US GROUP TAKES ON DAIMLER DEALERSHIPS

US-BASED Velocity Vehicle Group (VVG) is poised to become Australia’s newest truck dealers through a deal signed with Eagers Automotive.

Eager reveals in a stock market advisory that, in a deal said to be worth A$108 million, it has signed an agreement to divest its 15 Daimler Trucks dealerships and the Stillwell Trucks premises in Sydney’s Milperra.

“The divestment of our Daimler truck operations represents another key step in the ongoing simplification of our automotive retail business,” Eagers CEO and MD Martin Ward says of the move.

“VVG will be a great home for the Daimler truck business and offers an exciting future.”

Daimler Truck and Bus president and CEO Daniel Whitehead thanks Eagers for its partnership during a time of growth for Daimler commercial vehicles.

“We have achieved a lot together and I wish them all the best for the future,” he says.

Daimler points out that, as with its US operation, VVG’s Australian network will only sell and service commercial vehicles, with a focus on the needs of truck and bus customers.

It will also exclusively represent Daimler brands Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and Fuso.

“We are extremely pleased to work with a group that has such an incredible track record with Daimler Trucks in the United States which consistently delivers on a core commitment to commercial vehicle customers,” Whitehead says.

A privately owned operator of 36 commercial truck dealerships focused on California, Arizona and Nevada, VVG deals in Freightliner, Western Star, Isuzu, Hino and Fuso brands as well as Great Dane trailers.

“VVG is one of the key global partners with Daimler Truck and Bus and provides customers with a complete lineup of commercial vehicles and services, including leasing, rentals, equipment financing, parts, service, specialty fabrication and collision repairs,” Eagers notes.

“Eagers will continue to own and operate its existing Webster Truck and Isuzu Truck businesses, which are currently part of the automotive retail division.

“Following completion of the transaction, the Hino and Iveco operations will be incorporated into the automotive retail division, removing the requirement for a standalone National Trucks division.”

VVG indicates the move will see a relationship with Eagers continue.

“We could not be more excited to have the Australian Daimler dealerships of Eagers Automotive join the Velocity team,” VVG co-presidents Brad Fauvre and Conan Barker state.

“We have seen the dedication of everyone at each dealership, and we know that together with their US VVG colleagues, we will be able to deliver world-class service to the Australian truck market.

“We look forward to getting to know every customer and employee as we execute on our mission of ‘Speed, Value and Trust’ for all of our Australian customers.”

Daimler Truck and Bus Australia aftersales and network operations director Greg Lovrich says the significant investment of Velocity Vehicle Group represents a big step forward.

“We have long admired the Velocity Vehicle Group as a shining example of a best-practice commercial vehicle dealership network in a market where Daimler is number one and excellent customer service is critical to doing business,” Lovrich adds.

“Velocity Vehicle Group knows what it takes to provide the kind of service that truck and bus customers expect from Daimler and we are thrilled about the commitment it is making to the Australian market.”

Daimler is represented by 55 sales and service dealerships across Australia.

Velocity Vehicle Group co-president Brad Fauvre

MAN TGX voted International Truck of the Year

THE NEW MAN TGX has been voted the International Truck of the Year 2021 (ITOY), notching up one of the most prestigious awards in the commercial vehicle market.

The jury of 24 mostly European trade journalists recognised the TGX for its driving comfort, working and living conditions, safety, fuel efficiency, connectivity, innovative services, and operator control and display philosophy.

In a virtual ceremony, MAN Truck & Bus CEO Andreas Tostmann accepted the award from ITOY president Gianenrico Griffini.

“The title ‘International Truck of the Year’ is tremendous recognition for the outstanding work put in by our team at MAN,” Tostmann says.

“For more than five years now, the team has been working with a single objective in mind: to develop the best truck for drivers and our customers and to get it out on the road. This award just goes to show: we did it.”

Of note, judges highlighted: • In addition to driving comfort, the driver’s workplace with clearly arranged, fully digital display instruments, intuitively operable driving and multimedia functions incorporated into the new, adjustable multifunction steering wheel and the innovative, distraction-free rotary pushbutton control function of the

MAN SmartSelect system • Euro 6d driveline, which offers fuel savings of up to 8.2 per cent compared to the previous version when coupled with the aerodynamic refinement of the cab design and the GPS cruise control system MAN

EfficientCruise • A high level of safety, which, with functions such as the radar-based turn assist and lane change support systems, Lane Return Assist and assisted driving in traffic jams • A high degree of connectivity provided by its electronic architecture, which is the first of its kind in the commercial vehicle sector, and range of digital services.

