Owner Driver 334 November 2020 by Prime Creative Media

ownerdriver NOVEMBER 2020 #334

DEDICATED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PERSON BEHIND THE WHEEL

OWNERDRIVER.COM.AU

Tough trucks Central Queenslanders rapt in UD workhorses

See page 18

King of the cabs Detour Logistics opts for K200’s driver comfort See page 32

Game time for Cascadia – Australia’s safest conventional truck

QUIET STRENGTH 18

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Contents #334

8 SENATOR STERLE BACK ON THE ROAD

WA Senator delivers road train load of preloved goods from Perth to Kununurra for East Kimberley families

18 RIGHT TRUCK FOR THE JOB

The Fletcher family in Central Queensland boast about the toughness and reliability of their UD trucks, but a 700hp Volvo gave them the grunt they needed

25 ATA AND NHVR TAKE HARD LINE ON RACISM Evidence emerges of threats to sabotage trucks as part of growing harassment towards multicultural drivers

32 KING OF THE CABS

When Volvo discontinued its XXL cabs in Australia, Detour Logistics’ boss Colin Beer looked to Kenworth’s ‘big cab’ K200 to stay in the space race

NOVEMBER 2020

“I only bought it for the noise it makes.” 50 BRISBANE BRINGS BACK HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY The Civil Construction Field Days will run concurrently with the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show

52 FREIGHTLINER FIGHTS BACK Daimler Trucks North America reports Freightliner production is back to pre-pandemic days and electric truck development remains firmly on track

56 GAME TIME FOR CASCADIA After the most comprehensive test program ever undertaken by Freightliner for a market outside North America, it’s now ‘game time’ for the new Cascadia – Australia’s safest conventional truck

Your Transport Manufacturing Specialist 5 Year Structural Chassis Warranty

12-16, Fowler Road, Dandenong South, Victoria 3175

38-40, Carrington Road, Toowoomba, Queensland 4352

Email: admin@bte.net.au

Email: scotta@bte.net.au

Ph: (03) 979 40330

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Ph: 0427 502 881

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THE RIGHT FIT. DOUBLE THE PROTECTION.

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ownerdriver EDITORIAL

Editor: Greg Bush Ph: 0408 780 302 Fax: 07 3101 6619 E-mail: Greg.Bush@aremedia.com.au Senior Journalist/LCV Specialist: Cobey Bartels Ph: 0409 044 128 E-mail: Cobey.Bartels@aremedia.com.au Technical Editor: Steve Brooks E-mail: sbrooks.trucktalk@gmail.com Contributors: Warren Aitken, John Beer, Frank Black, Warren Clark, Rod Hannifey, Michael Kaine, Sarah Marinovic, Ken Wilkie Cartoonist: John Allison

PRODUCTION Sub-editor: Cat Fitzpatrick Art Director: Bea Barthelson Print: IVE Print

ADVERTISING Industry Sales Manager: Adrian Christian Ph: 0423 761 784 E-mail: Adrian.Christian@aremedia.com.au Brand Sales Manager: Peter Gatti Ph: 0437 895 600 E-mail: Peter.Gatti@aremedia.com.au Sales Manager (Qld): Hollie Tinker Ph: 0466 466 945 E-mail: Hollie.Tinker@aremedia.com.au Sales Manager (Vic): Matt Alexander Ph: 0413 599 669 E-mail: Matt.Alexander@aremedia.com.au Sales Manager (NSW): Con Zarocostas Ph: 0457 594 238 E-mail: Con.Zarocostas@aremedia.com.au Sales Manager (SA/WA): Nick Lenthall Ph: 0439 485 835 E-mail: Nick.Lenthall@aremedia.com.au Agency Sales Manager (NSW): Max Kolomiiets Ph: 0415 869 176 E-mail: Max.Kolomiiets@aremedia.com.au

MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION Marketing Manager: Andrew Amato Ph: 03 9567 4145 E-mail: Andrew.Amato@aremedia.com.au Circulation Manager: Stuart Jones Ph: 03 9567 4207 E-mail: Stuart.Jones@aremedia.com.au

DISTRIBUTION QUERIES

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BEHIND THE WHEEL Greg Bush

Dangerous minority

OCIAL MEDIA has proved to be a boon in global society. Australians have slowly embraced it, notably Facebook, since the years leading up to 2010. It’s proved a convenient way to keep in touch with friends and family, especially those living around the globe. Almost every business of note has a Facebook page, using the outlet to make corporate announcements, or simply to let staff share photos and interact with each other. There’s many a trucking company, as well as truck manufacturers, equipment suppliers and the various associations that use the platform as a form of advertising. In some instances Facebook has overtaken actual company websites in importance. However, its negative side has evolved over the ensuing years. It has become a platform for heated political debates, slanderous comments and violent threats, some of which have evolved into acts of physical violence and, in some cases, fatalities. Now it seems racism is rearing its ugly head. And the trucking industry is not exempt from the antics of these supposed keyboard warriors. One such post that was brought to the attention of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator suggested cutting the air lines on trucks from one particular transport company. In particular those trucks with an Indian driver behind the wheel.

Owner//Driver of course has its own Facebook page. And, yes, it has occasionally been on the receiving end of racist, sexist and slanderous comments. We make it a priority to delete these remarks as soon as they appear. There’s nothing beneficial in allowing these individuals – and they are in the minority – a platform to espouse their mindless, volatile opinions. It’s also disturbing that the majority of people involved in road transport sit idly by and say nothing. Back in the late 1940s and 1950s, Australia received a wave of immigrants, initially from the UK and, later, Mediterranean countries, notably Greece and Italy. For those who remember (and with our aging truck driving workforce there should be many), the “Poms” were initially hit with insults, but nothing to match the cold reception that the Greeks and Italians received. Thankfully, social media didn’t exist in those days. Fast forward to 2020 and these new Australians, and their offspring, have enriched our society. Unfortunately with the new arrivals, there are some in our ranks who feel that their livelihood is being threatened. Their response is to adopt a lynch mob mentality. Truck driving can be a rewarding occupation. It’s also a demanding job at times. And, unfortunately, sometimes dangerous. We don’t need to add another element of risk on the road, just because some drivers out there have an issue with another driver’s ethnic background.

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EFFICIENCY AND PERFORMANCE no compromise

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The Goods

NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Senator Sterle back on the road WA Senator delivers road train load of pre-loved goods from Perth to Kununurra for East Kimberley families

SHADOW ASSISTANT Minister for Road Safety and Labor Senator for Western Australia, Glenn Sterle, has climbed back in behind the wheel of a truck to deliver a road train full of pre-loved and unwanted furniture from Perth to Kununurra to support local families in the East Kimberley. Before entering Parliament Glenn was a furniture removalist. His regular run was between Perth and Darwin. “It’s been a long time since I have driven the 3,000 kilometres to Kununurra,” Sterle says, prior to his departure on October 26. Sterle says he was happy putting his boots on to support local Aboriginal families in the East Kimberley, as well as the important work being done by the Revive Recycling Centre in Kununurra. Established in mid-2017 by East

Kimberley Job Pathways (EKJP) (owned in partnership by Wunan Aboriginal Corporation and the Kununurra Region Economic Aboriginal Corporation), Revive operates as a ‘Waste to Wages’ social enterprise. While on wages with Revive, job seekers are supported to gain skills and experience to obtain sustainable employment in the open labour market, which in turn creates opportunities for successive job seekers. The ‘Waste to Wages’ program trains and employs Aboriginal youth to collect and repair recyclable items for their recycling store. EKJP underpins all costs associated with operating the enterprise and utilises funds derived through the sale of products, namely furniture, to directly employ vulnerable Aboriginal job seekers on a supported wage.

Senator Sterle has partnered with ACFS Port Logistics, the Western Roads Federation, Keys – The Moving Solution and members of the WA Labor Party and broader community to support Revive’s ‘Waste to Wages’ program. Arthur Tzaneros at ACFS Port Logistics donated a brand new 2653 Mercedes Benz Prime Mover with fuel, a trailer and dolly for the journey. The Prime Mover will be covered in local Indigenous livery to mark the occasion. Cam Dumesny, CEO of the Western Roads Federation, assisted with the coordination of the project and travelled with the senator to Kununurra and back. Nick D’Adamo and his team at Keys – The Moving Solution in Canning Vale assisted with loading and storing furniture that has been donated by generous community members.

Above: Senator Glenn Sterle (left) and Cam Dumensy ready to hit the long road

Sterle also praised Daimler, which donated merchandise to deliver to Kununurra, Senator Louise Pratt for the donation of art supplies, North West Quarries who are provided accommodation and a BBQ and Scott Huntsman from All-Cast PPE Supplies who donated 1,800 Australian made medical face masks.

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Call for average speed monitoring to include light vehicles NatRoad says Sydney metro enforcement burden should not fall solely on heavy vehicle sector FOLLOWING REPORTS of NSW’s heavy vehicle average speed camera program expanding to 11 new locations, the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) urges a level playing field that includes light vehicles. NatRoad CEO Warren Clark cites a new Productivity Commission (PC) information paper in backing average speed enforcement through the New South Wales camera network to be extended to include light vehicles. Through the use of average speed enforcement cameras, compliance of heavy vehicles with speed limits has been estimated to have reduced the number of heavy vehicle crashes by 29 per cent

and there has been a substantial reduction in fatal crashes and serious injury crashes since its introduction in New South Wales, data highlights. According to the Productivity Commission report, this represents a saving through reduced fatalities and serious injuries of $138 million to the community. “The Productivity Commission has shown that the NSW government has, for the past decade, used average speed enforcement as part of an expanded risk-based enforcement program, to increase compliance of heavy vehicles with speed limits,” Clark says. “The system should not just be limited to heavy vehicles but, in order to increase safety on highways in particular, should also cover light vehicles.” NatRoad therefore calls on the NSW government to take that step “as soon as possible”. “With these numbers revealing that there is great benefit to the community in using average speed camera enforcement, it makes sense that all vehicles are covered,” Clark says. “The burden of enforcement through this system should not fall solely on the heavy vehicle sector.”

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Above: En route to Sydney’s M2 where heavy vehicles will be monitored for average speed in 2021. Photo by David Windley

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

TWU and NRFA in joint industry battle Transport Workers Union and National Road Freighters Association sign memorandum of understanding THE TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION (TWU) has entered into an agreement with owner-driver and small fleet operator body the National Road Freighters Association (NRFA) “to fight for an industry that is safe and sustainable”. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) will allow both organisations to work together on issues of interest but they will remain independent, continuing to represent the interests of their members and raise issues particularly pertinent to their membership. The MOU has as its core principles: • Universal application of binding, enforceable and safe and sustainable rates • Independent tribunal to determine and enforce binding standards in conjunction with industry stakeholders • Client accountability throughout transport supply chains

• Transport workers and transport operators given opportunity to contribute to a collective voice • Enforcement mechanisms to ensure standards are effectively realised • Adequate training and education through an industry scheme and fund. The MOU recognises that “economic and contractual practices are placing unsustainable pressures on transport operators and workers and contributing to thousands of transport operators going bankrupt not to mention the injuries and deaths of thousands of transport workers and users every year”. “The Australian government and existing regulatory models have failed to respond to this crisis and the need for regulatory intervention has never been stronger,” it adds. TWU national secretary Michael Kaine and NRFA president Gordon MacKinlay say the agreement to

SIZE MATTERS

co-operate was based on a lack of action on the difficulties drivers and operators face in obtaining fair rates to keep them safe and their businesses sustainable. “For far too long, our industry has had to endure a dog-eat-dog way of doing business where the all the pressure of compliance is pushed right down to the driver, subcontractor and operator at the bottom and most of the profit goes to the major retailers and manufacturers at the top which contract out transport work at continually lower rates,” Kaine says. “This is neither safe nor sustainable and the TWU is happy to join forces with the NRFA to change this.” MacKinlay adds: “Transport businesses want to be paid what we are worth, not what people feel like paying us. “The financial pressure on our trucking companies is real and

Above: TWU national secretary Michael Kaine (right) with NRFA Queensland delegate Trevor Warner

is making it very difficult for businesses to survive in a safe and long-term way. “We want to see change and we want standards to be lifted. “Working with the TWU means co-operating on issues that matter to us and using our collective voices to tell those in positions of power that now is the time for reform.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Woolworths’ takeover of PFD opposed Ombudsman seeks to block acquisition through Australian Competition and Consumer Commission THE AUSTRALIAN Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Kate Carnell is formally opposing Woolworths’ proposed acquisition of PFD Food Services in a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ombudsman urges the regulator to block Woolworths’ proposed $552 million purchase of a controlling 65 per cent interest in PFD, saying the deal would be “detrimental to small businesses in the food distribution space and the economy more broadly”. Undertaking market inquiries, the ACCC began its review of the deal on September 23. Submissions closed on October 9, with the provisional date for ACCC’s findings set for December 10. “Woolworths has described its push into the food services sector as a ‘strategic investment’ but the timing is opportunistic at best,” Carnell says. “Woolworths has been a beneficiary of COVID restrictions, with its supermarket operations seeing a significant upswing in sales, while

independent food distributors have struggled. “Now that Woolworths has exhausted opportunities in the large supermarket space, it is moving into the smaller supermarket arena. “Allowing Woolworths to buy PFD would significantly improve its competitive position against other smaller supermarket operators. “Claims by Woolworths about plans to establish Chinese walls to prevent PFD passing on information about small supermarket competitors is questionable. “This deal would also dramatically impact on the food distribution market – many of which are small and family businesses – especially outside the major cities. “Small food distributors are only now starting to get back on their feet after months of heavily restricted trade due to the forced closure of pubs, clubs and other commercial venues. To allow this deal to go ahead would be a real kick in the guts. “I am also concerned about significant job losses as smaller suppliers and distributors would have a battle on their hands to compete, particularly if a major player like Woolworths moves into this sector.

