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Boland Transport’s Daniel Thornton was among four award recipients at the 2022 NatRoad conference
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Rob McDonald has spent around 11 years behind the wheel of both trucks and buses. He discusses his passions and concerns for
The IAA commercial vehicle exhibition in Hanover, Germany, is the biggest trucking event in the world and it’s all about Europe
Volvo shocked the socks off visitors at the massive IAA commercial vehicle show in Germany by dispensing with diesel models altogether
Isuzu Australia has the trucks to fill almost all vocational needs and remains top of the pops in light and medium duty sales
he recent NatRoad annual conference, its first since the pre-pandemic year of 2019, highlighted issues that have impacted the road transport industry since Adam started driving trucks. The driver shortage was a recurring topic, as was the concern over inconsistent laws across the states and among individual enforcement officers.
Following NatRoad CEO Warren Clark’s official opening presentation (pictured right), Sal Petroccitto, CEO of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, offered an update on the transitioning of state responsibilities on roadside inspections, prosecutions and administration to the NHVR. He pointed out that Queensland was next on list following NSW which handed over responsibilities to the NHVR on August 1.
One question asked during that particular session was that the issuing of infringement notices was based on a quota system, which Petroccitto vehemently denied.
At another session, it was suggested that there are “bad apples” among the various police and road authorities, as there is in the truck driving population. More to the point, there are “bad apples” in every industry, but those infiltrating the ranks of the police and other road departments is extremely detrimental to attracting newcomers to the industry. In fact, it’s a major deterrent.
It ties in with the shortage of professional drivers in the industry. The truck driver apprenticeship scheme was spoken about, as was the efforts in attracting women and new arrivals from across the seas to the industry. Another suggestion was an early approach to upcoming school leavers to present road transport as a viable career path.
It’s not only the dearth of quality drivers that is having an impact. Diesel mechanics and truck technicians are in short supply. That could be accentuated with the rise of electric vehicles.
Ross Cureton, Paccar Australia’s director of product planning, concentrated his presentation on Paccar’s approach to electrics. The emphasis on DAF’s CF Electric 4x2 with nominal power rating
of 210kW and a range of up to 220km shows that Paccar is well on the pace.
Petroccitto’s time on the podium also dealt with enforceable undertaking for business owners. As an alternative to prosecution, the alleged offender can be offered the chance to demonstrate their ability to undertake organisational reform and implement effective safety measures to correct offences. At the other end of the scale however, a persistent offender can expect to be prohibited from undertaking all responsibilities within the industry for up to a year.
There were many other useful sessions to attend, as well as catching up with industry representatives, from small fleet owners to large operators, as well as manufacturers and suppliers. Opinions were aired and suggestions offered while a pair of Paccar vehicles – namely a Kenworth K200 and a CF Euro 6 DAF sat outside the window.
For anyone involved in road transport, NatRoad conferences are well worth attending.
There is nothing more important than ensuring the safety of all road users. That’s why the new Cascadia is designed to be one of the safest vehicles on the road. A safer truck keeps you and your business on the move, ready and capable for what lies ahead.
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A review of almost two decades of truck accident data by Australian logistics and transport specialist insurer National Transport Insurance (NTI) has revealed a vast improvement in the trucking industry’s safety performance.
NTI has released the 2022 Major Accident Report from its National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC) and has analysed trends since 2005.
It found while there’s been a 55 per cent increase in the number of trucks on the road and a 51 per cent rise in road freight volumes, the rate of serious truck accidents has not followed this trend.
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development and leadership has improved road safety.
“We saw, for example, fatiguerelated crashes fall by a massive 50 per cent the year after driving hours reforms and standardised logbooks were introduced,” Gibson says.
Gibson says outside of these positive trends, what remains as opportunities for improvement are driver error, inappropriate speed and fatigue.
“Our data helps address what we need to change in drivers’ working environments to better support them and to deliver safer outcomes.”
NTI’s chief sustainability officer Chris Hogarty says the industry and its supporting bodies have been transformative through working together and shifting to a safer and more sustainable way of operating.
“The Australian transport and logistics industry has made considerable progress nearing the last two decades. We are committed to sustaining the momentum and creating safer conditions for all road
users,” he says.
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NHVR acting chief regulatory policy and standards officer Ray Hassall says while the safety improvements show industry’s effort in prioritising safety in the workplace and on the road – there is still more work to do.
“Tragically safety risks such as driver distraction, speed, inappropriate vehicle positioning and following distances continue to cause crashes resulting in serious injuries and fatalities on our roads.”
The report can be read on the NTI website at www.nti.com.au
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The other key improvement was in crashes caused by inappropriate speed for the conditions.
Following a COVID-enforced hiatus, the annual National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) returned with its annual conference which ran from October 20 to 22 at Sanctuary Cove on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
The well-attended conference culminated with the announcement of the National Transport Insurance (NTI)-sponsored 2022 NatRoad award winners during the gala dinner on October 22 which saw individuals recognised for their achievements in the road transport industry.
Andy Divall, who operates Divall’s Earthmoving and Bulk Haulage with his brother Mick Divall out of Goulburn, NSW, was awarded the prestigious Ted Pickering Memorial Award. The business was again recognised when a surprised Jamie-Lee Hayes picked up NatRoad’s Excellence in Operational Support.
Denham Liddicoat of GC & GE Liddicoat Transport won the Youth Employee of the Year award, while Daniel Thornton, who drives for MG & KJ Boland Transport in Winton, Victoria, was voted the NatRoad Professional Driver of the Year.
As NatRoad chairman Paul Fellows states, the latter award recognises a truck driver whose demonstrated skill, safety record, professional approach and overall performance reflects positively on them, their employer or company and the road transport industry as a whole.
“Daniel takes the time to work closely with new employees, is always available to offer advice whether it be correct load restraint requirements or making sure they’re aware of their obligations with the ever-changing safety requirements,” Fellows says.
“Daniel has an amazing ‘can do’
attitude, is always smiling and ready to step up and help out when needed.”
Of interest is that Thornton has only been driving interstate for less than three years. Before that he was a qualified mechanic but, as he tells OwnerDriver, he’s always had an interest in stepping out from under the bonnet and getting behind the wheel.
“I was about to move to Seymour for a mechanical officer’s job with the CFA (Country Fire Authority), fixing all the fire trucks,” he says.
“Anthony (Boland) said there was a truck driving job coming up and asked if I’d be interested in trying out interstate. It was a shock.”
Thornton already held a heavy combination licence but admits, “I hadn’t really done too much with it”.
Now he’s driving a brand new Kenworth T610 SAR with a big bunk, regularly running Melbourne to Sydney.
There was a tinge of sadness for Thornton however, as the company’s co-owner and Anthony’s father Mick Boland had passed away in 2021.
Denham Liddicoat, the Youth Employee of the Year winner, hails from from Karratha, Western Australia. Denham has been working as a truck driver for GC & GE Liddicoat for three years, regularly stepping up and running the business when owner Gerard Liddicoat is away.
The NTI-sponsored award recognises a young employee (30 years and under) working in any part of the road transport industry, whose positive approach, enthusiasm towards their job and demonstrated leadership potential, reflects positively on them, their employer and the road transport industry as a whole.
“He is a very safe and alert driver.
Having trained as a mechanic, he goes out of his way to check company vehicles, making sure minor issues don’t become big problems,” Fellows says.
Jamie-Lee Hayes, winner of the Excellence in Operational Support, was recognised for her demonstrated commitment to the road transport industry and outstanding customer service, positive approach, enthusiasm towards her job and demonstrated leadership potential, reflecting positively on her employer, Divall’s Earthmoving & Bulk Haulage.
“Jamie-Lee’s commitment to her role has seen her flourish in her pursuits; she’s an inspiration to others and demonstrates the integral role operations staff play in our businesses,” Fellows says.
Hayes started with Divall in 2017 in the transport administration office. However her can-do attitude,
commitment for continued learning and personal desire to achieve a high level saw her quickly progressing to her current role of senior logistics officer.
The final recognition on the night, the Ted Pickering Memorial Award, was handed to Andy Divall for his outstanding contribution to the Australian road freight industry.
“Andy has been an outstanding advocate for the transport industry and an active promoter of truck driving as a career,” Fellows says.
“His company, Divall’s Earthmoving, holds ‘come and try’ days for people to get a feel for trucks and earthmoving machinery to sow the seed of them joining the industry.
“Andy speaks at schools and conducts a Women Behind the Wheel program in which his business sponsors female driver training and licensing.
“He also sits on the Convoy for Kids committee, raising money to support children with special needs in our community.
“Andy is a 20-year NatRoad member, and Australian Trucking Association Board member and a director of Trucksafe,” Fellows adds.
“On top of all of this he is a loving and devoted husband to Jodie and father to Jack, Harry, Meg and Zoe.”
The Divall brothers started their operation in 1989 with one truck, known as ‘The Gravel Sniffer’. In 1991 they consolidated the business with the purchase of their third truck, ‘Cause for Divorce’.
Now Divall’s Earthmoving and Bulk Haulage employs more than 350 people in transport, civil construction and also in retailing through a sand and soil business.
The Ted Pickering Memorial Award, named after one of the founding members of NatRoad, Ted Pickering, was first awarded in 2012.
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IT’S NOT THE END OF THE LINE THAT MATTERS. IT’S WHERE YOU START.
The Albanese Government has confirmed that new emissions standards for trucks and buses will be introduced in the latter part of 2024.
The new ADR80/04 rating will bring Australia’s emissions standards in line with Euro 6. The new standards will be phased in over 12 months from November 1, 2024.
Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) congratulated the government on its October announcement.
HVIA chief executive Todd Hacking says it will give certainty to the heavy vehicle industry at a time when the delivery time on new orders is stretching out as long as two years. “This is a win for industry and a win for the entire Australian community,” Hacking says.
“Prior to this year’s federal election we said we want immediate steps to support the transition to low and zero emissions heavy vehicles and this move is a great step for
the government honouring those commitments.
“We thank Infrastructure Minister, the Hon Catherine King MP, and the Climate Change and Energy Minister the Hon Chris Bowen MP for their work that now gives our members and the broader industry the certainty they need to move forward.
“This is a vital step for Australia to keep pace with the rest of the world.
“However, there is no resting on our laurels – once this legislation is in place, we need to keep the momentum up and ensure regulations and standards also accommodate the transition to zero emissions vehicles.”
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King says that new emissions standards for new trucks and buses will reduce a significant pollutant in Australia.
“These new standards will improve air quality and health outcomes and bring safer and more efficiency trucks
into Australia,” Minister King says.
“We are committed to continuing to work with industry and state and territory governments to ensure the smooth introduction of these standards.
“Australia has been lagging in our vehicle noxious emissions standards for years now, and this move will help bring our vehicle market into the 21st century – and into line with overseas vehicle markets.”
Chris Bowen says the Albanese Government has hit the ground running, first by reducing the amount of sulphur in our petrol and now introducing tighter noxious emissions standards for new trucks and buses.
“We’re making transport emissions cleaner and greener,” Minister Bowen says.
Australian based truck makers and importers have been calling for the introduction of Euro 6 standards for years, which are already in place
in the European Union and United Kingdom, and equivalent standards also apply in most developed countries, including the United States and Japan.
Introducing Euro 6 will mean manufacturers must add the advanced safety and fuel-saving technologies to Australian models that other countries already have – notwithstandng the leadership of many manufacturers who have brought compliant powertrains and safety technologies to market, in spite of the lagging legislation.
Under an industry leading initiative aimed at easing the skills shortage, national peak bodies Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) and the Australian Logistics Council (ALC), representing the heavy vehicle and end-to-end supply chain and freight logistics industries respectively, joined forces to seek an industry-wide exemption by applying to state anti-discrimination commissions last month.
If approved by the jurisdictional commissions, the exemption would allow all industry participants to opt-in to the scheme and advertise roles for “female-only applicants”.
ALC CEO, Dr Hermione Parsons says the statistics are alarming with the Labour Market Insights survey identifying female industry representation at just 24.5 per cent compared to 40-50 percent in other Australian industries.
“It is far worse in operations and in roles such as truck driver (3 per cent), motor mechanic (1 per cent) and fitter/welders (1 per cent) because of the perception of a male dominated industry,” Parsons says.
Dr Parsons is co-chair of the Wayfinder: Supply Chain Careers for Women – a fully funded industry program operating creating a new pipeline for women entering the freight transport and logistics industry.
“More needs to be done, especially in the current, highly competitive, skills shortages era.”
HVIA CEO, Todd Hacking put the issue in context:
“The lack of skilled labour is the number 1, 2 and 3 top priority issue facing our industry presently – according to feedback from HVIA members.
“And the nation is crying out for our services to keep the supply chain moving.
“The good news is that the demand for new safer, more efficient trucks and trailers is at record levels,” Hacking says.
Both HVIA and ALC agree one of the fastest solutions is to make the industry more attractive to the largest under-represented labour cohort –females.
Dr Parsons says HVIA and ALC member companies offer rewarding careers in a range of different areas. In fact, the Wayfinder Career Map outlines 150 roles across 18 sectors in supply chain and freight
transport and logistics.
“We believe if we were successful and industry members were granted an exemption – they would see an increase in female participation, more applicants and a greater chance of filling a vacancy,” Parsons says.
Both organisations have been working together on the plan since the Surface Transport Roundtable held by Minister, Hon Catherine King MP back in August.
HVIA says the scheme – if successful – would be free and open to all HVIA and ALC members, and any other business identifying as part of the industry. There will be a simple application process which binds participants to record-keeping and sharing the results of the advertising campaign for reporting back to the Commissions.
Women in Trucking Australia to deliver ‘Foot in the Door’ program
Women in Trucking Australia (WiTA) has announced that its ‘Foot in the Door’ program will receive crucial funding from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI), supported by the Federal Government.
WiTA CEO Lyndal Denny says the collaborative pilot project – set to be launched early 2023 – will support inexperienced female heavy vehicle drivers into trucking careers nationally.
According to Denny, female heavy vehicle driver participation sits at just 1.6 per cent of the total cohort, leaving women as one of the most underutilised industry resources.
“WiTA regularly fields calls from self-funded, inexperienced female truck drivers earning a living in other sectors, women who’ve been unable to get a foot in the door of their chosen career,” she says.
“Gender bias continues to have a
significant negative impact on their job search efforts – a reality supported by countless stories of women being overlooked at recruitment in favour of male applicants.
“The Foot in the Door project marks the beginning of a critical course correction,” Denny says.
Program architect, WiTA board director and veteran MC driver Fiona Armstrong says WiTA recognises the critical importance of peer support –putting experienced driver heads on new driver shoulders.
“Ongoing leadership and mentoring is just as important as training;” Armstrong says. “Our passion for the road will always come second to our passion to get home.”
“As part of the HVSI, industry will be driving its own safety initiatives to contribute to safer roads, drivers, and vehicles.
“Round 7 projects include practical resources to assist industry with load restraint and mass compliance, advanced driver training, and crash prevention technology,” Petroccitto says.
“I am excited to see how WiTA’s project will make an impact, to deliver improved safety outcomes for all road users.”
The HVIA says enabling exclusive invitations to females to enter the male dominated heavy vehicle and logistics industries is a win-winRight: Driving through the early days of the pandemic – Monique Miorandi behind the wheel of an Isuzu tipper for Western Landscape Supplies in Queensland. Photo by Greg Bush NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto says WiTA is one of 15 grantees that will receive funding as part of the Federal Government’s $3.5 million investment towards HVSI projects.
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The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has told Austroads that it’s time to move heavy vehicle driver licensing in Australia to a national competency-based system.
NatRoad’s call comes in a submission providing feedback on the Consultation Regulation Impact Statement outlining proposed changes to the National Heavy Vehicle Driver Competency Framework.
Austroads is the collective of the Australian and New Zealand transport agencies, representing all levels of government and it has been working on needed changes to the heavy vehicle driver licensing system for some time.
The current licensing framework has only been implemented in four jurisdictions: New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria and the Northern Territory.
NatRoad wants Austroads to drop its proposal for post-licence behindthe-wheel supervised training and
says its members have also made it clear that they do not support a time-based heavy vehicle licensing system.
“At present, licence progression is based on time served on a lower licence class,” says NatRoad CEO Warren Clark.
driving experience is not required.”
Clark says NatRoad policy is that if a person achieves the relevant competencies, the time period between licence class attainment is irrelevant. Any revised framework must be reformed on that basis.
“NatRoad policy is that licence tests should reflect real-world conditions and, on that basis, must contain training on dealing with risky behaviour of light vehicle drivers,” Clark says.
“Austroads should recommend educational material and testing on how to drive around trucks be part of licensing requirements for light vehicle drivers.
“Austroads should also recommend to State and Territory governments that driver offence notification requirements be harmonised between jurisdictions, using Queensland as the best current system for that notification.”
Drivers are progressing through the licence classes despite having little experience behind the wheel, says Warren Clark
“For a heavy vehicle driver to be eligible to apply to progress to a higher licence class, they must hold a licence for a prior vehicle class for a minimum period of one year.
“The weakness is that there is often no record of actual driving experience during that period. In fact, actual
Penske Australia’s launch of not one but three new Western Star models shows a fierce determination to place the iconic North American brand back in the minds of local truck buyers, from owner-operators to large fleet companies. Greg Bush gets the heads up about the new X Series range
It’s been a long time between launches for Western Star in Australia. However, following the release of the 47X and 49X models in the US, these two new trucks have made their way across the Pacific Ocean with an extra passenger in tow – the purpose-built 48X.
The arrival of the three new models comes on the eve of Western Star’s 40th anniversary in Australia, with big celebrations expected in 2023.
As the model identifiers imply, 47X, 48X and 49X will replace the current 4700, 4800 and
4900 models here. However, head of Western Star Trucks at Penske Australia, Kurt Dein, points out that as with the 4800, there is no equivalent to the 48X in North America.
“The 4800, having that set forward front axle with the horsepower, torque and GCM capabilities, we’re not letting go of that,” Dein says.
“And we’re adding additional strength into that via our new integrated driveline, and the advanced safety offering package that we’ve got through the Detroit side of the business.”
The 48X comes with a choice of Detroit’s 450-525hp DD13 and the 500-600hp DD16, with the option of an Eaton Fuller manual or Detroit DT12 automated manual. Torque ranges from 1550 to 1850lb-ft in the DD13 and 1850-2050lb-ft in the DD16.
