Prime Mover February 2023

February

Secon Freight Logistics Run

and Carry

FEBRUARY 2023 $11.00

Industry Carrier: SGGS

Feature: Micway Transport

Report: Premier Commercial Fleet Guide

Personality: Kurt Dein

Innovation

Fleet: Ausway Transport

Powertrain: Collins Transport

Test Drive: Scania 770

Delivery: New Fuso eCanter

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ERA OF THE

MEET THE TEAM

Australia’s leading truck magazine, Prime Mover, continues to invest more in its products and showcases a deep pool of editorial talent with a unique mix of experience and knowledge.

John Murphy | CEO

John has been the nation’s foremost authority in commercial road transport media for almost two decades and is the driving force behind Prime Creative Media becoming Australia’s biggest specialist B2B publishing and events company. Committed to servicing the transport and logistics industry, John continues to work tirelessly to represent it in a positive light and is widely considered a true champion for the growth of the Australian trucking and manufacturing industry.

William Craske | Editor

Over the past two decades William has published widely on transport, logistics, politics, agriculture, cinema, music and sports

He has held senior positions in marketing and publicity for multinational businesses in the entertainment industry and is the author of two plays and a book on Australian film history. Like many based in Melbourne he is in a prolonged transition of either returning or leaving.

Peter Shields | Senior Feature Writer

A seasoned transport industry professional, Peter has spent more than a decade in the media industry. Starting out as a heavy vehicle mechanic, he managed a fuel tanker fleet and held a range of senior marketing and management positions in the oil and chemicals industry before becoming a nationally acclaimed transport journalist.

Peter White | Journalist

Having recently completed his Bachelor of Media and Communication (Media Industries) degree at La Trobe University, Peter brings a fresh perspective to Prime Mover. Invaluable experience obtained during his time at upstart, La Trobe’s newsroom, has been supplemented by direct industry experience in a Council placement. Peter is looking forward to contributing to the magazine’s image as the leading publication for commercial road transport with his developed skills.

Ashley Blachford | Business Development Manager

Handling placements for Prime Mover magazine, Ashley has a unique perspective on the world of truck building both domestically and internationally. Focused on delivering the best results for advertisers, Ashley works closely with the editorial team to ensure the best integration of brand messaging across both print and digital platforms.

ceo John Murphy john.murphy@primecreative.com.au editor William Craske william.craske@primecreative.com.au managing editor, Luke Applebee transport group luke.applebee@primecreative.com.au senior feature Peter Shields writer peter.shields@primecreative.com.au

business Ashley Blachford development ashley.blachford@primecreative.com.au manager 0425 699 819

art director

Blake Storey blake.storey@primecreative.com.au

design Kerry Pert , Louis Romero, Tom Anderson

journalists

Peter White peter.white@primecreative.com.au

Anjali Behl anjali.behl@primecreative.com.au

design production

Michelle Weston manager michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

client success Salma Kennedy manager salma.kennedy@primecreative.com.au

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COVER STORY

“It’s important that we get the best value truck. It’s one of the prerequisites when it comes to replenishing the fleet which is low range and high usage,”

COAST TO COAST 38

Prime

Feature

FLEET FOCUS

32 Run and Carry

Stories

A partnership formed at a Christmas gathering five decades ago has served as the bedrock for the thriving container transport entity known and respected among industry today as Secon Freight Logistics.

38 Coast to Coast

Based in Brisbane, SGGS, operates a fleet of 100 prime movers carrying dangerous goods all over Australia. A record recent order through Daimler Trucks will see its fleet expand considerably over the next few years.

46 Push it to the Limit Micway Transport works around the clock with some of Australia’s biggest food and retail organisations, and with the help of Isuzu, it has ensured that it has the most efficient vehicles to carry out its freight tasks.

TRUCK & TECH 50 A Star is Born

The Western Star X-Series is set to extend the brand’s hardwon reputation for durability in combination with the finesse of the latest technologies.

58 In Quad we Trust

Rocky Lamattina & Sons have unveiled a 30-pallet split quad Kenworth that has got tongues wagging in the industry.

TEST DRIVE

76 Horses for Courses

Scania has had the edge in the horsepower rankings for a long time in the Australian market, at least. Now it has surpassed its own previous rating with a 770 horsepower V8.

William Craske Editor

Amid some of the early predictions of how 2023 might advance, a report issued late last year by DHL projected that 70 per cent of export businesses expected industry would recover. It was a marked improvement, also specified in the report, against the record low of 47 per cent of those surveyed during the COVID-19 period. In the age of ‘Big Data’, it’s striking to see how numbers are continually applied ahead of time to cultivate an outcome. Polling data prior to elections is one field where this is best known to happen. Looking into how polls influenced behaviour, Stanford’s Graduate School of Business discovered that voters would often switch sides after consulting polls as they sought the wisdom of crowds so that they might feel part of a winning team. The findings verified, what’s more, that the opinion of ‘experts’ usually had more weight on voter decision-making than that of their peers. A selected group of voters were asked by researchers to state their opinions on a variety of real public policy questions, and then presented them with fabricated poll results on the same topics. When the test subjects learned many experts favoured a position, opinions shifted by 11.3 per cent. But

Zero Sum Game

the ‘opinions of people like me’ changed opinions by just 6.2 per cent, while a general poll indicating that most people preferred one side or the other moved the needle by 8.1 per cent. LinkedIn works like this.

It’s not uncommon to hear during an interview, an economic prediction cited that not only fails to materialise but, upon closer inspection, owes very little to evidence other than a media talking head a/k/a “expert” injecting it into the news cycle. Take the now discredited modelling for COVID deaths posited by the likes of the Burnet Institute. Road transport companies and workers were pushed to the brink by predictive data which not only made their jobs less safe but proved wildly incongruent to the danger. Businesses, all the same, were shutdown. People movements were restricted. One public servant’s hangover could be spun, for someone downstream from it, as another in a long list of inconveniences of living with a pandemic.

Chekhov once said that an audience who saw a hunting gun above the mantel in the first act expected it to be fired by the last act.

Whether it was COVID or the Ukraine conflict, resolving to poke holes in the arguments of those repeating these Economist-tier talking points, too often invites caustic denunciation. Why? Because approved numbers have metastasised into kind of unilateral disarmament via “fact checking”. For every such crisis, the burden of proof is now put onto the critic who, for wanting cost benefit analysis of a policy rather than its ideological justification,

must be content merely with the selfcongratulation that for decades, as Thomas Sowell points out, has formed the basis for social policy in the west.

Suppressing evidence to undermine conclusions that have no political utility, as the mounting scandal at Twitter reveals, is dangerous when NATO intervention, no-fly zones and nuclear counteroffensives are nudged into public discourse. A few months back Forbes exalted what it called the “digital transformation sweeping through every industry in 2023 and beyond” before it unconvincingly made the case for greater data governance through the introduction of laws designed to regulate personal and other types of data because it was happening already — like that was a good thing. No mention was made of the breaches of Census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Medibank, and major banks and telecommunications companies, all of whom work closely with the government. The good thing is many are now aware of this situation — truck drivers among them. Contrary to outdated public perception, drivers are uasually some of the most well-informed workers in their industry. Spending so much time alone provides many of them opportunities to dig deep into podcasts and audiobooks on all matter of subjects their senior management are not usually afforded. There is, after all, no point in being a decision-maker when those decisions have already long ago been made for you.

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> Team Global Express acquires 60 new battery electric vehicles

Team Global Express will deploy 60 battery electric delivery vehicles and associated charging infrastructure within its ‘Express Parcels’ fleet. Operating out of the western Sydney depot in Bungarribee, NSW, the ‘Express Parcels’ fleet is set to become part of Australia’s largest vehicle electrification project. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced $20.1 million in funding for what has been called the ‘Depot of the Future’ project to integrate battery electric vehicles within Team Global Express’ transport and logistics operations. The $44.3 million project includes the purchase and operation of 24 Fuso eCanters, 36 Volvo eFLs and the associated charging and site infrastructure to enable vehicle integration into the depot. The transportation and logistics operations of Team Global Express spans across Australia and New Zealand, with more than 13,000 delivery vehicles in their fleet. The western Sydney depot at Bungarribee, NSW is a strategically important location in the Sydney operations of Team Global Express. The project plays a critical role in Global Express’ decarbonisation strategy and will see one-third of its western Sydney fleet transition to BEVs and operate under a ‘back-to-base’ model, with the trucks travelling from distribution centres to customers in urban areas, then returning to the depot for charging. The project is expected to generate significant insights on the impact on fleet management, delivery routing and infrastructure requirements when a large fleet electrifies a material proportion of its operations.

ARENA, on behalf of the Federal Government, has committed over $100 million to the transport sector since 2016, including fast charging networks, home smart charging trials and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.

ARENA will continue to support further development in zero emission vehicles and technologies, including further investment in charging stations across

the country, as well as EV charging at home and applications for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, heavy fleets and vehicles used in mining.

Decarbonisation of land transport is a key priority for ARENA, with the Australian Government’s Driving the Nation program continuing to help industry and consumers take the steps necessary to see Australia’s transport emissions reduce in line with international commitments.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the project is an important next step to reduce emissions from heavy vehicles.

“We’re excited to be working with Global Express in switching a significant portion of its fleet to electric vehicles at its Bungarribee depot,” he said in a statement. “We expect the project will provide valuable insights into the costs and operational aspects of transitioning its wider fleet to zero emissions vehicles. Importantly, our goal is for the heavy vehicle industry to learn from this project as others consider their transition pathway,” continued Miller.

“Operating a fleet of battery electric heavy vehicles will help to address some of the key barriers to adoption, including overcoming the higher upfront purchase price, and uncertainty of integrating electric vehicles into existing operations at scale. Understanding these barriers will help to build market confidence around EV technology and show that

Christine Holgate.

> SA cold carrier sector realigns after merger

Eades Transport and Adelaide Refrigerated have undergone a merger. The merger will form AR Logistics and expand services and capabilities of the two former entities across the country. “Merging Eades Transport and Adelaide Refrigerated Pty Ltd to form AR Logistics is a significant milestone for the business,” the company said in statement. “Combining two successful freight companies will give our customers more access to carriers across Australia.” In recent times, Eades Transport had grown its national reach through its association with Primary Connect, for whom it has been a carrier partner since 2015.

Twenty prime movers will be consigned for auction as part of an ongoing fleet adjustment as the new company finds its feet.

The merger of the South Australian companies is expected to bolster the footprint of the new business with its geographic advantage as a cold

carrier already established on daily runs between Perth and Melbourne. It also services Sydney and runs B-doubles and roadtrains.

> Consortium to take ownership of GeelongPort

Victoria’s second largest port will be acquired by an investment firm as part of a joint deal worth $1.1 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Stonepeak, an asset management company that specialises in infrastructure, on behalf of its managed funds and accounts, will hold a majority 70 per cent interest in the entity. Spirit Super, an Australian industry super fund, will control the other 30 per cent. The signing of the definitive agreement was announced today by the port’s new joint stakeholders.

GeelongPort is a diversified landlord port and a major driver of Victoria’s economy, managing over $7 billion of trade and supporting more than 1,800 jobs across the state. Located 75 kilometres from Melbourne, GeelongPort is considered of high strategic significance as it provides easy access to logistics routes for trade through critical road, rail, air, and channel connections for Geelong and southwest Victoria’s supply chains. GeelongPort comprises 15 berths over two primary precincts, Corio Quay

and Lascelles Wharf, providing land, infrastructure, and services to facilitate trade for some of Victoria’s largest businesses. It handles close to 12 million tonnes of cargo and more than 600 vessel visits each year.

“As a high-quality landlord port with operations that are critical to Australia’s economy, GeelongPort is a natural fit for Stonepeak’s core infrastructure strategy,” said Darren Keogh, Senior Managing Director at Stonepeak in a statement.

“It is a highly contracted entity with strong barriers to entry and stable and predictable demand drivers, which we believe are even more compelling when coupled with the port’s meaningful opportunities for long-term growth through additional development to meet future importexport demand in the region,” he said. “We look forward to working closely with the GeelongPort team to help further their objectives and invest behind this integral component of the Victorian economy.”

The long-term investment horizon of

both new stakeholders is expected to support GeelongPort in its continued efforts to grow and deepen relationships with key customers and business partners.

For over 150 years, GeelongPort has played a fundamental role in the Victorian economy with operations underpinned by long-dated, blue-chip public and private contracts, including the Spirit of Tasmania operated by TT Line.

“We are excited for what our investment will mean for the long-term growth of GeelongPort and pleased that members will now own a direct stake in one of Australia’s largest regional infrastructure assets,” said Ross Barry, Chief Investment Officer at Spirit Super. “As the fund for hard working Australians, a key investment focus for the fund has been regional Australia, where we believe there is strong potential for long-term growth.” The transaction is expected to close towards the end of the first quarter of 2023, subject to customary regulatory approvals.

AR Logistics Scania prime mover.

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> Yallah-bound 365-tonne megaload moved by four prime movers

The third and final piece of one of the biggest oversize and over mass movements ever on New South Wales roads was recently completed in the Illawarra. A massive cross-agency effort oversaw an enormous convoy transfer a 366-tonne gas generator 18 kilometres from Port Kembla to the site of EnergyAustralia’s new Tallawarra B Project at Yallah. The generator, which is approximately 13 metres long by 4.20 metres wide and 4.5m high, was transferred using two 16×8 metre trailers with beam set lugged by four prime movers.

The lead trucks, Kenworth T509s, were from heavy haulage specialist Lampson Australia, who in partnership with Transport for NSW, facilitated the massive move with Regional Customer Network Coordination, Freight and Traffic Management Centre teams

working alongside NSW Police and traffic control provider Traffic Logistics. Two of the prime movers were tasked with pulling while the other two, a Mack Titan and a Kenworth C501, pushed the megaload.

The overall size of the truck and trailer combination was 121 metres long, 5 metres wide and 5.7 metres high. Total mass equaled 786 tonnes. The complicated 6.5-hour operation commenced late Saturday, on 19 November and continued into the early hours of Sunday morning. It required contraflow traffic arrangements along sections of Springhill and Five Islands roads.

Sections of roads including the M1 Princes Motorway, Princes Highway, Five Islands Road and Springhill Road were temporarily closed for the convoy. Support vehicles in the convoy included

> Burdett’s supports men’s health campaign

Bulk haulage specialist, Burdett’s, has redesigned the livery on some of its trucks as part of a campaign to raise awareness for a new health initiative. The sides of these tippers now carry messaging to promote Beat Bladder Cancer Australia.

Men and women are being encouraged to actively do something about early detection through the slogan “Blood in your pee? See your GP.”

It’s a message that resonates personally with Burdetts Group Director Andrew Burdett who acted on an early warning sign himself. He is currently undergoing bladder cancer treatment which he commenced 11 months ago.

“I have been very lucky that I picked up an early warning sign and did something about it,” he told Prime Mover

“This has given me a second chance at getting a lot older than 54.”

Early detection has empowered Burdett to spread the word especially for men in their 50s and older, a susceptible age group that dominates the transport

industry workforce with a majority of truck drivers considered middle aged.

“It is important to pass on some positive news to help the ageing work force of our commercial road transport industry,” he said.

Every year over 3000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer. Of those it claims the lives of more than a 1000 people yearly.

It is not rare. Men over 60 are at the highest risk of bladder cancer, with men three times more likely to have bladder cancer than women.

Blood in your urine is the most common symptom of bladder cancer. This could

two mechanics vehicles, three pilot vehicles, three NSW Police vehicles, one TfNSW operational vehicle, one Traffic Control Truck Mounted Attenuator vehicle. The megaload also had to be lowered at sections along the route to fit under road and train overpasses at Springhill Road and the M1 before being raised back up to continue at travelling height. It’s the third and final transfer, following the movement of a 370-tonne turbine in May and a 250-tonne transformer in October to the EnergyAustralia site near Lake Illawarra ahead of its opening for the summer of 2023-24. Touted as Australia’s first hydrogen and gas capable power plant, Tallawarra B Project, which is projected to contribute $300 million to the state economy, will deliver power to an additional 150,000 NSW homes.

be just a little trace, or a lot of blood. Other symptoms include changes in urinary pattern or recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Burdett’s has introduced the signage on two tippers operating in the quarry sector.

Running in metro Melbourne and the Gippsland region, these are aimed at creating awareness among a similar demographic of people the campaign is aimed at.

The digital livery was provided by fleet graphic specialists Attards. Five additional combinations will be deployed also promoting the campaign.

One of Burdett’s Beat Bladder Cancer Australia tippers.

> Isuzu combines key divisions for new business unit

Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) has strengthened support for its sales and aftersales business units by combining the key divisions into a new Sales and Aftersales Department. The newly established business unit will be led by Ben Lasry, who has been promoted from IAL Network Development Manager to Chief of Sales and Aftersales.

Director and Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Harbison, said Lasry’s appointment was a key step in a broader strategy to build efficiencies into the expanding IAL business model.

“Since joining IAL in late 2020 Ben has played an important role in the ongoing management and development of our integral partner in the sale and service of Isuzu products in Australia — the Isuzu Dealer Network,” he said.

“Ben’s breadth of experience and proven performance across the industry is widely known, and we’re

keen to see him take this next crucial step in continuing to build upon the strengths of the number one truck brand in the country.

“This appointment is a part of a broader organisational restructure that we are undertaking to ensure that we have the people, processes and practices in place to cater to the continued sales growth and demand for our products and the subsequent critical aftersales support.”

Lasry was appointed as head of Isuzu’s network development department in 2020, after spending more than 20 years in senior positions across Australia’s automotive industry. He was pleased to accept this new position.

“I’m honoured and humbled by the appointment and to be given the responsibility to lead the sales, aftersales and training departments in addition to network development,” he said.

“We now have all the dealer-facing departments reporting to one executive position, which allows for better coordination and deployment of our sales and growth strategies.

“I’m really looking forward to working even more closely with our senior team, our dealer network and building an even higher profile with our customers as IAL continues to grow and prepares for an exciting future.”

Lasry’s experience includes logistics and supply chain operations, aftersales and commercial strategies, forecasting and demand planning, as well as sales and contract management for some of the biggest names in automotive.

“Ben has done a remarkable job for us so far and I’m sure he’ll continue to deliver as we move into our ‘new normal,’ which includes continued strong demand for our products, services and the all-important customer support,” Harbison said.

Ben Lasry.

8% Better! The future is lean and green.

While no one can predict the future with absolute certainty, we’re confident it’ll be brighter with the new Scania Super. Our new powertrain has already gained a reputation for not only providing the smoothest drive on the road but also being the most fuel efficient in it’s class. Our new 13-litre platform, which now extends to 560hp, delivers a fuel saving of at least 8 %* allowing you to increase your fuel efficiency while also reducing greenhouse emissions. But it doesn’t stop there. As with our new V8 engine family the Scania Super 13L engine can also be run on B100 biodiesel**, further reducing your CO2 emissions by up to 80% with no adverse impact on engine performance.

So if you’re ready to meet the commercial and environmental challenges of today and tomorrow, you’re ready to meet the all new lean green Scania Super.

Contact your nearest Scania Account Manager or go to www.scania.com.au to find out more.

*The new Scania Super powertrain, with the combustion engine as its centrepiece, will deliver a fuel saving of at least 8% compared to Scania’s current 13 l engine (DLU). The comparison is made for long distance operations. **Applies to 13-litre 460hp & 500hp and 16-litre 590hp only.

SGGS takes a dozen new Kenworths as part of 60-truck order

Horse Transport which was sold as part of a recent asset downscaling. The new Kenworth T909 comes with a 50-inch bunk and is powered by a Cummins X15 Euro V 600hp engine paired with a Eaton 22 Series UltraShift gearbox. Along with the two other Kenworth variants, this truck will be added ad hoc to SGGS’ ongoing PBS applications.

“We have a mixed bag,” says Adam Fraser, SGGS General Manager.

“Whether it’s a workhorse like the K200 and the T610SAR or the Benz they’re all pulling their weight, doing the same work, reliably.”

The new T909 fits with a growing trend among fleets to purchase what can be deemed a flagship truck.

An order of 12 new Kenworths have arrived at interstate carrier SGGS. The trucks in question — five T610SARs, six K200s and one T909 — have been delivered with another 25 Kenworths already placed on the order books for next year with 35 additional units scheduled for 2024/25.

Prior to this latest injection of vehicles, SGGS was already operating another 45 Kenworths in B-doubles, quad axles and roadtrains.

Based in Brisbane, SGGS, operates a fleet of 100 prime movers carrying dangerous goods all over Australia.

The heavy vehicles in the fleet, which includes the latest Mercedes-Benz Actros MP5, travel from the east coast to Perth daily and occasionally up to Darwin.

Titeliner sets from Vawdrey are interchangeable enabling the trucks to work across different legs at short notice to better utilise equipment according to customer requirements. The Kenworth T909 is the first SGGS has purchased from PACCAR. It now runs two of these units having purchased secondhand the showpiece orange Kenworth T909 from Flying

> TR Group acquires Perth hire business

Fleet rental specialist, TR Group, has announced the acquisition of a Perthbased business. Axle Hire, a truck rental company that offers a modern and diverse fleet of prime movers, rigid trucks and trailers, has been brought into the fold at TR Group effective today. The purchase aligns with the Group’s nationwide expansion strategy, adding Perth to an existing presence in Melbourne, Brisbane and Newcastle and brings with it the addition of approximately 250 vehicles.

