which are very important, particularly when dealing with people like the fuel industry. This means all T410 models will have full access to these safety systems.”

Paccar in the US recently announced the sale of the 200,000th MX13 engine fitted in one of their trucks. It has been successful in terms of its tare weight and low noise levels.

It has a flat-topped torque curve from 1000rpm to 1400rpm, making it flexible for the transmission and easier to drive.

A new introduction as a third transmission option is the Paccar 12speed twin countershaft AMT. It remains only an option because the maximum GCM it is rated for is just 50 tonnes. This makes suitable for single trailer work only with no B-double option. The heavier masses will

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT still have a choice between the traditional Roadranger and the Ultrashift Plus, which are rated up to 70 tonnes.

This new transmission has been sold in the US truck market for some time, coupled with the MX13. In fact, this AMT was developed with Eaton and is based on the their Endurant AMT, sold in large numbers on the US market as a fuel saving option.

This transmission has the advantage of being developed specifically for the MX13 engine to provide smoother communication and optimisation of power and fuel use. It is also much lighter than the other options on offer.

Diesel’s limited opportunity to drive a truck fitted with this AMT did demonstrate how smooth changing this gearbox can be.

The combination of Paccar MX13 and the Paccar AMT leads to an experience very close to that which drivers of European trucks have had for some time.

Both of the AMTs available will be controlled by a stalk on the steering column, which also controls the two-stage engine brake.

T360 In superseding the T359, the T360 just takes the vocational workhorse of the last few years to another level. This is what Kenworth do best, come up with a model, run with it for a few years and then refine and refine until it is suited for an application.

This is the case for the T360, which has developed from the original T350 from earlier this century. The truck was originally designed to fit into the tight dimensional rules around heavy rigid trucks, where a short bumper to back

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DIESEL May-June 2019

of cab (BBC) and a set-forward axle will enable operators to maximise load space or body space whilst retaining high GCM allowances.

One of the more successful adaptations of this design has been the 8x4 and 10x4 versions of this model. In the T360 we see the truck become a flexible platform for twin steer rigid operation, utilisng the nine-litre Cummins ISL with a choice of transmissions in behind.

“What we wanted to do in developing the T360 was to take the T359 and improve upon it,” says Brad. “Improve manoeuvrability, improve tare weight and increase flexibility with a better BBC to improve options with bodies. Visibility is important when running around in an urban environment and drivers are getting in and out of trucks a lot.”

Steering geometry has improved and there is close to a two metre improvement in turning circle. Paccar can no longer offer the Cummins ISM engine, and will only offer the nine-litre ISL across the range. With a lighter engine and an improved cooling system with an aluminium core, the front axle weight is 100kg lower than its predecessor.

Moving the new cabin forward has allowed a four inch (100mm) reduction in BBC. Even this small improvement allows for more flexible body placement, or shorter wheelbases. A smaller cooling package and the resulting steeper bonnet angle has also improved vision at the front of the truck.

Apart from the wider opening doors, particularly important for vocational drivers hopping in and out of the cab, is step design. The new steps have a

‘maximised angle inboard’, the steps are set back further as the driver climb aboard, more like a staircase and less like a ladder. The top step is also much larger and safer, as a result.

FLEXIBILITY RANGE The 2.1 metre wide cab in as an integral part of the core Kenworth range now and it brings a lot of plusses for the driver.

We have become used to tight cabs with space limitations in Kenworths of the past, but now the brand can offer space comfort and a consistent cabin, up and down the range.

At the same time Kenworth have been careful not to move too far from that traditional KW look. There are the visual cues we have got used to and the overall feel is definitely Kenworth, but also definitely more modern.

Some traditionalists may turn their nose up at the modernisation, but others will appreciate the quieter cab, extra room, better visibility and improved safety options.

To this end there are two trim options.

One is more in the old style with plenty of gauges and switches, while the other is a pared down fleet option at a lower price point. The modern electronics also bring a greater choice of interior design, as gauges can be placed anywhere and the seven inch LCD screens can be optioned and configured as required.

The introduction of these two new models means the Kenworth brand has a modern state-of-the-art truck throughout its main range, apart from in cabover. Of course, it will continue with these outliers in terms of cabovers, the very top of the range and road train prime movers, models like the K200, T659, T909, T509 have a specific market and are not set to change anytime soon.

Of course, the K200 and the T909 are popular sellers, and Brad says there are no concrete plans to launch replacements any time soon. However, modernisation must be on the drawing board for these two, at least. As usual, the Paccar organisation will play its cards very close to its chest and the K200 and T909 are too important to be tinkered with lightly.

However, at the present, a truck buyer looking for anything from a heavy-duty rigid with a nine-litre engine all the way up to a road train prime mover with a 15-litre engine has the option of going the next step with a modern conventional Kenworth truck.

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DIESEL May-June 2019

OPERATOR PROFILE

Another Link in the

Cold Chain Getting the operation just right, so you are not just another link in the cold chain is working well for Link Cold Storage and Transport in Wangaratta. Tim Giles calls in to see how the job should be done.

www.dieselnews.com.au

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OPERATOR PROFILE Apart from the semis there is a selection of rigid trucks and a few smaller vans.

A

rriving at the main base for Link Cold Storage and Transport on the outskirts of northern Victoria’s Wangaratta, it’s clear this is no ordinary local fridge operation.

The yard is immaculate, a late model clean prime mover sits with its half-loaded trailer next the cold store door as the load is finished off.

The trucking industry is changing, it has to change, to engage with the large corporate customers, for whom everything must be very professional, so their corporate lawyers can sleep securely knowing there is no chain of responsibility investigation around the corner.

The trucking operators’ function does involve getting the freight from A to B in the right condition and at the right time, but there is so much more to the relationship now. A high level of service is required and there must be no need, on the part of the customer, to worry about the intricacies of getting the freight moved.

This is the kind of set-up Simon Frazer and his wife Anna-Lisa have developed in Wangaratta. It has grown to the point where they are looking to expand cold storage capacity and move ahead with the business.

The fresh-looking yard has been the company’s home for the past three years.

The business has grown organically from a small wholesale food business Simon was running twenty years ago. That business was simply a small fridge truck with Simon driving around Victoria buying and selling gourmet food.

The work involved weekly trips to Melbourne to top up on particular goods and this offered Simon the opportunity to run other people’s refrigerated goods in

26

“A STRONG LOCAL ECONOMY ALSO HELPS IN KEEPING YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THE REGION AND WORKING IN THE GROWING BUSINESSES.” and out of the city, at the same time. A few boxes here and a few boxes back grew over time to become a steady flow of regular ongoing work.

“A few years in and we had a business which was a good food wholesale business, but was also a refrigerated transport business,” says Simon. “At that point I understood we couldn’t do both, there was a conflict of interest. You can’t do selling as well as carting.

“We were able to sell the food wholesale business and it is still running today. We spent another two years building the transport business and then we were bought out by Roadmaster, about 15 or so years ago. That was fine, I worked for Roadmaster for a while and then decided to get out of the industry.

“I was looking for something else to do and ended up buying an Enzed franchise, supplying and fixing hydraulic hoses. It was a great business, but I always had a love for the coldstore business.”

While running the hydraulic business Simon built a small coldstore/freezer. He wanted to gauge the level of interest there would be in such an enterprise and it just took off. At the same time the hydraulic business was also going quite well. He was very upbeat about the prospect at that

stage. However, later that year everyone took their stock out of the store, the changed season meant suppliers ran their stocks right down and Simon was left with an empty cold store.

“We decided to buy a little van to run around and do some Woolworths work. That was enough to keep the cold store running.

We kept in touch with a few customers and one of them, Rivalea, was looking to change supplier of refrigerated transport and cold storage.

Rivalea is based just over the border in New South Wales, 50 km north of Wangaratta. The company distributes pork throughout Australia, Asia and other parts of the world. It’s local delivery and export requirements mean it was looking for a comprehensive distributor for its products.

Simon and Anna-Lisa had to demonstrate their competence in a complex field. They were also able to become licensed in handling export goods.

“I sat down with them and made a few recommendations about what I would do, and they went with it,” says Simon. “As a result, I went out and got a subcontractor with a prime mover so they could pull my refrigerated trailer, and away we went. We have now grown with them to the point where we handle 80 per cent of their production and they are the largest producer in the southern hemisphere.

We are now also Woolworths approved, so we do a lot of direct work for Woolies themselves.”

WANGARATTA’S MICRO-ECONOMY The local economy in and around Wangaratta appears to be quite strong.

Businesses like the Link operation have

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OPERATOR PROFILE been able to grow because small niche suppliers are basing themselves in the area, as a result of the quality-of-life available there.

Wangaratta is a relatively small town with some larger ones nearby like Wodonga, but it is big enough to have all the essential services the locals need and to be a pleasant community in which to live. A strong local economy also helps in keeping younger people in the region and working in the growing businesses.

The local population is growing, with housing being built around the town. New industrial land has been released for businesses relocating to the Wangaratta. For most people in the town their commute is just five minutes.

“In this area there are a lot of other small suppliers who require cold storage and refrigerated transport,” says Simon. “The

initial freezer soon became overloaded and the business moved across the road, where we built a larger freezer and a chiller. It only took a further 12 months to fill the facility and the business had to look for and found a larger property on which to build a serious cold store facility.”

Currently, the Link facility has a large chiller, but a blast freezer is about to be built on the same site. The company has also held on to its old cold storage facility, which they use as a backup when things get very busy, and they do.

“We had concentrated on just a few customers and then realised that in this area there are a lot of small boutique businesses like wineries, cheese producers, butter-makers, all these small pocket businesses,” says Simon. “We went to see these businesses and told them that we understood that their produce was taking

Simon is looking forward to trying out a new system being brought in by Carrier.

three or four days to get to Melbourne. We introduced a more personalised service, so typically, we will pick up from them in the afternoon and it will be delivered before lunch in Melbourne on the next day. It can be anything from one box in the middle of the city and up.

“We had a small van which ran around and did this and it has been a runaway success. I initially told the customers we would try it out for three months and if it didn’t work out, we would get out of it. They have all supported us, extended now from one small van to two vans and a small rigid fridge truck. Anything too big for the rigids can be picked up by our semis.”

This kind of bespoke service which is adaptable to the small local business’ needs that Link provides allows the smaller niche businesses to compete on a more level playing field with big city rivals. The trucks cover the region as far north as Griffith, nearly 300 km away and have managed to acquire both outward distribution and inward collection in these areas.

Loads can vary in size from a full trailer for Woolworths, down to a single box delivery out of a van into Collins St in Melbourne’s CBD. The variety of products is very wide, but 60 per cent of the work comes from full loads out of the larger suppliers, with the loads stored at the Link facility before being made up into orders for distribution to end customers like the IGA stores in the region.

Some customers, like restaurants, also make purchases with Melbourne specialist suppliers and the operation can pick that kind of product up for the Wangaratta area clients and bring it back and deliver it to them. There seems to be quite a few companies who are moving out of the cities and into the country, where Link has been able to support them. Being able to handle their exports has also been useful.

LOOKING FOR RELIABILITY “A big part of what we rely on is great equipment. This means we buy Volvo trucks, FTE trailers with Carrier refrigeration on them,” says Simon. “For all three of them, it is their backup, the way they support us, which is great. So, we support their business in return. We are very loyal and that loyalty pays off for us.”

Link has 12 trucks on the road, including eight semitrailers. There is also one longterm sub contractor. Apart from the semis there is a selection of rigid trucks and a few smaller vans.

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DIESEL May-June 2019

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OPERATOR PROFILE ago the company struggled to cope, while I was thinking I had enough staff to handle a lot of extra work,” says Simon. “This led to a decision to recruit a good team of casual workers to handle the extreme rushes around holiday periods. As the operation has grown, several of those casuals have become part of the full-time workforce.”

The main group of truck drivers average around 55 years old, but Simon has engaged a number of younger drivers who are being trained up while working locally in the daylight hours. Learning how to do the job properly before being let loose on the longer runs.

“We have a training program,” explains Simon. “For the first three or four months they will only run to Corowa about an hour away, there and back. After three months we can send them on daylight runs into Melbourne. After six months we will try them out on a single drop night run. By going through this process we find we have reduced a lot of damage to the freight.

The only damage we seem to get is the occasional kangaroo.

“We recently advertised for some more drivers. We will get them in and spend plenty of time inducting them and bringing them up to speed before they go anywhere near a truck. At the moment we have two who are just beginning the process, and at the same time we have some customers who are talking about increasing the amount of work we do for them. When they say yes, we will be ready.

“We are very mindful with the casual workers we have. If we can’t give them

“We’ve got more tools to get the job right now, if you look at the telematicssystem we’re using, we use fridge telematics, we use third-party telematics and we also use the Volvo telematics on the trucks.”

enough work, they will go somewhere else. Sometimes we will have our regular staff working on cleanup duties around the depot, so we can get our casual drivers out on the road, they know we are thinking about them and keep them happy. Then, when the pressure is on we will have enough people to cover all the work.”

Altogether, there are 30 people working in business including both full time and casual. There are 22 full timers, 15 of whom are drivers. This works out to be almost two per truck as most trucks run day and night.

Everyone gets back to the depot on Friday to get a weekend at home. Just about all of the drivers are home every day or night, depending on their shift.

“The bulk of our work is in Melbourne, with occasional work going to Sydney and, recently, we did our first trip to Brisbane for

Altogether, there are 30 people working in business.

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DIESEL May-June 2019

our biggest customer.”

KEEPING AN EYE ON THINGS Working for corporate clients means there is a need for transparency and accountability. Data confirming compliance with all of the rules around trucking and the requirements of a distribution contract is necessary to keep the corporates secure in terms of liability.

“We’ve got more tools to get the job right now, if you look at the telematics system we’re using, we use fridge telematics, we use third-party telematics and we also use the Volvo telematics on the trucks. The customer wants what they want, but they are also beginning to understand the chain of responsibility.

We’re telling them they can’t just do what they want, we explain what is legal and they have been pretty good about it.

“For the larger companies and businesses like Woolworths there is a real understanding of chain of responsibility now. However, for the small niche customers which Link deal with on a day-to-day basis, it is very different.

“We have a compliance officer here and we are quite happy to follow up with the customer and tell them something can’t be done because of these reasons.

We explain the legislation. As soon as they understand that this is the right way to do things they are fine.”

By using a mixture of different monitoring, the company can check one system and then a second to ensure the data is correct. Simon is looking forward to trying out a new system being brought in by Carrier. The monitoring will go way beyond just temperature, but monitor the performance of the engine, flagging preventative maintenance to

OPERATOR PROFILE avoid any possibility of breakdown of the refrigeration unit.

Both the Procon telematics and the Volvo Dynafleet are used to monitor both truck and driver, as a safeguard to ensure compliance. Fuel economy gets plenty of monitoring and the fleet is currently averaging 2.65 km/l. The latest truck is getting close to 3 km/l while doing multidrop work around Melbourne.

The rostering system Link use ensures one person may be responsible for pulling together a load, but someone else will be responsible for taking that job to Melbourne, for example.

“We want our staff to have a life,” says Simon. “We had a look, about six months ago, at going onto basic fatigue management and being able to drive for 14 hours a day, but we decided against it. We don’t want to wring it all out of our drivers and get every last minute out of them.

“We are trying to run a business where we all enjoy coming here and can get home afterwards. So, with the customers, we will take a hard stand and they have accepted it. We are people; not products.”

“We are very mindful with the casual workers we have. If we can’t give them enough work, they will go somewhere else.”

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CONNECTED TRUCKS

KEEPING COMPLIANCE SIMPLE One of the biggest challenges facing smaller trucking operators is compliance.

In this latest episode of Connected Trucks, Tim Giles meets a Queensland operator who seems to have found an electronic fix to auditable compliance that doesn’t involve reams of paper or a selection of black boxes in the cabin.

M

ick Baker runs a small fleet of trucks out of a base in Dalby, 200km west of Brisbane, on the Darling Downs. Still driving himself, Mick was looking for a mobile solution for his compliance problem. He just doesn’t have enough time, with a young family at home, to spend his weekends ploughing through paperwork, to ensure compliance when the auditor comes around to meet National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme requirements.

Mick comes from a farming background. His father grew up on the farm and has a farm with a couple of trucks. He spent his youth driving a Mack R600 around the paddock.

The Tulag business began in 2010 after Mick decided to quit the crop dusting profession to stay a little closer to home and see more of his young family. The first work he took on was with a Kenworth T608 hauling a B-double set of tankers full of molasses from the Isis

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DIESEL May-June 2019

Sugar Mill, near Bundaberg for delivery into a feedlot in his local area, around Dalby.

“I’m a crop duster by trade,” says Mick. “I drove trucks to pay for my pilot’s license. I started crop dusting in 2003 and then had my own business doing it.

Then I started having kids and wanted to spend less time away from home crop dusting. That’s when I got back into trucks.

“I started doing this because it was easy to manage. I had two feedlots to supply and it was just getting the job done. At the moment, with the dry, it is getting a bit harder, because I am looking for work. I have had two good drivers for a long time and every week we all knew what we were doing. When I was crop dusting you just had to keep working. Even if I was sick, I had to keep flying.”