“The new MAN TGX represents a major step forward in terms of driver comfort, fuel efficiency, connectivity and human-machine interface,” Griffini says.

“So there is no doubt why the new MAN TGX was voted Truck of the Year 2021. It is a future-oriented truck that meets the transport needs of today and tomorrow.”

The International Truck of the Year (IToY) award was originally launched in 1977 by British journalist and editor of Truck magazine Pat Kennett.

Today, the 24 jury members represent leading commercial vehicle magazines throughout Europe, along with Turkey and Russia.

In recent years, the IToY Group has expanded to appoint eight associate members in the growing truck markets of China, India, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Iran and New Zealand.

FOR THE OWNER-DRIVER Frank Black

were a barrier to health and safety: 1. Unrealistic demands 2. Financial pressures 3. Lack of respect and recognition 4. Compromised support systems.

PRESSURE ON DRIVERS

Supply chain pressure

A few large transport companies are still running the gauntlet with defective trucks and tired drivers

AS WE LEAVE a tumultuous 2020 behind, many around the world have been looking to 2021 with hope for a less stressful year. But truckies have been faced with a deadly industry for years, and unless the federal government starts to listen, we’re unlikely to see any improvements.

Although the border restrictions added an administrative nightmare to our workload, for truckies the problems we faced in 2020 are the same problems we’ve been expressing for years. In some ways, hope for us too came towards the end of 2020, around the same time as the positive vaccine announcements.

Hearings for the Senate Inquiry into trucking were held at the end of November, with a few more still to come in the first part of this year. This inquiry is shining a much-needed light on trucking and has given us the opportunity to put forward our case for what we want to see changed.

I appeared alongside the Transport Workers Union at the Adelaide hearing, via video conference. It didn’t take much preparation, as it’s easy to speak from the heart about the problems in trucking when you’ve been living through them and campaigning on them for decades.

There were a few points I made clear. The first was that we need something to replace the torn down Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal to address rock bottom rates and conditions in the industry. We cannot continue to kill and injure truck drivers through financial pressures that ultimately force people to drive fatigued.

FATIGUE CATASTROPHE

I think back to horrific truck crashes I’ve witnessed or come across. One that springs to mind is an overturned cattle truck, caused by the driver falling asleep at the wheel. Several of us rushed to the scene, right past the passenger, who had been thrown so far from the truck we completely bypassed him.

I stayed at the scene for over an hour, watching as the driver was air lifted to hospital. Police officers at this crash, and at so many others, repeated the words I already knew: this catastrophe was caused by driver fatigue.

The second point I made clear at the inquiry hearing was that organisations and associations that have considerable influence over the industry do not represent truck drivers. In fact, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) to name a couple have shown to be detrimental to owner-drivers’ rights and safety.

These big players in the industry use their influence for personal gain. The ATA has failed to represent us or even any organisation that puts ownerdrivers’ needs first. Last year, the ACCC went after me for daring to talk about low rates in the industry rather than investigating my claim. Actions like this send a signal to transport supply chains. They reiterate that the power lies with the money, at the top of the chain, and that this won’t be challenged. These actions condone the supply chain pressures that cause truck crashes, owner-drivers to go out of business and abysmal health and safety.

In December, Monash University released the results of an important in-depth study. Although this provided a depressing read, the results were not as shocking as they should be.

The study shared four themes that

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

“These big players in the industry use their influence for personal gain.”

Several drivers described the issues we’ve been raising for years: unhygienic facilities at truck stops, family and relationship breakdown, pressure to drive tired, unrealistic deadlines and poor mental health. Although we’re all familiar with these chronic problems, it still makes for a stark read.

This study and the Senate Inquiry go hand-in-hand. The realities of our industry are laid bare. Truck drivers have spoken out. Will this be enough to persuade our government to stand up and do something about it?

In November, a large concrete trucking company was exposed for extreme safety breaches following the death of one of their drivers, who ran off the road and hit a tree. In an investigation, the Major Crime branch and heavy vehicle enforcement officers defected 19 of the 20 trucks. It just goes to show, no matter how big, trucking companies will cut corners and we pay the price.

Imagine how many lives could be saved if we had a system in place to hold clients and companies to account before horror strikes.

All the issues we raise come out when there’s an incident. Why not listen to us in the first place, and prevent these needless deaths? We could save thousands of families from pain and suffering. Truck drivers could maintain good family relationships without the stress of financial hardship. Road houses could provide decent, healthy meals and obesity in trucking would go down.

There are simple solutions, and we know what they are. This year, let’s stand together and make sure our voices are heard. We must call out the associations that are holding down the industry under the pretence of representing us. We must force the government to make drastic changes. Because without us, Australia stops.