Over the radio or the counter, at the rest stop or the table, at the pick-up or at your final destination, connections are made. It’s in the nod of your head, the wave of your hand, or the tilt of your hat. Only those who do it understand what it’s about.
It’s heritage. It’s a legacy.
kenworth.com.au/legacy
8 ROAD UPDATES
Inside the latest funding and safety upgrades for Australian roads
14 BEHIND PROPOSED HVNL CHANGES
The industry responds to the NTC’s proposed rate changes
18 ENJOYING ANOTHER KLASSIC
Another successful Kenworth Klassic was run and done in September
26 MAKING MASTERS
The Penske Master Technician winners took different paths to win the coveted blue jacket
32 VICTORIOUS VIKING
Aquaholic Water Cartage and Transport Services has found a fitting friend in the new Viking Volvo
26
44 KEEPING THE LIGHT ON
The 20th edition of the Lights on the Hill Memorial Service saw truckies pay tribute to those who lost their lives
48 CRACKIN’ CASTLEMAINE
As the weather begins to heat up, truckies start their preparations for the ultimate truck show
50 HOT LAP
Jon Edwards completed a special electric trip around Australia last month
64 LOCK IN THOSE SHOW DATES
Find out what’s on for the end of this year
66 TRUCK SALES
Check out the leaders from September’s truck sales data
EDITORIAL
Editor Sean Mortell
E-mail Sean.Mortell@primecreative.com.au
Journalist Tiarna Condren
E-mail Tiarna.Condren@primecreative.com.au
Contributors Warren Aitken, Frank Black, Warren Clark, Robert Bell, Rod Hannifey, Michael Kaine, Michelle Tayler, Glyn Castanelli
Cartoonist John Allison
PRODUCTION
Art Director Bea Barthelson
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E-mail Hollie.Tinker@primecreative.com.au
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ISSN 1321-6279
OwnerDriver magazine is owned by Prime Creative Media. All material in OwnerDriver is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. Opinions expressed in OwnerDriver are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.
It’s an absolute honour to be the new editor of OwnerDriver and help to continue the wonderful traditions of this publication and the legacy of Greg Bush, as well as the great work of Geoff Crockett. Just one month in, a few points immediately stand out about Australia’s trucking industry.
Firstly, the many people that make up the sector are absolutely critical to the ongoing success of the daily freight task. From the owner-driver to the passionate truckie, the industry is filled with thousands of people that cherish the job they do each day on Australia’s roads and adore the vehicles that they hop behind the wheel of each early morning.
Members of the industry aren’t afraid to speak their minds, and the majority are accepting of a diverse range of views. The various columns that make up this month’s edition of OwnerDriver highlight the point that everyone always has a say on something, and the wide range of expertise on offer just within Australia’s trucking sector alone is something that should be not just welcomed, but also celebrated. It’s why the industry is always looking forward.
Frederich Pfuhl may have had extremely different backstories before heading into the Australasian transport industry, but they shared a glorious day and night in Sydney this year that ended in both winning the coveted blue jacket as Penske’s Master Technician winners for 2024. Their stories and experiences highlight the benefits that a wide range of people can bring to the sector.
This November edition of OwnerDriver encapsulates these two points that immediately present themselves in the industry. Starting with Warren Aitken’s remarkable find for November’s Truck of the Month in the exciting Volvo Viking run by the iconic Keith Reid and his team at Aquaholic Water Cartage and Transport Services, and evolving to Warren’s other terrific tales from the poignant Lights on the Hill Convoy and the popular Kenworth Klassic at Clarendon, these stories provide a glimpse into the busy schedule of events that allow the industry’s great people to come together.
Outside of these features, it was a pleasure to chat to two of Penske Australia’s most humble but brilliant technicians. Both Jason Gavin and
With more events previewed to end the year, a key part of OwnerDriver is our focus on informing you all with the latest news to help on the road. Getting the inside scoop on the National Transport Commission’s proposed HVNL penalty rate changes helps you get ahead on what the future driving landscape may look like once the HVNL is reformed. Outside of these features and handy stories, there’s plenty more to read on major company rebrands, new models, maiden electric truck laps around Australia and the latest truck technology. I hope you enjoy this month’s read, and I’d love to hear your stories and feedback for the magazine at sean.mortell@primecreative.com.au. Happy reading!
Major road upgrades have been finalised in the past month, while new projects are already on the agenda
From the Gympie Bypass to Thomas Road in Western Australia, major roads around Australia have been getting upgraded over the past month.
Whether it be new funding commitments to safety upgrades or the unveiling of exciting new roads, check out some of the latest developments on Australia’s busiest freight routes.
GYMPIE BYPASS OFFICIALLY OPENS
The federal and Queensland governments have revealed that the Gympie Bypass is now open to traffic, allowing heavy vehicles to no longer have to travel through Gympie.
The $1.162 billion project cuts travel times and improves motorist safety, access and flood immunity.
The project has seen a new 26km, four-lane divided highway installed between the existing Bruce Highway interchange at Woondum, just south of Gympie, and Curra, including three new interchanges now situated at Flood Road, Gympie Connection Road and Curra.
On top of this, there are also 42 new bridges at 23 locations across the wider Gympie region.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the diverted heavy vehicle traffic will enhance freight efficiency.
“This vital infrastructure project has been a long time coming for the locals and visitors who travel throughout the Gympie region,” he says.
“We recognise the importance of upgrading the Bruce Highway, which is why we have committed almost $1 billion to the project.
“This is the culmination of 15 years’ worth of construction on the 62-kilometre Bruce Highway upgrade between Cooroy and Curra, and it is wonderful to see motorists will now be able to reap benefits of a completed Gympie Bypass.”
Motorists can still also access Gympie from the Old Bruce Highway via the interchange at Woondum and from Curra in the north.
The Victorian government has unveiled a new major road maintenance blitz that will rebuild, repair and resurface roads across Victoria.
The plan is fuelled by the largest single-year investment in road maintenance in the state’s history,
with Victorian roads and road safety minister Melissa Horne launching the $964 million road maintenance blitz at the South Geelong depot of Fulton Hogan, who will be carrying out some of the works.
The blitz will target the state’s busiest travel and trade routes, with works set to be delivered on the Hume Freeway, the Princes Highway, the Western Highway, the Goulburn Valley Highway and Echuca-Mooroopna Road.
Other roads set to be repaired include Terang-Mortlake Road, Mornington-Flinders Road, Horsham-Kalkee Road and Tylden-Woodend Road.
“We’re investing nearly a billion dollars to rebuild and repair the roads that Victorians depend on every single day — from the highways connecting our major centres to the local roads that keep our communities moving,” Horne says.
“Crews will be out delivering $2.6
The site being upgraded is approximately 75km from Glen Innes and 87km from Grafton.
widening, new line markings, raised reflectors and resurfacing.
“Thomas Road is a critical route for both the movement of freight and for local communities, which is why we implemented this program of works to make the road safer for all,” WA transport minister Rita Saffioti says.
“These upgrades will improve traffic
SE MELBOURNE ROADS OPEN EARLY
Several roads projects in Melbourne’s south-east have been completed ahead of schedule as part of a joint Victorian and federal $1.5 billion dollar initiative.
Roughly 34 kilometres of new lanes have been built to reduce travel times
“This vital infrastructure project has been a long time coming for the locals and visitors who travel throughout the Gympie region.”
million of works every day for a year –with around 70 per cent of all funding going towards our regional roads.”
THOMAS ROAD UPGRADE WRAPS UP
The Western Australian and federal governments have revealed that both heavy vehicle drivers and commuters will enjoy safer and smoother travel along a key route south of Perth following the completion of works.
The $81 million upgrade of Thomas Road will allow large volumes of heavy vehicles to travel to and from the South West and Wheatbelt regions with more ease.
The works began in early 2022, with a dual carriageway between Kwinana Freeway and Bombay Boulevard, a new roundabout at Bombay Boulevard and a dual lane roundabout at Thomas and Nicholson roads part of the upgrades.
Furthermore, added safety measures between Kwinana Freeway and Cumming Road include shoulder
flow and reduce congestion while making it safer for heavy vehicles, including oversize, over-mass loads, to traverse this key freight route.”
HIGHWAY TO GET SAFETY BOOST
The New South Wales and federal governments have revealed $10 million of funding will go into safety improvements on the Gwydir Highway.
Under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, the boost will improve slope stability, making the key freight route less vulnerable to slope failures, scour, water inundation and pavement damage on a section of the highway that has a long history of landslips.
As part of the works, one kilometre of roadside concrete kerb drain will be installed and other drainage improvement works will redirect water safely away from unstable areas.
and improve safety for more than 130,000 motorists and truck drivers along Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road and Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road.
In total, this has delivered 41 new and upgraded intersections and over 28 kilometres of shared use paths.
“The federal government is committed to keeping Victoria moving by investing in critical infrastructure projects like the South Eastern Roads works as part of the Suburban Roads Upgrades,” federal transport minister Catherine King says.
New lanes have been added in each direction between Abbotts Road and South Gippsland Highway, while the Hallam North and Heatherton Road Upgrade and Lathams Road Upgrade added an extra lane in each direction between Heatherton Road and James Cook Drive.
Motorists trying to avoid the freeway have been bolstered with a new bridge that has been built over the Peninsula Link.
One call to Royans, and we take care of the rest. We’ll help manage the process from the accident scene through to final delivery, and keep you informed every step of the way.
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The updated truck rest area will allow truckies the chance to rest in their drive north towards Brisbane, with facilities designed for heavy vehicle drivers
Transport for NSW (Transport) has revealed that a truck rest area upgrade along the state’s Pacific Motorway has been completed. Now, northbound truckies looking for a safe place to rest have new facilities on the motorway just north of Maclean.
A Transport spokesperson says the
upgrade of the Bundjalung rest area, roughly 15km north of the Iluka turnoff on the motorway, has been completed.
“This is a popular area for truckies needing a rest in their drive north towards Brisbane and the facilities were designed to meet the needs of heavy vehicle drivers,” the spokesperson says.
“The additional facilities are about 200m north of the existing rest area facilities and are closer to where drivers park their heavy vehicles.
“They include a toilet block with four toilets – including a disabled toilet – three picnic shelters, footpaths and associated infrastructure.”
The spokesperson said Transport was very aware how important it was for drivers, whether it be of passenger or heavy vehicles, to take regular rest breaks.
“These upgraded facilities will encourage them to do just that and is all part of the NSW government measures to make our roads safer,” the spokesperson says.
“Truckies will have easy access back to the highway so we believe it will be very popular.”
Scania will work with a mining giant on a new autonomous road train for local mining operations
Heavy vehicle manufacturer Scania has announced a new partnership with Australian mining company Fortescue to develop and validate a fully integrated autonomous road train solution.
With the global mining industry evolving to introduce more autonomous solutions, Scania Australia managing director Manfred Streit says challenges can now be approached with sustainability in mind due to the development of technology.
“By utilising Scania’s extensive knowledge in supplying trucks to the mining industry and our expertise in autonomous driving, the road train solution will reduce the overall mining footprint,” Streit says.
The autonomous solution will be developed, tested and validated in partnership at Fortescue’s iron ore operations in Christmas Creek, Queensland.
With Scania’s technology in truck automation, the autonomous solution will be integrated with Fortescue’s Fleet Management System, or FMS, designed to optimise fleet utilisation and maximise productivity, while ensuring efficient fuel and energy consumption to reduce carbon emissions.
The solution will also integrate Scania’s onboard automation hardware and technology for the Scania R770 prime mover platform, coupled with three trailers weighing 120 tonnes with a payload of 240 tonnes.
“This is a great opportunity for Scania to learn more about autonomy in demanding conditions with an innovative partner,” Scania head of autonomous solutions Peter Hafmar says.
Fortescue Metals CEO Dino Otranto says the company’s deep expertise in autonomous haulage has allowed it to jointly develop the unique autonomous solution.
“It unlocks high grade, satellite deposits for us to mine economically. This project will help us maximise productivity with unique low-cost solutions in our mining value chain,” Otranto says.
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new head of the Victorian
Victorian based freight operator Cahill Transport has unveiled the appointment of its new CEO from within the company.
In a key change to its organisational structure designed to
better serve its customers, Cahill Transport has revealed that Nathan Perrott has been appointed CEO.
“This is reflecting his extensive experience and the significant
From a new name and logo to a new spare parts brand and models, MaxiTRANS, now Freighter Group, is undergoing a major change
In a major announcement, trailer manufacturer MaxiTRANS has revealed a comprehensive rebrand of its business, including a new logo, name, parts brand and vehicle model.
As part of the rebrand, MaxiTRANS has changed its name to Freighter Group, launching a new logo and visual identity designed to reflect the company’s expansive history, transformation journey and future vision.
The $50 million Ballarat facility for advanced manufacturing held an event
in October for the industry to unveil the new name and logo, with Freighter Group also now selling spare parts for its OEM products through new house parts brand Hitcher Parts.
Freighter Group has also launched its Ready Range and a new high performance refrigerated trailer offering in the Freez-R.
“We embarked on a significant transformation when we purchased the trailer business, with the aim of creating a new era for the company’s future and the local trailer manufacturing industry,” Freighter Group executive chairman Greg L’Estrange says.
contributions he has made to Cahill Transport,” the company says.
“With decades of executive experience in the transport industry, Nathan’s leadership will ensure we continue delivering exceptional
“The journey started with a $50m investment into our Ballarat site. This investment has seen the introduction of a range of state-of-the-art equipment and an expansion of the overall footprint of the facility, transforming it into a modern manufacturing environment. The completion of the upgrade allows the business to be able to continue to evolve with the changing needs of our customers long into the future.
“We were thrilled to see so many from across the industry attend the event. Those who attended on the day were able to experience how the business is transforming the trailer manufacturing industry in Australia, further improving our manufacturing capabilities and efficiencies to benefit our customers.”
service to our valued customers.”
Perrott has been with Cahill Transport since 2023 when he came onboard as a state manager, before being elevated to the position of general manager of operations earlier this year.
He has previously also worked in various general manager and executive roles at Toll Group for more than two decades.
As the pre-eminent trailer brand in Australia, Freighter has a rich history with origins extending back to 1946 and has continued to build a strong reputation.
“We are excited to take the business forward under the Freighter name,” L’Estrange says.
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The NTC has released its proposed rate changes for 71 HVNL penalties. While the majority are fine increases, the trucking industry is celebrating the 21 suggested decreased penalties. Here’s what they may mean for you and your business
In October, the National Transport Commission (NTC) unveiled its plans to push for new penalty changes for numerous offences listed under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).
As part of delivering a revised HVNL that is “risk-based and proportionate to harm”, the NTC reviewed 349 offences and their monetary penalties and demerit point amounts. The review saw the NTC call for 71 penalties to be tweaked under the HVNL, with the proposal suggesting 50 HVNL penalties should be increased while 21 should be decreased.