“I share ACCC chair Rod Sims’ concerns about companies that have too much market power.” Independent Food Distributors Australia (IFDA) estimates that Woolworths – which already accounts for about a third of supermarket sales – would pick up a large chunk of the food services market as a result of this deal, setting smaller competitors up to fail. “The ACCC should also consider the impact this deal could have on manufacturers and farmers. The last thing they need right now is a dominant market player putting price pressure on suppliers. “Australian small businesses have been hit hardest by this pandemic and now is not the time for opportunistic takeovers by large corporations. “Intervention by our regulators may be the only way to stop it.”

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owner-operator profile

The Fletcher family in Queensland’s central highlands region are happy to talk about the toughness and reliability of their UD trucks past and present. But went it came to needing a unit that wouldn’t struggle uphill, a 700hp Volvo was the obvious choice. Greg Bush writes

RIGHT TRUCK FOR THE JOB D ESPITE THE DOWNSIDE of these COVID-19 times, there can be some positives. Like discovering fascinating stories closer to Owner//Driver’s Brisbane base while interstate restrictions remained in place. As it turns out I’d heard about the Fletcher family and their loyalty to UD Trucks. A bit of a hike as the Fletchers lived in the Central Queensland town of Duaringa on the Capricorn Highway between Rockhampton and Blackwater. According to the 2016 Census, Duaringa boasts a population of less than 300. Since the collapse of the mining boom, the town has quietened down a little and house prices have plummeted. Zane Fletcher jokingly says his late father Geoffrey was the last person actually born in Duaringa. Zane and his two sons, Nathan and Brodie, operate Fletcher’s Earthmoving, a successful business that belies the town’s current quiet status. Geoffrey Fletcher passed away early in 2020 and, due to COVID restrictions, only six people were allowed to attend the funeral. But it was Geoffrey who began the family’s lifelong admiration for the UD brand when he bought a 1974 model back in the early 1980s. “He used to be a mechanic here on the council and he bought the truck to cart gravel,” Zane recalls. “Then it got a bit quiet on the council. I was with Pioneer Concrete and I got him a job in Blackwater.

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Left: The truck that started the UD ball rolling for the Fletchers. A ’74 model bought by family patriarch Geoffrey Fletcher Opposite below: Zane Fletcher’s first encounter with the UD brand was a driving job in Rockhampton

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“These days you’d get shot for it.”

Above, L to R: The 700hp Volvo loads up on chickpeas at a nearby Duaringa farm; Nathan Fletcher reckons he started driving when his feet could barely touch the pedals Right: This 2008 GW470 is one of two UDs remaining at Fletcher’s Earthmoving

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So, we took the tipper off and we put a concrete bowl on it, so then he carted concrete for years. “Then it slowed up and he put the tipper back on and he carted grain. We made metre high sides on it, hungry boards. “He could cart 20 tonnes on a body truck,” Nathan laughs. “These days you’d get shot for it, but you could get away with it back then.” He smiles when he adds that his grandfather taught him to drive in that old green UD even though he was at an age where he could barely reach the pedals. “When you’re out in the bush you can do whatever.” Geoffrey later bought a water tank, spending the rest of his working life carting water until Zane took it over.

“I bought it off dad to stop him driving so he could retire,” Zane adds. The truck then ended up with a property owner at Blackwater, still registered and currently hauling soil. It was that truck which was the beginning of a long, working relationship with UD. “I drove for a bloke in Rocky, who had three 41s; they had nine-speed Roadrangers in them,” he continues. “The council had them here, they’ve had a heap of them, and they couldn’t break them. “And just reliable. We’ve hardly ever spent any money on them really. Never touched any motors, gearboxes, diffs, anything. “I don’t think you could beat a UD for council work, or offroad work. Big six rod, big springs at the back – just a real solid truck,” Zane says. All up, the Fletchers have owned seven UDs, however they’ve reduced that number down to two – a 1998 CW450 and, their showpiece, a 2008 GW470. However, when I arrived at Duaringa, Brodie Fletcher was out working the roadtrain-rated 470hp (350kW) UD on the road duplication between Gracemere and Rockhampton. Still, Zane and Nathan were keen to show off a large mounted photo of the 470 that originally hung on the wall of the Rockhampton Mack/Volvo dealership five years ago. It was the exact same truck that they’d bought second hand. The Fletchers are regular visitors to the dealership, buying parts, although Zane points out that it doesn’t include UD parts, but for everything else.

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“I don’t think you could beat a UD for council work.”

Above: Nathan’s new toy – a Kenworth T909 Below: Stunning artwork based on local scenery adorns the back of the Kenworth’s cab

One day, the photo had disappeared from the wall, whereabouts unknown, until shortly after Nathan and Zane’s brother Guy walked in where the one of the salesmen announced, “I’ve got a present for you” and handed the photo over. Their other UD, the CW450, was having a day off, parked among the Fletcher’s collection of trailers and equipment. Inside a shed sits a Kenworth T909 that regularly hauls side tippers. But more about that later.

Loading up on legumes The most visibly eye-catching item around the Fletcher’s

yard, however, was a 700hp (522kW) FH16 Volvo in AB-triple formation. So I joined Zane and Nathan who drove the Volvo to a nearby farm where they loaded up on around 65 tonnes of chickpeas, destined for Oakey on the Darling Downs before being transported to the Port of Brisbane. Although much of their main work comes from council and private property road maintenance, grain haulage is an area that the Fletchers moved into as a necessity. “A couple of years ago the council cut back. The government pulled all the money, we needed something to do so we went into grain,” Nathan explains. “So we had to go to bigger trucks, AB-triples, because the UDs aren’t big enough for the work.” A cab-over was needed for the AB-triple set up due to length laws, hence the arrival of the Volvo FH16 a couple of years ago. “When we bought the Volvo the bloke told us it was 600hp [447kW],” Zane says. “But when we had a good look in it, it was 700hp. “The more you put on it, the better it goes,” he laughs. It’s not the first Volvo the Fletchers have had in their small fleet. In fact, they’ve had a variety of brands over the years including an International T-line, a Transtar, a Freightliner and a couple of Western Stars, one of which was a 2009 day cab 4900 model with a 600 Cummins. “It had an 18-speed autoshift with the clutch still, and it was good when it was good, but because there’s so much dust, dirt and bulldust, it used to play up a bit and get stuck on the road,” Nathan explains. Zane is concerned about the Volvo’s capabilities on dusty roads. “No problems with that truck yet, but we really haven’t stretched it on the dirt,” he says.

Scenic artwork You know that the FH16 is going to be around for a while to come. For starters, there’s the ‘Bandit 2’ numberplate that they bought at auction. It formerly adorned one of Heavy Haulage Australia’s trucks, owned by Jon Kelly. Then there’s the distinctive ‘doin it in the dirt’ artwork above the Volvo’s doors. The image of the hill came from a photograph just out of town towards Rockhampton. They contacted an ex-employee of PJs Custom Spraypainting in

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“I only bought it for the noise it makes.”

Above, L to R: Note the Volvo’s numberplate, picked at a Jon Kelly fire sale auction; Brodie Fletcher had taken the UD470 out on a run, so Zane and Nathan proudly showed off the photo that previously hung on the wall at the Rockhampton Mack/Volvo dealership Below: The FH16 Volvo in AB-triple formation

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Brisbane, known only as ‘Cyclone’, who made the trip north and completed the artwork in one of the Fletcher family’s Duaringa sheds. Which brings us back to the Kenworth T909, which is distinguished by similar artwork. This time, however, it’s a mural on the back of the cab, the image based on a mountain scene on the road to Blackwater. “He wanted to make it look better than just a white truck, and he designed the twirl on the side,” Zane says. As for its working role, the Kenworth pulls side tippers. It came with 430,000 on the clock, now it’s up to 750,000.

However, Zane says so far they haven’t had an issue with its engine. “We don’t know what horsepower really it is. … 600? But it’s been a real good truck for us. “Nathan won’t let anyone drive the Kenworth,” Zane jokes. “I might own it but I can’t drive it. You might put a piece of dirt on the seat or on the floor.” Zane’s most recent purchase, however, is an old Mack Valueliner. “We’ve spent a big of money on it already, but I only bought it for the noise it makes,” he laughs. As far as any more truck purchases go, it will most likely come back to the UD brand although there’s the issue of horsepower and payload. The 470hp, although set up as a roadtrain, is limited to less than 90 tonnes. Again, Zane was reluctant to say a bad word about all they UDs they’ve owned, due to their reliability. Nathan, however, is more to the point. “They turned us off them a bit because they’ve gone all Volvo and made them less horsepower instead of bumping them up, making a bigger truck,” Nathan says. “We would have loved something a bit bigger, a bit more power, bigger ratings, and we probably would stick with them. “They’re not big enough to pull our three trailers, and they don’t go up to the 100 tonne GVM rating.” All up, it was a day well spent with Zane, Nathan, and their family, highlighting that the right choice of truck, and the ability to adapt to changing times, goes a long way to keeping their small operation moving ahead.

ownerdriver.com.au

28/10/2020 2:33:42 PM

THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

ATA and NHVR take hard line on racism

Evidence emerges of threats to sabotage trucks as part of growing harassment towards multicultural drivers INCREASING evidence of what amounts to incitement to murder immigrant truck drivers has spurred a backlash from the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and government. The racist calls attacking mostly truck drivers of Indian background urge the cutting of truck air lines; an act that would put other truck drivers along with road users generally in mortal danger if acted upon. These horrifying elements of the trucking industry has prompted the ATA and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to call out racism wherever it occurs and celebrate industry’s diversity. The ATA and the NHVR made the call following reports of targeted attacks on immigrant truck drivers and racist comments on trucking social media pages. ATA chair David Smith says freight workers from diverse backgrounds had always made a massive contribution to Australia. “The cameleers of the 1800s, the workers on the Snowy after the war and the drivers from all over the world delivering food and essential medicine during this pandemic: they all deserve our respect, and all of today’s drivers deserve a fair go,” Smith says. “The ATA is aware that some multicultural drivers are being harassed, in particular those of Indian descent. “Racists on social media are egging each other on to ever more extreme actions, including cutting truck air lines. “We all have a responsibility for calling out racism wherever it occurs, and that’s exactly what this is. Racism. “It is ignorant.

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“It is stupid. “And it is dangerous.” Smith pays tribute to multicultural drivers who are putting up courageously with unacceptable and disgusting harassment every day. “As people in the trucking industry, we must all combat racism and stand up for fairness and safety,” he says. NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto adds his voice to the matter and says it is important for everyone in the heavy vehicle industry to continue to support and respect each other. “This year in particular, we’ve seen drivers, members of the supply chain, service centres and authorised officers work together through the challenges of the bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic,” Petroccitto says. “That mateship and respect is important, now more than ever, to ensure we can continue to safely deliver essential goods and services across the country. “Anyone who has concerns about safety in their workplace should report it through our Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line on 1800 931 785.” Smith says the ATA and its members had long recognised the value of diversity and multiculturalism within the industry, most recently with the Driving Change Diversity Program. “Through our Driving Change Diversity Program, we seek to promote the existing diversity within our industry, and encourage an even more diverse workforce,” he adds. “It also promotes inclusion and encourages acceptance of all people no matter their race, religion or cultural beliefs.”

COVID lockdown’s parcel deliveries driving recruitment ANC (Australian National Carriers) says it is on the cusp of a major growth on the back of a spike in e-commerce. With new client partnerships “locked in” and further growth predicted, the privately-owned last-mile delivery group says it needs “hundreds of new contractor owner-drivers around the country” to meet the Christmas rush – and into next year. ANC, which provides full-service last mile delivery, plus complex deliveries with assembly and installation, states that it is preparing for an increase in deliveries of almost 50 per cent nationwide over the next three months and beyond. “ANC is growing, and we are looking for contractor drivers to grow with us,” ANC MD James Taylor says. “A continuing rise in deliveries throughout 2020 and a number of new client partners using our last mile services means we currently need at least 250 new owner-drivers to help meet the increased demand. And unlike some organisations, we’ll be keeping our drivers beyond the festive season.” ANC underlines that during September, it experienced 58 per cent growth in delivery numbers compared with January. Some of the brands ANC works with have even experienced 700 per cent growth, it adds. “COVID-19 has changed the consumer buying experience, with more people getting goods delivered,” Taylor says. “We’ve seen a huge increase in whitegoods, such as fridges and freezers, plus desks and chairs from our furniture clients due to more people working from home. “And in addition to the big and bulky items, consumers are having items delivered they would previously have picked up themselves.”