As the feedlot has grown, so has Mick’s business. He now has three trucks hauling the liquids the feedlot requires.

He also hauls a food supplement liquid into the feedlot from Kingsthorpe on the outskirts of Toowoomba. In recent times most of the molasses comes out of the Marion Sugar Mill inland from Mackay.

The fleet runs two AB-triples and a B-double, plus in addition to the 10 tanker trailers there’s a couple of walking floor trailers now used to move silage, but originally meant to work hauling cotton seed hulls as another food source for the feedlot.

Although the cotton seed work has stopped, the fact Mick has the walking floor trailers has got around and he is fielding calls to move materials like silage on a regular basis. The silage does pay, but Mick reckons it’s hard on the gear getting in and out of the paddocks when loading.

“The dry got us this year,” says Mick.

“We even had to go as far north as Tully to get the molasses. That’s a big haul and not very economical for the feedlot, or us.”

RUNNING THE TRUCK RIGHT The original truck Mick started with in business is still working. The T608 has now done 1.4 million km with an engine rebuild at 950,000km. Mick reckons that’s pretty good for an EGR engine, an engine not known for its longevity or reliability.

This may be as a result of Mick’s insistence on regular oil changes. The old T608 will get new oil every 250 hours and the newer T909s in the fleet will get new oil every 350 hours, well inside the 500 hours recommended by the manufacturer.

“Servicing to me is number one,” says Mick. “I know it costs a lot of money, but I just want to have the reliability. I want to keep my trucks a long time. I think I got very lucky with my T608.”

It was Mick’s decision to get accredited with the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS) for mass management and maintenance which saw him first encounter the

problems around being compliant and being audited to demonstarte compliant.

“When I first started out they said to me, if I was doing mass, I might as well do maintenance,” says Mick. “I got started on it and I reckon the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has been brilliant. The only problem was getting one particular permit, which I could understand. It was a new road, getting into Kingsthorpe, with a road train. I like dealing with the NHVR – when you ring up, they do a good job.”

The trucks run at higher mass limits (HML), but Mick actually doesn’t run right up to maximum weights. The AB-triple has to be split up to load out of Mackay, so he loads the B-double combination at 65 tonnes gross combined mass (GCM) and the single trailer at 44 tonnes GCM. Overall GCM is around 99 or 100 tonnes at these weights, when the combination is put together as an AB-triple.

“I am always light on the overall gross

mass,” says Mick. “It looks like we are going to be unhooking for some time, so we go with these weights. If I didn’t have mass management I wouldn’t be able to run as high as I do.”

On the subject of GCM and tare weight, Mick reckons he will be looking at a Kenworth T610 as an option, next time around. As a prime mover, a lighter one, it would enable him to increase payload out of the sugar mills.

“This T909 is nearly 11 tonnes tare and my driver has got half the mechanic shop in it, which doesn’t help,” says Mick.

“That’s fine, with my drivers, if they have a minor breakdown, they are not ringing me up, they fix it themselves and keep going.

“They are like good old fashioned truckies. I came across a driver by the side of the road, from another company. It was 230 km to the next town and I asked him what was wrong. He said it was the brakes and I could hear there was something wrong at the back. I just got

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33

CONNECTED TRUCKS

Mick has been keeping his compliance up to date with EziComply.

under there and it was a split in the hose.

“He didn’t have any tools in the cab, company policy. I just got a clamp and a screwdriver and fixed it. He was expected to wait two and a half hours for someone to fix it. I just couldn’t do that. I am just a small operation. It would send me broke, if I had to do that.

“I saw him again a couple of weeks later and he was asking about getting a job with me. I just laughed and told him he’s got to know how to do that sort of

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DIESEL May-June 2019

stuff, if he wants to work for me. Just grab a little toolbox and bring it with you.”

GETTING COMPLIANCE RIGHT Mick has been keeping his compliance up to date for some time using a system called Ezicomply. It is designed for small fleets like his to manage compliance without creating a mountain of paperwork and to ensure auditors give the business a pass mark.

Each driver has the app on their

phone, Mick uses his home computer to input and extract data. Even the mechanic in Toowoomba who services the trucks has access to a portal to enter all of the work they do into the system, either on a smartphone or computer.

Everyone involved with the trucks can get on the site, with access suited to their role, be it admin, driver, service, and so on. The system will log everything involved in the servicing of the trucks.

The system will also warn Mick and the mechanic when warranty is due to be looked at.

“I don’t have to do any paper work,” says Mick. “It all goes back to my computer at home. The mechanic charges me to enter the data, but it’s a lot better than me having to do it. He had never seen anything like it before, when he started doing this.

“I have been trialling this system for over four years. It was on a trial for the first couple of years and it has changed so much and they keep adding more and more to it. To begin with, I was doing the Ezicomply and the paper in parallel to help them out. Eventually, we changed over and decided to go all electronic.

We got an audit after that and they were happy with what we showed them.”

Each driver does their daily check using the phone to enter details each morning. As they walk around the truck, they tick off what they have done and it gets recorded in the system. Mick decided to let the drivers see all of the maintenance data, so they can check what work has been done to their truck.

All of the combination options are listed in the system. The prime mover and the trailers included have to be selected. It asks for the odometer reading and restates the masses the truck can carry. Any issues can be recorded at this point or at each point of the check.

The screen on the phone or tablet will show if wheel nuts need to be tightened or if the windscreen is cracked.

It’s a comprehensive list and once the driver has checked them all they can hit confirm. If there is an issue, the driver simply hits the button and writes in the problem or a comment. The issue can be written on the screen with a stylus or just a finger, or typed in. If the windscreen is cracked, the issue will keep on

reappearing until Mick or the workshop does something about it and then clears it via phone or computer.

There is also a trip screen where the driver can create a trip and then the system or the driver will fill in details such as loading date, time, location co-ordinates, GCM, docket number and freight description. There is also axle verification, enabling them to add in axle weights and the driver can take a photo of the weigh-bridge read-out to confirm this. A photo of the consignment note can also be added at this point.

There is also a fuel page for when the driver goes to fill up. Mick has decided not to use this function as he always fills up at the same location and the trucks run the same routes with the same load regularly. Any discrepancy or anomaly in fuel use will soon show up as a different number of litres on a fuel docket/invoice.

“It’s usually no more than 50 litres different,” says Mick. “I can tell if a driver has been putting the boot in and they

know that. We are still getting 1.55/1.6 km/l running at 100 tonnes GCM.” Mick expects the Ezicomply team will add in some form of driving record, but until an electronic work diary (EWD) gets the nod from the NHVR, the work diary still has to be filled in by hand all of the time, anyway.

DOING THE RIGHT THING “It’s just a record sitting on my computer,” says Mick. “It will do all of the quarterly compliances, fill in the details and quantify the number of services.

That’s where I enjoy it, if someone comes out for an audit, I am not scratching around trying to find bits of paper. I just give them the computer and it can’t lie to them.

“If there is something which I haven’t done, it’s in there. I have got nothing to hide. I have always been like that, if I have done the wrong thing, well, I reckon I am pretty close to being on the right track.”

From the auditors point of view, the simple fact Mick has gone out and purchased a system like this which can’t be bypassed, demonstrates his willingness to do the right thing.

“It wouldn’t worry me at all if they pulled me up on the side of the road and said they would be going right through me, it wouldn’t worry me at all,” says Mick. “They would probably find the odd thing, there is always something, but I reckon there wouldn’t be any major issues they could come up with. They could just quickly look underneath these trucks and see everything is fine.

“I have got pretty high maintenance costs and some blokes say to me, why don’t I get my drivers to do it.

My drivers do big days and I don’t need them to do it. They will help occasionally on some small things, but if you send it to the workshop, you know it’s been done properly and it won’t break down half way up the road.”

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TRUCKS ON TEST

HINO TRUC GET SMART

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DIESEL May-June 2019

TRUCKS ON TEST

KS ER

The new 500 Series Standard Cab range from Hino reveals a much smarter medium duty truck – and another step into the future with the Japanese truck maker. Tim Giles takes a turn behind the wheel of Hino’s latest release.

T

he march of technology in the trucking world continues to speed forward. The first 10 years of this century saw engine and driveline technology move forward in leaps and bounds as regular reductions in exhaust emissions forced engine makers to come up with solutions to bring particulates and high NOx levels down.

More recent years have seen a relentless increase in the power of electronics and computer control bringing us closer to the eventual goal of an autonomous truck. Of course, the arrival on our roads of such a truck is a long way away now, but every year sees more and more sophisticated systems becoming common in the trucks on our roads.

Every now and then there is a major step forward when a new technology

comes on stream and moves from being an expensive option to something expected by the truck buyer. Another step into the future is when technology being sold in some of the top end, top power trucks migrates across into trucks which perform the more mundane and lighter duties which predominate in trucking.

The case in point here is the decision

by Hino to offer a suite of state-of-the-art electronic technology as standard on a medium duty truck. This is not a small step in sophistication; this is the company making a statement about moving the truck industry ahead. Technology which is available in the expensive heavy duty prime movers around the world as an often expensive option is now being supplied to anyone who buys a medium duty truck from Hino.

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TRUCKS ON TEST

The move may be the Japanese truck maker taking an opportunity to use its lucky position in the global Toyota network to leverage off the millions of dollars put into research into technology for its car and truck empire, but it is also a bold move. Hino has laid down a marker and is challenging others in the market to match its ambition in creating a market leading truck.

The surprising thing is this new sophisticated electronic architecture is not the only innovation on the Hino 500 Standard Cab, there is also a new and very different engine. The new A05 engine is a surprise, a new four cylinder engine introduced into a part of the truck market where the consensus has been to fit six or at least five cylinder engines.

Hino has taken one of its larger six cylinder engines, fitted in some heavy duty applications in Japan and reconfigured it as a four cylinder set-up to suit the medium duty market. The A05 engine is a small truck engine with a big engine sensibility.

It is equipped with heavy duty engine equipment and runs at a remarkably low rev range for this segment of the market, maintaining useable torque levels well below 1,000rpm.

At the top of the horsepower range in these trucks is the 260hp, this adds a twin turbo to the mix to extend beyond the 240hp of most of the A05 engines. The

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DIESEL May-June 2019

260hp engine puts out 884Nm of torque, meanwhile the 240hp version, which is going to be the bread and butter engine for most of this part of the Hino range, puts out 794Nm. One of the advantages of having a heavy duty style engine is the inclusion of an engine brake in the toolbox. This is a classic Jake brake and this is the first time a genuine engine brake has joined the normally ineffectual exhaust brake used in this segment of the truck market.

The engine has been designed to meet the requirements of the Japanese ‘post-post new long-term’ exhaust emission standards.

This level of exhaust emission is equivalent to Euro-6. The new 500 is ready for the next level of emission standards (ADR 80/04) in Australia whenever they arrive in the 2020s.

A much improved Allison transmission is also included in the driveline to transform the performance of this truck and get the most out of the new engine. Early indications, as the first of the new Hino 500s come into the market, is that the new Allison is going to be the transmission of choice for at least 75 per cent of buyers.

Most of the rest of the trucks have a manual transmission, with a very small number of truck buyers preferring to use the Hino automatic manual transmission (AMT), but there are enough to ensure it stays in the option book, for now.

Both active and passive safety systems are headlined in the Hino 500 Standard Cab. SRS airbags, seat belt pretensioner and collision absorbing steering wheel are on the passive side, but it is the active systems which show the abilities of the new electronic architecture.

Preventing any kind of accident occurring is the job of the safety suite, which includes, vehicle stability control (VSC), anti-skid braking system (ABS) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW). The Hino range now has VSC as standard all the way up its on-road truck range.

However, the real quantum leap for medium duty has come with the other new safety systems, PCS, PD and SW, another new set of acronyms. The first of these stands for Pre-Collision System, a radar and video camera detection system to look out for vehicles and pedestrians and if the system judges there is a chance of a collision with either, it will set off an alarm and, if needed, autonomously apply the brakes to a full stop.

The PD – the initials stand for pedestrian detection – comes from the system’s ability to differentiate between vehicles, trees and pedestrians by smartly combining radar and video shape recognition to measure closing speed and whether the object has two legs and is walking. The system then makes warning and braking decisions

TRUCKS ON TEST

according to the severity of the risk it detects.

Meanwhile, the clunkily-named Staggering Warning (SW) monitors driver input at the steering wheel and lane keeping and if those inputs become erratic showing signs of fatigue, it will again set off the alarms and pre-charge the PCS. This level of safety equipment is a first for the Japanese truck makers in the medium duty segment in Australia, a market which consists of 93 per cent Japanese product.

Another first is the adaptive cruise control (ACC). Using the radar and video also used by the safety system to keep the vehicle in front at a safe distance and monitor any closing to reduce speed and, if needed, set off the PCS. This kind of system has become commonplace in new releases at the heavy end of the truck market, especially from the Europeans, but it is a real surprise in a relatively small Japanese truck.

NEW HINO 500 OUT ON THE ROAD Diesel got the opportunity to take a couple of new Hino 500 models out on the road, south out of Sydney, into and then up and

over the Illawarra region. This is a good workout for a new driveline, tackling some serious grades, plus a chance to test out the latest in safety technology in the busy traffic of the area.

The differentiation in the Hino 500 Standard cab naming comes from the cab type, the GCM and the hp rating of the engine. Hence, the FD1126 has a bigger cab, a 11 tonne GCM and 260hp engine.

The FC is the day/rest cab, the FD, up to 12 tonnes, and FE, at 14 tonnes, are bigger and are actually approved to meet the sleeper ADR, but Diesel wouldn’t recommend trying to sleep in them often. The 14 tonne GVM is becoming a popular choice from a lot of truck buyers at the moment. Operators are trading down from the bigger 16 tonne GVM and choosing the much lighter, lower, and cheaper, 14 tonner without losing much payload.

The two trucks involved in the Diesel test drive were the Hino 500 FE1424 and the FD1126. Both were loaded up and ready to go. First impressions come from the driveline. Start the truck up, pull the lever on the transmission control to D, release the hand brake and hit the go

pedal. The difference is immediately felt as the torquey engine pushes up through the gears and gets the truck up to speed.

There is a stark difference between this engine and its predecessors. The driver doesn’t need to look at the tachometer reading to see what’s new, they just have to listen to the engine note. The engine revs like a top power 15-litre in a B-double prime mover. The needle rarely goes past 1500rpm in normal driving unless the driver pushes harder on the accelerator to signal to the auto gearbox that swift acceleration is required.

It is a good job most of the early sales of this truck have been autos as the engine performance would be confusing for anyone used to driving a run-of-the-mill Japanese medium duty truck. A good deal of work is going to be needed from Hino to re-educate the drivers on how to to avoid high revs and get the best out of these trucks, especially the manuals.

At one point on the way back to Sydney, pulling up a relatively steep climb, this driver decided to leave the truck in sixth gear and see how well a loaded truck would handle the grade. It simply dug in

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TRUCKS ON TEST

and hung on. From the driver’s seat the temptation was to give it one, or even two, gears to get some revs back in the engine, but even as it dipped below the 1000rpm mark, it kept on keeping on.

On the outward journey the engine brake shows its mettle. In recent years the excellent sensing system on the Allison auto has brought some effectiveness to the exhaust brake, but this new engine brake takes it to a whole other level. This retardation compares well with the kind of engine braking we have become used to at the top of the heavy duty market, although with one position, either off or on.

The way this retardation plays out in the busy Sydney traffic with the auto box, sees the truck moving along through the traffic but when the traffic lights turn red, the driver takes their foot off the gas and the combination of the strong engine brake and smart down-shifting by the Allison box virtually bring the truck to a standstill.

The driver simply applies the footbrake to bring the truck to a halt at the line.

On the drive the reason for the 75 per cent preference for auto transmission becomes very clear. The Allison box does monitor what is going on with all of the truck systems and acts accordingly.

When the driver wants to get going, the transmission drops a gear to get speed up. When the driver is backing off and putting the engine brake on, the Allison drops one or two gears to get the revs up and maximise retardation. When the truck is climbing but the driver is only gently pressing the accelerator, the gear remains unchanged and the truck lugs up the grade.

This combination of smart shifting and a low revving engine would suggest there will be some real fuel saving opportunities

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DIESEL May-June 2019

with these trucks. According to Hino, the anecdotal evidence from the operators who have already driven these trucks is looking good. No doubt when more operators show the level of fuel saving possible, Hino will not be slow in telling the world about it.

In the traffic and out on the more open highway, the ACC comes into its own.

The controls are simple to use and at the driver’s fingertips on the steering wheel.

The crisp image on the dash LCD straight in front of the driver gives a clear indication of the set distance and another part of the screen tells the driver the set cruise speed, distance to the vehicle in front and the overrun speed at which the engine brake has been set to activate.

INTRODUCING A NEW MODEL All of the evidence from looking at the spec sheet for these trucks is matched by the experience of driving them on Australian roads. Earlier this year, Diesel described

the new model line-up as a ‘quantum leap’, the road tests carried out simply reinforce the impression.