In the safety duties and vehicle standards sections of the HVNL, the NTC called for penalties for the likes of prohibited contracts and requests, contravening vehicle standards exemptions and not complying with heavy vehicle standards to be doubled.
When it comes to mass, dimension and loading national regulations,
the NTC wants false or misleading transport documentation of goods penalties to double in penalty rate, while smaller increases have been suggested for not complying with dimension requirements.
The majority of fatigue penalties relating to not adhering to electronic work diaries (EWDs) or following correct fatigue guidelines have been included in the increase list, while the NTC proposed a new penalty if the driver doesn’t avoid driving while unfit, with the penalty rate to be $20,000, or $26,610 when indexed.
Despite these increases, the 21 suggested decreases have caught the eye of major Australian transport bodies, with the NTC calling for the penalty for those failing to record information immediately after starting work to decrease from $8,000 to $5,300, with the infringement notice amount falling from $800 to $530.
National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) CEO Warren Clark told OwnerDriver the decreased penalty suggestions were the standouts from the NTC’s paper.
“NatRoad has long been an advocate for reducing paperwork and other penalties that are not about the level of risk,” Clark says.
“The industry has had longstanding concerns about penalties being totally out of whack with reality, so we’re encouraged by the NTC proposal to reduce 21 penalties.”
In particular, Clark says NatRoad welcomes the proposal for some minor fatigue fines to be reduced, including for some paperwork offences with logbooks. He believes these tweaks will make a significant difference for NatRoad members.
The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) says its members have argued throughout the review that driver fatigue and record-keeping penalties should be reduced.
“The very high penalties for minor breaches of the fatigue rules do not make roads safer. Instead, they are
unfair and discourage good drivers from participating our industry,” ATA CEO Mathew Munro says.
Outside of the positives, Clark did refer to the suggested new penalty alongside the raft of increases that the NTC put forth.
“We note there is a proposed new penalty for driving while unfit to drive, but we need some more information,” he says.
“We do note the range of proposed penalty increases is more than double the number of proposed penalty decreases and includes fines going up for offences such as compliance with dimension requirements and vehicle standards. We are consulting with our members on what this means for them and we’ll provide further input to the NTC.”
When it comes to putting this HVNL package before government ministers, Clark wants to ensure Parliament addresses the issue in a “holistic way”.
The NTC is now consulting on the drafts to check they reflect the policy intent of ministers, with consultations set to close on November 21.
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Another successful Kenworth Klassic was run and done in September, with Warren Aitken on the ground in Clarendon for the major meet
Images: Warren Aitken.
Please excuse me for getting a little bit deep and meaningful with my introduction to this year’s Kenworth Klassic write-up. Those who have been to the Kenworth Klassic will be able to relate to my description and, for those who haven’t, I hope I can paint a calming blissful picture that will inspire you to make the pilgrimage next year.
The Kenworth Klassic is not a truck show, per say, it is a gathering, an occasion, a celebration, I’d even go as far as to say it is a rite of passage, although I think the perfect word would actually be a festivity. By definition, a festivity is ‘the celebration of something in a joyful and exuberant way’ and that is exactly what goes on for an entire weekend in the small Sydney suburb of Clarendon every September since 2016.
Here is the deep and meaningful part I warned you about. I have been to several of these festivities and therefore I feel I can attest to this with plenty of experience. There is just something about the Kenworth Klassic, something almost sedative and soothing. The moment you walk through the gates of the Clarendon showgrounds you feel all your daily stresses and anxieties
Above: Rasmussan Bulk Haulage out of Moura in central Queensland brought two stunning Kenworth to this year’s show. A long way from home but a photographers dream with these stunning trucks.
of bottles of tyre shine. It is an event where every Kenworth aficionado gets to show off their truck, but it is by no means a truck show. In that technicality lies the source of the relaxed aura that encompasses the entire weekend.
While the Kenworth Klassic is pretty much an ingrained institution among the transport industry, I will refresh the memories of those wondering what it is all about. It began back in 2016 as an add-on to the Clarendon Classic Rally, a local
community event that sees an array of historic machinery filling up the Clarendon showgrounds, from classic truck to classic car, historic tractors to historic lawnmowers. The Clarendon Classic rally is an institution in the local area and the only place you get to enjoy watching old school tractor pulls before restocking your workshop with antiquated tools while trying to consume a soft serve ice cream before it melts all over your hand and creates that god awful sticky finger conundrum.
In 2016, Kenworth guru Dave Chapman and fellow KW devotee Bruce Gunter approached the Clarendon committee with a proposal to utilise part of the showgrounds for a Kenworth catchup. The event was meant to be a small gathering that would piggy-back off the success of the yearly local show. While the two men will claim they never anticipated the rousing interest in the show, Kenworth is a brand that doesn’t tend to do things on a small scale. The first show drew in a couple of hundred passionate partisans, all keen to experience a non-truck show truck show. By last year, the number had more than doubled to 500. This year saw the Kenworth Klassic crew prepped for 700 trucks, which wasn’t enough. They still had to make up another 22 entrant packs to ensure every Kenworth entering received their official merchandise bag. That’s an official total of 722 Kenworths for the 2024 Kenworth Klassic.
Top, L to R: Reg Maybir (centre) is, as he puts it, ‘a mechanic with a bad habit’ collecting K104 Big cabs. Here he is with a couple of his drivers Trent Scott and Dinesh Pillay; The expanding numbers has seen the Kenworth Klassic start filling up the inside of the showgrounds as well. It also means there is room for more expansion in 2025.
Middle: Murrell Freight Lines rocked up with a great looking fleet. Even the team scrubbed up alright on Sunday morning, including Ray Moulds, Steven Bryant, Roy Murrell, Daniel Gosh and Ron Duncan.
Opposite bottom, L to R: Charlie and Selina Borg, along with their dogs Lulu and Garfield, came along in their stunning 1958 Kenworth; Milton Matthews, five years old, is preparing for his future roll as the head of MILT Express. The future is in good hands.
its inaugural event back in 2016, the decision was made to make this event a show for trucks, but not a truck show. There is no judging, no prizes, no expectations. There are folks rocking up in brand new T909s with more shine than the Chicago Bean parking next to semi-restored classics that have just had the cobwebs wiped off the mirrors. There is the most state-of-the-art trucks Kenworth has on the market lined up next to vehicles that ruled our roads before aircon and indicators were factory fitted. Even though it is solely a Kenworth community event, there is a huge variety of trucks and people to interact with. It is all about the company rather than the content.
The other feature of this festivity is that it is a fullon weekend event. Trucks start rolling in on the Friday morning before the show starts and there were some still popping in on the Sunday morning. In fact, this year it was just one in Warren Ahern, who had just finished a run down from Brisbane. He rocked up with a beautifully rebuilt W-model that got tongues wagging and cameras clicking, so he can be forgiven for the late entrance. It is a weekend event though, with drinks and laughs spreading between the polishing and the nightly light shows. While there are plenty of beers consumed over the weekend, it is still marketed as a family friendly festivity and there were plenty of the next generation of truck lovers getting indoctrinated into the best side of our industry. When the little ones did get tired of all the chrome and tall talk, they could just wander over to the Clarendon Classic which was
well equipped with kids’ entertainment and free flowing sugar rushes, a perfect combination in order to keep the whole family entertained.
As much as I have reiterated the ‘not a truck show’ mantra that leads the atmosphere of this event, there is actually a little bit of officialness around the event. Only one award gets formally presented each year in the Dane Ballinger Memorial Award, which this year went to Adam Twyford. However, Bruce and Chappo have their own Excellence Awards. These aren’t judged, they are just people that Bruce and Chappo choose to acknowledge, be it for their dedication to the brand or for a restoration project or their current Kenworth ride. This year those acknowledged were John Johnston, who travelled down from Dalby in his original SAR Gold Nugget that he has owned for 30 years and still works, Scott Clarke, a young owner driver building himself a tidy little fleet of customised Kenworths, Craig Eagan from Just In Time Transport for his outstanding CAT powered W-model, and another icon of the Kenworth scene in the legendary Kelly Durkin, who was on hand with his outstanding SAR. The last two awards went to Carters Transport, a company fully entrenched in the Kenworth badge, and Schaeffer Transport. Trent Schaeffer had a couple of his stunning Kenworths there, with his new K200 being a target for every truck spotter at the show.
I’ll wrap this up with a very simple statement. You have to see the Kenworth Klassic. There are no maybes about it – the volume of vehicles, the quality of Kenworths and the cacophony of characters on hand make this an event that needs to be experienced. So heed my words, and ensure the Kenworth Klassic 2025 is on your calendar for next year.
There has never been a more promising moment in time for the road transport industry in Australia.
After years of industry struggle, after too many lost lives and sunken business dreams, the transport reform laws are finally here. This legislation not only delivers the foundations of a safer, more sustainable and viable transport industry, it also sets out the plan to build it through a robust and inclusive consultation system.
A system which unites rather than divides, bringing together key industry voices and expertise – with a particular focus on those actually performing the work – to reform the Australian transport industry from within.
It’s this consultation at the heart of the system which will allow us to tackle the big issues we know are coming, like AI and automation, which we’re already seeing impact the rest of the world.
The first three applications we recently submitted to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) mark the very beginning of a comprehensive industry consultation process.
Those three applications seek minimum standards in food and parcel delivery along with fairer trucking contracts. Critically, no order can be made until the voices of drivers, transport operators and all of the industry have been heard. The first step in this process of unity and mobilisation of expertise is already underway – with the Road Transport Advisory group meeting and commencing the process of convening subcommittees to explore the applications and how best they should be actioned.
Sub-committees are really at the centre of the system to ensure that the needs of the whole industry are balanced fairly.
As promising as this all is, there will be resistance. As we move forward with these applications, we will begin to see pushback from some of the wealthiest clients in Australian transport.
We expect this response. It is not uncommon for those with significant resources to resist reform that may end up affecting their bottom line. For far too long, those wealthy clients have called the shots. They have put short-term profits ahead of long-term sustainability of the industry and safety by squeezing contracts and placing drivers under deadly pressures.
We have the opportunity now
to turn this around. Rather than contributing to the downward spiral of standards, clients too have the chance to contribute to a better industry from within the new system. In a world-first, the new legislation covers clients. It acknowledges that clients have the commercial power to make a real difference to industry safety, sustainability and viability.
So clients will also be asked to become part of the unity ticket for change through the extensive industry consultation processes.
But for those who won’t play ball, the rest of the industry will charge ahead with desperately-needed reform with or without their buy-in.
We will continue to challenge this status-quo and TWU members are doing just that around the country.
Over the past few months, we held
Union, Transport House, 188-390 Sussex Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. twu@twu.com.au
our annual delegate conferences across Australia which served as a reminder of workers’ relentless determination and strength. The new laws which have infused a fresh, palpable energy into our transport workers has brought hope not only to them but also to their families.
Our members are eager to see action in road transport and I was privileged to join them as we discuss what we’ve won as an industry over the past year and our plan for the year ahead.
In NSW, hundreds of our members marched with International Transport Workers’ Federation demanding Aldi do better as transport reform laws took effect.
Delegate conferences in Queensland and SA also brought road transport workers together from all corners of the industry—from bus drivers to employee drivers to gig workers, all of whom can now be covered by this system we’ve won together.
As we plan our next steps for road transport, we know we are on the right path because now it’s the people from this industry driving change.
Transport reform has pumped fresh momentum into this movement.
As we progress, the world is looking to the Australian transport industry, which has begun setting a global benchmark for what reform to road transport can look like and how it can be sustained fairly into the future.
With continued unity we can achieve lasting reform in Australian road transport and I look forward to updating through the progress of these first applications, and more to come.
“We have the opportunity now to turn this around. Rather than contributing to the downward spiral of standards, clients too have the chance to contribute to a better industry from within the new system”
MaxiTRANS has changed its name to Freighter Group.
The new Freighter Group stands for something more powerful than ever before. It stands for being ready.
Ready to push boundaries, deliver excellence and to help you go further.
Be part of a new era in transport.
freighter.com.au
In September, Penske Australia & New Zealand crowned its latest Master Technicians. Sean Mortell discovered that the two winners took completely different paths to win the coveted blue jacket
For many in the Australian trucking industry, getting behind the wheel is part of the DNA. Many grow up in and around trucks, tinkering with parts or learning to drive at an early age.
Jason Gavin wasn’t a quintessential young Aussie kid who spent his childhood in and around trucks. Instead, his family were bull riders based in Western Australia. It took an intriguing crossover of worlds for Jason to land with his feet firmly planted in the trucking game.
“I started working on trucks around 2004 when I was 13 or 14 years old,” Jason told OwnerDriver. “I was working on school holidays and weekends for a small company called the Flying Spanner.
“The only reason I got the gig was because my uncle was giving the owner of the company bull riding lessons, so he got me a job there.”
Jason may not have followed in his family’s footsteps to become a bull rider, but at 16 he was certain that he had landed in the right industry. He left school and started an apprenticeship in 2006, working in a small shop that saw him deal with vehicles as small as push bikes to the behemoths of big rigs.
“You worked on anything there – we touched whatever came through the door,” he says. “After my apprenticeship I landed a job at AV Trucks, which was a dealer of Western Star and MAN truck models.”
For nearly eight years, Jason became a vital part of the furniture at AV Trucks, putting his rich heavy vehicle knowledge to the test. The years spent in the shop saw him develop a love for MAN and Western Star products, while also starting to
consider new career challenges.
When Penske took over as dealer in 2017, Jason went from considering a new career as a commercial electrician to recommitting to the heavy vehicle industry. Now, 17 years later, Jason is Penske’s newest on-highway 2024 Guild Master Technician winner.
“When Penske took over the retail of Western Star and MAN from AV Trucks in Perth in 2017, I loved it all from the first day,” he says.
“I’d never witnessed anything like it before in the industry. Everyone gets along well and the company cares – I remember Roger Penske visiting us in our first few months with Penske and
greeting us all, asking us our names and what we did.
“I was blown away, I’d never seen a business do that before.”
Alongside the revamped environment, Jason also came into contact with a brand he’d come to love in the Detroit engine range. Over the next decade, he enhanced his capabilities and gained experience working on American-style trucks and their parts from Penske’s Perth branch. When he joined the Penske Guild and decided to compete in the Master Technician competition, he had no idea how far the decision would take him.
The Penske Guild has been running for the past 10 years, with it originally being designed to create a pathway for technicians to have their professional excellence tested and recognised. It now has roughly 90 members, with the Master Technician being run for these members. Pitting the best of Penske’s 450 technicians across Australia and New Zealand against each other, the idea behind the competition is for Penske to celebrate the skill and personal values of its technical staff.