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TWU Michael Kaine

Steering healthy minds A survey shows 50 per cent of truck drivers have experienced some form of psychological distress

T PLAGUES every community, every industry and doesn’t discriminate on race, creed or gender. Mental health is an issue that needs urgent attention and workers in our industry are among the most vulnerable. Truck drivers are at risk of mental health problems because of the long hours away from family, financial pressure, stress, social isolation and the high incidence of death and injury. The financial pressure from the top of the supply chain creates an environment where operators and drivers are continually being pushed in their daily lives, their trucks and their labour sweated to breaking point. A major study by Monash University into the health of truck drivers soon to be published shows 50 per cent of drivers surveyed experienced some form of psychological distress. The study shows particular problems for younger drivers, with the percentage of drivers under the age of 35 experiencing severe psychological distress being almost double the national average for men of the same age. We know that this can have deadly consequences. Suicide rates are high among truck drivers. A study by Deakin University showed 323 truck drivers committed suicide between 2001 and 2010. An analysis by the Victorian coroner’s court shows truck drivers had the highest number of suicides out of any other profession, with 53 drivers taking their own lives between 2008 and 2014.

TACKLING MENTAL HEALTH An important program is going nationwide aimed at addressing the health of transport workers. The idea behind the Steering Healthy Minds program is to provide training to transport workers to support colleagues with mental health problems is being rolled out nationally after a successful pilot project. It aims to train truck drivers, bus drivers and other transport workers, including aviation workers, to support each other in order to tackle chronic mental health in the industry. Three pilot projects have got underway this year, including at Toll and StarTrack on the Gold Coast and at Surfside Buslines, with the plan

MICHAEL KAINE is the national secretary of the Transport Workers Union of Australia. Contact Michael at: NSW Transport Workers Union, Transport House, 188-390 Sussex Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. twu@twu.com.au

BELOW: TWU Queensland branch secretary Peter Biagini chats with Toll drivers

to push out three projects in each state and territory over the next three years. The program has the backing of the Transport Workers Union (TWU), National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, Queensland Transport Association, Transport Education Compliance Health Organisation, TWUSuper, Queensland Council of Unions, WorkCover Queensland and Toll. At the program launch, Toll driver Trevor Birks said he was looking forward to completing the peer-topeer training. “I really want to learn how we can help people, how we can pick up those signs and signals. And if we do have those signs and signals, what’s the best way for us to help them. “I really want to see the mental health be broadened in the transport industry and how we can help these transport workers, through their journey of mental health,” Birks says. Peter Biagini, TWU Queensland branch secretary, says the aim of the Steering Healthy Minds project was to give transport workers the help they need in the workplace from the people who know them best. “Many transport workers spend long hours on the road, away from

their families, working in a highly stressful industry where death and injury are common. “Many experience mental health problems but they don’t know who to turn to and their mates are often powerless to help them. “By training up their work mates and giving them peer-to-peer support we hope address the needs of transport workers in starting to get them the help they need, when they need it,” Biagini says.

UNDIAGNOSED PROBLEMS Professor Daryll Hull of Macquarie University and chair of Transport Education Compliance Health Organisation, says the potential for making change in the lives of transport workers was great. “We have managed, through three successful pilot projects, to train workers who can now help their work colleagues in difficult times. “This is a very practical initiative to address a real problem in the transport industry, where mental health problems go undiagnosed and people feel unwilling to sit down with strangers and discuss their problems,” Hull says. Mental health problems are another facet of what needs to change about our industry. It is intrinsically linked to the problems of low pay, financial stress, long hours, deaths and injuries. If we can lift standards in our industry and hold clients at the top to account we can tackle these problems, including mental health. The Steering Healthy Minds program is a great step towards giving drivers the immediate help they need. For too long drivers have suffered in silence and been forced to ignore their mental health problems. By training up their friends and colleagues to support them it is hoped we can get some people the help they need. For more information on the Steering Health Minds project can be found at www.steeringhealthyminds.com.au. Anyone who needs to reach out now for help can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue: on 1300 22 4636.

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concern, some of those things I simply can’t get fixed fast enough. So to you readers, even if you don’t want to give your name, have any of these groups helped you and provided what you need, again, even if only for a mate of a mate? Have you struggled to find that help and if so, how do you think we can improve what is available? Then either contact Owner//Driver, so they can collate your views, and/or then contact one of these groups and do your part to contribute – tell them what you need and how you have not been able to find it. It may not have been available to you but you have at least survived to tell the tale. So please, think of others who may need that help and make at least this small effort to try and ensure the next truckie who needs that help has some chance to get it.

EYES ON THE ROAD Rod Hannifey

Suffering in silence Our isolation is a real bonus in these COVID times, but it often gives us too much time to think

GOT A call from a mate who said, with all the issues about now, he was going to ring one mate a night to simply ask, “How’s things?” and it was my turn. We had not spoken for some time and while we were both busy and coping (a personal observation of course and subject to outsider comment), I told him I thought it was a terrific idea and was he happy for me to push it a bit. I explained that each Christmas I used to ring a few mates and ask how they had been going, but two years ago, out of a dozen or so blokes I rang in one week, two had been very close to suicide and it was only their children and thinking of them that had helped pull them through. Each had got help, made a decision to get through it and had done so. That does not mean it was all fixed and rosy, far from it, and there are still things that affect them even now. But the terrible alternative that may seem your only choice when you look at it, from where you believe you might be at the bottom of a deep well, will mean you may not consider the help that is available. It will nearly always leave behind others severely affected by the choice you make. Who is there to help you? There is a lot of work going on with driver mental health, but will it help? There have been large sums of money given to more groups and plans and initiatives than I can honestly fathom and/or follow. No one has all the solutions and we must truly hope all have the best interests of drivers in mind, but how do we make sure that it all delivers? Will those who need the help get it? Will the programs actually reach, let alone help, those who need it. We all know men, let alone truckies, are a hard group to help. Few will ask for it and, yes, part of that may well be they do not know who to talk to or how to get to them. Then, of course, is having the time and availability to be able to make that contact in what others call normal working hours. What if drivers had access to a national number that could then direct them to the best agency, group or

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program, to help them? Do we need all of these groups to go and try and reinvent the wheel, talk to drivers, asking more questions, with many doing the same thing, whether by a different name or focus, but then not deliver what is needed?

ISOLATION BLUES Many years ago I was driving into a cotton gin near Goondiwindi and there was piece on ABC radio about (I think it was the St George Institute) doing a study into truckies’ mental health. I remember thinking at the time, this is good, someone has recognised the problem and perhaps, some help will be available to those who might need it. Yet, here we are, many years later, with the problem still an issue. The Australian Trucking Association discussed it in Perth at its 2019 convention and I asked the question, how will you get to the drivers and will this actually make a difference? We all must surely have heard of Lifeline and Beyond Blue, they have media and years of work in this field for the wider population, but must we start yet another group with more involved at the top than those who will be giving the help? Would we get more help to those in need if we tagged onto what is already available? All I want is to see drivers get the help they might need. We all think we are 10ft tall and bulletproof, but no one is. The one thing many agree on is that our isolation in this job is a real bonus in these COVID times, but it’s often the one thing that gives us too much time to think, or even overthink, about the problems we all face. How do you deal with it yourself? I honestly think my involvement with road safety, whether ringing and putting in a complaint about a bit of road, pushing for rest areas and/or green reflector bays and even this column, along with other media stuff and industry submissions, have kept me somewhat sane. Any constructive comments as to that diagnosis will be considered … thanks. Listening to audio books has been another way I cannot forget, but at least remove from immediate

ROD HANNIFEY, a transport safety advocate, has been involved in raising the profile of the industry, conducting highway truck audits, the Blue Reflector Trial for informal parking bays on the Newell, the ‘Truckies on Road Code’, the national 1800 number for road repairs proposal, and the Better Roadside Rest Areas Group. Contact Rod on 0428 120 560, e-mail rod.hannifey@bigpond.com or visit www.truckright.com.au

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WILKIE’S WATCH Ken Wilkie

State of entitlement Is NSW following NHVR guidelines or is it hell bent on continuing to run its own race?

HE ROAD safety ‘industry’ – “No sir, it’s all about safety; it is definitely not about the revenue.” So why is it that New South Wales’ Highway Patrol management has gone to such lengths to camouflage their vehicles? One would need the eyes of a hawk to recognise the approaching vehicle as law enforcement transport. It’s not until one can see the flank or rear that the decals highlight its purpose. And of course all of our many governments need every scrap of income they can possibly get. One reason that has brought this desperate need for cash is the total absence of any effort by the public sector to be frugal or even responsible about the costs it imposes on the public purse. Of course, being the lucky country, money is of no consequence and the transport industry will be taxed higher to cover increased need for revenue. I had the good fortune to be doing over dimensional loading through Sydney the other week. Started on the north side – well came down from Brisbane actually and had to deliver to Ingleburn. On approach to the Hawkesbury Bridge, we were informed that a street sweeper was at work and we’d need the right two lanes. No issue at all and the cleaning crew were very supportive via dialogue on the UHF radio. But did safety really

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demand three collision screening vehicles prior to the cleaning machine? Is the truck driving community so irresponsible that three mobile collision avoidance barriers are required? Plus the detailed maximum speed was 40km/h. And if we are so irresponsible, should one consider the advisability of placing so many Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) employees at risk? The other point of contention was the plethora of amber rotating lights and white LED lights directing the 40km/h limit that caused an immense visibility issue for approaching drivers. And further along on the ring road, mowing of the median strip was underway. Again a plethora of amber lights caused visibility issues for approaching drivers. For god’s sake, turn the intensity down during night operations. And with all the safety hoo-ha, it didn’t stop my lead escort from being peppered with missiles from the mower trying to reduce the height profile of the tarmac. It was lucky for the escort driver that the cool air required a raised driver’s window.

KEN WILKIE has been an owner-driver since 1974, after first getting behind the wheel at 11. He’s on his eighth truck, and is a long-time Owner// Driver contributor. He covers Rockhampton to Adelaide and any point in between. His current ambition is to see the world, and to see more respect for the nation’s truckies. Contact Ken at ken@rwstransport.com.au

UP A GUM TREE I was amused the other day after being directed to reduce speed to 80km/h for a few hundred yards to see a couple of people in the very wide median strip using

“Only the letterheads had changed.”

binoculars to peer into the top cover of gum trees. I wouldn’t have a clue as to their interest but did it really warrant the speed restriction? It seems that the public sector uses every opportunity possible to advertise its safety agenda. I read that Pacific Highway duplication work around Grafton is demanding contractors fit plastic wheel nut security monitors because more than one vehicle has lost a wheel. I suggest it is time it required the service of competent tyre fitters to ensure correct wheel nut tension. Another warm and fuzzy feeling effort by people who don’t understand the job description. It’s a bit like the “if you can see me in my mirrors” feelgood scenario. Or, in times past, of spray suppressant on B-doubles when even Blind Freddy could understand the lack of logic of fitting the stuff on the last axle group of a multi combination. Or the absolute stupidity of demanding heavy vehicles slow to 40k on approach to operating angry lights in 100km/h zones.

UNPREDICTABLE REGULATIONS There is a bureaucratic group around called the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). Now, one would expect this group to be instrumental in having national heavy vehicle regulations promulgated. Well, actually, we do have national heavy regulations but, as in the past, each state has perceived different issues to have different safety or other implications. One of my colleagues involved in the over-dimensional lift to Sydney was directed into the checking station at Halfway Creek. I can easily picture his perplexed look when the scalie asked what OSOM system he was operating under. And, as they so often are, the scalie was quite scathing because the driver could not name the required system. I was under the impression that New South Wales had been brought under the NHVR’s umbrella. Someone said to me recently that only the letterheads had changed. Seems like that person hit the nail on the head. It’s difficult enough now for out-ofstate operators to know and find details of curfews – such as the curfew for Hexham Bridge for instance. Now the RMS expects truckies to know which oversize regulation they are operating under when the NHVR is supposed to have unified the national laws. Can’t we have a national set of regulations that govern the weights and measures of heavy vehicles? Weights and measures: no bulldust about industries to confuse operators – and scalies for that matter; just weights and measures. It can’t possibly make any difference what one belts his or her head on. If it’s ‘X’ metres wide it’s ‘X’ metres wide – Australia-wide! I’ve doubled your homework this month. Firstly, The Battle of Milne Bay by Nicholas Anderson. The title pretty well explains the subject. The second is titled Double Diamonds, authored by Karl James. Double Diamonds contains numerous photographs of the men who are the subject matter. Take a good look at the ages of these men who had the courage of their convictions – were prepared to gamble their lives for the security of theirs and our nation. What a generation! And today we want everything handed to us on a plate.

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27/10/2020 9:53:11 AM

misinformation shared between colleagues and friends. It’s done with the best of intentions, to help out a mate, but in practice it can have the opposite effect. Not only could you be unknowingly committing and offence, but you’re setting yourself up for a worse penalty.