One of the issues around this new 500 it just how far ahead it is from comparable product. This means those who fit equipment after the truck is sold have to be careful about how things such as bodies and lifting equipment and tail lifts are connected. There is very little knowledge about fitting a trailer to a small truck fitted with stability control.

The level of sophistication in these trucks means there has to be a level of sophistication where the body builder connects into the electrical system. There are electronic control units (ECUs) and sensors which are vital to the control and safety systems. The connection has to be made in the right place and in the right way. This is going to become an increasing issue as more truck makers bring in these kinds of top-end electronics.

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OPERATOR PROFILE

Dealing With a

KNOWN QUANTITY Express freight specialist AJM Transport has engaged a number of different truck brands over the last 15 years for its fleet but now prefers to be dealing with a known quantity. Paul Matthei speaks with Anthony Mansell, Director of AJM Transport, and Scott Medhurst, General Manager of Kenworth dealer Gilbert and Roach Newcastle, to find out more.

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DIESEL May-June 2019

OPERATOR PROFILE

B

ased at Beresfield near Newcastle, AJM Transport specialises in express freight along the eastern seaboard between Brisbane and Melbourne. The company also runs an express freight service to Darwin, employing a two-up driving team operating the flagships of the fleet – a pair of Kenworth T909 conventionals. The two do opposite legs with one hauling a quad road-train and the other a B-triple.

The remainder of the line-haul contenders in AJM’s 46-strong Kenworth flotilla are the evergreen K200 cabover hitched to double drop deck curtain sider B-doubles traversing the Pacific and Hume highways between the northern and southern state capitals.

According to AJM Transport Director, Anthony Mansell, the company’s Beresfield base is ideally situated between Brisbane

and Melbourne. This, he says, ensures close to ideal fleet utilisation with the trucks virtually running 24/7, basically only stopping for loading/ unloading, driver changes and rest breaks, fuelling and scheduled servicing.

“With our shuttle system we use four prime movers rotated around three B-double sets,” explains Anthony. “It can get quite involved which is why some other transport companies have moved away from this method. However, it works well for us due to our Newcastle location.”

As Anthony goes on to explain, this consistency in operations has enabled the company to develop an extremely fine-tuned blueprint for preventive maintenance procedures. These procedures are essential to ensuring close to 100 per cent reliability from the Cummins engines and Kenworth trucks during their lifecycles.

“We know pretty much exactly what we need to do with the K200,” says Anthony.

“In terms of a truck for our business model, we virtually know it down to every last nut and bolt.”

He proceeds to elaborate on the company’s fleet management program, saying that a new K200 purchased for the shuttle service will average half a million kilometres per year. After two years and one million kilometres, the engine is rebuilt and another year after that the gearbox and diffs are rebuilt. Following this, either the cycle is repeated giving the truck an effective working life of six years or it is moved to a less kilometre intensive role within the company which might see its useful life pushed out to seven or eight years.

“It’s a bit of a juggling act,” admits Anthony, “because we don’t want all the trucks coming up for replacement at the

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OPERATOR PROFILE

same time. We try to spread them around to the different roles to keep a consistent flow of them coming and going. It’s also a matter of sequencing the downtime of the trucks for the minor servicing as well as the major component change-out events to ensure we have sufficient trucks on the road at any given time.

“For instance, as an alternative to the previously mentioned scenario we may buy a K200 and run it hard on the shuttle for the first 12 months then pension it back to a lower kilometre run in which case the engine rebuild isn’t needed till year three and the diff and transmission rebuilds till year four.”

He goes on to explain some other component replacement intervals that the company has deemed necessary to ensure the elimination of the dreaded and expensive unscheduled downtime.

“With the shuttle runs, because each truck is doing between 10,000 and 11,000 kilometres per week, we don’t have the luxury of things progressively breaking,” says Anthony. “So we have a fairly stringent preventative maintenance program and we change out things like drive belts and tensioners at regular intervals. The upshot of all this is that we have determined pretty much exactly what we need to do with the K200 to ensure ultimate reliability for our operation.

“We made the decision to stick to what we know we do best, which is the overnight express service with either straight through, change-overs or shuttle operations,” says Anthony. “And we’ve grown the business from there.”

STICK TO WHAT WE KNOW WE DO BEST While using this proven formula to drive the success of the business, Anthony mentions that the company is also, within reason, open to providing drivers with other options to suit their individual preferences.

“We still have some drivers who like to go away and prefer the one-truck-onedriver scenario but they are probably in the minority these days,” he explains.

“The two-up teams who run to Darwin are a good example of this and we have some others who enjoy the away work, but certainly shuttles and changeovers make up the majority of our work.”

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DIESEL May-June 2019

As the conversation turns to trailers, Anthony reveals a preference for Vawdrey that has grown from the early years of the business through to today.

“When we started the business we were using another brand but we’ve been gradually increasing our number of Vawdrey units and they are performing really well,” he says.

“Vawdrey is a family-owned company the same as ours and we have a solid business relationship with (Company Director) Paul Vawdrey, who is always willing to help when it’s needed.

He understands the needs of our business well and in my view goes the extra mile to make sure the Vawdrey products are suitable for the intended application. Today we are running in the vicinity of 85 to 90 Vawdrey trailers.”

TRUCK CHOICE In recent times, AJM Transport has elected to largely standardise on Cummins-powered Kenworth prime movers because it knows and trusts the products inside out. This is not an unusual choice here in Australia. There is indeed an eclectic mix when you consider the sheer diversity of trucking operations in this country. While many share similarities in the kinds of work they do, inevitably there are nuances unique to each operation.

It’s a similar story with the various prime mover brands.

While each is designed to primarily perform the same task of hauling trailers, again there are minor differences in the way each is engineered, built and tested to ensure performance and durability in our harsh operating climate.

Of course, cost is a major consideration too. Far from just initial purchase price, it’s imperative that a company can ascertain whole-of-life costs right up to and including the residual or resale value of the unit after it has finished its useful life in its primary role.

After purchase price, the next biggest cost of running a truck, apart from fuel and drivers’ wages, is servicing and maintenance. This is the critical area where a truck, regardless of its purchase price, can make or break its owner’s business.

Put simply, a truck that is regularly off the road for repairs or servicing is a dead loss to any firm which is relying on keeping the wheels turning to turn a profit. This is the main reason why savvy operators won’t run old trucks. They understand the business sense of regularly investing in new equipment.

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OPERATOR PROFILE

There’s no question that a considerable proportion of Australian truck operators in the heavy-duty realm consider Kenworth trucks to be the best choice for their businesses. Frankly, the new truck sales figures don’t lie and for a long time Kenworth has consistently averaged around 20 per cent of heavy-duty sales in this country. This is a formidable figure given there are at least 10 other technically-similar heavy-duty brands vying for market share in this hotly contested segment.

So why does Kenworth have such an enduring ascendency in the local heavyduty truck market when there are so many other brands seemingly capable of doing a similar job? Diesel speaks with a Kenworth sales representative and a Kenworth fleet operator to find out their respective perspectives.

DEALER CONNECTION Also held in high esteem by Anthony is his local Kenworth dealer, Gilbert and Roach at Newcastle. In fact, he has been a loyal customer for nigh on 15 years and recently took delivery of a special edition silver K200 prime mover in celebration of the milestone.

Talking with Scott Medhurst, General

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DIESEL May-June 2019

Manager of Gilbert and Roach at Newcastle, it’s clear the sentiment is reciprocal. In fact, the mutual benefit of the business relationship between the two companies goes far deeper than simply the exchange of money for trucks.

“Working with Anthony has been a great experience for us,” says Scott.

“We really try to position ourselves as a business partner with our customers and our focus is to supply them with the best truck and best engine package for their individual requirements.

“Basically, we only sell to our customers a product that will be the most profitable and suitable for their business.”

Scott goes on to relate that since 2005 AJM Transport has purchased 33 new Kenworth prime movers of various descriptions, adding that the last 16 have been K200s, reflecting the company’s preference for the cab-over as its ideal line-haul workhorse.

“The good thing about working with Anthony is that he is very forward-thinking and keen to work with us as the dealer and Cummins as the engine provider to trial innovations in our products, particularly relating to fuel efficiency, durability and reliability,” says Scott.

“The way he operates his business

and the consistent nature of his shuttle services have really given us, as a dealership, a great insight into our product and how it stands up under these extremely high kilometre operating conditions. It’s sort of like a blueprint or yardstick that we can use to measure improvements.

“In this way it has helped both our service operations and our sales operations. I can sit down with Anthony and he can pretty much pinpoint when every preventative maintenance procedure and major component changeout needs to be done.”

Relating all this to AJM Transport, its base at Beresfield is around a 15-minute drive from Gilbert and Roach and Cummins at Hexham. Given the timesensitive and kilometre-intensive nature of its operation, being this close to both the truck and engine dealer has to be a huge benefit.

At the end of the day, the decision

by Anthony Mansell to put his trust in the Kenworth and Cummins machinery, in addition to the businesses that sell and support these products, shows his unequivocal belief that this is the best way to ensure the ongoing success of his business.

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‘Generation X’ With a wealth of updates and improvements, Iveco’s ‘Generation X’ – the new Stralis X-Way – represents a comprehensive upgrade over its predecessor in terms of driver safety, comfort and convenience. Diesel’s Paul Matthei looks at how these systems can improve driver behaviour while driving an example from Melbourne to Sydney hitched to a semi-trailer and grossing 40.5 tonnes.

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couple of well-known facts are that the Australian trucking industry is massively shortstaffed and that the average age of drivers has been creeping up for some time and continues to do so.

According to statistics documented in early 2018, 47 was the average age at that time which indicates the vast

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majority of Australian truckies are in the Generation X demographic.

Whether or not Iveco considered this when naming its latest Stralis is a moot point, but as a Generation Xer who started driving semis more than 25 years ago, I must concede that the old bangers I loved to drive back then now appear somewhat antiquated compared with

the technically sophisticated and wellappointed machinery now on offer.

And that is a good and necessary thing considering the aforementioned ageing workforce which now needs to be pampered a little more to ensure participants can keep going the distance for longer terms in the honourable cause of keeping Australia moving.

DRIVER BEHAVIOUR

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“ALL THESE ENHANCEMENTS DEFINITELY SERVE TO ELEVATE THE TRUCK DRIVER’S WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT AND GIVEN THE TYPICALLY LONG HOURS TRUCKIES SPEND ON THE ROAD EVERY WORKING DAY, ANY AMELIORATIONS THAT REDUCE FATIGUE AND STRESS IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SAFETY MEASURES SHOULD BE APPLAUDED IN MY BOOK.” on the road every working day, any ameliorations that reduce fatigue and stress in addition to providing active and passive safety measures should be applauded in my book.

Iveco is clearly no exception in this respect and my steer of a Stralis X-Way between Melbourne and Sydney certainly opened my eyes to the extra strides the company has made in

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ACROSS THE TRUSTED EUROCARGO AND STRALIS LINEUP.

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Perhaps it’s for this very reason that things are really ramping up in the new heavy-duty truck arena of late.

The levels of safety equipment, interior appointments, quietness, comfort and convenience are being boosted at a staggering rate, particularly by the European manufacturers.

In essence, each manufacturer is trying to up the ante and attract the attention of truck owners and transport companies who, in turn, generally strive to provide the best working conditions for their valued drivers.

All these enhancements definitely serve to elevate the truck driver’s workplace environment and given the typically long hours truckies spend

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So line up your Iveco dealer now or visit www.iveco.com.au

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DRIVER BEHAVIOUR

equipping this well-appointed and highly capable workhorse.

I say ‘opened my eyes’ in a metaphorical as well as literal sense, given my first ‘save’ of the day, thanks to a brilliant safety feature of the X-Way, came just a kilometre or two after I left Iveco’s Dandenong premises.

I was travelling at a steady 60km/h following an old medium-rigid pantech truck which obscured my view of the road ahead. Passing through an intersection I was momentarily distracted and didn’t immediately notice the truck’s considerably less-than-brilliant brake lights come on.

A split-second before my brain twigged that the vehicle was slowing to a stop due to traffic congestion, the X-Way’s advanced emergency braking (AEBS) alarm chimed in, prompting me to bury the brake pedal which brought me safely to a stop. Whew!

While that was a prime and hardhitting (perhaps that’s not the best choice of words!) example of the latest technology helping the driver, there were many other subtle attributes of the truck, each working in harmony with the others, that made this linehaul journey a very pleasant experience. But more about that shortly.

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DOING IT RIGHT My aim was to complete the trip by doing it right, in a manner that would be considered ideal in a law-abiding operation. That is, the well-rested driver

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operating on standard hours departs from the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and takes the two legally-required 15-minute rest breaks during the trip to arrive in south-west Sydney 10 hours later. A good day’s work. The caveat here is that there’s no time for dawdling and 100km/h must be maintained wherever possible.

With its ultra-smooth and quiet Euro-6 Cursor 13 (12.9litre) engine producing a healthy 510hp (375kW) between 1,600 and 1,900rpm and realising maximum torque of 2,300Nm (1,696lbft) at a superlow 900rpm all the way to 1,525rpm, the X-Way made light work of the 40.5-tonne gross weight which, in turn, enabled a respectable average speed to be maintained. It has a gross combination mass (GCM) limit of 45 tonnes with higher GCMs available on application.

Similarly spectacular was the smoothshifting 12-speed HiTroniX automated manual transmission that is a standard feature of this truck. This was the first time I’d sampled this transmission and to say I was impressed would be a distinct understatement.

For many years I’ve been a fan of this unit’s predecessor, the ZF AS-Tronic, or

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Definitely one of the notable improvements in this quiet achiever over any previous Cursor-powered Iveco I’ve driven was the auxiliary braking performance of the X-Way – courtesy of a stronger engine brake combined with the optional hydraulic retarder.

According to Iveco, the X-Way’s engine brake packs 30 per cent more punch than the earlier version due to the combination of a new Garrett electronic

Nice touch. Two treaded steps set into the front bumper make windscreen cleaning much safer and easier.

variable geometry turbo (eVGT) and a new exhaust flap located in the exhaust manifold.

The exhaust flap is said to anticipate the activity of the after-treatment devices by increasing the temperature of the exhaust gas more quickly therefore allowing the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to reach optimum working temperature faster for increased efficiency.

The eVGT features electronic actuators controlled directly by the engine control unit (ECU) and provides immediate response at low engine speed, hence peak torque being developed from 900rpm.

Other benefits, Iveco says, include improved air induction, easier fault diagnosis and a significantly higher contribution to engine braking

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performance.

Indeed, while phenomenal is a word that shouldn’t be used blithely, that is the best way to describe the retardation of the X-Way on the long declines of the Hume Highway. The fact that I only needed to use the first three stages out of the available six tells the story loud and clear. In fact, stages one and two were the most commonly used during the trip.

As with everything else about this truck, quietness of operation is a hallmark of the engine brake/ retarder package meaning it can be used at night in residential areas without fear of upsetting anyone.

Another feature that has the potential to improve fuel economy on a line haul stint like this is Ecoroll. As the term suggests, this enables the vehicle to coast in neutral down long grades,

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“IT HAS A NUMBER OF NEW FEATURES THAT DRIVERS WILL FIND VERY USEFUL IN LOW-SPEED MANOEUVRING SITUATIONS.”

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Eurotronic in Iveco speak, but after this test drive it was clear HiTroniX has raised the bar considerably.

It has a number of new features that drivers will find very useful in lowspeed manoeuvring situations. There are ‘rocking’ and ‘creep’ modes which are activated by the steering column mounted wand. The former is designed to help the driver extricate the truck from soft or boggy ground. The clutch is disengaged by simply releasing the accelerator pedal, allowing the vehicle to momentarily roll back, after which it swiftly re-engages to capitalise on the pendulum-like momentum, thus helping to free the vehicle from the mire.

Creep mode provides a similar effect to a torque converter automatic whereby releasing the service brakes allows the vehicle to ‘creep’ forward.

As I discovered while negotiating Melbourne’s morning peak chaos, this is a boon in stop-start traffic as it allows the vehicle to ‘inch’ smoothly forward without the need for any accelerator pedal input which can cause jerky progress at such slow speeds.

Another provision that will be valued in tipper applications and the like is the availability of four reverse gears. The two faster ratios, also selected via the column-mounted lever, give the potential for improved turnaround times for vehicles often manoeuvring in reverse.

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So line up your Iveco dealer now or visit www.iveco.com.au

*Terms & Conditions apply.

DRIVER BEHAVIOUR

provided certain parameters are met.

Unfortunately, one of the parameters with this vehicle is that it must be travelling between 50 and 92km/h. This makes Ecoroll virtually unusable on the freeway if you want to maintain the best average speed and shortest trip time, and this may frustrate some drivers.

As I mentioned earlier in the story, the trip between Melbourne and Sydney can be legally done in 10 hours driving time with two 15-minute rest breaks if you keep to 100km/h wherever possible.