“The on-highway Master Technician is assessed based on a person’s technical capabilities working on the Detroit and Western Star brands, and the off-highway Master Technician is for those working on mtu products,” Penske Australia & New Zealand chief operating officer Leigh Henderson told OwnerDriver
“Following a preliminary round held online across our network of branches, we then objectively select the top six for each category and bring them to Sydney for a final competition that determines the winners.
“The final has a great atmosphere, with six 45-minute stations being set up with an individual judge per station to evaluate each person as they go through diagnostic and repair tasks.”
When Jason found out he was one of six selected to contest the final of the Master Technician on-highway competition for 2024, he soon received
plenty of advice. Others in the workshop told him he’d be “rattled” by the end of the day. While he stayed calm in the lead-up to the Sydney final, he soon felt the nerves when he arrived.
“The pressure of limited time made the final and the six tasks so intense,” he says.
“It’s highly unusual to conduct a diagnostic task under such time constraints – we only had 45 minutes to work through each scenario.
“It meant my mind was racing over every possible scenario, but I had to find a way to calm myself down so that I didn’t skip simple steps.”
While Jason expected the tasks to involve deciphering complex issues, one of the scenarios was as simple as diagnosing a blown fuse. Such is the nature of the final, it took Jason 40 minutes to retrace his steps and find that the issue wasn’t as intricate as first thought.
“I got another task right on the bell too, I was very lucky,” he said.
When he finished his turn at the six tasks, Jason quickly joined his other five fellow contestants to discuss the day.
He soon found that he was in the hunt for the coveted ceremonial blue jacket that the Master Technicians receive.
“I thought it was between one other mechanic and myself, but I was confident I wouldn’t win it,” he says.
“When we went to the gala dinner and I was announced as the winner, I was gobsmacked. I was presented the blue jacket by Penske Australia & New Zealand managing director Hamish Christie-Johnston and I managed to calm myself to speak in front of everyone.”
As part of his victory, Jason won more than just the blue jacket and the crown as the Master Technician. He now gets to head to the Detroit and Western Star factories in the USA.
“I’ve always wanted to go to the US and I can’t wait – it’ll be an eye-opener to see the factories,” Jason says.
“I would also love to try head to North Carolina, where Team Penske is based, and try some authentic American BBQ.”
For Leigh and the executive team at Penske, the Master Technician competition is a prestigious milestone for Penske technicians to win. With past winners involved in the final and ceremonial dinner each year, Master Technicians have the title to their name eternally throughout their Penske careers.
“It’s something we value really highly and also believe it strongly benefits our customers – we want to make sure we have a strong connection to our brands by providing a trip
“I approached each of the six problems presented in the final like how I’d been trained to do so, and it paid off.”
back to the source factory,” he says.
In the off-highway sector, Frederich Pfuhl took home the award from across the ditch. He first worked on the mtu and Detroit brands in South Africa back in 2008, before eventually becoming a New Zealand based service technician for Penske.
“I used to have my own little truck business that was very small scale, but it didn’t work out for me,” Frederich told OwnerDriver
“One of my mates worked for mtu at the time as a service technician and told me there was a job opening, so I joined the brand and never looked back.”
The switch to mtu allowed Frederich to revisit his apprenticeship, which was originally delayed after he completed his studies. After completing that through mtu’s apprenticeship program, he became a marine field service technician.
In the 16 years since, Frederich has worked on a broad spectrum of mtu products, ranging from the marine and mining sectors to power generation. After taking the opportunity to move to New Zealand in 2016 with mtu, he joined the safety team as a service technician at mtu’s Auckland branch.
“I was nominated for the Penske Guild competition by one of my managers,” he says.
“I always felt like it would be a good challenge for me, but also a good opportunity to participate and see how my skillset compared to others in the Penske network.
“It’s difficult to gauge where the Auckland branch sits in the whole program – were we up there with the other teams or not? I wanted to find out, and the competition highlighted
that we’re part of a large group with a strong skillset.”
Part of the off-highway sector, Frederich works on any Penske product without wheels, such as motor yachts and ships. All of it is united within the small engine industry – something that has suited Frederich to a tee.
“From a young age, I got involved in working with small engine products like lawn motors and so on,” Frederich says.
“I developed a liking and skill for the mechanical world through that, so I worked part time in the school holidays at a lawn mower shop. Unfortunately, circumstances in South Africa weren’t great then, so I only got my chance to complete my apprenticeship when I joined mtu.”
Travelling across the Tasman to Sydney for the Master Technician final wasn’t an irregular occurrence for Frederich – his job often involves travelling each day to diagnose and repair products. But the nerves quickly arose when Frederich had limited time to prepare for the final after moving house just days before flying to Sydney.
Instead of stressing, he decided on the plane over to enjoy the event and take all pressure out of the situation.
“However, I called my father a day before the final and he said sixth wasn’t good enough and that I had to be number one,” Frederich says.
“He’s an ex-military officer and wanted the best and nothing less, so I was proud to win and tell my father that I won, despite not expecting to.
“I approached each of the six problems presented in the final like how I’d been trained to do so, and it paid off.”
For Frederich’s success, he now gets to head to RollsRoyce Power Systems’ mtu factory in Germany. Despite his story of entering the transport industry being entirely different to Jason’s, he is similarly excited about what the spoils of victory now hold for him.
“I was lucky to win an apprentice award to go see the mtu factory back in 2010, so this is a full circle moment for me,” he says.
“It means so much to me that I get to win an award and go to Germany again, it’s amazing and I can’t wait to show my wife that area of Germany.”
Simon Smith
As we run home towards the festive season, there are plenty of rock music milestones to celebrate in November
November is a busy month for many, and the rock music sector is no exception. Here are some notable events, birthdays and anniversaries related to Australian rock music history that took place in the month of November, from the Australian Truck Radio Rock’ N Roll Diary!
NOVEMBER
1973: AC/DC officially formed after playing their first gig the month before, with brothers Malcolm and Angus Young creating the band with drummer Colin Burgess, bass guitarist Larry Van Kriedt and vocalist Dave Evans.
NOVEMBER 1
1967: She may not be considered rock royalty, but Tina Arena, who was born on this day, is well renowned for her singer-songwriter work, including her popular releases ‘Chains’ and ‘I Remember (Sorrento Moon)’.
NOVEMBER 6
1947: George Young of The Easybeats (more on them later), Vanda and Young, Flash and the Pan and many other rock bands, was born in Glasgow, Scotland as George Redburn Young.
NOVEMBER 9
1984: Renowned Australian songstress Delta Goodrem was born, going on to release popular songs ‘Born To Try’ and ‘Lost Without You’.
NOVEMBER 10
1979: Bass guitarist for Australian alternative rock band Silverchair Chris Joannou was born. Nicknamed ‘Lumberjack’ by Silverchair fans for his love of trees and plaid shirts, Joannou was taught how to play bass by fellow band member Ben Gillies before becoming an integral part of the popular band.
NOVEMBER 17
1966: Australian rock band The Easybeats rose to prominence with the release of enduring single ‘Friday On My Mind’. The song is known as the first Australian rock song to achieve international success.
NOVEMBER 18
1947: Australian singer-songwriter and musician Ross Wilson was born. Known best as the front man of rock band
Daddy Cool that unleashed ongoing cultural hit ‘Eagle Rock’, Wilson was also the co-founder of Mondo Rock.
NOVEMBER 21
1977: The drummer of Australian rock band Wolfmother, Myles Heskett, was born. Part of the renowned trio that produced hit single ‘Joker and the Thief’, Heskett drummed with the band from 2004 until 2008, when he departed alongside fellow bandmate and bassist/ keyboardist Chris Ross.
NOVEMBER 22
1967: One of the saddest days in Australian music history, as INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence passed away aged 37.
NOVEMBER 23
1952: Singer-songwriter Sharon O’Neill, known for her hits in the ‘80s and her contributions to the Australian music scene, was born. The New Zealand singer-songwriter and pianist rose to fame in Australasia with her release ‘Maxine’ in 1983 while also being renowned for songs such as ‘Losing You’ and ‘Physical Favours’.
SIMON SMITH is the manager and producer of Australian Truck Radio. He has been in the radio game for 44 years and has been customising playlists for truckies for at least 20 of those. For great tunes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, download the digital app for your phone at www. australiantruckradio. com.au
NOVEMBER 29
1951: Popular songwriter and Australian musician Don Walker was born in Ayr, Queensland. Walker is known best for writing many hits for Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel, including smash hits ‘Khe Sanh’, ‘Cheap Wine’, ‘Flame Trees’ and ‘Saturday Night’. In 2012, Walker was inducted into the Australian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.
NOVEMBER 30
1965: Icehouse drummer Paul Wheeler was born. After starting to play the drums at age 16, Wheeler became a key part of Icehouse three years later before contributing to other acts such as Choirboys.
These events highlight the influence of Australian rock on both the local and international stages, particularly with bands like AC/DC, INXS and Crowded House shaping global music trends.
ABOVE RIGHT: Get on board with Australian Truck Radio.
BELOW: From Crowded House to AC/DC, November is full of memorable rock moments.
November is full of anniversaries that mark key moments in the evolution of Australian rock music that powers Australian Truck Radio 24/7 around the nation.
“Nicknamed ‘Lumberjack’ by Silverchair fans for his love of trees and plaid shirts, Joannou was taught how to play bass by fellow band member Ben Gillies before becoming an integral part of the popular band.”
Borne out of drought and then floods, Aquaholic Water Cartage and Transport Services has found a fitting friend in the new Viking Volvo, as Warren Aitken discovered
Welcome to one of my very rare tyre shine free stories. I have an especially cool custom-built truck; I have a true-blue ‘battler-esque’ protagonist, and I have a classically moulded Australian trucking story. What I don’t have is a single bottle of tyre shine throughout this entire tale or photoshoot and yet there are absolutely no diminishing effects because of it. Welcome to Aquaholic Water Cartage and Transport Services and its new Viking Volvo, Odin.
We’ll address each of my aforementioned ingredients from first to last in no particular order of preference. Starting with the epically cool custom-built truck. It is fairly obvious from the photos this is not your standard Volvo FH16 – this striking Swedish workhorse is the latest creation from the mind of Tamworth’s JT Fossey dealer principal John Saint. Regular readers may recall
a feature story awhile back that shone a spotlight on the Outlaw series of Macks that the Tamworth truck salesman was producing. With individual paint patterns, exclusive customisation inside and out and elite upgrades that made these Macks collectors’ items in their own right, the success of the Outlaw Series led John Saint to the idea of rolling out a similar custom range in JT Fossey’s other leading brand, Volvo.
While the Macks were leaning on the Aussie Outlaw mythology for inspiration, when it came to the Volvos, John decided to favour a theme more in-line and culturally relevant to the Nordic manufacturer he would be customising by dedicating each Volvo to a legend of Norse mythology. It started with Viking No.1, which is a homage to Odin, the god of both war and death, father of Thor and a dude who happily martyred an eye in order to be able to see everything going on in the world – it’s funny the sacrifices that
had to be made before the invention of TikTok and YouTube. History lesson aside, Volvo Viking number one was named Odin and, just like the limited-edition Outlaw Macks, this Volvo got all the special treatment and accessories that justifies its one-of-a-kind title.
It all starts with individual custom paint jobs from the Brisbane based Belair Paint team. Each Viking Volvo will get a custom colour that aligns with the mythology of its namesake, as well as custom artwork on each truck done by the amazing Showman Signs – in this case, it was an awe-inspiring Odin art piece on the side of the big XXL Volvo cab. Accessories like the custom roof bar, a range of spotlights and safety beacons are standard on the Viking trucks, with BlingHQ in Hatton Vale adding in plenty of shiny custom pieces to ensure the Viking Volvos stand out from the crowd. Each Viking also gets the Briskair treatment, with a top-of-the-line bunk
Opposite top left: You can see from the rear a few of the added extras that come with the limited edition Viking Volvos. Custom plate covers, mudflap weights, exhaust shroud and twin stacks.
Opposite midde: While the truck originally had the smooth stainless guards, Keith had the PJs team replace them with the more applicable heavy haulage drive protection. It still looks the part.
heating and cooling system. You will also notice that Odin is sporting twin stacks on the back, the custom King Bars Bullbar and a Mr Wong’s Hydraulics package. There are lights galore on these limited-edition Volvos as well as super singles and a greaseless turntable.
Now if you look closely over the drives on this particular Viking Volvo, you will notice the custom build stainless guards and BlingHQ stainless bracket covers are not so visible – instead there is a PJs custom heavy haulage rear guard package. The original guards looked great, however the purchasing of this Volvo was neither inspired by a love of Nordic history nor a testament to an elite limited edition purchase. This truck was purchased because it was a heavy spec Volvo needed by a Volvo fan, and hence the shiny guards went pretty quick. In order to explain that, we need to pivot a little to the second and third parts of our tyre shine free fable in the ‘battler-esque’ portion and the classically moulded Australian trucking tale. It all starts with the i ntroduction of the steerer of this Viking adventure, Keith Reid.
The term ‘battler-esque’ isn’t an official word – I have taken a little creative licence and tried to come up with a word that would best describe Keith Reid and this is the best I could do. Keith’s attitude and approach from day one on this Earth has been the epitome of a good old Aussie battler – he’s a stoic and resilient true-blue Aussie
that works a lot and complains very little. By definition, the folklore behind the imagery also depicts a person that works tirelessly for very little, with a mere modicum of success. That’s where the description of Keith and his wife Melissa falls short. This powerhouse couple started with a fraction less than nothing and built a thriving business that now operates more than 20 trucks and 30 plus trailers. They are number one on speed dial for a lengthy list of customers around the Queensland area, whether they need a tanker load of water or some piece of machinery relocated. Keith and Mel are the epitome of humble, and two of the most unassuming people you will meet. Yet on the flip side, Keith’s ability to spin a yarn with absolute authentic ocker attributes reaches near university degree skill levels.
“We started the business in 2007, I had been working at the council for about three and a half years and couldn’t do another day,” Keith says.
“I had been sitting in the office one day looking for a water cart and could not find one for love or money. I looked at the rates and thought that it wasn’t too bad. There was plenty of demand because of the water restrictions, so I thought I’d get one myself.”
In true Aussie story telling tradition, there were a lot more expletives in Keith’s retelling and I am sure you can understand why I have had to leave the colourful language out. As you do read the quotes though, feel free to slip in your own extra adjectives to spice the story back up.
“We went looking for something we could
afford, cause the arse was out of our trousers,” he says.
“We found the last HRT transporter. It wasn’t a bad truck, it was an old Iveco Eurostar, so it was cheap as chips for what it was.”