The legal view Sarah Marinovic

Work diary dilemmas

HONEST MISTAKES Courts have discretion to waive or reduce penalties where a driver has made an honest mistake. They also have the discretion to impose harsher penalties if they think the driver is not respecting the law or is deliberately trying to avoid it. Not completing your work diary, refusing to sign it or indicating that you may have made mistakes can come across as though a driver is not sincerely trying to follow the law. This may not be the truth of the situation, but it is how most magistrates will see it. So not only could you find yourself before a court for an offence that wouldn’t have occurred if you had completed the diary according to the instructions, but there’s a good chance you will also receive a bigger fine than you would have for a simple mistake. The take-home point is to remember the work diary laws are carefully written to overcome most loopholes. If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. If you do have a suggestion that you think could work, then it’s a good idea to run it past a heavy vehicle lawyer before trying it for yourself. My team at Ainsley Law are always happy to chat with drivers. A quick phone call before the fact can save you having to call me for help with a court appearance.

Can you opt out of Australian work diary laws?

HERE’S A GREAT deal of frustration with work diaries. Many drivers feel trapped, forced to complete and carry a record that is later used as proof to impose fines. I’m sure most drivers wouldn’t feel so frustrated if the system was straight forward, but often the prosecutions are for honest mistakes made in the context of a difficult system. It’s no surprise in this context that some drivers try to find ways to protect themselves. Often the solutions aim to find a loophole in the rules so that the diary either doesn’t need to be completed or so that it can’t be relied on. Most of these plans don’t work. In fact many of them are offences in themselves. Some of the suggested work arounds I’ve heard lately are: • Don’t sign the work diary because the

authorities can’t force you to • Write “subject to mistakes” next to your signature • Don’t fill the work diary out because no one can make you create evidence against yourself • Argue that the work diary cannot be used as evidence in court because the signature was not witnessed by a Justice of the Peace. Unfortunately none of these suggestions will work. The work diary legislation contains provisions that address each of them. The law requires drivers to complete the work diary and to sign it. Failing to do so is an offence. Including false or misleading information is also an offence, so mistakes in the work diary can be captured under that. Finally, there’s no legal requirement that a declaration be witnessed in order to be used as evidence. It’s important to be are aware of this so as not to get yourself in trouble. I often see

SARAH MARINOVIC is a principal solicitor at Ainsley Law – a firm dedicated to traffic and heavy vehicle law. She has focused on this expertise for over a decade, having started her career prosecuting for the RMS, and then using that experience as a defence lawyer helping professional drivers and truck owners. For more information email Sarah at sarah@ainsleylaw.com.au or phone 0416 224 601

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NatRoad Warren Clark

Reducing blame focus It’s important that road crash investigations are undertaken by an independent body

Currently, both data and research are inadequate to formulate benchmarks to properly measure ways to improve road safety. Reducing the focus on ‘blame’ is also important. Some investigations, such as those undertaken by coroners’ offices or the police, focus on ‘finding fault’ as part of enforcing the criminal law. These investigations often conclude at the point when investigators have determined whether or not prosecution should occur.

INVESTIGATORY ROLE The Productivity Commission found that: “Independent, no-blame investigations would enable consideration of all factors that may have contributed to an incident in an uninhibited and impartial manner, including any issues related to the supply chain, the manufacturing chain, various other chains of responsibility, as well as the regulatory regime itself.”

WARREN CLARK, NatRoad’s chief executive officer, has more than 20 years’ experience leading and developing business for emerging companies. Warren has held the position of CEO at various companies and is a certified chartered accountant.

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ATROAD wants the Productivity Commission’s recent recommendation about heavy vehicle accident investigation fast tracked by government. The need for action to go deeper into causes of heavy vehicle crashes has been an issue that NatRoad has promoted for many years. The Productivity Commission found that transport regulation and industry practice would benefit from an improved understanding of the systematic causes of safety incidents. NatRoad’s long-held view is that a dedicated authority such as the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) should be given the power to promptly and fully investigate serious truck accidents and to share the results and recommendations publicly. That role should also encompass better research on trends and causal factors.

The Productivity Commission said that the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) would not be suitable for a role as a no-blame investigator, as it would be required to use information from its investigation to enforce compliance with the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL). An appropriate investigatory body would require significant technical expertise, as well as legal powers to gain access to the information needed to undertake investigations. For these reasons, the Productivity Commission agreed with NatRoad input that the ATSB is best placed to undertake this new investigatory role. The relevant parts of the Productivity Commission recommendation are as follows: The Australian government should: • provide a sufficient annual appropriation to enable the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to carry out its functions, both existing and as proposed in this inquiry • amend the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 to enable the ATSB to conduct research and investigate incidents involving heavy vehicles, and autonomous vehicle technologies • direct the ATSB to undertake a clearly defined, phased transition into the heavy vehicle role, including an initial period of data collection and research to identify any systemic issues and incident types with the potential to inform policy. Measures that will help the community achieve fewer road incidents must be prioritised and those measures can’t proceed unless government and industry are aware of the systemic issues that affect heavy vehicle serious crashes.

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28/10/2020 2:08:38 PM

The 2020 Truck of the Year presented by Valvoline is just around the corner!

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truck of the month

OLIN BEER has always had driver comfort in mind. Hence the inclusion of the Kenworth’s ‘King Cab’ K200 to his Detour Logistics fleet. Much to the appreciation of long-haul drivers such as Brisbane-based Mal Whiley. However, contrary to what you may think, Detour Logistics did not get its name from a comically amusing story of owner Colin Beer getting lost and encountering a wild adventure. I would also love to be able to tell you an amusing tale aligning Colin with the phrase ‘alternative route’; yeah I childishly sniggered at that one a little too much. Nope, truth be told the Detour in Detour Logistics came from the side of the family ski boat. The bonus of the less exciting origin story is it’s a much easier name to fit on the side of a truck, much easier than the original company name Australian Linehaul Shuttle Express. The money saved on signwriting alone … well you can work that out. However, it’s worth pointing out that owning, managing and driving for a transport company is quite a detour from Colin Beer’s former profession. While he grew up with his father in and around trucks, it wasn’t his first choice of career. In fact, his younger years were spent in the heat and alcoholic haze of Western Australia where Colin was building houses. Eventually he returned to the more erratic weather patterns of Victoria where he downed the tool belt and jumped behind the wheel to become a truck driver. One thing you learn very quickly about Colin is that when he sets out to do something, he’s going to do it all in and to the highest level, whether it’s sweltering under the tools in the WA sun or driving express freight up the east coast of Australia. He doesn’t sit still long and he is always moving forward. So it should come as no surprise that his time as a wage driver lasted only slightly longer than the shelf life of a Macca’s hamburger. By the time Colin was 31 he had his own truck. That first purchase was a Freightliner Argosy. “I’d driven a few of them so I knew what they were like,” Colin explains. “They were a good cheap truck that made money.” Above: Mal Whiley has enjoyed being behind the wheel of Detour Logistics’ K200 for around a year

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ownerdriver.com.au

28/10/2020 2:02:27 PM

KING OF THE CABS

When Volvo discontinued its XXL cabs in Australia, Detour Logistics’ boss Colin Beer looked to Kenworth’s ‘big cab’ K200 to stay in the space race. Warren Aitken reports

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In 2004, Colin and his truck were towing trailers for Wettenhalls, going wherever they needed him. I would love to tell you some stories that he shared, back in the earlier days when even the Cannonball Run couldn’t set the kind of Sydney to Melbourne times that those guys were doing, but for obvious reasons it’s best I don’t. We all know it was a different era back then. A fun kind of lunacy. Within one year, Colin picked up his second truck as well as his own trailers and began working for IFM. By the end of 2005 there would be five trucks in the fleet altogether. Colin picked up more subbie work, this time for Linfox, working alongside the company to establish and organise new runs. From there Colin grew to a 16-truck fleet. Building his knowledge and expertise, particularly in the refrigerated transport market. Eventually the call was made to step out and start carting solely his own customers’ freight. He bought a location out in Silvan, Victoria that was all set up with cool stores and ongoing customers and moved from not just produce, but into the flower market as well. His first truck may have been a Freightliner but the majority of Colin’s truck choices since then have been about as far removed as you can get. In the early years Detour was almost exclusively stacked with Volvos. In particular the XXL Globetrotters. Colin swore by the first XXL cabs, offering increased fuel savings as well as better safety packages than anything else out there. While Colin undertakes fleet renewal quite regularly, there are still a few of the old XXLs happily earning their keep. Another huge reason for the addiction to the Volvo XXL cab was it allowed the drivers more room. They often spent long periods on the road and Colin was adamant they should have as much space as possible. This is also the reason why, when the production of XXLs was halted with the arrival of the new generation Volvos, Colin changed preferences. He began stacking the fleet with the ‘king of cabin space’, Kenworth’s King Cab K200. Several of these joined the

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“Trucks with solid proven reliability and performance as well as dependable back up service are key.” Top: Colin and the team put a lot of emphasis on on-road image, as you can see by the standout imagery on two of their new fridge van sets Above: Detour’s Silvan yard is a constant hive of activity. The local trucks doing pickups and returning the product to the company’s cool rooms where the linehaul rigs get loaded and cover the country Below: Despite having over half a million kilometres on the clock, Mal Whiley’s K200 still looks brand new

company colours as the business kept growing. More customers appreciating Detour’s dedication to quality service meant more trucks were needed.

Replacement plan The company now sits at 30 prime movers, with 22 of those dedicated interstate runners. Volvos re-entry into the XXL market has Detour’s fleet starting to return back to its European influenced days, though this time it’s not just the Volvos carrying the comfy class. Detour have branched out and have several of the Next Generation Scanias in the fleet. Not just that though, they have actually managed to find a way to make the new Scanias look pretty bloody good too. For those of you wondering, Colin has kept the Scanias white due to the replacement plan he is running them on, but the white with the pin striping works perfectly. Keeping his fleet stacked with the cream of the crop – Kenworth, Volvo and Scania – has been a deliberate action by Colin and the Detour team. They operate in a competitive enough business on a good day. And when the industry is competitive, and the freight you cart is extremely time sensitive; you are just ramping up the pressure. So Colin has always ensured he does everything he can at the highest possible level and runs only the best gear. Trucks with solid proven reliability and performance as well as dependable back up service are key. What they tow is of equal importance as well. All his trailers are custom made and highly tailored. Fridge vans running top of the line Thermo King fridge units allows the management staff to keep a close eye on the temperature all the time. Tyre pressure sensors also keep a close eye on the trailers’ health as they travel the

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“The Kenworth had all the staunchness and cool factor you expect of a K200.”

Top: Volvos have played a part in Detour’s success, including this 700hp beauty Above: A new Scania is one of the more cent members of Colin Beer’s varied fleet

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highways. All the trucks and trailers are on very strict maintenance plans, which ensures very little down time or breakdown issues. Last thing you want is a load of perishables sitting on the side of the road. Aside from running the trucks and company like a well-oiled machine, Colin places a huge emphasis on the visual aspect of Detour Logistics as well. The company’s burgundy (Queenslanders may say maroon) colour scheme definitely has them standing out on the road. Scroll work and just the right amount of bling ensures the trucks catch the eye of everyone. More recently the new trailer sets have been getting the colour treatment. Adding in some of the company’s long-term clients on the side offers not just promotion for the client but builds the profile of Detour Logistics. The trucks are very hard to miss with their colourful fruit and vegies plastered on the side. When it gets dark, you’ll also be able to pick the Detour trucks out of any line up as their plethora of lights ensures you could almost use them to mark a runway for low flying planes. Cosmetically, the Detour Logistics trucks tick all the boxes; mechanically they also tick all the boxes. So it’s a safe assumption that Colin looks after his drivers inside the trucks as well, with the drivers spending vast amounts of time on the road and away from home, often on very time sensitive runs. Along with the space provided by the big cab trucks, they all come fitted out with the extras needed to make a driver’s job just a little more comfortable. When I met up with long time driver Mal Whiley to photograph

his King Cab K200 I had to wait while he finished the latest episode of Dora the Explorer on the trucks bunk-mounted TV. OK, I may have taken a little creative licence with that last bit, just to illustrate my point. Mal’s Kenworth, as well as the trailers, have done around 520,000 kilometres. Powered by a Cummins 600hp (447kW) engine, the K200 has had its tanks painted and, with its custom guards, looks the goods. Mal has been behind the wheel of the K200 for almost a year. He’s been with Colin for many years, but had short time off due to illness, but is now back on the road. The truck is based in Brisbane, and mainly does the Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne run.

Varied fleet Thankfully, when doing this interview and photoshoot I really got the privilege of seeing a wide variety of the extensive Detour Logistics fleet. I even joined Colin as he took one of the stunning K200s down to Maxitrans in Laverton to pick up a brand spanking new B-double set. The Kenworth had all the staunchness and cool factor you expect of a K200. From there I got to photograph Detour’s custom painted FH Volvo, showing all the smooth and stylish looks you expect from the European giant. I even managed to slow down one of Detour’s Next Generation Scanias and show of its fuel saving aerodynamic looks. Throw in a couple of the old school XXL Volvos, a couple of the hard-working local trucks that do all the company’s pickups and I pretty much saw it all. I would hate to be judging an all Detour truck show because I must admit, Colin and the team have got a collection of some of the best units out there. And no, I didn’t get bribed with flowers to add that last bit it. Colin may not have an exciting, amusing or even humiliating story behind the Detour name, but we can all be thankful for his ski boat and thankful he detoured from Western Australia. Detour Logistics is definitely on the right road.