Cab configurations start with the day cab through to the trench roof version, the 36-inch low trench sleeper up to mid roof sleeper with a choice of either 36, 48 and 60-inch.
“Once again we’re offering what we’ve always offered in the area of horsepower driveline, but we’re now also offering the 13 litre that can play on its real strength and cover those multiple configurations from a 50-tonne type truck through 72.5t along with the 16 litre at 600hp going up to a 140 tonne GCM type truck with 52 pounds diffs,” Dein adds.
“So arguably from 2006 when they released 34 pallet B-doubles here in Australia, 26 metres, you know Western Star made a serious mark on on-highway business there and we’ve played on that strength significantly.”
The new 47X will take up where the 4700 left off, albeit
with the option of the Cummins L9 with a range of 330 to 380hp and 1050 to 1250lb-ft of torque.
“The L9 is new to Western Star and here in Australia,” Dein explains. “It’s the latest offering from Cummins as an EPA-21 platform emission engine, it’s got the horsepower ranges covering from that 330hp to 380hp.
“We’ve got multiple gearbox offerings from Allison through to Eaton Fuller manual transmission offerings that is specific to the 47X only.
“We’re absolutely covering what we’ve had plus going further forward. And with the X Series, we’re offering two engines in that truck. So we’re going to have a setback front axle 47X with capability to have the new DD13 at 525hp, which is the latest Gen 5, which brings that 525 1850lb-ft torque capability.”
Dein says with the set back front axle the 47X will offer an improved turning circle, opening up areas in that market that Western Star has never played in.
“We haven’t been able to go forward with a 13 litre offer and we’re coming to market with the latest 13 litre that is going to put us in the middle, if not in front, of that 13 litre segment.
“And with the 47X and a set back front axle, we’re also now offering that with sleeper cab. We were only ever a day cab historically, we’re now going to be multiple sleepers. We’ve gone from a low roof, which is a trench style 36 inch through to a 36 inch mid and through to a 48 inch mid stand up integrated sleeper.
“So we’re going from a rigid L9 agitator/tipper into a B-double 13 litre 525hp 1850lb-ft torque, an integrated
driveline from a Detroit offering with a DT12 transmission and the safety package that we’re offering through Detroit Assurance.”
Under the banner of Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS), Detroit Assurance’s safety items include active lane assist, blind spot radar, tailgate warning and full vision mitigation. It’s also worth noting that disc brakes now come as standard, although drum brakes are still available as an option.
“It’s going to open up our customer base, which is going to be market share for us going forward and we’re really excited about that,” Dein says.
“We really just want to drive the enhancement of the new Western Star and really what the market is calling for.”
The top of the range 49X, Western Star’s ‘hero truck’, will feature a Detroit offering of a 16 litre engine platform ranging from 500 to 600hp and 1850 to 2050lb-fit of torque. Again, there’s the gearbox choice of an Eaton manual and Detroit DT12 AMT. And a big truck needs a bigger cab.
“It covers the market from that small end of town single trailer option all the way through to multiple bunks covering up to a Stratosphere sleeper 72 inch bunk,” Dein says.
To allay prospective buyers concerns whether the Portland, Oregon-built new models are up to Australia’s climate and conditions, trials have been undertaken with local transport companies for more than 12 months. These include running a truck and dog with a 13 litre 525hp Detroit to a 57.5 tonne B-double running around North Queensland and a 16
litre with AMT out of Darwin.
“We’re getting daily reports from drivers on each truck and it’s honestly nothing short of glowing,” Dein enthuses.
Stock for purchase is expected to arrive in 2023, despite supply chain issues impacting commercial vehicles, parts and accessories, as per most other industries reliant on imports.
“We’re going to be absolutely doing the best we can to maintain that eight-month window,” Dein adds. “We’re not out to a 202425 type period. It’s going to be in the hands of the shipping world at the moment, but realistically we should be putting bums in seats into Q3 2023 on a first half of new year build truck.”
In the meantime, dealers and technicians will undergo higher and different levels of training compared to previous Western Star arrivals, according to Dein. It’s all about hitting the ground running and lifting the product up the ladder in the truck sales charts.
“The market segment covering across the three models and configuration is really
going to play our strengths,” he continues. “We’re looking forward to building relationships and showing customers what we can offer going forward.
“We’re still going to be selling the Western Star to the Western Star market. If they want a manual transmission with a drum brake truck without all the safety, that’s fine. They want the biggest sleeper in class? We’ve got them covered. They want a 200-tonne rated truck class? We’ve got them covered.”
Craig Lee, executive general manager –on-highway at Penske Australia, expects Western Star to return to its previous lofty days as far as sales figures are concerned.
“The 13 litre highly efficient 525 automated manual transmission with all safety features for eastern state B-doubles, which is the market we’ve not been playing in, that’s where our volume is going to come from in both 47X and 48X.
“Our market share has not been where we want it to be,” Lee says. “But you’re going to see that go up that ladder a long way and quickly.”
Thanks to an invite from Transport for NSW, I spent two hours on a Wednesday taking part in an ‘End of queue’ webinar with the Transport for NSW Newell Highway Overtaking Lane Alliance. I was one of only two or three industry people involved in a group of 40, but they did say they were all there to listen from those on the road. One of my early questions was, “What industry consultation was done at the start and if not, why not?”. I was told, yes, we do agree now, there was not enough and it should have been done. But here we are.
I made comments, asked questions and then when told my previous contact and concerns about the Pilliga were being addressed, was told, “It is hard to recognise the hills in a car”. So I said we need to talk more. I thanked them for the invite, recognising there were other industry people involved and thanked them also. I can only hope this level of consultation not only continues, but grows.
I had a big day trip to Canberra in September, made it back to Wellington and did the nightshift there from 1 till 3am, then home. I had arranged to meet with Transport Minister Catherine King’s assistant around noon, hence the early start. He spoke with me for half an hour – and I hope I conveyed some of our concerns to him. I offered him a trip with me in the TruckRight Industry Vehicle
and he seemed keen. I tried to convey some of our frustration about not having enough driver input and that while the big associations have the best of intent, they do not live on the road. We discussed chain of responsibility, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and other issues which he is to follow up as well.
I had a bit of a wait until the roundtable at 3.30pm. A large gathering called for by Tony Burke, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and also Leader of the House. The Minister opened the meeting, Senator Glen Sterle gave an outline and most of those attending were given a chance to contribute, including some attending online. It was a wideranging group – industry associations, the Transport Workers Union, people from the gig economy (Uber and DoorDash), Woolworths and Coles, academics and others.
I took notes as each spoke. Warren Clark from NatRoad was asked what he would like to see in the specialist body. He replied it was a big question to answer and not just up to him and was told I was also being asked the same question. The following is a list of points I raised.
Is there really a driver shortage? This has been debated for many years in the US as well. Do we simply have shortage of conditions that would keep drivers in the
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. Rod is the current president of the NRFA. Contact Rod on 0428 120 560, e-mail rod.hannifey@bigpond. com or visit www.truckright.com.au
job and encourage others to join? There are many qualified and experienced drivers who have left the industry due to the way they were treated. We can either lie and tell people how good it is and then have them say we lied and walk away, or we can fix the problems.
Simply bringing in drivers from overseas and then not training or testing them to our standards will not fix it unless all you want is bums on seats. It will only make things worse. At the least, if not trained and tested when they make a mistake, it will only make the rest of those who do try look unprofessional and, at the worst, should they have a crash and kill someone then it only adds fuel to the fire the media cook us in.
Then there are the pressures that flow down to our family, if you are lucky to still have one. There’s the fines and penalties that have nothing to do with road safety, the way we are told when we cite this or seek a review, ‘If you don’t like it, go to court’ (is this really the best use of our court system?), the mental health aspects finally being realised and addressed when they have been there for 20-plus years –and that’s not only for the driver but his family as well.
I said that, outside of Glenn Sterle, I was the only person in the room who was actually doing the job. The cost to attend, the lost hours away from the job and that it’s difficult to find time to attend and have a say was also an issue. I then said, “… and without being rude, all of you are being paid to be here, I am not and this is another issue in simply being able to have a say”.
I raised much more and other issues were tabled. At the end, Minister Burke said it was not a matter of if, but when action would be taken. We must keep them to that.
I then set off to Melbourne to attend a roundtable on the current National Road Safety Strategy. Simply being able to get there and have a say is the issue. Most of the time we can’t as drivers and truly, if I was not on workers comp for the shoulder, I could not have attended any in person without substantial cost to family and my employer in normal work time. In addition, without the backing of the National Road Freighters Association, it would be yet another personal cost to try and give an industry view.
We do not have the voice, the inclusion and ability to attend and be heard at all the meetings we should. Paid staff of groups and companies do, but who gets heard?
Not the drivers, the ones doing the job! How do we change that? How many of you could do it, have the knowledge to explain to such groups, to get a message across and not have it cost you far more than just the money and time? For some, it could cost them their job.
Thanks to all who have given me a chance to contribute and have a say. I will keep trying.
“There are many qualified and experienced drivers who have left the industry.”
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and state road authorities are committed to working with the heavy vehicle industry and road managers to improve and transform the way heavy vehicle access is provided to the country’s road network.
The NHVR has a clear roadmap for the NHVR Portal to become the single-entry point for industry and governments to manage heavy vehicle services, including a new national automated heavy vehicle access map and network management tools.
The national automated map will replace the current multiple statebased maps and deliver one single national enforceable network access map – improving the ability to plan cross border journeys and providing improved compliance certainty for industry.
Operators will be provided with their full fleet of vehicle configurations from stored information in the registration database and the system will automatically match assembled vehicles with up to date dynamically
FRANK BLACK has been a long distance owner-driver for more than 30 years. He is a former long-term ownerdriver representative on the ATA Council.
BELOW: Dynamic routing in the NHVR Portal will allow drivers to enter their vehicle dimensions to “snap” them onto a preferred route
generated access networks. Operators and drivers will be able to choose their preferred route specific to vehicles and the access options available.
Based on preferred routes, where permits are required, this should be by exception, and unless it is overly complex, access on pre-approved networks will be provided instantly by the press of a button and the permit will be automatically issued.
This approach will assist road managers manage and expand network access connectivity (from a national viewpoint) through increased information and knowledge of infrastructure and
reduce the reliance on repetitive consent decisions.
Importantly, the NHVR Portal will deliver a complete end-to-end access process for both industry and road managers significantly reducing turnaround times and improving consistency.
Road managers will have the tools to build networks and update network data in real time in the NHVR Portal – meaning access conditions can be changed by the click of a button. This will allow networks to be planned, managed and published in the one location.
To support access decision making, the solution will provide road managers with a national database of the capacity of local government assets and a digital Asset Rapid Assessment Tool (ARAT). The ARAT will assess bridge capability for heavy vehicles in a matter of minutes, to provide near instant assessment results for road managers and industry.
All this information, together with other services in the NHVR Portal, will play a critical role in supporting evidence-based decision making on investment plans by government to ensure funding is allocated to areas that provide the greatest safety and productivity benefits.
We look forward to releasing the map and its tools to industry and road managers over the coming year.
TRP1504392-1 $1,895
TRP1615726-1 $2,484
TRP1604892-1
TRP1706053-1 $2,745
T650/T904/T408/T608/ T658/T908/C508/T609/T409SAR/ T609/T409/T659/T909/C509/T403
TRP1405115-1
Idon’t need to tell my readers here that driving a heavy vehicle isn’t easy. Once you get past the basics of size and fatigue, there are the pressure elements that badly driven cars, business and regulators add on top of the day-to-day work.
With all that in mind, it’s important for drivers and owner-operators to keep on top of their health so that they can go the distance. What I wanted to flag today is that the higher health demands of the work that you do sound in higher health requirements legally for heavy vehicle drivers, and to give you a few things to be aware of around medical licencing and reporting.
There are two sets of medical standards for drivers in Australia –one for private drivers and a higher one for commercial drivers. This second category catches MR licences and above, as well as drivers with public passenger or dangerous goods accreditation, or accreditation under the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme.
Being caught by that second category means:
1. You have a legal responsibility not to
drive if you are unfit to do so
2. You are under an obligation to report to your local licencing authority (in New South Wales it’s Transport for NSW) any health condition that might affect your ability to drive safely.
What this means in practice is that if you’re injured in a way that may affect your driving, for example you break your leg, or have an internal episode like a stroke or epileptic fit, or a part of your body deteriorates over time like your eyesight, then it’s important to have a conversation as early as possible with your doctor about medical licensing. By making your doctor aware that you are a commercial driver – so your licence is your livelihood and you fall under the higher medical standards – you can use them to understand the specific requirements as they apply to your condition. They can help you with reporting the problem in a way that can enable you to continue driving. While it may seem tempting to hide a medical problem so as not to risk your licence, or to put off dealing with it until it gets worse, in the long run this could lead to more trouble. In our
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
experience, often when a condition or injury is managed early by medical professionals, they, together with the team of experts that the licensing authorities use, can put a plan in place for medication, monitoring, assessment and reporting that will keep a driver on the road longer and, importantly, safer.
I would be kidding myself and lying to you if I didn’t say that sometimes reporting medical conditions does lead to the suspension of licenses, either permanently or for long periods of time. If you don’t agree with a decision made by the authorities about your fitness to drive, this can be challenged in court and is sometimes resolved with negotiations between lawyers and doctors behind the scenes.
Some time ago, Austroads produced a guidebook on medical licencing, called Assessing Fitness to Drive. This book is available online. It is divided into information and requirements for licencing drivers with certain conditions and covers everything. Each section was written by the leading doctors on that condition, with road safety as the primary concern.
The starting point, if you are concerned that a medical condition of yours might impact on your licence, is to understand what the guidebook says about it. Your treating doctor should be able to assist you with this. But if things are unclear, please feel free to call one of the lawyers at Ainsley Law for personalised advice.
“It may seem tempting to hide a medical problem so as not to risk your licence.”
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The Kenworth Klassic, back from an enforced hiatus, returned bigger than ever as twice the expected entries rolled up, catching the organisers completely off guard. Warren Aitken lugged his camera equipment to the sensational Hawkesbury Showground’s event in Sydney’s northwest
Rwith excitement, your brain feels like it’s bouncing around on three cases of Red Bull, joy is just radiating from every pore of your body. That’s the feeling I was enduring on Friday, September 16 as I sat in my motel room just waiting for the sun to have its nana nap and rise again on Saturday morning.
Instead of rushing downstair to see if the festive season red-suited fat man had left me anything on my list, I was racing out the door of my motel to see a gallery of cool Kenworths returning to the Hawkesbury Showground for the 2022 Kenworth Klassic. To steal from the Toyota guys – ‘Oh, what a feeling’.
The last Kenworth Klassic was run in 2019 and was also my first venture there. The atmosphere at my first Klassic was enough to ensure it would be a must see on all my yearly plans. Sadly, my schedule wasn’t significant enough to overwhelm the coronavirus craze that was locking everyone and everything down. So you can just imagine my excitement as 2022 started to return the world to its own abnormal version of normality and the expected return of the one-of-a-kind unconventional truck show.
Before I explain what I mean by ‘unconventional truck show’, we should address that even with COVID calming down, this year’s show, the first in three years was not a given. In fact, it wasn’t until the start of September that the final go-ahead was given.
The Kenworth Klassic is held in conjunction with the Clarendon Classic Machinery Truck & Hobby Show at the Hawkesbury Showgrounds in Clarendon. Half of the
Below far left: Terry Wilson was on hand with his stunning 1981 Big Cab K123 while Justin Luff continues shining the Freestones K200 in the background
There is always something to shine. Here I caught John Thierry finishing off the stacks on his 1980 K124
Josh Taylor is showing young Riley how to ensure the 1984 W Model is in perfect show condition
grounds hosted the machinery with stalls and displays of everything from traction engines, lawnmowers, vintage tractors and sewing machines. That area had dried out well from the NSW floods earlier in the year, but there was doubts about the other side of the showgrounds.
Two weeks before the show, organisers Bruce Gunter and Dave Chapman took a trip out to the Hawkesbury to see if they were confident the grounds could accommodate a couple of hundred trucks parking up for the weekend.
Boy, am I glad they were happy with what they saw. Not just because I had already booked my non-refundable flights but also because I had missed the show so much. As it turned out, Bruce and Dave shouldn’t have worried about a couple of hundred trucks, they needed to worry about more than 400 trucks.
I told you this unconventional truck show was popular. There had been next to no social media advertising, very little online or in person chatter at all and yet over 400 trucks still managed to turn up.
Top: … and the Kenworths kept rolling in
Above, L to R: I was desperately trying to grab a photo of this cool 1987 W-Model, the condition was I had to grab one with its owner Kyle Webster (right) as well as the man behind the K100E on the back, Bryce Tully; Seems everyone wants to sneak into the Klassic … even this old White was caught going undercover
Left: Local Collins’ driver Steve Day rocked up with his pride and joy, a 2005 K104
“What
at the Kenworth Klassic is the camaraderie.”
Now why do I refer to this as an unconventional truck show? Let me explain by quoting a bit of the online statement that Bruce Gunter put out when the show was given the go ahead.
Date: September 16 to 18; from 8am Friday, don’t come Thursday; where: Hawkesbury Showground; Cost: free for entrants; What can I enter?: Any Kenworth; Can I turn up Thursday? Yes; Will I be let in? No; My Landcruiser has stacks, a bull bar and KW mudflaps, can I park with the big bangers? No, go to Deniliquin; Does it need to be a show truck? Hell, no; So we just turn up? Yes; And then what? Enter at the trailer, grab a big and relax FFS; No judging, no trophies, no problems.
That last line really epitomises the Kenworth Klassic, there is no judging no trophies and no problems. It is a weekend where all the Kenworth clan members can just get out and show off their toys. That’s not to say there wasn’t competitive standards among the trucks that turn up. My god, I swear I saw birds flying into each other as
Top, L to R: Carle and Linde Goodfellow are extremely proud to show their rebuilt 1976 SAR; The crowds were definitely out in force as the weather put on as good a show as the trucks
Above: Young Billy McGuire is ramping up his efforts to take over my job
Left: Young Harper Day made sure she put on her best smile, no matter how much her dad Matt tried to talk her out of it
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the shine from the Lawrence Transport fleet alone caused havoc with low flying reptiles.