At the time the couple were venturing out on their own, it was near on impossible to find tankers in Queensland either. In Melbourne though, where they were picking the truck up from, it was a lot easier to get your hands on an old fuel tanker and convert that into a water truck, hence the wallet stretched out to a second hand Iveco and a well-used fuel tanker.
That first truck was a huge gamble by the
recently married couple, and as Melissa admits, it was a big bet they were taking on themselves.
“We actually had to borrow money off Keith’s parents for the first payment and hope the truck had enough fuel in it to get it up from Melbourne,” Melissa says.
While putting yourself out there is a leap too far for many of us to take, for the likes of Keith and Mel, that’s exactly where they shine.
“When things are tough, you just get up swinging harder,” Keith says.
“To be honest, that’s probably always been my favourite time – when it all turns to s#@t I love it, you just get up and swing harder.”
As much as Keith sounds like one of those inspirational posters you mock at the doctors’ waiting room, for him it is the mantra that’s led to the success of the family business. He’s not just talking the talk – he’s walking it.
“By the time I got that old Iveco up to Brisbane, I’d already booked in three loads of water. I did those first few loads of water while on a permit where I had to get the truck up from Melbourne. It created money to keep going from there,” he says.
Having contacts in the game was a big advantage for Keith – he had grown up among trucks and machines. His parents owned earthmoving equipment around Sydney before chasing the humidity north and setting up in Brisbane. Keith’s childhood was spent pretending he had an interest in school while focusing on helping his family and getting his hands on any machinery he was allowed to drive. By
“To be honest, that’s probably always been my favourite time –when it all turns to s#@t I love it, you just get up and swing harder.”
Above: One of the reasons Keith has a fleet of the Swedish king’s best is their ability to work in tight places, which is a big plus for Keith’s line of work.
Below: Manoeuvrability is a big factor for the Aquaholics team. They don’t always have a lot of room to work with and, although Keith said this drop-off was ‘easy as’, it was impressive to see how well the big Volvo can get things turned around.
the time he was old enough to sign himself out of school for good, his family was flat-out laying fibre optic cable all over Queensland for Telstra.
“It wasn’t unusual for us to leave Christmas Eve, live in camps for a year and return the following Christmas,” Keith says.
All this time out west gave Keith people skills, mechanical aptitude and the ability to manoeuvre any time of machinery into any location. These skills would be the lifeblood of his own family business when the literal floodgates opened in 2009 and almost ruined the new company Keith and Mel had formed in Aquaholic Water Cartage.
“We got the name Aquaholic Water Cartage when I was looking for the first tanker, I saw it on the bug deflector of a truck I looked at,” Keith says.
“It wasn’t registered as a company name; it was just the name of the truck. Because that’s what we were going to be doing, we decided to name the company Aquaholic Water Cartage.”
As 2009 rolled through, Aquaholics and its trusty Iveco were doing well. The water restrictions in and around Brisbane meant Keith was flat-out. As good as the old HRT transporter was, Keith reckoned it was time to look at getting a new truck to replace the old girl.
“I grew up around the old Macks,” he says.
“My dad had Value-Liners, an R-model and even an UltraLiner, as well as an old Road Boss. When I was looking for a new truck, Volvo came along and gave me a demo, it was an FM480, or 500 I think.”
Keith admits that buying a Volvo was not really in his mindset.
“I was convinced it would be no good for what I wanted. When I got the demo, I did everything I could to break it. By
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“I thought, being an auto, it would be useless, but it could do stuff you couldn’t do with a stick no matter who you are.”
the end of the week, I had to admit it was pretty cool,” he says.
“I thought, being an auto, it would be useless, but it could do stuff you couldn’t do with a stick no matter who you are.”
Once again, I implore you to add some colourful adjectives in when you are reading the quotes. The end result was Keith was impressed enough to order a brand new FH480.
So began a long history with the Swedish giants that has culminated in this stunning 700hp XXL Volvo that you see before you. The flexibility and functionality of that very first purchase, as well as the unbreakably tough performance of the demo model, has seen the Aquaholics fleet s tacked with the Volvo badges. Without Keith’s ‘battleresque’ resolve, that first Volvo could very well have been the last.
“We bought that Volvo when work was flat-out, the water restrictions were meant to be in place for a while. Then the 2009 floods hit and just like that the work dried up,” he says.
“I was actually taking the Volvo for its first service when we heard the water restrictions had been lifted.”
The easy option at that stage would have been to retreat but, as I mentioned earlier, when times get tough, Keith just gets up and swings harder. Instead of rolling over, the couple decided to take full advantage of the versatility of their new Volvo. They purchased a $8000 Fruehauf flat top and a second hand 48ft Moore drop deck and shifted their focus to the float work. With Keith’s experience growing, added to his reputation he had nurtured with
both his own tanker work and machinery work he’d been involved in with his parents, it did not take long for the new work scape to take hold. The company changed from Aquaholics Water Cartage to Aquaholic Water Cartage and Transport Solutions and with that it began to grow again.
Over the next decade, the transport solutions side of the business overtook the tanker division – the company now has almost twice as many float trailers as tankers. The Volvo influence, however, has held its own when it comes to preference within the Aquaholic fleet.
“A lot of our work is just local stuff, picking
up from sites around the city and dropping at others. There is a lot of tight areas to work in and the Volvos are great when it comes to that side of things,” Keith says.
“They are also great when it comes to getting the bigger jobs done. The majority of our work is around that 65-to-75-tonne mark and Volvos like this one are factory rated at 131 tonne.”
Even with a family history steeped in the Bulldog brand, it is the Volvo badge that has now earned the lead role in the Aquaholic story.
“I still have a couple of Macks in the fleet though,” Keith says with a laugh, “It’s a bit of a bad habit.”
The performance of the Volvos meant that late last year, when the need came for another float truck, it was Volvo that had earned the first phone call.
“I’d approached Volvo to see about getting a heavy spec’d Volvo to add to the fleet, but at the time they had no build slots available” Keith says.
“One of our subbies had actually bought an Outlaw Mack off John Saint in Tamworth. I was working with Dylan from TSK group and he helped get me in touch with John and the team at JT Fossey who had a couple of built slots and might be able to help me out.”
As luck would have it, John had almost finished building the first Viking Volvo and it was all but perfect for what Keith would need.
“I didn’t buy it because it was a Viking Volvo, I bought it because we needed the truck,” Keith says.
Once he got his hands on it, Keith very much appreciated the extra features that came with the limited-edition truck. Well, almost all the features.
“I had to send it in to PJs to get the heavy duty guards before we could use it,” he says.
“The Viking ones looked good but were not practical for our work environment.”
After a bit of time to get used to the extra attention the bold Odin Volvo tends to bring along, Keith has become pretty accustomed to the 700hp Viking.
“It’s a really good truck, all our Volvos are. They are perfect for what we do, the best thing Volvo ever did was give me that demo. Now I have this one and it is brilliant,” Keith says. I firmly believe that Keith legitimises my newly constructed word ‘battler-esque’ with an approach that exemplifies the persona of a battler while earning the success not commonly affiliated with the term. His origin story is as classically moulded as an Australian transport story can be and I have definitely shared an epically cool custom truck that looks astounding in all its working truck splendour. And, as promised at the start, not a single bottle of tyre shine has been sacrificed in the shooting of this Viking God.
Also, Viking Volvo number two is out now, named Loki after the god of mischief.
A recent case highlights Highway Advocates’ focus on ensuring the regulator and Australian police continue to follow the right procedures with heavy vehicles
Many of you may have heard about the recent outcome of the Whiteline Transport case in South Australia. In this case, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) was prosecuting a driver employed by Whiteline Transport based on evidence collected by SA Police. The Magistrates Court of South Australia produced three separate judgments that essentially derailed the prosecution case on several important legal principles. The NHVR has often claimed that they ‘partner’ with police in several jurisdictions. This is true in part.
However, one must look at the Application Acts, which apply to the HVNL (QLD) in both South Australia and Victoria. The Heavy Vehicle National Law (South Australia) Act 2013 declares that only police officers are ‘authorised officers’ for the purposes of the HVNL in SA. The same can be said for Victoria. This begs the question, under what authority or guise are those NHVR-wrapped cars and officers acting under those jurisdictions?
The Whiteline case stands out for a unique reason. It showcases Whiteline Transport’s steadfast commitment to
supporting its driver and the eventual triumph of justice.
Not to steal any of Whiteline’s thunder, but Highway Advocates has been successful in challenging the police and the regulator on this basis for some years now. In another SA matter some years ago, our client was intercepted and charged by police for multiple offences under the HVNL. When we challenged the regulator on several issues regarding the case, they produced an affidavit that a police officer witnessed in NSW. We did our homework on this, of course, and worked out that a NSW police officer has no authority to do so in NSW, let alone in SA. The eventual result was that all charges were withdrawn/dismissed, demonstrating the effectiveness of legal advocacy in upholding justice.
The Whiteline case underscores the critical need for focused and experienced legal advocacy, especially given the high stakes in HVNL matters. We believe this case will have far-reaching ramifications for how future prosecutions may be conducted. In a recent Victorian matter, our client had been charged with 53 offences, and he faced over $500,000 in potential fines and a licence-crushing 16 demerit points. As an
industry insider and with Rodney’s expert legal knowledge, we fought hard and got the critical breaches withdrawn. The end result? Less than one per cent of the maximum fine and zero demerit points lost. We kept our client on the road where he belongs, and the VicPol Heavy Vehicle Unit received a salient reminder that the law should be applied in a proper manner.
False and misleading entry offences also seem to be on the rise, and the way evidence is obtained and charges are laid face some hurdles after the Whiteline case. Highway Advocates has been handling these types of matters for years now, and we now believe they are eminently challengeable in many circumstances, especially when police rely on Google Maps to work out average speeds. The Whiteline case also has major implications in relation to ‘Notices to Produce’ whereby the Court ruled that the prosecution must hold a ‘reasonable belief’ before issuing such a notice. Many of you reading this will have received such a notice previously, with words to the effect of “Heavy Vehicle XXXX was detected travelling too quickly between Safe – T –Cams, therefore it is alleged that an offence has been committed”. This notice will be accompanied by a demand that driver details and copies of work diary pages be supplied, with failure to do so resulting in a significant fine.
The last time we checked, Safe–T–Cams had not been gazetted, prescribed or authorised as average-speed cameras under the HVNL or any other law. What may be regarded as the allowable travel time between cameras has not been legislated, or even published, to our knowledge. Therefore, how can an offence of any type be alleged, let alone to the required ‘reasonable belief’? In a recent case we handled, our client received a section 10(1) (a) dismissal upon a plea of guilty after we explained to the Court that all was not what it appeared.
The Whiteline case may be viewed as an important juncture in the evolving face of heavy law and enforcement. As we have said before, who watches the watchtower? We believe that while heavy vehicle safety and that of other road users must be of paramount concern, that does not mean that the rights and legal remedies available to heavy vehicle operators and drivers should be eroded.
Striking a balance is equally important, and this vision and foresight created Highway Advocates in the first place.
“We believe that while heavy vehicle safety and that of other road users must be of paramount concern, that does not mean that the rights and legal remedies available to heavy vehicle operators and drivers should be eroded.”
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The 20th edition of the Lights on the Hill Memorial Service saw Warren Aitken and thousands of other truckies pay tribute to those who lost their lives on the road in the past year
While I am writing this wrap up of the annual Lights on the Hill convoy among a barrage of lightning strikes, rolling thunder and whimpering dogs, it was only a few days ago the annual Gatton pilgrimage was undertaken under pristine weather conditions. Just like last year. Just like the year before. I swear someone has friends in high places and manages to book the perfect weekend conditions for the show piece event that remembers and recognises our industry. However you do it, well done.
This year’s convoy marked a special 20th anniversary of the Lights on the Hill Memorial Service and saw the official truck count hitting 732 trucks between the two convoys. Lead truck for each convoy was drawn from a list of pre-registered vehicles and resulted in Jarrett Transport Solutions leading the Brisbane based convoy away from its Mica St staging area. Meanwhile, up at Brown & Hurley in Toowoomba, Darcy Transport had the honour of leading off the Toowoomba based convoy.
While the number of trucks were definitely impressive and show the importance and significance of the event to truckies, it was the outpouring of public support that also needs acknowledgement. There was hardly a section of road
Opposite top: It’s action stations early in Brisbane, with some trucks having lined up the night before it was a packed Mica St by 6am on convoy day.
Opposite bottom: The Brisbane convoy kept the hundreds of roadside truck lovers entertained for hours as they choked up the Warrego with plenty of noise and shine.
Far left: I managed to catch Gaynor Edwards, a 16 year vet of the LOTH Committee, with her daughter Alyssa just in time to snap a shot with the JWL truck carrying the banner for Stuart Edwards.
Left: Long time participants of the LOTH Convoy is the Brisbane based K.S Easter Transport, including Jane Reynolds, Lynette Brazel, Liesl Hales, Daniel Frances and Linkin Williams.
Below, L to R: The hard working Sprengers team took the day off to come participate in this year’s LOTH convoy, Nick Sherlock, Dan Hutchison, boss man Matt Sprenger, Patrick Wendt and Jacob and Taleesha Elliot; Sunshine Coast based Fruithaul had a stunning fleet turnout for this year’s LOTH.
Above, L to R: Mick and Mel Lake with their stunning Seattle Kenworth. All customisation and rat rodding of this beast was done by Mick’s Truck in Stainless business; HMT, Heavy Machinery Transport have a fleet of very inspirational and motivation trucks and brought a couple of them along to this year’s event. Big thanks to the HMT team for posing up me.
Right: Every vantage point was used on the Warrego Highway. I caught up with Ian Davies from Morton Co Tpt as he took his five year old Grandson Harvey out to watch the Toowoomba convoy roll past.
Left & underneath: Tessa Jan and Lindsay Larner, along with Cheryl Doessel from L&T Haulage in Mundubbra were down for their very first LOTH convoy; Jake Kimber with the 2000 Freightliner FL112 he drives for Buxton Transport.
Bottom, L to R: First time convoy participants John Smallbon and Bernie Costello had this smart looking Mack Anthem on point for the 2024 Convoy.
Opposite top: As is the norm, Nolan’s Transport was out in force, leading off with its latest cancer awareness 610 Kenworth. The Nolans team deservedly picked up the best large fleet award at this year’s show.
Opposite middle: Too many people to list here, plus I was a little preoccupied appreciating the Mackays Transport Fleet to write down all the drivers’ names. The Brisbane based company had a truck show fleet of Kenworths in this year’s convoy.
Opposite bottom: Aaron Girdler is the man charged with piloting the Martins Transport TradeMutt Conversation starter. The livestock driver is spending a bit more time turning up at shows as opposed to stock yard however it is giving him more time with his family in Emma, Ryan and Tahnee.
between Brisbane and Toowoomba where the truckies were not jumping on the horns or waving madly to the throngs of bystanders that had come out to enjoy the convoy and support the truckies.