Slowing to 90km/h just to engage Ecoroll is clearly not something most drivers would be prepared to do which means this fuel-saving feature will go begging.

A smart move by Iveco would be to reprogram Ecoroll to suit Australian line haul conditions, making it operable at up to 100km/h.

On that note, at the end of the trip the dash readout showed a respectable 2.42km/l (6.85mpg) which left me wondering if it might have cracked the magic 2.5km/l (7.0mpg) mark had

Twin coolers provide ample capacity for supplies while on the road.

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“AFTER MY 10-HOUR STINT BEHIND THE WHEEL I FELT NONE THE WORSE FOR WEAR, TESTAMENT TO THE MULTITUDE OF CREATURE COMFORTS, DRIVING AIDS AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT PACKED INTO THIS VEHICLE.” Ecoroll been allowed to do its thing at the proper speed.

As for the interior, I found little to fault with the spacious high-roof AS-cabbed X-Way. All round visibility was superb including rearwards via the large all-electric adjustable and heated mirror groups.

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The ride was smooth thanks to the air suspended cab and driver’s chair, and the interior noise level at least as quiet as any other European truck I’ve driven.

Perhaps not having cup holders on the dash, they are located close to the floor to the left of the driver’s seat, is a bit odd but there are two pull-out fridges, a small cooler box to the left of the driver and large fridge to the left of that, meaning a coldie (water, of course) is always close at hand. While I didn’t have time to try out the bed it certainly looked more than adequate for a good kip.

After my 10-hour stint behind the wheel I felt none the worse for wear, which is testament to the multitude of creature comforts, driving aids and safety equipment packed into this vehicle.

As such, the Stralis X-Way exemplifies the cutting edge of heavy-duty truck technology in that it is designed to capably perform the role for which it is intended while ensuring the operator is extremely well catered for in terms of safety, comfort and convenience.

WEIGHS LESS, WAY LESS. DRIVER BEHAVIOUR

The Vector 1550 unit from Carrier is one of the lightest trailer refrigeration units on the market (712 kg) and operates with low noise emissions (71 dB). And while Vector 1550 units weigh less, they also offer way more.

Designed using the patented combination of a hermetic compressor with an economizer, it delivers a 40 percent increase in refrigeration capacity during pull down. As a result, Vector 1550 units deliver faster temperature pull down, reaching the desired set point up to 25 percent faster compared to conventional technology and with extremely precise temperature control (+/- 0.8°C).

As if that’s not enough, the Vector 1550 unit’s low fuel consumption reduces its overall carbon impact by up to 19 percent compared to conventional systems, the equivalent of removing 2.8 tons of CO2 per unit per year.

Carrier Transicold Australia Nationwide Ph: 1800 448 166 www.transicold.carrier.com.au

Performance data dependent on a range of operational settings, environmental conditions, and model type. Data is based on the Vector 1550-T Low Noise model. © 2017 Carrier Corporation.

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LOOKING AT THE

PICTURE BIGGER

As President and CEO of a global organisation like Scania Truck, Henrik Henriksson, is always looking at the bigger picture. He shares his views about the future of truck manufacturing with Diesel.

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he opportunity to talk to someone like Henrik Henriksson face to face doesn’t come around often. As the President and CEO of Scania Trucks, he is in a unique position to see how the truck industry will develop over the next 10 years or more. His mission is to keep the organisation moving forward, providing leadership in technology and services provision.

The Scania organisation is relatively large as a single brand of truck, selling well over 300,000 trucks per year. In 2017, Scania had a 16.2 per cent market share, with over 50,000 trucks registered, on the roads of Europe. Research and development is a vital part of building

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trucks and the company spends $1.14 billion per year on new technology.

Of course, Scania is no longer a standalone company. It was acquired

by Volkswagen and is now a key part of what was formerly called Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles but is now known as Traton. This entity includes Scania and MAN, plus Volkswagen’s own truck manufacturing arm, based out of South America.

Henriksson sits on the Traton board, which is chaired by former Daimler Trucks boss, Andreas Renschler. The board is tasked with finding the fine balance between maintaining a brand identity among the individual products and leveraging the scale of the global operation

to find cost savings for their manufacture.

After planning to launch an initial public offering (IPO), Volkswagen has pulled back from the idea to wait until there are more favourable market conditions for the launch. The plan was, and probably will be in the future, to make 25 per cent of Traton available to the stock market in a deal expected to raise 5-6 billion euros ($9 billion).

“Regardless of what happens with the capital structure of Traton Group, what has happened within Traton, the former Volkswagen Truck and Bus, is that we have, during the last three years found a modus operadus, a way of operating together, and we have found how we should cooperate,”

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says Henriksson. “Where we are cooperating is mainly in purchasing. We are cooperating when it comes to certain basic platform technology development for the future like powertrains and electrification, autonomous vehicle systems where we also have the benefit of belonging to a Volkswagen Group where we can get access to companies like Porsche and Audi and their technology also.”

This is a trend we are seeing among all the global conglomerates building trucks. The basic building blocks of the truck, be it the braking system, engine block or windscreen wiper control, are all used across the group. The diversification occurs in the final stages of development when it comes to adapting the component into a new truck.

This kind of co-operative work across brands is also needed in the development of new technologies, especially around automatic and autonomous trucking.

The development costs are so high in these areas that overall costs need to be amortised over as many trucks as possible to make the development worthwhile.

“We have found a way of how to cooperate and the basic principle is that in some of these platforms like electrification – for example for battery cells – we can find synergies,” says Henriksson. “When it comes to conventional powertrains like engines and gear boxes we have found ways of how we should develop together to a certain level,

maybe 60 per cent or something like that, and then we allow a proper base for differentiation of the brands.

“As for Scania, I really see we have a benefit, we just launched a new truck range. We spent more than 2 billion Euros ($3.2 billion) on investing in the new truck range. If we were on our own today, we would probably wait a few years before we kicked off with another big one. But now, since we’re part of a bigger group, we have already kicked off the next generation of powertrains.”

NEW TRUCK GENERATION The release of the New Truck Generation three years ago, and its staged introduction to all global markets in a rolling program since then, has seen a process during which Scania has been running parallel programs, one for the previous generation and one for the new models. This has put a lot of strain on the truck maker’s supply chain.

The Scania modular system amounts to around 20,000 components, which are used to tailor-make trucks to suit customers.

The introduction of the NTG models added 10,000 new components into the system.

This means the components management system has to run with 30,000 components during the changeover period.

“At the same time we have had one specific supply chain problem on the supply of blocks for the V8s during last year and we’re still suffering from that,” says Henriksson. “We are now coming

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Michael Jansson, Scania Australia Managing Director and Henrik Henriksson, Global President and CEO of Scania Trucks.

up in the second and third quarter to normal production levels again, but for a market like Australia where a big part of our sales is V8, of course it is felt down here as well. It has definitely affected our global operations.”

SCANIA IN AUSTRALIA The issues which affected the Scania organisation in Australia, as well as elsewhere in the world, was a shortage of V8 engines. The production facilities in Sweden could not keep up with demand and, as a result, waiting time for trucks powered by V8 engines blew out.

“We had some challenges last year when it comes to supply because of the disturbances and the changeover we have but we can also see now that we have with the product range and with the services that we have, we have all the fundamentals,” explains Henriksson. “Together we’re now, I would say, a very competent and capable organisation locally. We have everything that is needed to move our ambitions up when it comes to market share.

“When it comes to the Australian market, I think there are still a few things we need to do. We need to continue to develop our product range to suit this very demanding market, but I do think we have the pieces of Lego in place. It’s just a matter of making

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sure that they fit together and that we tailormake it to the customer’s need.

“We also see that there is a potential to also work with new technology, both when it comes to new powertrains running on biofuels, to test electrification, hybridisation. The time is right to try to push these new technologies into the market as well.”

Henriksson expressed some puzzlement over the delay by the Australian authorities in implementing Euro-6. The planned ADR 80/04 has been on and off the agenda for quite a few years now and it looks like something which was implemented in the US, Europe and Japan around 2015, is being put back by Canberra bureaucracy to some undefined point in the mid-2020s.

“Maybe I should use the word surprising and not anything else, to see that we are still on Euro-5 in Australia,” says Henriksson. “We see from our customers that many of them are already using Euro-6 and most of the vehicles that we supply are Euro-6 already. So why the legislature is not following this, it’s a little bit surprising.”

At the moment, 90 per cent of all Scania New Generation Trucks sold in Australia are fitted with Euro-6 engines, even though they aren’t mandated. Corporate customers and transport buyers are willing to work with the new technology because of the other

benefits from buying a truck with all of the latest technology in place.

“Euro-6 is the way, it’s using the latest technologies, it’s giving the best fuel efficiency, it’s giving the best total operating economy,” says Henriksson. “If you’re not using the latest technology level on emissions, you miss out on a lot of other goodies not coming through to the market.

I think that’s what the customers are seeing and that’s why they are moving forward.

“We see that all over the world.

Corporates now are starting to take the lead and there’s a lot of good initiatives from mayors, local politicians that want to sort of take a responsibility for their community.”

Henriksson is impressed by the ongoing growth in the Australian truck market. With the economy remaining strong, he sees a lot of opportunity in Australia. And, from his point of view the potential of utilising natural and agricultural resources.

“There’s a lot of things that I’m impressed with, coming to Australia,” says Henriksson. “It’s been two, three years since I was here last, there’s a lot of development. There is a lot of sophisticated customers both on trucks and on buses.

When it comes to how to run logistics, we met a number of them in the past few days and it’s impressive to see the scale of professionalism, and I think one of the

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Durability and reliability. So stay tuned. We’re just getting started.

Mack Trucks. Born Ready.

Watch our video celebrating Australia’s hardworking transport industry at macktrucks.com.au/Driving-Australia-Forward

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

“So, this is a matter of survival of the company as well. But we need to do this in partnership. Partnership with our cur customers and our customers’ customers and we need to make sure that we build alliances, sometimes unexpected alliances, to create this change.”

AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE

“That magnifying glass is out of the window and it’s just taken for granted like, it’s a fossil fuel so who gives a ****.”

things that comes through very clear is the focus on safety. I think it’s world-class. I haven’t seen it anywhere else in the world where it’s that focused.”

SUSTAINABILITY “We have a clear purpose as a company and that is to drive the shift towards more sustainable transport solutions,” says Henriksson. “You might have heard it from Scania before but this is something we decided to do because we believe that when it comes to climate change – where the CO2 emissions from heavy transport represents close to 20 per cent of the global CO2 emissions – we are part of the problem but we want to be part of the solution.

“We believe that we need to drive this change, we cannot just sit and wait for it to happen, which means that we need to engage with our customers, with our customers’ customers, with fuel suppliers, energy suppliers, policy makers, politicians, global organisations and NGOs to be able to drive this change.

“I truly believe myself that as a leader of big international company, if you are not proactive in this transformation and start turning your company into a sustainable one, then you will simply not survive,” says Henriksson. “Because soon no one will buy our products or services, no one will invest money in your company and no one will want to work for us.

JOST Fifth Wheel JSK 37 The “industry standard” available in a wide range of configurations

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Scania has been examining the possibilities of many alternative fuels for some time, but the development of these technologies has ramped up in recent years as carbon concerns become legislated around the world. The company has a long history working with bioethanol made from sugar cane in South America, especially in Brazil.

Earlier programs have been superseded with a more rational approach to a variety of new fuels, including biodiesel in Europe and a number of other alternatives. Scania is searching for overall sustainability across the globe.

“When we look at biofuels we always try, at Scania, to work with, make sure that you can certify them from a sustainability point of view in the whole supply chain,” says Henriksson. “The magnifying glass we’re using it’s magnificently big and we are scrutinising all the details.

“But sometimes I wonder why we are not doing that when it comes to oil coming from Saudi Arabia or from Norway? Then that magnifying glass is out of the window and it’s just taken for granted like, it’s a fossil fuel so who gives a ****.

Most of the markets in which Scania

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“WE HAVE A CLEAR PURPOSE AS A COMPANY AND THAT IS TO DRIVE THE SHIFT TOWARDS MORE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS. YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD IT FROM SCANIA BEFORE BUT THIS IS SOMETHING WE DECIDED TO DO BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO CLIMATE CHANGE WE ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM BUT WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.” operates have some kind of carbon control legislation in place alongside other exhaust emissions controls. Therefore, apart from the altruistic aim to lower carbon emissions to reduce the effects of climate change, there is also a legislative motive to improve emissions.

Scania also continue to drive forward development on truck platooning and some autonomous trucks. It is also extending the electrification trial, running in Sweden, to Germany with overhead cables supplying power to hybrid electric/diesel trucks on specific routes.

There are a series of broadly spread programs examining different alternative fuel options for the near future, but the common consensus is the eventual power source for most trucks will be electricity, in the long term.

This poses the question, asked directly

by Diesel Magazine of Henriksson, whether the investment in all of these alternative fuels is necessary when the eventual goal

is an electric truck. It is clearly not the first time he has been asked this question as his quick-fire answer laid out the issues involved.

“We have made a conscious decision to make sure that we offer will be the broadest range of alternatives,” replies Henriksson. “So for us that is an investment in our ambition to drive the shift towards the most sustainable transport solution. Do we get to critical volume in some of these applications? No, maybe not today. We have to spend a lot of money to invest in technology in a broad base.”

Scania have put out something called The Pathways Study, scoping out how to achieve a fossil free commercial transport system by 2050. It recommends industry changes rapidly and immediately. New technologies take time to come to fruition as vehicles turn over slowly. To achieve the goal by 2050 it reckons, ‘changes at scale are required already by 2025, including not just new

technologies but also new infrastructure, behaviours, and partnerships’.

“The solution coming eventually is electrification but it will take time,” explains Henriksson. “A problem is the cost of the batteries, but the prices are not coming down because there’s a shortage of supply of batteries and it will be like that for many years ahead, because of the passenger car industry and the CO2 legislation.

“There is also the infrastructure, and I’m not talking about the infrastructure going interstate in Australia, which will be a tremendous challenge, but I’m talking about also the infrastructure in the cities.

We have sophisticated cities like Singapore or London, or I would say the same here in Brisbane, I mean if you’re going to start charging all these vehicles, we don’t really have the infrastructure in place, to build that would take time as well.

“Electrification will eventually have a total cost of ownership (TCO) parity with diesel and we have a fairly good prediction of that in the study. It will differ in different parts of the world. But TCO parity is one thing, then you still need the infrastructure and you still need to have a supply chain that is sustainable.

“We believe that it will come eventually but because of the targets we agreed upon in Paris, on keeping it below two degrees, then we need to work with other things, and that’s where the alternative fuels comes in and the biofuels. That is the solution here and now, that’s what we need to do, and then the electrification will come.”

JSK 37 CW/EW with Lubetronic

Technical data Type

Type JSK 37C

King pin

2” / 50mm

Imposed Load

JSK 37 CZS/CWS Sensor Coupling

20,000kg

D-value

190kN

CRN

41876 May-June 2019 DIESEL

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How Many Clutch Volvo’s answer to this question is two. Tim Giles takes the truck maker’s newly released dual clutch for a haul up the range.

Volvo’s introduction of the concept is a first for the heavy end of the market.

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he obvious answer to the question, ‘how many clutches do you need?’ would be one, but Volvo reckon there are advantages, in some cases, to using two clutches to improve driveline efficiency.

The Volvo dual clutch technology has been available for some time in Europe, but has finally made its way here, after prolonged testing in Australian conditions.

There are now examples of the new gearbox option on the road and Diesel took the opportunity to drive a B-double out of Brisbane, up the Toowoomba Range and

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along to Cunningham Gap, before returning down from the Dividing Range to Brisbane.

There have been dual clutch vehicles in Australia before. They are an option in Volkswagen cars and available as the Duonic option on the Fuso Canter model.

Volvo’s introduction of the concept is a first for the heavy end of the market.

Volvo claim that by having two clutches in the gearbox most gear changes made can be power-shifts and there is no interruption of power as the change is made. Essentially this should make the driveline more efficient, but it can also

reduce the number of times the driveline is interrupted during ratio changes.

The I-Shift Dual Clutch transmission consists of two input shafts and a dual clutch, which means that two gears can be selected at the same time. It is the clutch that determines which of the gears is currently active. I-Shift Dual Clutch is based on I-Shift, but the front half of the gearbox has been redesigned with entirely new components.

Essentially, the I-Shift Dual Clutch is two gearboxes linked together. During gear changing, the first gearbox is disconnected

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

es Do You Need? at the same instant as the second gearbox is connected, so gear changes take place without any interruption in power delivery.

The two clutches are connected to two different input shafts, operating independently of each other. Since the gearbox has 12 gears, one shaft holds the six odd numbered gears, while the other holds the six even numbered gears. The gear changes using the two clutches can be used for all single step gear changes apart from the one between sixth and seventh gear, as this involves a range change –from low to high, or vice versa.

When the transmission control unit decides it is a good idea to skip ratios, when the load is light and the going easy, either going up or down the box, the I-shift will change gears as it would

normally without a second clutch.