TR Group Australia General Manager Peter Irwin called the acquisition a strategic move.

“We recognise the importance of the Perth market to Australia and have spent significant time considering the best way for us to enter the market,” he said.

“We believe that the acquisition of Axle Hire provides an excellent springboard to success and look forward to welcoming our new Perth team into the TR Australia family, and the opportunity

These new Kenworths offer new levels of comfort and style for the brand according to Fraser. The drivers, for one measure, love them.

“The boys in the driver team have taken a liking to the SAR,” said Fraser. “A lot of the drivers seem to want to drive it.

“The way Kenworth works with our team and understands what we need and delivers to those needs makes it a very healthy relationship.”

Nick Gesovski at Kenworth DAF

Melbourne helped facilitate the sale which incorporates a 2-year bumper to bumper warranty through PACCAR Financial.

to deliver our expertise and genuine customer focus to Western Australia,” said Irwin.

The acquisition grows TR Group Australia’s fleet to over 2000 trailers and more than 300 prime movers.

With over 20 plus categories of trailers including PBS-approved A-double combinations fully permitted in accordance with NHVR regulations and a new fleet of prime movers and refrigeration trailers, the company said it had a solution for any project.

The new Kenworth T909.

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> Hannah’s Haulage boosts heavy vehicle arsenal

Sydney-based transport company

Hannah’s Haulage has added two new prime movers to its fleet. The pair of range-topping Mercedes-Benz Actros models bring the truck count to 34 for the family operation.

Having previously been impressed by the performance of a 13-litre 530hp Actros, the company recently invested in two top-of-the-line 16-litre 2663s through Joanne Eisel at Daimler Trucks Huntingwood.

Hannah’s Haulage Director, Scott Hannah, says the 530hp Actros was doing “really well” across several roles including a run to Maitland as a B-double.

“The 530 has been really good on fuel.

As a double, it was doing the same job as a 600hp truck (from a rival brand) between Sydney and Brisbane and was clearly better on fuel,” he said.“Running as a single, the fuel economy was just exceptional.”

The two new Actros 2663s have been put to work running as B-doubles for now, transporting aluminium material for cans to a softdrink producer in Melbourne before carrying a load of full soft drinks cans on the return journey. Plans are underway to have the new trucks run as A-doubles to boost productivity. Soon after delivery, Hannah took one of the new MercedesBenz trucks down to Melbourne to pick up a new trailer set.

“I took one for its first run down to Melbourne to pick up a trailer and it was really impressive. I’m not alone there, the guys who drive them just absolutely love them,” he said.

“The quality of the interior and the ergonomics are really excellent. The performance is really great as well.”

The two new Mercedes-Benz trucks feature the new eye-catching Hannah Haulage paint scheme.

“The yellow is not just the company colour, but also perfect for safety,” said Hannah.

“The stripe on the truck and the trailers really stands out, even in adverse weather. You also notice it, but it is not in your face or over the top,” he said.

Scott Hannah.

> NSW Government funds state-wide pothole repairs

Regional councils will soon start receiving funds for urgent pothole repairs, under the New South Wales Government’s $50 million Fixing Local Roads Pothole Repair Round. Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Sam Farraway, said all 94 regional councils that applied for funding have been approved for grants.

“From December, councils across regional NSW will receive their share of $50 million to repair potholeravaged local and regional roads,” he said.

“That’s money going straight into the bank accounts of councils like

MidCoast, Tamworth and Dubbo to help them cover the extra costs and workload pressures following this year’s unprecedented rain and storms.

“These grants are a rapid injection of cash to help councils get on with the job of repairing potholes to get us through the wet summer ahead.”

According to Farraway, this additional support will help councils to repair their most damaged roads, thus improving safety and reducing wear and tear on vehicles.

“The NSW Government is backing our councils with this dedicated pothole repair funding which is the first of its

kind in NSW,” he said. “This is on top of the ongoing investment in a stronger road network through Fixing Local Roads, Fixing Country Roads and Fixing Country Bridges.”

MidCoast Council Mayor, Claire Pontin, welcomed the funding after the region had experienced several floods and severe weather conditions this year. “We have more than 3600 kilometres of local and regional roads to manage across the MidCoast Council area that have been badly damaged,” she said. “Every dollar counts towards ensuring they are repaired as quickly as possible.”

> Major agriculture cooperative partners with iNSTRUCKTA! safety project

TRANSAFE WA has announced a new partner for its iNSTRUCKTA! safety truck initiative project.

iNSTRUCKTA! is the name of TRANSAFE WA’s custom truck and semi-trailer combination in development, which is spec’d to deliver innovative educational road safety programs.

The project was made possible with the support of the Federal Government’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI), WA’s Road Safety Commission and other industry partners.

CBH Group has joined forces with TRANSAFE WA as the truck’s newest Gold Safety Partner. Under this agreement, CBH will contribute $25,000 on behalf of Western Australian growers which will help support iNSTRUCKTA! to visit schools and community events within grain growing areas in the state. At the events, participants will be encouraged to enter the prime mover to receive the full truck driver experience, while getting a visual of what operators can and can’t see.

There will also be ten real truck seats with virtual reality equipment which will simulate real-life situations such as overtaking, turning trucks, blind spots and cutting in. In addition, there will be various road safety videos and quizzes

which will encourage participants to do their part in reducing the road toll.

TRANSAFE WA Executive Officer, Robin Sharpe, said he was very grateful for the support of CBH Group.

“CBH have taken the time and energy to invest in our vision of a safe, professional and sustainable road transport industry that protects its employees and the broader community,” he said. “CBH’s sponsorship is integral to our ability to deliver our road transport industry

safety initiatives like iNSTRUCKTA! which is our dedicated Western Australian safety truck resource.”

CBH Group COO, Mick Daw, said the partnership is a step forward in making regional WA roads safer for everyone.

“Each year we see a large increase of heavy vehicles on country roads during the busy harvest period,” he said. “We are pleased to partner with iNSTRUCKTA! to educate Western Australian drivers on how to drive safely around trucks.”

Rob Sharpe with Mick Daw.

> Cement Australia deploys electric heavy duty truck innovation

Cement Australia has recently delivered its first load in New South Wales with an electric Janus JE410, the latest addition to its fleet. The Janus JE410 was purchased originally as a Kenworth T410 Glider and was then converted by Janus Electric into a battery electric vehicle (EV).

According to Janus, this is the first fully manufactured electric Class A truck in Australia. Fuel tanks have been replaced with exchangeable batteries providing 620kWh in total, along with an electric blower discharge that works off the battery.

Under the bonnet, a 350kW motor is capable of producing around 490 horsepower with a range of four to six hundred kilometres, attached to a 12-speed gearbox.

The truck, rated to 70 tonnes, can also operate using a concrete plant’s power

by having external powers plugged into it.

Cement Australia General Manager – Supply Chain & Logistics, Blair Price, told Prime Mover that the fleet purchases around 20 Kenworth models a year and decided to have one of them electrically converted to contribute towards the cement and concrete industry’s ambition for net zero carbon concrete by 2050.

“We’re traditional Kenworth customers, so we basically decided to have one of our normal trucks converted so that the transition for our drivers into a new bit of kit would be easier,” he said. “It’s effectively just a standard T410 Kenworth without the driveline. We’ve only just taken delivery of it, so we’ll run the wheels on it for the next 12 months and then be able to put key performance indicators (KPI) up against

> BA-triples approved for use in South Australia

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and the South Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) have approved a new configuration. The BA-triple will be approved for use on the roadtrain network on state-controlled roads in South Australia.

BA-triples are now an eligible combination under the National Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice 2022 (No.3) (in South Australia only) and the South Australian Class 3 Road Friendly Suspension Mass Exemption Notice 2022 (No.2).

NHVR Chief Executive Officer Sal Petroccitto said that including the new BA-triple combination in these important access notices would deliver operational and safety benefits.

“Wherever we can, we want to introduce safer and more productive vehicles on our road networks,” said Petroccitto.

“The NHVR assessed the dynamic safety performance of BA-triples and found their handling ability to match that of AB-triples, which already have access,” he said.

“While the network currently only includes South Australian statecontrolled roads, we’re working with DIT and local governments to progressively extend it.”

Petroccitto said it was another example of the NHVR, government and industry working together to develop a safer, more productive solution to the transport task.

“I thank DIT, the Motor Trade

our normal diesel ones.”

Janus Electric General Manager, Lex Forsyth, told Prime Mover that after several conversations and ideas were proposed, Cement Australia decided to go ahead with the Glider’s conversion. “Cement Australia reached out to us in interests of having a deeper look at our product, and they decided that they wanted to go ahead with a new Glider,” he said. “It hasn’t been an easy journey to get to this part, but Cement Australia have come along in the journey with us in developing this product,” said Forsythe.

“They’ve been great partners to work with.”

The electric truck will be initially operated in Queensland and will then travel to New South Wales where it will operate out of Cement Australia’s Glebe Island warehouse.

Association SA/NT and Livestock & Rural Transporters Association of SA (LRTASA) for their collaboration on this initiative,” he said.

LRTASA President David Smith said that using BA-triples would reduce handling risks and improve safety in the industry.

“Eliminating the need to break down AB-triples with a light loaded rear trailer into a single and a B-double combination, will save time, reducing costs for the operator, but more importantly it will bring significant safety benefits,” said Smith.

“Using BA-triples will reduce the risk of injury to the individual reconfiguring the vehicle, and also to the driver and other road users by having these more stable vehicles on the road.”

BA-triple diagram.

> Driver training program achieves milestone

The recent completion of the Heavy Vehicle Driving Operations Skill Set program in Western Australia has resulted in employment for its 230 graduates. The $6.1 million program funded by the State Government was developed in collaboration with industry in response to a shortage of truck drivers magnified during the COVID-19 circumstances. Regarded as an Australian-first program, it provided theoretical and practical hands-on truck driver training at the state-of-the-art Driver Risk Management facility located near Perth Airport. Since the program began in April last year, 232 graduates of the program have gained employment following their completion, with more set to secure employment in the transport and logistics industry this month as they receive their licences. Significantly, around 30 per cent of participants in the course have been women, when compared to female representation among truck drivers in WA being of less than four per cent.

The six-week metropolitan course is available through Central Regional and South Regional TAFEs – in collaboration with industry – and is free for eligible participants.

Due to the critical program’s success, the course has been expanded to regional areas with a ten-week program now running in the Southwest.

The program aims to train 500 new workers in Heavy Rigid (HR) licences and upskill 500 existing workers from HR licences to Heavy Combination and/or Multi-Combination licences, to combat skills shortages and support the transport and logistics industry.

In 2020, the Western Roads Federation along with the Transport Workers’ Union approached the Premier, the Minister for Education and Training, and the Minister for Transport asking for a dedicated training course for truck drivers.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the program had already exceeded expectations.

“It is an excellent example of collaboration with industry to help match jobseekers looking to boost their employability with an industry in need of skilled workers,” she said.

The program, according to Western Roads Federation CEO Cam Dumesny, has provided a much-needed boost to the transport industry.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the WA Government’s support of our essential industry – because the only thing we don’t deliver are babies,” he said.

“We’re seeing a strong interest from women wanting to join the industry and the trend is very welcome news, as so many employers are keen to employ more female drivers because of the different

skills and positive attributes they bring.” Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery said the Heavy Vehicle Driving Operations Skill Set is a fantastic example of how the Western Australian Government is working with industries with skills shortages to train the jobready workers.

“Its success in producing more than 230 workers for the transport and logistics, civil construction, and mining industries since it was launched last year further highlights our Government’s commitment to supporting industries to meet critical workforce needs,” she said. “This program provides participants with real hands-on experience and practical hours in heavy haulage to help them become job-ready, and get more skilled drivers on our roads,” said Ellery.

> Australia’s first live-traffic automated truck trial begins

Transurban has announced it will begin testing an automated truck in Melbourne, marking what it calls an important step towards a CAVdriven future. The trial, according to Transurban, will ultimately help it better understand how roads and road technology can be future-proofed to prepare for CAVs joining the mix of vehicles already on Melbourne’s roads and beyond.

“We’ve already conducted CAV trials with driver assistance on our roads, but this trial is a little different as the automated truck will be

driving itself,” Transurban said in a statement. Previously, the toll road operator had tested how the sensors in CAVs interpreted their immediate surroundings by using line markings and variable speed limit signs.

Transurban expects the trials will enable it to capture valuable insights to make informed decisions about future infrastructure and operations that its government and industry partners can also learn from. These trucks, according to Transurban, have the potential to transform the freight industry, by helping to move more

goods, more often. CityLink, where the CAV will be evaluated, is one of the most technologically sophisticated roads in the world. It has embedded technology including more than 600 CCTV cameras, automatic incident detection systems and smart sensors to monitor for traffic incidents such as debris and stopped vehicles. During the trial, real-time data from CityLink’s systems will be fed directly to the CAV truck, enabling it to understand road and traffic conditions beyond its sensors. The truck will only travel at night, when traffic is typically light.

Christie Dowsett.

> Cahill Transport launches driver recognition initiative

Freight carrier, Cahill Transport, has introduced a new ‘Gold Standard’ driver recognition program. ‘Driver of the month’ and ‘driver of the year’ initiatives have been launched on a national scale as part of a an ongoing commitment by the company as it continuously invests in a new fleet and the adaptation of technology to promote safer and more efficient outcomes.

The program is designed to encourage and reward safe driving practises that benefit the company’s drivers, customers, and the general public. The internal compliance team, according to Cahill Transport General Manager, Shane Lovell, has historically used vehicle telematics and in-cab technology to monitor for violations in Chain of Responsibility obligations and to act on critical data observations.

“After an event occurred, the company typically analysed the data with an eye

towards finding fault with the process in order to make changes,” said Lovell. “Recently, we’ve collaborated with our telematics provider to highlight safe driving practises, reward safe drivers, and reduce the perception of risk among our staff.”

A monthly scorecard has been created to monitor and encourage driver prestart inspection and fault recording, safe driving practises, including but not limited to: speed, harsh braking, acceleration and cornering; and productive use of company vehicles. In the program drivers are recognised and celebrated once per month and are encouraged to access their own driving data to self-manage and ultimately improve their driving skills autonomously.

“When it comes to recruiting and retaining top talent, we’ve found that a program that recognises and rewards

our drivers at the gold standard level is particularly effective,” said Lovell. “The industry’s constant struggle to attract and retain talent makes it all the more important to foster growth within our own ranks.”

A growing sense of competition for the generous monthly rewards and recognition on offer has since emerged among drivers according to Lovell.

“Drivers are proactively reviewing their individual performances and identifying methods and strategies for improvement,” he said. “Cahill Transport’s goal is to be the go-to business partner in the markets they serve, and this program is a major step towards achieving that goal.

“The company is making an effort to improve its team members’ working conditions in order to foster expansion, superior customer service, and employee satisfaction.”

Kenworth K200 A-double.

to its fast-growing RFS network which already provides extensive coverage in Europe and the Middle East. Strategic investment will reportedly expand the fleet and facilitate development of new products and services for the Australian market.

Peter Assel who co-founded the business will remain as a major shareholder as well as Managing Director. The agreement covers Air Cargo RFS, Express Transport and Project Transport service offerings. Skyroad Logistics will continue to operate from its head office in Melbourne, and service depots in Sydney and Brisbane.

“Skyroad is a perfect fit in our portfolio of quality-focused organisations providing a full spectrum of products and services,” said Frantz Wallenborn, President & CEO at Wallenborn Transports. “They’re pioneers in the Australian market – for example the first TAPA TSR certified company in

Logistics was announced on Friday 11 November at an event for Skyroad’s peers, colleagues and suppliers at Butler Lane by Peter Rowland in Richmond, Victoria.

The venue, with its industrial warehouse aesthetic, was complemented by a lush courtyard, and on this occasion, featured a 50th anniversary edition Kenworth tribute prime mover as the centrepiece.

Australian Idol finalist, actor, television personality and singer-songwriter, Rob Mills, was lead performer and handled the MC duties on the night.

Assel said the company had achieved its goal of market leadership in RFS in Australia within just seven years, and with strong growth and a strong future investment plan in place including record fleet orders from Kenworth, it was timely to seek further investment partners.

“Since my co-founder Anthony Clark passed away from cancer early in 2020

By the end of 2023 Assel expects the business in Australia to have at least 34 trucks and 40 trailers. He is also working towards bringing new products to market that will reduce carbon footprint.

“We intend to rapidly leverage off the Wallenborn knowledge and quality management to bring even better services and capabilities to Australia and to extend our lead in service capability,” said Assel.

“Skyroad’s strengths will remain unchanged with our strong commitment to company owned fleet, great suppliers such as Kenworth, Cummins, and Thermo King, and of course our commitment to sustainability.”

Wallenborn, which was founded in 1920, has 1,100-plus drivers, more than 900 trucks in control and has a very similar DNA to Skyroad.

“We’re very proud to have Wallenborn come a long way to join us in Australia,” said Assel.

A Kenworth greets guests at the Skyroad event in Melbourne.

> Cummins announces MOU with India’s biggest truckmaker

relationship with Cummins for their next generation, hydrogen propulsion systems,” said Chandrasekaran.

“We are excited to indigenise the cutting-edge hydrogen technology to offer our customers an expanded portfolio of green and future ready commercial vehicles, accelerate the adoption of sustainable mobility in the country, and to contribute towards India’s ‘net zero’ carbon

Cummins Inc Executive Chairman Tom Linebarger said the company was well-positioned to help its customers successfully and seamlessly transition to economically viable decarbonised

Cummins Inc and Tata Motors have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the design and development of low and zero-emission propulsion technology solutions for commercial vehicles in India. The agreement with India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer will include hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines, fuel cells, and battery electric vehicle systems.

The MoU was signed in the presence of N Chandrasekaran, Executive Chairman, Tata Sons, and Tom Linebarger, Executive Chairman, Cummins Inc, on 14 November, at the Tata Sons Headquarters — Bombay House, in Mumbai, India.

Senior officials and dignitaries from Cummins India and Tata Motors were

also present during the MoU signing ceremony.

Cummins’ B6.7H hydrogen engine is an all-new engine platform featuring cutting-edge technology to enhance power density, reduce friction losses and improve thermal efficiency. It generates up to 290hp (216kW) and 1200Nm peak torque.

With the shift to sustainable mobility ever increasing, Tata Motors, according to Chandrasekaran, is committed to be among the leaders of green mobility.

“We are taking definitive steps to drive this global megatrend forward in each of our businesses,” he said.

“Working with partners who share the same vision is essential for this transition and we are delighted to strengthen our long-standing

“Cummins and Tata Motors have a strong history of partnership, and the next step into low and zeroemissions technologies is an exciting development for zero-emissions transportation,” he said. “Our collaboration in India is an important milestone for Cummins and Tata as we work together to accelerate the shift to a carbon-free economy and a zero-emissions world. We strongly believe that this collaboration is a significant step forward to achieving India’s Green Hydrogen Mission. I am excited to enable powering a cleaner and greener India.”

In 1993, the two engineering companies came together to fulfil their goal of introducing best-in-class cleaner vehicle technology solutions to the Indian market — Tata Motors to deliver best-in-class mobility solutions in India and Cummins to power that vision through their products and services.

The partnership, driven by a shared ideology, common vision, and values, has grown from strength to strength over the last three decades. Both parties believe the MoU further solidifies their association and is aligned with India’s vision of ‘Energy for Sustainable Growth’ and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2070.

N Chandrasekaran and Tom Linebarger.

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THE INFLATION GENIE

Inflation is a hot topic. Can the Reserve Bank get the inflation genie back into the bottle quickly? Or is inflation potentially going to stay high for an extended period? In either case, what is the future path of interest rates?

The answers to these questions are very relevant in a tough transport and logistics industry, where decisions have to be made concerning contracts, pricing inputs, the cost of debt and business planning. Running a transport operation in normal times is challenging, and high inflation not only adds cost pressures, but also economic unpredictability. Members of Generation Z and millennials (ie anyone under 30 years old) will never have experienced high inflation. In that context, it can be hard to understand why central banks are being so aggressive, raising interest rates to eye-watering levels and threatening to push economies around the world into recession. How is that pain worth it?

Inflation is a familiar foe to those us who lived through the 1970s and 1980s. While the judgement around how much pain should be inflicted on the economy is one for the technocrats, my generation can attest to the fact that inflation is also incredibly painful, and highly destructive. To use an analogy, imagine a mouse running in a mouse wheel. While the pace is slow the device provides stimulation and exercise. It can be a good thing. But a mouse that

gets excited might run a bit too fast. As the wheel spins faster the mouse gets stressed and lifts the pace. Of course, the wheel spins faster. Now suffering something of a panic attack the mouse runs full speed until it finally collapses. Exhausted. Perhaps injured. Maybe even dies of a heart attack. And all for nothing. No matter how fast the mouse runs, it never gets anywhere.

Now imagine the same effect on your transport operation. Business running costs are going up by say 7 per cent due to input costs such as rental space, people, contractors, capital equipment, and fuel. What do you do? With such high increases in costs, you cannot absorb all of them, leaving only the option of having to pass them onto your client. In turn, your clients are faced with higher input costs and must pass these onto their customers. And on it goes.