However, what really shines at the Kenworth Klassic is the camaraderie. Something we often feel is dwindling in our industry was in abundance at the Kenworth Klassic. Without getting too mushy it is extremely heart warming to see.
Another part of the show that I particularly love is the families that arrive. Drivers turn out with kids in tow and everyone just mixes and matches and gets along. The younger generation of future truckies admired all the modern Kenworths as well as showing appreciation for the old school trucks that are always well represented at the Kenworth Klassic.
You want me to pick a star of the show? Sorry, but
Top, L to R: Dan Glover’s recently restored Classic was one of the standouts, unlike Dan himself. Every time I walked past it was his son Dylan (pictured here) that was out cleaning; Now this was a rare and cool sight, a 1995 Kenworth K300. It’s a proud workhorse for Logan Honnery
Left: Never a dull moment or dull rim at this year’s Klassic
Below:
One of the coolest trucks at the show and one of the hardest working is Michael Bransgrove’s Legend 900
“The
Above, L to R: The happy couple. Amanda and Josh were at the Klassic to enjoy the trucks and host a joint hens’ and bucks’ night. The two Kenworth-mad truckies met at a previous Kenworth Klassic and were planning to get married a couple of weeks after this year’s event; Aaron Millicin and young Charlotte stand proudly with their 1998 T900
Opposite top: I could have happily watched the registration trailer all weekend as countless Kenworths lined up and rolled in
Opposite middle, L to R: Where there’s a will there’s a way. Gotta find a way to clean all the important parts; I love watching the guys with the remote trucks
Opposite bottom: I am sure there is something here that would get someone cancelled. But hell, it looked fun
no. There was just too many cool trucks to adore. Obviously, Bruce Gunter’s restoration project was one many fans of the Southbound and Down podcast had been waiting to see. There was also the debut of the new Ballinger T909, an outstanding memorial to the late Dane Ballinger.
Any number of classic SARs that lined up on Sunday morning for an almost impossible photo were extremely impressive. Oh, I also can’t go past Michael Bransgrove’s mind-blowing T900 Legend. You would swear it never leaves the shed, yet it works its butt off every day.
The infamous Dan Glover debuted his outstanding restoration project as well. I mean I could seriously just keep listing amazing trucks.
The Kenworth Klassic is more than just a get-together for Kenworth enthusiasts. It is also the transport industry’s equivalent of eharmony and we need to give a little shout out to a happy couple who used this year’s show as their combined hen’s/buck’s party. All because that is exactly where their relationship began.
Congratulation to the effervescent Amanda ‘it’s Mindy
not Mandy’ Herringe and the man with the moving moustache and magnificent mullet, Josh Brown.
At the previous Kenworth Klassic in 2019, Amanda quite literally stumbled into Josh. Without getting into too many details it involved a very cool esky, a long night of alcohol embalming and Mindy’s natural congeniality. The long and the short of it is the Kenworth Klassic brought these two characters together in 2019 and in 2022 saw them celebrate their upcoming wedding.
I tell you, the Kenworth Klassic is one of the most relaxed weekends you can have. The fact that your relaxed weekend is encased in an overabundance of classic Australian trucks makes it 10 from 10.
A big thankyou to all those involved and for those not there. Start planning for 2023– it’s only going to get better.
Top: Sydney-based Lawrence Transport are always on point with their trucks and this year was no exception
Above: I managed to catch young James Cornfoot as he left the show in his Bandit inspired T909. What a rig!
Below left: Rob Woolley’s 1981 K123 is a regular show-goer around these
The decision to reintroduce highly visible warning signs near mobile speed cameras in New South Wales carries a couple of lessons for all of us.
The pronouncement will take effect from January 1, 2023 and has been described as a “backflip”. I prefer “victory for common sense”.
NatRoad has long held the strong view that speed limits are not a silver bullet for road safety improvement. While speed must always be appropriate to the road conditions, NatRoad strongly believes governments at all levels need to bite the bullet and massively upgrade infrastructure to deliver better safety outcomes.
NatRoad supports separation of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, from heavy vehicles.
There is no better example than the upgrade currently underway on the Kings Highway, the state highway within the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales linking Canberra with Batemans Bay on the NSW South Coast.
It focusses heavily on construction of overtaking lanes and the installation of safety treatments including widened centrelines, widened shoulders,
roadside safety barriers and audio-tactile line marking.
These infrastructure upgrades are, in NatRoad’s view, much more important than speed management, which all too frequently becomes a revenue raiser.
Speed limit signage has an important educational function. Remember, mobile speed cameras in NSW are supposed to be operating in areas that have a high incidence of accidents.
Positioning a prominent sign indicating the presence of a camera is a reminder to all vehicles to check their speed and slow down. Isn’t that the outcome we want in areas with high accident rates?
The first lesson to come from this is that the wheels of policy-making turn very slowly. This is an outcome that NatRoad – and others including the Transport Workers Union – lobbied for over a period of years.
We made a submission to a NSW Parliamentary Enquiry into speed cameras in mid-2021, and appeared before a committee hearing in November of that year.
The enquiry received 1,487 submissions, which showed the depth of public feeling.
The committee delivered a report in May 2022 that in essence said that the removal of signage was out of line with community expectations.
In December 2021, the Government announced signs would be mounted on top of speed camera vehicles. Our view was that these were not sufficiently visible.
And in October 2022, the Government went one step further and announced the full return of warning signage.
The second lesson is that policy makers do listen when you work constructively with them.
There’s no doubt the fact an election was less than six months away in NSW did play a role in the decision. But NatRoad’s experience is that you can’t debate policy if you don’t have a place at the table.
We engage governments and bureaucrats in many ways but our guiding principle is to always do so in a constructive and thoughtful way.
We make sure that we offer viable solutions that reflect our Members’ views, rather than criticising for the sake of it.
But back to speeding, and variable limits are becoming more prevalent in many places.
You can take the view that variability can lead to inadvertent non-compliance that is mostly unrelated to safety issues.
Excuse a generalisation here but varying a speed limit several times over a short distance (we’ve all seen it) seems a poor way to deal with safety. Chopping and changing speed limits causes frustration, and at times anger, in light vehicle drivers and many will take it out by trying to overtake a truck in a dangerous manner.
Better safety outcomes are achieved when all heavy vehicles using a piece of road travel at the same maximum speed because it reduces the need for overtaking.
Smoothing out the inconsistencies in major highway speed limits and doing more to educate light vehicle drivers in how to behave when around trucks will go a long way towards making our roads safer for all of us.
NatRoad communications are intended to provide commentary and general information. They should not be relied upon as legal advice. Our advisers are available to clarify any questions you have and provide the right advice for your business and workforce. Contact our advice line at advice@natroad.com.au, or on (02) 6295 3000.
“Speed limits are not a silver bullet for road safety improvement.”
Today’s story will start with a ‘thankyou’. Very formal I know, but I need to thank Dean and Rose Smith and their son Nathan. I’m thanking them for their time and for allowing me to photograph their trucks.
Winston Express Haulage is one of those family companies that epitomises the ‘family’ values. They have stunning trucks, kept in mint condition, driven by happy employees and they do it all for the love of the job and the honour of the company, which is great for them, but terrible for me b because the company isn’t interested in attention. They like flying below the radar and just doing a good job for the sake of doing a good job. Again, an admirable trait.
However, when their trucks look so damn good you know sooner or later annoying people like me are going to want to photograph them. I admit I have been a constant social media thorn in the side of young Nathan Smith, ever since I spotted one of the Winston Mercedes-Benz rigids on Facebook – it looked amazing. Hence, I reached out to see if they would be keen on a story.
The media-shy family were a little reluctant, I appreciated that and let it be. Then, a little while later Nathan rocked up to the 2018 Kenworth Klassic in a stunning new Kenworth 2.8 King Cab. I pestered him again – how could I not? Their K200 was spec tacular! Sadly, same result.
Then social media lit up with a Mercedes-Benz Actros celebrating Winston Express Haulage’s 30th anniversary and I just had to push again. There was a little softening, but still the family weren’t interested in attention. As I mentioned, they weren’t averse to it they just operate the way they do purely because that’s the ethos of those that built and continue to build the company. I had to respect that.
Then Nathan rolled out the stunning T659 you see before you. It was the truck that broke the camel’s back for me. This new T659 looked exquisite. How could I not badger them again? If I thought bribery would have worked, I would have stooped to that as well. Thankfully, be it out of appreciation for my tenacity or just frustration at my consistency, I finally got my foot in the door. More importantly for you guys, I got my cameras in the shed. Hence, I owe a huge thankyou to the Smith family for sitting down and introducing me to the story behind a long running family business and their new flagship T659.
The story begins with Dean Smith. Dean’s trucking
Although not your typical express freight truck, Nathan Smith wanted something special to add to the Winston fleet, so he ordered a Kenworth T659 as a “surprise” to his dad, Dean. Warren Aitken writes
addiction came courtesy of his uncle Harry. School holidays were spent in Dorrigo in northern NSW where his uncle was pulling loads out of the local abattoir for Roadmaster, hanging meat.
In true child labour manipulation Dean remembers those times fondly. “My uncle used to gee me up, telling me, ‘I bet you can’t unload this truck by yourself’ and I’m like ‘I bet I f#@kin can’,” laughs Dean. “Little did I realise he was just getting out of the work.”
Top: Take note of the licence plates – they all start with ‘DS 66’. That’s Dean Smith and his birth year; a little extra special in every truck
Above, right: Another day, another varied load
Opposite top & underneath: The Winston family; Hooked up for photos only. Wouldn’t it be nice if we were allowed this kind of setup though
Those school holiday experiences created the passion for our industry and young Dean soon found afterschool and weekend work in the wash bay of local Castle Hill company Kentwell Sand & Soil where he would wash and polish the company trucks.
“I also had a mate, Steve Robertson, who had a Mack and carted for SPD and Streets. I’d wash and grease his truck every Saturday as well,” Dean recalls. “I’d spend all day washing, putting chrome hubcaps on, stuff like that.” All of this was before Dean had even graduated from P plates.
Instead of going straight into transport upon completion of school, Dean chose to study more and gained a diploma in business management. Looking back now I would say this was one of his smartest decisions. Not because of the assistance it would give him in business, but because the diploma would get him a trainee role at Grace Removals and his time there would introduce him to Rose, his future wife and mother of his three children.
“He said ‘hello’ to me one day at work and then rung up and asked me out,” Rose recalls. She laughs when she informs me of her response: “I said ‘no’ several times, then eventually said ‘yes’.” Persistence and resilience are two things learnt in all those after school jobs.
That was back in 1989. Dean moved on from Grace to a transport supervisor role with Comet. In 1990 Dean made the call to buy his own truck.
“While there (at Comet) I decided it was the time for me to go out on my own,” he says. “I found a truck I liked so I bought it. It was delivering magazines at night and paint during the day. One truck went to two, went to three, went to four – that was April 1990. Here we are in 2022 and we’ve got 25 prime movers, 30 rigids and a heap of trailers.”
Dean’s summation is extremely humble and a lot more simplified and succinct than is warranted. It fails to pay homage to the 30 years of effort and strong work ethic that epitomises the company. So allow me to elaborate. Dean and Rose ran that first Hino for nearly three years. It would be delivering day and night all week and doing newspapers on the weekends.
“I used to go with Dean on a Saturday night,” Rose says. “I’d be curled up in the truck mapping out the deliveries while Dean was loading the newspapers in the back.” I’m not sure my better half would count that as a great date night but it didn’t faze Rose. Along with helping to do the newspapers, Rose also found herself heading in on Fridays to help with the
“I’d
putting
invoicing and accounts. As more work turned up and more trucks added that role would become Rose’s fulltime gig.
Winston Express Haulage’s first truck was a brand new Hino. It was bought specifically to cater for the work Dean had found. The six-tonne Hino was perfect for the job and it was a truck Dean knew well.
“We had Hinos at the removal company and they were great,” Dean says. “They had them at Comet as well. We actually had one at Comet that played up one day and turned out it had been running around since new and had never had an oil change, filters done, nothing. They changed the oil, replaced the filters and it was off. It was a solid truck.”
That was good enough to convince Dean that Hino was what he needed for his first truck. Dean also made sure that first truck would set the visual standard the company would become renown for. While the Winston lines and colours didn’t start appearing until the second truck hit the road, the first one had as much bling as he could fit on a Hino
– even chrome rims. Yep, chrome rims on a 1990 Hino rigid. That’s not something you see every day.
“I just wanted it to be professional, I wanted it to look good and look smart,” Dean says. “It was about being professional and portraying the right image. Meeting and forming a lifelong friendship with Brad Hammond, a paper truck operator known for his immaculate presentation of his equipment and pro fessionalism didn’t help!”
That first Hino definitely did that and led to steady growth within the company. Magazines and paint were soon joined by grocery deliveries and then newspapers as well. As the one truck became two and two became three, Dean was also building rela tionships with other companies that would see the company grow from local deliveries to intra and interstate work.
“We had a long establishment with Hills Transport,” Dean explains. “We were probably there about 15 years before they closed down.”
That business relationship saw Dean put his first ‘big’ rigid on the road; a Scania that would run to
Dubbo five nights a week. His first prime mover was towing for Hills, as was Winston Express’ first B-double. It’s worth noting as well that Dean started out with the intent of owning one truck, just one. That’s all.
He married Rose when it was just the one truck. That soon grew … and grew. Rose accepted that, but she also laid down the law in regards to prime movers. “I didn’t want any prime movers; bigger trucks meant bigger bills,” Rose says. “Then we had a valued customer ask us to put on a prime mover, just one. Within 12 months we had eight!”
It was inevitable though, the work ethic of the entire family as well the working environ ment created at Winston’s meant growing was inevitable. They now have trucks of almost every possible size and configuration. They have customers in almost every arena, from express trailer hitches to air freight deliveries, building supplies to underlay distribution.
Winston Express is the antithesis of ‘all your eggs in one basket’. Throw a cattle trailer behind the
659 and you’d have just about everything covered. A side note here for all those trying to get into our wonderful industry – a company like Winston Express Haulage would be the perfect place to start. You will gain experience in a wider than wide range of freight options.
Let’s get back to the story so we can find out about this stunning T659. To get to that we must introduce the next pillar of the Winston Express story, Nathan Smith. Nathan pretty much has trucking implanted into his DNA, particularly Winston Trucks. I know that sounds rather cliché, but I have plenty of testimonies from his mother Rose to back it up.
Exhibit A: “I was pulled up at a set of lights one day. One of our trucks pulled up beside me. Nathan was asleep in the back (two and a half years old). When the truck took off Nathan suddenly bolted awake and yelled out, ‘Where’s Steve?’ I was like are you friggin’ kiddin’ me kid, you were dead asleep!” It is what you’d expect though, he grew up his father’s shadow and learned his respect and work ethic from him. Like his father he spent his after school and weekends cleaning, polishing and adding shiny stuff to trucks,” Rose recalls.
As per his father, Nathan didn’t go straight into Winston Express Haulage out of school, though he did stick closely to the transport industry. Body building, not the shiny, fluoro thong kind of body building, I mean the vehicle body building kind of work. Having spent his school years cleaning, greasing and blinging up trucks, along with a weekend job at a local steel shop, it kind of seems fitting that when he needed a trade Nathan would choose one that allowed his mechanical and creative aptitude to flourish.
Nathan spent four years at Grant Engineering building and repairing truck and tipper bodies. This was his full time job but Winston Express Haulage always remained a part of Nathan’s work/work balance. I know it should be work/life balance, but how many of us have that? Anyway, Nathan could still be found in weekends working behind the wheel or under the chassis of a Winston truck and in 2016 he jumped back into the family business fulltime.
“I’d do a bit of driving, a bit in the workshop, a bit of driving.” That’s how Nathan summed up his role within the company.
Top, L to R: The Winston team a huge supporters of charity, Healthy Heads Trucks & Sheds being a big recipient, The 50-inch bunk makes living on the road a lot easier for Nathan
Above: Another of Winston Haulages big outings is the annual charity fund-raising Sydney Convoy for Kids where they are major supporters
Below: The T659 in tautliner mode
Like his father’s summation at the start of my story, it’s a very humble simplified version. A more accurate representa tion would be Nathan was driving, overseeing maintenance, operating as fleet manager, helping in the office and when the company moved to their new St Marys depot, he also started a customising wing of the company to utilise the skills he had acquired throughout his apprenticeship.
“We were doing all our tank skirts, deck plates … lights,” Nathan tells me. “We had our own plasma cutting and were doing everything.”
I have now introduced you to the main protagonists of today’s story. Now we should get onto the big silver T659 that you see in the pages before you. I am sure more than a few of you are thinking, ‘That doesn’t seem a practical truck for express work’, and you would be right. If some of you are also thinking, ‘Why would Dean buy that?’ Well, I can answer that as well. He didn’t, in fact it was a ‘surprise’ from his son.
The Kenworth itself wasn’t a surprise. The company runs several Kenworths now. It did take a fair while to get one into the fleet as Dean was running almost everything else. Western Stars, Freightliners, MANs, Mercedes-Benz – you name it.
The first Kenworth never joined the fleet until 2011 and that was a second hand T604. The truck had come when they picked up work from a retiring truckie. He had owned the truck since day one so it was immaculate. Between the performance of the 604 and Nathan’s influence as fleet manager it didn’t take long before the first new one arrived. Nathan had worked on several during his apprenticeship and knew the product. The first new one was a 2016 T409. After the 409 came a few K200s and a few T610s. Therefore, a new Kenworth in the fleet was not the surprise side of things. The surprise came in the model and who it was for.
In 2020 the company celebrated its 30th anniversary, a
“I didn’t want any prime movers; bigger trucks meant bigger bills.”
Top: Attention to detail is a factor in all the Winston trucks and trailers. Check out the tarp job
Above: Not exactly factory fitted, but Nathans spent his whole life fitting extra to the company trucks. Just so they look this good at night
Right: From the big rigs to the local rigids, every Winston truck hits the road looking above and beyond
major milestone. As a way of celebrating, Nathan and Rose had purchased and pimped out a special Mercedes-Benz Actros for the occasion. “We were organising a surprise truck for Dean, a Mercedes. Dean knew nothing about it,” Rose tells me. “Then after that happened Nathan just sort of said to Dean and I, ‘By the way, I’ve sort of got this 659 as a surprise as well.’ I asked who for and he said ‘for me’. That was really all we knew.”