According to Volvo, the I-Shift Dual Clutch makes a big difference when transporting moving or liquid cargo, such as livestock and tanker operations. The smoother uninterrupted gear changes create less movement in the cargo itself.

The power-shifting on offer also means there is less risk of getting stuck on slippery or uneven roads, for instance when hauling timber in the forest.

The dual clutch does introduce a number of new components into the gearbox and, as a result, the transmission is 120mm longer than its single clutch equivalent. The extra componentry also adds 100kg to the weight of the gearbox.

When Ove Wikström, Volvo Global Heavy Duty Transmission and Rear Axle

Manager came to Australia last year he spoke about the intended release of the dual clutch technology and gave examples of how it is working in Europe.

“We have some information from some of our customers that there is a fuel consumption saving with the dual clutch,” said Ove. “If you go on a flat road, you don’t save any fuel, but if the road is up and down you can save three or four per cent, and we had one customer saving five per cent on fuel. You also have some time saving and the smooth gear shifting is good for the driver and the load.

“We ran a trial in Sweden to see how much time could be saved. We went from Gothenburg in the east of Sweden to the west coast. This is a distance of 645km and we had an average speed of 70 km/h and it

NEW ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT APP COMING SOON Road Infrastructure Management (RIM) is a new application of the National Telematics Framework.

RIM introduces a new way of collecting road use data through telematics, which can improve road maintenance, planning and investment decisions.

Heavy vehicle operators will soon have an opportunity to opt in to the RIM app.

Through RIM, road infrastructure managers can: • Get de-identified telematics data about heavy vehicle use on the road network • Make better investment decisions on road use through specialised reports

Vehicle data to TCA TCA de-identifies vehicle data TCA publishes road use reports

• Have a single point of access for valuable telematics road use data.

Visit TCA’s website for further information: www.tca.gov.au/new-applications Look out for more information on RIM, or talk to us – call TCA directly on (03) 8601 4600.

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

took 9.5 hours. The road was up and down, but not extreme, the normal landscape in Sweden, and the result was we saved them 15 minutes, which corresponds to a three per cent improvement.”

OUT ON THE ROAD The first thing to say about the driving experience in a B-double using this dual clutch I-Shift is this truck is very much a known quantity. Even without a dual clutch this is a very smooth and swift gearbox and the interruption in power out on the highway is almost imperceptible as it is.

We have become used to the smooth ride and low engine noise in the cab as we relax into driving the Volvo FH. This is the truck’s natural environment and it is clearly relaxed and moving with ease.

On the flat open highway out towards the Lockyer Valley, it takes a lot of concentration to try and hear the gear changes when they occur. In a normal I-Shift, the driver can hear the changes if they listen out for them.

On this truck the only way to work out when a change is made is to keep a keen eye on the tachometer and watch it step down in revs to the next gear.

One of the reasons behind introducing the dual clutch is to improve the performance of 13-litre powered FH prime movers. Trucks buyers can be offered a normal direct drive top gear I-Shift behind a 13-litre in an FH prime mover with a 3.09:1 rear axle ratio, if fuel is a priority.

Truck buyers can opt for the dual clutch in any FH or FM with the 13-litre engine fitted.

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“ONE OF THE REASONS BEHIND INTRODUCING THE DUAL CLUTCH IS TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF 13-LITRE POWERED FH PRIME MOVERS. ” However, introducing the dual clutch enables the FH to be offered with a 3.4:1 final drive ratio as the dual clutch utilises the overdrive version of the I-Shift gearbox.

On the road this configuration plays out as 1375rpm on the clock as we head out towards the range at 100km/h. When the truck starts to get into this kind of rpm territory some real fuel savings are likely to be the result. Getting these figures right with a normal axle ratio and overdrive box helps to retain gradeability and startability while driving fuel consumption lower.

This new configuration may enable Volvo buyers to choose the lighter and cheaper 13-litre option over the 16-litre for general day-to-day line haul where the truck isn’t at top weights all of the time, as the performance of this set up comes close to meeting the requirements for these kinds of tasks. Truck buyers can opt for the dual clutch in any FH or FM with the 13-litre engine fitted, but, even Volvo will admit, it is not the right solution for everyone.

Volvo are happy to quote claims of a three per cent improvement in fuel economy over the 13-litre with a normal I-shift. It would seem there are

applications where this combination of gearbox and engine would out perform the standard gearbox with a 13-litre, in terms of fuel use, and come in at a lower tare than the 16-litre version while still being able to perform reasonably well.

In terms of the feel of this new gearbox option, the point at which it is obvious this is a different transmission is when the B-double starts to hook into the bottom slopes of the Toowoomba Range.

While anyone familiar with automated manual transmission (AMT) will be used the momentary pause as the computer activates the clutch, selects the new gear and re-engages the driveline, the sensation using the dual clutch is very different.

There is no pause, no momentary feeling of the truck slowing. This is genuine powershifting and there is zero loss of momentum.

Of course, logically there must be a point where one of the clutches has to disengage before the other clutch engages, but we are talking about a computer controlled system here and the time lapse must be a nanosecond. From the driver’s seat there is no sensation of any interruption in power. The truck just powers on through every gear

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change, without a blink of the eye.

This is where the point Volvo make about loads like liquids, which can react quite strongly to even a small interruption in power, comes home to the driver. Climbing an incline like this is made harder when the freight starts to slosh back and forth in time with gear changes in a manual gearbox.

With this set up the problem disappears.

The dual clutch would be ideal for a 19m B-double tanker.

The other issue in which this transmission may help is if there is a risk of losing traction. The fact that the power is continuous means there is no break in power transmission and a lower risk of slippage.

MORE ELECTRONICS As with any test drive of a modern prime mover, one of the areas of interest for the driver is the array of electronic safety gadgetry included in the specification.

There are always new toys to play with and buttons to press.

This truck came up with its first surprise within five minutes of taking to the road.

After checking the mirror and deciding to move across to the left lane, this driver puts on the indicator and starts to move. The peace and quiet of the cabin was disturbed immediately by what appeared to be a car horn blaring loudly to the other side at the passenger door.

The car horn is, in fact, a warning device fitted into the door. There actually was a car in the blind spot to the left and the truck’s sensors had spotted it and set off the car horn to wake the driver up and save the car.

The usual suspects were all included in the safety package on board. Lane departure warning is becoming a regular on many trucks. There is also the forward collision warning which monitors distance to any vehicle in front. It will set off a red warning light and alarm if you are approaching a bit too fast and brake the truck if full ABS is fitted.

There is also a driver fatigue monitor which measures driver interaction with the steering wheel and other controls, and it will set off a fatigue warning if the driver is showing signs of inattention, like reacting late to events.

Active cruise control was a boon on the drive to the west, keeping the truck at a safe distance at all times from any vehicle in front as well as keeping the B-double up around the 100 km/h cruising speed.

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The transmissionis 120mm longer than its single clutch equivalent.

Cruise control was also the system to activate at the foot of the Toowoomba Range. Picking a target speed of 80 km/h, the idea was to let the electronic control systems do their job and concentrate on just how the gear changes went on the way up the steepening grade. It started into the climb at 65 km/h at 1400rpm in 10th gear.

The climb is steep enough to bring a B-double at 55 tonnes back down into the bottom box, probably into sixth. This meant one of the changes down would be one which does not use the dual clutch, as the gearbox reverts to standard shift when moving between high and low range.

There is an inclinometer in the transmission, so the I-Shift does know what kind of grade it is on. On the lower slopes it is happy to lug in a higher gear and let the rpm levels drop, but once the incline steepens, the AMT is making sharp changes and keeping revs high, around 1500 rpm.

After allowing the engine down to 1150 rpm, the engine note changed markedly as the truck dropped a gear and got stuck into the grade. There was no discernible sensation of the engine power having been interrupted.

As the grade steepened, the AMT did not let the revs get down below 1400rpm and kept up the momentum.

The next couple of changes showed the difference between dual and single clutch transmissions. The step down from eighth to seventh was a quick power-change with no interruption.

However, as the need to change from seventh to sixth approached the engine was held at higher revs and then power was disconnected as the I-Shift made the transition from high to low range. It was still performed quickly and even a good

operator would struggle to beat it in a manual Roadranger. But in comparison with the other dual clutch changes in the lead up to this point it felt sluggish.

Most of the remaining climb was spent in sixth gear at 1400rpm at around 20 km/h.

The I-Shift wasn’t that interested in an up-change, because it knew the shift would be done without the aid of the dual clutch and there would be a power break. There was a short foray down into fifth gear, but the truck soon got back into the swing of things with a power-change back to sixth while still on a steep part of the grade.

This is what differentiates this transmission from many others. It is the way it is possible to make changes when there is a lot of pressure on the driveline.

A single clutch AMT, like I-Shift, AS Tronic and so on, would be unable to make some of these shifts.

THE INBETWEENER So by introducing this new element in the driveline for the 13-litre Volvo engine, the company have created something which occupies another and different niche in the requirements of the truck buyer.

With a fuel capacity at 1,350 litres and the underslung AdBlue tank, this truck is designed as a highway prime mover and on the evidence of this drive, would do a good job as a line haul truck but probably not if it was running at top weights on mass management.

Where this model actually sits is somewhere in between the top of the FH13 range and the FH16. Anyone who wants a better performance than Volvo’s I-Shift 13-litre, but doesn’t want to go all the way with the heavier 16-litre engine, could look at this as a viable alternative.

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INDUSTRY ISSUE

2019 was Lynley Miners’ last LBRCA Conference as President.

Deja Vu Issues for Transport The recent LBRCA Conference could be described as yet another of those deja vu moments, we seem to have lived through this before. The same issues keep on returning to the table, according to Tim Giles.

T

here is an inevitability when attending the Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers Association (LBRCA) – many of the discussions among operators revolve around the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) in New South Wales who regulate road use for trucks. This year’s event in Griffith was no exception.

There has been a gradual warming of the relationship between the LBRCA and the RMS over the years as the state roads agency has become less combative and more inclusive after it transformed from the old Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to the modern RMS. However, the

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NSW authorities still like to run their own race and take stands on certain issues which vary considerably from the rules in other states.

This variation wouldn’t be so much of an issue if it wasn’t for the fact a massive proportion of the freight passing though on NSW roads has either come from or is going to another state, or both. This means that what goes on NSW roads affects a big percentage of all Australian transport operations.

The instigation and ongoing development of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has seen the worst of the interstate variation in road

and truck rules diminish. However, the RMS persists in carrying on its own path even as the process of bringing the enforcement wing of the agency under the NHVR umbrella is taking place.

The difference in recent years has been the language used by RMS representatives and how they present their position to organisations like the LBRCA, who represent the grassroots of trucking across the state. The loud lecturing and threats have gone, the spirit of compromise is now king and the trucking industry is all the better for it.

There is one thing that hasn’t changed and that is the number of people from the

INDUSTRY ISSUE

industry who stand up to ask questions at the end of an RMS presentation and deliver a list of problems and intransigencies which are hampering safe and productive operations on the road.

There are always lots of questions, but groundbreaking answers to real problems are rare at these types of conferences.

MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RMS “We need to be accommodating and encouraging to help the trucking industry with the freight task,” said Susie Mackay, RMS Director Freight Roads and Maritime Services. “Looking at road freight, we are expecting an increase of 40 per cent over the next 20 years. If you exclude coal, about 80 per cent of all freight is moved on the road.

By 2036, we are looking at more than 400 million tonnes being moved each year on our roads and this is expected to rise up to 543 million tonnes per year by 2056, which is the end point of

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INDUSTRY ISSUE

A question from the floor from livestock transport icon, Gordon Martin.

the current NSW plan.

“We need to look at how we can be smarter and how we can improve the vehicles hauling the freight. We need to encourage industry to use higher productivity improved vehicles to undertake the new freight task.”

One of the RMS projects is called Focus on Freight and it is aimed at informing the discussion in local communities about freight transport in their area. It is an initiative by the RMS to put across points which the trucking industry has been trying to publicise for many years, often with little to show for the effort.

The latest brochure put out by the project has a useful graphic presentation of just how important high productivity trucks can be, because of their effect on the number of truck movements on our roads. It shows the performance levels available for all kinds of vehicle, all the way from a single semitrailer up to a 36.5 m long B-triple on higher mass limits.

It shows the number of vehicle trips needed to handle all of the different tasks in NSW using only semis is 16.6 million. However, if all that freight was handled by a B-triples the number of truck trips would be 5.5 million. This difference represents a 67 per cent decrease in the number of the trips and carbon emissions, as well as a 35 per cent reduction in road wear.

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“WE NEED TO BE ACCOMMODATING AND ENCOURAGING TO HELP THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY WITH THE FREIGHT TASK. LOOKING AT ROAD FREIGHT, WE ARE EXPECTING AN INCREASE OF 40 PER CENT OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS. IF YOU EXCLUDE COAL, ABOUT 80 PER CENT OF ALL FREIGHT IS MOVED ON THE ROAD.” This project and these materials are designed to enable RMS to explain the available possibilities to road managers around the state and impress upon them why there is a need to think constructively about introducing high productivity vehicles and not holding back progress by limiting access.

“One of the points we are making is that if you encourage high productivity vehicles in your area, it is beneficial for your road network in terms of road maintenance,” said Susie. “The key to good last mile access is if RMS can communicate well with local government.

It is a huge focus for us and we go out on a day-to-day basis talking to councils and sharing our knowledge, but we are also

Susie Mackay, RMS Director Freight Roads and Maritime Services.

developing a council and community engagement strategy so we can be a bit more cohesive about the way we go about engaging councils.

“We are also working hard on the farm gate access initiative to enable transport companies to get access on lower quality low volume roads.”

NSW is undergoing a significant level of investment in infrastructure around the state and this is set to continue for at least the next five years. A lot of the investment is in the motorway network around Sydney and on the Pacific Highway, but there is also some significant investment in rural roads to the west.

“We have been doing some very

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INDUSTRY ISSUE

Bianca Slack-Smith, RMS Senior Manager Stakeholder Relations and Delivery Freight Branch Regional and Freight Division.

interesting work recently in the RMS examining the economic value of road freight,” said Susie. “Not surprisingly, it confirms what we probably already thought, that road freight contributes quite a significant amount and this is helping us in arguing for the need for a continuing focus on road freight.”

THE REALITY ON THE ROAD As is often the case on these occasions, the RMS come up with well thought out and sensible solutions to problems which are designed to indicate the organisation is going to be flexible and supportive of the trucking industry. When it comes to question time after the presentation, the comments offer a litany of obstruction either from local councils or from the

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RMS itself. Suggesting a communication problem with many authorities, who are tasked with both granting access, controlling and improving freight transport on the roads of NSW. “It’s great to see this chart about the high productivity vehicles but concentrating on 30 m A-double as the future truck of choice is very problematic,” said Kel Baxter from Baxter Transport. “It should help our business, running tippers, but when I look at the amount of freight on the Newell Highway, there are sections where you can use road trains with bogey dollies and triaxle dollies.

“NSW is a through State, and I see the efficiencies which could be gained by running triaxle dollies through to

Goondiwindi in Queensland. There are some issues with things like railway crossings, but I think we could work through the bottle necks with better signage and some speed restrictions.

“Going a little further west, we could have a route for AB-triples from Tocumwal to Goondiwindi. There are sections of the Newell which are ready for the AB-triple. The idea of putting PBS forward as the answer for these solutions is flawed. Most PBS trucks run in small specific areas on a day-to-day basis.

Moving stock and grain is different, routes change all the time and are over a very long distance.

“When you really look for productivity gains, we as a company, spend all of our time trying to get access and it is a very frustrating process. There are such great opportunities, if we can get it right, we need to move forward on this.”

In reply, Susie continued with the supportive theme of her presentation, but without committing to the kinds of things the audience were asking for.

“For the Newell Highway we would like to go forward with 36.5 metre A-doubles, and we are agnostic about whether they are PBS or not,” said Susie.

“We are doing work at the moment with some vehicles to see how they perform, looking at bogey dollies and triaxle dollies.”

There are a number of issues which the RMS bring up every time longer trucks on the Newell are mentioned.

One is the two railways crossings in Parkes, which can be solved with some upgrades, but it is a very slow process.

There is a project underway but it is still very early on. An interim solution may make improvements to get 30 metre A-double access, but doing this may mean full access for 36.5 metre combination may take a lot longer.

The RMS have commissioned the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) to do an analysis of the Newell to work out which roads are suited to which combinations, looking at whether the NSW ‘Modern’ road trains can use the road or whether A-doubles or the tradition road train will be allowed.

The report is likely to support the agenda laid out by the RMS, who have a history of pushing their own state combinations rather than those accepted

in other states from which many of the vehicles are likely to come.

THE REAL LAST MILE Following on from an initiative in Western Australia, a Farm Gate Access Project has been developed by the RMS. The idea is for freight tasks which involve the need to use a rural road to the farm gate, which may not be designed to take a particular high productivity vehicles, but one where access is only needed occasionally.

In the WA scheme, operators or farmers can access a kit to self- assess the route to ensure it meets the minimum

vehicles per day and 25 or less heavy vehicles. The definition of an occasional task is a maximum of 26 trips in a year for each property. The property, as defined by the rules, can be for small scale production or farming activities.