Are there any winners? There are winners and losers in every game. If you have borrowed money and fixed the interest rate, it might be helpful as high inflation reduces the value of debt. But for the vast majority of us it’s an endless cycle that, left unchecked, destroys businesses, economies and sometimes countries. That’s why central bankers are wringing their hands right now, doing whatever it takes to bring inflation under control. We can already see that in higher interest rates, with more rate hikes likely to come. How does TWUSUPER manage inflation risk? We know that members

Edward Smith

Drawing down on savings is no longer the same for retirees when the insidious nature of inflation makes other demands of the funds often at our disposal.

depend on their super for a comfortable retirement. What seems like a large nest egg today might not be enough if investment returns prove to be less than inflation. Assets that in other circumstances are seen as safe now become deadly. For example, funds invested in cash earning 3 per cent might sound like a much better deal than the 0.3 per cent pa they were earning last year. But with inflation running at 7 per cent this translates to a real return of -4 per cent. The loss might not be so obvious as losses in the share market, but they are just as painful when the time comes to draw down on savings. The insidious nature of inflation demands that superannuation

funds focus on generating positive real (after inflation) returns. For example, TWUSUPER’s Balanced option has an objective to return at least 3 per cent pa more than inflation after tax and costs. When inflation is running at 2 per cent that might seem a soft target. But at 7 per cent it means the option must provide an after tax and costs return of at least 10 per cent. How we deal with this is in the preparation that happens years earlier. Investing to manage inflation risk long before it becomes obvious. In our case we adopted inflation targeting as part of our investment beliefs. This led us to favour asset classes that are typically resilient in the face of inflation such

as property and infrastructure. It also has made us wary of fixed interest investments that have suffered from a double whammy of high inflation and rising interest rates. Better to lock in fixed interest investments later after inflation has peaked. We don’t have a crystal ball that can tell us if the current bout of rising interest rates will be enough to put the inflation genie back in its bottle, or how long it will take. Disrupted supply chains, war in the Ukraine and the lingering effects of the COVID pandemic make the job much harder. But at the end of the day the pain required to get it under control is almost certainly worth it. Either way, we need to be ready.

Anyone under the age of 30 would not be familiar with the inflation genie.

RUN C AND

do we owe to a few cold beers? For one family, across three generations, they are still finding out.

The company, as it enters its 53rd year of operations, handles a prodigious variety of goods for the retail, FMCG, light industrial, bulk plastics, food and dairy industries, moving containers from the port in Melbourne to sites nearby.

in Truganina. The company’s vision to create a leading-edge operational footprint to accommodate its continual growth, which has been augmented by hard work and family values, prevails unflinchingly. That breakup party at the Flagstaff

Were it not for a Christmas party in 1968, where its founders first formed an alliance, Secon Freight Logistics, the powerhouse landside operator in Melbourne, may not have ever come to fruition. How much of happenstance

These movements tally to over 150 containers a day. Boxes are transported by Secon typically on A-doubles before they are delivered in full, destuffed, or processed for quarantine approval. Last year Secon finalised the final phase of its Victorian consolidation strategy, moving into a new 47,000m2 purposebuilt logistics hub on 90,000m2 of land

A partnership formed at a Christmas gathering five decades ago has served as the bedrock for the thriving container transport entity known and respected among industry today as Secon Freight Logistics.

Volvo FMs handle the bulk of the container work.

ARRY

Gardens Hotel, in which Maurie Considine, who was working for NZ Wool Trading Company, happened to be sitting next to heavy vehicle operator Jim Seide, led to a partnership where roles and the division of labour were suitably aligned for

what has subsequently proven a successful strategy. When Maurie first suggested they go into business together, Jim was working, at the time, as a subcontractor moving wool in break bulk to the wharf on a flat top truck. Here the bails would be craned off the

wharf for shipment overseas.

“If you look after the trucks I’ll get the customers,” Maurie had said. That was late in 1968.

Container hauling in Australia began in earnest the following year. This served as the platform that would catapult

Volvo FM leaves the wharf in Melbourne.

his connections at NZ Wool Trading Company, Maurie had put together a strong network. Many of these acquaintances were “most anxious to get people to pack their own containers,” Maurie recalled in an interview in 2016. Some of that work, invariably, soon fell to Maurie and Jim.

In 1978, Maurie’s son, Vincent, who had been training as a motor mechanic, changed career tack and under Jim’s tutelage joined the company. In 1981, Maurie’s sons Terry and Brendon also joined the business consolidating what was a family affair in operations. After they gained experience in driving forklifts and manual labour both sons were inducted into operational “slots” where they have left an indelible impression on the expansion of the business. Today Brendon serves as Managing Director. Paul Considine joined in 1983 followed by Matthew Considine in 1988.

a sideloader, one of the first in use in Victoria. It was acquired for $80,000. The gamble soon paid off. Maurie by now had been inducted as a life member at the Hawthorn Football Club where he had played 37 games and more significantly had been an assistant coach under AFL hall-of-fame member John Kennedy.

In 2012, Secon moved to a facility in Sunshine on the recommendation of Terry. It proved a masterstroke in terms of productivity returns and the accelerated growth of the business, which continues today. The move to Truganina, an area west of Melbourne where much commercial development and expansion has taken place in the last five years, has required the company to redesign their commercial structure and customer profile. As part of these developments, it now has its own 26,000m2 yard where container dispatch is now staged. The site

container yard to the loading of loose freight on vehicles.

The wharf fleet, which is predominantly Volvo vehicles with a few UD trucks, operates 24 hours, five days a week and weekends, as required. It underwent the first stage of an upgrade in 2019 as Secon, in keeping with changes in heavy vehicle technology, invested in safer, more fuel-efficient trucks under the guidance of its drivers. Trucks, by and large, originate from the CMV Truck & Bus network and are Euro V and Euro VI emissions compliant. The systematic fleet refreshment has subsequently seen many of its older trucks phased out.

Advancements in integrated electrical systems and computerised diagnosis of vehicle faults, according to Chief Executive Officer, Daniel Considine, have been expressed in a different approach to repair and maintenance.

“It became too complex for a general diesel mechanic who once upon a time

One of the UD rigids currently in operation.

would have lifted up the hood to get to the root of any problem,” he says. “We had to strategically align ourselves to a single supplier and we chose Volvo Group to streamline our R&M. The fleet consequently has a uniform approach to serviceability.”

The workshop crew, of which there are six, have been upskilled and have their own computers now to perform diagnostic checks. While most of the R&M is now performed through a fully maintained service contract through Volvo, the technicians take care of trailer maintenance including stainless steel welding and manufacturing.

“All of the advancements and modifications of the trailers we do inhouse,” says Daniel. “There’s also an engineer in the workshop.”

In 2009, Secon Freight Logistics purchased specialised tipper transporters Bulk Carriers Australia, as both companies shared some of the same directors.

The business they inherited moves plastic resin extruded and pumped into tall storage silos. Specialised auxiliary equipment such as pneumatic tippers are used for unloading. This arm of the business generally services larger contracts nationally. There’s 18 of these customised trailers

with suppliers Barker and Vawdrey building the chassis inhouse and retrofitting the pump. Secon recently appointed their own bulk manager for solutions to that industry.

Secon Freight Logistics operates 50 vehicles in total with Volvo FMs and UD Quons doing the bulk of the heavy lifting. New UD Croners are the preferred vehicle for Secon’s loose freight distribution division, while Isuzu rigids are tasked with jobs confined

mainly to the yards.

“It’s important that we get the best value truck. It’s one of the prerequisites when it comes to replenishing the fleet which is low range and high usage,” says Daniel. “The biggest issue to date has been sourcing parts for vehicles given supply chain disruptions experienced worldwide earlier in the year and that’s ongoing.”

Three high productivity vehicles, originally deployed in 2020, are

Daniel Considine.

Secon will have five high productivity vehicles operational this year.

pair of A-doubles on purchase order through Vawdrey. Meritor, no less, is trialling axles on the Vawdrey trailer sets. More than a few million dollars of equipment, Daniel confirms, is scheduled to arrive mid-2023 to close out what is the most recent round of a formidable capital expenditure program. The UD Quons, readily available earlier in the year, were introduced to satisfy demand.

“Drivers like the Quon. It’s a comfortable vehicle to drive,” says Daniel. “We like that it’s also light in weight and can take more on.”

The company has worked hard on reverse engineering the traditional ship to shelf model by planning around the crucial end point. Depending on vessel availability, the process has been refined

lulls for its customers. To make it work, Secon use map time slotting, all of it palletised. For this, there are 60 forklifts operational across two shifts, the latest ending at 2am. Significant investments have been made in the property next door at Truganina. It’s a nine-hectare extension at a $4 million investment which will increase container capacity, making Secon one of the largest container yards in Victoria able to handle full containers. Post tension concrete, which is deeper and reinforced during the curing process when the reo mesh in it is tightened, will allow operations to stack up to 120 tonne containers.

Delays in supply chain following the peak period in early 2022 brought disorder to the industry as businesses

shipping schedules. Secon’s yard can handle up to 1500 TEUs efficiently. It was over 100 per cent capacity for a long time according to Daniel, who is a trained Occupational Therapist, but has been working in a business development role the last eight years since his uncle, Terry Considine, who has sadly since passed, seconded him to the company.

“We knew our competitors were struggling for space,” he says. “All the warehouses were filling up and for a while there was a lot of angst between us and customers. The crucial part of that was communication and managing expectations.”

In the past, a business, under these circumstances, might have been able to rely on labour hire as a pressure

Volvo Group was chosen as part of a strategic alliance with key suppliers.

Management had to incentivise its customers to move their containers as quickly as possible.

take a proactive solution and that was to give customers options so that they felt they had a choice. There were cost

up around April. COVID lockdowns, however, were crippling given the company had lease arrangements for its old facilities that sat empty. They paid double rent for a while. Although costs went up, none of it ultimately impacted revenue.

“We still needed arms and legs to do the work,” Daniel recalls. “Foremost, we protected our people during that time. It was all about our staff and empowering them post-COVID.”

With a payroll of over 200 staff, a major focus, naturally, is on its people but also the wider community.

“Adding the safest trucks to our fleet is an investment in our drivers,” says Daniel. “It’s also so the community can feel safe every time they pass a Secon truck on the road.”

A sideloader gets ready to remove a TEU from a low cab Volvo FM.

Secon’s yard can handle up to 1500 TEUs.

COAST COAST TO

In general road freight terms, SGGS is something of a newcomer. Founded in 2013, the business is based at Rocklea in Brisbane’s southwest from whereupon its base and operations, in just a few years, have steadily grown to sufficient national scope seemingly unencumbered by the pratfalls that can afflict such a relatively young company. The one truck, one customer, business model that has served so many larger fleets well, holds true here. That first Hino body truck tasked with pick-up and delivery for a local company in Brisbane multiplied in no time at all as customer service was more than equal to the tasks asked of it. Contracts were renewed. Customer accounts extended. Business burgeoned as word-of-mouth spread, requiring operations invest in additional trucks to keep pace. Exponential expansion in those first few years can’t quite explain the explosion of work. The impetus for the sudden growth was relatively simple: SGGS, operating initially as a subcontractor, found itself being prioritised by its customers and this was a catalyst for the first period of seminal growth achieved by the company.

The first prime mover, a Volvo, was purchased in 2014. By then the pathway to heavier loads over longer distances, compared to what had been the acceptable norm up until that moment, was clearly evident.

“It basically multiplied from that first prime mover to one each year,” says Rajbeer Khangura, SGGS Owner. “That’s gone up considerably in the last

few years.”

It would be fair to say, without much exaggeration, it has gone up drastically. The company has been purchasing around 20 prime movers per year since 2019 and this year set a new company record by verifying an order of 120 Mercedes-Benz Actros prime movers. Daimler Trucks will deliver these over the course of the next three years with the first nine units now operational locally. SGGS have optioned the Actros 2663 Streamspace cab which has been optimised for low level fuel consumption with a 2500mm level floor and 197mm of headroom between the seats. The 16-litre engine is rated at 630 horsepower. These trucks have a GCM of 106 tonne and will be performing roadtrain work coast to coast as well as pulling quad roadtrains into Darwin.

Gautam Dhillon at Daimler Trucks

Laverton will facilitate the delivery order in accordance with SGGS’ production schedule up to and accounting for 2025.

The initial units will consist of the fifth generation MP5s and incorporate MP6s should they have been released during the agreed upon time frame. The vehicles are all B-quad rated.

“They’re all configured the same,” says Adam Fraser, SGGS General Manager. “And they’re all built the same. Now that the boys have ongoing contract work with a lot more companies, they have seen the opportunity to invest in specific gear, tailored to the application.”

Some of these contracts are from the likes of Toll, Mainfreight, Direct Freight Express and CEVA Logistics, no less. SGGS handles, for the main part, dangerous goods. These loads can vary depending on the trailer load. For the most part, the fleet is moving chemicals, regular oil, Araldite adhesives and glues. The customer primarily dictates this through the supplier.

Route topography on the Actros 2663 can be optimised through the operation of the automatic transmission via Predictive Powertrain Control. The system integrates a driving style according to 3D maps

which factors in uphill and downhill gradients. Fuel efficiencies are generated on the basis of this data, as shift points, gear steps and the settings of the cruise control speed are modified in real-time to avoid using unnecessary acceleration or braking. The coasting function, even on very slight gradients, is where the new Actros can deliver, cumulatively, the most fuel saving for the operator.

All trucks, per the Daimler warranty model, are used for five years or 1 million kilometres, whatever comes first.

“Assets are acquired in co-ordination with the customer contract. A broker and finance advisor take any guesswork out of this process,” says Adam. “There’s been no issue with finance.”

While equipment has always been purchased based on customer requirements, the initial approach, as is the case with most neophyte companies, was initially somewhat ad hoc compared to what it is today. That came to an end in 2016 when an internal decision instigated a change in policy as far as how the company invested in its equipment. The decision pertained directly to its purchasing orders and more specifically prime movers, which thereupon, would need to be brand new, going forward.

The fleet up until 2020 had been largely mixed. After analysing the onboard data of the vehicles, Rajbeer and his team made a commitment that would narrow down the brands it would support to Mercedes-Benz and Kenworth.

“For us they were more reliable,” says Rajbeer. “The old trucks in the fleet are gradually being replaced over time hence the new colossal order which is part of fleet replenishment and demand driven by new work.”

Up to 90 per cent of the work involves running from the east coast of Australia to Perth on B-double Titeliners. Trucks also trek as far north as Darwin with additional, less consistent work serviced in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. SGGS currently operates 355 pieces of moving equipment. Of these

Based in Brisbane, SGGS, operates a fleet of 100 prime movers carrying dangerous goods all over Australia. A record recent order through Daimler Trucks will see its fleet expand considerably over the next few years.

just over 100 are prime movers with approximately 130 B-double sets that are interchangeable. Before 2022, six months was generally enough time to turn around an order for utilisation of the vehicles made ready in accordance with OEM specifications.

The ordering process has been simplified with a default Vawdrey specification adopted since SGGS’s first purchase from the Melbourne trailer manufacture in 2018. Working with Mainfreight or Toll will sometimes necessitate substituting curtains when it comes to branding.

Vawdrey, whose mezzanine floors and stock control, set them apart according to Adam, are also very good in this department. As the entire fleet is aligned with one trailing equipment supplier, it gives operations the ability to drop a trailer, if needed, to accommodate customers while retaining compatible instruments of delivery.

“A lot of our customers have different requirements,” says Adam. “Some might want B-doubles, some might want triples, some might not have enough freight and want to drop something which allows another customer to have it. We have an advantage in being able to change stuff around, on the fly if need be.”

That kind of flexibility is hardwired into the sales program of the business. Adam, who has been with the company since March last year after coming across from Toll where he was working in operations, acknowledges customer service is entwined with its ability to always offer an adroit response depending on time and demand.

“For companies that lock in the same unit over and over again if it’s after Christmas and the freight dies in the backend, they don’t want to pay full price,” he explains. “That might mean they can only load a B-double instead of a triple and another company might have an ongoing contract that they need an extra trailer for. We can supply that and help them out and the original company is not financially impacted.”

For its trailers, SGGS maintains and

services them in workshops it operates in Melbourne and Brisbane. These are staffed by five technicians. Brisbane, where head office is situated on Ipswich Road, also has a washbay. They use third party for R&M where required.

“The in-house workshop guys service the trailers which originate with Vawdrey who does the first service to obviously honour warranty,” says Adam. “The same with the trucks through Kenworth and Daimler Trucks.”

Gautam at Daimler Trucks Laverton, similarly to Nick Gesovski at Kenworth, builds the trucks per SGGS specs so

that every unit can be listed on the same permit. It’s up to SGGS to get route approval. All the new gear is PBSapproved. Several permits are currently pending. One of the most recent PBS applications certified is for a B-triple from Epping to Perth.

“When you’re running east to west it can be very limited in repairs across the area of the Nullarbor and Southern Cross,” explains Adam. “In having a higher number of units of the same truck it allows us to facilitate easier maintenance supplies. Daimler works well with us. Their after-hours support is better. They

Mercedes-Benz Actros B-quad in Melbourne.

carry more equipment because they know of the work that we do in that area.”

Recovery is hastened this way in the event of a breakdown or parts can be taken from a vehicle that has been sidelined and put onto another to get that one up and going.

“It’s just a matter of trouble shooting each day,” Adam says. “There’s never a day the same. But there’s always challenges and solutions to those challenges.”

Some of these solutions come in the form of expanding business infrastructure and resources. SGGS is awaiting the

response to an offer it has put down on a block of land in Adelaide for a proposed new workshop site. At present, the business is discussing bringing Perth on board as well. The plan is, by Q4 of this year, to have both Adelaide and Perth up and running with staff. As the company grows and shifts into new, unchartered waters, Raj draws upon experiences from back home in India where he hails. His father runs a successful truck business in Dera Bassi, a satellite city of Chandigarh in the state of Punjab, servicing clients all over the country.

“He’s been doing that for over 40 years and that’s a system I have learned a lot from but many of the similarities end there,” he says. “The condition of the roads, for one, make it a very different experience.”

For the moment, the outlook looks bright for SGGS. As for the fleet and operational side, the business should continue to grow over the next few years before a period of consolidation.

“Hopefully we are a bit bigger than where we are now and then, with good planning, we can maintain what we’ve got,” Rajbeer says.

GENER NEXT

Sixty years of road transport experience across two countries equips Ausway Transport to meet its newest ambitions.

The Sooch family became involved in road transport in Northern India as far back as 1962 where Gurdev S. Sooch started a trucking company, prior to emigrating to Australia with his family in the mid-‘70s. Gurdev’s son, Bill Sooch established Ausway Transport in Melbourne with a single truck in 2003 and while Bill remains heavily involved in the operation, his son Bobby Sooch is now the General Manager, making this the third generation of the family to be involved in transport.

Ausway Transport provides express interstate parcel deliveries, with growing dry and refrigerated food contracts on the Melbourne-Sydney and MelbourneBrisbane routes. There are occasional trips into Northern Queensland, as well as a daily Melbourne-Adelaide service. The process is underway currently to acquire accreditation to operate in Western Australia. In addition to its fleet of rigid trucks, Ausway Transport currently has more than 60 late model prime movers and 70 B-double sets including drop deck mezzanines. Some

new B-triples will be joining the fleet following the PBS approvals being handled by Smedley’s Engineers and will be destined for operations into North Queensland and South Australia. The majority of prime movers are Kenworth and Volvo, and two R 620 V8 Scanias are the latest additions with several more currently on order. In the past Ausway has used other American brands, and Bobby Sooch recognises the value of operating locally manufactured products such as Kenworth and Volvo as it contributes to the overall economy

The two new Scania R 620s.

ATION

at a macro level while it simplifies parts and service support at a more micro level. The move to establishing the refrigerated transport division has led to the acquisition of the Scanias; the brand decision influenced by the performance of a number of rigid Scania trucks already in the fleet.

“It’s always been a one truck-one driver culture here and we prefer drivers to have the maximum room available in the cabs,” says Bobby Sooch. “A lot of our drivers are what we call ‘camper drivers’ who are happy to stay in the truck for two or three weeks, hence the big cabs like the Scanias are ideal.”

Having a modern and well-optioned

fleet contributes to safety as well as efficiency and can also be an important factor contributing to the recruitment and retention of skilled and dedicated drivers, many of whom have been with Ausway Transport for more than ten years. Trucks are planned to be kept for between 800,000 kilometres to one million kilometres and the Scanias are on dealer repair and maintenance contracts for those distances which also suits Ausway’s strict adherence to maintenance procedures, which is reinforced as part of the company’s NHVAS accreditation. Trucks are tracked using MTData and most drivers are transitioning to electronic work diaries.

All drivers undergo comprehensive background checks and are subject to drug testing.

“We see every truck through our depot in Craigieburn where we have our own workshop and perform all trailer maintenance inhouse,” says Bobby. Any minor damage to components such as mudguards is addressed by having pre-painted replacements on hand to enable quick fitment. In addition to accessories such as the microwaves and televisions fitted to the sleepers, the Ausway Scanias are equipped with a Scania factory lightbar on the roof holding four large circular driving lamps, while there are six amber running lights on the top of the air deflector in addition to running lights on the Kentweld bullbar, which incorporates two 9000 lumen 17-inch LED light bars. There are extra running lights on the mirror cases and down the side of the cab, giving the trucks a distinctive light signature. The wild fluctuation of diesel prices in recent years is an issue for all operators and Ausway has had each Scania specified with fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 1,200 litres.