The convoy was merely the entrée to a weekend of remembrance and celebration. Once the 732 trucks had found their way into the Gatton showgrounds, there was no shortage of entertainment to keep the little kids, the big kids and biggest of kids, the truckies, entertained. With free rides for the little kids, markets and food vans for the big kids, and a bar and concert for the biggest kids, it was a huge day out in perfect weather. Headlining act Lane Pittman was just the top of the table, while there were also great performances from Kerry Kennedy, The Viper Creek Band, Jase Lansky and a few more that I didn’t get a chance to catch. It was just nonstop.
I’d love to do a full rundown on the food vans there but that would not shine a good light on my dietary intake for the weekend, but take my word for it, the food options were amazing. In between all the singing, drinking and eating there was also a group of judges going through the hundreds of trucks and assessing a plethora of prizes for the truck show winners. Truck of the show this year went to the outstanding S&J McMahon Kenworth.
While Saturday was all about the convoy and the celebrations, Sunday held the traditional Lights on the Hill Memorial Service at the Memorial Wall, Lake Apex Park in Gatton. With around 60 trucks in attendance and a couple
of thousand people on hand, 54 names were added to the wall this year. The emotional ceremony also included the planting of a commemorative tree by the local mayor as a special acknowledgement of the 20th anniversary.
It is sometimes hard to see the positives during the ceremony, as it is a time to reflect on the loved ones we’ve lost. However, this year’s event also demonstrated the strength and pride within our industry. A record number of trucks and what looked like a record number of supporters were on hand and at the Gatton showgrounds over the weekend, as well as an amazing weekend of weather yet again. However you did it folks, keep that good weather coming and keep the tributes going and roll on 2025.
As the weather begins to heat up, truckies begin their preparations for the ultimate
As the pile of firewood begins to dwindle and the MND beanies slowly make their way off our heads, the question of what to do for the summer is hot on everyone’s tongues.
While sunshine has only just began peeking through the clouds in Victoria, we at OwnerDriver believe there’s nothing like a truck show to kick off the summer season.
Scheduled for November 23-24, 2024, the HHA & Larsen’s Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show is set to do just that, drawing in crowds from across the country.
“This show produces the best trucks in the country and the people who support it set the benchmark in trucking,” third year sponsor Jon Kelly from Heavy Haulage Assets says.
Now in its 36th year, hundreds of trucks are expected to converge on the scenic Campbell’s Creek Recreation Reserve, the town taken over by a flurry of chrome and diesel.
With trophies and bragging rights up for grabs, preparations have been well and truly underway for certain truckies. Last-minute restos and new bull bars have been purchased just in time, the polishing rag
waiting to do the final touches.
Expect to see some familiar faces on display, as well as a slew of newcomers testing the waters and vying for the top spots.
“Online entries opened in October and one of the first was a 1981 White Road Boss from Perth planning to make the trek across the Nullarbor to Castlemaine,” Truck Show director Kerry Anderson says.
“We are expecting another big turn-up of working rigs and pre-1994 historic trucks, with plenty of categories to enter.”
“This year’s Truck of the Show winner will be invited by the Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia to attend a new event for regional winners Australiawide to be held in conjunction with the 2025 Brisbane Truck Show.”
As with any truck show however, the rigs take second place to the conversation and catch-ups, which is a welcome tradition that envelopes the show circuit.
“The Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show reminds us that, at its heart, the truck show is about more than just trucks — it’s about the connections we forge, the stories we share, and the community we build together,” Jeanette Wharton from Shamick Transport says.
With no better time to chin-wag than when holding a snag and a beer, the event also caters to those less truck-obsessed.
Bargain accessories and merch can be purchased from the charity auction and trade exhibitors while a bar, food tents and the entertainment stage are all conveniently located nearby.
“The ground is so busy that we’ve had to relocate the kids’ rides to the outer ground, but rest assured they will be entertained and so will the adults,” Anderson says.
Melbourne-based country singer Sandee Facy will be returning to the stage — this time bringing her own band, along with award-winning singer and songwriter Craig Lloyd and a lineup of other guest artists.
“We work hard to make Castlemaine a great family event,” Anderson says.
“The country music is toe-tapping fun and the kids adore the free activities.”
One activity that is sure to draw a crowd is the Virtual Truckie’s tent. Have an Xbox obsessed teenager? Put their talents to the test with a face-off to see who can complete a challenging list of on-road driving and delivery tasks.
Appearing on the main arena for the first time will be the 15 Force Support Squadron’s Transport Troop, demonstrating truck to trailer transfers. The troop is also joining the highly popular convoy through town on Sunday morning at 9am when the community lines the streets.
While the trucks are clearly the stars of the show, Rotary Castlemaine conducts the event to raise valuable funds for the community through ticket and food sales.
“We are so grateful for the trucking industry and the 150 community volunteers that assist at the show,” Anderson says.
“It is a combined industry and community effort that allows us to support so many good causes.”
To enter your truck, you can enter at the gate, or you can preenter online with a credit card to gain speedier access on arrival. The cost is $50 for the weekend or $30 for a single day (admits driver and one passenger).
No truck? No worries! Spectators get to save a few dollars on entry, with an adult ticket costing $15 per day or $25 for a weekend pass. Children under 16 are free.
• WORKING RIG (2023-2024)
• WORKING RIG (2017-2022)
• WORKING RIG (2011-2016)
• WORKING RIG (pre 2011)
• TOW RECOVERY
• TRAY | TILT TRAY | VAN
• TIPPER
• RESTORATION/SHOW (1994-2011)
HISTORIC TRUCK (pre-1994)
• CUSTOM
• FLEET (3 or more)
• ENGINE BAY
• BEST INTERIOR
• BEST PAINT (Traditional)
• BEST PAINT (Art Work)
Opposite middle: Thousands of people are expected to attend.
Top right: Last year’s Truck of the Show winner; Cornwill Transport’s 2022 Kenworth SAR Legend.
Right: All smiles at the truck show.
Below right: Expect every make and model to be on display.
Bottom: Big rigs in abundance.
“The truck show is about more than just trucks — it’s about the connections we forge, the stories we share, and the community we build together.”
Much like many great explorers over time, Jon Edwards’ maiden trip around Australia in a small electric truck is paving the way for zeroemissions technology in the industry
For many, a complete lap around Australia in a truck is a daunting enough prospect. The long hours on straight roads with barely a vehicle passing or a stop in sight. Searing heat on one side of the country, and thunderstorms and rain on the other. It can be enough to make an experienced truckie shudder with nerves.
As an electric vehicle enthusiast, Jon Edwards took the challenge to the next level when he became the driver of the first electric truck to perform a complete lap around Australia.
“I’m actively putting charging technology in remote locations around Western Australia and have crowdfunded a couple in the state to connect it to the rest of Australia,” Jon told OwnerDriver
“When the electric Hyundai Mighty truck became available on the market, I thought it would be a good opportunity to be the first to drive it fully around the country and prove it can be done.
“I wanted to prove that electric trucks and chargers can work for long haul applications. I hope it can open eyes to the fact that this technology is real and effective, and not just for rich people driving Tesla cars.”
Call it mad or inspired, the idea soon grew legs for Jon when he bought the truck and began planning his trip. Having recently been part of lobbying the WA government to install the electric highway, Jon took his electric infatuation to the next level with the Mighty lap.
To begin the intricate planning phase of the lap, Jon welcomed friend and EV enthusiast David Lloyd to use maths and spreadsheets to detail every day and hour of the trip. While the pair both knew the journey wouldn’t be an easy one, they planned out every factor that could influence the trip, from different types of chargers to headwinds out on the open highway.
“The spreadsheet David made was huge and identified where I could charge, the charging rate at those places and how long it would take,” Jon says.
“We then determined the consumption of the truck and went into detail – we didn’t want to race out onto the roads and expect to do it in a month and instead take three months. We wanted to be realistic – there are some long stretches out there where you have to be prepared, like out on the Barkley Highway or in the Northern Territory.”
As part of the planning, each day would be capped at 12 hours of charging and driving, with Jon aiming to travel roughly 500km per day. Despite the intricate preparation, Jon admits to being nervous on the eve of the voyage.
“I was a bit anxious when I took off on the trip, as a lot of people had high expectations for me to get it done,” he says.
“We also had several iterations of measuring the variables and if they changed, so this constant tweaking didn’t help the nerves.”
Travelling clockwise from WA, Jon immediately countered the biggest variable that could impact whether he would be able to complete the journey in a zero-emissions vehicle –headwinds.
“Headwinds are one of the biggest variables on consumption, much more so than load,” Jon says.
“This factor often catches a lot of people out when they begin these endeavours, as headwinds impact you while tailwinds benefit you.
“Headwinds, particularly unseasonal ones, were encountered from the start while travelling east, but we also faced them while driving west later on.”
Luckily, Jon’s in-depth planning allowed him to get ahead of his conservative schedule, meaning he could take some days
off in capital cities to soak in the places and put the Mighty to the test in inner-city conditions. Travelling through the north of Australia first, Jon was lucky to not face too many problems – only “a few glitches here or there” that were easily fixed by the tools and technology he carried with him.
On top of the spare charger for the truck battery, Jon also brought a battery to power camping gear and lights while he was parked up to avoid draining the main battery. If this didn’t work, he would wait until he reached caravan parks to connect to power and complete simple daily activities.
Another key issue that Jon was concerned about before embarking on the trip of a lifetime was the impact his mission would have on road users around him. As part of the plans to maximise battery range, he intended to drive at a maximum speed of 85kph, which he thought would be “half and half acceptable” on some roads, and completely disrespectful to heavy vehicles on other major routes.
“I thought it would annoy a lot of other truck drivers that these ‘Tonka’ trucks would go slow,” he says.
“But as it turned out, most places I had to travel slowly in were straight stretches of road, so most road trains shot by without a problem.
“I was lucky to receive no negative comments throughout the trip.”
In fact, Jon soon found his journey wasn’t just a factfinding mission, but also an opportunity to educate other heavy vehicle operators around Australia to the possibilities that smart planning and zero-emissions models have in the trucking game.
“I had many comments from drivers at truck stops asking me how far I could go on a single charge in the Mighty and how I managed to keep it charged,” Jon says.
“I remember being at a big roadhouse that had a fast charger in Three Ways in the Northern Territory, which is roughly 20km north of Tennant Creek and along the Stuart Highway, and seeing some road train drivers.
“After plugging in and staying there the night, they came out of the roadhouse and talked my ear off about the truck, asking me about its range and the battery I had to keep it charged in remote areas. They looked at each other, shook their heads and thought it was never going to happen – it was pretty funny.”
A major finding from the expedition for Jon was that the maths didn’t lie when it counted. While driving, he had a co-driver sitting with him, navigating through unfamiliar areas and big cities while also continuing to calculate whether the truck would last to its next planned charging break. Jon only recalls one situation where he had to slow down heading into the rural Queensland town of Charters Towers because of unexpected headwinds one afternoon, but outside of that the co-driver helped Jon plan every section meticulously as they went.
“One learning from the trip was that the truck instrumentation for measuring range and charge was very basic,” Jon says.
“For those used to driving a Tesla where it tells you everything in great detail, the truck doesn’t give you as much information, so you need to work it out yourself and do the math.
“In Victoria we had to shift from one charging location to another on two occasions due to computer problems that impacted the chargers, but every other bit of charging infrastructure around the entire country worked as we wanted it to. The infrastructure may still need more work, but it’s definitely improving.”
By the time Jon took a turn down the east coast and towards home again, he realised he was ahead of schedule. This meant he could pull up for six days in Adelaide to visit his mother and help her around the house before meeting friends in Whyalla on the way through to WA.
Upon completing the lap in October and reflecting on his great voyage, Jon calculated the costs and realised he had saved a great deal using a zero-emissions truck model.
“If I’d done the lap with a diesel truck and an equivalent load then it would’ve cost me around $7,500 worth of diesel, but it only cost me $3,200 worth of charging, so there are some cost benefits to running electric models at this point in time.
“I know people won’t use this technology unless it’s commercially sensible, but once the capital costs come down, this shows the operational costs are much more affordable for small businesses.”
In total, Jon travelled 13,600kms in 26 day, using a mixture of fast chargers on the east and west coast, slow chargers in
the outback rural settings and his own charger to keep the Hyundai truck model firing on all cylinders. Now, he only has a broken driver side headlight to repair courtesy of an unfortunate run-in with a kangaroo just before Streaky Bay in South Australia. He views the expedition as a massive success, and a key reason why commercial businesses should look at running small electric trucks in their operations. Jon hopes his remarkable trip is the start of the trucking industry realising the limits are endless when it comes to using new technology.
“For those businesses running in the city, not doing long hauls, these 7.3 tonne trucks are ideal for completing deliveries around town,” Jon says.
“You can arrange a battery charging system yourself at a depot, fast charge the truck from stored solar power and run it around with no fuel costs.
“The economics are there, and the costs will come down as more competition emerges, so people should take these models seriously – they’re beautiful to drive and are nice and quiet.”
The South Australian tipper business has partnered with TipTraxx in a bid to improve its operations
TipTraxx is an Australian-owned, Brisbane-based business developed specifically for the tipper industry. Its founder is an accomplished truck driver with decades of tipper experience. The system was designed to be easy to use, with a user-friendly interface for both drivers and allocators.
TipTraxx eliminates the need to collect dockets, enter docket details in a spreadsheet and calculate totals for invoicing. It allocates trucks, allows rates to be entered and automatically uploads all docket details to the web system with totals calculated. This allows users to download a completed spreadsheet.
TipTraxx integrates with leading accounting software, giving users the ability to invoice their customers directly. The system is offered as a subscription service, charged on a per-truck, per-day month basis, billed monthly.
By Chris Smith
Robert Young, the dynamic director of RIG Hire & Contracting, has achieved remarkable success in the civil and construction industry, and he is looking to take that success even further using the innovative cutting-edge electronic tipper docket system TipTraxx.
Born and raised in the picturesque highlands of Scotland, Robert’s journey to the forefront of Australia’s civil and construction industry is a testament to his determination, hard work and strategic innovation.
After serving in the military and working as a mechanic and fabricator at Boeing Aerospace, Robert ventured into the business world, establishing and growing several successful businesses.
At RIG Hire & Contracting, Robert’s commitment to his employees is evident.
“We believe in paying our employees properly for their time and efforts so that their families can support them in what they do,” he says.
This approach has fostered a loyal and motivated workforce, driving the company’s continued success.
Recently, Robert adopted TipTraxx; a web-based, realtime, paperless docket system designed specifically for tip trucks. TipTraxx eliminates the need for handwritten dockets, incorporating a computer or tablet and mobile device to record tipper loads as they happen, allowing for live monitoring from tablets or computers anywhere in the world.