As Rose points out though, with Nathan’s role as fleet manager he orders all the trucks anyway. He knows exactly what needs to be turned over and when, so ordering new trucks isn’t a surprise. Ordering a 659 however and doing it up differ ently, that was a bit of a surprise.
A T659 is not your typical express truck. “He didn’t tell us too much, we kept hearing from other people that Nathan’s new truck is going to be pretty cool and we figured it would be up there,” Rose says, although she is quick to point out the obvious.
“As much as Dean says, ‘Aww, it’s impractical and whatever’, Nathan only learned from his father.”
Rose laughs as she remembers when her and Dean were just starting out and times were pretty tough, she would often get bills for bling, nut covers and alloy wheels. When she questioned it, Dean was adamant it was needed to uphold the company image.
That explains the ‘wow’ impact of the new truck, but we have to go directly to the source to explain why a 659. “I didn’t want a 9-0 like everyone else and I thought a C509 might be a bit big,” Nathan laughs.
A 659 was a different choice and catered to Nathan’s other goal. “I was sick of splitting up B-doubles all the time. I just wanted something that couldn’t tow a B-double.” Well, problem solved.
There was also a slight hiccup in the Kenworth being a 30th anniversary truck – COVID. Yes, that dreaded C word struck in 2020 and the stunning T659 actually became a 31st anniversary truck. COVID held up things, as well as the fact the truck came off line the completely wrong colour. Not just a different shade of silver, a whole different colour.
Once that was sorted the next hurdle appeared. Nathan had ordered the Kenworth with a 50-inch flat roof bunk. The intent had been to fit an old Rudkin Wiley Roof Scoop only to find that a fire at the factory had destroyed the mould. That’s why the keen-eyed observer will note that this is the only T659 with an Aero 1 roof on it. “Well, you can’t tow a tautliner around with a flat roof,” Nathan jokes.
Fifteen months after the original ‘surprise truck’ was due, Nathan finally hooked up to his custom 48ft trailer and headed back out on the road. It may not be the most practical for a general freight company but it ticks all the boxes for Nathan.
“It rides like a dream” he says. “It might be a bit longer than some others but after a couple of weeks you get used to it and can put it anywhere.”
I really should stop calling it the surprise truck. The more I’ve learnt about the Smiths and the entire Winston Express Haulage team the less I am surprised. The truck looks out standing because the guys that specced it love their trucks. The trailer carries the names of amazing organisations that Winston’s proudly support every day because that’s who they are.
The Kenworth T659 does work specific to it strengths and advantages because the team know what they are doing. The only real surprise is how this small family outfit has flown under the radar for so long. They’ll hate me saying it, but companies like this need to be noted.
Well done to all the team at Winston’s and thank you for letting me shoot your stunning T659.
“It rides like a dream”
German-owned company Liqui Moly has recently expanded its Australian network and with customers now nationwide.
Liqui Moly provide premium quality lubricants, oils, additives, and repair kits for high performance engines in cars and motorbikes and the company’s products are relied on by countless customers to look after the smooth running of their automotive pride and joy.
Needless to say, they’ve said to become a bit of a ‘go-to’ product globally for keeping engines in tip-top shape.
Liqui Moly’s head of strategic partnerships and community engagement, Belinda Narbey, says with the company’s expansion, they have a adopted a variety of methods of distributing Liqui Moly’s products.
“Our main customer base is professional buyers such as independent workshops, while local mechanics also make up a large part of the market,” Narbey says.
“We have our reseller channel that workshops purchase through and our retail channel, where our products are found in automotive specialist stores Supercheap Auto, Autobarn and Auto One.”
Liqui Moly was founded in 1957 in Ulm on the River Danube in Germany.
The patent for production of molybdenum disulphide was the spark that formed the company. Molybdenum disulphide, one of Liqui Moly’s key products, enhances the lubrication quality of the oil and offers emergency operating features under harsh conditions.
The brand expanding into the Australian market in 2008 through an importer, with a local subsidiary formally created in 2020.
“As the Australian subsidiary is so recent, we are all-hands-on-deck to help the business grow,” Narbey says.
“A key part of my role is expanding on the partnerships with other brands and companies and improving brand experience.
“A great example of this is our sponsorship of a car in the Touring Car Racing (TCR) Australia championship, as well as involvement in Formula One and the MotoGP, which is backed by the brand through our international sponsorship.”
Narbey is busy expanding the brand partnerships for Liqui Moly and keeping the public relations and human resources side of things moving. That’s why in 2020, she opted for the hardworking and reliable Isuzu FRR 107-210 to assist in the company’s activities in the field and at events.
With a GVM of 10,700kg Liqui Moly’s FRR 107-210 is more than capable of carrying everything needed for the PR work that’s helping Liqui Moly gain traction in the Australian market.
Fondly named ‘Bertie,’ the FRR is used in all kinds of practical ways for the company, from carrying Liqui Moly products to events, as well as a base of operations when at the event.
“We have a huge activation space where we park our truck. We open it up and use the body as a platform for whatever we need on the day, whether that’s to give merch out, or set up a barbecue or to put a DJ in the back,” Narbey continues.
“We’re always coming up with new ways to use it
because there’s just so many different things that we can do.”
It was that Isuzu reliability and adaptability that really got Liqui Moly and Narbey over the line.
The purchase of the FRR 107-210 was made possible through Gilbert and Roach Huntingwood in Western Sydney, and the customer service from the dealer team made the purchase a smooth transaction.
“Buying a truck was a totally new experience for me, so Gilbert and Roach Huntingwood have been fantastic to depend upon. I couldn’t be happier with how the truck has performed,” Narbey says.
“We needed something that was quite versatile and capable of moving comfortably around Sydney’s CBD, as well as the suburbs, and could go the distance in rural locations too.
“Safety and handling were also driving factors as we needed to know that our products would be secure in the truck,” she points out.
The continued hunt for operating efficiencies was another contributing factor in the decision by the company to invest in its own truck.
The cost of freight and logistics is a pain point for many businesses in the country at this moment in time.
“This is part of what made purchasing Liqui Moly’s own truck such a favourable idea.
“We decided to trial it in Sydney to do our deliveries and see if that has an impact on reducing our logistics cost,” Narbey says.
“It’s going so well that we have a fleet expansion in mind for the future.”
Narbey also found that Liqui Moly’s FRR is a mobile billboard that advertises the business everywhere it goes.
“When Bertie rolls up, our customers are so excited they actually post videos on Instagram on their business accounts with comments like: ‘Nothing beats receiving Liqui Moly products in the Liqui Moly truck!’
“So now our FRR Bertie is doing all the advertising for us – it’s great!” Narbey says.
In a bid to assist in its expanding business across Australia, Liqui Moly opted for an Isuzu FRR 107-210 to not only distribute its products, but promote them as wellABOVE: Loading up the Isuzu with Liqui Moly products Belinda Narbey, Liqui Moly’s head of strategic partnerships and community engagement
Thirty-three-year old Rob McDonald has spent around 11 years behind the wheel of both trucks and buses, working and/ or living in almost all states and territories. Rob chats with Julian Daw about his passion and concerns for the road transport industry
Q: What’s your current role and past experience in the industry?
A: I’m a local trailer driver in but I still do dog runs to Dubbo and the odd interstate trip with a road train. I work with a company called Shaws Transport. I have also worked driving B-doubles around the eastern side of the country. I started in the industry as a coach driver.
So I worked for a company called Simons National Carriers and it was through working with them that I first learned to appreciate the importance of compliance. Not thinking of it so much as a necessary evil but being trained in a way that lets you see the other side of the coin of it all. Helping you to understand why you’re doing things and not just being told to do them.
Q: How long did you drive coaches for?
A: From about 2010 to 2013 before I drove trailers. I never actually drove rigid trucks, I just went straight from coaches to trailers. Even to B-doubles as well. I had one trip in a single trailer before I was driving B-doubles.
Q: When you were driving coaches did you ever think you would end up driving trucks?
A: I remember being a kid seeing big trucks driving through my town and always thinking that I wanted to do that when I got older. I got into coach driving because I initially couldn’t get a job driving trucks without any experience. So I was sort of forced into it but once I had that coach experience I got into trucks as soon as I could. I got my licence on my own back and then worked for Simons. So I didn’t end up working for Simons full time for too long but the high quality training they gave me really stuck with me afterwards.
For example, I remember later I was working for another company driving across the country and I was in a depot in Bundaberg looking at the load restraints on the truck and I could see they were wrong. From the training I’d had at Simons I could see that for myself.
Q: Do you come from a family of transport workers?
A: No, I’m a bit of a black sheep in the family. My mother was a supreme court judge’s associate, and my father was an architect. It was just an interest I’ve always had since I was younger.
Q: Are you interested in the trucks themselves or are you more attracted to the lifestyle of transport work?
A: I think I enjoy the actual driving of the trucks themselves, I don’t think I’m so much interested in them as vehicles, like from a mechanical
point of view. I just enjoy driving them. I love travelling around and seeing new places in Australia. In truck driving you’re left alone to do the work yourself a lot of the time, your employer just wants you to get the job done and done safely, no one’s breathing down your neck.
Q: What do you most enjoy about driving trucks? A: I don’t know that I enjoy the travel aspect of it as much now, because for me I find that a lot of truck driving is following the same routes through the country. So once you get to know those routes there’s not much new that pops up. But I’m a bit of a hobbyist photographer, I take my camera everywhere with me. I enjoy taking photos wherever I go, it’s a bit like being on holiday all the time. The other thing is, for me I think of trucking as what I call a “neck down” job, meaning that once you have some experience and you know what you’re doing you’re pretty much on autopilot most of the time and everything above your neck is free. It gives you an available mental bandwidth, while you’re driving. When you drive for so long it becomes subconscious, you can do your job competently and remain attentive but there is an availability to your thoughts. So while I’m driving I can listen to podcasts and learn about new things that interest me. I could even learn a foreign language if I wanted to all while I’m driving along.
Left: Coffee break in Melbourne. Rob spent six months in a Scania R560 while helping out a mate at Mainfreight, doing two-ups from Sydney to Melbourne via Adelaide
Opposite bottom: Rob McDonald has been with Shaws Transport for around seven years
“They need to make the recruitment process as easy and
Q: What sorts of changes have you noticed in the industry since you have started working?
A: Many things seem to be pretty much the same besides new technology and Euro emission engine standards. The biggest change I have seen is in recruitment processes. I think employers demand a lot more from employees now. For example, during COVID I was made redundant from my role as coach fleet manager and I applied for a role at another company, and they asked me to make a video resume which I’d never been asked to do before. Putting in so much work for a job application like that isn’t something I agree with, it doesn’t seem right to me. And I think that especially if the industry is to attract more young drivers in the future, they need to make the recruitment process as easy and as enjoyable as possible. I remember applying for a job many years ago and having to talk to a HR person who knew nothing at all about trucks and I found it made the whole process very difficult. I ended up not applying for the job after that. There seems to be too much emphasis on references and ticking boxes for the employer and not as much getting to know the personality of the drivers. Considering the range of alternative jobs available to young people these days, you’d think transport employers would make it as easy as possible for people to get a job with them, but they don’t.
Q: What would you like to see change in the industry?
A: I think there needs to be some sort of universal qualification card in the industry that you can take with you to different employers, so they know that your skill level and experience is. In addition to that I believe every company needs their own 24-hour support line to help drivers. There is a problem with inadequate training in this industry and I believe having someone to call at any time of the day would really help.
Q: What changes would you like to see made in the industry regarding technology?
A: I think the driver logbook system needs to be changed to something more like the digi card or tachograph that they have in Europe. Those digital cards get plugged into the truck you’re driving, records all the driving and rest information and then you take it with you and use it for any other truck you drive. Whereas now in Australia, if you work on several different vehicles during the day there can sometimes be no paper trail between them.
Fatigue is a sensitive topic, because of course no company will ever admit to having pushed their drivers further than what they’re obliged to work. There can be an expectation in the industry, for owner-drivers as well, that if you’re asked to do something unreasonable you have to do it otherwise, you’ll miss out on work. There’s a lot of ethics and sensitivity behind it and so I think that needs to change.
Q: What are some of the misconceptions people have about the transport industry?
A: I think some people think transport workers do what they do because they couldn’t get any other job, they think you’re stupid just because you’re a truck driver. They don’t see the appeal at all. I don’t look like the stereotypical truckie that people often think of and so I often get asked why I’m driving trucks. I tell people I do it because I want to and because I enjoy it and they can’t believe it. They can’t believe that a “reasonable” looking person like me would do such a thing.
Q: Do you think truck driving is a job that should appeal to younger people?
A: Yes and no, there can be very long hours in this industry, sixty-hour weeks for example, and I’m not sure that’s something young people will be interested in. However, I will say that truck driving is a great job if it can be shared. Working part time, or around 30 hours a week and sharing a truck with someone else, I think that could be really appealing to a lot of people. Not everyone, myself included, wants to work 90 hours a week and make over $100,000 a year. So I think a shared model could work really well and it’s something that’s already used in the bus industry.
Q: Is there anything you believe the industry could do to attract younger drivers? An apprenticeship program for example?
A: I believe there are some problems with an apprenticeship model. I don’t know too much about how a truck driving apprenticeship program might work but in the bus driving industry they have something similar, and it’s considered to be just a way to pay people less while they’re working and doing the same job as people who are fully qualified. I think instead it would be a better idea to have a heavy vehicle licence program that is a week or two long course.
Q: What would you say to young people thinking about joining the industry?
A: I’m honestly not sure I would recommend this work anymore because I feel it’s being clamped down too much in red tape.
Q: Is there one main issue that’s holding back the transport industry now?
A: I think fuel prices are a major industry right now. I think in the future the industry will need to become a lot more efficient with their fuel and a way to do this, I believe, is to foster more collaboration between companies. I don’t know how realistic it is because at the end of the day all these
Q: What do you think about the future of electric vehicles in the industry?
A: I think they’re great and I’ve told my company if someone offers us an electric truck I’m happy to drive it. Hydrogen will probably be more viable for heavy transport while electric will be used for smaller metropolitan jobs, I’d say. There’s a lot of different ways trucks will change to reduce their emissions; they’re not going anywhere anytime soon because there is no alternative. Trains are at maximum capacity in this country so we’re going to be relying on trucks for a long time to come.
Q: Any funny stories from the road?
A: The two funniest stories I’ve ever heard are first about a guy driving a trailer in outback Queensland and he took out the awning of a pub, damaged it pretty badly. The pub turned out to be for sale so he just bought it.
The other story is apparently one guy once drove a B-double to Adelaide from Brisbane and after he arrived, they asked him if he had checked the load restraints and he said yes, he had, and then they asked him why he brought an empty B-double all the way from Brisbane. He had brought the wrong trailers.
Above:
Below: Behind the wheel of a UD rigid in western NSW
Opposite top: Rob McDonald: “I don’t look like the stereotypical truckie.”; Rob spent time hauling logs in a Cummins-powered Western Star
Opposite bottom: One of the coach companies Rob drove for also owned this Volvo FH16 Globetrotter. Here it is transporting plastic rolls used for lining dams
The IAA commercial vehicle exhibition in Hanover, Germany, is the biggest trucking event in the world and yes, it’s all about Europe.
Steve Brooks reports
But let’s face it, Europe is increasingly the hub of most major developments impacting the efficiency, safety and ultimately, performance of heavy-duty trucks around the globe.
Nor should anyone lose sight of the fact that on the other side of the Atlantic, the great majority of North America’s truck brands are nowadays offshoots of immense European corporations.
Indeed, without Europe’s fiscal and managerial lifelines over the past three or four decades, several famous brands would today be little more than headstones: Freightliner and Mack, for example, and most recently, Navistar.
The lone wolf in the pack is, of course, Paccar but even this bastion of American pride has an umbilical attachment to developments within its continental colleague DAF. But to be fair, the Dutch truck would’ve probably
also fallen down the well of extinction long ago if Paccar hadn’t turned the tables on its continental competitors and transformed DAF into arguably its greatest success story.
Yet even by Hanover’s high standards, 2022 was something very special and very different. With COVID causing the event’s cancellation in 2020, it seemed most of the world’s trucking heavyweights were out to not only highlight the enormous gains in technology since the last exhibition in 2018, but to signal their place at or near the front of the evolutionary queue.
This was, in fact, the show where tomorrow came to town as all the big players, and some not-so-big players, climbed on the climate bandwagon to let the world know that the era of electrification and alternative energy has well and truly arrived.
Diesel wasn’t dead, but it was certainly on the backburner as this pictorial summary candidly reveals.
With the trucking industry’s first factory-built electric prime movers, Volvo has jumped ahead of competitors with its highly impressive FM Electric and FH Electric models.
The Swedish maker went full throttle on electric at Hanover, with no diesels on display whatsoever.
The full story on Volvo’s electric range appears on page 74 in this issue but as the photo of the new FMX Electric shows, overseas visitors were obviously keen to absorb as much as possible about Volvo’s latest creations.
Hanover is home turf for Daimler Truck and sure enough, all stops were pulled out to drive home the detail of its latest developments, starting with the star of the stand, the eActros Longhaul presented in an eye-catching but definitely unusual livery. A design prototype, the battery-electric Benz won’t enter production until 2024 but there’s already talk it will come to market with greater driving range than anything currently offered.
The ground-breaking pioneer of Daimler’s electric ambitions is, however, Fuso’s eCanter and in its new generation form offers up to 42 variants and gross weight ratings from 4.25 to 8.55 tonnes. Meantime, Daimler’s diesel devotees weren’t forgotten with the presentation of the Actros L Edition 3, a highly specified limited edition flagship of the Actros family. Mercedes-Benz executives insist the optimisation of diesel models will continue during transition to carbon-neutral road transport. But for how long?
Buoyed by booming sales and boasts of market leadership, there was nothing shy or understated about DAF’s display. Sited next to Volvo, it was as if Paccar’s cab-over champion was hellbent on upstaging its Swedish rival, unveiling bold new models in both diesel and electric form.