“We bunker our own fuel at our depot and prefer to avoid refuelling on the road,” says Bobby. “The cost savings are significant, but you need big enough tanks on the trucks to benefit from this. With average fuel consumption of around 2.0 km/litre on interstate duties, the Scania capacity and range suits our needs.”

Safety is paramount at Ausway. This is reflected by the rear facing cameras which are fitted under the door mirror

housings as well as a single camera on the nearside entry step to watch for vulnerable road users.

The new FTE fridge trailers hauled by

corporate white and blue livery reversed to maximise a greater expanse of white in place of the big blue sections common to the Tautliner curtains.

helps to reflect the heat off the panels to reduce the load on the new Thermo King A500 chillers in hot weather,” Bobby explains.

In the competitive market for transport components Ausway Transport has developed a policy of sticking to a select group of suppliers which can result in long term benefits.

“We have cultivated a set of approved suppliers for all our hardware, using only proven components we know work for us. All our trailers are from Vawdrey or FTE, and we only use BPW axles, airbags and suspension components, JOST fifth wheels and landing legs, HELLA lighting systems, Michelin, Goodyear and Haulmax tyres,” says Bobby. “We know these companies are committed to supporting our business. Cheapest is not always the best.”

Bobby would like to see more interest and enthusiasm for new people to

Bobby Sooch with his father Bill.

Rear facing cameras have been fitted to the door mirrors.

young people coming into the industry and I think every industry is suffering, not just in Australia but it’s a worldwide problem. I think transport deserves a better reputation as a career. People in schools want to be a plumber or an electrician but they don’t want to be a truck driver. It doesn’t help that you can’t ride in the trucks with your uncle or father like the old days. I find it hard that youngsters these days don’t look at it as a career — they all want short term goals. Everything takes time to build.” Forward planning is an important factor in the future success of Ausway and includes having orders in place for replacement and additional new trucks and trailers to be delivered over the next four years.

Ausway Transport has built a reputation

some time, and later when he expressed interest in joining the family transport operation, he was told by his father, Bill, that there would be no turning back, and Bobby continues to harbour no regrets for making the decision to get involved. He has progressed, after spending five years driving Ausway trucks, to become an allocator and today is General Manager.

“We work crazy hours here, but I love it,” he says. “It doesn’t matter what profession you have, if you enjoy it, you don’t even realise the time you spend on it. I’m proud when I look back at the people I know in the industry because they become your ‘business family’ and the connections you build within your business life are not just something you can gain overnight.”

The 620hp V8 Scanias will haul B-doubles.

Six amber running lights feature above the air deflector .

LIMIT PUSH ITTO THE

Micway Transport works around the clock with some

of Australia’s biggest food and retail

organisations, and with the help of Isuzu, it has ensured that it has the most efficient vehicles to carry out its freight tasks.

Micway Transport, based in Seven Hills, New South Wales, was born in 1999 under the wings of David Franklin and his wife Mary. The family business was initially contracted to P&O to deliver frozen and chilled food to 28 Domino’s Pizza stores across NSW. But, since then, under the guidance of Director of Operations, Wayne Franklin, it has grown to become a much bigger player in the transport industry. It now services all of the Domino’s Pizza stores in NSW, along with every one of

the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell stores in NSW and the ACT. Within nine months of its establishment, Micway quickly grew its portfolio to 160 stores with additional growth throughout southeast Queensland and acquired a contract for an extra 89 NSW Hungry Jack’s stores shortly afterwards. In 2003, Micway began delivering to Franklins Supermarkets which resulted in the fleet servicing the entire Sydney Metropolitan basin as well as expanding into the Central Coast and Wollongong regions. Before further expansion in

2008, it was awarded the contract to be Americold’s preferred transport provider in NSW — known as Versacold at the time. With this decision, Micway commenced the delivery of Woolworths freezer stock throughout the Sydney Metropolitan and South Coast region which allowed it to add a further 160 stores to its operations.

The next three years at Micway saw the commencement of several delivery contracts with Woolworths Milk, Coles Freezer and YUM! brands throughout Sydney Metro, Central Coast, Newcastle,

LIMIT

South Coast and Western NSW. This marked the beginning of a longterm relationship with Isuzu built on demonstrated quality. Since then, Micway Transport has placed its trust in the Isuzu product to carry out a large portion of its 24/7 operations. It does, however, also run MANs, Volvos and IVECOs in its mixed fleet.

Director of Operations, Wayne Franklin, says Isuzu hasn’t disappointed him once during the last 12 years.

“Isuzu is very reliable and they’re very strong in that small to medium truck space,” he says. “I think they’re one of the stars and the market leaders in that space and Micway is very happy to be partnering with them.”

Micway Transport’s fleet consists of over 35 14-pallet refrigerated rigid trucks, 35 prime movers and 46 trailers. Travelling among these commercial vehicles are Wayne’s busiest trucks in the fleet — seven Isuzu FSD 140/120-260 Long Auto F Series trucks in eight pallet configurations, with a low height and special wheelbase for clearance.

“They are working up to 16 hours a day doing three or four loads in our space across a 24/7 operation servicing the Woolworths and food services businesses that we cover,” he says. “They’re real workhorses in the fleet. The drivers love driving them.”

The majority of Wayne’s Isuzus, including the FSDs, are placed for

Woolworths Metro store deliveries where they service 43 stores in a restricted height delivery service. Operations encounter a range of locations, from shopping centres and underground carparks with overall height restrictions between 3.1 and 3.4 metres to underground spaces in Sydney CBD and gutter-type tailgated deliveries.

“They also travel around tight city locations and Westfield shopping centres that these KFC stores sit in,” Wayne says.

“With these tight locations, parking restrictions make it tough to service the stores so it’s important that we have suitable vehicles which work for us.”

The Isuzu vehicles, according to Wayne, carry a preferable price point that better

Four of the new Isuzu FSD 140/120-260 Long Auto F Series trucks.

trucks in the heavy-duty truck space,” he says.

According to Isuzu, the F Series is Australia’s best-selling medium duty truck — and for good reason. The exterior features an all-steel construction with a high tensile steel underframe, liquid filled front and rear cab mounts, water spray suppression guards and mudflaps, and roof-mounted clearance lamps. Inside the cabin, operators are treated to an Isri 6860 air suspension driver’s seat with pneumatic lumbar support, height, rake and automatic weight adjustment, an adjustable bucket passenger seat and a front centre seat with folding seat-back. Along with a full interior trim, padded roof lining and vinyl floor covering, there are many storage options inside the cabin. These include a driver and passenger windscreen header storage

In terms of infotainment, the Isuzu

information including PDFs, photos and movies. These features, in addition to the Isuzu FSD 140/120-260.

Wayne Franklin.

favourite aspect of the truck which keeps coming up in conversation is definitely the driver comfort,” Wayne says. “They are big fans of the vision and mirrors in these trucks as well. The FSDs are doing a lot of cornering and turning in tight shopping centre carparks and underground loading dock areas while looking out for structural bollards, posts, parked cars and trolleys, and we’ve found the manoeuvrability to be second to none.”

Powering each of Wayne’s seven FSDs is a six-cylinder, 24-valve diesel engine. The 6HK1-TCC produces 191kW of power at 2,400rpm and 761Nm of torque between 1,450 and 2,400rpm with the help of an electrically controlled variable nozzle turbocharger and an air-to-air intercooler.

The six-cylinder-equipped FSD comes

with a GVM of 11,000 to 24,000kg, and with the choice of either a sixspeed manual transmission or six-speed Allison automatic, the preferred gearbox specified on these vehicles by Micway. “The Isuzu product ticks all of the boxes, and it’s got pretty good aftersales market value as well in the current environment,” Wayne says. “With our productivity, we’re always changing our distribution model and are always looking to continually improve it.”

The fleet spec that Micway Transport has operated on for the last five years has moved with those changes. The Isuzus, as Wayne confirms, are still performing to the level they did on day one. “These things are very reliable, and if there is a problem – which there rarely is – Isuzu’s straight on the front foot, supporting us and doing their best for us,” he says. “They’re all over it and they’re looking at how we can get the truck back on the road and moving as quickly as we possibly can.”

Isuzu offers a three-year warranty or 150,000kms/2,500 hours as standard with the FSD 140/120-260. In addition, a Cab Perforation Corrosion warranty is covered for three years with no limit on kilometres, and the Isuzu Assist service offers 24-hour roadside assistance for three years/unlimited kilometres.

Isuzu backs its product the second each one leaves the production line, and Wayne says this is demonstrated in the trucks’ longevity.

“Reliability is what we’re after, there’s no time for fun and games in our distribution model,” he says. “We work the equipment value very hard, and it stands up to the pressure of our workplace and our customers’ demand. With the six or seven trucks that we’ve got in this space, we’ve only ever had one that’s needed warranty work done with it in its early infancy stage. We’ve had a pretty good run with them, and that’s potentially why Micway are a repeat buyer of the Isuzu product.”

Micway runs 35 14-pallet refrigerated rigids.

A STAR IS BORN

The Western Star X-Series is set to extend the brand’s hard won reputation for durability in combination with the finesse of the latest technologies.

Western Star 48X with dog trailer.

The X-Series is the first allnew Western Star range in a generation and the engineers in Portland, Oregon, where the trucks intended for the Australian market are manufactured, started with a clean sheet almost six years ago with the intention to produce a range of trucks which accommodated the four key pillars of durability, safety, driver comfort, and weight reduction. A significant investment, which is claimed to be in excess of $100 million, has been injected into the development of the X-Series and underlines that this is not a handful of tweaks performed on existing models. These are the most tested Western Star

trucks in history with 15 years of simulated operation in the US and, thus far, 200,000 kilometres of Australian testing by local major fleet operators. Running parallel with existing product the fuel performance is reportedly “extremely impressive.” The new design retains enough heritage to accommodate traditional Western Star buyers at the same time as offering trucks with the sophisticated advanced safety features and driver supports to suit the requirements of current market demands. The X-Series shouldn’t be judged by any predecessors, as essentially everything has been redesigned. As a member of the global Daimler Trucks family, Western Star has the benefits of access to the Daimler

component arsenal as well as shared aims in design and engineering.

There are three models in the X-Series starting with the versatile 47X with its short, sloped bonnet, set back front axle and choice of Cummins L9 engines up to 380hp or the Detroit DD13 Gen 5 rated up to 525hp. Designed specifically and exclusively for the Australian market, the 48X models are powered by the 450-525hp Detroit DD13 Gen 5 or the 500-600hp Detroit DD16. The set forward front axle and bumper to back of cab (BBC) dimension of 113.5 inches provides plenty of flexibility for fleet work.

The ‘hero’ of the X-Series is undoubtedly the 49X, particularly when paired with

The new cabs are eight per cent lighter than the legacy Western Star 4900.

the 72-inch Stratosphere sleeper which is the largest cab on the Australian market.

Powered by Detroit DD16 engines delivering between 500hp and 600hp, the 49-X can be rated with GCMs in excess of 200 tonnes. The DD13 Gen 5 delivers 1,550-1,850 lb-ft of torque and is designed to provide exceptional fuel economy and high performance while offering a weight advantage of 185kgs over the previous generation DD15 in the legacy Western Stars. Both Detroit engines also offer vastly reduced downtime due to diesel particulate filter regenerations now having intervals more than six times longer than on ADR80/03 (Euro V) engines. Meeting the latest GHG-21 fuel economy standards, both Detroit engines are among the cleanest in the world, conforming to the US EPA10 emissions standard, as well as being ready for the pending Australian ADR80/04 (Euro VI) regulation. The DD16 has retained the turbo-compounding technology which captures otherwise wasted heat energy and delivers it to the crankshaft.

The new range will also include 47X models in 8x4 and 10x4 configurations

which will suit the agitator sector. In addition to the proven Eaton Fuller 18-speed manual transmissions, Western Stars now have the option to be equipped with Detroit DT12 automated manual transmission. Available in DT12-OV and DT12-OVX variants, the 12-speed transmission has rock-free and off-road functions in addition to the on-highway focused economy and performance modes. It also includes a power launch feature and has side and rear power take-off (PTO) capabilities. An Allison full automatic is available in 47X models.

The new cabs are constructed mostly of steel-reinforced aluminium with composite roof panels and are eight per cent lighter than the legacy Western Star 4900. The doors are manufactured using galvanised steel and are mounted on forged steel hinges. The resin hoods are up to 49kgs lighter than previous versions yet are more impact resistant. The hoods feature a unique coil suspension system which reduces vibration and with the aid of gas struts makes operation a one-handed exercise. Easy access to maintenance checks for fluid levels and fuel filters is provided

on the kerbside of the engine bay. The cabs are mounted high on the chassis to improve air flow in the space between the cab floors and the chassis rails. Cabin entry and exit are made easy for drivers of all physiques, thanks to well-placed non-slip steps and the doors opening 70 degrees. The inside door handles operate at a very natural angle and place no strain on the wrist. ISRI drivers’ seats with integrated belts are standard and there is the additional option of a Rolltek seat with a side curtain airbag. The Detroit Assurance suite of advanced safety systems utilises a combination of radar and high-definition camera technologies to activate its stateof-the-art features, and includes side guard assist, Active Brake Assist 5, adaptive cruise control, tailgate warning, and lane departure warning.

The one-piece windscreen is 28 per cent larger than the previous split screens, providing a panoramic view and also improving the swept area for the wipers. The wiper motor itself has been relocated from under the dash to be mounted on the firewall under the hood. Electrics are 12volt and the LED headlamps are protected

Western Star 47X navigates a climb at Mount Cotton near Brisbane.

with polycarbonate lenses. Rear vision is also important and the new Western Star’s feature door mounted C-shaped mirror arms with a reduced profile for improved forward visibility. The door and mirror structures are engineered to minimise mirror vibration and have a breakaway design to limit damage should they get impacted.

Improved insulation and features such as the triple door seals contribute to a significantly lower level of noise intrusion which assists driver comfort and fatigue as well as conversation levels when using the Bluetooth phone connection. The revised HVAC system maintains temperature and air flow at comfortable levels. The dash layout is intuitive with an automotive style feel and, at first experience, provides a clear understanding of how everything works. Multiplex wiring behind the dash permits flexible switch functions and locations to suit driver preferences and applications, and the ‘flex panel’ on the dash can be configured with additional gauges or a screen.

The familiar smart steering wheel comes from the Daimler parts inventory and

sound system, cruise controls, and easy to use scroll controls for the driver information system menus. The new Western Stars feature downhill speed control, which is activated by engaging the engine brake and tapping the Cruise Control button which sets and maintains the desired speed. The Adaptive Cruise Control is effective in enhancing safety and driver confidence. Daycabs can be specified with a solid rear wall or a single or three rear windows which will appeal to many applications. Sleepers come in a variety of lengths and heights with plenty of options for versatile interior configurations including a lounge/dining suite. Several sizes of coil or memory foam mattresses are available. The X-Series cabs are mounted using isolators to provide cab stability and deliver the comfortable ride which has been always associated with Western Star. The “Quiet Steel” engine tunnel contributes to reducing driveline noise intrusion into the cab. The distinctive, stainless steel grille is mounted directly to the aluminium radiator which has larger tubes to enhance cooling efficiency. The new integral air

maintain, although some buyers will opt for the familiar external air scoops. The X-Series utilises high tensile steel for the single chassis rails matched with cast alloy cross members to reduce weight. The trucks can be specified with steel cross members and with chassis liners for ultrahigh GCM applications. The chassis rails have a splayed design at the front which accommodates the engine and cooling system cradle package and enhances access for maintenance as well as contributing to vehicle stability due to the suspension mounts being set wider apart. Higher capacity rectangular fuel tanks are optional and AdBlue tanks of up to 200 litres are available.

Overall, the X-Series provides Western Star opportunities to become involved in an expanded range of applications and the standard suite of safety features will assist in adding the brand to the lists of trucks worthy of consideration by major fleets. At the media launch of the Western Star X-Series the international and local Penske people were justifiably bullish about the comprehensive new offering and were confident of double-digit Heavy Duty

A one-piece windscreen is 28 per cent larger than the previous split screens.

GAME AHEAD OF THE

The freight task between Adelaide and Melbourne, along national highway A8 and the Western Highway, requires a consistent approach day in day out. For linehaul specialist Collins Adelaide, this is one of two freight passages where it operates, for the most part, B-doubles daily, seven days a week. The other is Adelaide to Sydney, return. Perishable products on these intensive interstate journeys, warrants equipment of the highest standard for heavy vehicles. Being as it carries a broad spectrum of time sensitive and cold chain freight, Collins Adelaide opts for Cummins-powered Kenworths, brands long synonymous with the prestige chain of supply.

The Melbourne and Sydney linehaul undertakings from Adelaide are now well established for the business.

Here the Cummins Euro 5-rated X15 has fast proved its worth powering vehicles carrying fresh produce at masses maximising payload. Indeed, if it’s been grown in South Australia, there’s a good chance Collins Adelaide is hauling it east. The fleet also moves seasonal fruit to the eastern seaboard. It’s a demanding application that has

motivated, more recently, further forays into the Performance-Based Standards accreditation space.

For this reason, 2022 remains an important year for the company. It marks the moment it deployed its first B-triple interstate.

Investments in higher productivity vehicles have been a trend in recent years for elite freight carriers whose priority is for leading edge strategies in environmental and commercial sustainability. Collins Adelaide, with its 140 linehaul trucks, can be counted among them. The family-run business, now well into its fifth decade, is gradually introducing the Euro 6 rated Cummins X15s on high productivity vehicles pulled by their latest Kenworths. The first Euro 6 X15s, however, predate this historic footnote, having entered service for the fleet as early as August 2019. Both trucks, K200s, have accumulated major miles since then. They are both operating on the Adelaide to Melbourne run. The contours of the circuit are relatively direct. Save for the arc between Nhill and Horsham that bypasses Little Desert National Park, and the high country of the Grampians, which can bring with it high winds, the

fuel burn figures are no less diminished given these environmental factors according to Carl Hamilton, Collins Transport National Workshop Manager. “The fleet has always achieved very high utilisation from all of its assets,” he says. “The reliability of the Euro 6 Cummins engine has helped Collins Adelaide achieve this.”

The first two of these engines – it now has eight in total – have already accumulated enviable kilometres. On the punishing task, the response has been consonant to the longevity delivered by the Euro 5 says Carl.

“We’re not specifically specc’ing these particular vehicles to run on a certain route,” he says. “The priority for us at the moment is on the higher productivity vehicles.”

It shows. The growing B-triple fleet suggests the Euro 6 X15s are performing well.

“By 2024 when Euro 6 is mandated by law we will have increased our presence in this area significantly,” says Carl. Some of the vehicles with the Euro 6 Cummins X15s have since had their operations expanded from the Adelaide to Melbourne run now to AdelaideSydney. Strong faith in the product’s

Interstate specialist, Collins Adelaide, is investing in higher productivity vehicles with support from long-time partner Cummins, as it prepares for the future.

reliability helped convinced the team to do this.

As the Cummins Euro 5 rated X15 was its first engine to incorporate AdBlue, the development to the next iteration is pronounced in Carl’s experience. But it took some getting used to.

“It’s a completely different system,” he says. “It has an electronic doser pump as opposed to a manual pump on the Euro

5 rated Cummins engine.”

The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) consists of a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and a catalysed soot filter (CSF).

The Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system consists of an SCR catalyst assembly, new diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) compact mixing device, DEF supply module, and the aforementioned DEF dosing unit. The single module is an SCR

and DPF built in one. The packaging and sizing are also comparable to the current Euro 5 design.

“Basically, the block and the piston rings and liners and front end of the engine are all the same as Euro 5,” says Carl. “The main difference is in the emission system. But there are a few other things, too. It is a different engine.”

The controls for the DEF Dosing system, for one, are integrated into the engine control module.

The aftertreatment system also utilises several electronic sensors to monitor exhaust gas temperature, pressure, NOx and particulate matter levels.

“We had some problems initially however that’s been overcome through a change in the servicing of the Euro 6 AdBlue system,” says Carl. “Once we got that happening, they have, in direct contrast to the Euro 5 engines, proven superior for reliability.”

Preventative maintenance, which is naturally an ongoing and crucial enterprise at Collins Adelaide is streamlined on the new Euro 6 X15s as they have the same preventative maintenance intervals as the Euro 5 but do not require a doser pump flush at 200,000 km like the E5s. More generally,

A diagnostic check underway at the Collins Adelaide workshop.

Euro 6 Cummins X15.

the team favours oil drain intervals of 60,000 kilometres on the Cumminspowered vehicles.

Not unlike most linehaul business models, extreme demands are made of the equipment.

“We’re big on utilisation and understanding our vehicles,” says Carl. “We wouldn’t want Euro 6 to be made law next week and all of sudden we’ve got to buy them and not know anything about them. We try not to follow the herd and keep ahead of the game.”