Today there are many digital systems available on the market; they are usually designed for picking up or dropping off a single load. Some transport businesses even resort to using systems designed for courier companies.
TipTraxx is designed specifically for tippers – from its inception, it captures all the nuances and complexities associated with tipper haulage. TipTraxx caters for multiple loads on one docket, accommodates differing load sites and tip sites, different materials, split loads and pre-loads. TipTraxx even has a cartage target so if there is a limited amount of material required on a particular site, an alert will be sent when the limit has been reached.
Many companies have taken the innovative giant leap to start using a digital system, which is highly commendable. In their haste, they just settle for a digital system without scrutinising the product to see if it is highly suited to their needs or gives them a maximum benefit. Robert is an example of someone who has implemented a digital system to gain a maximum advantage for his business. RIG Hire & Contracting is primarily a tipper business, so it made sense for it to use a system designed and developed for tippers.
Robert’s drivers have taken to TipTraxx very easily due to its user-friendly interface.
“The system is incredibly easy to use, even for those who are less tech-savvy,” Robert says.
“Moreover, integrating Xero will save us time and money in keeping track of all our assets.”
TipTraxx has gone the extra mile to ensure that drivers have the resources to understand and use the mobile app. Available on the driver’s mobile app are Basic Operating Instructions, a comprehensive FAQ and even instructional videos. Additionally, drivers also receive an instructional windscreen sticker and a pocket-sized Mobile App Quick Guide notecard. With the resources available to drivers, they have all the tools they need to start using TipTraxx.
TipTraxx offers real-time tracking, enabling Robert to monitor his trucks’ locations and activities.
“It’s fantastic to see where all my trucks are, what they’re up to, and if they’re having a break,” he says.
Additionally, TipTraxx includes safety features such as pre-start checks and fit-for-duty confirmations, ensuring that drivers are always ready for duty.
With TipTraxx streamlining his operations, Robert is confident of expanding his business, including both the dry hire and tipper company.
“TipTraxx helps us keep tabs on all our equipment, whether it’s on wheels or not,” he says. “It’s like having an extra set of eyes on the business.”
TipTraxx is not just a phone app and paperless docket system but a complete tipper management system. It includes features such as an asset register, customer database, allocation system, load details and electronic dockets. The system integrates with leading accounting software, allowing users to invoice customers directly.
Ryco’s cabin air filter range has seen the brand take home an AFR award for innovation
Ryco has been rewarded for its innovation at the Australian Financial Review’s (AFR) BOSS Magazine ‘Most Innovative Companies’ awards for the Manufacturing and Consumer Goods sector.
Following five years of top 10 finishes, the announcement sees Ryco come first in 2024 for its N99 MicroShield Cabin Air Filters range for commercial vehicles.
The range of cabin filters was designed with drivers in mind, with it being the only filter that does not directly affect the engine of a vehicle, serving as an important addition in trucks that are at times fitted with a basic leaf tray.
In commenting on the BOSS Magazine award, RYCO General Manager of Engineering, Innovation & Quality Alastair Hampton says the company was determined to develop something that served its customers in a way that hadn’t been considered previously.
“For a lot of truck drivers, their cabin serves as their office, their bedroom and their main living space while on the road,” Hampton says.
“With that in mind, it’s critical that they have the cleanest environment possible while on the road, and the best way to achieve that is with efficient filtration in the HVAC system.”
Developed to remove down to 0.3 micron at 99.7 per cent efficiency, its construction is comprised of three layers: the first is a pre-filter with an anti-viral agent eliminating the airborne H1N1/H3N2 virus from the air flow; the second is an activated carbon layer that acts as an odour barrier; and the third is an electrostatically charged layer for optimum particle filtration.
The 360° air-tight seal also prevents air bypassing the filter, a common issue found in some OE cabin filters.
“People are most often certain that the only percentage of polluted air they’re comfortable inhaling is 0 per cent. We’re proud to have designed something that gets as close to that as possible, unseen elsewhere in the market,” Hampton says.
Ryco’s N99 MicroShield Cabin Filter range is now available for over 500,000 trucks on Australian and New Zealand roads.
“People are most often certain that the only percentage of polluted air they’re comfortable inhaling is 0 per cent. We’re proud to have designed something that gets as close to that as possible, unseen elsewhere in the market.”
Tranzmile is adding more and more parts to its Mercedes truck and trailer
The number of Mercedes Actros, Atego, Econic and Arocs are continuing to grow rapidly on Australian roads and construction and mine sites. As this fleet grows, naturally the demand for parts also grows.
“Tranzmile has always been well known for the depth of parts in American truck and, of
course, in trailer parts, but what many people may not know is that Tranzmile is now one of the premier suppliers of Mercedes Truck parts in the country,” Tranzmile managing director
Cameron Black says.
“We purchased Whites Diesels in 2020 deliberately so we could build this expertise in our business as we could see how the Mercedes
truck brand was growing in Australia.” Tranzmile has made the commitment to grow its range of genuine and aftermarket parts to suit Mercedes Trucks both on and off Australian roads.
“We already carry a huge range of parts for Mercedes Actros, Econic and Ategos,” Black says.
“Not only are we carrying the common service items – we have a wide selection of panels and steps and other not so common parts that are inevitably required.”
Tranzmile has five branches located in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Townsville and Kingaroy and also has an online catalogue available for online searching and purchasing if required.
“I would encourage anyone owning a Mercedes truck to give us a go. I think they will be pleasantly surprised with the wide range we carry and our competitive pricing,” Black says.
You can visit Tranzmile online at www.
tranzmile.com
TOP: Tranzmile is carrying a larger number of Mercedes truck and trailer parts.
LEFT: The growth of Tranzmile’s genuine and aftermarket parts sees it become a formidable player.
The
latest breakthrough from GP Truck Products, the CLIPLOCK, provides an innovative way of ensuring truck and trailer couplings are connected properly and safely
It’s been more than 30 years since General Pneumatics was founded in Melbourne with a focus on developing products for road transport vehicles. The company’s evolution took a major step in 2011 when GP Truck Products was created as a division of General Pneumatics to support the truck and trailer industry.
Now, 13 years on from the formation of GP Truck Products, its latest innovation in the CLIPCLOCK is set to be another milestone for the brand, and its own unique breakthrough in the truck and trailer coupling market.
The Melbourne-based supplier and manufacturer has made a name for itself providing air brake fittings and truck and trailer components that range from Suzi coils to trailer couplings, air brake filtration systems and associated products.
“We’ve always been an innovative company,” General Pneumatics managing director Joe Borg says.
“We design products and are very selective as to what we take on to make sure that they are fit for purpose.”
The CLIPCLOCK is GP Truck Products’ newest release, with the innovative trailer coupling being specifically designed to ensure positive and secure connections of trailer airline couplings while simultaneously preventing incomplete coupling connections.
The CLIPCLOCK features a unique two-stage locking mechanism in the form of an optional stainless steel locking clip and locking groove, as well as a unique bright yellow cable which acts as a visual lock indicator. Connected to the locking clip, the visual lock indicator makes it easy for operators to quickly notice potential connection issues or if it isn’t engaged, ensuring incomplete connections of the truck and trailer air line couplings can’t occur.
When it comes to the added layer of locking protection, an additional visual confirmation shows if the yellow cord and locking clip are dangling, meaning the coupling may not be securely connected, therefore mobilising operators to act and remain safe with their loads. On top of this, if the locking clip can’t be inserted into the locking groove of the coupling, it means the male and female couplings haven’t been connected properly.
If the female coupling isn’t fully connected to the male coupling, the coupling collar will partially cover the CLIPLOCK locking clip groove, preventing access to the locking clip.
It may seem like a simple tool, but Borg says it
“This ultimately puts at ease. We’re bringing this product to the market to prevent incomplete coupling connections.” the minds of end users
handles the important job of safety and adds an extra layer of protection to fleets.
“We’ve machined a special groove into the coupling to accommodate the innovative locking clip that stops the locking collar from coming back and releasing,” he says.
“This ultimately puts the minds of end users at ease. We’re bringing this product to the market to prevent incomplete coupling connections.”
It also ensures a positive and secure connection of truck and trailer airline couplings, with the engineering breakthrough adding value and safety to traditional couplings that may have been in use for more than 50 years.
Much like the rest of GP Truck Products’ range, the CLIPCLOCK uses the best quality products available for the Australian truck and trailer manufacturer market, as well as for the aftermarket distributors of truck and trailer parts. Australian made parts are manufactured by Precision Components Manufacturer Redline Engineering and are made to the highest standards using only the best materials, while CLIPCLOCK pending locking clips can be purchased separately and retro-fitted to couplings with certain CLIPLOCK grooves.
Borg says the CLIPCLOCK is set to land in the market this year, with several organisations already enquiring and testing the device to ensure it can be made as a standard feature across their fleets.
For more information phone GP Truck Products on 03 9580 1811 or go to www.gptruckproducts.com.au
TOP: GP Truck Products’ CLIPLOCK is the latest innovation in the truck and trailer coupling market.
ABOVE: CLIPLOCK prevents incomplete coupling connections.
RIGHT: GP Truck Products is looking to make CLIPCLOCK standard across fleets.
Goodaye all, have you ever thought much about how others see ‘our’ time, do they value it or not? You probably have while sitting somewhere waiting in a queue or just waiting to load or unload. Then there is the next question most aligned with that – do others really understand or think about how trucks operate? For example, do they think about getting in and out of places which, of course, can lead to loss or the wasting of more time.
Sometime ago, loading out of a facility leased to a major storage company in Melbourne, I had just gotten in the out gate, as the in gate was chained shut (there was no real big sign, you only found out as you started swinging to get in, that you could not), when I asked “do you get many complaints about the size of the entry?”. In reply, I got told that, yes, drivers have complained, but the company was only renting the place, so they couldn’t do much.
In other words, it is not their problem, so just deal with it. Now,
this particular entry was narrow enough for a semi, but due to both the cars parking on the street out front and the rise from the street to the level of the yard, as you swung past and then back to get the back trailer of a b-double in the narrow gate, you risked the trailers kissing or even hitting your trailers onto your chassis.
So having tried the site users, I took down the name of the managing company and after a bit of a chase, emailed them asking if they were aware of the current problems and if any consultation had been done and what were they planning to do to fix it. I was told the site had been there for a few years, the fault with the closed in gate was not their problem as a truck from the current lease had hit it and they would be paying for repairs.
I then asked about the height from the road and explained the issue, again saying that if we could drive in straighter through a wider entry, the problem would not be as bad. I was told it was designed to spec and that
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
they believed these issues had been considered. Even then, I was told it was far too late now to do anything about it.
The only saving grace in getting out of the place was that there was a driveway opposite, so you could use more of the road width to go out straight before turning. But do they understand b-doubles, do they care? No, they do not.
This leads me to the far from enjoyable attempt to deliver in Brisbane recently. Given a delivery address, I came down the street to see the number. As I saw it, the street alongside where I had just come from looked to have the entry. By now, trucks were queued up behind, so I went around the block. On the next street there was a gate, but it was signed for that street, so I didn’t think it could be the entry gate.
It was a fairly big block, so I used the roundabout and headed back to turn into the street with the gates, only to find it was a cul-de-sac with out gates only and a sign saying that I had to enter on the back street I had driven past. Following another U-turn in a B-double, I was back at the rear gate. By now I was a bit frustrated, as a boom gate with a speaker and a sign asked me to turn the truck off so they could hear. I yelled back politely into the microphone that the truck was hot, I received no help and I wouldn’t turn the truck straight off. I couldn’t back up due to another truck being stuck behind me, and I couldn’t go forward due to the boom gate, so I cooled down for a minute, turned the truck off and found out I could go in. So why have the boom gate at all?
It got worse. With no direction map or list of the number of different companies operating within the site, I got directed down the end to be told the company had moved. I was getting rained on and made a call to the sending depot to get a new address. I had to go to the opposite gate, but was told it was at the next gate and that I couldn’t get out of the current exit gate.
So I then backed into the corner, screwed the wheels off the trailers to get out and into the next gate. Unfortunately, after all of this, I found out there were now two trucks in front of me. We were in a site with no room or awning under which to unload, so I was left waiting in line after a very frustrating ordeal.
I was ready to tear out the last of my hair.
Had the large billion-dollar multinational considered the hundreds of trucks that will arrive there for the first time over the next 10 years, a sign detailing where the entry was would help them all and would have saved me at least 20 minutes and then possibly another two hours, as I would have arrived in front of the other trucks. Do they care and can we get them to? I am still trying, but will they ever listen or learn? What do you think? Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.
NHVR Michelle Tayler
Transporting grain provides its own set of challenges, so it’s important to stay safe this grain harvest season
This grain harvest season, the NHVR is wanting to remind primary producers of the important role you play in the safety of heavy vehicle drivers, whether you’re using your own heavy vehicles or contracting the service.
It’s important to identify and reduce risks associated with the transportation of grain, which includes factors like managing driver fatigue, monitoring the mass and load of the heavy vehicle and ensuring it is mechanically sound.
The NHVR’s compliance approach to grain harvesting this season will be a combination of our day-to-day roadside intercepts and Heavy Vehicle Safety Station inspections, as well as cross border collaboration with a series of local operations across our southern region.
For New South Wales and Queensland, we will still be conducting day-to-day heavy vehicle monitoring and focus on intelligence gathering that we can then analyse and use for future harvest seasons. The data we collect will assist us in driving future intelligence led operations.
As an example, we recently completed an operation in our central region where our focus was on heavy vehicles that meet oversize/overmass criteria. The operation focused on larger combinations and loads transported on major arterials during the day or night. The goal of this operation was to reduce the safety risks for local drivers and the public for when these larger loads are on the road.
Additionally, we also wanted to ensure that operators had the correct permits and adhered to curfew and restricted operating times on these routes.
Some of the risks identified with this operation were that almost half of the vehicles inspected were aged over 10 years, with almost 25 per cent aged over 20 years.
With ageing vehicles and/or seasonally registered vehicles, it’s important for operators to keep on top of vehicle maintenance to ensure they’re roadworthy both at the beginning of harvest and throughout. One of the ways to accomplish this is by performing a daily pre-start check, which is a visual inspection that can be done on the heavy vehicle prior to it leaving the yard, depot or rest area. The NHVR has a pre-start checklist guide that you can use as a reference point on our website.
There are rules for operating fatiguerelated heavy vehicles, however the general principle is that drivers must not drive any heavy vehicle while impaired by fatigue. This applies to all drivers and operators, including casual drivers and farm workers.
A question we often get asked is if farming activities are counted as fatigue related activities – most activities are not classified as fatigue related activities, however, they may still result in heavy vehicle driver fatigue. We strongly recommend to get familiar with our heavy vehicle fatigue management webpage.