There is also a vehicles overall size limit of 26 metre B-double up to 4.6 m high. There is an allowance for local councils to develop this initiative and add larger combinations into the selfassessment system if they so choose.

“The way it will work will be dependent on councils,” said Bianca. “A farmer or operator will undertake a selfassessment on an online form. They then

“IF YOU ENCOURAGE HIGH PRODUCTIVITY VEHICLES IN YOUR AREA, IT IS BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR ROAD NETWORK IN TERMS OF ROAD MAINTENANCE. IT IS A HUGE FOCUS FOR US AND WE GO OUT ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS TALKING TO COUNCILS AND SHARING OUR KNOWLEDGE.” requirements for occasional use. Once the assessment is done and submitted, demonstrating compliance with the conditions, the operator can use the route when needed.

“We have developed a pilot for the Farm Gate Access Scheme,” said Bianca Slack-Smith, RMS Senior Manager Stakeholder Relations and Delivery Freight Branch Regional and Freight Division. “This model is very different from our original idea but we have found something which works, in the pilot we have 10 councils on board.

“The council’s response has been really positive; they are enthusiastic. The joint organisation of local councils in the Riverina has also come on board. We are meeting with the councils soon to get the whole thing up and running. Then we will be looking to industry and farmers to put applications in.”

The access granted in the pilot does not take away the council’s right to allow access over longer routes. It is local roads where there is limited connectivity to the broader network. Basically, we are talking about farm gate and small low volume roads.

A low volume road has been defined as a road which carries less than 200

do the assessment a road manager would do, recognising it’s a low risk road. It identifies any restrictions, limitations and risks and there are mitigations that the operator can select to lower the risk of travel by accepting certain conditions.”

This initiative does look to be something which will be useful and practical for the trucking industry as it plays out. It seems like a practical solution to a practical problem. If it is just a pilot project, it seems difficult to understand why the current system used in WA couldn’t have been used as a template and then adapted to suit NSW during the pilot process. Instead, here is another variation between the states from the word go with this project.

SLOWLY, SLOWLY There is progress being made and good productivity outcomes have been gained by trucking operations running in and through NSW. The problem is the speed at which the changes are made.

Demand for freight services moves quickly and customers are looking for solutions now. Unfortunately, the whole business has to wait while the slow cogs of road regulation, enforcement and local government turn.

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DIESEL WORKSHOP

Haulmark Heads South A trailer maker known for its rugged Queensland and Territory-based equipment has found a new home, taking it away from its core market and widening its base and activities. Diesel Workshop talks to the man who set up the South Australian Haulmark workshop, Darryl Smith.

T

here is quite a lot involved in good trailer maintenance, not least the wide variety of trailers needing work done, from flat-tops all the way through tankers to livestock crates. The new Haulmark facility which has opened in Adelaide handles this wide range, plus it offers truck servicing as well.

Haulmark originates from Brisbane and has been a stalwart of the trailer building industry, specialising in trailers and dollies designed to put up with the rigours of travelling at high masses and at high speeds on the badly maintained roads of country Queensland. Over the years the company has grown, with a presence across the border in the Northern Territory.

Now, there is a third facility in the Adelaide area, more precisely in Edinburgh. The facility opened earlier this year and has seemed to hit the ground running, picking up plenty of trailer maintenance and as well as truck

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DIESEL May-June 2019

Darryl Smith, Haulmark Branch Manager in South Australia.

maintenance work at the facility.

One of the stimuli for setting up a facility in the south was an ongoing Defence contract involving Haulmark trailers, and it makes sense to set up trailer maintenance facilities where the

military are setting up their main bases, hence Darwin and Adelaide. However, Haulmark also reckoned there was room for a specialist trailer and truck workshop for the trucking industry in the area. “We cover all facets of repair,�

DIESEL WORKSHOP

says Darryl Smith, Haulmark Branch Manager in South Australia. “Servicing and repair of both trailers and trucks as well as trailer manufacturing. This is predominantly a trailer focussed business, but we can also work on our customer’s trucks. If a customer comes in to get some servicing work done on their stock crate and needs their truck serviced at the same time, we have that capability and skill level to do that too.

“This is a totally new venture for us and a bit of a different direction for the company, as well. We are getting more into a retail presence, rather than our more traditional position as solely a manufacturer.

“It started in Darwin, where we went more into retail for the first time. It worked very well for us in Darwin and that was the catalyst to come to Adelaide with a more retail focus. Next, we are starting a large presence in Townsville.”

This is part of a process for Haulmark of looking into the future and preparing to move the company forward into new areas and extend from the role as a trailer and dolly manufacturer only. This increasing footprint means the company can support its product on a national scale. The South Australian trailer market is very different to its Northern neighbours, but Haulmark is looking to extend its capabilities to develop outside of its homeland.

This presence in Adelaide will see the company dealing on a day-to-day basis with the trucking industry in the area servicing its trucks and trailers, but also getting to know the local preferences and develop trailer designs to suit local needs.

Over the next few years the business will be trying to find its place in the local workshop ecology.

“THIS IS A TOTALLY NEW VENTURE FOR US AND A BIT OF A DIFFERENT DIRECTION FOR THE COMPANY, AS WELL. WE ARE GETTING MORE INTO A RETAIL PRESENCE, RATHER THAN OUR MORE TRADITIONAL POSITION AS SOLELY AS A MANUFACTURER. ” BUILDING A WORKSHOP Darryl was involved from the word go in building the workshop from scratch and now runs a facility employing 18 people.

This includes diesel technicians, a trailer technician, boilermakers, parts people as well as the usual admin staff and one manager, Darryl.

The workshop is set up with a full gantry system plus all of the pits and other equipment needed to do full

servicing on both trucks and trailers. The pits will handle a full B-double and the facility is big enough to pull a road train into the yard and through the workshop.

Last mile access for these trucks was secured when the workshop first opened.

The building includes two Hartex integrated pits including jacking systems to handle the different jobs the workshop will be expecting to tackle. The oil draining system also includes a new oil

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DIESEL WORKSHOP

recovery system.

The facility also boasts the latest VLT loading precision brake tester from Europe coupled with a full axle shaker system. All of these are connected through the wifi system in the building.

This is a one-man operated system, with the technician sitting in the truck with a tablet and conducting the entire brake test, by themselves controlling everything from the tablet. These reports will also use the wifi to be stored on the facility’s main servers as long term records of testing and conformance.

There is a full Dealer Management System (DMS) system in the business, an Australian developed system called Titan. This has the capability to integrate right across the business, covering servicing, sales, parts and administration.

Invoicing can be automated straight to email when jobs are completed.

“We are working towards a low administration system in the business,” says Darryl. “It’s a very smart system and our equipment level is probably the best in the state. We also have two 20 tonne

A large covered bay with a full fuel gantry to facilitate fuel tanker work.

cranes designed to reduce the manual labour for our technicians. We can roll a chassis over if needed.”

There is a wide wash bay under the main roof to enable a full clean down of equipment before major work on large trailers. There is also a large covered bay with a full fuel gantry to facilitate fuel

“THE BUILDING INCLUDES TWO HARTEX INTEGRATED PITS INCLUDING JACKING SYSTEMS TO HANDLE THE DIFFERENT JOBS THE WORKSHOP WILL BE EXPECTING TO TACKLE. ”

tanker work. It is Safe Load Pass (SLP) certified to be able to handle compliance work on tankers. This contributes to the full tanker repair facility, where periodic tanker testing can all be done on site. This particular part of the facility is unique in SA and rare anywhere in Australia, according to Darryl.

The set-up includes a ramp system running along the main wall which is air activated, meaning there is no spark when inflammables are on site. There is a gantry which lowers down with a cage for the technician. It will lower down onto the top of the tanker. The tech is fully caged in while working on the top of the tanker.

This works well for working at heights but also enables a recovery system for anyone working inside a tank. This system comes from the US where it was designed originally to enable crews to service air conditioning units on trains.

The workshop has a tripod system, so once the cage goes over the top of the trailer, there is a technician inside on a harness on a tripod. If there is a man down situation they are already connected to some form of recovery system. There is also a person outside of the tanks watching the tech as they go about their task.

Sniffers and other gas related monitoring is also vital in this kind of work zone.

MAJOR INVESTMENT The investment by Haulmark is around $15 million which is quite a commitment considering the company has not been active in this region in the past. Darryl

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DIESEL May-June 2019

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sees this as a serious commitment showing the intention of further developing the Haulmark business in the region.

Over the next few years the business will be trying to find its place in the local workshop ecology, finding niches which are a good fit for the business and growing the niches it has already targeted.

Adelaide is also a good jumping off point to look west into Western Australia and east towards Victoria to seek out further expansion opportunities. The market in WA does have a similar set of preferences to the Queensland market so there may be some opportunities to build trailers for WA. “This branch is about the future, where we need to be in the future,” says Darryl. “Our intention is to be a onestop-shop. We are a BPW agent, we’re a Hendrickson agent. If people have got problems with genuine axle product we are happy to talk to the manufacturer for them and see if we can get it sorted.

We have chosen to stick with genuine brands, sticking with those who support Australian manufacturing.”

The current workload in the Darwin facility is divided about 60/40, trailer and truck, for the new Adelaide branch that split is more 80/20, but Darryl can see the business maturing to run at similar proportions to the older Darwin operation. The truck business is expected to grow as trailer customers make use of the dual capabilities of the business rather than move into an area of just servicing a customer’s trucks.

GETTING AND RETAINING STAFF Accessing staff for the business has been an uphill battle. Advertising for technicians often does not get a response. “You struggle to get bad technicians applying for jobs,” says Darryl. “That’s how bad it is.

Boilermakers and welders have not been quite so bad and getting people to do administration work is no problem.”

“I am lucky to have recruited some excellent technicians. A lot of them I have known for a number of years, and I’m quite happy to have them in the Haulmark business.”

Two of the boilermakers are on

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VLT loading precision brake tester from Europe coupled with a full axle shaker system.

“THIS BRANCH IS ABOUT THE FUTURE, WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN THE FUTURE,” SAYS DARRYL. “OUR INTENTION IS TO BE A ONE-STOP-SHOP. WE ARE A BPW AGENT, WE’RE A HENDRICKSON AGENT.” apprenticeships. One is an adult apprentice and the other is a youngster, with more coming into the pipeline both as diesel technicians and on the body building side of the business.

Darryl is aware of the attraction for trained technicians to head out to the mines, but has developed a strategy to try and keep them.

“A lot of it is about work conditions,” says Darryl. “People will always chase money, but it is not the ultimate. If you work in a good work place where there’s a good environment, you have a better chance of holding onto your people. You let people work a few extra hours when

they can. It is a bit of extra expenditure, but it can be a bit of a magnet to keep those people in the business too.”

Darryl remains confident there is room in the Adelaide market for a new trailer and truck maintenance facility.

The trucking industry in South Australia seems to be going OK at the moment.

“I’m not hearing a lot of doom and gloom,” says Darryl. “We haven’t really gone to the market yet to advertise our product, but will start to mark our presence soon. Even without going to the market, we are getting a lot of enquiries, asking us about our product and what we do.”

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Talking Tyre Pressure When you are talking tyre pressure, one bright idea is becoming popular on the highways in the US. It’s a one-stop shop providing personalised and recorded tyre checks for a truck as it passes through a fuel station.

The technician comes and inspects the prime mover and trailer, completing the entire inspection before the driver completes filling up.

A

simple idea developed by Haltec Corporation and truck stop chain, Love’s Travel Stop, is TirePass, which is available at over 300 locations across the US. What sets this program apart from other tyre services is the ability to check and correct tyre pressure, record tread depth readings, and identify any tyre issues at the fuel bowsers while a driver is fuelling up.

This ‘one stop shop’ has been developed as a service for the professional truck driver as tyre ‘asset management’ is reckoned to reduce fuel consumption and improve efficiency, but the increase in safety is immeasurable.

TirePass allows for the identification of potentially dangerous tyres and offers tyre replacement services.

At each Love’s location with TirePass, one fuel lane is specifically designated for TirePass. When the driver pulls into

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this lane, they simply press a call button and a trained TirePass Technician comes and inspects the prime mover and trailer, completing the entire inspection before the driver completes filling up. The program is designed for fleets as well as owner/ operators allowing them real time, on road asset management.

For the driver it’s simple, pull into the TirePass fuel lane, press the button on the call box, pull forward when a team member raises the barrier. Then a tyre technician will arrive to check and the tyres while the driver fills up. When it’s time to pay for the fuel the TirePass report is available at the counter.

For the truck operator it’s an opportunity to get a previously unattainable level of visibility and control over the fleet’s tyres.

The system captures and collects data on every tyre and each tyre is assessed, addressed and summarised in a report while the driver is fuelling.

The results of the report are made available via an online portal, and red flag alerts regarding areas of immediate concern are sent directly to operator’s email. The driver instantly receives a printed version of the same report, and if maintenance is needed, it can be performed on-site at the tyre care site.

Not only is this a snapshot of the current condition of tyres, but also acts as a record of tyre condition and maintenance over time.

In Australia, Haltec fleet and commercial solutions are available from their global partner Airtec Corporation.

Airtec is a leading manufacturer of digital sensor technology and precise tyre inflation products suitable for all tyre pressure applications. Correct inflation increases a tyre’s durability and decreases a vehicle’s rolling resistance and braking distance, leading to less chance of accidents on the road.

DIESEL WORKSHOP

Drum Brake Inspection

I

t is important to remember during a drum brake inspection that the drums have a design feature that significantly reduces dirt contamination. The closed assembly is less vulnerable and ideal for off road conditions. However, a drawback is the lack of heat dissipation which creates more heat build-up during repeated highspeed braking. Even with the benefits, periodically inspecting and maintaining the brake system is important to the unit’s operation and is critical to road safety.

Please note that the following instructions are general in nature. Actual inspections should be performed as per the brake manufacturer’s service manual.

Upon initial inspection, apply the parking brake, remove the inspection grommet from the dust cover and review the brake lining thickness. Brake drums and linings will typically have a visible wear step which indicates they are due for replacement. While the parking brake is applied, inspect the brake chamber pushrod to determine if the pushrod over stroke indicators are visible. Refer to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) service material for correct pushrod length

and measurement criteria.

With the drums removed look for any signs of excessive heat loading, cracks, and uneven wear. Measure the drum wear with a brake drum gauges to determine if it is out of round. If replacing the brake shoes, look over the anchor pins, rollers and s-cams for signs of abnormal wear. Its best to replace the pins, roller bushes, and springs whenever replacing the brake shoes.

If replacing the anchor pin bushes, do not use an excessive amount of force as it could cause damage to the spider plate.

Ensure all of the dirt, dust, and old lubricant is thoroughly cleaned off before applying new anti-seize compound to the pins, roller slots and the ends of the roller (doing so will prevent incompatibility concerns between different lubricants). For units operating in a dusty environment, the use of a dry film lubricant is highly recommended.

S-cam axial and radial play should be measured to determine if adjustment or replacement is required. The s-cam tube will need to be greased until fresh grease is seen coming out of the seal. In addition, the slack adjuster will also require greasing and proper adjustment as per the OEM

specifications. If the slack adjuster is ever removed, ensure the splines are lubricated with suitable anti-seize compound and the correct angle is set.

Prior to drum installation, clean the mating surfaces to remove any dirt or corrosion from the hub flange, drum face, pilot, and wheel contact area. If this is neglected, then the drum will not seat properly and may cause cracks at the drum flange. Cleaning the wheel mounting face is also important to prevent wheel runout, wheels coming loose, or any relative wheel movement.

In addition to following through with the designated service intervals, keeping a log is generally good practice. Tracking the inspections and repairs performed will provide an indication of the brake service life and prevent costly roadside failures.

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DIESEL WORKSHOP

Environmentally Friendly Shock Absorber Powerdown has taken a step further in developing an environmentally friendly shock absorber solution. Collaborating with Re-Oil, a local Newcastle oil and lubrication specialist company, Powerdown have been instrumental in the development of a tailored high-performance shock absorber fluid made from sugar cane.

T

he base fluid selected for this application not only originates from a renewable plant-based resource but is also biodegradable. This makes BioShock Ultra the logical choice for an environmentally conscious user, who will not compromise on product performance.

Key performance features of this new fluid include a superior ability to distribute heat, which facilitates high rates of heat dissipation within the fluid and a superior flash point compared to traditional shock absorber oils.

The benefits of these features allow for exceptional shock absorber performance and endurance with consistent high resistance to fade or loss of damping. These characteristics ensure high level wheel stability for positive road traction and braking.

Hills Tankers’ servicing facility at Beresfield NSW.

subjected to the “torture tests” considered compulsory by Powerdown.