As of 1 November, 2024 when the new emissions standard of Euro 6 or

equivalent is phased in for all new trucks and buses, Carl projects that by then Collins Adelaide will have added significant HPV units powered by Euro 6 Cummins engines out on the road.

“When it’s law we’ll probably have, as an estimate, more than 30 in the fleet — probably more,” he explains. “It won’t be that long before that’s going to be our normal truck. That’s another reason why we’re not afraid to jump in there now because you can buy Euro 6 and still buy Euro 5 Kenworths from PACCAR.”

The patented Cummins design allows for flexibility in terms of application

and installation, with options available for vertical post mount or gantry mount outside the frame rail/ inside of frame rail. This is partly why the Cummins Euro 6 engine has been a great match for the latest K200s in the Collins Adelaide fleet as it suits both B-double and B-triple applications, equally.

Carl anticipates the X15 Euro 6 engines will also be running on roadtrains for the fleet in the near future. Uptake of the newer engine technology is also intrinsic to meeting new customer expectations. “Our customers are starting to require greener vehicles,” says Carl. “Everything we purchase from now on will be Euro 6.”

Collins Adelaide also specifies Meritor drivelines across the fleet from the steer axle right through to the differentials where it uses the MT21-165G tandem drive axle in 4.3 ratio.

“This specification has given us lower operating temperatures and married with the Cummins E6 the specification is perfect for both B-double and B-triple configuration,” says Carl.

Diff oils are changed at 220,00km for front diff and 320,000km for rear diff as part of the preventative maintenance program “The oil is still in excellent condition,” says Carl. “The reliability of the MT21-165G is awesome.”

Economic and supply chain obstacles have arisen for many operators in the transport industry over the past 18 months. For engaged heavy vehicle workshops this is generally reflected in how it handles inventory.

“We are proactive in ensuring we have parts for all of our equipment in stock at all times and therefore hold more stock than previous years,” says Carl. “Unfortunately, sourcing parts ‘just in time’ is a thing of the past.”

The business approach to fleet replenishment and capital expenditure regarding its assets has evolved, too.

“We have modified trailer purchases to reflect the growing requirement for B-triple operation and we obviously need to be acutely aware of the build times of all equipment so have modified our ordering process to reflect this,” says

Front diff oils are changed at 220,000km.

Carl. “We have remained quite busy and achieved the utilisation numbers we require but to achieve this we have been very fortunate to have an excellent team of employees in all areas.”

From engine rebuilds, warranty, general maintenance, troubleshooting and general advice when they are diagnosing in the workshop, Cummins, according to Carl provide exceptional support in all areas. Trevor Doecke is the Cummins On Highway Accounts Manager. Trevor, in Carl’s words, is always available, always helpful.

“Trevor is very supportive and understanding of our requirements to keep the fleet utilised,” he says. “We have been dealing with Trevor for a number of years and he understands our business.”

The new Euro 6 Cummins X15s are utilised primarily on high productivity vehicles.

One of the Kenworth K200s.

IN QUAD WE TRUST

Three years ago, Angelo Lamattina had an idea. He was determined to find a more efficient linehaul solution for transporting, by truck, carrots from farm to market. Having noticed several 26 to 33-pallet trailer combinations out on the road helped him to eventually find it.

Angelo, the Director of Rocky Lamattina & Sons, of which he is one, has, after three years of global challenges, finally made the dream a reality on a new twinsteer Kenworth K200 prime mover with

an 18.2 metre fridge van split quad. It carries 30 pallets between Wemen to the markets in Melbourne and Sydney. To meet the objective of increasing the carrying capacity while incorporating the wheelbase of a twin-steer which is customarily around 500mm longer bullbar to turntable, Kenworth engineers were engaged to make some key customisations to the design. The first of note affected the position of the AdBlue tank which was moved between the steer axles on the passenger’s

side. The fuel tanks were sculpted, as a consequence, to miss the front leaf spring hangers therefore bringing the bullbar to turntable back to the single steer K200 length already in use on the usual applications. Here an additional flexibility has ensued, given the prime mover can be hooked up to a B-double without it being over length.

Calculations were also made in order to maximise the pallet capacity. A particular vehicle mass for a payload of 37.4 tonne had to be achieved incorporating both

Rocky Lamattina & Sons have unveiled a 30-pallet split quad Kenworth that has got tongues wagging in the industry.

weight distribution and swept path.

“This was a process motivated by the gains we were looking for within a feasible framework,” explains Angelo. “It involved going through all the relevant criteria to ensure we ticked all the right boxes for the NHVR.”

Independent engineer Phil Ramfos was instrumental here when it came to the PBS design requirements.

The trailer build was assigned to longterm partner Southern Cross Trailers, where Engineering Manager Remo Centifanti, who was heavily involved in the whole concept, made a major contribution.

“We’ve been dealing with them for 30 years,” says Angelo. “It was an obvious choice to collaborate with them again to build the trailer.”

Another key supplier was SAF-Holland.

Angelo initially approached Managing Director Mario Colosimo, who has an engineering background, to explain his concept and to discuss proposed axle configurations. There was some early talk about having a single axle out front of a tri-axle.

“We decided against that ultimately, as having an axle isolated on its own made it vulnerable, at least in theory, to the possibility of being overloaded,” says Angelo. “When you’re on airbag suspension all the airbags are equal. There’s an expectation that you get 9 tonnes on one axle and 7 3/4 tonne on the other axles. Unless you use different size airbags and pressure regulators it’s already getting more complicated and potentially problematic in the future.” The better way to do it was to put two groups of axles together to mitigate

against any unknown failures. It made everyone more comfortable in the decision-making process.

“By doing what we did together gave us peace of mind we weren’t going to put the product beyond its capabilities,” recalls Angelo. “That was pretty important.”

Split quads in themselves are not new. They’ve been used on low loaders for many years.

“I’ve had some experience many years ago with belly axles on semis which were fitted over in Western Australia. They worked well. No issues. We’ve also seen belly axles overseas in Canada so it’s not unheard of,” says Mario. “But it is obviously new for us in the sense that this Lamattina semi-trailer has got to go very long distances. Especially with refrigerated units, there is an advantage in going to one semi rather than having a B-double to cart your freight. In particular, because you’ve only got one fridge unit and insulating property.”

A light weight SAF-Holland INTRA fabricated trailing arm, rigidly connected to the axle, was chosen for the non-steer axles. The shock absorber is protected due to its position in the functional suspension arm and the extremely robust design makes it ideal for PerformanceBased Standard applications. For the steer axles Angelo opted for the well proven Mobil suspension.

“The actual running gear is proven technology which has been around for a long time,” says Mario. “With a quad we’ve gone with the bigger airbags because it will pump up faster which is what you need. With a quad axle you need more air than in a tri-axle.”

As there’s particular convex and concave curves the vehicle needs to sit on, having insured all axles can put pressure on the ground equally under these circumstances justified some tweaks to the design. According to Mario this resulted in ensuring there was enough stroke in the suspension to avoid having the front axle bottom out while the middle axles are flat on the

The new Kenworth K200 with 18.2 metre fridge van split quad.

ground surface.

“The wider the spread of your axle combination, the worse off you’re going to be,” he says. “This was mentioned early and the suspension was specified accordingly.”

SAF offered Lamattina some longer shockers to deliver what Angelo describes as a “bit more travel” that also helped with meeting one of the requirements that are part of the procedure of getting these vehicles approved with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. All high productivity freight vehicles, more or less, undergo an intricate process of concept-design-build-approval. No matter the design, once somebody has proof of concept and it works for one truck it will work, at least in theory, according to Angelo, for all trucks. “When you build something a little bit different which is what we’ve done we have to be the ones who do that groundwork to achieve that which is good in one way,” he says. “The negative is you have to do it yourself but the positive is you fully understand how much work is involved in the vehicle. People probably think a truck is running up and down the road with no science behind it, but there is some engineering there that gets done to meet certain standards for the safety of the Australian community.”

The combination, which is dedicated to carting crates and boxes, now achieves 1246kg per pallet space. An initial evaluation period of around four weeks took place before it was booked in for sign-writing at YBIFX, a Bendigo-based company that has provided the wrap used on the new trailer.

“Overall it seems to be doing exactly what he wants it to do,” says Mario. “The manoeuvrability is fine. He’s not getting a tyre scrub. The main thing for Angelo was to find someone who could make the side panels the right length in one hit. So there was quite a bit of homework from his side to get that exactly the way he wanted it.”

Angelo is at once a lateral but very

practical thinker as Mario observes.

“He’s not going to do stuff just for the fun of it,” he says. “On this project he had been working on it for some time.”

Lamattina Farms runs 17 prime movers in total. Four of these are Kenworth T909s, three of which are twin-steers. The remainder are standard K200s. The operation also deploys B-quads farmto- farm with five trucks on those duties. While the predominant application is B-doubles, a B-triple occasionally runs to Queensland.

“One thing about Angelo is he’s definitely a forward thinker and definitely trying to think outside the box to try and get the best possible result for his business,” says Mario. “PBS is ideal for someone like him.”

The inconvenience of rising floodwaters in regional areas has detoured the new combination from the usual routes it would be expected to travel. Interestingly, that has involved the truck covering much further terrain than it would customarily be required to do, and given the team at Lamattina & Sons a good opportunity to look at its initial performance numbers in greater detail. The driver, according to Angelo, has noted that so far the Kenworth K200 split quad is using less fuel than he is accustomed to despite covering more ground.

“We’ve been pleased with what we’ve seen so far on fuel,” says Angelo. Embarking on such a project or any project reliant on heavy equipment engineering nous during recent years subject to border closures, supply chain turmoil and social distancing policy has proven a challenge. Parts and labour were one of the big obstacles in getting equipment turned around in time according to Angelo.

“Material and labour shortages blew out the schedule we had proposed,” he says. “Getting the appropriate parts took a lot longer than what we had anticipated.”

Part of that process is also explaining the concept for approvals and access. The PBS unit, which has a GVM of 62 tonnes,

is operating on a Level 2 access permit. “It’s been a matter of convincing others, for much of the project, of what we’re trying to achieve,” says Angelo. “There’s a process you go through with PBS. We’ve been doing it the way it should be done. It’s more time consuming at the outset, but it gives you ultimately a faster result.” In the past, operators would often get their new truck combination designed and built before applying for the permit. This process would take too long according to Angelo, resulting in vehicles often being parked up for months. “What we do is what they call ‘in principle’ applications,” he explains. “So we say ‘if we build this vehicle and we apply for a permit to do this, this and this would you give it to me yes or no?’ That’s how we’ve always approached it.” In time the system has evolved to work increasingly that way. It suits Angelo. “We come up with our plan and people say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and you argue and fight and explain it to them and get all that done and once that’s done, we receive an in principal agreement before you go and get the vehicle built and receive all the vehicle approvals,” says Angelo. “Last step is you apply for the permit because you have the in principal agreement, and within around two weeks you get the permit.”

The Kenworth split-quad is already in the process of being replicated. By the end of Q1 next year Angelo expects to have three more of these out on the road with additional units deployed in time for Christmas 2023.

“On a 32-pallet trailer previously I was only able to get 30 pallets for the weight,” he said. Now he can get full capacity and has converted, more conveniently, to one truck, one trailer and one fridge motor. “The beauty about it too is the combination makes life easier for the drivers. Not having to connect and disconnect, not having to back up two trailers and only having one,” he says. “It’s much more efficient and better for the environment.”

PLANET BOOM

Australia’s building and infrastructure boom requires some unique pieces of equipment to perform specialised tasks and Putzmeister is proving itself equal to the challenge.

AGerman company that has been operating in Australia for over 50 years, Putzmeister supplies a large range of European designed and manufactured concrete placing equipment. CPE Machinery has been involved with Putzmeister as the Australian distributor for their equipment for more than 30 of those years, and Putzmeister Holding GmbH acquired CPE Machinery in March 2022 and the operation is now a stand-alone subsidiary of the Putzmeister Group known as Putzmeister Oceania Pty Ltd. David Bond, the former owner of CPE remains involved as a senior advisor along with Managing Director Shane Brown and Sales Director Peter

Lethbridge. Peter and David have more than 60 years of combined experience in the concrete placing industry.

Putzmeister specialises in providing a full package to their customers and the total Australian market for the bigger truck-mounted boom pumps is currently approximately 100 units per year, plus smaller truck-mounted high-pressure pumps and line pumps. Booms range from 20 metres to 56 metres and there are some specific chassis specifications required by the larger boom trucks. Wheelbase is a critical factor in the often-delicate balance of determining axle weights and overhang, and in some cases can be down to just a few millimetres. Some states require IAP

tracking if the front axle group exceeds 14 tonnes, so efforts are made to fit within the 14-tonne envelope and load sharing front suspension is a standard requirement.

Fuel tanks typically need to be relocated to accommodate the outrigger stabiliser legs and also distribute tare weight. The weight of the pumping equipment dictates that a boom truck is usually operating close to its GVM or even requiring permits in order to operate over the standard regulations’ allowable axle weights. All concrete boom pump trucks are registered as Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) to qualify for higher tolerances on axle mass, in a similar arrangement to many mobile cranes.

“It’s fully loaded its whole life once the pump goes onto the back of it,” says David Bond. “That’s why we go for the big heavy-duty trucks.”

There is the option to deliver the cabchassis direct from a European OEM to the Putzmeister factory in Germany, have the pump equipment mounted and then shipped to Australia as a complete unit. European truck brands dominate the larger side of the spectrum as booms larger than 38 metres typically require higher axle ratings, while Japanese trucks tend to be popular at the lighter side. Some units will have hub reduction rear axles although that may not be essential for all applications and the Volvo boom truck featured here is equipped

with conventional rear axles. This is an Australian delivered Volvo FMX cab-chassis which has had the German manufactured pumping equipment mounted here by the local Putzmeister operation.

The engineering on this particular Volvo FMX uses a ‘drop box’ PTO which sits between the chassis rails where a centre bearing would normally be in line with the tailshaft. Interestingly, this PTO can power the concrete pump operation when in PTO or drive through to the rear diffs when in drive mode. Some brands of trucks require modifications to their control systems to ‘trick’ the truck to operate in PTO. The Volvo control system is very intelligent and handles

Peter Lethbridge.

this required function with ease.

“Volvo may not currently be the biggest player in the concrete pumping industry, but people do respect the Volvo product,” says David. “The late model Volvos are an extremely nice truck to drive and greatly assist the pump operator with their driving functions.”

Volvo’s I-Shift automated manual transmission is used as a selling point as the AMT relies less on the drivers’ abilities and more on the trucks’ ability which is extremely important when operating in busy city environments.

“Volvo has some great safety features which is an added bonus as customers are now more focused on operating safer and smarter,” says Peter Lethbridge. The 500 horsepower Volvo engine fitted to the FMX is more than adequate to power both the 33-tonne unit on its journeys to and from work sites, while also more than capable of powering the concrete pump operations.

“Some operators think more horsepower allows them to pump faster, when in

fact it doesn’t,” says David. “You can only pump so fast, and the equipment can take only so much power, anyway. We could run the same sort of concrete pump with 350 horsepower. With 500 horsepower the Volvo absolutely cruises along the road.”

Some boom pump trucks drive to a job site which may be 20- or 30- or even 50-kilometres from their base, then pump concrete for ten hours and then return to their base, so the average kilometres travelled for a pump truck may only be 20,000 per year.

“There are boom pump trucks out there which are 30 years old,” says Shane Brown. “If you spec it properly with these heavy-duty trucks they’ll last because they don’t do a lot of road miles. The engine is the thing doing the work and they are serviced on hours of operation not kilometres driven.”

The concrete pumping industry is very different from the road transport freight business, where sizeable contracts may often be in place for years and operators

can plan ahead in their acquisitions of replacement and additional equipment. In construction, demand for new equipment by concrete pumping operators can be influenced by successful tendering for major projects that may involve short lead times.

“Our clients sometimes don’t really

Volvo FMX with boom mounted pump.

Deployed stabiliser legs on the Volvo FMX features a drop box PTO.

know when they may need a new machine. In construction the first thing they do is dig a hole and then pour concrete into it,” says Shane. “So, we have to have machines available pretty quickly to satisfy them when they win a job.”

This translates to Putzmeister having to

predict demand in a niche market and essentially take a punt and build trucks prior to receiving confirmed orders. Their industry experience allows them to understand what their market likes in terms of models and sizes of pumps and booms as well as the trucks they are mounted on. In this way, they are able

to anticipate what needs to be ordered. As with many other industries, a major current challenge is delivery time, as well as shipping costs.

With Australia on the cusp of a massive infrastructure program, equipment such as the Putzmeister Volvo FMX will likely play an integral role going forward.

ALL SYST

Through a series of acquisitions and a constant focus on international drivetrain and e-Propulsion system excellence, Dana Australia has established itself as a worthy proponent in the global field of electromobility.

While Dana International can boast having 115 years of innovation and technological evolution under its belt, the last few years of operations within Australia and partnering countries has seen the company further advance on its electrically powered journey. A dedicated electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing facility opened in Pune, India, in December 2021, which is now responsible for supplying OEMs with technology for a range of EV applications such as buses and trucks. Dana was one of the first companies to establish a site of this nature.

As part of its electromobility efforts, Dana has made over $400 million in investments in total, particularly through the Pune facility. In the last three years, Dana has also made several acquisitions to bolster its presence in international markets. These include the acquisitions of Oerlikon Group, Nordresa, Rational Motion GmbH, PI Innovo and Ashwoods Electric Motors which have all strengthened Dana’s vehicle integration, embedded software and control systems. By offering and adapting its quality drivetrain and e-Propulsion products while constantly improving its market reach, Dana’s e-mobility efforts haven’t gone unrecognised.

On 25 April 2022, Dana announced that it had secured a leading spot across the Automotive News PACE and PACEpilot Award programs, with five innovative electrification technologies being named to the lists.

As it approachea its 29th event this year, the prestigious PACE Awards program will recognise suppliers for game-changing technologies that deliver superior

innovation, technological advancement and business performance. The PACEpilot Award recognises pre-commercial, postpilot innovations in the automotive or future mobility space, including products, processes, software and IT systems. Three of Dana’s innovations were named as finalists for the PACE Awards in 2022, which included the complete vehicle integration for e-Propulsion and e-Power systems, the TM4 high-performance inverter and the metallic bipolar plates for fuel cell stacks.

At the event during September 2022, it was announced that Dana’s complete e-Propulsion and e-Power system had won the PACE Award. The e-Propulsion and e-Power systems provide customers with a turnkey solution for the design, development, integration and upfitting of electrified technologies to the vehicle chassis.

The fully integrated EV solution leverages Dana’s core technologies in EV architecture, vertically integrated systems engineering and core product portfolio in integrated electric systems to accelerate the time to deliver vehicles to the market.

“We are honoured to once again be recognised by the Automotive News PACE judges for our commitment to delivering innovation that has a direct and substantial impact for our customers as they deliver the next generation of electric vehicles,” says Dana Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Christophe Dominiak. “Dana’s ability to integrate and upfit our complete package of e-Propulsion and e-Power systems enables our customers to meet the rapidly approaching regulatory requirements and respond to the increase in demand for sustainable clean-energy solutions.”

The e-Propulsion system delivers the motion for the vehicle by leveraging Dana’s expertise in high-voltage motors and inverters, driveline technologies and thermal management to optimise for the vehicle’s duty cycle while achieving the highest levels of functional safety and best-in-class efficiency.

Dana’s TM4 high-performance inverter, on the other hand, leverages the company’s in-house power modules to deliver high reliability and efficiency for a broad range of two, three, and four-wheeled high-performance vehicle applications.

The metallic bipolar plates with integrated metal bead seal are an integral component in the fuel-cell stack, delivering improved cost, performance and manufacturability, aiding original equipment manufacturers in realising commercialisation of fuel-cell powered mobility.

Two of Dana’s innovations were also named as finalists for the PACEpilot awards, the electric rigid beam axle and composite battery enclosure. The electric rigid beam axle is a compact, robust threein-one system capable of handling on- and off-road performance, which was designed to meet the rigorous requirements of light-vehicle pickup truck applications. The composite battery enclosure with integrated thermal management leverages the company’s sealing and thermal engineering expertise to deliver an integrated solution for hybrid and EV applications.

Continuing its commitment to EV solutions, Dana introduced its Spicer Electrified eSP502 e-Transmission in October 2022, which then displayed at Bauma in Germany between 24 and 30 October.

EMS GO

The e-Transmission is a flexible platform designed to support the electrification of vehicles across the construction, mining, material handling and forestry markets. Leveraging Dana’s powershift technology, the eSP502 offers a dualmotor, two-speed design that is built on a flexible platform to enable optimised performance at maximum efficiency in a compact package.

The modular approach to the transmission design allows for a single motor solution, as well as an optional power take-off, depending on the specific vehicle requirements.

The eSP502 comes with next-generation control software and functional safety readiness, enabling easy installation and smooth integration. It also features a patented clutch design that minimises clutch drag to maximise efficiency. Delivering high efficiency and superior performance in a compact package, the dual-motor version supports continuous power outputs up to 240kW, while the single-motor configuration is engineered for 140kW of continuous output.