Different grain harvest management schemes currently operate in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. These
are state-based schemes which means that allowances for mass and operation conditions can vary between the states. South Australia does not have a scheme but runs a mass loading management concession for both general mass and higher mass limit operations.
The NHVR encourages operators to become familiar with the various grain harvest schemes applicable in your state.
Any operator who is using a GHMS or mass loading scheme, we encourage you to stay up to date with the latest requirements to utilise these tolerances. As an example, often telematics are needed to run mass loading, and limits are put in place for a reason. There’s no margin for error when it comes to heavy vehicle safety, so ensuring that you aren’t placing a tolerance on top of the weight you’ve been issued through a scheme is imperative.
Whether you’re a loader, unloader or operator, you need to be aware of the role you play in ensuring the heavy vehicle does not exceed its mass limits. There are different classes and options available to allow operators some flexibility to make the most of the vehicles’ capacity. For more information on those, you can read more on our primary producers webpage. All primary producers and contractors need to take the time to ensure they are doing everything that is reasonably able to be done to remove safety risks related to the use of heavy vehicles.
We’re continually developing guidance and tools to guide and help primary producers meet the safety needs within their business.
For more information on Chain of Responsibility, visit our website.
“With ageing vehicles and/or seasonally registered vehicles, it’s important for operators to keep on top of vehicle maintenance to ensure they’re roadworthy both at the beginning of harvest and throughout.”
Whether it be through healthy habits or mental health support, Healthy Heads’ Road Show is becoming a vital resource for Australian truck drivers
In the fast-paced world of transport, warehousing and logistics, where long hours on the road and highpressure environments are the norm, mental health often takes a back seat. That’s why initiatives like the Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds (Healthy Heads) Road Show are so crucial to the industry.
The Road Show is a medium rigid DAF LF, custom-built by Healthy Heads Foundation Partner PACCAR Australia. The truck acts as a mobile resource, travelling from location to location, and allows the Healthy Heads team to connect with and support the mental health and wellbeing of people working in trucking, warehousing and logistics.
However, the Road Show is more than just a mobile resource; it unites individuals working in the industry at all levels and aims to foster a culture where seeking help is not only normalised but actively encouraged at every depot, warehouse and event it visits across Australia.
During each Road Show event, people working in the industry can chat to the Healthy Heads team, learn about mental health and physical wellbeing, receive a free health check (when available) and access resources tailored to their specific needs. These interactions help demystify mental health issues, reduce stigma and empower individuals to take charge of their own wellbeing in the sector that needs this the most.
This critical need for the logistics sector is supported by findings from Superfriend’s Indicators of a Thriving Workplace Report 2023, which reports that 48 per cent of people working across the transport, postal and warehousing sector say that their workplace caused or made their mental health condition worse. This is an alarming statistic, one which the Road Show addresses head-on by engaging with employers and individuals to promote best practices for supporting mental health in the workplace.
By sharing these practices with employers, it becomes easier for employees to then have the conversations they need to have without fear of judgement from management.
“Your Road Show event allowed a colleague to open up (to management) about how he was feeling while performing light duties due to a work injury,” said an attendee from a 2023 Road Show event. “This opened up the
conversation and changes were made to support this worker.”
This is what sets the Road Show apart – reminders that mental health is a shared responsibility. Employers play a critical role in creating an environment that prioritises mental wellbeing, and by engaging in initiatives like the Road Show, they demonstrate a commitment to their employees’ health and happiness. This approach not only enhances individual wellbeing but also fosters a more productive and engaged
The Road Show promotes both positive mental and physical health.
BELOW: The Healthy Heads Road Show is helping support truck drivers around Australia.
workforce that is happy to come to work every day.
Another startling statistic that came through the Monash University Driving Health study is that approximately 80 per cent of truck drivers are classified as overweight or obese, which the Road Show works to combat by encouraging people to download the Healthy Heads App. The app is an extremely valuable tool because it provides a snapshot of your wellbeing, walks you through a series of easy-to-do exercises and allows you access to discounted healthier meal choices at participating bp truck stop sites.
“I have the app and have been purchasing from the Choose Healthy & Save Menu at bp,” said another Road Show attendee from 2023. “I’ve actually lost weight while being on the road.” Road Show events not only support individuals in improving their mental and physical health, but also help businesses do the same for their workforce. If you’re interested in attending a Road Show event, sign up to the Healthy Heads newsletter or visit the ‘Attend a Road Show Event’ page on the Healthy Heads website to learn where the Road Show will be travelling to in 2025.
“The event we held with Road Show was one of the best things we have ever done,” a 2023 Road Show attendee said. “We did not talk about work, just personal stuff. I would encourage you all to do an event with Road Show if you can.”
The Road Show embodies a commitment to mental health and wellbeing in the transport and logistics sector that is sorely needed. By delivering crucial resources, fostering open conversations and building a sense of community, it’s paving the way for a healthier industry. As we continue to navigate the challenges of the modern workforce, initiatives like the Road Show remind us that mental health matters and positive change is only a drive away.
The NRFA is preparing to intensify its HVNL reform calls ahead of the NRFA Conference in Brisbane next year
As we approach the NRFA Conference in Brisbane on February 15, 2025, we stand at a pivotal moment for the road transport industry. Our mission is clear: to ensure that owner-drivers, drivers and small fleet operators have a strong voice in shaping our industry’s future. We have made significant strides, but our work is far from over, and it is critical that every one of us is involved in the conversations that will guide the changes still to come.
The HVNL reforms currently underway represent just the beginning of what needs to be a far-reaching transformation. While these changes promise a step in the right direction by delivering a more flexible and less prescriptive legal framework, they should be seen as the bare minimum necessary to address the long-standing issues we face. The drawn-out process of reform has been slow and frustrating for many of us, and it is essential that we keep pushing for ongoing improvements that will extend well beyond the current review.
This is where you, the ownerdrivers, drivers and small fleet operators, come in. The reforms will have the most impact when those of us who live and breathe this industry every day are directly involved in shaping their implementation. Now more than ever, we need your voice, your experience and your determination to ensure that these reforms truly address the challenges we face behind the wheel.
The upcoming NRFA Conference is a vital opportunity for us to come together, share our insights and set the course for the future. We are excited to welcome international experts Dean Croke and Chuck Snow to this event. Their insights into global trends, data-driven strategies and innovative solutions will provide valuable perspectives that can help us understand how to adapt to and thrive in a rapidly evolving industry.
Dean Croke brings a wealth of knowledge in freight analytics and safety technology, highlighting how we can harness data to make better decisions that improve driver safety and operational efficiency.
Chuck Snow, CEO and a veteran in the logistics industry, will share his
extensive experience in creating resilient, efficient transport networks that work in real-world scenarios. Their expertise is a powerful reminder that our industry is not standing still—we need to continually evolve and innovate to remain competitive.
While the HVNL reforms represent progress, they are just a starting point. The NRFA is committed to pushing beyond these initial changes to ensure that our industry continues to adapt and grow. We understand that the issues facing owner-drivers, drivers and small fleets are complex and require ongoing attention, not just a one-time legislative fix. The real work begins once this current round of reforms is delivered and we must keep advocating for practical, driver-focused solutions that prioritise safety, flexibility and fairness.
One of our key objectives remains the embedding of the ‘Inform, Educate, and Enforce’ approach into the HVNL. This message is met with little understanding by the bureaucrats who have never had to undergo the scrutiny of our enforcement agencies that do not subscribe to the NHVR’s method. By the inclusion of these words within the HVNL as the only way of enforcement, we can ensure a balanced approach from all enforcement agencies.
The NRFA’s mission has always been to provide a voice for owner-drivers, drivers and small fleet operators. The more of us who stand together, the more powerful our collective voice becomes in influencing policy and driving meaningful change. We have already secured important wins, such as the Transport Division of Fair Work, which was established following our persistent advocacy during the ‘Without Trucks Australia Stops’ inquiry. This division can now act as the mechanism for minimum standards reforms for our industry. Our recent member benefits, like the 8.5 cents per litre discount from Ampol, demonstrates our commitment to delivering tangible value to our members. But our strength is not in these perks alone—it lies in the shared vision of a future where our industry is safe, sustainable and fair for everyone.
We will continue negotiating more benefits that directly support the daily needs of our members, reinforcing the value of NRFA membership.
The most critical element in all of this is you—the drivers, ownerdrivers and small fleet operators who form the backbone of the road transport industry. Without your input and active participation, the risk is that decisions about our industry will continue to be made without fully understanding the on-the-road realities. The NRFA’s commitment is to keep fighting for changes that matter, but we need every one of you to join us at the table.
This is not just about attending a conference or being part of an association—it is about ensuring that your voice shapes the rules that govern your livelihood. We are entering a phase where ongoing reforms and improvements to the HVNL will continue, and it is crucial that we maintain momentum to drive
“The NRFA’s mission has always been to provide a voice for owner-drivers, drivers and small fleet operators.”
the changes that will deliver realworld benefits for drivers, not just theoretical promises.
The NRFA Conference 2025 is more than just an event—it is a rallying point for our collective vision of a better future. As we gather to hear from leaders, let their insights inspire us to think bigger and push harder for the changes we need. But most importantly, let their words remind us that innovation and progress start with us.
The HVNL reforms might be a necessary step forward, but they are not the destination. Our goal is a continuously improving landscape where the voice of every ownerdriver, driver and small fleet operator is heard loud and clear. The changes we seek will not come overnight, but they will come faster and more effectively if we stand united.
Now is the time to step up, join the NRFA and engage with the process that will shape the future of road transport in Australia. Let us make 2025 the year where we don’t just settle for the bare minimum but push for a standard that truly reflects the needs and aspirations of those who keep Australia moving. Together, we are stronger and together, we will drive the lasting change that our industry so desperately needs.
To secure your tickets to our Annual Conference in Brisbane on February 15, 2025, head to www.nrfa.com.au.
Marinovic
On July 1, New South Wales rolled out the use of seatbelt detection cameras. Over the past few months. we’ve watched the impact of this, with a huge jump in the number of people being fined for seatbelt offences. Official numbers report more than 11,000 fines were issued in the first month.
If a driver is caught not wearing their seatbelt properly, they will currently receive a fine of $410 (or up to $2,200 at court) and three demerit points (six points during double demerits). The same penalties apply if one passenger is not wearing their seatbelt.
As with any new enforcement technology, we often see people being caught a few times before the first penalty notice arrives.
It’s easy to wipe out all your demerit points before realising your error.
With this in mind, I thought it worth warning the industry and giving an overview of the seatbelt requirements.
Firstly, the cameras are able to catch offences in all light and heavy vehicles. The cameras being used are the existing mobile phone detection cameras, with the AI now being programmed to look for seatbelts as well. Using the existing camera network means there’s already significant coverage across NSW, so you need to be careful both at work and in your downtime.
The law requires that drivers wear their seatbelts properly adjusted and fastened, unless they are reversing. This means the seatbelt needs to be on properly, with the
lap portion low and firm on your hips and the shoulder sash over one shoulder, under the other arm and buckled.
Wearing the shoulder sash portion under both arms or tucked behind your body is not allowed. A lot of the fines we are seeing are for this situation where the person has the seatbelt buckled but is not wearing it properly. The cameras are able to pick this up and are issuing fines for it.
Drivers are also required to take responsibility for their passengers. The law says that drivers “must ensure” that all passengers in or on the vehicle are wearing their seatbelts properly adjusted and fastened. This means drivers need to take active steps to make sure their passengers are properly restrained. It’s not enough to assume your passengers are buckled up –you need to check.
While there are some limited exemptions to the rules, the best approach is to make sure you’re always wearing your seatbelt and checking that your passengers are doing the same. If you have children in the car, you also need to check the specific rules around child restraints for their specific age.
As with all camera technology, it’s not foolproof. There will inevitably be cases where fines are issued incorrectly. When this happens, you have two options.
Firstly, we can write to Revenue NSW seeking a review. The other option is to contest the fine in court.
If you’re considering contesting the fine, it’s worth seeking legal advice. As always, prevention is the best approach, so keep in mind that the cameras are watching and buckle up.
he Mobil Card network is continuing to grow and the team is preparing to fuel your journeys across Australia. In 2024, Mobil has been excited to introduce new Mobil Truck Stops in Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria, as well as opening its first Mobil site in the Northern Territory at Mobil Adelaide River.
“When you’re running a fleet, where you get your fuel matters,” Mobil Australia sales manager Andrew McNaught says.
“Our Mobil Diesel Truck Stops are designed for commercial users who require efficient fuel solutions.”
Each site provides high-flow Mobil Diesel or Mobil Diesel Efficient, B-Double access and Diesel Exhaust fluid at the pump. Combined with 24-hour operations and outdoor payment facilities, the new Mobil Diesel locations are there to save drivers and operators time and money.
Did you know that Mobil Diesel Efficient delivers an impressive overall performance for your engine?
Independent tests confirmed an average reduction in fuel use of 2.8 per cent – that’s 28,000 litres of fuel saved for 1,000,000 litres purchased! As well as reduced fuel consumption with Mobil Diesel Efficient, you can enjoy lower emissions for cleaner air, an engine that’s protected from corrosion and cleaner fuel injectors that mean less maintenance for operator’s vehicles.
If you want to save your business time, and money, and enjoy the zero card fees offer, visit mobilcard.com.au or contact our dedicated sales team on 1300 173 435 for more information.
*Disclaimer: Mobil Diesel Efficient™ fuel claims are based on internal and third-party vehicle engine testing, laboratory testing and/or industry or other scientific literature. Basis for comparison for all claims in versus Mobil™ unadittised Diesel. Vehicle type, engine type, driving behavior and other factors also impact benefits.
November 9, 2024
Held in conjunction with the annual Mullumbimby Agricultural Show. Truck registrations open from 9am at the Mullumbimby Industrial Estate off Manns Rd. Drivers to register their vehicles before the truck parade through town at 11am, travelling through town to the showgrounds. All the attractions of a country show including sideshow alley, rides, food vans, full bar facilities and live music. Other features include horse and cattle events including trotting.
For further truck show info see the registration form at www. mullumbimbyshow.org.au or phone Mark on 0427 634 903 or email wardysmachinerycentre@gmail.com
November 9, 2024
The Convoy for Kids, held in Goulburn, will be celebrating its 25th birthday in 2024, with a fun day packed with delicious food, exciting rides, interactive activities, fantastic entertainment and so much more planned. At the Convoy, there will be attempts made to break the record for the most trucks in a convoy, ending at Goulburn Showground with an extraordinary carnival for the whole family you won’t want to miss. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/C4KGoulburn
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE CLUB DISPLAY DAY
November 10, 2024
Fans of retro rigs are in for a treat at the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club Display Day. Attendees can check out rows of vintage trucks and cars, while there’s also plenty to keep the kids busy, from face painting to a petting zoo.Public admission is $10, children under 14 free, camping is $20. BBQ and pizza on Saturday night – BYO drinks. Entry from 3pm on Saturday August 9. All vehicles must be in by 9.30am on Sunday.