Presented for the first time were the new DAF XD and XDC models, aimed squarely at vocational and distribution duties. They were, however, partnered by ‘a completely new series of fully electric powertrains for the New Generation XD and XF trucks’, built in a new electric truck assembly plant and powered by
350kW (480 hp).
For our neck of the woods though,
This stylish and exceptionally well
development between
year or two will see a stunning new
new Cummins 15 litre engine.
This is the new lightweight 15 litre X-series Cummins engine which in one form or another will power a top-shelf DAF currently under development in Europe for the Australian and New Zealand markets. Word has it, too, that the livewire Cummins will be also offered in Kenworth’s classic K-series.
While all that is still a year or two away, Cummins was obviously intent on showing that it is well equipped to deliver low to zero carbon outputs, exhibiting what was described as its ‘15 Litre Fuel Agnostic Platform’.
In what appears an extremely clever development, Cummins says the fuel-agnostic architecture of the new 15 litre X-series utilises the sculpted block of the base engine but with cylinder heads and fuel systems tailored to different fuel types from hydrogen to biogas and advanced diesel designs.
Hannover also revealed a new 10 litre X10 displacement designed for ultra-low emission compliance, with ratings from 320 to 450 hp, and also built on a lightweight sculpted block design. For us though, the new 15 litre is the big player for the future.
With Iveco Australia still conducting local tests, this line-up of new X-Way models grabbed our attention simply because it provided some indication of what to expect when the line-up reportedly joins the Australian market.
Typically, the range offers various rooflines and powertrain ratings including a 570hp version of the Cursor 13 engine coupled to ZF’s 12-speed Hi-Tronix transmission.
Meantime, on its main stand inside one of Hanover’s cavernous halls, Iveco didn’t let anyone forget that along with other high-profile brands, it is also well advanced with alternative energy technologies.
The other truck in the Traton team is MAN and sited alongside the Scania stand, the German stalwart wasn’t about to let its Swedish stablemate grab all the carbon-neutral kudos.
Strangely though, MAN’s e-truck was cordoned off, seemingly to keep observant eyes and enquiring minds away. There was, however, no hesitation about anyone taking a close look at a slick semi-conventional all-electric TGE van. Obviously enough, the headline act in the diesel department was the 640 hp TGX flagship.
We reported several issues ago that transmission specialist Allison would go to Hanover with its latest ‘eGen Power’ series of fully integrated electric axles and sure enough, that’s exactly what happened.
As Allison puts it, the electric axles are designed to fit between the wheels of medium and heavy-duty trucks, replacing the vehicle’s traditional powertrain. It is, says Allison, a bolt-in solution which features fully integrated electric motors, a multi-speed gearbox, an oil cooler and pump, and critically, is compatible with battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles, as well as a viable system for extending driving range in hybrid applications.
The premier brand in Volkswagen’s vast Traton Group, Scania wasn’t about to let Hanover pass without letting the world know that while it, too, has the future well and truly in focus, the present is also firmly fixed in the corporate mindset.
Electric versions of its complete range – including a waste recovery version of the ultra-low profile L-series which isn’t sold in Australia – were accompanied by stylish recharging stations in an obvious bid to push the message that it’s about selling the complete package, not just the trucks.
Outside though, a heavy haulage R660 highlighted the ongoing development of Scania’s venerable V8. The 660 hasn’t been officially launched in Australia yet but after trialling the truck earlier this year as a B-double we can vouch it’s one of the sweetest heavy-duty trucks in the business.
Quick to take a prominent place in the world of hydrogen fuel cells for commercial vehicles, stating simply that it ‘aims to accelerate the transition to zero emission commercial transport’, Hyzon was obviously keen to maintain the momentum with its display in Hanover.
However, as the world’s biggest truck suppliers continue to invest vast sums on development and ultimately, production of their own hydrogen fuel cells, the competitive space for suppliers such as Hyzon is almost sure to tighten.
Proving that the electric surge extends far beyond road trucks is this remarkable quickresponse ‘Panther’ 6x6 fire fighter from specialist builder Rosenbauer.
Like something out of a moon landing, we simply couldn’t resist making it part of our Hanover report and like most electric trucks, there’s little doubt acceleration off the mark is brisk, to put it mildly.
Who or what is Quantron? Well, according to the official script, it’s a German company ‘created in 2019 as a high-tech spin-off’ of a long-established family enterprise to capitalise on the rapid demand for e-mobility in cargo transportation.
Apparently, the company has been very busy over the past three years, with Hanover not only revealing Quantron’s QHM fuel cell electric vehicle for heavy long distance transport with claimed driving range up to 1500 km, but also QHM battery-electric vehicles in rigid and prime mover configurations offering ranges up to 350 km.
It’s definitely busy on the bandwagon these days.
At a show where the technological rage was all-electric, it was actually a relief to step outside Hanover’s massive halls and find the occasional big banger feeding the fire for power purists.
And when it comes to big bangers there are few bigger than Volvo’s 750hp FH16. Unfortunately, Australia’s big weights and high temperatures are too much for the 750’s cooling system but in cooler climes the big Swede is right at home among the heavy haulage faithful.
Ford’s truck days are long gone in our part of the world but throughout much of Europe and North Africa, the Turkish-built Ford F-Max cab-over is a consistent competitor. The F-Max was, in fact, voted Europe’s ‘International Truck of the Year’ in 2019.
With typically European styling cues, the F-Max cab is well appointed while underneath, power comes from a 12.7 litre six cylinder engine known as the EcoTorq, delivering peaks of 500hp and 2500Nm (1844lb-ft) of torque through a 12-speed ZF automated transmission.
And obviously refusing to be left out in the climate cold, the Ford stand also showcased a new battery-electric model targeting the waste industry.
Apparently, BYD stands for ‘Build Your Dreams’ but more to the point, it is a significant Chinese automaker which started out in 1995 as a battery maker and in 2003 entered the automotive business when it acquired another Chinese auto brand.
China is a major mover in electric transport and given the company’s background, it’s not surprising BYD came to Hanover with battery-electric trucks including this 4x2 known as the ETHB, a shorthaul model with a gross vehicle mass rating of 19 tonnes.
Obviously aiming to broaden horizons into Europe, the brand has already made some inroads into the US market with relatively modest sales of battery-electric trucks and yard tractors.
The Chinese automotive giant is certainly no stranger to the truck business but it’s not often the brand exhibits outside China. Hanover, however, was obviously seen as an ideal platform to display light-duty electric models such as the Captain EV35.
Yet despite the obvious effort of exhibiting at the world’s biggest international commercial vehicle exhibition, technical details were surprisingly scant other than defining a 3.5 tonne gross weight rating on a 3.0 metre wheelbase, and battery capacity of 66.8kWh.
As well as being involved in road transport media for the past 23 years, GREG
Chapter Music/Inertia coolsounds1.bandcamp.com
The music
Beth Nielsen Chapman sits on a blurred line somewhere between pop, rock and country. On CrazyTown, her 15th solo album, Chapman embraces the blues on ‘The Truth’, and then switches to rock mode on the fast-paced track ‘The Universe’. Chapman’s honest vocals are on similar lines to those of Carole King, possibly better, and she’s at her best on ‘The Edge’, one of the album’s more sedate songs. Chapman is an accomplished songwriter, having penned songs for the likes of Trisha Yearwood, Bette Midler and Elton John. However, these 12 new tracks, written between 2004 and 2019, are up with her best. ‘All Around The World’, a co-wrote with Graham Gouldman of 10cc, is a sublime piece of pop, as is ‘Pocket Of My Past’. CrazyTown is well worth a listen.
Dainis Lacey is the brain’s trust behind Melbourne indie pop-rockers Cool Sounds, band that can vary from a four-piece outfit to a six-piece ensemble on tour. Like That is Cool Sounds’ latest endeavour, the album opening with the funky track ‘6 Or 7 More’. There’s Duran Duran-style guitar on the equally upbeat ‘Part Time Punk’ and a solid rhythm behind ‘Built To Last’ where Lacey delivers a restrained vocal. There’s a ’70s disco sound to ‘Dance!’, and a slight change of pace to ‘Hello, Alright, You Got That’, a track that bares some similarities to Ian Dury’s ‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’. The retro adventure continues on the ’80s type Brit-pop title track, and there’s a subtle change of pace with a jazz influence on ‘Magic Trick’. The production is freshingly not overdone, adding value to the album.
Woodshed Independent thebandwoodshed.com.au
New Zealander Marlon Williams is a talented singersongwriter and actor who refuses to be pigeonholed. My Boy, his third solo album, kicks off with the radio-friendly title track, referring to boyish behaviour again on the rhythmic ‘My Heart The Wormhole’. ‘River Rival’ starts out in minimalist fashion before the synths take over as the tempo lifts, and there’s hidden messages about selfworth on ‘Soft Boys Make The Grade’. Images of island life are presented on ‘Easy Does It’, however ‘Promises’ is a dramatic song that wouldn’t be out of place in a musical theatre. ‘Don’t Go Back’, one of the album’s standout tracks, has a danceable beat as he offers advice about returning to a party, and there’s a Beatle-ish sound to ‘Trips’. My Boy is a well-produced album full of variety and well-crafted songs.
Living blues treasure Buddy Guy, still plying his trade at age 82, has released his 19th album The Blues Don’t Lie. Guy sticks mainly to the 12-bar format, but ventures into grunge rock territory on ‘Symptoms Of Love’ with Elvis Costello making an appearance. Mavis Staples is another guest, adding vocals to the slow blues of ‘We Go Back’. James Taylor rolls up for ‘Follow The Money’, a laid-back track, and jazz singer Wendy Moten lends her talents to the rollicking ‘House Party’. Jason Isbell, formerly of the Drive-By Truckers, is another talented guest, joining Guy on ‘Gunsmoke Blues’, a low-tempo track referencing the guntoting individuals who are in abundance in the US. A big surprise is Guy’s cover of The Beatles’ ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’, breathing new life into the classic track. The “unplugged” final track, ‘King Bee’, was written by Slim Harpo in 1957 and later recorded by The Rolling Stones.
Brisbane rock trio Woodshed, fresh from supporting The Black Sorrows, have released their longawaited debut album Give In. Catchy guitar riffs set the scene for ‘Tell Me So’ on which the band takes aim at smug keyboard warriors, the track accentuated further with a chilled-out psychedelic mid section. A couple of Woodshed’s members are teachers, hence the inclusion of ‘Louisa’, a subdued track dealing with ostracised kids. The boys ramp up the pace on ‘Hold On’, a song about cherishing the moment, then guest contributor Marc Besselinc brings his keyboards along for ‘Steal My Thunder’. ‘Sticky Situation’, leaning towards roots rock, was inspired by the passing of a close friend, while the excellent ‘Secrets’ is the album’s most sedate track. Woodshed reflects on a bad night out on the fired-up title track, and the bluesy ‘Broken Flame’ features some nice steel guitar touches.
The Healer, originally released in 1989, was John Lee Hooker’s comeback album at the age of 73. However, as the album has been out of print for more than a decade, Craft Recordings has re-released this classic which is available both on CD and 180gram vinyl. The album, which includes the Grammy-winning Bonnie Raitt collaboration, ‘I’m In The Mood’, is a blues masterpiece. Robert Cray adds guitar to ‘Baby Lee’, George Thorogood brings his distinctive slide to ‘Sally Mae’, and Charlie Musselwhite’s magic harmonica is a feature of the slow blues burner ‘That’s Alright’. Carlos Santana and band settle in for a nice cruise on ‘The Healer’, while regular associates Canned Head bring grunge to ‘Cuttin Out’. The album’s final tracks are paredback solo Hooker efforts, rounding out one of the best blues albums of the last 40 years.
Christie Lamb
ABC Music www.christielamb. com
Australian singer-songwriter
Christie Lamb recorded Truth, her fourth studio album, in a remote situation. However, that appeared to be no obstacle as evidenced by the sound of these new tracks.
It’s rockin’ country pop on ‘Kiss About It’, and Lamb sings a duet with Timothy James Bowen on the powerful ‘Up All Night’. ‘Beat Of My Own Drum’, already a hit on the airwaves, is another well-written track, and there’s slick guitar licks on the excellent ‘Country Folk’. She hits the bar on ‘First Shot’s On Me’, another toe-tappin’ track, while ‘Yard Time’ is a breakup song minus the sorrow. Golden Guitar winner Christie Lamb performed at Sydney’s Convoy for Kids many years ago, but she's come a long way since then.
Julian Taylor
Howling Turtle Music juliantaylormusic.ca
Canada’s Julian Taylor has released 12 studio albums during his career, although Beyond The Reservoir is only his second solo outing. It’s an album of singer-songwriter storytelling, with Taylor on acoustic guitar, piano and hand drum. He's helped out by a few familiar friends and like-minded musicians, adding to the album’s overall feel. ‘Opening The Sky’, a song about offering advice to his young daughter, builds from a quiet, serious start to an emotive ending, while Taylor borrows a little from the old bluegrass song ‘Freight Train’ for ‘100 Proof’. He tells of the original North American inhabitants on ‘Stolen Lands’, and he sings of this crazy world on ‘Wide Awake’. As Molly Meldrum once said, "do yourself a favour" and take a listen to Beyond The Reservoir
BUSH has strong links to the music industry. A former Golden Guitar judge for the Country Music Awards of Australia, Greg also had a threeyear stint as an ARIA Awards judge in the late 1990s and wrote for and edited several music magazines.
The Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show, this year sponsored by HHA & Larsen’s Truck Sales, is back to its regular format and a huge program on November 26 and 27 following a couple of COVID-affected years.
Entries are now open again for the event which is returning with a full program in the historic town of Castlemaine located in the central Victorian Goldfields region.
The show is now in its 34th year and its organisers say it’s a popular celebration for the trucking industry and a major fundraiser for the local community.
Trophies will be offered across 10 categories. The Rig of the Show winner will take home a $1,000 cash prize, and there’s a special prize for the Best on Ground Saturday.
The show is offering a great weekend of entertainment for the whole family, with live music, free children’s rides, and
entertainment. As well as full catering and, of course, a bar onsite.
Entertainment-wise, the Castlemaine Truck Show committee has announced its special music guests Peter Coad, the Coad Sisters as well as the Peter Hermel Band which will be performing live on stage. It’s certainly a great chance to sit back and relax with mates with some great tunes and stellar rigs on display after a couple of tough years for the industry.
The truck show has also announced All American Custom Chrome – another valued Gold Sponsor – will be bringing along its 1967 Peterbilt ‘Topcat’, the 2004 American-built ‘Benny the Ball’ and the rest of the fleet to the show.
The Castlemaine Truck Show organisers have sent out a few reminders for everyone who are thinking of coming to see the show or entering a truck, making it easier for everyone to show up and enjoy the weekend.
There’s an option to pre-register your truck this year which is a great opportunity to get straight on to the ground as soon as if you arrive. You can also book a roast chicken dinner on the Saturday night (limited numbers).
Show organisers recommend repurchasing tickets online so you can enjoy more of the show and spend less time waiting.
For more info see the website at truck.rotarycastlemaine.org.au
DANE BALLINGER MEMORIAL BATHURST TRUCK SHOW
November 19, 2022. Bathurst Showground, NSW
Sponsored by Gilbert & Roach, Huntingwood and Vawdrey Trailers. Gates open 9am to 4pm. Featuring over 200 market stalls, food stalls, live entertainment and kids’ rides. Registration $40. Public entry $5, children under 12 free. Held in conjunction with the annual Bathurst Swap Meet Car & Bike Show on December 12. Supporting 2BS Lions Christmas Miracle Appeal. For registration and further details email info@bathursttruckshow.com.au or phone Debbie on 0407 489 634, Haylie on 0438 316 150 or see the website at www. bathursttruckshow.com.au and/or Facebook page.
November 19, 2022. Goulburn, NSW
Trucks to muster from 11am at The Gateway Service Station, departing at 12 sharp for Goulburn Showground. Includes carnival rides, competitions, live interactive experience with Bluey & Ringo, twilight markets, food stalls and refreshments, market stalls and live music from Hurricane Fall. $60 per truck entry, $20 per adult, kids under 18 free. For further show info phone 1300 663 669 or see the website at www. convoyforkidsgoulburn.com.au and Facebook page or email info@ convoyforkidsgoulburn.com.au
November 19 to 20, 2022. Maffra, Vic.
Held at the Maffra Recreation Grounds on Newry Road, the East Gippsland Heritage Truck Display is open to all trucks of any age, reflecting the history of transport in Australia. Plus live music, kids’ entertainment including a jumping castle and model trucks. Catering provided plus American Truck Historical Society club merchandise available. Admission: adults $10 per day, $15 two-day pass, children under 16 free. Saturday night dinner. Free camping for exhibitors. All dogs on leash.
For further info phone John Burley on 0413 516 233 or Terry Whelan on 0408 516 144.
November 20, 2022. Appin South 32 Colliery to Shellharbour Airport, NSW
The Illawarra community’s 18th annual big convoy. Bikes will leave Illawarra Coal’s Westcliff Colliery on Appin Rd at around 8.15am, followed by family buses then lead trucks. Non-lead trucks join at Maddens Plains to Mount Ousley, Warrawong to Shellharbour Airport. Family fun day at Shellharbour Airport includes live music from Sneaky Sound System and The Black Sorrows. Fundraising will continue on-line with a silent auction, raffles and merchandise, with monies raised to be distributed via the Illawarra Community Foundation to charities and families in need within the Illawarra and South Coast regions. For further information visit www.illawarraconvoy.com.au or see the convoy’s Facebook site at www.facebook.com/i98fmillawarraconvoy
November 26-27, 2022. Castlemaine, Vic.
New sponsors to support popular Victorian event
Once again, we’re staring down significant and ongoing flooding across the east coast. Having barely recovered from the last floods, conditions in the east will inevitably have knock-on effects to drivers around the country. And once again, its drivers stepping up, carrying essential supplies at great risk to themselves. Transport workers are always first in line to help communities in need, and in times of flood, that becomes even more treacherous.
Drivers don’t just have to deal with dangerous driving conditions. They have to take longer routes to divert around blocked roads, absorb increased fuel costs, and deal with fatigue impacted by delays and disruptions to rest areas. In many areas, even those that aren’t flood-affected, widespread standdowns occur. But the pressures on tight deadlines and margins remain. We’d be in dire straits without drivers’ efforts to keep things going, but in times of crisis, it’s always been drivers who are forced to scramble to pick up the pieces.