The eSP502 e-Transmission’s compact and modular design allows it to be adapted for use in 4x2 or 4x4 vehicle applications with a range of ratio options to support a variety of vehicle types. These include wheel loaders and rough terrain cranes in construction; large lift trucks, empty container handlers, reach stackers, and terminal tractors in material handling; load haul dumpers in underground mining; and forwarders in forestry. An insight into Dana’s daily processes highlights the company’s leading position in vehicle electrification. With in-house gearbox, low- to high-voltage motor, invertor, controls and thermal and battery management expertise, Dana prides itself on being the only supplier capable of delivering all elements of a complete, fully integrated electrified system across all mobility markets.

Dana M670 engine control module..

SUMO 8 HP motor with integrated inverter.

BIG TIME

Legend Logistics recently opened a depot in Perth ahead of national expansion plans it will embark on this year.

Legend Logistics has opened its first depot in Perth. Located in Welshpool, the new site marks the first official presence for the company outside of Melbourne where its head office is based. Western Australia, according to Managing Director Troy Eiken, has been identified as a crucial growth segment which in turn has prompted further investments in

equipment and personnel.

“We’ve been sending trucks over there and decided to pull the trigger and get some yard space,” he told Prime Mover “It’s been identified some time ago as a strategic regional concern we are looking to actively pursue.”

Five prime movers have been recently acquired for the location. Four of these are Western Star 4800s that are currently

in operation with another Western Star 4900 en route. A full time Operations Manager, Mark Sutton is now situated at the depot.

Legend Logistics has also appointed a Business Development Manager who has a project logistics background with extensive experience in both oil and gas, and wind and energy industries.

He will be joining the team in the new year. For the moment the company is servicing some smaller contracts as it consolidates the linehaul business before venturing into the Pilbara where there is ongoing demand for commercial vehicle fleets in the mining and gas segments.

“We’re looking to grow that in the near future with larger contracts in the next year,” says Eiken.

With the Perth office up and running, the next phase of the plan is for Legend Logistics to establish a depot in Adelaide early next year ahead of a likely expansion into Brisbane by Q4. By early 2024 the business aims to be up and running in New Zealand according to Eiken.

“We’re really trying to push to a national level,” he says. “That’s our gameplan for the next 12 months.”

At present, the company employs 130 staff, having doubled its workforce just in the last 12 months alone. In that corresponding time period operations have added 19 new prime movers and six tipper trucks.

“The business has come a long way in the last couple of years,” says Eiken. “It’s been exciting and frenetic at the same time.”

The Melbourne-based fleet is now 40 prime movers strong with more on order. Legend Logistics recently signed a contract for North East Link where it will provide specialty commercial vehicles. The first tipper, a Mack SuperLiner, became operational in December. The fleet, according to Eiken, will need to scale up to 30 tippers for the North East Link project in the next six months. “We’re in the midst of ordering some new trucks and we’re having to balance availability with the second-hand market at the moment,” he says. “Of course, we’re looking for the newest ones we can find from 2019 and up. It’s important we find some reliable gear because tippers are hard work when they get a bit older.”

Legend Logistics currently have five tippers servicing the West Gate Tunnel project running 24/7.

Such a dedicated operation is, in fact, a new direction for the business which Eiken admits hadn’t been given too much forethought previously.

“We were asked if we would be interested and we did the numbers and they suggested we could make it work,” he says. “That’s pretty exciting for us.” Eiken has resorted to pre-booking new trucks 24 months ahead of schedule to align with the expansion plans of the business.

He confirmed he has five new Scania R 590 6x4s powered by a 590hp Euro VI engine with a 92,000 kg GCM on order for mid-2023 for Western Australia. Another five of these same Scanias are on the order books for early 2024. These will go into the Melbournebased fleet.

“For the linehaul fleet, the Scanias can also complete this task as they are decked out with bullbars and windshield guards for the runs to Perth,” he explains. “From Perth up to the Pilbara we’ll potentially be looking at the heavier gear.”

Acquiring trucks in the current market is a tough ask for commercial road transport operators, especially those at the minute riding the crest of rapid expansion. Human resourcing presents another set of challenges though Legend Logistics has, to combat the shortfall of specialist staff, launched an internal driver training campaign. It’s a tough time to be undergoing such expeditious growth. “Finding quality drivers is one of our biggest struggles,” says Eiken. “At the

onboard some new guys who are older or younger into the fold.”

New drivers will be matched up with senior operators and go through a training program a couple of days a week. “If they’re working, then they can take the day off, get paired up, get skilled up and learn the ropes with our experienced team of trainer drivers and when they’re ready we can deploy them onto our smaller jobs,” says Eiken. “Legend Logistics doesn’t just solely run A-doubles and roadtrains. We do run a lot of singles, so we view it as a good fit for that application.”

The company, where possible, has picked up drivers already working in the industry, primarily through the use of social media and employment agencies. But even across these avenues, with so many other competitors looking to do the same, there are limits. For the moment, Legend Logistics is looking to capitalise on the momentum it has generated through new contracts and growth.

“You’ve got to strike while the iron is hot. We try to look after our drivers financially,” says Eiken. “We’ve been afforded the privilege of winning these projects. Now we’ve just got to do our best to crunch the numbers and get the drivers in the door.”

Troy Eiken.

DHL made big moves in Australia last year.

THE ENGINE ROOM

The Premier Commercial Fleet Guide provides an overview of who has what in the fast lane of road transport in Australia.

Much has been written about the litany of factors inhibiting growth over the past 12 months. With good reason, too. The repercussions of a destabilised supply chain in which truck order wait times have ballooned, in many cases, to 18 months, have made planning capital expenditure programs for fleet procurement and replenishment a much different beast to what it was just ten years ago. All the same, a record year for truck sales suggests the service sector, which dominates the Australian economy, comprising nearly two-thirds of Gross Domestic Product and at present employs nearly 80 per cent of the labour force, was not on the wane any time soon. The numbers of the biggest fleets and trends in Performance-Based Standards go some way of backing this up with the likes of

Linfox, QUBE and Centurion, all driven by operations plugged directly into the same service sector.

Growth was still achievable, as the more forward-thinking and innovative carriers have demonstrated, through shrewd investments, customer diversification and closer relationships with the more astute suppliers.

Parts and componentry scarcities have also thrown sand into the gears for many top tier transport operators who have been forced to navigate the vagaries of container imports, production backlogs and material shortages.

Outside of the official 44,379 new trucks sold in Australia, there’s another story to be told in the burgeoning secondhand market, which has sadly, for some, been sustained by several journeyman transport operators closing their doors. These trucks whether sold privately or

TOTAL COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

at auction have not been around long enough to gather dust.

If ongoing labour shortages have placed additional pressures on workshops, the growing second-hand market in addition to the necessity for companies to keep working older vehicles well beyond the threshold of their life cycle to keep up with demand, has in some cases, compounded existing issues for those fleets with already exhausted resources.

The continued explosion in rental and leasing demand, as evidenced by the expansion seen by TR Group and Budget Rent a Truck, both of whom have charted strongly as fleets this year, make them companies to watch in the future. For those looking to expand their operations and, with that, the investments in assets and equipment so often required to do so, strategic

Cahill Transport high productivity vehicle.

acquisition remains something of a bulwark to such a fast-changing and volatile environment. Silk Contract Logistics, again added to its portfolio having notably bought out Fremantle Freight & Storage; Centurion came to an agreement with the highly-regarded South West Express in Western Australia, and Allied Transport sold to New

Zealand-based company Freightways. Perhaps the biggest story of the year was the acquisition of Glen Cameron Group by DHL, a major move that has seen the German-owned carrier bolster its mobile asset stocks, considerably.

Last year saw the debut of the Premier Commercial Fleet Guide during a period of big changes and market realignment

among some of the major players in the national road transport sector. During that time Team Global Express, having been divested from Toll Group, made a splash rebranding itself and seriously committed to battery electric vehicles, a category, this time next year, we shall have seen significantly grow. Expect it to have a real presence in the Guide.

McColl’s Transport tanker.

The uncertainty of the last 12 months, as far as industry trends go, cannot be ignored. While the big players look to consolidate, mergers and acquisitions, especially from foreign ownership — see Skyroad Logistics — are likely to pick up.

Speaking of which. Increased uptake of PBS vehicles and a growing trend for high productivity solutions, is seeing more of the established players and a few of the upstarts, turn to innovation where greater access, facilitated by less

bureaucracy, permits it. In this space some operators are even doubling down. Quite literally in the case of Cahill Transport, whose growing PBS fleet is twice the size of where it was 12 months ago.

K&S Freighters maintains a huge presence in prime movers.

For others it’s business as usual — big business. Followmont Transport, which resumes the cracking pace it began setting as a business at the beginning of the decade, has announced it will invest a further $15 million in commercial vehicles in 2023 after outlaying $14 million last year.

Indeed, one of the key objectives of Prime Mover, as a platform, is to deduce the various forces within the industry, how these forces shape it; and what changes, as there inevitably will be in such a whirlwind industry, have taken place year-on-year.

The aim, naturally, is to continue to grow this Guide so a more comprehensive picture of commercial

road transport can be accomplished, dissected and invariably studied. As with any exercise like this one data is approximate and mined via the means available at the time. Late last year

Mover circulated a survey of which many fleets volunteered to respond in regard to unit numbers as they pertained to total commercial vehicles, prime movers, total trailers and PBS-approved combinations. The responses to this survey along with annual reports, recent records, along with information available in the public domain have provided raw figures from which the charts have been derived. The Premier Commercial Fleet Guide foremost aims to help benchmark these businesses as they move, grow and adapt to the current market.

In the rare case where a conspicuous absence is apparent in a category, this has likely been the outcome of a specific request made by the company, reluctant engagement, or the lack of current

Followmont Transport plans on investing $15M in new assets in 2023.

Centurion continues to grow its fleet across Australia.

HORSES FOR COURSES

Scania has had the edge in the horsepower rankings for a long time in the Australian market, at least. Now it has surpassed its own previous rating with a 770 horsepower V8.

The predecessor Scania R730 has been available in Australia for the past decade and the new R770 capitalises upon its predecessor’s solid reputation and delivers a significant range of small and macro improvements without any apparent compromises. As it has done in the past, Scania took what was already a very good thing and made it better. Although the engine’s maximum power has been increased by 5.5 per cent over the preceding 730hp, in engineering terms it’s still relatively under-stressed. Heat is a byproduct of all that power and in marine applications where there is an almost infinite supply of water in which to transfer the heat and cool the engine, what is essentially the same 16.4 litre engine can be specified to deliver 1000-plus horsepower. The biggest limitation for road going engines is the ability to maintain their temperature using conventional liquid-to-air radiators and crank driven fans. With an output of 770hp this doesn’t seem to be a problem for this latest Scania R model. The all cast iron 16.4 litre V8 is the beating heart of the machine and its maximum 770hp is achieved at 1,800rpm and its stump- pulling 3,700Nm of maximum torque is sent down the tail shaft to the wheels at engine speeds between 1,000 and 1,450 rpm. The additional power is not at the cost of fuel economy and the various engine enhancements and the use of a 3.07:1 rear axle ratios makes best use of the prodigious amount of torque

while at the same time delivering fuel efficiency which Scania say is two per cent better than the current 730hp trucks. Scania’s attention to minimising fuel consumption continues unabated, and the new V8 range, including the 770 hp variant, offers improved fuel efficiency derived from extensive finetuning and development by Scania’s engineers. Within the engine there are more than 70 new parts, collectively contributing to the higher outputs through significant reductions in internal friction while at the same time utilising higher compression ratios. Improved exhaust after treatmentsystems and a new powerful engine management system (EMS) translate to the emission control process being able to meet the Euro 6 standards without the need for Exhaust Gas Recirculation, by utilising instead Supplementary Catalytic Reduction (SCR) in combination with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF).

The additional power isn’t due to just a single factor, instead from a combination of subtle changes including bigger injectors and a fixed geometry liquid cooled turbocharger incorporating low friction ball bearings. The combined results are faster engine response and improved combustion, which lowers emissions and increases available power. The incorporation of the revised components delivers a bonus in managing to remove 75kg of weight, most of it from over the front axle. Air suspension is used front and rear

incorporating a load transfer system. On board weighing readouts are displayed on the information screen in the cab. The extra stiff anti-roll bar means there is no wallowing through medium and high speed corners as can be sometimes experienced with air suspended front axles on big trucks. In common with most European prime movers operating under Australian regulations, the wheelbase necessary for optimum axle loads in cab over configurations precludes the fitment of extra-long range fuel tanks, and the 770 makes do with a 710-litre alloy tank on the kerbside and a 320-litre on the driver’s side. The AdBlue tank has an effective usable capacity of 112 litres and is also mounted on the driver’s side.

The Scania’s handling has been further enhanced by the fitment of an electricover-hydraulic power steering known

as Electric Active Steering (EAS) which provides the driver with a road feel that is precise without being too sensitive. The steadiness of the steering function translates to the lane departure warning system remaining silent for most of the trip and watching the mirrors for any twitching of the rear trailer shows just how stable the steering can be. On the open highway 100 km/h is achieved with the engine just ticking along at around 1,250 rpm, pretty much smack in the middle of its peak torque range. Loaded to gross 62 tonnes, it requires a significant incline for the Opticruise transmission to even think about downshifting more than one gear. It was anticipated that this test drive was to be all about the engine, and to a certain degree it is, but the seamless integration of the entire driveline, coupled with the outstanding steering

and handling add up to a rather remarkable prime mover. The power aspects are balanced by Scania’s renowned safety systems including Adaptive Cruise Control which integrates with an engine exhaust brake and the always impressive Scania Retarder. The brake blending in combination with the four-stage retarder is impressively effective and smooth and the driver has the confidence of the Advanced Emergency Braking system doing its job if an imminent collision is detected by the electronics. The overall braking system is so good that even an occasional driver such as your correspondent is able to achieve scores of 95 per cent braking and 96 per cent ‘anticipation’ on the Scania Driver Support System. This is achieved by simply setting the Opticruise to ECO mode and letting the Scania’s

sophisticated wizardry handle the rest. Climb into the cab and the initial observation is this unmistakeably is a Scania. This particular unit is the first example of the 770 to be brought to Australia for evaluation by local Scania engineers, operators and media, and the cab meets every expectation to provide a great working environment. The ergonomics are typically Scania and the wrap-around dash provides easy access to all controls and instruments. A tasteful mixture of black and sand coloured interior finishes with bright red trim and stitching and, in case you missed it, plenty of V8 logos. There’s a double fridge unit under the bunk which is extendable to one metre wide and has pocket springs to ensure the resting driver is as comfortable as when they are sitting on the heated and very adjustable seat and holding the flat-

Scania 770 in B-double application.

bottomed steering wheel. In-cab safety is further enhanced due to the standard fitment of the Scania driver airbag and side air bag curtains.

Scania has persevered with the V8 configuration instead of the big in-line six which has become the universal

layout for almost all other engine manufacturers. However, Scania continues to be at the forefront of alternative fuels and power sources such as gas and electric technologies and by delivering this diesel powered 770hp engine is shown to be acknowledging

that, at least in the ultra-heavy payload landscape, diesel will continue to be the energy source of choice for quite a few years yet. As with most of its other engines, the Scania 770 can be operated effectively on biodiesel.

In the Australian market the Scania 770 probably won’t be restricted to the ultraheavy loads requiring over-mass permits and escorts. The fastest way to increase transport efficiency is to implement bigger combinations such as A-doubles and roadtrains where practicable and in applications such as these the 770 will eat up the distances.

The Scania cab is very driver focused and with the V8 driveline commercial factors such as payload and fuel efficiency are consistently impressive. A 770-horsepower prime mover is not for everybody, although there may be a few out there who will invest in one for bragging rights. For more pragmatic buyers, this truck brings to the table its renowned ease of operation, a comprehensive suite of safety technologies and a driveline offering unrivalled performance for shifting heavy loads.

Scania has removed 75kg from the front axle.

The wrap-around dash is complemented by a tasteful mix of black and sand interior finishes.

Easily Retrofit to the Popular HOLLAND

FW351E & FW331

Fifth Wheel

FLASHING RED WARNING LED LIGHTS FOR FAILED COUPLING ATTEMPT

HIGH INTENSITY WHITE LED LIGHTS FOR SUCCESSFUL COUPLING ATTEMPT

helps drivers GET IT RIGHT!

FAILED COUPLING – In the case of a failed coupling attempt, bright red flashing LED lights assist the driver to quickly recognize a potentially costly mistake.

SUCCESSFUL COUPLING – A successful couple triggers highintensity white LED lights, strategically aimed at the kingpin and lock for enhanced visibility during the inspection process, especially in poor weather and low-light conditions.

Robust electrical components: sealed one-piece harness, long-life LED lights, durable inductive sensors, and steel encased logic module ensure reliable operation in the toughest conditions.

SAF-HOLLAND (Aust.) Pty. Ltd

ABN: 79004371215 | Sales: 1300 131 613

Email: sales@safholland.com.au

www.safholland.com.au

STARS REACH FOR THE

Kurt Dein, Head of Western Star Trucks in Australia, is part of a family legacy whose long association with the iconic truck brand is now into its third generation.

Apersonal involvement with the Western Star commercial Macquarie, Tamworth and Narrabri. I’ve been aligned with Western Star Trucks

here and I was part of that initial ‘road map’ conversation with the dealer group

A new Western Star 47X at the Mount Cotton launch.

absolutely pushed the engineering team in the US in terms of product development and durability, combined with the safety integration and driver ergonomics. At the X-Series launch in November, I emphasised the 4800 Constellation 26-metre, 34-pallet B-double truck released in 2006 had the set forward front axle, short bonnet, tight BBC, with high horsepower and as a conventional truck it has achieved high demand and we certainly were not going to let go of that one bit. We looked to go better and keep that renowned durability of Western Star in the new range and at the same time introduce an industryleading advanced safety package. Also, by adding the integrated driveline with leading technology, we are futureproofing ourselves from an emissions point of view.

PM: Is the 48X exclusive to the Australian market?

In the US market, a short BBC is not a requirement as operators can add the length they want in front of the trailer pin. Our market is unique globally and it’s all about product efficiency. So DTNA partnered with us and we created a world exclusive truck for our local market. The 48X also offers the choice of either the 13-litre DD13 Gen 5 engine producing 525 horsepower and 1850 lbs.ft of torque with a 72.5t GCM, and the DD16 which produces 600 hp and 2,050 lbs.ft.

PM: What are some of the safety features of the X-Series?

The Detroit Assurance electronic safety suite has features including lane guard assist, adaptive cruise control Active Brake Assist 5, side guard assist, and more. And inside the cab, there’s been a major rethink from the seating position, access into the cab, the door opening, the step treads, visibility out of the windscreen, and mirror design to the airbag solution comprising the ISRI Roll-Tek integrated driver’s seat with the curtain airbag.

PM: The 47X is available with a 9.0-litre Cummins engine. Has there been any

consideration to run bigger Cummins engines in the 48X and 49X?

KD: Our business partnership with Cummins is as strong as it has ever been. We’ve currently got the L9 offering which is a GHG 21-compliant engine which suits the recently legislated local ADR 80/04 requirement. In the US, the Western Star X-Series has Cummins engines available in the bigger 12-litre and 15-litre options. Penske and Cummins are united in bringing 15-litre engines into the Australian market and we will see the Cummins here in Australia in bigger horsepower configuration, but that is years away.

PM: Are there additional X-Series models set to be available in Australia?

KD: The X-Series in Australia will comprise the 47X, 48X, and 49X models. We’ve got multiple axle configurations including 8x4 and 10x4, which we will see introduced over the coming year and will open up more segments that are real opportunities for us. This Western Star X-Series is not an American-spec truck. It is designed for our market and takes into account factors such as cooling package, chassis rails, short BBC models, and optional exhaust configurations as well as square fuel tanks. So the line-up of 47X, 48X, and 49X places Western Star exceptionally well for the future.

PM: Does the Western Star brand have enough identity and heritage of its own to differentiate from Freightliner?

KD: DTNA has played on the strengths available in its tool kit. Certainly, there’s Daimler integration and the Detroit Assurance package is a Daimler safety suite, but when you look at it, the X-Series is a significantly different truck. We considered what Western Star has meant to our local customers over the last 40 years, and the X-Series respects that while being able to attract many more customers to our brand because of the expanded segment fit. The X-Series is a Portland-built truck which is where our legacy Western Stars also went down the line. The Portland factory has received a significant investment to create the X-Series from a production point of view and from the dedicated engineering team.

PM: How has the reception to the new models been so far?

KD: Since the launch in early November, I’ve been travelling to capital cities and also to regional dealerships and all the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and that we’ve got something outstanding here. And that comes from customers, drivers, sales guys, diesel mechanics, and parts interpreters.

Kurt Dein.

CRUNCH

The 2015 Paris terrorist attacks changed the face of policing internationally with the realisation that those on the scene had to not only deal with violent offenders, but seriously injured people as well. In 2016 Queensland Police Officer Dustin Osborne moved over to the Active Armed Offender Project Team that looked at developing appropriate skills and tactics to stop armed violent offenders and provide support for their victims.

“I became aware of the need to move forward with this and in 2017 instigated a practical tactical first aid training package,” says Dustin. “I didn’t create anything new. It was a matter of concentrating on the skills practiced in military operations. Everything we do in Tactical First Aid is very basic. We don’t teach people to be doctors and we don’t diagnose anything, but we’re powering ahead with the current skill sets and the equipment we are using.”