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28/10/2020 2:04:08 PM

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LIVESTOCK & RURAL John Beer

Industry’s invisible wall The opinions of transport workers are often shouted down amid the decision making process

’VE BEEN doing this for a bloody long time and still hearing the same frustrating talk about not enough drivers or operators participating or being involved. In the last edition of Owner//Driver, Ken Wilkie talked about the gap between decision makers and those who do the work of transport, the drivers. There’s a theme in almost every edition, if not in all transport publications and industry conversations. It’s that gap between the people behind the wheel and all the others that write policy, enforce laws, run companies and those who influence and participate in the decision making. Why? It’s the costs of being involved in my opinion. Zoom meetings are all the go. I’ve been on plenty of them lately, talking to WorkSafe Victoria for example on agricultural safety with agriculture representatives and WorkSafe people. We look at graphs and statistics that tell us how dangerous our work is. But COVID isn’t the only reason that we don’t have people coming out of Melbourne to see what we are doing. There’s almost an expectation that they wouldn’t go out to farms or feedlots or saleyards and see it so they know first-hand what problems look like. Is it that workers with dirty hands aren’t taken seriously, or policy makers and bureaucrats are encouraged to do their work from behind a barrier of separation from those they manage? And how do we get transport fixed if there is an invisible wall stopping us, as well as a cost barrier, to becoming of those people that decide what happens?

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MEETING COSTS Zoom meetings can go for an hour or two, or three. The people within associations, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, WorkSafe or enforcement agencies are employed. Their time is paid for. Every meeting they attend is scheduled; it is a normal part of their day. Their safety or business surviving doesn’t rely on a good outcome or decision, but that is what is on the line when one of us is having our say. I try to schedule my load of cattle so I can get home in time to join a Zoom meeting. But we know how that works, so I might give that job away or get someone else to do it for me. I might lose $1,000 from being on that Zoom meeting, despite having a say about important issues. Now we start to see the problem. Can drivers and small operators bear the financial costs of meetings and trips to Canberra or other cities without help? No! Some of us are in associations or groups and we get help to travel, but our organisations are small and our money is limited. A return flight, taxi and hotel is easily over $500 every time, even if you stay in a flea hole. That means picking and choosing the meetings we go to, trying to get the best bang for our buck. And we bear many costs ourselves. If you’re a driver, how do you keep the boss happy and ask for a day off to go to a meeting? Days off are precious, drivers might get one a week, so why would they miss their kids or partner to go to a meeting with people thinking they are inferior, dumb or don’t understand the bigger picture? I have a huge amount of admiration

JOHN BEER, with four decades as an owneroperator under his belt, is currently Immediate Past President of the LRTAV and ATA representative in the ALRTA. In addition, John is a past president and life member of both associations. He was the first recipient (2015) of the ALRTA McIver Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Livestock and Rural Transport Industry, and in 2016 was a finalist in the ATA Awards for Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry. John sat on the ATA Council as the ownerdriver representative from 2017 to 2019.

“Days off are precious; drivers might get one a week.”

for people like Rod Hannifey who’s committed years to road safety while working full time as a long-distance truck driver. You could never afford to pay Rod what he’s worth and what he’s given to our industry. But Rod’s been clear how hard it is to do this. Having such a supportive employer and a passion for what he does makes him unique. When you go into a meeting thinking “it’s going to be a waste of time”, it makes it very challenging to ask for more money from your association to go back again. I can’t help thinking that this knowingly used to keep us out of decisions. Guess how many meetings they schedule on the weekend when we could get there? Too many times I’ve been shut down at conferences and meetings. People tell me I am living in the past or I don’t understand the “complexities”. I’ve heard it all. Sometimes you worry being noisy or telling inconvenient truths that could affect your business. I know it’s affected mine. I don’t regret having a say and standing up for what is right, but there is a personal cost.

SAFER FACILITIES One of the best and most important things I have been a part of is the development of Standards for Loading Ramps and Forcing Yards. We are nearly at the finish line after 18 months. Those 18 months of work are a culmination of 40-plus years of my life seeing injuries and deaths of good people while trying to make facilities safer for all those who move livestock. It’s been a part-time job for months. I shudder to think of the cost if our association paid someone to do this work – tens of thousands of dollars. And then it’s got to be the right person; it takes someone who can load cattle or sheep, knows trucks, knows the issues and supply chain. Plenty of us are doing the work but how many of you out there can drop your job or your business to do this? Time is eaten up, driving to meetings, hours on the phone, hundreds of emails, face-to-face meetings or online. And that’s just the start, that’s before you have to hear all the excuses why things can’t just be fixed or be ignored. You have to fight to be heard every inch of the way. The costs of being involved are huge, and that’s why small operators and drivers are so under-represented in associations and decision making. It’s as simple and disappointing as that.

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28/10/2020 1:42:59 PM

MOORE TRUCK PARTS Aftermarket body panels & lights for all Japanese & European trucks Dear valued customers, Due to a telecommunications fault, our main phone line has been unavailable for the last few weeks. To be able to continue providing our top notch service, we ask that when calling us that you use either of the following numbers:

02 4647 3322 or 1800 044 909 Alternatively you can head to our website for any information you may require:

www.mooretruckparts.com.au Thank you for your continued support and apologies for any inconvenience. We welcome any new enquiries you may have and remember... We are number one when it comes to body panels and lights for Japanese and European Trucks.

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The team at Moore Truck Parts.

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27/10/20 9:50 am

As well as being involved in road transport media for the past 20 years, GREG BUSH has strong links to the music industry. A former Golden Guitar judge for the Country Music Awards of Australia, Greg also had a three-year stint as an ARIA Awards judge in the late 1990s and wrote for and edited several music magazines.

ROAD SOUNDS Greg Bush

Festive season cheer Eight albums to fill any music lover’s Christmas stocking LETTER TO YOU Bruce Springsteen

LIVE FROM THE FORUM MMXVIII The Eagles

SUNDOWNER Kevin Morby

Sony/Columbia www.brucespringsteen.net

Warner Music www.eagles.com

Dead Oceans/Inertia www.kevinmorby.com

Although Letter To You is credited to Bruce Springsteen, it’s actually “the boss” with his regular outfit, The E Street Band, including wife Patti Scialfa, playing together for the first time since 2017. Recorded “live” at his home studio over five days, Springsteen delivers these 12 tracks in his usual inimitable style. Three songs were actually written back in the ’70s, including the uplifting ‘Songs For Orphans’, the lyrics just as significant today as then. The album’s opener ‘One Minute You’re Here’ has Springsteen at his quiet, serious best as he sings of loss, but he’s back in full-blown rock mode on ‘Ghosts’, a song about guitars and the buzz of performing live. Oddly enough, ‘House Of A Thousand Guitars’ starts off with a piano backing before hitting its straps, while ‘Rainmaker’ is a song of drought and hard times.

The Eagles kicked off their world tour in early 2018, which swung by Australia in 2019. The new line-up included the late Glenn Frey’s son, Deacon Frey, and country star Vince Gill. This double CD, recorded live at the Forum in Los Angeles in 2018, covers highlights of the set list, including the band’s greatest hits plus a few surprises. The hits roll on from ‘Take It Easy’, ‘Tequila Sunrise’, ‘Hotel California’, ‘Desperado’ and ‘The Long Run'. Joe Walsh, a solo artist in his own right, contributes his classic rock track ‘Rocky Mountain Way’, Don Henley (The Eagles’ only original member) performs his hit ‘The Boys Of Summer’ and Gill takes centre stage for ‘Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin Away’. This would make a timely reminder and Christmas gift for those who attended The Eagles' Australian concerts. It’s also available on vinyl and Blu-ray.

US singersongwriter Kevin Morby has been steadily releasing albums – six in fact – since 2013. For Sundowner, Morby’s latest effort, he retreated to an empty Kansas City house for inspiration. Hence, the album is more subdued than 2019’s Oh My God, some tracks presented in a folk style not dissimilar to early Bob Dylan. It’s also worth nothing that Morby plays most instruments himself. However, ‘Campfire’, with love interest Katie Crutchfield contributing a ghostly mid-song interlude, could be compared to Leonard Cohen. The production becomes more sparse on ‘Don’t Underestimate Midwest American Sun’ and he drifts along with ‘A Night At The Little Los Angeles’. Morby gets almost a Beatle-ish sound from his guitar on the slow rocker ‘Valley’, then talks his way through ‘Brother, Sister’ and delivers a surprise instrumental on ‘Velvet Highway’.

EPIPHONETICS Shayne Cook

WILDFLOWERS & ALL THE REST Tom Petty

TROUBLE AND STRIFE Joan Osborne

Independent www.shaynecook.com

Warner Music www.tompetty.com

Thirty Tigers www.joanosborne.com

Melbournebased Shayne Cook has opted for an ambient atmosphere on his debut album Epiphonetics, with many messages echoing throughout. The opening track ‘Stawell Gift’ is not about the foot race, but more to do with a father who was abandoned at an orphanage. ‘Shouldn’t War’ was inspired by a sexual assault victim, while ‘City Fire Lights’ is simplistic to say the least; its backing mainly restricted to solo piano. For ‘Matters Of The Heart’, the album’s producer Simon Moro enlisted the City of Prague Symphony Orchestra – and it works – slowly building to the track’s climactic finish. Cook's vocals are mainly in the upper register department, although he shows off a wider range on ‘Blood’, one of the album’s most dramatic and powerful numbers, almost venturing into rock territory. For those into the music of US folk-rock band Bon Iver, Epiphonetics is well worth a listen.

Tom Petty’s 1994 solo album Wildflowers was a distinct departure from his usual fare. For starters, he officially dispensed with his regular band The Heartbreakers, although most members played on the album. It was always Petty’s dream to revisit Wildflowers and the tracks that didn’t make the final cut. Unfortunately, Petty passed away in 2017, but his family, bandmates and collaborators have helped fulfill his dreams. Hence the release of Wildflowers & All The Rest, a double CD set. The original album’s 15 tracks are here, including the rockin’ ‘You Wreck Me’ and the excellent mid-paced ‘’It’s Good To Be King’. The second disc contains 10 tracks that were left on the shelf, until now. ‘Something Could Happen’ is a quiet, acoustic song, the classy ‘Leave Virginia Alone’ (picked up by Rod Stewart back in 1995), and ‘Hung Up And Overdue’ with its British flavour are among the best.

Joan Osborne could feel hard done by after her acclaimed debut album Relish was left in the wake of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill at the 1996 Grammy Awards. Nevertheless, Osborne has continued to release quality music, although Trouble And Strife is her first album of original material since 2014. Always with an underlying message, she delivers a grinding rock track on ‘Hands Off’, dealing with money and corruption. There’s a twangy guitar behind the title track as Osborne sings of guns, knives and putting on weight, and there’s serious soul on “Take It Any Way I Can Get It’. She continues that mode on ‘Never Get Tired (Of Loving You)’, a funky rock type track, there’s a bass line groove to the anti-diet anthem ‘Meat & Potatoes’, and great guitar riffs as Osborne deals with immigration on ‘What’s That You Say’. Rock your socks off with this album.

42 NOVEMBER 2020

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Country Corner DAYDREAM The Buckleys

Petrol Records/Universal www.thebuckleys.net Aussie country trio The Buckleys (siblings Sarah, Molly and Lachlan) recorded their debut album Daydream with Grammy winning producer Chad Carlson. As expected, they’re big on harmonies, and deliver a mean country rock sound on ‘Money’ and ‘Crazy Like You’. They hint at their hippy Byron Bay roots on ‘Woodstock 69’, and there’s a blues-pop feel to ‘Feeling The Love’. ‘Til You Can’t Go Back’ is a serious lesson in life and love, and the pace is slowed for the catchy ‘Breathe’. ‘Glad You Did’ is a perky, upbeat track, reminiscent of The McClymonts’ sound, and the title track ‘Daydream’ is another cheerful positive number. It’s no surprise that, thanks to streaming services, The Buckleys are already making an impact internationally.

CUTTIN’ GRASS VOL 1 - THE BUTCHER SHOPPE SESSIONS Sturgill Simpson Thirty Tigers/Cooking Vinyl www.sturgillsimpson.com

If you’re into bluegrass, you’re going to love Sturgill Simpson’s Cuttin’ Grass Vol 1 – The Butcher Shoppe Sessions. It’s a 20-track double CD album, including bluegrass versions of his previously recorded material. Simpson has gathered some of Nashville’s session musicians too, including fiddle player Stuart Duncan, as well as singer/mandolin player Sierra Hull, a star in her own right. Simpson sounds cheerful enough despite singing of ‘Life Ain’t Fair And The World Is Mean’, and he’s vibrant again as he hits the road out of town on ‘Long White Line’. There’s a frenzied tempo to ‘Railroad Of Sin’, and a waltz beat to the slower ‘All Around You’. ‘Old King Coal’ is about the “black stuff”, complete with strong harmonies.