The last few years – bushfires, a
pandemic, and floods – have shown us that when drivers don’t have good, secure conditions, our supply chains are vulnerable. We saw supply chains crippled earlier this year as covid exploded through workplaces, with workers not guaranteed free rapid antigen tests, and many forced to go to work sick.
External shocks are only going to keep coming, and the tops of our supply chains must contribute their fair share if we want drivers to be able to viably respond to crises. Transport operators already operating on razorthin margins shouldn’t have to foot the bill.
That’s where our recent commitment from Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke becomes so important.
Following the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit, where stakeholders from every corner of the industry backed a set of principles to reform our industry, Minister Burke announced his intention to empower the Fair Work Commission to set fair standards for the entire transport industry.
This is a significant breakthrough to lift standards in the industry, and it could not come at a more urgent time, with the impact of natural disasters compounded by the threat of the gig economy.
We already know the impact companies like Amazon Flex are having on job security and pay. But the safety impacts become even more insidious when you look at the company’s track record overseas. In 2021 in the US, a delivery driver and five other workers were devastatingly killed in Illinois last year when a tornado tore through the Amazon distribution centre where they were working. The parents of the delivery driver have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Amazon.
In another case, an Amazon driver was warned she would be sacked if she stopped delivering, despite tornado alarms going off in the area.
It’s not so hard to believe that if Amazon were allowed to continue driving down standards across Australia, we would see similar occurrences.
But with the rest of the industry united in pursuing a level playing field, and a Federal Government that’s
listening to drivers, safer roads are on the horizon.
It’s crucial that as part of this, drivers have a say over policy changes that affect their work and safety, instead of having decisions made on their behalf. The Federal Government’s commitment would give drivers a seat at the table, and the ability to provide advice and recommendations.
This year, we’ve already seen the negative results when drivers don’t get a say. When the Morrison government cut the fuel excise, it also effectively abolished the Fuel Tax Credits scheme that was so vital to drivers and operators around the country. Working with the new Labor government, we made sure those vital Fuel Tax Credits were reinstated.
As fuel prices continue to sky-rocket, cost recovery and fair payment terms are a vital component of Labor’s commitment.
It’s devastating to see the impacts floods are having on communities that have already been hard-hit just this year. But if we make a fair system a reality, it will mean drivers can respond to crises more safely, and our supply chains will remain robust. That’s something the whole industry can get behind.
“It’s always been drivers who are forced to scramble to pick up the pieces.”
Having spent nearly 50 years in the road transport industry, including 49 years behind the wheel, I’m often bemused to hear younger generations extol the concept of ‘old school’ trucks and trucking. Even those of my own generation who look in the rear vision mirror with rose coloured glasses cause me to raise an incredulous eyebrow.
I have spent more than one summer in the all-metal cab of a 1418 Benz with a footwell vent and a roof hatch being the only relief from the heat. All the while trying to sleep across the three-quarter bench seat and driver’s seat with packing around the gear stick, while dealing with the constant failures of material constructed tyre cases and being aware that stopping was a lottery with air over hydraulic brakes.
Then loading grain on flat top trailers with curtains – and then manually unloading – are all reasons why I particularly appreciate the modern air-conditioned generally comfortable sleeper cab, powered by turbocharged high horsepower motors, riding on steel constructed radial tyres using modern tippers to load bulk commodities and pallets and forklifts to remove much of the manual handling from the transport task.
Constant change, and adaptation to it, has always been a given in road transport. The size of trucks has increased dramatically over the decades. While road trains have always been more efficient in the remote north and west, east coast configurations have evolved from single drives with perhaps lazy axles with spread bogie trailers, through to six-axle single trucks and nine-axle double units, to the present, where it seems if you can dream it and pay the permit fees it will be approved.
The thing that seems to never change is the industry’s pre-occupation with handing any productivity gains back to customers with cheaper rates instead of retaining it as rewards for the drivers and operators of our industry as a dividend on their efficiency.
While I’m obviously appreciative of the advances in engineering technology over the past five decades that have made the truck driving task less onerous, the frantic haste in the 21st century to adopt aptly named ‘artificial intelligence’ in our industry is leading to a dumbing down of the driver population.
The proliferation of technologies such as cameras to detect fatigue and vibrating seat technology does precious little to prevent the numbers of heavy vehicles exiting the roadway in an uncontrolled manner, on a nightly basis, because our industry and its regulators have failed to provide the
training and career pathways to attract and retain operators of the calibre required.
The propensity for our industry to try and paper over cracks and deny reality is nothing new. When my driving career started in the early 1970s the loaded capacity of a vehicle had precious little to do with regulation and everything to do with risk versus reward. A logbook had no resemblance to any truthful record of events and the stimulants we were prescribed by sympathetic doctors and pharmacists weren’t drugs, were they?
The reasons why this situation continued unabated for so long was that no one could admit that as an employed or owner-driver the remuneration was never enough.
Since the heavy loss of life in two tragic accidents in the late 1980s (incidentally only one involved a truck), regulators and certain media outlets have been hellbent on bringing the industry to heel. On top of the various state road agencies, transport specific arms of eastern state police forces were created to enforce regulation with a very heavy hand. Technology has now armed these agencies with a camera network nationwide – and a very short COR (chain of responsibility) has largely rid the industry of any deliberate neglect of any industry law.
The minutes of corporate boardrooms are littered with motions declaring compliance with all regulations that may lead to a COR breach. The responsibility for this compliance is then outsourced to operational management. This operational middle management then employs drivers on a cents-per-kilometre basis which in many quarters is seen as being tantamount to encouraging noncompliance with COR.
Meanwhile, corporate boardrooms are kept at arm’s length from the end of the chain.
The march of time, progress and change are relentless but the hardest things to change are attitudes and mindsets. There is only one thing that has remained constant in my time in the transport industry and that, is unless someone is prepared to open the right-hand door, put the keys in the ignition, crank the motor and sit there for hours at a time, and until viability is recognised as key, then the whole castle comes crashing down. That’s regardless if you prefer old school trucking or uptake the latest technology and gadgetry – and no matter what sort of trickery is engaged by enforcement.
It’s long past time when the legislators, regulators enforcers and corporates should change their attitudes and mindsets to recognise that this industry’s greatest asset is its people. Their actions have largely contributed to our industry reaching a point where not only can it no longer attract quality new entrants, it struggles to retain any experienced operators it already has.
My own change of mindset and attitude recently involves industry associations. I have long paid memberships to several industry associations believing that bought me a ticket to be critical of them whenever I desired.
In 2019 I accepted a fairly blunt challenge to become more involved with the National Road Freighters Association (NRFA). I won’t insult readers’ intelligence by suggesting that NRFA members are always on the same page concerning industry issues, but I can’t change minds and attitudes if I’m not talking to them.
So, here’s the challenge. If you want to see effective industry change and have fresh ideas, get involved in one of the associations. I can promise you that you’ll be welcomed with open arms. Old timers like myself and Rod Hannifey are looking forward to the day when we can sit on the porch reflecting as a new and vibrant group of people progress the industry through the next half century.
I’ve recently read a book by David W. Cameron – The Battles for Kokoda Plateau . The stories of these battles are particularly pertinent in the present Australian day and age. Many of the poor buggers who were involved in the life and death struggles at the start of the New Guinea campaigns had not even reached 21 years, and the majority were conscripts as the 39th battalion was a militia unit.
Despite the ‘boys’ having little to no training and facing vastly superior numbers and trained opposition, they stood their ground and blunted the Japanese advance – at great cost to effort and life.
Their story should be told in our nation’s classrooms. With our current attitude of self-first, second and I’ll have the leftovers too pertaining, I doubt we’ll ever see the same selfless sacrifice in the interests of public service. Mind, I’d hate to see that need arise and pray that it won’t.
The word ‘integrity’ – ‘Rigid
adherence to a code of behaviour; probity’ from my dictionary. In Brisbane’s Courier Mail , October 12, reporting on Professor Coaldrake’s understanding of integrity, it read: “The purpose of an integrity system in government is to ensure its agents – ministers, their staff, the public service and boards and staff of other government owned bodies – work fairly, honestly, openly and accountably in their interests of the public they serve, and not for the benefit of themselves or their interests”. If we apply the good professor’s integrity parameters to the broad Australian transport scene, then transport bureaucracy Australia-wide has a case to answer.
I’ve long been a critic of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). That criticism has been not for their being, but for the failure to advance the principle of one nation, one regulation. Indeed, one of its claimed success stories has, I consider, having been
to help undermine any responsible freight rate structure that might have existed beyond the industry’s ruthless competitive nature – namely PBS (performance-based standards).
Putting more ‘pudding’ on has long been a favourite past time of those in the industry wanting to gain a better rate per kilometre. Yes, I understand that one of the NHVR’s roadblocks has been the existence of other bureaucracies in state camps who are determined to maintain their vested roles. These days putting on more pudding can be done legally simply by simply buttering a bureaucrat – if one has the wherewithal to meet the requirements.
So, what has brought about this rambling? A report attributed to the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) calling for abolishing the National Transport Commission (NTC). Yes, I have long suspected a bureaucrat of having devised the term Australia, the lucky country. And it has been a lucky country for bureaucracy in recent years – well renumerated positions and never being called to task by politically correct slaves in the private sector.
So are we seeing some calling to the task? I hope so. And the ATA has a big case to answer itself in failing the industry too. It has become infatuated with simply being seen to be doing the right thing. Because so much of Australia’s driving population is ignorant of good driving etiquette, the ATA can get away with kudos in their glossy showpiece in the name of educating the driving public.
What percentage of the driving public gets to see their ‘Taj Mahal’? And how many of those who get to see it come away with an in-depth
knowledge and understanding of the physics of heavy vehicles.
I had the pleasure of travelling through Coffs Harbor at 4.4m wide the other day. Being that width, the pilot gave me both lanes for the duration. One of our enlightened motorists gave us the finger when Matt released the right lane after the southern round about. Ah, the joys of operating among a flock of selfcentred fools. Is it any wonder our road toll is where it is.
There are so many people ignorant of the real driving job description in positions of influence. Is it any wonder that we have a sign stating that if you can’t see my mirrors, I can’t see you. Like, one could see the mirrors from virtually any angle. Had it read, “If you can’t see me in my mirrors, I can’t see you” it might have some accuracy. But of course, if you don’t understand the job description, you wouldn’t know the difference.
“There are so many people ignorant of the real driving job description in positions of influence.”
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Drivers know all too well the physical and mental health challenges of life on the road. Hours of isolation behind the wheel, bursts of heavy lifting, and demanding delivery schedules can all put a strain on health and wellbeing.
It’s taxing work that requires the right energy foods, but maintaining a balanced diet while eating on the road can be challenging; drivers have an increased risk of health issues including high cholesterol, type
diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Viva Energy and Scott’s Refrigerated Logistics (ScottsRL) are teaming up to tackle this issue head-on. Their new Fuel Your Body campaign aims to inspire healthy eating habits by providing 1000 healthy food packs to drivers.
Emma Stuart, group HSSE (Health, Safety, Security, and Environment) manager at Viva Energy – Australia’s exclusive licensee and supplier of Shell fuels and lubricants – said that while servos and convenience stores have plenty of chips and lollies on offer, there are also some healthy choices.
“We packed over 1000 cooler bags for 1000 drivers,” Emma said.
“The bags contained tins of tuna, microwavable rice cups, protein bars, plain popcorn and water bottles – all healthier choices for on the road.”
Fuel Your Body is aiming for a lasting impact by inspiring realistic changes to daily eating habits – and recognising that changes must be achievable and not feel like a chore.
Think of the 80/20 rule – if 80 per cent of the food you consume is whole and minimally processed, 20 per cent can be a variety of other ‘special’ foods. So, you can still have a meat pie now and then!
From a mental and emotional wellbeing perspective, it’s about inspiring and supporting drivers to make good choices, most of the time.
Start small. Switch your soft drink to water, ease off the fried food, and add in fresh fruit, veggies and nuts to your snack bag.
Emma said the key is understanding that food is your fuel while driving to keep energy levels high, and help drivers stay alert and safe. The long-term health benefits are clear – adults who eat a healthy diet live longer and have a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
Emma says replacing soft drinks is a good place to start, and she’s personally seen the impact of people adding more water to their diet.
“We’re proud to be inspiring drivers to make that kind of change.”
In possibly the boldest and most ambitious move ever seen at an international trucking event, Volvo shocked the socks off visitors at the massive IAA commercial vehicle show in Germany by dispensing with diesel models altogether. Instead, the Swedish powerhouse went with an entirely battery-electric line-up featuring its new FM Electric and FH Electric prime movers, and leaving no doubt that for Volvo, tomorrow is already here. Steve Brooks reports from Sweden and Germany.
It’s an odd thing, but long experience drawn from many moments of corporate claptrap and executive evasion have caused me to quietly believe that in the trucking business, there are two types of Swede. The Volvo Swede and the Scania Swede, the Volvo variety almost always more conservative, guarded, reticent and dare I say, cynical than their competitive countrymen.
Why that is, well, perhaps it’s a mystery mired in mindsets dating back to each brand’s founding fathers. Whatever, from a perspective gathered over the past 40 years and more, it has never ceased to amaze and at times confound how two great and hugely successful companies from the same Scandinavian country of just 10 million steely souls can produce highly advanced, top-shelf trucks yet give the marked impression of being so distinctly different in corporate character, complexity and candour.
There have, however, also been rare times when that belief has been effectively flushed down the delusionary S-bend, and now is one of those times. Gone is the shallow rhetoric and dismissive denial, replaced by bold action and lavish language as Volvo embarks on a massive and clear-cut campaign to lead the western world in the promotion and provision of battery-electric trucks for medium and heavy-duty applications. And have no doubt, the Australian market and the assembly of battery-electric models at Volvo Group Australia’s (VGA) Wacol factory in Brisbane are high, very high, on the agenda.
Top: High times in Tuve. Factory production of heavyduty battery-electric models has started in earnest at Volvo’s Tuve plant. There are already firm plans to build electric trucks at Volvo’s Wacol (Qld) factory
Sure, Volvo isn’t alone in its ambition. Global supremo Daimler Truck is similarly lifting the lid on its technological achievements, furthering a mammoth push to deliver alternative energy sources, in the process also revealing an upcoming Australian test program for battery-electric Mercedes-Benz models to expand the inroads already made with its light-duty Fuso eCanter stablemate.
Yet, despite their intense rivalry with each other and everyone else, in every market in the world, Daimler Truck and Volvo Group – the two most dominant forces in global truck production – have joined forces to create a company called Cellcentric to develop and produce highly advanced fuel cells for the hydrogenfuelled electric models each now has under development.
For its part, Volvo admits it already has prototypes running and says it will start testing hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks with customers in 2025 before moving to factory production before the end of this decade. Daimler, too, has prototypes running (see our ‘Charging Ahead’ feature story in OwnerDriver’s October issue), with insiders quietly conceding that on current indications, production is likely to start in either 2027 or 2028.
Nonetheless, as things stand at the moment, hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks ostensibly targeted for heavy-duty longhaul work are still some years down the technological track. On the other hand, battery-electric models for shorthaul duties are now front and centre, with none seemingly more intent or arguably better prepared to take the lead in the heavy-duty field than Volvo, now with six all-electric models to cover a broad range of medium and heavy-duty roles. Obviously enough, five of the six are cab-overs – the FL, FE, FM, FMX and FH. The lone conventional is the VNR Electric for the North American market and who knows, maybe one day a version in either Volvo or Mack guise for our neck of the woods.
However, it was the recent European launch and factory production of FM Electric and FH Electric prime movers along with an FMX Electric construction specialist which have equipped the Swedish maker with absolute bragging rights in the big end of the battery-electric space: Bragging rights that were showcased loud and clear at the vast IAA commercial vehicle exhibition at Hanover, Germany, in September where every truck on the Volvo stand was battery powered.
By any measure, the decision to display no diesel models whatsoever was a gutsy and blatantly aggressive move by Volvo. Possibly risky, too, given that internal combustion engines are sure to remain the mainstay of the heavy-duty trucking industry for at least a decade or more as much of the world steadily, yet
It’s an easy, uncluttered drive of three hours or so from Gothenburg in Sweden to the Norwegian capital Oslo, on excellent roads that don’t deteriorate at the border.
There were some electric cars sharing the highway, but not many. Approaching Oslo’s outskirts though, things changed. Dramatically.
It’s late morning on a soft autumn Saturday and Oslo’s residents are on the move, simply doing the things weekends bring. The thing is, many are moving in electric cars or vans of one sort or another and suddenly, Norway’s reputation for carbon neutral conscience becomes palpably plain.
Cars and vans are not, however, the only indicators of what appears to be a national fixation for fossil-free transport among the country’s five and a half
“The decision to display no diesel models whatsoever was a gutsy and blatantly aggressive move by Volvo.”
A small country with big ideals, Norway has become something of a global showpiece for automotive electrification and according to one prominent trucking company, it’s simply good for business
million residents. Indeed, around 30 percent of trucks grossing more than 16 tonnes in the Oslo region are said to be battery-electric models, mainly Volvo.
On the city’s industrial fringe, for instance, the senior executive of a transport company largely specialising in shorthaul tipper work has arrived at the Volvo Norway dealership to explain why electric trucks simply make good business sense.
Polite and articulate, but soon enough revealing a hardened commercial edge, Gilberto Enkerlin is managing director of Tom Wilhelmsen AS, a high profile family-owned business in operation for 10 years which in 2020 became the first company in Norway to use fully electric tipper trucks for construction work.
However, Gilberto insists there was nothing rushed or spontaneous about the decision to put electric trucks into the fleet. Sure, much like the rest of
the country, the company was intent on building a brighter, more sustainable future but it took two years of detailed analysis and consideration before battery-electric trucks were seen as a significant contributor to achieving its goals, both commercial and environmental.
With the decision made to start the process, a three-axle Volvo FE electric rigid tipper model joined the operation in 2020 and Gilberto admits, there was initially strong reluctance among drivers to sample the new technology. But attitudes changed quickly and now, with 37 drivers in the company, he says there is only one diesel diehard who refuses to accept the electric alternative. “All the other drivers are extremely happy,” he insists.