ON HIGHWAY TESTING BENCH TESTING To ensure that the new fluid would perform to Powerdown’s standards, a thermo-study was carried out at the Powerdown test facilities on a number of dynamometers and data gathering test machinery to expose the fluid to the most conceivable parameters of stress and enduring resistance factors, including any physical break down of the fluid composition that may have revealed themselves when

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DIESEL May-June 2019

Currently a six month trial is under way with the support of Hills Tankers on a pair of B-double combinations. Like Powerdown, Hills tankers is a family business that began in the Hunter region in 1960. Since then, they have grown into one of Australia’s leading transport and logistics providers for the liquid and dangerous goods industries.

The two-test vehicle made available by Hills Tankers shuttle between Beresfield,

northern NSW and inland as far as Glen Innes traveling up to 5,000km on a weekly basis. One has been fitted with a total of 12 Powerdown test shock absorbers and the other being used as a control vehicle, is running Original Equipment shock absorbers. Hills Tankers have a modern servicing facility where their trucks are inspected and serviced once every two weeks to ensure safe and efficient running of all vehicles.

During the six month trial, both vehicles will be evaluated and serviced at the same rate to compare the difference in performance; wear and tear will also be

DIESEL WORKSHOP

Test and control vehicles provided by Hills Tankers.

monitored to evaluate the performance of the new shock absorber technology under real world working conditions. The trial is still underway, but the initial results look good, driver feedback has been very positive and overall performance has improved.

The Powerdown engineering team

will be available to discuss new exciting product developments at the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show.

BIODEGRADABILITY EXPLAINED The industrial terminology ‘readily biodegradable’ means, a product which reaches biodegradation greater

than 60 per cent in 28 days, and the 60 per cent level is reached within 10 days of reaching the 10 per cent mark (’10 day window’ criterion).

In general, a ‘readily biodegradable’ material biodegrades more rapidly and more completely than an ‘inherently biodegradable’ material.

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81 May-June 2019 DIESEL As a shareholder, they can redeem reward points earned and receive dividends if declared. **Capricorn Finance offers business equipment finance through Capricorn Society Limited and brokers business and consumer finance through Capricorn Society Financial Services Pty Ltd (Australian Credit Licence Number 391626). Fees & charges, terms & conditions and lending criteria apply.

DIESEL WORKSHOP

Go to the Experts for Transmission Repair ZF Transmissions recommends that when it comes to commercial vehicles transmission troubleshooting, operators should go to the experts for transmission repair. The cause of errors can be diverse and ZF Aftermarket provides step-by-step instructions on truck transmission repairs.

M

odern transmissions are efficient and durable. Despite this, problems or even damage can occur. To help avoid time-consuming and costly repairs, especially in the commercial vehicle sector, effective error diagnosis and specific expertise upfront are essential.

ZF Aftermarket provides highquality repairs for ZF transmissions for commercial vehicles, and ensures top results with state-of-the-art diagnosis and repair methods using original parts.

Fast, professional transmission repairs guarantee continued vehicle mobility.

Transmissions come in different types and designs. When it comes to truck transmission repairs, ZF Aftermarket’s offers highly specialised systems expertise, whether it be for a manual, automatic or automated transmission.

The ZF Aftermarket Service location in Sydney, Australia provides the expertise required to professionally repair all ZF Truck transmissions and fit them with ZF

genuine spare parts.

Normally, truck transmissions run for 700,000–800,000 km, equivalent to a service life of approximately 12-15 years.

However, gearshift errors, wear and soiling can restrict functionality and cause failure over the long term.

The complexity of the components makes an in-depth diagnosis and repair process necessary.

CAUSES OF ERRORS ARE DIVERSE Whatever the type, Truck transmissions are subject to high loads every day. That is why incorrect use, defective peripheral parts in the vehicle or lack of maintenance can quickly cause damage and costly repairs.

Often, this initially only requires the replacement during repairs of worn small components such as needle roller bearings, synchroniser rings, sliding sleeves or seals. But according to ZF Aftermarket, 80 per cent of problems are due to the synchronisation of the clutch or transmission actuators.

One possible indicator of a defective clutch is unstable gear shifts, whereby the gear repeatedly jumps or refuses to engage. If the driver manages to actuate the clutch and apparently engage the gear, the engine remains in idling mode.

Transmission failures can also be down to mechanical or electronic wear.

Many symptoms seem to indicate transmission damage, but are actually caused by a component that interacts with the transmission. Examples are a defective DMF or a problem with the air supply.

STEP BY STEP: TRUCK TRANSMISSION REPAIR The ZF Aftermarket experts explain that it is important to rule out these above error sources before carrying out a transmission repair. ZF Aftermarket clearly defines its professional and structured transmission repair process, consisting of error diagnosis, cleaning, analysis, disassembly and repair or replacement of spare parts as necessary.

Step 1: Diagnosis and interpretation of vehicle data The basis for a reliable diagnosis is provided by reading the fault memory and expertly interpreting all the relevant vehicle data. ZF uses diagnostic units that support professional, systematic troubleshooting throughout the entire vehicle.

The ZF Testman diagnostic unit developed specifically for ZF products focuses on the driveline technology.

Unlike other diagnostic solutions, this system can also be used on already disassembled transmissions.

The ZF Testman can read the transmission’s electronic data, check statistic and dynamic vehicle data, extract

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DIESEL May-June 2019

DIESEL WORKSHOP

unfiltered information from the truck fault memory, teach ZF components and mirror the software of individual components.

Step 2: Gear unit cleaning with high pressure wash technology After identifying the causes of the fault, the gearbox is cleaned. This means that any stuck deposits and dirt residue are removed with the aid of high pressure wash technology.

Step 3: Dismantling the gear unit The components inside the transmission should then be examined. To do this, the transmission is completely dismantled and the individual parts inspected and, if necessary, measured. The torque converter in automatic transmissions is emptied, cleaned, and overhauled.

Steps 4 and 5: Mechatronics repair and inspection Transmission repair and replacement are among ZF Aftermarket’s core

competencies. ZF has gained extensive transmission expertise over many decades.

That enables the team at Sydney to offer its workshop customers repairs tailored to the requirements and current value of the specific vehicle. This ranges from replacement of defective transmission components right up to complete assembly of an exchange unit that meets the state of the art in current volume production.

After the repair, all transmissions undergo final testing under real-life conditions on the ZF test bench, which includes heating the oil in automatic transmissions to 75°C to realistically simulate the right temperature and pressure conditions.

Steps 6 and 7: Assembly and final tests on the test bench After assembly, the transmission is filled with fresh oil. ZF has developed a specific test bench for thorough leak and function testing of its automatic transmissions.

Following these tests, the automatic

transmission software is reset so that the workshop can re-enter the vehicle data and update the vehicle manufacturer software after installation of the transmission.

A final test run of the transmission in the vehicle completes the repair process.

ZF AFTERMARKET’S SYSTEM COMPETENCE The central prerequisites for repairing transmission damage are comprehensive specialist knowledge and a high level of diagnostic expertise for gearboxes of all brands. The worldwide ZF Service Partner network supports independent workshops in complex transmission repairs as a strong and quality-oriented service provider.

ZF Aftermarket also offers spare parts and transmission oils in original equipment manufacturer quality. This ensures fast, professional, and reliable repairs, including replacement to series production status.

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GOING GLOBAL

ROAD TRAIN V ERSUS PLATOO Following a recent trip to Australia, Will Shiers questions why the UK doesn’t go down the road train route instead of trialling truck platooning.

I

f you come home with a suntan I’ll be peed off,” said my wife, as I kissed her goodbye and headed to the airport, leaving her to look after the kids for five days.

She’s under the impression that whenever I go on a press trip it’s some sort of holiday, and that I spend most of my time sitting by a hotel pool, being waited on by scantily-clad cocktail waitresses. In reality, nine times out of 10 I’m actually stuck in an airport hotel, somewhere in Germany, being bored to death by an engineer, who wants to tell me about the modifications he’s made to a truck’s suspension components.

There are exceptions though, and this was one of them. I had persuaded Volvo Trucks to invite me to Australia to spend a couple of days driving road trains, which to me is in actual fact the perfect holiday, not that I’d ever admit that to her!

“And I want a decent gift too”, she added, “not one of those hats with corks dangling from it.”

The UK is about to embark on a truck platooning trial, linking trucks electronically, in the hope of saving fuel and increasing productivity. In my humble opinion this is an utter waste of £8.2m (AUD$15.2). Daimler can’t make the technology work on North America’s big open roads (see breakout box), so why does the UK government think it has potential on our crowded island?

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DIESEL May-June 2019

Instead of linking them wirelessly, surely it makes more sense to join the trucks mechanically?

While numerous European countries have already introduced longer vehicles, the real experts are of course you guys down under, as you’ve been refining the road train concept over the past 80-plus years. The reason for my trip was to try three of your combinations, to assess whether any could have potential back in Blighty.

My 600km Queensland journey started in Brisbane, with a Volvo FH16 600 B-double set-up. Despite being 26 metres and weighing in at 60 tonnes, I was impressed by how manoeuvrable it was. The trailers tracked the prime mover far better than I was expecting, with considerably less cut-in than anticipated. And what’s more, it felt incredibly sure-footed and stable too.

In Toowoomba, we called in on Simon National Carriers, where we connected a third trailer, transforming it into a B-triple. We were now running at 82 tonnes and 32 metres. Finally, at Roma, some 475km from Brisbane, a fourth trailer was added, making us an ABB-quad. We were now running at a staggering 120 tonnes and 52 metres.

To put these figures into perspective (and explain why I was so excited at this point), the maximum weight and length of articulated truck and trailers

GOING GLOBAL

V ONING

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GOING GLOBAL

A truck platooning trial, linking trucks electronically, in the hope of saving fuel and increasing productivity. permitted on standard licences in the UK is just 44 tonnes and 16.5 metres, while drawbars (truck and dog) can go up to 18.75 metres.

Sweden and Finland have long allowed larger combinations on their roads. These 60-tonne 25.25 metre outfits generally consist of a 3-axle rigid with converter dolly and standard 13.6 metre semi-trailer, or a B-double consisting of a prime mover, a short trailer, and a

13.6 metre trailer. The vehicles are now also being trialled elsewhere in Europe, including the Netherlands and parts of Germany.

In 2006, the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) launched a study into the possibility of bringing such vehicles to Britain. In addition to the Scandinavian-spec trucks, it also looked at the feasibility of 11-axle, 34 metre, 82-tonners. The project would describe

the vehicles as Longer Heavier Vehicles (LHVs), which if you ask me, was just ridiculous.

Why give them a name that would guarantee to enrage the truck-hating general public? Surely ‘environmentallyfriendly’ or ‘high productivity’ would have been better. Anyway, blaming the need for infrastructure changes, and not wanting to pee off the rail lobby, in 2008 the plug was permanently pulled on LHVs. But one man who won’t give up on the dream is Dick Denby, chairman of Denby Transport, located in Lincoln in the east of England. Back in 2002 he built a 25.25 metre B-double, which he christened Eco-Link. In 2009, he famously attempted to drive it on public roads, using a loophole in the law, but was turned around by the police as he exited his yard.

Ten years on and Denby is still championing the cause, shouting about the environmental and productivity benefits of his truck, and actively pushing for a trial to allow 2,000 Eco-Links to operate on UK roads. The DfT however believes that demand for the B-double would be ‘weak’ and Denby is currently seeking to gather support from operators willing to take part in such a trial.

UK LST TRIAL FINDINGS In 2017, five years into the UK’s Longer Semi Trailer Trial, the Department for Transport revealed the following findings: Of the 2,800 LST allocations available, 2,600 have been granted, and 1,939 are on the road.

So far 3.6 million journeys have been completed, equating to 443 million km travelled.

To date 28,000 tonnes of CO2 and 141 tonnes of NOx have been saved, with these figures expecting to rise to 67,000 tonnes and 336 tonnes respectively by 2027.

Finally, at Roma a fourth trailer was added, making us anABB-quad.

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On a per km basis, LSTs have been involved in around 70 per cent fewer personal injury collisions and casualties than the UK articulated average.

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GOING GLOBAL

Daimler can’t make the technology work on North America’sbig open roads.

Having ruled against LHVs in 2008, in a surprise move four years later, the DfT announced details of a longer semi-trailer (LST) trial. Some 1,800 licences were issued for an equal mix of 14.6 metre and 15.65 metre trailers, as opposed to the 13.6 metre industry standard. Initially the take-up was slow, especially with the shorter 14.6 metre trailers. GVWs remained at 44 tonnes, which meant that LSTs certainly didn’t suit all applications.

In 2017, in order to make the final results of the study ‘more robust’, the

DAIMLER ON PLATOONING After thousands of miles of on-highway testing, Daimler came to the conclusion that there is no viable business case for truck platoons, and while it remains committed to current projects, will not be embarking on any new platooning trials.

“Platoons do improve aerodynamics and fuel efficiency considerably in an ideal world, but not in real world traffic,” said Martin Daum, CEO of Daimler Truck and Bus. He explained that under perfect conditions, coupling two or more trucks electronically at a distance

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DIESEL May-June 2019

trial was extended for a further five years, and another 1,000 licences were added to the mix. At this point the DfT published its interim findings (see breakout box).

Going back to my Australia trip, when I got home I ran a picture of the Volvo road train on the cover of Commercial Motor magazine with the attentiongrabbing headline, “52m 120-tonne road train – could it work in the UK?” No, of course it couldn’t! But I reckon your B-doubles could. They’re manoeuvrable, safe, productive and

of 15m apart, has the ability to boost fuel economy by four per cent.

However, thanks to a number of external factors, including terrain and traffic conditions, perfect platooning only occurs 20 per cent of the time. As a result, in real world conditions, the savings are closer to one per cent, which he says does not make platooning a viable business proposition.

“Platooning is a lot of hassle, but we would go through that hassle if it meant a four per cent fuel saving for our customers,” says Martin. “However, it’s

have the ability to slash the UK’s carbon footprint. Yes, we would need to make some infrastructure changes to accommodate their additional length, and of course additional training would be required too. But if you ask me, a good place to start would be using that £8.2m put aside for platooning trials.

Do I think we stand a cat in hell’s chance of the UK government actually agreeing to it though? I think there’s more chance of my wife learning to catch the boomerang I bought her in Brisbane Airport!

not worth it for just one per cent.”

Daum believes other truck makers will eventually come to the same conclusion, describing it as a “simple law of physics”.

But Daum insisted that the several years of trials, which have cost an estimated €50m (AUD $80m), have not been a waste of money, and that lots of things have been learned, such as the need for drivers to synchronise their peeing. “If a driver stops to pee now, you know the other will need to stop in 30 minutes,” he said.

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GOING GLOBAL

MARCH MADNESS AT THE NORTH AMERICAN SHOWS Diesel’s US Correspondent, Steve Sturgess, has been doing the rounds of the truck related show around the is time of year and reports on the latest development in US trucking.

T

he US truck show season was the usual scramble this year, with the World of Concrete in Las Vegas, then the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, then back again to Vegas for the small show at the Truckload Carriers’ Annual meeting, with a final wrap up of the Technology Conference (TMC) spring meeting in Atlanta.

It used to wind up with the MidAmerica Trucking Show in Louisville but I decided that I’d give it a miss this year again. Several years ago the organisers got really arrogant, and now it has just become a regional trailer show as the truck makers stay away, en masse.

Even so, it’s a hectic time and jammed with press conferences. By my reckoning there were no fewer than 48 press conferences announcing new products and services at the two big shows, Work Truck and TMC. So, I’ll just hit a couple of stand-outs…

EATON TECHNOLOGY Of all the 24 press events at the spring meeting of the Technology and Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations, what I found the most interesting was an Eaton roll out of upcoming fuel economy technologies that included NO products or services. It was fascinating for that.

A lesser known side of Eaton’s business is the manufacture of valves and valve trains for the passenger car side. As such, it has a wealth of collective experience in making poppet valves go up and down in gasoline and diesel engines. It is putting a lot of that knowledge on the line to help engineers and designers of next generation heavyduty engines that will have to up their game to meet United States greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions regulations that go into their second phase for heavy-duty engines in 2021 but get really tough in 2024. Similar regulations will phase in with Europe’s Euro VII in the same timeframe, so the technology will have

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Freightliner is giving its eM2 electric some visibility and may well prove a winner, especially with electric utility fleets.

wide application.

The technology employed varies the valve timing through the four-stroke cycle. Dr Mihai Dorobantu, Eaton’s director of technology planning, said Eaton could tackle NOx in Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) after treatment or in-engine. Or both. In-engine there are trade-offs. Varying timing to mimic the Miller cycle reduces CO2. As well, the reduced pumping losses of this approach also reduce CO2, but all this increases cost and the overall fragility of the engine.

After treatment reduces NOx and works well at medium to high loads, said Dr Dorobantu, reducing 98-99 per cent of the engine-out NOx. But it doesn’t work well at low load or idle. One solution is to increase the amount of catalysts to lower NOx but that’s a very expensive decision, in terms of cost, weight and space. The answer is to manage exhaust temperature at low load.

Eaton’s Variable Valve Activation (VVA) adds or subtracts motion in the valve train, modifying cam profile on the fly to command different valve behaviour. Dorobanto said this allows for keeping the basic cam profile, and

adding mechanical modifiers.