The intention was to formalise the competencies, many of which already existed and after a four-month period of development, the three and a half hour Tactical First Aid training program was rolled out to all members of the Queensland Police Service. Within 12 months more than 10,000 officers had been trained and equipped in the skills.

preventable deaths from occurring,” says Dustin. “We understand we can’t save everyone and there are things well outside our skill set, but we can do a lot for people in a very short space of time to stop them dying.”

Dustin was working in the Fortitude Valley precinct of Brisbane which has a reputation for being a tough neighbourhood.

“We found standard first aid isn’t operationally relevant and we needed something which looked at high level trauma,” he recalls. “In the ‘Valley’ we

were not treating bee stings or kids drinking paint, we were dealing with people being violently attacked.” There were parallels that could be drawn between injuries caused by violent behaviour and those arising from serious motor vehicle accidents. Dustin was able to recognise them.

“Improving life expectancy is a major factor as well, so instead of standing around, we can now make a difference,” he says. “I used to use the term ‘we are the best dressed bystanders’, because we turn up with all the gear to do 99 per cent of the stuff, but we didn’t have the means to help people suffering physical trauma. With the TFA program, now we do.”

The training is based on the principles of military field first aid programs and after examining evidence-based research which was conducted on modern conflicts in the Middle East, the Queensland Police actually moved away from traditional first aid assessment protocols.

“The program’s casualty assessments are designed to identify the biggest causes of death, and we can then fix them in order of lethality,” explains Dustin. “We quickly assess patient’s level of consciousness and we can then do circulation checks, then also check for head and spinal injuries. We know the

Truck drivers are often the first on the scene at serious road accidents. Senior Constable Dustin Osborne is a member of the Queensland Police Service who developed a first responders’ program that will save lives.

Dustin Osborne.

CRUNCH TIME

biggest cause of death is from people bleeding externally. The second cause is airway obstruction when they can’t get air in or out due to injury.”

Performing these actions in a specific order is vital to obtaining a good outcome. If CPR is commenced while there is a massive, unchecked bleed, the patient is very likely to die. Hypothermia mitigation is also an important factor. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in a car crash in a hot desert, if someone loses blood they can die from being cold so we need to take that into consideration as well,” Dustin says.

It’s a fact that truck drivers are often the first on the scene at serious accidents, particularly in regional areas and the value of this training has been recognised by Western Roads Federation CEO Cam Dumesny and Northern Territory Road Transport Association Executive Officer Louise Bilato, who both have been working at integrating the training program into the road transport sector.

“This program is sensational,” Cam told attendees at the recent NatRoad conference in Queensland. “Ten per cent motor vehicle accident fatalities are in remote and regional Australia, where if you have an accident, you are eleven times more likely to die. And who is most likely to be first on the scene? The

truck driver.”

The single simple act of correctly applying a tourniquet can drastically increase the life expectancy of an injured person.

Dustin also developed a small package of medical supplies which only weighs 350 grams and the kit includes a tourniquet, wound packing materials, a set adhesive chest seal and a pair of trauma sheers. There is a considered reason behind including only a limited number of items.

“People who are stressed can’t always fully function, so we take away options to keep it simple,” says Dustin. “Basic skills applied properly smash out of the park advanced skills done poorly. It reduces the effect of the trauma on the patient and extends their life expectancy, so when advanced care professionals arrive a lot of the work has already been done.”

Course participants learn how to hand over patients to paramedics in an effective manner by using concise and simple communications.

“First aid is not just about the victim, it’s also about the care providers,” says Dustin. “It’s a total package that we need to get across and we need to look after the people who respond, as well as the people we help.”

Witnessing severe trauma can have

an effect on the responders’ mental wellbeing. This is also addressed during the training.

“You don’t get the overall capability until you’ve got the equipment and the knowledge combined together,” explains Dustin. “People in the field are prepared and are actually quite confident. With the knowledge associated with knowing what you are doing comes the realisation you can’t save everyone, and yet doing something is better than doing nothing.”

In 2019, the Tactical First Aid Project was recognised in London, England as the World Class Policing Award winner for achieving meaningful results in crucial and high-pressure situations.

“I see this as a huge step forward in modernising the way we maintain our oath to protect life and serve the community,” said Dustin at the Awards event. The potential for willing transport operators to undertake the training to make a life-saving difference is enormous.

“During the period 2017 to 2022 we’ve had more than 250 incidences and saved and estimated 90 lives,” says Dustin of the Queensland Police results. “Now instead of handing over someone who is really sick, we are handing over people to our ambulance officers who are no longer dying.”

DO YOU KNOW A DRIVER OF CHANGE?

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN. Now is your chance to nominate an industry leader who you believe is advocating for positive change and deserves to be recognised.

THURS 8 JUNE 2023

The Women in Industry Awards recognise outstanding women leaders from across Australia’s industrials sector.

L ATEST FROM THE INDUSTRY ON SITE

P OWER TO THE PEOPLE

Fuso has been a pioneer in modern electric truck technology and has now revealed its highly anticipated second generation of the battery electric eCanter.

FINAL MILE

94 T HE WILL TO POWER

Major Chinese manufacturer LDV have released their range of electric vehicles including large vans with practical applications in the Australian market.

FUTURE TENSE

96 WA STE LAND

A research team at Stanford University have found a way to make lithiumion battery packs last longer and suffer less deterioration from fast charging.

IKEA AUSTRALIA UNVEILS NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Last mile delivery specialist ANC and ORIX Australia, a leasing and fleet management firm, have partnered with IKEA Australia. The partnership was announced at an event held in Sydney late last year, where several of ANC’s newest fleet EVs were also unveiled including a specially-designed e-TukTuk, an Australian first soon to be trialled by IKEA Australia.

Manufactured by BILITI Electric and imported exclusively by Brisbane company EMoS, the e-TukTuks will be used as the latest solution for last mile deliveries in urban environments. IKEA Australia is banking on the e-TukTuks being a game-changing pathway for the take-up of electric vehicles for delivery professionals as it progresses towards its goal of 100 per cent zero-emissions deliveries by 2025.

“There’s a global revolution underway as the last mile delivery sector accelerates fleet electrification,” said ANC CEO Joe Sofra. “EV fleets are a perfect match for our sector. And while they’re still in a nascent stage in Australia, we didn’t want to sit idly by and wait for the perfect economic

globally and will launch into the US market in the coming months.

IKEA are evaluating the first two at its Tempe store as part of a three-month trial to prove concept.

ANC now boasts ten EVs in its fleet including vans, trucks and the two TukTuks with firm plans for more.

“The partnership with ORIX aims to improve access to EVs on a capital light basis and demonstrates how the cost of adopting EV versus brown fleets is comparable, with rates more economical than renting a vehicle,” said Sofra “It also shows that the value proposition mimics a fully operable lease, with no maintenance, tyres, or servicing cost to the driver.”

Acknowledging it was still early days for EVs as fleet vehicles, ORIX CEO Reggie Cabal, said despite some challenges, partnering with like-minded organisations would help to overcome barriers and create greener, more sustainable outcomes.

“We are helping remove the complexity for delivery professionals to adopt EVs by aligning vehicles, infrastructure, energy and optimisation into a single,

test the operational practicalities of EV and hybrid vehicles in their business operations. Having the right fleet partner working with you to build a costeffective framework simply makes the transition smoother.”

ANC’s own EV journey was driven by its relationship with one of the company’s key customers, IKEA, which has a global goal to provide all its customers with zero-emission deliveries by 2025.

“As a purpose-led business, our ambition is to enable our customers to live better everyday lives within the limits of the planet, which extends to actively reducing emissions across all our operations,” said Mirja Viinanen, IKEA Australia CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer. “IKEA led the way as the first Australian home furnishing retailer to implement home deliveries with electric vehicles. Now, we are striving towards an ambitious goal of 100 per cent zero-emissions delivery by 2025.

“We are committed to this goal and want to bring the retail sector on the journey with us, so we are calling on the government to help us get there

ANC boasts ten EVs in total across its fleet.

MERCEDES-BENZ LAUNCHES FULLY ELECTRIC, LUXURIOUS EQV

The new Mercedes-Benz EQV promises a new era for the luxury people mover, combining lower daily running and scheduled servicing costs with a deluxe experience according to the luxury car brand. Constructed under the company’s electric vehicle division (EV), the EQV has been designed to meet the needs of both family buyers and professional drivers seeking a more environmentally friendly way to transport up to seven people in spacious comfort and trademark Mercedes-Benz style. The latest member of the MercedesEQ family combines low emission mobility with high functionality and aesthetic design.

Luxurious ambience extends to the driver and front-seat passenger with power-adjustable seats equipped with memory settings, lumbar support and seat heating. There’s also the MBUX infotainment system which operates audio, telephony, navigation and vehicle settings, with many popular functions able to be voice-activated by a simple “Hey Mercedes” greeting followed by a command.

All functions, including navigation, can also be accessed via a 10.25-inch central touchscreen.

Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, Diane Tarr, said that with its high roofline, generous proportions and dual electrically-operated sliding doors, the EQV manages to be both practical and luxurious at the same time.

“For large families or transfer operators, the EQV offers all the space and practicality they need, but with less impact on the environment, the potential to lower running costs and no compromise on luxury,” she said.

“This means that it offers all of the typical qualities of the brand and category that our customers expect, whether as a family car or a shuttle vehicle.”

Clever packaging of the high-voltage battery underneath the floor eliminates any possibility of compromising on space for the driver and up to six

additional passengers. The standard configuration features two armchairs in the second row and a three-berth bench seat in the third. As a no-cost option, the EQV can also be specified with four individual leather armchairs in the rear compartment.

Pre-entry climate control is an EVspecific feature that can be used to preset the desired cabin temperature for a more comfortable start to journeys, and can be activated via the instrument cluster or the MBUX system. Other features and displays available via the EQ tile in the MBUX’s main menu include the charging current, energy flow and consumption histogram. The media display can also be used to operate the navigation and charge functions, as well as the driving modes. The EQV’s practical credentials also extend to exceptional storage and flexibility, with a configurable space capable of accomodating up to 1,030 litres of cargo.

Powering the EQV is a single e-motor, sending up to 150kW of power and 365nM of torque to the front wheels. The 90kWh battery delivers an indicative range of up to 418km and uses 26.32kWh per 100km. Thanks to a DC charging capacity of

up to 110kW, top-ups from ten to 80 per cent can be achieved at a rapid charging facility in approximately 45 minutes. The positioning of the lithium-ion battery pack beneath the floor contributes to a lower centre of gravity which improves the handling characteristics, while standard AIRMATIC air suspension takes care of the luxurious experience with high-quality suspension and damping comfort that continuously adapts to the prevailing road conditions. There are also five levels of energy recuperation that recover energy during deceleration. In the most active mode, D-, deceleration and recuperation is at its strongest and therefore requires less manual braking while maximising driving range. The D, D+ and D++ modes progressively reduce active deceleration, while DAuto uses a radar sensor to automatically adjust the recuperation level to the traffic situation.

Included with every EQV purchase is a one-year complimentary Chargefox subscription, providing customers with one year of unlimited charging at all Chargefox ultra-rapid stations and participating fast charging stations around Australia.

The new Mercedes-Benz EQV.

FORD ANNOUNCES PLATINUM RANGER AFTER RECORD SALES

Ford Australia has revealed the topspec Ranger Platinum. Considered a further expansion of the Ford Ranger line-up, the Ranger Platinum takes the Pick-Up to new heights according to Ford, combining the capability and versatility of Ranger with unique styling and premium features for customers that value outstanding comfort and generous specification to support their active work and family needs.

“We listened hard to our customers throughout the design and development of the Next-Generation Ranger, and in doing so we reinvented the Pick-Up Truck segment,” said Andrew Birkic, Ford Australia President and CEO,.

“We’ve seen growth in high-end variants in this segment over recent years, so we challenged ourselves to create a vehicle that provides all of our customer’s wants and needs.”

Ranger Platinum is available exclusively in five-seat, double cab specification, and is powered by

Ford’s 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine, producing 184kW and 600 Nm of torque. Power is delivered through the Ranger’s electronically controlled full-time four-wheel drive system, combined with Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission.

Like the whole Ranger line-up, maximum braked towing weight is rated to 3,500kg.

“Ranger Platinum is focused on owners who need a work truck that combines both premium luxury for the family, and the flexibility of a work truck for their business,” said Ian Foston, Ranger Chief Platform Engineer. “We’ve really focused on creating a premium exterior and goldclass interior experience with Ranger Platinum.”

Key exterior enhancements include a unique grille, 20-inch alloy wheels, ‘Platinum’ hood badging, Silk Chrome trims, Matrix LED headlamps, a damped tailgate which makes lowering the tailgate effortless, and Ford’s

ingenious Flexible Rack System (FRS)2. Ranger Platinum will also be available in the Equinox Bronze paint colour4, previously available only on Everest. “From the new hero paint colour to the design of the 20-inch alloys and the premium Silk Chrome trims, we wanted Ranger Platinum to look like a luxury vehicle,” said Max Tran, Ford Ranger, Chief Designer.

Ranger Platinum will come with Ford’s Flexible Rack System which consists of Folding Roof Racks and a firstto-market patent-pending Sliding Load Rack. The roof racks feature crossbars that swing across the roof when needed, can be adjusted to two different lengths, and then stored away in the roof rails when not being used. The clever Sliding Load Rack can be operated by one person and locks into five different positions along the length of the load box. A pop-up crossbar increases the height of the loading platform to match the Folding Roof Racks.

Ranger Platinum will come with Ford’s Flexible Rack System.

ELECTRONIC WORK DIARIES & FATIGUE MANAGEMENT

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For an industry hungry for the safest solutions for drivers, precious cargo and other road-users, the shift to electronic work diaries (EWDs) in Australian commercial road transport has been a seismic event. EWDs are fast replacing the reactive exercise of the traditional driver work diary by improving operator compliance through ease-of-use, cloud storage and real-time transparency. Software development in telematics and GPS solutions is now cutting-edge making pre-start checklists a breeze while affording front office better work and rest time calculations. EWDs are also providing greater assistance with work management and assigning tasks to drivers. Correct allocations can often deliver productivity gains, as businesses increasingly look to a smarter means of fatigue management across the whole organisation.

Secon Freight Logistics Run and Carry

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Only a few years ago Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) were mostly considered to be futurist concepts which belonged more in the realms of science fiction than delivering goods on our roads. An indication of how far the category has advanced is the fact that Fuso has unveiled the second generation of the eCanter, initially in Japan in early September 2022, followed by the IAA extravaganza in Hanover, Germany a few weeks later. Subsequent to the launch of its first eCanter back in 2017, Fuso, it might be said, is capitalising on its five years of global experience.

The Next Generation eCanter is available in two cab variants, one 1.7 metres wide and the other 2.0 metres wide and is characterised by an expanded versatility making it compatible with many applications in addition to the usual delivery of general cargo, towing services, refuse collection, and tasks in the construction industry.

The Next Generation eCanter features the increasingly popular eAxle concept

of integrating the electric motor with the independently suspended rear axle. This results in a more compact drivetrain structure which provides more space for battery packs and creates a significant expansion of Fuso’s BEV product line up. For the Japanese market that will include 28 variants, and approximately 80 variants for other markets to address a wider range of application requirements. The new model is also equipped with the “ePTO” power take-off unit which enables special purpose applications for customers wanting to operate their eCanters in applications such as tipper, tilt tray, truck mounted crane, or climatecontrolled van body.

While the original eCanter was previously only available with a GVM of 7.49 tonnes and a wheelbase of 3,400mm, customers now have a choice of six wheelbases between 2,500mm and 4,750 mm, and GVMs between 4.25 tonnes and 8.55 tonnes that allow for body and payload combinations of up to five tonnes. Electric motor power is either 110 kW for variants with gross weights of 4.25

and 6 tonnes, or 129kWh with 430Nm of torque for models with gross weights of 7.49 and 8.55 tonnes.

Until now, the eCanter only had a single battery option with a nominal capacity of 81kWh and a range of up to 100 kilometers. With the New Generation eCanter, depending upon the wheelbase, three different modular battery packs are available, referred to as “S”, “M” and “L”. The batteries use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cell technology to provide a long service life and more usable energy. The battery pack in the “S” variant has a nominal capacity of 41kWh and enables a range of up to 70 kilometres. In the “M” variant, the nominal capacity is 83kWh and the range is up to 140 kilometers. The “L” variant, as the most powerful package, offers a nominal capacity of 124kWh and a range of up to 200 kilometres, a distance, within reason, that should exceed that which is usually covered per day in urban light distribution conditions. Battery recuperation during de-acceleration can increase the range even further,

Fuso has been a pioneer in modern electric truck technology and has now shown its second generation of the battery electric eCanter.

A Heater Cut Switch saves energy consumption by warming only the most needed areas of the cab.

and consequently minimise time spent connected to a charger. The charging unit on the Next Generation models supports charging with both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). Using the Combined Charging System (CCS) charging is possible with up to 104kW. DC fast charging to 90 per cent of battery capacity is possible in approximately 36 minutes for the “S”, 44 minutes for the “M” and 75 minutes on the “L”. AC charging (11 and 22 kW) takes between four and six hours, depending on the battery pack. Japanese customers, at least, have access to a V2X function which enables the eCanter’s batteries to supply power to homes and other equipment in the event of an emergency. To maximize safety the batteries are mounted within the eCanter’s chassis frame using a rigid steel bracket which also serves as impact protection for the battery in a frontal or side impact. In the event of an accident, a crash sensor automatically deactivates the highvoltage system.

The Next Generation eCanter also has some enhanced EV-specific functions including regenerative braking which can be controlled at four levels via a steering column mounted stalk which contributes to power savings and enhanced drivability due to the motor braking function. Battery PreConditioning allows the batteries to be preheated through a timer setting during AC charging, and there is a Heater Cut Switch feature to save energy consumption by warming only the most needed areas such as the seats and steering wheel.

The Next Generation eCanter features a newly designed interior and exterior with the Fuso ‘Black Belt motif’ on the front face of the cab, with touches of orange and blue design elements. The LED headlights and daytime running lights, as well as the latest LED rear combination lights, offer reliable visibility. The interior design has also been upgraded for driving comfort with a new and slightly lower dashboard to provide more space and a new 10-inch full LCD panel linked

to the steering wheel switches. Fuso’s telematics solution Truckonnect provides a number of newly added EVspecific features such as the eRange feature. It displays the remaining range distance and the remaining battery capacity. These metrics will also be available to track on the Truckonnect portal so management back at the depot is constantly aware of the remaining range available. In addition, the new model will be compatible with the Charging Management System function that allows operators to set a timer to charge vehicle batteries during off-peak periods when electricity costs are lowest. An unintended consequence of the quiet operation of BEVs is pedestrian risk.

So for improved acoustic perception by pedestrians or cyclists the Next Generation eCanter is equipped with an external Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) as standard in addition to the Active Side Guard Assist system. This is the first time Active Side Guard Assist has been used in a Fuso light-duty truck, and it operates by reducing the

risk of accidents on turns by monitoring the blind spot on the side of the truck. When necessary, the feature also activates a collision mitigation brake system. The fifth-generation Active Brake Assist with pedestrian detection, which is also standard, can reduce the risk of a collision in longitudinal traffic. Other safety features include the driver attention monitoring system known as Active Attention Assist that supports the prevention of fatigue-induced incidents with lane marking recognition, various sensors and a facial recognition camera, warning the driver with a buzzer and dashboard display.

In further support of its ‘green credentials’ Fuso is also working to establish a system to manage the entire life cycle of electric truck batteries. The Next Generation eCanter is manufactured in Fuso’s vehicle plant at Tramagal in Portugal where more than 235,000 Fuso Canter’s, both diesel and electric, have been produced since 1980.

An electric motor is integrated with an independently suspended rear axle.

THE WILL TO POWER

Major Chinese manufacturer LDV have released their range of electric vehicles including large vans with practical applications in the Australian market.

Just 30 years ago China possessed only a rudimentary automotive manufacturing industry, yet today accounts for around 25 per cent of the global vehicle market. China has also been very quick to pick up on the electric vehicle (EV) wave and in 2022 more EVs were sold in China than in the rest of the world, with these lower emission vehicles accounting for 26 per cent of China’s domestic vehicle sales. Globally, one in four EVs are built in China and at the end of 2022 there were 10.5 million EVs spread across the planet, 6.5 million of them in China. The diesel powered LDV Deliver 9 large van has been enjoying solid sales since its introduction to Australia and has now been joined by electric versions in both high and standard roof heights, as well as a cab chassis. The lithium-ion battery is located under the rear floor so cargo space has not been compromised and while battery weight remains an issue for manufacturers of EVs, the location in the LDV eDeliver 9 actually contributes to the van’s balance and ride characteristics especially when there is little or no load being carried as during our test drive. The eDeliver 9 has the same cubic cargo capacity as the conventional diesel engine LDV variants with 10.97 cubic metres for the mid-roof and 12.33 cubic metres for the high roof. Payload for the mid roof is 1,410

kgs while the high roof has a slightly lower 1,350 kgs due to its marginally higher tare weight. Towing capacity for all models is 1,500 kgs. The cargo area has non-slip entry steps and the floor is covered by a durable non-slip rubber mat with checker plate pattern. There are eight solid tiedown points to restrain cargo items. Access to the load compartment is via a sliding door on the kerbside and 236 degree opening dual barn doors at the rear. Both van versions are powered by an 88.55 kWh battery which allows for an operational range of up to 280 kilometres. The cab chassis’ 65kWh battery achieves a range of 150

kilometres when fitted with a standard sized box cargo body. All models have a 150kW permanent magnet motor delivering 310Nm of torque via front wheel drive. The driver can select from three drive modes of normal, eco and power according to the level of performance and power consumption required.