Today, there are seven electric FE rigid tippers in the 34 truck fleet, soon to be joined by two new FMX Electric models for truck and trailer work. Asked simply if the move to electric trucks has been commercially and operationally successful, an emphatic Gilberto says, “Absolutely.”
There were early challenges, he concedes, but these were steadily overcome and mentioning that the company buys its trucks outright rather than leasing or financing, he asserts that productivity has easily surpassed expectations despite the electric version being around three times more expensive than a diesel equivalent.
On the recharging issue, he explains it takes 45 to 60 minutes each day to recharge the trucks and this is usually done during the driver’s mandatory rest breaks.
Meantime, with heavy steel tipping bodies and the weight of four batteries driving electric motors, tare weight of the FE six-wheelers is just shy of 14 tonnes but with an allowable gross weight of 27 tonnes – which includes a one tonne electric vehicle allowance – Gilberto asserts the payload of the electric truck is “near enough” to diesel models. Again, he’s adamant that productivity has surpassed initial expectations and emphasises that the trucks have endured the workloads exceptionally well.
“We have pushed these trucks even beyond Volvo’s limits,” he openly declares.
Socially, the electric trucks have been entirely successful, Gilberto continues, explaining that with the majority of the company’s workload in suburban areas, vastly reduced noise levels have been warmly welcomed by residents.
All up, the introduction of electric trucks has been successful on every level, he attests, leading to the company being announced as an official climate partner in the city of Oslo and reinforcing its commitment to establishing a zero emissions operation by 2025.
“In 2023, almost 50 percent of the company’s machinery will be emissionsfree,” he remarked.
Yet despite Tom Wilhelmsen’s satisfaction with Volvo electric trucks, it’s a forthright Gilberto Enkerlin who says the company is agnostic when it comes to the various brands.
He simply states that Volvo currently has the best option for the company’s needs and while ever that remains the case, its trucks will continue to be bought.
Or as he succinctly says, “We’re dedicated to the productivity of the truck, not the brand of the truck.”
Above: Around 30 percent of trucks grossing more than 16 tonnes in the Oslo region are said to be battery-electric models. Recharging time in the Wilhelmsen fleet is between 45 and 60 minutes.
Below, L to R: In 2023, half of the machinery in the Wilhelmsen operation will be emissions-free; Managing director of Tom Wilhelmsen AS, Gilberton Enkerlin insists productivity of the company’s Volvo FE electric trucks has exceeded all expectations.
inevitably, transitions to a future increasingly less dependent on fossil fuels.
But this was Volvo with a visionary and profoundly public purpose, and risky or not, Volvo Trucks president Roger Alm was in no mood for negative nuances or softly stated assertions during a meeting with a small group of Australian truck journalists soon after he presented Volvo’s all-electric exhibit to hundreds of automotive reporters from Europe and around the world. Upbeat, excited and proudly passionate, Alm’s point was simple and strong: Volvo won’t be waiting for the world to catch up, intent on driving its own agenda “… to influence customers in the transition which is so important”.
Europe, it was an earnest Roger Alm who declares Australia’s importance to Volvo’s electric ambitions, seated alongside other heavy hitters in the form of Jessica Sandström, Volvo’s head of global product management and sustainability, and Per-Erik Lindström, senior vice-president of Volvo Trucks International. By any measure, it was a top tier group facing a handful of truck writers from a relatively small market but from across the table, the message was united and unequivocal, with Alm leading the charge: “Australia will be a driver of the transformation (and) I promise we will be producing them in Wacol.”
It has since been announced that electric truck production at Wacol will start in 2025.
“Australia is a very important market for Volvo Group (and) manufacturing in Wacol will be important in achieving the transformation,” Jessica Sandström adds, while in response to a question about Australia’s political commitment to carbon neutral vehicles, a blunt Per-Erik Lindström says simply, “Government assistance would help speed up the transformation in Australia.”
Bottom: Head of Volvo’s global product management and sustainability, Jessica Sandström declares manufacturing at the Wacol (Qld) factory is an imperative for Volvo’s alternative energy aspirations
“We are focussing on our future. In 2030, 50 per cent of our global volume will be electric,” he says with complete confidence, adding, “The electric alternative will become a competitive advantage for us and our customers.”
Meanwhile, and with a focus obviously stretching far beyond
Assistance or not though, Volvo will be pushing hard. As Roger Alm stated just a few days earlier in a press release announcing the factory production of heavy-duty electric trucks, “This is a milestone and proves that we are leading the transformation of the industry. It’s less than two years since we showcased our heavy electric trucks for the very first time. Now we are ramping up volumes and will deliver to customers all over Europe, and later on to customers in Asia, Australia and Latin America.”
From our observations, it’ll be sooner rather than later for the Australian market.
Adding to the case for battery-electric trucks and likewise, fomenting Volvo’s fervor, an extensive survey of 100 leading e-commerce and manufacturing companies in eight European countries reports that almost 80 percent of those interviewed are willing to pay more for a transport supplier who exudes little or no CO2 emissions.
Conducted by research company Ipsos on behalf of Volvo, the survey also found that 85 percent of the companies interviewed are prepared to change transport suppliers if they don’t meet their requirements. What’s more, 60 percent believe they risk losing customers within the next three years if they can’t meet their consumer’s demand for deliveries with little or zero CO2 output.
In a press statement on the report’s findings, Roger Alm asserts, “It means we will see a massive shift in the industry in coming years. Going electric means more business opportunities.”
Consequently, his confidence in what could easily amount to a competitive coup with the latest electric models carrying gross weight ratings up to 44 tonnes, seems entirely justified given that in the shorthaul applications best suited to battery-electric trucks – let’s say, daily runs up to 300km or so – Volvo can claim the most complete range of factory-produced medium and heavy-duty electric models in the business.
It’s worth noting, too, that according to European studies,
45 percent of all goods transported by road in Europe travel less than 300km, further validating Volvo’s decision to jump headlong into the battery-electric spotlight.
Put simply, the electric FH, FM and FMX are effectively extensions of Volvo’s existing and highly successful diesel range, thereby giving the Swedish brand a timely extra string to its business bow as freight companies consider transitioning like never before to cleaner, quieter and socially sensitive electric alternatives for metro and shorthaul applications.
Still, there were times when Roger Alm’s commentary to his Australian audience bordered on idealistic, pushing the climate barrow to the moral high ground. “We need to change and handle the world differently (and) Volvo is making a stand and 100 percent focused on emissions achievements,” he enthused. Even so, there was also a constant commercial vibe, not least in the creation of a vital “… business model to take care of batteries after their first life.” Or, what he described as, “A gold contract service and battery program.”
Battery life is, of course, a major factor in the business case for electric trucks and fast-paced technology continues to make significant gains in performance and longevity, with Alm almost casually mentioning that Volvo has now progressed to its third generation of batteries.
As a Volvo press statement further explains, ‘The high energy density traction batteries use the latest generation of lithium-ion cell technology (and) an electric truck with six battery packs has … a range of up to 300km.’ However, as company insiders regularly remarked, driving range is an indeterminate measure, dependent on many factors similar to diesel models, such as load, ease or severity of the route, and driving style. Indeed, a heavy right foot will syphon electric power just as effectively as it drains diesel.
Typically perhaps, Volvo’s new electric trucks offer two ways of charging: AC charging up to 43kW, which the company says is ideal for overnight charging, or with a much faster 250kW charger which makes it possible to charge up to 80 per cent of battery capacity in less than 90 minutes.
Technology, however, doesn’t stand still and along with its all-electric exhibit at Hanover, Volvo unveiled a fully electric rear axle designed as an alternative to the existing I-shift automated transmission in electric models. The main goal of the e-axle is, however, to free up chassis space for more batteries, thereby increasing driving range. Or as Volvo puts it, ‘The
new e-axle allows even more batteries on the truck by integrating the transmission into the rear axle (to) create opportunities for long distance transports to also be electrified.’
But don’t hold your breath just yet. “In a few years, we will add this new rear e-axle for customers covering longer routes than today,” says Jessica Sandström, perhaps suggesting the e-axle will come on stream around 2025 when customer trials start on Volvo’s hydrogen fuel cell electric truck.
It is, quite simply, all part of a bigger picture which isn’t yet entirely clear as Volvo and other major players pursue three distinct paths to reaching zero emissions; battery electric, fuel cell electric and internal combustion engines that run on renewable fuels like biogas, hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) or so-called ‘green hydrogen’ produced by energy from wind, solar or hydro systems.
Whatever, “We will continue to push the boundaries of technology,” an emphatic Jessica Sandström remarks.
Asked if Volvo’s research and development (R&D) budget now favours alternative energies over traditional powertrains, a smiling yet somewhat cautious Roger Alm replies, “We are investing in all modes,” quickly adding that Volvo’s upcoming annual report would outline the R&D spending split in more detail. Next question, please!
Volvo’s Tuve truck manufacturing factory on the outskirts of corporate HQ in Gothenburg is much like any other factory that has been doing much the same thing for a very long time. And much like most truck factories nowadays, phobic corporate decree says ‘no photos’ other than those issued and carefully choreographed by media minders.
Even so, balloons and streamers still hanging in the main foyer at least hinted that our small group was one of the first to visit the plant since the official start just two days earlier of FH Electric and FM Electric truck production at Tuve. Next year, Volvo’s factory
in Ghent, Belgium, will also start producing heavyduty electric trucks and in both locations, the electric versions will be built on the same lines as their diesel counterparts to maximize production efficiencies.
Importantly, batteries for the electric models will also come from Ghent where Volvo has commissioned a new battery assembly plant.
It is, of course, still early days for electric truck production but a tour of the Tuve plant at least highlighted the alterations made to accommodate the installation of hefty batteries and electric motor drive units, and a dedicated area for the safe activation of high voltage batteries and wiring harnesses. Eventually, much the same alterations will be made at VGA’s Wacol factory to build electric trucks for the Australian market.
Most notably though, it was soon apparent that Tuve had been producing electric models for considerably more than the past two days and at a far end of the factory stood a freshly built truck we
“Australia will be a driver of the transformation (and) I promise we will be producing them in Wacol.”
probably weren’t supposed to notice. At least, not this early in the program.
This particular FM Electric prime mover was in right-hand drive form and initial thoughts that it was intended for the UK market were quashed after a quick peek at a shipping slip stuck to the windscreen pointed to … yep, Brisbane!
While Volvo’s minders would confirm or deny nothing, it was easy to surmise this particular truck is an advance trial unit for the Australian market. Right now, the cone of silence has descended on when this truck or any others from the new electric line-up will arrive in Australia, but it’d be short odds that the early part of 2023 will reveal more details as local tests advance. Likewise, it’s a fair bet this and other electric trucks will be prominent on a couple of stands at next year’s Brisbane Truck Show. For now, stay tuned!
Meantime, the long trip to Sweden and Germany was obviously far more revealing than a stroll through the Tuve plant or even a hectic day at the huge Hanover truck show. Volvo was, in fact, determined to not only showcase the on-road performance and build quality of its new electric flagships, but also emphasise what it sees as VGA’s key contribution to furthering the benefits of carbon-free energy sources while achieving a distinct commercial advantage as Australian freight companies and their customers gradually engage with the inevitability of a move away from fossil fuels.
Australia is, of course, just one part of a program to tap into as many markets and as many applications as possible by not only creating battery-electric FH, FM and FMX models with gross weight ratings up to 44 tonnes, but also offering two chassis heights, wheelbases from 3800 to 6700mm and trucks in two, three and four-axle configurations, built on the same cab and chassis platforms as their diesel or gas-powered counterparts.
The great difference, to state the obvious, is that motive power comes from three electric motors coupled to Volvo’s supersuccessful I-shift 12-speed automated transmission. Critically, I-shift is programmed with what Volvo says is, ‘a unique new gear shifting strategy optimised for electric operations (and) together, the motors and gearbox form a powerful electric drive unit that offers unprecedented, high-efficiency drivability with a combined electric motor power output of 490kW (666hp) and gearbox torque up to 28,000Nm.’
What’s more, “Because the truck always starts in the highest possible gear, energy efficiency and savings are achieved thanks to minimized gear shifting,” says Jonas Odermalm, vice-president of electro-mobility product management. “At the same time, lower gears are of course available for steep roads or in starting situations that require additional torque and control.”
Importantly, he says there are also three power take-off options – an all-electric 40kW system, a 70kW electro-mechanical unit and a 150kW gearbox-mounted option.
Beyond all the talk and tours though, a big attraction was obviously time behind the wheel on Swedish roads in loaded FM and FH versions and for this, Volvo appeared to be making a special effort for its visitors from the other side of Earth.
For starters, Volvo press test director Tobias Bergman was keen to highlight a number of salient facts, not least that the move to electrification represents the largest transformation in history
Opposite top: Volvo’s threepronged electric charge in Europe includes an FMX configured for construction roles
Above: With up to six batteries providing the energy, motive power comes from three electric motors dispensing more than 660hp through Volvo’s slick I-shift transmission. Performance is super smooth and super strong
Below: Fresh off the production line, an FM Electric swings past a fuel station it will never need
Swedish mining company Kaunis Iron is investing half a billion Swedish Krona (A$70.3 million) in a bid to make its haulage operation completely fossil-free by 2025, with Volvo electric trucks at the forefront of plans.
Often working in severe Arctic conditions, the company transports ore around the clock over a 160 km route in northern Sweden, currently operating a fleet of 30 diesel-powered Volvo trucks hauling gross weights of 90 tonnes.
It will, however, next year start trials of Volvo electric trucks initially at gross combination weights of 74 tonnes before progressing to 90 tonnes.
According to a company statement, the ultimate goal is to switch to battery-electric trucks for heavy transportation and operate completely fossil-free with zero CO2 emissions.
“Our goal is to achieve fossil-free transport by 2025,” says Lars Wallgren, head of logistics at Kaunis Iron. “We are working hard right now to solve our transport with electric trucks. If we succeed, we can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 15,000 tonnes per year at the current production rate.”
The Kaunis Iron trial follows the testing of a Volvo FMX Electric truck in the northern winter of 2021 where Arctic conditions pushed temperatures deeper than -30 degrees C.
for heavy commercial vehicles and to emphasise its commitment to electric models, Volvo had been providing battery-electric prototypes for European customer and media evaluations since midway through 2021.
Yet in what probably amounted to a simple case of good timing, our visit came just a day or so after the first production units rolled off the Tuve line, with two spanking new examples handed over for short but revealing runs.
In typical Euro configuration, both were single-drive prime movers: an FH coupled to a tri-axle van on wide profile single tyres and said to be grossing around 38 tonnes, and an FM towing a short tandem trailer also on super singles, grossing 35 tonnes or thereabouts. On the inside, one of the few notable differences was that the FH retained an I-shift selector whereas the FM had the ‘fleet spec’ push pad.
Differences or not, driving each of these stunningly smooth trucks was an absolute delight and while it’d be easy to write long and lavishly about the amazingly quiet interior, the operational simplicity and the marvellously well-mannered road handling enhanced by Volvo’s dynamic steering system, the simple fact is that words (or at least, my words) fail to impart the raw reality of driving Volvo’s electric prime movers.
These are the heaviest electric trucks I’ve yet driven and akin to experiences in other brands, performance was nothing short of outstanding. Again though, only time at the wheel can fully tell the story of just how strong, how smooth and how simple the electric truck experience can be.
Lift-off torque output was phenomenal with the 12-speed I-shift transmission selecting 7th gear for starts, then one shift to 10th before moving into top gear. Incredible, but begging the question, ‘is I-shift simply too much transmission for the inherent strength of an electric drivetrain?’
The short answer is ‘yes’, but until the arrival in a few years of the new e-axle with its inbuilt transmission and final drive ratios, the slick automated 12-speeder will obviously continue to do the job and in the process, provide the flexibility for those applications where deeper lift-off gearing may be required.
Admittedly, time in the electric Volvos was short but equally
Top: Home on the electric range. FM Electric, FH Electric and FMX Electric. At the heavy end of the battery-electric business, Volvo has taken a lead
Above: A mock-up of Volvo’s upcoming rear e-axle. It’s still a few years away but will free up space for more batteries by replacing the traditional multispeed transmission
long enough to further reinforce the belief that, for devotees and detractors alike, only time behind the wheel can truly testify to the capabilities of battery-electric trucks for modern freight applications. In this regard, our high hope right now is that Volvo Group Australia will grant a more extensive run under local conditions once its trial truck(s) start work in the near future, and in the process provide some real world context to the operational range of an electric truck.
Until then, of course, there’s still much work to be done and many concerns still to be eased.
Purchase cost, for instance, is generally figured at three times more than an equivalent diesel model but historically, higher sales volumes and greater competition have a way of bringing costs down.
As several Volvo people also mentioned, the training of mechanics and technicians will be vital to the initial and ongoing acceptance of the new technologies, along with a strong focus on driver training.
Then there’s battery life and likewise, the issue of recycling and remanufacturing batteries. In this regard, a new division in Sweden called Volvo Energy has been created with battery efficiency high on the agenda.
Meantime, with batteries weighing around 500kg each, tare weight increases considerably in a battery-electric truck and while Volvo wasn’t specific on the respective weights of the trucks driven in Sweden, it was easy to figure that with six batteries, the single-drive prime movers probably tared close to 10 tonnes. However, the European Union offers a two-tonne allowance for trucks with zero emissions and maybe, Australian authorities will ultimately see some benefit in allowing a similar concession. Maybe, but let’s not hold our breath.
Yet arguably the biggest issue of all is recharging infrastructure and Volvo insiders all the way up to president Roger Alm insist that major inroads continue to be made as energy providers, political influencers, freight companies and their customers, and of course, major corporations such as Volvo combine to pave the way for carbon-neutral road transport across Europe and far beyond.
How Volvo Group Australia intends to play its part in achieving increased infrastructure or gaining weight concessions for electric trucks remains to be seen, but its input and influence will be essential if Volvo’s new electric trucks are to realise the market impact Sweden genuinely believes possible and no doubt, expects.
As for the actual trucks, the first samples suggest Volvo has done a brilliant job.
“Only time at the wheel can fully tell the story of just how strong, how smooth and how simple the electric truck experience can be.”
It’s not too often that the opportunity arises to drive 10 different truck models in one day. However, that’s exactly what happened on a recent Isuzu Trucks drive from its Truganina headquarters in Melbourne to the wet, wild and picturesque coastline around Torquay. It also provided an opportunity to catch up with the Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) team and hear about their new and upcoming developments.