The Eaton solution is to apply late intake valve closing to keep the inlet valve open past cam-closing. This gets more air into the cylinder to mimic the Miller cycle. On the exhaust side, opening the exhaust valve earlier than the cam profile means exhaust gases remain hot and this hotter exhaust improves the low-load and idle after treatment efficiency. The same capsule can open the exhaust valve at the top of compression to work as the retarder. The cam-profile modifiers can be in the valve train or rocker arms.

These modifying actuators can also eliminate manual setting of valve lash, which is done on diesels at 20,000 to 30,000 miles (30,000 to 50,000km) as wear on the valve seat and other valve train components allows for a drift out of correct adjustment and correct timing.

Dorobanto says Eaton is working on hydraulic valve lifters as used in gasoline engines to allow lash to be constant over engine life and across all cylinders for optimised operation.

The bounty of VVA does not stop there. There is also an opportunity to introduce cylinder deactivation which

GOING GLOBAL means less engine displacement at low load. It doesn’t work as a fuel-save on diesels, though. But it does keep the exhaust stream hot by preventing the cool exhaust gas at no- or partload blowing past the catalysts and reducing the efficiency of the after treatment performance.

Further, VVA can double the braking horsepower by closing the exhaust valve during the exhaust stroke. The trend to lower truck aerodynamic losses, lower rolling resistance tyres and downsped engines is dictating a need for more braking. Getting two brake strokes per cycle instead of just one is a good way to achieve this, he said.

JAKE BRAKE UPDATE If all this sounds like Jacobs Brake revisited, it sounded even more like that to me, as only the previous month I had interviewed Jake people on the whole lost motion concept and where they stand on technology today compared with what I saw in their Connecticut laboratory in the early 2000s, this is not a new concept.

Jacobs says it has demonstrated its VVT and cylinder cutout at several OEMs and

there is considerable interest.

Jacobs used to be a hardware company, manufacturing Clessie Cummins’ retarder for the aftermarket.

These days it is a technology company, collaborating on internal engine brakes.

Most notably, Cummins Intellibrake on the ISX is all-Jacobs as is the retarder on Daimler’s in-house HDEP engines.

I recently interviewed Robb Janak, Jacobs director of new technology, about the Jacobs two-step VVT. Instead of adjusting valve timing all over the fuel map, Jacobs has refined it down to a two-step, optimised for two positions on the fuel map which is far simpler, less mechanically complicated and less expensive to do. Jacobs is talking with OEMs about incorporating the technology (like it has done with retarder technology) into new engine designs, particularly to meet those upcoming NOx and GHG regulations.

Interestingly, the enabling technology also allows for cylinder cutout at low load, effectively reducing the engine size when appropriate. On the straight six, this is very much more easily accomplished with far less vibration than

is experienced on a V engine, where the cylinder cutouts are currently exploited in automotive applications (notably Dodge Hemi V8, GM V8s and Bentley/ Bugatti W12 and W16).

Another offshoot from the Jacobs VVT is the ability to lift the exhaust valve when shutting off the diesel engine. I am sure anyone who has experience of a big diesel will have noticed the significant shake as the ignition is keyed off and the engine spools down. The technology also allows for the exhaust valve to lift on start-up. This allows the engine to spin up faster (remember the old single-cylinder motorcycle engine valve lifters?) for a more prompt start. Also, it takes a significant load off the starter system which will likely be necessary when stop-start is introduced as part of the economy measure to achieve 2024 GHG reduction.

EATON VS JAKE At the Eaton press event at TMC I asked Dorobanto about Jacob’s patents on the technology and he was dismissive of the Jacob’s efforts. He said “They are an exhaust brake manufacturer while we

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GOING GLOBAL This 48-volt generation is through an electric regenerative braking system.

This is achieved through a transmissionmounted motor/generator at the PTO opening which also has an aircon compressor. It can be driven electrically or mechanically through coasting or engine deceleration. It would be close to the battery pack eliminating wiring up to the front engine-mounted alternator.

And 48 volts can drive power steering in engine off, coast mode. The 48-volt system can be realised with battery management, so it uses today’s regular four-battery system with a suitable controller, still providing 12-volt supply for trailers and lighting for instance.

FORD TRUCK SPLASH Over at Ram there was excitement over that latest ratings for the optional Cummins power.

are a valve systems company. They have their patents and we have ours,” he said.

But no matter who triumphs, the end result will be a better, more economical engine for the end user.

But VVT solutions for NOx and GHG is not the only arrow in the Eaton quiver. Eaton is working on a couple of unique technologies for emissions that are also planned for cleaner, kindlier diesel exhaust. One is the Eaton TVS EGR pump. Today, various artifacts such as variable geometry turbochargers or turbo compounding are required to push exhaust gases ‘upstream’ into the EGR valve. Eaton’s plan is to utilise its supercharger technology to pump the gas instead.

Dorobanto said Eaton’s electric Rootes blower can be used to pump exhaust back into cylinders. It can drive very precisely so there’s reduced risk of putting the in-cylinder fire out.

The current pumping and exhaust restriction of current system’s five per cent fuel economy losses are eliminated while reducing NOx and taking a lot of complexity out of the engine in sensors, venturis and so on.

infrastructure. To compete with diesel, electrics need 500-700 miles (8001100km) on one half hour charge. That would demand charging at over 100-150 amps and is not realistic. If charging at greater than one kW, we need a high voltage solution, he said, such as 48-volt for long haul charging that reduces wiring demands.

So Eaton is developing a 48-volt mild hybrid solution, especially valuable in sleeper operations which offers a two to three per cent fuel saving while driving and provides an electrical solution for hotel loads. It also has the potential for additional savings for stop-start engine controls.

Ford Commercial made quite a splash at the Work Truck Show, unveiling more new product than ever before. Ram Truck (aka Dodge), too, unveiled its latest chassis cabs on the heavier duty trucks. Navistar had already launched its pickup CV variant but it was interesting to step across the aisle and compare the International CV with the Chevrolet Silverado 5500. Is there a difference?

Well, the frame may be International but the cab and powertrain look identical.

And while the Duramax engine has an International logo on the valve covers there’s no doubting its lineage.

Not a problem over at Ford Commercial, the division that sells more than its four major competitors put together. In fact, Ford’s commercial trucks make a healthy 70 billion contribution to

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New for Transit is a 10-speed transmission.

GOING GLOBAL the company’s revenues, more that a lot of car/truck brands. And it wants more, launching a revamped Transit with 50 percent new part numbers in a refresh of America’s most popular van brand since the day it launched in 2014. Big news there is that Transit is now available with all-wheel drive, an important consideration for utility truck users who have to negotiate the rough and tumble of jobsites or who must go deep off-road to service in-field equipment.

Also new for Transit is a 10-speed transmission, upping the ante in this class of vehicles and there are two new engines to go along with it, a 3.5liter V6 petrol engine and a new 2.0liter Eco Blue diesel. The 3.5 is one of Ford’s Ecoboost engines so performs way better than the relatively small displacement would suggest and for the sake of added economy, it now features auto stop/start technology.

All Commercial Fords now get the driver assist packages that debuted on the F150 back in 2017 that includes pre-collision warning with auto braking, post-collision braking, lane keeping and automatic high beam operation.

Completing the package is adaptive cruise control, cross-traffic alert, auto park assistance with front and rear split view cameras. These should all make the Transit less likely to need body-shop repairs.

The old E van remains in production with some performance and gross weight enhancements for those that want a nonEuro style van chassis.

But for users that want the capability of a class6/7 truck without the bulk of the Ford F650 and 750, there’s an all new model called the F600 that is basically a 550 pickup boosted up to class 6 ratings.

That means more manoeuvrability and the ability to get into tighter job sites.

It’s all-new, and one of those white-space vehicles Detroit automakers love to market. The truck will be available with Ford’s Powerstroke 7.3 diesel or an allnew petrol V8 displacing 7.3 litres. This replaces the V10 with an engine with higher performance and likely better fuel economy.

Over at Ram there was excitement over that latest ratings for the optional Cummins power, which now boasts 1,000 ft lb of torque in its top rating

under the new aluminium hood. This is good enough to give the Ram 5500 a tow rating of 43,000 pounds (19.5 tonnes). The heavy-duty pickups get the cab upgrades featured last year on the 1500 making these very nicely appointed work trucks. In fact, with the introductions last year, the Ram 1500 became the most awarded light truck in America, said Dave Sowers, head of Ram Commercial Vehicles marketing.

One of the unique features on the pickups is a 60/40 split tailgate which can support 2,000lbs (900kg). in its conventional flipped down position, or hinged on the side to give close-in access to the bed. For utility users that tow a trailer much of the time, this could prove a useful option.

Freightliner was giving its eM2 electric some visibility and may well prove a winner, especially with electric utility fleets. And then there were the body makers, hundreds of them with everything from a snow plough on the front to a tow hitch at the rear. This really is a working truck show. And next year will be the 20th proving it now has longevity as well as popularity.

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FOTON IS FOR MOR

The Australian truck market is witnessing the return of Foton, as the Chinese truck maker introduces a new range of trucks into the light and medium duty truck market.

Tim Giles looks at the intention of the brand to release two new models.

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here have been a couple of previous appearances for the Foton here in Australia, but this time the Chinese parent company is involved, bringing its own people to Australia to get the brand kickstarted.

On two previous occasions over the last ten years an Australian importer has tried to launch the brand onto our light duty market. Their level of success was probably better than other Chinese truck brands which have arrived here, but the initial importation phase did not transform into a sustainable ongoing business.

Any Chinese truck brand trying to enter the Australian market faces considerable hurdles, not least the fact that at least three have appeared in the last ten years, with limited success, and then disappeared, it seems, without trace.

Secondly, these trucks are coming into a market at the light and medium duty end, a segment dominated by high-selling Japanese brands. These guys have been retailing good solid and relatively cheap trucks to a wide cohort of truck buyers for a considerable time using price as well as reliability as the selling point.

If a Chinese truck brand wants to enter our already crowded truck market, it needs to target where it might be able to make inroads. The price point at which these trucks look set to enter the market is below $50,000 for the light duty and below $70,000 in medium duty.

This puts the trucks in direct competition

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with good quality second hand Japanese product, and this looks like the area Foton is targeting.

One of the elements the Chinese truck maker is using to make these trucks more attractive is a four year warranty along with four years free servicing included in the initial asking price. When this is the offering the customer can then

time, a ‘factory’ operation. The entity selling these trucks is a wholly owned subsidiary of Foton’s owners in China.

This may add some credibility.

The fact of the matter is, at some point a Chinese truck maker is going to get it right and gain a foothold in the truck market in Australia. The question is, will it be Foton?

“THE QUESTION WILL BE, AND IT ALWAYS IS WITH THE LAUNCH OF A CHINESE BRAND, JUST HOW WELL DOES THE TRUCK SUIT OUR MARKET AND DOES THE TRUCK MAKER UNDERSTAND THE AUSSIE TRUCK BUYER ENOUGH TO REACH THE KIND OF MODEST SALES TARGETS THE COMPANY IS SETTING FOR ITSELF? make a simple judgement call.

This call will be made on the credibility of the brand and whether the truck will be OK for four years, or whether the brand will still be here in four years. This is going to be the main issue for any Chinese truck brand, credibility. A credibility which has been shaken by other Chinese truck brands and other importers coming in with product and promises, before putting selling trucks in Australia into the ‘too-hard’ basket.

As with any of these kinds of developments, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. This latest incursion into Australia is, for the first

TRUCKS ON SALE There are two Foton truck models coming into the country, the Aumark and the Auman. The Aumark is the more familiar light duty offering and the Auman is the name used for the truck maker’s higher GCM models right up to heavy duty prime mover size. The new models coming onto the market in 2019 are the Aumark S and the larger Auman EST. With the Auman, this model is the latest update and redesign of the model we have seen being sold in Australia before. There are a number of examples around the country which seem to be going well. The update to this new Aumark S is a considerable upgrade

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The Foton Auman EST is a muchmore ambitious move into the Australian truck market.

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all round, in terms of design and sophistication.

In China, Foton is involved in a close relationship with Daimler Trucks and this relationship can be seen in the design of the front grille on these new trucks.

It is very reminiscent of the Mercedes Benz grille on the new range of trucks introduced here back in 2016. Overall, the style is modern and the look and feel is of an up-to-date truck.

Foton’s other close relationships with joint venture partners comes to the fore in other elements of the new models.

There is a Foton joint venture with Cummins which provides the 3.8 litre engine in the Aumark S, which comes on stream, here in Australia, in the next month or so. Power is 150hp. It will be available as both a 4.5 tonne GVM and a heavier 7.5 tonne version.

This model is a considerable upgrade on the Foton models we have seen on the Australian market before. The new electronic architecture, which comes along with the new modern Benz-like look, brings with it electronic stability control, ABS, hill start assist and lane departure warning. These are all features which are becoming the standard in the more modern Japanese trucks in this market.

The gearbox comes from another of Foton’s joint venture partners, ZF. The German transmission specialist’s six speed manual gearbox is offered in the Aumark S. This is one of the areas where the

The examples of a tray body, tipper, curtain sider and fridge are all available as part of he initial Foton offering.

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Overall, the style is modern and the look and feel is of an up-to-date truck.

Chinese product has not been at its best in the past. However, on the limited test driving available to POD, the box did not have the heavy notchy feel often associated with Chinese trucks.

Overall the feel for the driver is not bad, it is simply like getting into an older Japanese truck.

The combination of a sprightly Cummins engine and a useable gearbox does mean this truck doesn’t do a bad

job. Test driving a model alongside a second hand Japanese truck at the same price would be a good way of making a call.

Another area where the Chinese have struggled in the past has been in steering.

In this Aumark, the steering felt good and solid with a smooth secure feel. This seems to come as part of the generally much better finish to these models. Test drives in the past have often been a matter of looking for some basic flaws in finishing the truck. In this particular case the truck appears well-finished.

With disc brakes all round, the Aumark uses a full air braking control system.

This is consistent with all of the other Chinese truck manufacturers who have dipped a toe into the Australian trucking waters. It can be a little disconcerting for some drivers who are more used to the hydraulic brakes we generally come across in the light duty segment.

In terms of a driving experience, the braking also seems secure and with the right amount of feel for the driver when they ease their foot onto the brake pedal.

The sound of the air release can be a little disconcerting, but is not worrying.

MEDIUM DUTY TRUCK Later in the year, there will be an Australian first from Foton, when we will

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PROOF OF DELIVERY

With the Auman, this model is the latest update and redesign of the model we have seen being sold in Australia before.

see the appearance of the Foton Auman EST. This 12 tonne GVM truck is a much more ambitious move into the Australian truck market. This is a bold move on the part of Foton and one which may attract more than a little bit of interest, a move into the medium duty market. The new truck is currently slated to make its first appearance on the market in June.

If this model does get some traction, here in Australia, the Foton team are looking to introduce a 16 tonne GVM version some time next year. The company is also expressing some even more ambitious plans to look at introducing a heavy duty Auman prime mover in 2021.

Little detail is available on this big truck as yet, and the Foton company experience in the next year or so may temper these ambitious initial claims, as the reality of the tough competition in the Aussie truck market begins to bite.

However, for now the Auman EST is here and ready to be launched to Australian buyers in the coming months.

Again, the look and feel of the truck is of a contemporary contender for sales here. The problem it may face is simply in gaining credibility in an uncompromising medium duty sector

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where all four Japanese truck makers compete and control well over 90 per cent of the market.

Power on this model comes from a 4.5 litre Cummins ISF with 185hp on tap. This drives through another, but heavier, six speed transmission from ZF. These brands do lend their credibility to the model, but again the proof will come out on the road.

There was some limited track driving available of a cab chassis version of this truck. This snapshot of experience demonstrated the truck is better than some sceptics would have expected.

The look of the truck is modern and the equipment inside the cabin is up-to-date and well-finished.

The driving experience is of a smooth operation, an engine and gearbox which are well-suited together and able to make good progress. Even though this was an unbodied truck, the ride and steering were well within the kind of performance levels the Australian truck buyer will find acceptable.

Judgement on this model will have to wait until a full-bodied model with a load on board is driven on Australian roads in realistic conditions. However, it is fair to say that initial impressions were favourable.

GOING TO MARKET This group of truck’s first appearance in Queensland saw the Foton team put a number of examples of different body options on display. Although the examples on show were built on the older Aumark chassis, it is clear these will suit the Aumark S. The examples of a tray body, tipper, curtain sider and fridge are all available as part of the initial Foton offering. The tray and tipper come in from China already built up.

Overall, the new body shape and Daimler-style grille do make these trucks look more modern than their clunky predecessors. The look and feel inside the cabin is aligned to what we are seeing in modern Japanese product. The CANbus electronic architecture being employed in these latest models does enable the manufacturer to plug into all of the latest technology and make this available to customers.

The question will be, and it always is with the launch of a Chinese brand, just how well does the truck suit our market and does the truck maker understand the Aussie truck buyer enough to reach the kind of modest sales targets the company is setting for itself? Watch this space.

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