Charging time using a 3-phase AC charger requires eight hours at a maximum charge rate of 11kW to take the battery from five to 100 per cent in the vans and 6.5 hours to achieve the same result for the cab chassis. Utilising a DC fast charger, the van battery can rise from 20 per cent to

LDV eDeliver 9.

80 per cent in just 45 minutes. All of the vehicles are also equipped with an emergency charging system which operates from a domestic three pin outlet.

In common with the internal combustion engine LDV vans, the eDeliver 9 is equipped with a comprehensive suite of standard safety systems including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning and an Electronic Stability Control System from Bosch. Driver and passenger front, side and curtain airbags contribute to the LDV’s level of safety as does the Adaptive Cruise Control, Hill Hold and front and rear parking sensors. Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth smartphone connections and steering wheel controls keep the eDeliver 9 at the front of equipment expectations of professional and private drivers. Storage compartments under the seats and above the windscreen add to the practicality, as do the USB ports. The driver’s seat has eight way electric adjustability and the two-passenger bench seat has a fold down middle section which has a handy additional cup holder as well as being an ideal location for a tablet or laptop. External panel fit and quality durable interior finishes are of a level of quality which is somewhat unexpected and demonstrate that Chinese manufacturing has come a long way in recent years. EVs are not cheap to develop, manufacture or eventually purchase, with sticker prices for the eDeliver 9 approaching $120,000. This can be balanced by taking into account the recognised value in their exceptionally low running and maintenance costs and, of course, the lack of exhaust emissions. Already, a number of European municipalities are restricting vehicle access to low- or zero-emission vehicles, with Britain already going as far as banning the sale of new internal combustion vehicles, including hybrids, by 2035. The eDeliver 9’s service intervals of two years or 30,000 kilometres will keep total cost of ownership

combustion engines’ need to have their complex systems checked and their oil changed frequently. Value of ownership is further enhanced with the five year/160,000 kilometre warranty which includes roadside assistance, further supported by the eight years/160,000 kilometre warranty coverage on the battery itself. The eDeliver 9 van currently has the EV van space all to itself and will appeal to applications in various government entities as well as high profile companies which wish to flag their commitment to reducing their overall carbon footprints at the same time as utilising a practical van which is pleasant to drive and is equipped with many of the current safety and driver support technologies found in conventionally powered commercial vehicles. On the road the eDeliver 9 is whisper quiet with the main noise experienced during our test drive coming from the air conditioning fan keeping us warm as we travel through the NSW Southern Highlands and the occasional sweep of the wipers as they wipe off the sleet

actually so quiet that it produces an electronic “whirring” noise at speeds under 15 kilometres per hour to warn pedestrians of its presence.

From an operational perspective, the eDeliver 9 presents few compromises, especially in urban applications where the power used during daily travels of around 280 kilometres can be replenished efficiently utilising overnight charging.

Locally, LDV through its distributor Ateco, have introduced an electric ‘people mover’ tagged the MIFA 9, which provides comfort and convenience for seven people and their luggage in an all-electric vehicle capable of well over 400 kilometres between charges.

LDV’s foray into electrification also now extends to its leadership for Australia’s first electric ute, the LDV eT60, an eAxle rear wheel drive EV with a range rating of 330 kilometres. The eT60 is the ‘zero emission’ version of the LDV T60 diesel utilities which have notched up around 25,000 Australian sales since their launch here in September 2017.

Towing capacity for all LDV eDeliver 9 models is 1,500 kgs.

WASTE LAND

A research team at Stanford University have found a way to make lithium-ion battery packs last longer and suffer less deterioration from fast charging. Through the implementation of the required infrastructure and technology, this breakthrough could be a major factor in making Australia’s commercial vehicles more productive and efficient.

Actively managing the amount of electrical current flowing to each cell in a battery pack can minimise wear and tear according to recent findings by a team at Stanford University. According to Stanford Professor and Senior Study Author, Simona Onori, initial simulations suggested that batteries managed with the research’s new technology could handle at least 20 per cent more discharge cycles, even with frequent fast charging which puts extra strain on a battery. The findings of the report were first published in IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology on 5 November 2022, as

Extending Life of Lithium-Ion Battery Systems by Embracing Heterogeneities via an Optimal Control-Based Active Balancing Strategy. Motivation to embark on this project arose after Tesla announced it was working on a million-mile battery in 2020. According to Tesla, the battery would be capable of powering a car for over one million miles with regular charging before reaching the point where the battery would hold too little charge to be functional. A battery of this measure could exceed a typical warranty for electric vehicle (EV) batteries by eight years or 100,000 miles, easing the way for the electrification of long haul trucks and heavy vehicles.

However, Simona says it was later explained that the million-mile battery concept was not a new chemistry, but rather just a way to operate the battery without using the full charge range. Intrigued by Tesla’s efforts, Simona and her two researchers, postdoctoral scholar, Vahid Azimi, and PhD student, Anirudh Allam, decided to investigate how inventive management of existing battery types could improve performance and service life of a full battery pack.

To begin, they crafted a computer model of battery behaviour that represented physical and chemical changes which take place inside a battery during its operational life.

Frequent fast charging often puts extra strain on car batteries.

Running simulations with the model suggested that a modern battery back could be optimised and controlled by embracing differences among its constituent cells.

The team believes, pursuant of these findings, that the model can guide the development of battery management systems in the coming years, while also being deployed in existing vehicle designs.

While there have been many efforts made to extend battery lives, Simona explains that the majority of them have focused on improving the design, materials and manufacturing of single cells based on the understanding that a battery pack is only as good as its weakest cell. However, Stanford’s study differentiates in this aspect with a belief that while weak links are unavoidable due to manufacturing imperfections and the faster degrading of cells after being exposed to stresses such as heat, they don’t necessarily reduce the quality of the entire battery pack.

“Our approach equalises the energy in

each cell in the pack, bringing all cells to the final targeted state of charge in a balanced manner and improving the longevity of the pack,” she says. Following the study, Simona says the key is to tailor charging rates to the unique capacity of each cell to stave off failure.

“If not properly tackled, cell-to-cell heterogeneities can compromise the longevity, health, and safety of a battery pack and induce an early battery pack malfunction.” While research in these instances may house the possibility to increase productivity in commercial EVs, it’s up to governments to better accommodate the uptake of batterypowered vehicles with better fuel efficiency standards and infrastructure. Within Australia’s borders, more than 100 corporate giants including Woolworths, Linfox, Uber, IKEA and Microsoft are calling on the legislation of fuel efficiency standards by the Labor Government, following a spike in EV sales as a result of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s election victory.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Motor Vehicle Census, Australia 31 Jan 2021, there were 20.1 million motor vehicles registered on Australian roads in 2021 and only 23,128 EVs.

Stanford’s breakthrough couldn’t be timelier as governments continue to

push the sales of EVs while Australia prepares for an electric future.

As part of the Labor Government’s 2022-23 Federal Budget, the $500 million Driving the Nation Fund will see the development of EV charging stations at 117 highway sites and hydrogen highways for key freight routes around Australia in hopes of targeting a reduction in transport emissions.

To encourage the uptake of battery vehicles, a $345 million Electric Car Discount will exempt eligible electric cars from fringe benefits tax (FBT) and the five per cent import tariff – saving employers up to $9,000 a year on a $50,000 car or for an individual using a salary sacrifice arrangement up to $4,700 a year.

In addition, the Government also ensured that 75 per cent of new Commonwealth car purchases and leases will be electric by 2025, which in its eyes will encourage more EVs and help contribute to a “second-hand market”.

Although breakthroughs like those by the Stanford researchers suggest industry is on the right path towards making batteries more efficient, the more immediate challenges in Australia hinge on lack of technology and infrastructure when it comes to preventing the reduction of deterioration in fast charging.

Concept of an authentic electric car platform chassis prototype.

There is a lot of stress involved in modern life. Some of it is felt by operators when the chassis rail, or a structural member attached to a chassis ladder fails. Mechanical stress arises from weight and road forces. Mechanical stress flows through the structure starting at the weight points and getting onto the road via the axles and tyres. The art of the design is to keep stress at relatively low levels to avoid members breaking. A Factor of Safety based upon static loads of at least 3 is advisable. This article is about how chassis designers and modifiers can minimise the chance of chassis failure, by keeping everyone’s stress within limits. Hopefully operators who purchase modified trucks can be informed about what to look for and what to insist upon from the vehicle modifier.

The starting point is the chassis ladder, which is the ‘spine’ of any truck or trailer. It takes the form of a ladder formed by two long structural rails that are usually C-section steel on trucks, and cross members that are bolted through the web of the chassis rails. The truck chassis rails are often reinforced by inserted C-section or L-section steel through the rear axle group installation. Some heavy-duty trucks have the rail inserts running from front to back. Figure 1 illustrates the chassis ladder concept.

Nearly all trucks, except for prime-

Managing stress flow through a chassis

movers, are modified. Modifications should comply with the National Heavy Vehicle Modification Code VSB6, or with the truck manufacturer’s body builder guidelines. The body builder will usually install a subframe under the body and attach it to the chassis rails. The subframe adds strength under the body. The flexibility of the attachments determines how much of the subframe and body stiffness is transferred to the chassis ladder.

Trucks move on roads. The chassis ladder must be stiff enough to allow the wheel suspensions to work against a rigid structure. If it was infinitely stiff,

then some wheels would not follow the road on a cross slope. The best road handling comes from chassis rails with full insert reinforcements from front to back. To follow a road the chassis ladder must twist. The safest arrangement is for the chassis ladder to twist uniformly between the front and rear axle groups. The engine and transmission stiffen the front of the chassis ladder. The body subframe and the rear axle group reinforces the stiffness at the rear of the chassis ladder. Therefore, it is common for most of the chassis twisting to occur between the rear of the cabin and the front of the body subframe. The most vulnerable location for chassis rail cracking is the short chassis space between the transmission and the start of the body subframe. Rule 1: Fit flexible mounts at the two front body attachments on each side. A flexible mount is shown in the Figure 2. Another option is to reinforce the chassis between the engine and the body subframe.

The chassis ladder experiences road shocks that are applied at the spring hangers (ie via the suspensions).

PETER HART

Figure 1

Figure 2

away from the spring hangers. Figure 3 shows one example where a spring hanger did not spread the load and where the cabin mount further loaded this location. The consequence was a vertical crack running through four bolt holes (including one at the bottom through the chassis rail flange). The flanges of the chassis rails are usually C-section. The rails on mediumduty trucks are often 350 – 400 MPa grade material (grade reports yield strength). Heavy duty trucks often have 700 – 800 MPa grade material chassis rails. The chassis rail flanges should be clear because they provide much of the load-carrying strength and torsional stiffness. Rule 3: Avoid putting holes into, or welds onto the chassis rail flanges. This is a requirement in VSB 6. I acknowledge that some truck manufacturers do put holes through the chassis rial flanges. They rivet in cross-member flanges or rivet on flange reinforcements. This makes the flange vulnerable to fatigue crack initiation if the hole is in a high-stress region. Strength should always be graduated to make best use of the materials. Rule 4: Always graduate the structural strength in a heavily loaded location. Graduation means make gradual changes of strength by using tapered shapes or reinforcements. Figure 4 shows how a substantial change in strength can cause a stress rise in the unreinforced section. In this instance chassis rail twist could not be passed through the heavy attachment plate.

Dr Peter Hart, ARTSA-I Life Member

Figure 3

Figure 5

Figure 4

A crack running between holes. A cab mount is at the top and a front spring hanger bracket is at the bottom

Graduation of reinforcement strength as advised in VSB 6.

Chassis rail failure in torsion because the twisting could not be passed through the heavy reinforcement.

At December year end 2018, a new all-time heavy vehicle sales record was set in Australia, with 41,628 trucks and heavy vans delivered for the year. A little over a year later our nation’s economy fell to the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic and truck sales plummeted to just 34,476 for the year of 2020. That fall was due to a number of factors, principally, global supply disruptions and significant business uncertainty in Australia regarding the economic impacts of COVID lockdowns and disruptions. However, trucks played a major role in keeping Australia operating during the pandemic, home deliveries boomed, supermarket shelves remained stocked despite some panic buying at times, medical supplies, including vaccines were delivered, garbage services were maintained, construction materials continued to be delivered, etc. In fact, road freight was one of the few industries to transcend state and territory border closures. The importance of road freight during this period of uncertainty built renewed business confidence within the sector and this, coupled with strategic Federal Government COVID financial incentives saw a significant resurgence of new truck sales in 2021. Some 41,404 trucks and heavy vans were delivered, falling just a couple of hundred vehicles short of the 2018 record, an amazing achievement given the ongoing global supply

Heavy Vehicle record tumbles in 2022

chain problems.

Four years on from the 2018 high, the record books can be rewritten again. In 2022 there was 44,379 heavy vehicle sales for the year, comfortably surpassing the 2018 mark. In fact, for only the third time ever, the Truck Industry Council’s (TIC) T-Mark sales data shows that over 40,000 trucks and heavy vans were sold in Australia in a single calendar year. The good news is that more new heavy vehicles were put onto our roads in 2022 than in any other previous year. That means more vehicles with the latest safety features, more fuelefficient engines and drivelines, better exhaust emission performance and more higher productivity vehicles. These safer, greener, cleaner and more productive trucks offer all road users improved heavy vehicle safety; they offer all Australians cleaner air to breathe; and they offer operators potential productivity benefits and reduced operating costs. However, despite record, or near record, sales in 2018, 2021 and 2022, we have witnessed the age of the Australian truck fleet steadily grow older, from 14.4 years in 2007 to 15.0 years average age in 2021, as the nation’s freight task continues to grow year-on-year. The bad news is that fleet replacement has not kept pace with this freight growth. While record sales are a starting point, it will in fact take more than a decade of year-on-year record sales for the truck park to return to 14.4 years average age, a number that is twice that of most European countries. A number, that we as a nation, should not be proud of. So why do I mention this, when many might expect celebrations are in order for these new record sales? The answer is simple, the Australian road

toll is too high and heavy vehicles are over-represented in those crashes and this is partly to do with the fact that the older trucks in our nation’s truck fleet do not feature the advanced safety features found in newer trucks. Further, Australia’s existing truck fleet is almost 100 per cent diesel-powered. In order to meet our Federal Government’s global greenhouse reduction commitments, operators need to embrace low and zero emission truck technologies when purchasing new trucks.

TIC and our members are very conscious that more must be done to improve heavy vehicle road safety and reduce the carbon footprint of the Australian heavy vehicle fleet and to this end are bringing to market trucks and heavy vans featuring the latest safety and emission technologies, together with an increased range of low and zero emission models. Thus, providing the enabler to better heavy vehicle safety and environmental outcomes. However, government action is also required, after all, government on behalf of the public are undertaking a structural readjustment of the economy in order to meet climate change objectives. TIC calls upon Australian governments at all levels to acknowledge the age of the truck fleet and the associated safety and environmental issues and develop policy, such as the successful instant asset tax incentives deployed by the federal Coalition Government during COVID, that will lead to a positive reduction in our nation’s truck fleet age, an outcome that will benefit all Australians.

Tony McMullan CEO, Truck Industry Council

ANDERSON

It’s terrific to be back writing in these pages and I look forward to engaging with readers over the year ahead on issues of interest to participants in our supply chains, and how, as an industry group, we can work to bring about positive change to benefit freight operators and suppliers.

The year 2022 was punctuated by three key economic events that have combined to put real pressure on our national economy, with consequences for the transport industry.

Soaring inflation, rising fuel costs and a normalisation of interest rates after record lows, are leading to higher business and other costs and operators need to prepare for a reckoning this year. Operators have rightly factored this into their cost models, recognising that wearing higher business charges is fraught with risk and potentially detrimental to their financial health and wellbeing, and their capacity to employ people.

While this undoubtedly contributes to inflation in the broader economy, the VTA continues to advocate for operators to ensure customers and consumers are appropriately charged for what they consume, noting transport accounts for around 12-15 per cent of the total cost of goods sold.

It is encouraging that the Commonwealth is doing its bit to address higher energy costs. Temporary price caps will help to reduce what businesses and consumers pay for energy, freeing up income to maintain

Brace for 2023 economic headwinds

living standards that have been eroding through cost-of-living pressures. We can only hope that as inflation peaks and interest rates stabilises this year, normalcy starts to return after years of turmoil. These are domestic issues we have a degree of control over, however the elephant in the room continues to be geopolitical tensions overseas that has implications for Australia’s supply chains and economic recovery.

Energy costs will continue to be impacted by the ongoing war in Eastern Europe, which we hope will come to a peaceful resolution. Aside from the humanitarian catastrophe, war continues to impact supply chains and commodity prices, with Ukraine’s grains export severely limited, leading to higher prices.

In China, a shift away from a ‘Zero COVID’ strategy has the potential to continue impacting supply chains. Labour shortages there in manufacturing, agriculture, and other sectors due to an expected spike in transmission will inevitably create domestic blockages. Australia is vulnerable to foreign supply chain disruptions, especially in the context of global shipping price hikes and the tyranny of distance we feel as a remote island nation. Shipping lines are either bypassing Australia altogether or are limiting their passage here to reduce costs and as a response to reduced supply.

Our focus this year will be to advocate for the legislation, regulation and reforms that are necessary to respond to these domestic and international pressures, to limit their impact on our industry. We will also continue to pursue reforms that are

preventing operators from growing their workforce and solving chronic labour and driver shortages that have plagued the industry.

Through our Victorian Government backed programs, we’ve proved that more intensive and practical-based driver training can produce safer drivers, whilst helping to attract new participants to the transport industry such as people looking for a career change and women returning to the workforce. The next step is to trial the program for young people, including school leavers, which is why we’ve called for a pilot program to accelerate the time to get responsible and capable, and extensively trained young people behind the wheel of heavy vehicles. Training, not experience, should be the benchmark upon which we licence drivers and we will continue our advocacy for this strongly this year.

Notwithstanding these challenges, the future is bright for the Australian transport industry when viewed through the lens of consumption, which continues to grow. The headwinds are there but they are not insurmountable if we work in unison and towards a common goal.

These and numerous other issues will be addressed at VTA State Conference 2023, being held from 19-21 March at Silverwater Resort, Phillip Island. For program information and to register visit www.vta.com.au.

I hope to see you.

Peter Anderson CEO, VTA

STUARTSTCLAIR

PETER

Broken Records

initiated as a response to the COVID-induced economic situation, yet there is also an underlying strength in the demand due to the sustained growth of the road freight task which requires additional trucks to move the additional freight.

Despite the enormous impact of the restrictions deemed necessary to weather the COVID storm, Australia managed to achieve a growth in its Gross Domestic Product of 5.9 per cent during 2022. This brings with it the spectre of high inflation, a matter which marketled economies such as Australia and the United States are seeking to address after getting their predictions so very wrong back in 2021, when the RBA and Treasury forecast an inflation rate of just two per cent for 2022, and that it would remain under three per cent for the “next few years”. The RBA currently expects Australia’s inflation to peak at around eight per cent, with the double jeopardy of stagnant wage growth. The dramatic rise in the cost of fuel has been conveniently attributed to the Ukraine war and will continue to be a major driver of inflation across most market sectors. The indications from around mid-year were for 2022 to be a record in terms of truck unit sales, and the December results from the Truck Industry Council show those expectations were well founded.

December’s total of 3,562 new cab chassis and prime movers took the year-to-date accrual to 38,860, an astounding 11.8 per cent increase over 2021 and an 8.9 per cent improvement on the previous record set in 2018. The result comes in spite of challenges in component and labour supply, which have affected all OEMs, some more than others.

Isuzu notched up its 34th year in the top position on the truck sales dais, and the 13,360 new Isuzus delivered during 2022 represent a market share of 34.4 per cent across all categories.

December and January can be a challenging months in the new truck industry due to days lost to gazetted public holidays and the general slowdown during the post-Christmas-New Year break. However, the momentum which has been sustained for most of the year ultimately carried the industry to its best-ever annual result. The big investment Heavy Duty sector added 1,481 new units during December, taking the YTD total to 14,966 — a growth of 15.1 per cent over 2021 (+1,967 units).

Medium Duty added 688 units during December to achieve the total of 7,850 for the year, which is up 6.2 per cent over 2021 (+460 units).

The Light Duty category contributed an additional 1,393 trucks

during December to take the total to 16,044 for the year which is 11.8 per cent more than in 2021 (+1,690 units).

At the time of writing there is still some uncertainty in relation to the sunset of the instant asset write-off scheme by 30 June and how that will affect vehicles still having bodies fitted as of that date.

Industry groups have been active in their lobbying to achieve some concessional allowances which hopefully can take into the account the extended times between a formal order for a new vehicle and its actual delivery date.

Dec-22YTD Change

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