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28/10/2020 1:40:30 PM

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FUSO FIGHTER 2008, 08 Mitsubishi 5.5 ton tipper brand new hydraulics. Roadworthy 4m long, Jlffk61fhokkoo265. NSW. DIY1034577. 0407 869 028. $39,900

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The publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for any losses incurred by a buyer responding to an advertisement in this magazine. Buyers are solely responsible for their own negotiations and transactions with advertisers. Bauer Trader Media advises buyers beware of negotiating by email only; of paying deposits to private advertisers for goods unseen; of transferring money (for example via Western Union) interstate or overseas. Buyers should contact Bauer Trader Media customer service on 1300 362 272 if they suspect an advertisement may be fraudulent. In the event that a buyer suffers financial loss as a result of responding to a private advertisement in this publication Bauer Media Ltd (The Publisher) shall not be held liable or responsible.

FORD STERLING 2004, Ford Sterling Agi in great condition, 2FZHATBS45AU87959. NSW. DIY978851. 0432 248 155. $35,000

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The GTS Group is a privately owned business & market leader specialising in freight movement & warehousing. Based in Mildura & employing nationally, we run a fleet of modern Prime Movers & B-double Taut-liner trailers servicing a range of blue chip customers. Due to ongoing expansion in freight movements we have the following positions available for experienced & diligent applicants with an immediate start.

MC Interstate Drivers • Fatigue compliant • 5 weeks leave per year. • Modern equipment & facilities. • Responsible for deliveries & pick-ups. • Large client base nationally. • Full-time position for successful candidates.

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A current MC Licence (non-synchro) is essential. An Apply Fatigue Management Strategies accreditation would be an advantage, although not essential. Successful applicants are required to complete a Company Induction which also includes a Driver’s medical with alcohol & drug screen. For further information please contact Col Weeding on 0429 388 479. Web based applications for this position can be submitted by visiting gtsfreight. com.au and clicking on the employment tab. Email: dmt@gtsfreight.com.au

MC/HC - Road Train, B-Double and Single Trailer positions If you want a job, good pay, a mix of freight and customers join our team. The position can be based at our Head Office at Dubbo or our depots in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne however we welcome applicants from other areas. PREMIUM PAY RATES ARE AVAILABLE for competent operators. Duties included for the successful applicants • Routine movements between depots • Deliveries in regional, and metro areas • Load restraint • Customer relations Requirements • Current HC / MC driver’s licence • Display a commitment of WH&S • Strong work ethic reliable and punctual • Ability to work unsupervised

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CONCRETE TRUCK OWNER OPERATOR CONTRACT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY for self-employment delivering pre-mixed concrete in the Gold Coast area for Nucon Concrete, a successful and reputable independent company operating for over 40 years. Bring your own suitable truck; It is expected the owner operates the truck under a Haulage Agreement to cart and deliver to Nucon customers from Ballina in Northern NSW up to Logan, south of Brisbane. The application process starts with the lodgement of a non-obligation Expression of Interest which must be downloaded from nuconconcrete.com.au and then returned by email to hr@nucrush.com.au OWD-32-5211723-TS-334

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events news

BRISBANE BRINGS BACK HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY The Civil Construction Field Days will run concurrently with the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show

he Brisbane Truck Show (BTS), Queensland’s largest B2B event, is set to get even bigger with a new partnership that will see it turn back the clock with the launch of a new accompanying heavy equipment & machinery show. The Civil Construction Field Days will run alongside the BTS during Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week in May 2021, thanks to a collaboration between Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) and the Civil Contractors Federation Queensland Limited (CCFQ). HVIA chief executive Todd Hacking says the deal includes reciprocal ticketing as well as regular bus transfers between the two venues. “One ticket, two shows and free transport. That will make a lot of people happy,” he says. “HVIA has been on a journey of trying to deliver more value for our loyal attendees, who travel from all around Australia and the world to come to Queensland for the BTS. “I think this is an absolute game changer and I’m proud of the HVIA board and the BTS organising team, and thank the leadership of the CCFQ for working with us over the past 12 months to ensure we can get this deal off the ground.” CCFQ CEO Damian Long was equally pleased to announce the partnership with HVIA. “Our members use a lot of trucks and trailers; our two industries are intertwined and aligned, so to be able to offer an expanded new concept will be an incredible event,” Long says. “Aligning transport and heavy equipment is a show-stopper and will not only ensure the industry can attend and look at the new developments, innovation and technology but it is also a great way for the family to come together on the weekend and learn more about our industries. “Our industry builds the roads, tunnels, motorways, rail, pipelines, airports, and community developments that supports the Queensland economy. We are connecting Queensland,” Long says. “Major infrastructure projects that are transforming our state include the recently completed Toowoomba Second Range

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“ALIGNING TRANSPORT AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT IS A SHOW-STOPPER.” Top: Todd Hacking (HVIA), Simon Turnbull (Hastings Deering) and Damian Long launch the Civil Construction Field Days Above: Flashback to the 2005 Queensland Truck and Machinery Show at the Brisbane ‘EKKA’ Showgrounds

Crossing and the new runway at the Brisbane Airport. “Current projects such as Inland Rail, the M1 and Bruce Highway upgrades, Cross River Rail, and Brisbane Metro, will transform the lives of many Queenslanders.” The Brisbane Truck Show will run from Thursday, May 13 until Sunday, May 16 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. The Civil Construction Fields Days will be held across the Brisbane River at Hamilton Northshore, running from Thursday, May 13 to Saturday, May 15.

ownerdriver.com.au

27/10/2020 10:04:05 AM

INNOVATION - SUSTAINABILITY - SAFETY - KNOWLEDGE - CAREERS - COMMUNITY

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truck technology

FREIGHTLINER FIGHTS BACK D Despite the economic ravages of COVID-19 and severe social unrest in the streets around its Portland (Oregon) headquarters, Daimler Trucks North America reports Freightliner production is back to pre-pandemic days and electric truck development remains firmly on track. Steve Brooks writes

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URING A recent ‘virtual’ media event from Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) headquarters in Portland, Oregon, president and chief executive officer Roger Nielsen was eager to report that DTNA is now building as many trucks as it did before the COVID-19 pandemic struck the US in March. In a wide-ranging address, Nielsen also outlined DTNA’s commitment to offering battery-electric vehicles in every US market segment it contests – and commented on the social unrest which has dogged the streets of Portland in recent times. The pandemic has caused much hardship on Freightliner production lines, he explained. “We went through quite a tough period on the sales side and the production side. At one moment in April we had nearly 15,000 people furloughed out of 23,000. It was quite an impact for us.” However, production levels are improving in line with strong customer performance during the pandemic. “Every one of our customers has come out of this pandemic really strong,” he continued. “Today, we are back to building vehicles at the same rate we were before the pandemic hit America. We are glad to be back up and running. “It’s definitely not 2019 but it’s still strong,” Nielsen asserted. “A lot of it is replacement demand …. 2015 was a strong year so those trucks, four years later,

ownerdriver.com.au

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Above: Daimler Trucks North American chief executive Roger Nielsen Below: Recharging infrastructure at a Penske depot. Working closely with customers is hugely beneficial in electric truck development and testing says Nielsen

started coming back to us for replacement and continue now for 2020.” Nielsen was quick to add that DTNA has already started taking orders for 2021. While DTNA production volumes for 2020 will be down overall, with the company expecting to sell approximately 310,000 units this year compared to 492,000 in 2019, Nielsen confirmed that July 2020 was a relatively strong month for retail sales of Class 6 to Class 8 categories in North America. However, COVID-19 isn’t the only reason 2020 will be remembered as a tough year says Roger Nielsen, commenting that the social impacts and nationwide outcries around the death of George Floyd have further complicated America’s difficulties. George Floyd was an unarmed black man who died at the hands of police in Minneapolis and much of the subsequent

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“We have been on this road to electrification for some time.” civil unrest has erupted around the streets of Portland where DTNA is headquartered. Although the demonstrations and unrest have not diminished DTNA’s ability to product and test trucks, a thoughtful Roger Nielsen said the circumstances of Floyd’s death, “… has affected our social conscience. “We are not going to stand silently and watch this happen. We feel as a major corporation in North America we have a strong voice, with operations in nearly every major city, between us and our dealers. “We have the ability to put our voice and our power behind that,” Nielsen commented, adding that as part of the company’s stand against social injustice, DTNA intends to focus its efforts on supporting minority-owned dealerships and fleets.

Electric Energy

Above: Freightliner electric truck development covers mediumduty M2 and heavy-duty Cascadia models

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Despite the influence of COVID-19, Nielsen also reaffirmed DTNA’s intention to keep Freightliner at the forefront of electric truck technology with new products, new innovations and new partnerships to develop and grow the business. Reinforcing a statement made at an industry expo in early 2019 when he declared, “the future is electric”, Nielsen asserted. “We have been on this road to electrification for some time (and) are now well into putting battery-electric vehicles on the road in every one of the segments we compete.” According to recent reports, DTNA has now accumulated more than 300,000 test miles (480,000km) with its batteryelectric ‘Freightliner Innovation Fleet’ of medium-duty M2s

and eCascadias. Additionally, the company is in the process of putting its ‘Freightliner Customer Experience Fleet’ to work with a number of customers new to battery-electric technology. DTNA has already established partnerships with several major fleets including NFI and Penske Truck Leasing to expand the knowledge base of how the vehicles operate, the infrastructure required for greatest effect, maintenance costs, and the changes that may be required to further enhance efficiency. Furthermore, says Nielsen, DTNA has established a dedicated consulting group to help fleets access electric-truck incentives and how to acquire the right infrastructure and where necessary, the right permits. “There is a lack of knowledge out there so we’ve stepped up with technical resources to execute on this idea that they can convert some of their fleet to battery-electric vehicles,” he explained. Working closely with customers has “… put us many steps ahead in our development that we otherwise would have suffered through had we tried to test these vehicles on our own.” On the critical issue of battery recharging infrastructure, DTNA has been working with specialist electric vehicle charging provider ChargePoint on the development of depot charging equipment. According to Nielsen, depot charging infrastructure is currently preferred because development and installation of public charging outlets for commercial vehicles remains consistently slow. As for timing, Nielsen says battery-electric trucks will be ready by the end of 2021 as first projected and the pandemic has not unduly delayed development. “We are hauling freight today, but our next version will come out in early 2022 with the eCascadia.” However, “There is still a lot of testing between now and then,” he concluded.

ownerdriver.com.au

28/10/2020 1:38:10 PM

sponsored content

TRUCK MOVES’ STAND AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY Some truck drivers are not receiving the pay they are due

operators out there who just don’t care about the drivers they employ. And what about the customers who engage these guys to move and deliver their trucks? They are at huge risk of breaching NHVR and the Chain of Responsibility. And even Modern Slavery regulations. Modern slavery! In Australia in 2020. Hard to believe. We’ve had a number of brave men and women come forward to us with shocking evidence of pay rates of less than $10 per hour, and no overtime or weekend/public holiday rates. Not only that, these drivers are being pushed to meet unrealistic deadlines, putting their safety and that of the general motoring public at risk. To add insult to injury, we’ve also heard that drivers end up in places like Toowoomba and have to make their own way to Brisbane to catch a flight home, with no travel costs paid. It’s a scandal and it’s happening right now, all over Australia. The good news for honest, hardworking drivers is that they don’t have to put up with this shoddy treatment anymore. When we are approached by drivers with evidence of having been cheated and mistreated, we’ve directed them to the Members Services Team for the TWU in their state. There are a range of these cases being investigated right now. And the penalties for breaching the Award are very high. At Truck Moves Australia, we are committed to helping drivers who feel trapped by these shonky operators. We’ll cost up their jobs to calculate what they should have been paid, and

t’s time for the truck moving industry, unions and regulators to come together to stop blatant wage theft and exploitation of truck drivers. I’ve been in this industry a long time, and I’m hearing more complaints than ever before about illegal driver pay and conditions. Because of our reputation as honest and trustworthy operators, and with 30 years of experience in the industry, drivers who work for other truck moving companies contact us regularly to complain about wage theft and poor treatment by dodgy business owners. These drivers are being paid less than half the Award, and in some cases 75 per cent under the Award. My drivers report that when they are in airports and truck stops wearing their Truck Moves Australia gear, they are approached all the time by unhappy fellow truckies with terrible tales of wage theft and exploitation at the hands of a few unscrupulous operators in the industry. We’ve even helped some of them make claims against these rip-off merchants. The rules to protect drivers have been in place for three years, when the Road Transport & Distribution Award took effect on July 1, 2018. At that time, we made significant changes to how we operated, employed and paid our valued drivers to make sure we were complying with the new regulations. Every operator has had plenty of time to adapt, follow the rules and become compliant by paying drivers what they are owed. Unfortunately, there’s a number of dodgy

point them in the right direction to make claims against their employer. Together, we can rid the industry of shonks and cheats and ensure that drivers have a safe and secure workplace with fair pay for their hard work. We are all responsible to create a level playing field, where companies compete on the merits of their service offering and they don’t undercut on price, or prop up their bottom line, by underpaying and ripping off their hard-working drivers. By Matt Whitnall, Director, Truck Moves Australia