November 16, 2024
Combined with the Bathurst Swap Meet Car and Bike Show, the annual truck show at Bathurst Showgrounds will feature more than 200 market stalls, food stalls, entertainment and children’s rides. For more information email info@bathursttruckshow.com.au.
November 17, 2024
The Illawarra community’s big annual big convoy is celebrating 20 years. Bikes will leave Illawarra Coal’s Westcliff Colliery on Appin Rd at around 8.15am, followed by family’s buses then lead. Non-lead trucks join at Maddens Plains to Mount Ousley, Warrawong to Shellharbour Airport. Family fun day at Shellharbour airport, includes live music. 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.
November 23-24, 2024
The highly anticipated Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show will be held in the second-last weekend of November in one of the highlights of the Victorian trucking calendar. Last year saw 265 trucks entered for judging, with the oldest being 96 yearsold. Applications are open for those interested in entering their truck or a display at the show which is held at Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve, Campbells Creek, Victoria. For more information contact castlemaine.truck.show@gmail.com or go to rotarycastlemaine.org.au/page/truck-show online.
Castlemaine
MOUNT GAMBIER FAMILY TRUCK SHOW
November 30, 2024
The Mount Gambier Family Truck Show is back for another year, kicking off with a convoy from Penola to Mount Gambier, with more than 80 prime movers expected to take part. Back at the Mount Gambier Showgrounds, attendees can enjoy a gold coin entry family fun day from 10.30am to 3.30pm, raising funds for the less fortunate within the community.
GEELONG CLASSIC TRUCK & MACHINERY SHOW
January 11-12, 2025
The Geelong Classic Truck & Machinery Show is back for another year. Head down to Geelong Showgrounds in January for another weekend spent with trucks, classic cars and bikes, vintage tractors and steam engines. There will also be various clubs in attendance, from Lego Club to Model Clubs. Tickets are available for entry for $15 for adults, with kids under 15 years and exhibitors able to enter for free.
Addressing the truck driver shortage in Australia is critical now before it becomes too late
Those of us in the industry know that all businesses rely on the road transport industry, whether it be for the transport of raw materials or stocking shelves in the retail industry. The supply chain simply can’t function without trucks, and road transport is responsible for at least the first, or the last, leg of every journey. Yet despite the essential nature of trucking, Australia continues to stare down a growing crisis in the form of a major driver shortage.
This year, NatRoad partnered with the International Road Transport Union (IRU) for Australian participation in the IRU Global Driver Shortage Survey for the first time. The survey helped prove the extent of the local driver shortage and showed the dire situation we experience here is shared with many other countries.
The survey confirmed what many trucking businesses are already feeling
– a huge shortage of drivers in Australia, including over 26,000 unfilled positions in 2024 alone. Almost half (49 per cent) of Australian trucking businesses reported experiencing severe or very severe difficulty filling driver positions. When you consider the nation’s road freight needs are predicted to grow by around 77 per cent by 2050, the gap between supply and demand will only become a real threat to our supply chain.
A big part of the problem is our sector’s aging workforce. Close to half (47 per cent) of all drivers are now over 55 years old. Compounding the issue, there are far too few young people entering the profession. According to the IRU survey, only 5.2 per cent of our driver workforce is under 25 years old – not enough to fill the jobs that will become available as the oldest cohort begin to retire over the next decade.
Lack of gender diversity in our industry is also a clear issue. Only a small percentage
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 NatRoad on (02) 6295 3000
(6.5 per cent) of all drivers in Australia are women, despite women making up almost half (48 per cent) of Australia’s working population. A 2018 study by the IRU found working conditions, in particular security and access to well-equipped rest zones, are the main concerns for women. So, how do we solve what is fast becoming a real and present crisis for our national supply chain? We need to do more to showcase the positive aspects of a career in trucking. For many, it’s an opportunity for independence, good pay and a unique way of life. We also can’t ignore the need to modernise the industry’s image to make it more appealing to younger Australians.
Education and training are also critical. industry-led initiatives such as school-towork pathways, apprenticeship programs and specific training for licensing reforms are already in the pipeline.
If we want to access the almost half of potential workforce that are female and see more young women like our 2024 NTI NatRoad Sam Sali National Young Driver of the Year, Jade Harney, in the profession, working conditions such as security and facilities will need to be addressed.
Finally, government acknowledgement of the essential nature of the road transport industry and support to ensure the viability of individual trucking businesses is essential.
The driver shortage is not an issue that can be kicked down the road any longer. It’s time for real action to protect our industry and our country’s supply chain by ensuring trucking remains a viable, attractive and long-term career option.
While August saw sales warm, the September numbers have seen the Australian heavy vehicle market sharply increase
The latest Truck Industry Council (TIC) T-Mark data has been released for September, with Australia’s truck sales market continuing to warm towards the end of 2024.
Following strong vehicle sales in August, September saw 4,546 trucks sold, raising the year to date figure to 38,255 vehicles.
Overall, Isuzu is far and away the leader for 2024
to date, with 1,097 sales in September seeing it reach 9,880 for the year so far. Sitting second is Hino with 3,759 sales for the year courtesy of its 407 September sales, while Fuso (286 for September), Kenworth (382) and Volvo (293) all boosted their annual figures to form a strong top five. Outside of the podium, Fiat recorded 230 sales for the month while Mercedes-Benz and Iveco couldn’t be split on 173 vehicles apiece. Scania (113 sales for September) kept ahead of UD Trucks, who narrowly rounded out the top 10 with 82 sales. From there, Mack (76), Renault (56) and DAF (46) formed a pack with Hyundai (45) and MAN (41) to stay comfortably ahead of Freightliner (22), Western Star (13) and Dennis Eagle (11), while the final sales were split between LDV,
Volkswagen (seven apiece) and Ford (six). When it comes to the heavy duty market, Kenworth was the runaway winner with 382 vehicles sold in September. Volvo once again assumed second spot with 286 sales for the month, while Isuzu sat not far behind with 207. From there, Scania (113) and MercedesBenz (111) were neck and neck all month, keeping a comfortable distance from Mack (76), UD Trucks (71) and Hino (68). To round out the top 10, Fuso registered the 59 sales while DAF recorded 44. From there, MAN had a solid month with 38 sales, Iveco recorded 29 and Freightliner the 22, while Western Star and Dennis Eagle wrapped up the market with 13 and 11 sales respectively. In the medium duty sector, Isuzu continued to reign supreme with 350 sales made in September. Hino was far and away a clear second with 201 sales, with Fuso reaching the podium with 99. From there it was daylight, with Iveco (17) keeping narrowly ahead of Hyundai and UD Trucks (11 each). When it came to the brands with single digit sales for September, Mercedes-Benz recorded the eight, staying just ahead of Volvo with seven, while MAN (three) and DAF (two) put the finishing touches on the market.
For light duty vehicles, Isuzu was similarly dominant, bringing in 540 sales for September. Fiat took second spot with 230, while Hino (138), Fuso (128) and Iveco (127) battled it out for third. Behind the top five, Renault (56), Mercedes-Benz (54) and Hyundai (34) all remained close. The market then tailed away to the final few brands, with LDV and Volkswagen sitting tied with seven sales apiece and Ford recording the six vehicles for September.
In the vans sector, LDV may have won the month with 245 sales, but Mercedes-Benz’s 203 sales for September still sees it sit narrowly ahead for the year to date with 2,331 sales.
Renault Vans sold 138 vehicles in September to assume third spot, while Ford (117) stayed well ahead of Volkswagen (65) and Fiat leapt up the charts with 154 sales for the month.
With no major holidays on in November, we’ve had to get creative. Occurring on November 14, World Diabetes Day is a good chance for some truck-related health facts.
If you haven’t already heard of Nedd Brockmann, it’s about time to give him a Google search. He first came to fame when, over 47 days, he ran from Perth to Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Last month, he went one step further, completing his ‘Uncomfortable Challenge’ journey in Sydney. Over the fundraising event, Brockmann ran exactly 1,000 miles, or 1,600km for us locals. To put that into trucking terms, he was just 79km short of running the entire length of the Bruce Highway, or exactly half of the total distance of the well-known, 3,200km long Great Northern Highway. It may be a drive done
often by truckies in Australia, but it’s certainly a distance that’s rarely run, especially within a month like Nedd was able to do.
We do love our jokes here, so find some of the best (or worst) jokes based on trucking and big rigs. Don’t rush too much to begin re-telling these to your friends and family!
Why did the truck driver refuse to haul a shipment of tennis balls? He didn’t want to serve time!
What do you call a truck driver who’s always complaining? A whine-hauler!
Why did the truck driver always carry a pencil? To draw attention to himself!
Why did the truck driver put a calendar in his truck? To keep track of his haul-idays!
Why did the big rig go to the gym? To pump some diesel!
It’s well known that collecting garbage bins each week can sometimes become a dangerous task, but we don’t normally think the bins are the ones in danger. Earlier this year, an Aussie
from Morley, Western Australia came home to see his garbage truck gone. Upon watching footage on his home security cameras, he soon saw a garbage truck with a learner’s plate on it accidentally swallowing the bin, with the
hydraulic arm tossing it straight into the back.
Luckily, the man soon got a replacement bin from the council, but it didn’t spare the blushes of the poor learner truck driver behind the wheel!
GTS Freight Group (GTS) is a privately
Having recently expanded our fleet, we are currently looking for new Team members who can con�nue to build that reputa�on We have some great opportuni�es for the right professional person looking to begin a new career with our
Does this sound like you?
• I am looking for an employer who values and respects me
• Wan�ng to drive fresh, well maintained equipment (predominant Kenworth based fleet)
• I have a great a�tude, and I am looking for a stable, secure future
• I would like to have work paterns that suit my lifestyle and personal circumstances
OWD-EP-5164923-CS-299
• I am a safe, professional driver that cares for my equipment and the freight I am carrying
• Great earnings poten�al
• MC Licenced with night highway driving experience and a good history as an operator
Having recently expanded our fleet, we are currently looking for new Team members who can continue to build that reputation. We have some great opportunities for the right professional person looking to begin a new career with our iconic Mildura based business.
If this is you, then GTS can provide that opportunity!
Does this sound like you?
GTS currently has career opportuni�es for roles around the country for MC Interstate Drivers.
• I am looking for an employer who values and respects me
• Wanting to drive fresh, well maintained equipment (predominant Kenworth based fleet)
To be successful in the role you will possess the following atributes:
• I have a great attitude, and I am looking for a stable, secure future
• Hold a current MC license
• I would like to have work patterns that suit my lifestyle and personal circumstances
• Preferably have at least 2 years Interstate MC driving experience
• I am a safe, professional driver that cares for my equipment and the freight I am carrying
• Reliable and enthusias�c
• Great earnings potential
• Clear communicator and must be punctual
• MC Licenced with night highway driving experience and a good history as an operator
• Strong understanding and commitment to safety
• Basic Fa�gue Management (BFM) accredita�on would be an advantage
If this is you, then GTS can provide that opportunity!
• Training and induc�on will be provided
GTS currently has career opportunities for roles around the country for MC Interstate Drivers.
For more details and applica�on forms, please go to gtsfreight.com.au and click on the Careers drop down menu, online at seek.com.au or call (03) 5051 0100 or email your resume and cover leter to hr@gtsfreight.com.au
For more details and application forms, please go to gtsfreight.com.au and click on the Careers drop down menu, online at seek.com.au or call (03) 5051 0100 or email your resume and cover letter to hr@gtsfreight.com.au
Black
While the Australian trucking industry encompasses a wide range of people, new road transport legislation should ensure owner drivers are treated fairly
Life as an owner-driver, while not always easy, certainly does have some benefits. For one, in theory, we’re our own boss, although, as we know, realistically we’re ultimately still at the mercy of whoever is at the top of the supply chain, just like regular employees of any transport company.
Owner-drivers, fleet operators and even the bigger transport operators face this issue with the top of the supply chain.
Some people use the term ownerdriver for fleet owners, rather than single-truck owner operators, while others only use the term to refer to the latter. A fleet owner might drive their own truck, while owning trucks that their employees run, but in my view that does not realistically qualify as the same thing as a single truck owner.
The working situation of a fleet owner could be very different, for instance for the most part, they would tend to own a yard, whereas an owner-driver could be looking at yard space to rent, or simply park on the side of the road. Some fleet owners, to save costs, also use truck stops as their yard. A fleet owner
could also purchase gear in bulk, for instance, tyres, oil, coolant, mudflaps and restraining equipment, while a traditional owner driver might not be in a financial position to do so. They could also get a deal on insurance by buying in bulk. The savings from bulk goods and services would then add to their savings.
Fleet owners need to remain economically viable enough to pay their drivers a fair and sustainable wage, as well as all their entitlements like superannuation. In addition, traditional owner-drivers need to make sure that they are covering their own costs and entitlements.
BELOW:
There’s a lot of diversity in our industry which is part of what makes it great, and the new laws will be able to balance that because consultation with all parties is so deeply a part of the system.
People in our sector are always talking about training up young drivers, particularly in cases where driver shortages occur. At the moment, it’s not an industry young people want to go into, and I don’t blame them. But there are so many things to love about road transport and having the proper systems in place will mean all participants can thrive. That’s why there’s so much potential with these new laws – it’s not about quick fixes, it’s about making it fair for everyone and really reshaping this industry.
If fleet owners or owner-drivers, and even big transport companies, had sustainable business models, this could allow them to train up young drivers. By being able to run a transport business successfully enough to allow for young workers to gain hands-on experience, it creates more sustainability over the long term. This not only applies to the specific operation, but by extension the industry at large.
The new road transport legislation allows for applications to be made to the Fair Work Commission to essentially make the transport industry fairer for drivers, including owner-drivers.
The TWU has made the first applications with these new laws on
“There’s a lot of diversity in our industry which is part of what makes it great, and the new laws will be able to balance that because consultation with all parties is so deeply a part of the system.”
things that need to be fixed up straight away, like having maximum 30-day payment terms. We’ve all experienced having to chase up pay for months on end, and this is one thing that makes sense to put in place immediately.
I’ve spent countless times in Canberra lobbying for a system like this and talked to people all across the industry who have said the same thing: it’s time for the top of the supply chain to pay its fair share. It’s the first time those clients, who are constantly demanding faster and cheaper transport (even though the costs of drivers and transport operators are just going up), will be held to account. Over time this legislation will gradually keep making improvements to the industry so a new generation of drivers can come through and carry out the essential freight work needed to keep our economy moving.
I’m excited for what that means for the new generation which will be coming into a better industry.