The truck line-up on the overcast day ranged from the half-tonne GVM NLR 45-150 Service Pack X through to the 30 tonne FYJ 300-350 auto agitator. Not that Isuzu Australia is feeling pressure to promote its range; it’s perennially and comfortably
entrenched in top spot in both light and medium duty sales segments, only falling short in the heavy duty market due to the lack of a prime mover in its ranks.
Nine out of 10 trucks came with Automated Manual Transmission (AMT), including the three car-licensed N Series representatives. As well as the NLR, the ‘convoy’ included an NPR 45/55 155 Tradepack Premium and an NNR 45-150 AMT crew cab.
It’s a reflection of, not only Isuzu, but the truck market in general that automatics or AMTs are in the majority nowadays.
The non-auto truck, the FSR 140-260 tipper with PTO, came with Isuzu’s own six-speed manual, with synchro from second to sixth gear. Forget first, the FSR comfortably moves on from a standing start in second.
Others in the F series were a mix of tippers and Freightpacks. Of interest is that the FXY240-350 6x4 boasts a heavy duty 4430 Allison transmission. A key point of difference, according to Isuzu Australia’s engineering support manager Jeff Gibson.
“It’s a proper heavy duty transmission,” Gibson points out.
“Some of our competitors might have a 3200 series transmission; the start-ability is not so good and not designed for that heavy haul type operation, and it also has limited GCM.
“We have a full 45 tonne GCM on this product.”
The trucks were loaded with around 75 per cent of GCM, apart from the FYJ agitator which had an empty bowl.
Simon Humphries, Isuzu’s chief engineer, product strategy, added that the FRR, FRD and FSR models have joined their N Series stablemates as coming equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, or ADAS.
ADAS includes, among other aids, advanced emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning (FCW), distance warning system (DWS) and lane departure warning (LDW), the latter being put to good use on the undulating and winding roads around the eastern end and surrounding areas of Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.
In addition, Isuzu announced that the locally designed MyIsuzu Co-Pilot AV and Multimedia Unit, already across medium-duty F Series and heavyduty FX and FY Series ranges, will shortly become standard across the new N Series models.
The multimedia’s 10.1-inch screen, which is angled to the driver’s position, offers an interface that prioritises user preference and operational efficiencies, with an option for sequential monitoring of surrounds or cargo when paired with up to four external cameras.
Isuzu says the key features of the MyIsuzu Co-Pilot include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, Android Automotive operation system, full HD screen at 1080p plus 32GB onboard storage, AM/ FM/DAB+ radio with internet radio smartphone connection, two USB ports with USB3.0 and Wi-Fi connectivity.
“The addition of this upgrade to the new N Series is a genuine learning for light truck operators,” Simon Humphries says. “When coupled with the advanced safety technology and the comprehensive
Isuzu Australia has the trucks to fill almost all vocational needs and remains top of the pops in light and medium duty sales, despite supply issues and an uncertain economy. Greg Bush gets the guff from the Isuzu crew while checking out the Japanese manufacturer’s current range
after sales support mechanisms Isuzu has in place, the package is complete to say the least.”
Looking further down the track, Isuzu says its aim to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions globally by 2050 is the ultimate goal. However, Grant Cooper, Isuzu Australia’s chief of strategy, says there is a roadmap towards 2030 that has recently been set up. This includes delivering a carbon neutral vehicle line-up that meets the diverse needs of its customer base.
“To accelerate this development Isuzu announced as part of the CJPT Alliance, a program to be based at Fukushima and Tokyo to promote the widespread uptake of commercial EVs,” Cooper says.
“The program will see almost 600 trucks consisting of HD and fuel cell EVs, light duty and LCV battery electrics, be these operating with an energy management system, integrating charging hydrogen filling infrastructure.
“Plus, in addition, the program will harvest operational management data to reduce downtime and identify optimal charging, timing and load balancing among the network.”
CJPT, or the Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation, is a collaboration between Isuzu, Denso, Toyota and Hino. Cooper says the benefits from such programs will begin trickling to Australia down in 2023 when Isuzu
“Like the applications that have been focused on in Japan, we too will concentrate on those applications that best leverage the performance characteristics of these trucks, namely last mile logistics and local government applications.
“We at IAL remain focused on delivering an alternative powertrain program that firstly means a legendary reliability, is fit for purpose in its given application and, lastly, makes commercial sense on the total cost of ownership,” he says.
Cooper says while Isuzu continues to investigate numerous technological parts, it is essentially hedging its bets to deliver on the carbon neutral strategy.
“This is evident in two announcements made as part of the CJPT Alliance recently. Firstly, the planning and foundational research of hydrogen engines has commenced for heavy duty commercial vehicles with the aim of further utilising internal combustion engines as one option to achieve carbon neutrality.
“We’re seeing a similar approach now across the industry from a number of areas. A case in point is obviously developments for a fuel-agnostic ICE (international combustion engine) powertrain,” Cooper says.
“Secondly, CJPT has begun studying the standardisation and commercialisation of replaceable and rechargeable cartridge batteries as part of energy management efforts for achieving a carbon neutral society.”
Cooper says the key points addressed through this include production and the cost due to the smaller batteries, reduced charging times resulting in increased uptime for businesses, and assisting in balancing electric grid demand.
“Again, I reiterate, this is an investigation by the CJPT Alliance and another one that we will be observing the results with great interest here in Australia.”
In the meantime, IAL director chief operating officer Andrew Harbison says Isuzu was hoping to see the introduction of ADR80/04 or Euro 6 emission regulations for heavy vehicles in 2023. However, those emission standards will now be phased in from November 2024.
“Having had the mandatory Euro 5 for heavy vehicles for more than 11 years now and counting, we expect that the current thinking will be confirmed that Euro 6 compliant engines for all new trucks sold will be required by late 2024 and for all new trucks sold either around the end of 2025 or early 2026.”
Harbison says while there’s been solid support for cleaner trucks, industry needed improved clarification on the timing of the new emission limits. The response arrived on October
Opposite top: The FSR 140-260 Freightpack takes the scenic route
Opposite bottom: Isuzu’s NLR 45/150 Servicepack is ready to work
Above: Isuzu’s FXY 240-350 comes with anti-lock braking system
Right: Grant Cooper, Isuzu Australia’s chief of strategy says customer tests with factorysourced light duty battery electric trucks will start in 2023
“We have a full 45
on this product.”Australia commences customer tests with the factory-sourced light duty battery electric trucks.
13 with the Federal Government’s decision to being phasing in Euro 6 in two years time.
“I guess we scratch our heads as to why it hasn’t been rolled out today,” Harbison says.
Currently, in broader economic terms, he says the cost of living and inflationary pressures is affecting everyone from households to small and medium businesses, including road transport. Despite this, he adds that strong retail spending by consumers is maintaining demand for freight movements and deliveries.
“So, despite some negative messaging, our own intelligence and key indicators continue to point to a positive picture for sustained sales growth in the Australian truck market in the medium to long term.
“We expect to continue to see sales records continue to fall as the year progresses and as we’re heading into 2023.”
Harbison points out that one of the drivers behind the growth is the former Coalition Government’s introduction of the instant asset write-off scheme which is due to end mid next year. However, the scheme is being countered by supply
Top: The FXY 240-350 boasts 257kW, or 350hp
Above right: The FYJ agitator battles Victoria’s inclement weather
Bottom: The NNR 45-150 AMT Crew Cab comes with ADAS
delays, a situation that is impacting on truck manufacturers and importers.
“Albeit entirely necessary as a fiscal measure, it has become increasingly clear that there needs to be a revision to the cut-off date,” Harbison says.
“While first designated to expire at the end of June 2020, under the then uncertain future in the face of COVID, the scheme was extended to eligible new assets first held, used or installed by June 30, 2023.
“With nine months remaining of the instant asset write-off program, original equipment manufacturers such as Isuzu are already under immense pressure to be able to deliver finished trucks to our customers.”
Harbison says if trucks, including body builds, are not delivered within this timeframe, the customer falls outside the eligibility for the program.
“It’s becoming more difficult in an unforgiving position for all parties given the current supply chain challenges.
“I’d like to note that the current cut-off represents a serious issue of businesses far beyond just us. There are a multitude of affiliated businesses from bodybuilders to component suppliers that are heavily affected by the current deadline.”
Harbison says the broader industry viability must be taken into account regarding considerations around extending the delivery timeline.
“Based on current projections, the June 2023 deadline must be adjusted to reflect the realities of the market, taking into account equipment delivery delays.
“This is a position that is supported by the Truck Industry Council and they have been extremely active on this front with engagements with the Department of Treasury and Finance,” Harbison says.
“We hope to bring all industry stakeholders positive views on this front soon.”
Scania and Rio Tinto have announced the development of more agile autonomous haul trucks at a mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region to pursue potential environmental and productivity benefits.
The two companies have established a long-term research and development collaboration agreement for the continuous advancement of this autonomous technology, under which Rio Tinto’s Channar mine has become the first active partner site for Scania’s autonomous mining solution. The partnership also includes options for the future transition to electric-powered vehicles.
Rio Tinto and Scania launched new trials on Scania’s 40-tonnepayload autonomous mining trucks in April 2022 and quickly reached a key milestone of driverless operation in a simulated load and haul cycle environment.
Rio Tinto Group technical managing director Santi Pal says Rio Tinto was excited to partner with Scania to develop a mining solution which will create
optionality across their diverse portfolio.
“Collaboration and partnership is key to reimagining mining in the future,” Pal says.
“Our climate action plan
achieving that. As well as the potential decarbonisation benefits, this partnership provides a path to potential productivity improvements.”
Scania vice president and head of autonomous solutions, Peter Hafmar, says with Rio Tinto’s dedication to achieving cleaner, more energy-efficient operations, it was the ideal partner and first customer for Scania as Rio Tinto seeks to put mining on a pathway to net zero emissions.
“This is a major step towards the goals of a sustainable autonomous mining solution, and builds on our already fruitful long-term collaboration.”
Scania says its trucks have potential advantages over traditional heavy haulage trucks, both in terms of emissions and productivity.
It adds that utilising Scania’s autonomous mining trucks, energy requirements, mining footprint and infrastructure requirements can be reduced, meaning that capital and operating expenses may also be reduced at suitable sites.
includes phasing out the purchase of new diesel haul trucks by 2030, and partnering with industry leaders, such as Scania, across a range of fields, is an important step towards
Engineers from the University of NSW in Sydney have announced the successful conversion of a diesel engine to run as a hydrogen-diesel hybrid engine – reducing CO2 emissions by more than 85 per cent in the process.
The team, led by Professor Shawn Kook from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, is said to have spent around 18 months developing the Hydrogen-Diesel Direct Injection Dual-Fuel System that means existing diesel engines can run using 90 per cent hydrogen as fuel.
The researchers say that any diesel engine used in trucks and power equipment in the transportation, agriculture and mining industries could ultimately be retrofitted to the new hybrid system in just a couple of months.
Green hydrogen, which is produced using clean renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, is much more environmentally friendly than diesel.
In a paper published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Professor Kook’s team showed that using their patented hydrogen injection system reduces CO2 emissions to just 90g/kWh – 85.9 per cent below the amount produced by the diesel powered engine.
“This new technology significantly reduces CO2 emissions from existing diesel engines, so it could play a big part in making our carbon footprint much smaller, especially in Australia with all our mining, agriculture and other heavy industries where diesel engines are widely used,” Kook says.
“We have shown that we can take those existing diesel engines and convert them into cleaner engines that burn hydrogen fuel.
“Being able to retrofit diesel engines that are already out there is much quicker than waiting for the development of completely new fuel cell systems that might not be commercially available at a larger scale for at least a decade.
“With the problem of carbon emissions and climate change, we need some more immediate solutions to deal with the issue of these many diesel engines currently in use,” Kook explains.
The UNSW team’s solution to the problem maintains the original diesel injection into the engine, but adds a hydrogen fuel injection directly into the cylinder.
The collaborative research, performed with Dr Shaun Chan and Professor Evatt Hawkes, found that specifically timed hydrogen
direct injection controls the mixture condition inside the cylinder of the engine, which resolves the problem of harmful nitrogen oxide emissions that have been a major hurdle for commercialisation of hydrogen engines.
“If you just put hydrogen into the engine and let it all mix together you will get a lot of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, which is a significant cause of air pollution and acid rain,” Kook continues.
“But we have shown in our system if you make it stratified – that is in some areas there is more hydrogen and in others there is less hydrogen – then we can reduce the NOx emissions below that of a purely diesel engine.”
Importantly, the new HydrogenDiesel Direct Injection Dual-Fuel System does not require extremely
high purity hydrogen which must be used in alternative hydrogen fuel cell systems and is more expensive to produce.
Compared to existing diesel engines, an efficiency improvement of more than 26 per cent has been shown in the diesel-hydrogen hybrid. That improved efficiency is achieved by independent control of hydrogen direct injection timing, as well as diesel injection timing, enabling full control of combustion modes
Hino Australia has announced the further extension of its dealership network, opening a brand-new dealership at Sale in Victoria’s Gippsland region.
“We warmly welcome Gippsland automotive stalwart David Turnbull and his family-led team to Hino – in addition to running a successful Toyota dealership for over 30 years in Yarram and Sale, David hails from a family with a rich automotive heritage spanning four generations over 70 years in the Gippsland region,” says Richard Emery, vice president brand and franchise development for Hino Australia.
“Gippsland is a region best known for its primary production such as mining, power generation and farming, which are industries that our Hino range of light,
medium and heavy-duty trucks are particularly suited to,” he continues.
Dealer principal David Turnbull says he is enthusiastic about joining the Hino network.
“Having owned and operated Hino trucks and buses for over 60 years as part of our Turnbull Hire business and rural school bus operations, we identified an exciting opportunity to further expand the Turnbull Group to open Turnbull Hino, a full-service truck dealership in Sale.
“We have always been impressed with the quality, durability and reliability of Hino products, and are very excited to now offer these products to the broader Gippsland community.
“The Turnbull Group is focused on supporting our local community – our goal is to provide better support to our local transport industries and
– premixed or mixing-controlled hydrogen combustion.
The research team hope to be able to commercialise the new system in the next 12 to 24 months and are keen to consult with prospective investors.
trades that would have previously travelled hours to Melbourne for sales, servicing and repairs,” Turnbull says.
The dealership is a purpose-built, brand-new facility.
“Planning began for the new building three years ago, and throughout the build we focused on using as many local tradespeople as possible,” Turnbull points out.
The Turnbull Hino dealership features an indoor showroom with guest lounge, large parts storage facility, seven service bays and a wash bay.
Richard Emery as well as key officials and regular Turnbull Group customers recently attended the official opening, coinciding with the arrival of the Hino National Roadshow.
The Hino convoy is currently travelling over 130,000km around the country, bringing its range of next-generation trucks valued at over $3 million.
“The concept of the Hino Roadshow is fantastic and was a perfect way to celebrate our official opening,” Turnbull continues.
“We showcased vehicles from across the 300, 500 and 700 Series range, while also celebrating 80 years of Hino globally.
“The entire model line-up has received significant enhancements over the past five years, and it is a terrific opportunity for our new customers to see a selection of award-winning light, medium and heavy-duty trucks.”
ABOVE: The Hydrogen-Diesel Direct Injection Dual-Fuel System has been developed by a team from the UNSW Engine Research Laboratory led by Professor Shawn Kook (right), and including Xinyu Liu (back left) and Jinxin Yang (front left)
According to Bendix, most drivers accept that brake pads, brake shoes, disc brake rotors and brake drums are wear and tear items that will need periodic replacing, but what about brake calipers?
On vehicles fitted with disc brakes, calipers play a crucial role within the braking system, using their hydraulic muscle to squeeze the brake pads against the rotors to safely bring the car, truck or motorbike to a standstill.
Despite their important function, brake calipers can sometimes be overlooked, only coming to the attention of the owner or service technician if they notice that their brakes aren’t performing as they should. Because of where calipers are located on the vehicle, they operate in extremely tough conditions being exposed to dirt, road grime, water and even mud – they must also endure high temperature variables.
Given these demanding operating parameters, it makes sense that they should be closely inspected at the same time as brake pads and rotors are checked or replaced.
Savvy technicians may even be able to identify poorly performing calipers by inspecting the brake pads. Uneven wear (inner to outer) can potentially be caused by a caliper problem, as
can uneven wear across the pad face.
Calipers are made up of many components including a piston(s), seals, dust boots, locking bolts, slide pins and mounting brackets – several of these are moving parts which can make them susceptible to seizing or failure.
One of the first components to inspect if there’s an issue with a caliper, or as part of caliper servicing, are the slide pins. Even though there’s a protective rubber covering the slide pins they’re still exposed to brake dust build-up and corrosion, which will hinder the calipers from sliding properly.
If the slide pins don’t move freely, they should be removed cleaned with a wire brush or sandpaper to get rid of any debris, grease and corrosion, and then a heat resistant lubricant such as Bendix Ceramasil should be applied before refitting.
Sticking pistons can also lead to problems in calipers. This can be caused by corrosion in the piston bore or the piston itself. If the piston sticks it may not apply enough pressure to the brake pads to safely bring the vehicle to a stop. Alternatively, if the piston sticks when retracted, it can cause brake drag and pull the vehicle to one side, while also leading to
premature brake pad and rotor wear.
Depending on the type of caliper, corrosion inside the piston bore can be cleaned or honed (cast iron calipers), allowing the piston to again move freely. Unfortunately, the same process can’t be used with aluminium calipers, as sanding will remove the protective anodised coating inside the bore, which ultimately will cause even more corrosion.
If any corrosion is evident on the pistons themselves, these should be replaced. Steel pistons feature an anticorrosive coating while aluminium variants have an anodised coating, if
these coatings are abrasively cleaned, the coating will be compromised and the corrosion will return.
Other potential wear items are the synthetic rubber caliper piston seals and dust covers. While they provide a good level of protection, they are unlikely to last the life of the vehicle, becoming hard and brittle over time and after long-term exposure to heat.
Once brittle, the seals and dust covers will crack, letting in debris and moisture while also losing ability to hold pressure in the case of the seal, which could result in a brake fluid leak.