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test drive

GAME TIME FOR CASCADIA

After the most comprehensive test program ever undertaken by Freightliner for a market outside North America, it’s now ‘game time’ for the new Cascadia. Australia’s safest conventional truck, much will also depend on build quality out of the US, and while it’s early days, recent drives in two distinctly different examples suggest the fundamentals are on a firm footing. Time and toil will soon enough reveal just how firm. Steve Brooks writes 56 NOVEMBER 2020

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28/10/2020 1:30:20 PM

AFETY IS PARAMOUNT, but of all the factors set to determine the future success or otherwise of Freightliner’s much anticipated Cascadia range, perhaps none will be more critical, nor more measured, than build quality. It is the single strand upon which all else pales in comparison, and on which all else must be mounted. Without it, Cascadia will almost certainly suffer the fate of numerous forebears, squeaking and rattling its way to mediocrity and generally failing to achieve the high expectations of corporate cohorts and customers alike. With it, Cascadia will succeed like no other Freightliner ever to call Australia ‘home’, finally building on the legacy of the original FLC112 model, which, with rock-solid reliability and enduring strength, created the potential for a great future. Sure, it is a potential that has remained far from being fully realised, but with Cascadia, initial impressions suggest Freightliner has indeed created something solid. Something able to endure, withstanding Australia’s intense demands and, in the process, provide the foundation for the brand and its buyers to capitalise on the features that make Cascadia truly unique in the conventional truck market. There’s no question Cascadia marks an entirely new line in the sand for conventional trucks by offering levels of standard safety equipment and technology that, until now, have been the sole preserve of European cab-overs. In effect, and unlike its conventional competitors, Cascadia customers don’t have to tick the box and pay for the privilege of an advanced and potentially life-saving safety system. It’s already there as part of a fully integrated and fully costed factory-fitted package, labelled the ‘Detroit Assurance 5.0’ suite of safety systems.

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Indeed, on any reasonable assessment, Cascadia can confidently claim the mantle of ‘the safest conventional truck in the world’. Strange thing though, neither of the trucks driven recently for this report were equipped with a driver’s side airbag. But, as Freightliner Australia boss Stephen Downes candidly explained, initial production delays in fitting an airbag to right hand-drive units have been overcome. “Trucks going down the production line now are fitted with airbags,” he asserted, further enhancing Cascadia’s safety credentials by making it the only heavy-duty conventional truck in Australia to be equipped with a driver’s side airbag. Meantime, Cascadia also offers the US version of an allDaimler powertrain, which in its Mercedes-Benz guise, continues to win considerable accolades for impressive levels of performance and fuel economy. Furthermore, Cascadia’s GHG17 US emissions rating is technically an even ‘cleaner’ standard than the Euro 6 level of its MercedesBenz stablemate and a number of continental competitors. Yet, while safety, performance and efficiency are vital qualities for the success of any modern machine, they can also wane into indifference if the truck fails to stay strong. In other words, fails to maintain over the course of many years in many applications, the reliability and structural integrity of a vast array of metal, glass and plastic components – the pressings, nuts, bolts, studs, seals, switches, latches, gauges, trims, panels, mouldings, fittings, cables, connections and countless other bits – that combine to keep a truck operational and sound. Put simply, it’s the little things that count and the little things that in previous models have, in one form or another, been so detrimental to Freightliner’s reputation and potential in this country.

Above: A steer of the preproduction Cascadia demonstrator was a welcome introduction

NOVEMBER 2020 57

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Cascadia, however, is a new start for Freightliner in Australia. So much investment has already gone into the planning and testing of this truck, both here and in the US, and so much of it based on the lessons and disappointments of previous products, that it’s difficult not to be buoyed by the optimism of the brand’s ambassadors on both sides of the Pacific. Consequently, after all the early insights into Cascadia’s preparation for life Down Under, and the hype of an all-star launch program in pre-COVID Sydney that attracted such corporate luminaries as Martin Daum, worldwide head of Daimler Trucks and Roger Neilsen and numero uno at Daimler Trucks North America, it’s easy to admit to a sense of eager anticipation as a pre-production 116 model was rolled out for test drives. Even better, another version also came into our sights. Through various contacts came news that Cleary Bros, a wellknown and much respected company based at Port Kembla, south of Sydney, was about to take delivery of a 116 model, one of the earliest right hand-drive production units to roll off the Charlotte, North Carolina, line. While a steer of the pre-production demonstrator was certainly welcome, the Cleary unit was arguably the critical example. Direct from the same production line where its lefthook siblings come together, this was the truck that would indicate if Cascadia was starting its Australian career with a sharp focus on build quality. What’s more, Cleary Bros boss Brett Cleary was content to

Below: That new truck feeling. Inside the Cleary Bros 116. It’s a neat, highly practical layout with no shortage of family resemblance to Mercedes-Benz and Fuso in control functions and design Opposite below: Part of Cascadia’s standard safety package is ‘Side Guard Assist’. There are some concerns the signaller’s position is vulnerable to damage

“Cascadia customers don’t have to … pay for the privilege of an advanced and potentially lifesaving safety system.”

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hand the truck over for its maiden loaded run. It was a privilege not taken lightly, and nor did it fall on deaf ears that Cascadia’s safety standards were a prime factor in the purchase decision.

AMPLE SAMPLES There were, of course, many similarities between the pre-production unit and the Cleary Bros truck. Both were powered by the Detroit DD13 engine rated at 505hp (377kW) and 1,850ft-lb (2,508Nm) of torque, driving through the overdrive version of the DT12 12-speed automated transmission. Up front, long taperleaf springs handled the lumps and bumps while down the back, Meritor diffs rode on Freightliner’s AirLiner airbag suspension. Both were day cab models and, of course, each had the standard Detroit Assurance 5.0 safety package of active brake assist, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and side guard assist. It would take far more space than is available here to outline the operation and extent of Cascadia’s safety kit, but suffice to say, there’s nothing even remotely similar available as a factory-fitted standard among conventional competitors. Sure, there’s the Bendix Wingman Fusion collision mitigation system optionally available on Kenworth and Mack, but from all indications, customer uptake on both brands is minimal at best. Trucking is a commercial enterprise and, historically, buyers are hesitant to pay for expensive options with no obvious or immediate financial benefit, especially when that option adds the complexity and potential service issues of a component fitted by an ‘outside’ supplier. However, offer that component

ownerdriver.com.au

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or system as a standard factory-fitted feature and, suddenly, most operators will welcome the initiative. There is perhaps no better example of this trait than Freightliner’s corporate cousin, MercedesBenz and its efforts several decades ago to entice operators to pay for the optional benefit of antilock (ABS) braking. Despite extensive testing and marketing that showed the obvious stability and safety

advantages of ABS, few operators could be encouraged to pay Benz’s increasingly subsidised price for the feature. Ultimately, Mercedes-Benz bit the bullet, made ABS a standard feature with the cost tucked into purchase price and in quick time, the plaudits for ABS started to roll in. Literally! Nowadays, of course, ABS is mandatory on all B-double prime movers and few would argue its worth.

NOVEMBER 2020 59

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It’s difficult to see how Cascadia’s standard inclusion of an advanced, comprehensive and factory-fitted safety package won’t be similarly received, particularly as safety continues to evolve as a vital public issue. Anyway, back on the two trial trucks, while there were fundamental similarities, there were also obvious differences. For starters, the pre-production truck was a prime mover towing a tri-axle curtain-sided trailer, grossing just a few kilos shy of 41 tonnes. There were also close to 24,000km on the clock, almost entirely acquired in customer trials as either a shorthaul B-double or single trailer outfit. On the other hand, the new Cleary Bros unit was configured as a rigid tipper towing a four-axle dog trailer. With paperwork still pending for operation at gross weights up to 55 tonnes, the truck’s first load was limited to a gross of 42.5 tonnes and subsequently rolled off Cleary Bros’ Albion Park weighbridge at 42.26 tonnes. Obviously enough, the test runs were entirely different. Given the opportunity to have the pre-production truck configured as either a B-double or single trailer combination, the latter was chosen for good reason. The aim was to test the performance and fuel efficiency of the 505hp (377kW) DD13 engine over a tough course and when it comes to tough tracks for trucks, there are few more demanding and perhaps notorious routes than Bell’s Line of Road. So demanding that full-length B-doubles aren’t allowed and many operators, especially fleets, refuse to use it altogether. From North Richmond at the foot of the Blue Mountains in far western Sydney, the historic Bell’s Line curls and climbs, dips and dives its way over the mountains before the severe drop into Lithgow. From there it’s a left turn onto the Great Western Highway, then a big drop down River Lett Hill followed by the savage haul up Mt Victoria and, finally, the ambling descent back to Sydney’s ‘burbs. Again, there are few tougher runs for a truck on public roads anywhere in Australia. Two weeks later, the Cleary unit’s first outing was a much

“It’s reasonable to suggest the 505 rating won’t be overshadowed by its main rivals.” Above: Inside the pre-production demo unit. The bench passenger seat and centre console were well short of impressive but hopefully, they’re not standard. Location of radar unit high on the windscreen can marginally obstruct vision in some conditions Right: A photo break near the end of Bell’s Line of Road before the steep Scenic Hill drop into Lithgow. It’s a brutal run across the mountains, but performance and efficiency of the 505hp DD13 did not disappoint. Not at all!

60 NOVEMBER 2020

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easier time. After loading at the company’s Albion Park quarry south of Wollongong, the truck was simply run over a few rough and twisting back roads before heading further south on the much improved Princes Highway and, after a few hours, returning to Cleary Bros’ historic home base at the seaside village of Bombo. All up, little more than 120km, but certainly enough for an ample sample of Cascadia’s early build quality.

“Cascadia is a new start for Freightliner in Australia.”

SHARP LIP One of the many attributes of modern in-cab information systems is that in some installations you can watch the trip fuel average change as conditions change. For example, travelling through the teetering traffic and mostly flat roads from Daimler Trucks’ Huntingwood dealership in Sydney’s west to the base of the mountains at North Richmond, the DD13 in the demo unit was averaging a respectable 2.2km/litre, or 6.3 mpg. From North Richmond though, things change dramatically. It’s a long uphill slog that only gets harder as the climb up the eastern face of the mountains steepens before hitting the fiercest pinch of all, Bellbird Hill. There’s a short, sharp lip on Bellbird that has caught many drivers by surprise over many years and in this case, with the regrettable decision to leave the DT12 transmission in auto mode, it seemed to catch technology out as well, jumping from sixth gear straight to fourth rather than dropping just one gear and allowing 1,850ft-lb of torque to do its thing. In short, fifth gear would’ve certainly sufficed and with a swap to manual mode soon after the lip, the rest of the ascent was covered comfortably locked in sixth gear. However, such is the severity of the ascent that at the top of Bellbird, average fuel consumption for the trip had dropped to 1.43km/litre, or 4mpg. From here onwards, on a road that is routinely rough and narrow in parts, the Cascadia displayed positive road handling and good ride manners on the run to the next steep drag, Mt Tomah. Again, the transmission was left in auto mode and, again, it was a regrettable decision as the truck settled into fifth gear with more than enough revs

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Above: Maiden voyage. Cleary Bros 116 being loaded for the first time. One of the earliest right hand-drive production units, build quality appears to be ‘on the money’

up its sleeve to suggest sixth would have easily coped. What’s more, the consistent demands of an extremely hard haul continued to hammer fuel consumption. At the top of Mt Tomah, the average had fallen to 1.32km/litre, or 3.7mpg, and while the road’s toughest climbs were now behind, there’s nothing easy about any part of the run over Bell’s Line. It is a testing trek of sharp drops, short pinches and unforgiving twists and turns with next to no margin for error. It is not a road to let concentration slip. After the mandatory turn into the ridiculously sited and potentially dangerous heavy vehicle weighbridge at the small village of Bell, it’s not far to the long, steep drop down Scenic Hill into Lithgow, where sixth gear and maximum engine braking – controlled through a finger-tip wand on the steering column – comfortably handled the descent with just a couple of short stabs on the brake pedal. It was much the same on the run down River Lett before hitting the base of the gruelling Mt Victoria climb, which peaks with a 13 per cent grade. This time though, the transmission was put in manual mode at the base of the hill and with the DD13 allowed to make full use of a healthy torque band, the Cascadia romped over the steepest pinch on Mitchell’s Ridge in sixth gear at 1,450rpm. After the ‘auto’ runs over Bellbird and Mt Tomah, the Mt Vic climb simply reinforced the opinion that while the relationship of modern engine and transmission combinations is remarkable and entirely practical for the great majority of conditions, there are times and places where a driver can do the job with even greater efficiency. Really, it all depends on the driver but, either way, auto or manual, the job gets done smoothly without the threat of damaging shock loads to the drivetrain. Despite the hard haul up Mt Vic, fuel consumption had

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“There’s a quiet strength in Cascadia’s structure.” improved marginally to 1.5km/litre (4.2mpg). It would be an injustice, however, to consider this a poor return. On the contrary, this is a brutally demanding route and after the comparatively gentle run off the mountains to the Huntingwood dealership, the fuel average had improved to a favourable 1.9km/litre, or 5.4mpg. By any measure, a good return given the demands. In performance terms, the 505hp Detroit handled the task with impressive tenacity. Some might argue that compared to others in the 13-litre class where power peaks around 530 and 540hp (395kW and 403kW), the DD13’s top rating is perhaps short of the mark. That thought was, in fact, the main reason behind using such a formidable test route for the demo unit. However, pulling power certainly wasn’t in short supply at any time and it’s reasonable to suggest the 505 rating won’t be overshadowed by its main rivals. At least, not greatly. What’s more, the synergy between the engine and transmission appears as intuitive and smooth as any in the same class. Again, however, this was a pre-production unit and

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Above: The extra ‘cat whisker’ mirrors on the front may be an acquired taste but they’re certainly beneficial in tight spaces and heavy traffic

there were a few soft squeaks in the cab on some rougher sections of the run, with one particularly annoying rattle in the overhead console, which was later found to be a rather ordinary installation of the UHF radio. There was also a notable whine coming from somewhere outside, but too inconsistent to even guess where. All up, driver comfort and control layout were highly positive, with similarly user-friendly logic to its Benz brethren in the application of most functions. As already stated, steering and handling were strong points from start to finish and while in-cab noise levels were perhaps higher than anticipated, they’re certainly not annoying. Both the demo truck and the Cleary unit were also fitted with the extra ‘wide view’ mirrors mounted on the front of the hood, which, while they might be an acquired taste for some, have definite advantages in tight spots and heavy traffic. Yet, there’s one feature that, in certain conditions, can detract from Cascadia’s high standard of all-round vision. Mounted high in the centre of the windscreen on the inside is a radar camera unit, which is a critical part of Cascadia’s ‘Assurance 5.0’ safety package. However, in some instances, particularly evident on a sharply undulating road from behind the wheel of the Cleary truck, the unit could marginally obstruct forward vision. Hopefully, time and technology will see the unit become smaller and less obtrusive, or simply moved to somewhere less obvious. Meantime, easily the least likeable parts of the demo unit were the passenger bench seat, which made it ridiculously awkward to move from one side of the cab to the other, and a decidedly second-rate centre console between the seats. Fortunately, neither of these negatives were in the Cleary truck driven a fortnight later. The passenger bench was replaced by a regular single seat and the space between the seats was largely taken up with the control module for the tipper bodies. Better still, and most evident of all in Cleary’s 116, was the complete absence of any rattles, squeaks or whines at anytime, anywhere. Indeed, as drives of some early test units here and in the US over the past year and more had already intimated, there’s a quiet (literally) strength in Cascadia’s structure that hasn’t been evident since … well, since Australia’s first Freightliner, the FLC112. It’s hard to nail it down to any particular piece of the truck. It’s just the way the doors and pillars give the impression of being so strong and solid, the way the dash fascia and gauges don’t shimmy or shake, and the lack of wobbles or wiggles in the hood and mirrors. To quote a line from that iconic Australian movie The Castle: “It’s just the vibe.” Hardly a technical term, but you get the idea. Yes, it’s early days for Cascadia. Very early, and almost certainly there will be a few teething issues as there are with any entirely new model that comes to the Australian market. As stated at the start of this article, only time and toil will demonstrate the true extent of build quality. Still, as long as teething problems are not endemic, and as long as Freightliner dealers here are committed and quick in fixing any issues, and as long as Freightliner principals in the US attend to Australia’s requirements promptly, the truck is certainly equipped to do the rest. There’s a lot counting on it.

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tech briefs

ISUZU BOLSTERS TIPPER RANGE WITH F SERIES ADDITION ISUZU HAS added an F Series offering, with a focus on greater payload and capacity, to its tipper line-up. Already covering an expansive gross vehicle mass (GVM) range from 4,500kg through to 11,000kg, the Isuzu Trucks tipper range recently introduced a significant step-up in the form of the FSR 140-260 tipper, with a GVM of 14,000kg (derated to 12,000kg upon request), and a gross combination mass (GCM) of 20,000kg. Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) national sales manager Les Spaltman says the recent addition to the tipper range is a direct response to customer feedback. “We’re extremely proud to promote this F Series model within our already expansive Ready-to-Work tipper range,” he says. “As always, we spoke directly with our customers, and the key message was clear – greater payload, greater capacity and longer body length. “Specifically, our customers wanted a robust tipper body that could easily float a typical medium-duty excavator to and from jobs.

“At 4.4 metres long the body on the FSR 140-260 tipper delivers on this, along with a 7.8-tonne payload and 5.2 cubic-metre load capacity.” The FSR 140-260 tipper is powered by Isuzu’s six-cylinder, 24-valve 6HK1-TCC engine, producing 191kW (256hp) at 2,400rpm. “Our popular six-cylinder 6HK1 engine is very effective in this GVM class and is set to serve the tipper application extremely well,” Spaltman says. “The 6HK1, coupled with Isuzu’s proven MZW-6P six-speed manual transmission, bodes economical and efficient operation on all fronts. “This is a very sharply specified truck, with some smart features such as an integrated lockable toolbox, yellow safety steps and grab handles for operator ease of use, as well as all the expected safety features like anti-lock braking system, anti-skid regulator and hill start aid.” All Isuzu tippers come with standard body lock-down hook, further securing the tipper body and its load at all times.

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evolution ticking over for some time,” Spaltman says. “Given the level of infrastructure work currently needed and underway across our major cities, we believe this heavier F Series tipper model will tick a lot of boxes, especially for the construction and trade industries.”

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Shovel racks, rope rails and a two-way tail gate with drop sides round out a fitfor-purpose package. All Isuzu RTW trucks are backed by the factory, with a three-year warranty covering both the truck and body. “We’ve been looking to expand the range for a while and plan to keep its

ITS LIVERY will be missing in future Supercars series but Penske pledges it isn’t going anywhere as far as trucks are concerned. While US-based Team Penske has pulled in its horns on the track, Penske confirms its long-term commitment to the Australian and New Zealand markets through its on- and off-highway businesses. “Since Team Penske partnered with Dick Johnson to form DJR Team Penske several years ago, we have seen tremendous success on the track and in the boardroom,” Penske Australia & New Zealand president Randall Seymore says. “We thank DJR Team Penske for helping to make Penske and our brands household names, and we look forward to remaining Dick Johnson Racing’s biggest fans.” Since establishing its footprint in the Australian and New Zealand markets in 2013, Penske insists it continues to invest heavily in its onand off-highway operations. “Penske Australia & New Zealand remains dedicated to our customer base, our more than 1,000 employees, and our OEM partners,” Seymore underlines. “The growth of our business and loyalty of our employees, even during these challenging times, has been extraordinary. “Building on several significant wins recently in key markets such as road transport, energy solutions, defence, and mining, we foresee a standout year for the business in 2021. “Our team at Penske Australia & New Zealand will continue to build on our customer partnerships in 2021 and beyond, providing them with world-class customer service, along with our portfolio of superior products.”

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tech briefs

Improved mileage claim with new steer tyre KUMHO has launched a new premium heavy duty truck steer tyre, which it says is suitable for a wide range of truck operating conditions in regional and long distance operations. Kumho says its new Kumho XS 10 is a genuine premium truck steer tyre designed to provide safe driving in wet, icy and dry conditions. According to Kumho, the XS10 also offers an extended mileage capability due to its wide tread and shoulder design, while a special tread compound results in improved handling. Stone ejectors within the groove pattern are said to increase the tyre’s re-treading ability as well as delivering longer life and better casing durability. Kumho boasts that, taking everything into consideration, the XS10 offers increase in tyre life of up to 15 per cent when compared with its predecessor. The Kumho XS10 uses an abrasive resistant, high speed compound that the company says allows it to be used in multiple regional applications for medium to long haul use. The five-rib tread design is said to offer enhanced

steer ability, while ICOS (Integrated Component System Technology) has been applied to improve the overall performance of the tyre, enhancing rolling resistance and reducing wear, as well as bead belt and carcass durability, Kumho states. According to Troy Bone, national sales manager for commercial vehicle tyres for Kumho Tyre Australia, the new XS10 will give Kumho a premium steer tyre in the heavy truck market and enhance the company’s already strong position in the truck tyre market. “The XS10 is an all new tyre that incorporates the many years of tyre design and engineering knowledge Kumho has gathered in truck tyre design,” Bone says. “Along with better performance and handling characteristics, the increased durability and mileage capability of the XS10 will bring significant savings for truck operators along with safer and more efficient running across a wide variety of trucks and conditions,” he adds. The XS10 is available initially in 295/80R22.5 16 ply 152/ 148M sizing, which Kumho says will suit the vast majority of heavy truck steer wheels. In addition to the multi performance steer tyre, Kumho says it also offers a multi performance drive tyre, the XD10 which is available as a 295/80R22.5 size. The company adds that it utilises the same special abrasive resistant, high speed compound as in the XS10, its hexagonal block design improves grip, mileage and braking performance.

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FOR THE OWNER-DRIVER Frank Black

Absurd call on fatalities The federal government is kidding itself that road upgrades will equal zero deaths by 2050

E AGAIN face the grim reality of trucking being Australia’s deadliest industry, and we again see no response from the federal government. According to new SafeWork statistics, 174 workers were killed while working in trucking between 2015 to 2019. In 2019 alone, we lost 58 transport workers, tragically killed while just trying to do their jobs. That’s more than one person killed every week. These statistics are appalling, but not shocking. We know that our industry is riddled with problems that make our jobs more dangerous than they need to be. What’s alarming is that the government remains silent on these many workers killed and has no plan to prevent more needless deaths on the road. Transport Minister Michael McCormack even suggested recently that road upgrades will put us on a path to zero fatalities by 2050. What a ridiculous statement. He is kidding himself if he thinks anyone in the transport industry will buy into that far-reaching notion. Very clearly, this media stunt is not aimed at those of us actually working in Australia’s deadliest industry. It is aimed to impress voter masses who are so distanced from trucking they may buy into the propaganda that his road upgrades will solve the high death tolls. We’ve been asking for road upgrades for years. Funding for roads is very necessary and long overdue. But none of us are under any illusion that upgrades alone will fix the dangerous nature of our industry. Even if roads were the only issue to be fixed, why make this funding dependent on a ‘use it or lose it’ basis? It is important to

encourage states to act quickly to fix roads that, as we know, are well past retirement and in great need of maintenance. But the Transport Minister is dangling this carrot while whispering to voters: “Don’t worry; we probably won’t need to spend all this money.” Wouldn’t it be novel if the Transport Minister also addressed the pressures truck drivers face, including the low pay that forces us to work harder and faster for less? Instead, we’re consistently met with the long arm of the law looking to make a buck.

REVENUE HUNTING

Just recently, more police blitzes saw many truckies cop fines for minor misdemeanours. One bloke told me he was fined for a logbook error from three months ago – during the height of lockdown. So much for the ‘heroes of the pandemic’. Now is not the time to go revenue hunting from the bottom of the supply chain. The safety regulator has confirmed trucking to be the deadliest industry by far, with transport worker deaths accounting for a third of all workplace deaths. Rather than attacking truckies, looking for problems with our trucks and logbooks, how about consulting us on the dangers we face? No one understands better than us what it’s like in the cab of a truck. Meanwhile, the clients at the top of the supply chain have raked in profits from the pandemic. For them, it has been dollar signs in their eyes. For us, it has been more pressure to keep shelves stocked while also comprehending ever changing border crossing rules and admin, regular COVID tests and trying to avoid self-isolating within the confines of our trucks. The federal government needs to be

FRANK BLACK has been a long distance owner-driver for more than 30 years. He is the current ownerdriver representative on the ATA Council.

reminded that that number – 174 – is not just a statistic. It is 174 fathers, uncles, sisters, friends and neighbours. It is 174 families left devastated. As tragic as it is when a worker is killed in any industry, we fail to see the same concern shown to truck drivers as we do others, such as in construction. Just because the road is our office doesn’t make the deaths of truck drivers are any less distressing or any less painful for the families left behind.

WATCHDOG’S DEMISE

In 2016, the LNP government, with the help of the Australian Trucking Association, tore down a road safety watchdog (which was the best thing that had happened to this industry as far as safety goes), even though its own report said fatal truck crashes would be reduced by 22 per cent. That’s 38 truck drivers killed in the last five years that could still be alive today. It took years for the government to hear our calls for funding to improve roads. It has been years since the government abolished the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal. How much longer must we wait for them to even acknowledge the crisis in trucking? Will it be within our lifetimes that truck drivers are consulted on how to fix problems in the industry? All we know is that there are far too many people killed by trucks than there needs to be in Australia. A path to zero fatalities is an absurd call in any circumstances. We must keep fighting for the government to give us the best chance we can get. And that means hearing what we have to say.

“We’re consistently met with the long arm of the law looking to make a buck.”

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Owner Driver 334 November 2020

Articles inside

BRISBANE BRINGS BACK HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY