Prime Mover July 2022 by Prime Creative Media

July 2022

Vision Freight Systems Northern Exposure

JULY 2022 $11.00

ISSN 1838-2320

9 771838 232000

Industry Fleet: MBS Sand & Cement Feature: PacLease Showcase: Telematics Personality: Brad Williams

Innovation Fleet: Lane Transport Technology: SEA Electric Test Drive: Fuso Shogun 510 Delivery: Shippit

T H E P E O P L E & P R O D U C T S T H AT M A K E T R A N S P O RT M OV E AUSTRALIA’S GUIDE TO UTES, VANS, LIGHT TRUCKS & PEOPLE MOVERS

Delivery Magazine inside: Pages 70-75.

MAGAZINE

ISUZU FX & FY SERIES

Designed for heavy applications.

FX SERIES

Our FX and FY trucks are the heavy duty shapeshifters that can do it all. From crane, rubbish and sliding flatbeds to agitators, tippers and pantechs, they can be engineered to suit almost any application. And there are 10 model options in total, with a wide choice of transmissions, wheelbases, axles and suspensions. So whether you need a 4x2, 6x4 or 6x2, transform your business with an FX or FY. Find out more at isuzu.com.au or contact your nearest Isuzu Dealer. *6 year warranty excludes Concrete Agitator and Garbage Compactor models which are covered by a 3 year warranty, 3 year roadside assist and 200,000 km. FSA/ISZS986

FY SERIES

July 2022

Vision Freight Systems

MEET THE TEAM

Northern Exposure

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

In his 15-year career as a journalist, William has reported knowledgeably on sports, entertainment and agriculture. He has held senior positions in marketing and publicity across theatrical and home entertainment, and also has experience in B2B content creation and social media strategy for the logistics sector.

JULY 2022 $11.00

ISSN 1838-2320

9 771838 232000

Industry Fleet: MBS Sand & Cement Feature: PacLease Showcase: Telematics Personality: Brad Williams

Innovation Fleet: Lane Transport Technology: SEA Electric Test Drive: Fuso Shogun 510 Delivery: Shippit

T H E P E O P L E & P R O D U C T S T H AT M A K E T R A N S P O RT M OV E AUSTRALIA’S GUIDE TO UTES, VANS, LIGHT TRUCKS & PEOPLE MOVERS

Delivery Magazine inside: Pages 70-75.

MAGAZINE

ceo John Murphy john.murphy@primecreative.com.au editor William Craske william.craske@primecreative.com.au managing editor, transport group

Luke Applebee luke.applebee@primecreative.com.au

senior feature writer

Peter Shields 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

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.

www.primemovermag.com.au

design

Kerry Pert, Aisling McComiskey

journalist Peter White peter.white@primecreative.com.au design production manager

Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

client success manager

Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au

head office 11-15 Buckhurst Street South Melbourne VIC 3205 P: 03 9690 8766 F: 03 9682 0044 enquiries@primecreative.com.au

subscriptions

03 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au Prime Mover magazine is available by subscription from the publisher. The right of refusal is reserved by the publisher. Annual rates: AUS $110.00 (inc GST). For overseas subscriptions, airmail postage should be added to the subscription rate.

articles

All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

PRIME MOVER magazine is owned and published by Prime Creative Media. All material in PRIME MOVER magazine is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in PRIME MOVER magazine are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

A SMALL STEP ON OUR PATH TO CHANGE FROM 2021, ALL CASTROL PRODUCTS WE SELL IN AUSTRALIA ARE

COMMITTED TO CARBON NEUTRALITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH PAS 2060** A SMALL STEP TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

* **

in accordance with PAS 2060, see www.castrol.com/cneutral for more information. The C02e emissions are calculated in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Product Life Cycle Standard and includes life cycle emissions. The demonstration of carbon neutrality will be assured by an Independent Third-Party and certified to BSI’s PAS 2060 carbon neutral specification. See www.castrol.com/cneutral for more information.

CONTENTS

Prime Mover July 2022

COVER STORY “Our Fuso portfolio is broadening and we’re happy to be an ambassador of the brand in the services we offer it. It doesn’t hurt none that the Shogun is a really great looking truck.”

REACHING CRITICAL MASS

Prime Mover Feature Stories FLEET FOCUS 30 Northern Exposure Vision Freight Systems is welcoming the challenge of skyrocketing demand as it grows its intrastate road freight and logistics operations in Queensland where it is based. 36 Lane Change Lane Transport began operating in the late eighties when Noel Lane saw the opportunity to provide a different level of exceptional customer service in the road freight industry. 40 Reaching Critical Mass A new Volvo FM 10x4 fitted with a Palfinger truck mounted crane is helping extend the innovative vision at MBS Sand and Cement. TRUCK & TECH 44 Support Group PacLease achieves dividends for itself and its customers by specifying Dana driveline and brake products for its Kenworth fleet.

48 Reporting for Duty The 2022 F Series range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks from Isuzu has become available in the Australian market with a major technology shake-up. 52 Switched on Trucking Since its inception in 2012, Australian manufacturer SEA Electric has grown a global reputation for its innovative electric power system solutions for commercial vehicles. TEST DRIVE 62 Rise to Power Fuso has been building trucks for 90 years and its most powerful version to date is now on the Australian market.

Regular Run 08 10 28 66 68 70 76 79 80 82

From the Editor Prime Mover News Mindset Personality Prime Movers & Shakers Delivery ARTSA-I Life Members Trucking Industry Council Victorian Transport Association Peter Shields’ Number Crunch

FROM THE EDITOR

William Craske Editor The ministerial position for Infrastructure, as it is currently recognised, accounts in overall responsibility for matters that fall within the purview of transport, regional development, and local government. Since 1928, the portfolio, in keeping with the fluctuating national interests of the times, has expanded to incorporate regulation, safety and funding for the likes of aviation, shipping, roads, railways and policy, making it a kind of catalogue of the shifting modes in this departmental continuum. The key Transport portfolio in the Australian Federal Government has undergone numerous denotations by the executive branch ever since Prime Minister Billy Hughes inaugurated its forerunner under the title of Minister for Works and Railways back in 1916. Patrick Lynch is technically the first representative to the ministry. By 1928, Stanley Bruce, the eighth Prime Minister of Australia, whose wideranging reform agenda set the platform for a comprehensive nation building program, appointed Thomas Patterson as Minister for Markets and Transport,

bringing with it under the same ministerial umbrella road construction funding which was to be facilitated through grants from the states. In January 1932 the portfolio was renamed as Minister for Transport but by April it was absorbed into the new portfolio of Minister for the Interior along with the position of Minister for Works and Railways. Under the Menzies Government in 1950, Minister George McLeay was named Minister for Fuel, Shipping and Transport — a title, at once, with uncommon foresight and oversight – a rarity for government – that lasted 13 years before the Holt administration omitted the rubric of ‘fuel’. Its origins, however, can be found in a previous Curtin Administration that had sought to establish a government shipping company amid trade disruptions with Great Britain during World War 2. That eventually became the Australian National Lines with Jack Beasley appointed as Minister for Supply and Development in 1941. As was recent custom under a Coalition Government, the Deputy Prime Minister has been something of an assumed role for Minister for Transport, which began, if I’m not mistaken, with the appointment of John Anderson in 1999. For the record, Kim Beazley and Mark Vaile have held both titles but at separate times. The latest business card for the portfolio will be stretched for space, again, with newcomer Catherine King, named as the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government — the first woman in the role. She enters the fray at a particularly turbulent time for the national supply chain as it undergoes seismic shifts at home and regionally. Over the next two decades, the urban freight task alone is expected to grow by 60 per cent according to the Australian Logistics

Council even before the ongoing instabilities caused by bottlenecks in Crimea and China are known long term. Had the Labor Government known its vote would drastically reduce by nearly 600,000 from 2019, an election it lost resoundingly, they might have been less willing to embrace the allure of a change consensus. The major swing was not just away from the Coalition Government. It remains to be seen whether it was the lowest voter attendance in a Federal Election since 1922, as had been claimed in some quarters based on early data, but data nonetheless good enough for the new government to be formed. The incumbent Nationalist Party, a century ago, led by Prime Minister Billy Hughes, only narrowly formed government after it brokered a deal with the Country party famously on the condition of his ouster. Full preference run-off voting might well have been a workable kludge, to borrow a software term for a stopgap measure, for snap byelections that somehow never reached sunset. It has been sheltered within the parameters of a two-party system where one party supposedly propagates a worldview not held by the other, and upstages it on an uninterrupted cycle of primus inter pares. “Western nations,” writes French novelist Michel Houllebecq, “took a strange pride in this system, though it amounted to little more than a powersharing deal between two rival gangs, and they would even go to war to impose it on nations that failed to share their enthusiasm.” For all the optimistic talk of reform, don’t discount the 2,800,100 public sector employees in Australia interested in keeping it this way.

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19/5/22 10:31 am

PRIME NEWS

> Toll announces new Managing Director amid leadership shakeup Alan Beacham.

Toll Group has announced a raft of changes among its executive tier. Among the shakeup the global transport and shipping juggernaut confirmed that John Mullen AO was retiring from the Toll Board at the end of June 2022. Toll’s Managing Director, Thomas Knudsen, will transition to the role of Toll Chairman. Toll’s current President Global

Forwarding, Alan Beacham, will succeed Knudsen as Managing Director. Mullen said the time was right for new leadership and that Toll is well placed to deliver on its next phase of growth. “Under Thomas’s stewardship as Managing Director, Toll has returned to underlying growth, improved safety, and reshaped the company strategy

to accelerate global growth with the divestment of the Express business,” he said. “Thomas leaves a positive legacy having created the vision and strategy for ‘Toll 2.0’ and laying the foundations to deliver sustainable growth through a simpler business and a focus on customer led innovation,” continued Mullen. “On behalf of the Board, I thank Thomas for his significant contributions and service to the company and am delighted that Toll will continue to benefit from Thomas’s experience in his new role as Chairman.” In a statement Mullen said Beacham was the right person to lead Toll Group into the future. “He is a values-driven leader with a strong command of the business and proven ability to drive strong results in challenging markets. He brings a wealth of industry expertise and is wellplaced to deliver on Toll’s future growth ambitions,” he concluded. Elsewhere, Toll Group reported strong financial performance for the full year 2022. The company reported revenue of $7.6 billion, and Earnings Before Income Tax (EBIT) of $341 million, a significant increase over the prior year.

> Massive superload transfer shuts down roads in Illawarra A 370 tonne gas turbine has been transferred to Yallah. The 18-kilometre journey commencing at Port Kembla took six hours and required at least four Kenworth prime movers as part of a massive cross-agency effort. Transport for NSW helped facilitate the transfer alongside heavy lift logistics contractors, Lampson, NSW Police, Regional Customer Network Coordination and Freight and Traffic Management Centre teams and traffic control provider Traffic Logistics, called it “one of the largest oversize and over mass freight transfers on the state’s roads.” With a total combined mass of nearly 10

730 tonnes and length of 112 metres, the transfer was one of the biggest movements of its kind in the state. Weight was disbursed across two trailers, with two trucks pulling, and two more pushing the turbine on its journey. Sections of roads including the M1 Princes Motorway, Princes Highway, Five Islands Road and Springhill Road were temporarily closed for the convoy. A Transport for NSW traffic commander and freight representative were on site, with Traffic Management Centre operators supporting remotely. The gas turbine was moved in the early morning hours on its way to the site of Energy Australia’s new Tallawarra B Project near

Lake Illawarra. It’s the first of three oversize and over mass transfers to the Tallawarra B Project, with a generator and transformer to also make the journey later this year. Tallawarra B Project will deliver Australia’s first hydrogen and gas capable power plant, with direct carbon emissions from the project offset over its operational life. The project, once operational, is expected to deliver power to an additional 150,000 NSW homes ahead of the scheduled retirement of the Liddell power station in the summer of 2023-24.

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FUS601

510HP THERE WILL BE TORQUE TH E ALL- N EW S H OGU N 510

Introducing the all-new 13 Litre Shogun 510, the most powerful Japanese HD truck in Australia. A truck that combines the best of Daimler technology with Japanese reliability, and a suite of class-leading safety features. With 2500Nm available from just 800rpm the Shogun 510 delivers big torque for those with big jobs to do. Available in prime-mover and tipper spec, the Shogun is not only the most powerful – but the safest – with Advanced Emergency Braking including pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, driver fatigue management and adaptive LED headlights – all covered by a class leading 5yr/500,000km warranty. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE POWERFUL SHOGUN 510 AND ITS SUITE OF CLASS-LEADING SAFETY FEATURES VISIT FUSO.COM.AU *Approximate figures. Detailed power/torque curve available on spec sheet.

FUS6010462_Shogun 510_Prime Mover_FP_July_210x297mm_FA.indd 1

11/4/22 10:21 am

PRIME NEWS

> PACCAR Australia to announce new Chief Engineer PACCAR Australia is set to announce a new Chief Engineer. Brad May, according to the commercial vehicle maker, will take up the role currently occupied by Noelle Parlier. May has been with PACCAR for almost 30 years, having joined the company as a graduate engineer, and has held the position of Director of Sales and Marketing since taking over that role from current Managing Director, Andrew Hadjikakou in 2016. PACCAR Australia confirmed this week

Brad May. 12

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that May will be take over from the current Chief Engineer Parlier who, following a transition period, will be returning to her native United States to take up a senior engineering role at Kenworth Head Office in Seattle. The changes come at an exciting and crucial time for PACCAR with the imminent release of the latest Kenworth cabover truck, a project Parlier has been closely involved with since its inception. Kenworth continues to lead the Australian Heavy Duty truck market with

unit sales already up more than 23 per cent on last year. During his time as Director of Sales and Marketing, May oversaw the introduction of the wider cab Kenworth T610 and T410 models and last year’s release of the Kenworth Legend SAR Anniversary Edition. Despite the order window only being open for 24 hours, it succeeded in attracting more than 750 confirmed orders for what is expected to be an iconic Australian truck.

THE NEW D190 FULL TIME PUMP HAS ARRIVED D190

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Strength • Power • Endurance

PRIME NEWS

> Vale Mark Johnson Johnson’s Truck & Coach Service has announced the passing of Mark Johnson, Director & Dealer Principal. “It is with broken hearts we announce the passing of Mark,” the Johnson family said in a statement. “Beloved husband of Jenni. Adored father and father in-law of Bradley and Renee, Karlee and Ben, Ashley and Sophie, Cody and Dayne. Treasured Poppy of Alexandra, Ava and Ted. Loved by all his extended family.” The team at Johnsons Truck & Coach have also thanked everyone for the calls, messages and kindness people have sent and offered over the last few days. “We want to reassure all our customers, suppliers and friends that this family business which Mark has built from the ground up by working hard and tirelessly

over the last 40 years will be a priority for our family to continue its growth and success for him into the future,” said Johnson’s Truck & Coach Service. Long-time business associate, Christopher Davis also shared his deepest sympathy for the Johnson family. “While my relationship was centred around business with Mark, we always had great conversations, like when we discussed Indy 500, which he gleefully shared every detail and announced that this was also the best event he has ever attended, higher than any AFL grand final and any music concert,” he said. “We were always 90 per cent pleasure and 10 per cent business every time we met. I admired that about him and will miss him.”

Mark Johnson 1961-2022.

> Kamilaroi Highway to boost heavy vehicle freight Australia’s world-leading Performance Based Standard (PBS) scheme is allowing heavy vehicles to drive along the Kamilaroi Highway, which is expected to save operators at least an hour on their routes. The new method for assessing rail level crossings will enhance safety A livestock carrier on a rail crossing in NSW.

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and productivity, as longer and more productive heavy vehicles will now be able to use the Kamilaroi Highway in their travels. This means Australia’s heavy vehicle industry will be able to match the right vehicles to the right tasks, while bringing other long-term benefits to the equation

such as significant savings when assessing the need to upgrade existing rail level crossings. Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Sam Farraway, said the highway is now open to 30-metre PBS Level 2B vehicles, better connecting the state’s agricultural land to domestic and international markets. “Up until now, two rail level crossings at Werris Creek and Curlewis prohibited access to 26 to 30-metre-long heavy vehicles along this route, adding 50 kilometres to the journey,” he said. “These two rail level crossings were the only thing standing in the way of end-toend access for safer, more efficient and sustainable heavy vehicles.” Farraway said that by allowing longer, more productive heavy vehicles on the key route – without compromising on safety, means there will be less heavy vehicles on the road. “It is an opportunity to innovate with vehicle design and road management to greatly enhance productivity, improve safety performance while minimising impacts on the environment and road infrastructure,” he said.

Always Delivering on Driver Comfort

The DAF model range features cabs that are a comfortable place to work, live and sleep. There are many options that allow the driver to personalise the interior for unmatched comfort and luxury, and we have introduced numerous innovations that make driving easier, safer and more enjoyable than ever. Whether it’s moving freight across the nation, or going the last mile, DAF Trucks are Always Delivering.

DAF XF, CF AND LF PURE EXCELLENCE

PRIME NEWS

Fuso Shogun 510.

> TR Group adds five new 510hp prime movers Five new Fuso Shogun 510s have been injected into the Australian rental fleet of TR Group. The order, when delivery is finalised this year, will entail 20 Fuso Shogun 510 units in total. TR Group is the largest truck and trailer rental company in New Zealand and is rapidly expanding its footprint in Australia. It features a full range of prime movers and rigid trucks, as well as a wide array of trailers including PBS-approved A-doubles and Super Bs, as well as refrigerated units. The Shogun 510 is, at current, the only Japanese truck with more than 500hp. Specially developed for Australia, the range-topping Shogun 510 packs 2500Nm of torque and 510 horsepower, thanks to an advanced Daimlersourced 13-litre engine. In addition, the advanced power unit also features Euro 6 emissions ratings, a big plus for customers keen on emission reduction. TR Group Australia General Manager, Chris Perry, said the company was keen to get the Shogun 510 into its fleet. “The advanced safety and performance of the Shogun 510 make it an ideal truck for TR Group,” he said. “Our customers want new trucks with the latest technology and we know the 16

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13-litre Shogun’s 510hp and especially its 2500Nm of torque is sure to make it a popular addition to our fleet,” said Perry. Perry said the safety technology on the Shogun 510 was also a big plus. “TR Group operates the latest trucks and trailers and we always place a very strong emphasis on safety,” said Perry. “Features such as Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS), Active Attention Assist (AAA) and Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) all tie in with TR Group’s safety-first approach,” he added. TR Group selects trucks and related equipment that are reliable and fit for purpose. The TR Group Shogun 510s are fitted out with additional accessories including bullbars, stonechip guards, beacon lights and seat covers. Designed for metro and intrastate transport, the Shogun 510 is rated at 63-tonnes gross combination mass and is capable of hauling a single or double trailer set or working as a tough tipper and dog combination. It is currently available as a 6×4 prime mover or as a rigid. Fuso Truck and Bus Director, Alex Müller, is excited to see the first TR

Group Shogun 510s hit the road. “TR Group is known for operating the latest and greatest equipment, so it makes sense that they have been quick to adopt the Shogun 510,” he said. “This truck was developed for the Australian market, because our customers made it clear they wanted more than 500hp and a huge amount of torque in a Japanese truck. Now it is here in the market and customers are showing a great amount of enthusiasm. We know it will be popular with TR Group customers given it is the only Japanese truck with so much power and torque, as well as the latest safety features,” said Müller. The 510’s Daimler OM471 six-cylinder engine hits its maximum power output at 1600rpm while its maximum torque of 2500Nm is available from just 1100rpm. According to a media release from Daimler, 86 per cent of maximum torque is available from just 800rpm and 84 per cent of maximum torque is still available at 1700rpm. The advanced engine features an asymmetric turbocharger and the latest generation common rail system with variable pressure boosting for ultimate fuel efficiency.

Evolved, refined, technologically advanced, the new K220 takes the driver experience to the Next Level. KENWORTH.COM.AU/K220

PRIME NEWS

> PortGate Logistics lands new Kenworths, DAFs Logistics and port cartage operator, PortGate Logistics, has taken delivery of six new prime movers from the PACCAR stable. Two new Euro 6 DAF CF450s, two new Kenworth T410s and a pair of Kenworth T610s were all delivered earlier this week. All Kenworths feature the UltraShift transmission. This delivery of six prime movers is part of an ongoing order over the next 12 months according to John Tzaneros, PortGate Logistics Managing Director. “Our fleet is expanding to meet the needs of our customers,” he said. “We’re excited by the supreme performance and safety capabilities of these vehicles which we are planning PortGate’s latest delivery of Kenworth and DAF commercial vehicles.

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on adding to in the near future as we continue to bolster our mobile assets,” said Tzaneros. The vehicles will be deployed as part of wharf operations that currently see Super B-doubles and flat top trailers moved around the Port of Brisbane where the business is based. A 24/7 operation that moves an estimated 1000 TEUs a week, PortGate Logistics is growing rapidly following its inception in 2006 and subsequent expansion. Having taken a lease on all the outer areas of the PortGate Precinct at the Port of Brisbane for the handling and storage of containers, PortGate has opened a purpose-built warehouse to consolidate these activities. In the mean time PortGate has acquired

more land for future growth with Stage 2 already underway and anticipated for completion later this year. As part of that there will be additional warehousing of 10,000m2 and more external areas for DAWE Wash Bays and storage of containers and break bulk cargo. “We want to be the partner of choice for our clients in the provision of transport, storage and container packing and unpacking services” said John. “The acquisition of these new Kenworth and DAF vehicles is at one with our mission to provide important valueadded services to all our clients.” Brown and Hurley Yatala facilitated the delivery of the six new trucks.

PRIME NEWS

> LBRCA announces Young Driver award winner

James Papworth.

The Livestock and Bulk Rural Carriers Association (LBRCA) Young Driver of the Year Award has been announced at a ceremony in regional NSW. The recipient of the 2022 award, James Papworth, was on hand for the presentation as part of the LBRCA Annual Conference held this year in Wagga Wagga.

Papworth is currently a valued team member at Martin’s Stock Haulage. Based in Holbrook NSW, Papworth, 26, is responsible for the cartage of livestock from saleyards to properties and feedlots as well as exit cattle from feedlots to the many processing plants located between southern NSW and southeast

Queensland. Papworth began his career in the heavy vehicle industry as a heavy diesel mechanic and gained extensive experience working on both trucks and farm machinery. Following a two-year stint in the Northern Territory, where he combined his time building cattle yards, transporting cattle and heavy machinery, as well as successfully completing a Certificate III in Agriculture, Papworth joined Martins Stock Haulage as a professional truck driver after obtaining his MC licence in 2019, a role he continues in today. Despite his relatively young age, Papworth is renowned for being passionate about animal welfare and is well-respected as having a unique ability with cattle and is considered a true example of the adage, ‘stockmen are born, not taught’. This is the sixth year that the LBRCA and SafeWork NSW have presented the award which includes a $5,000 study tour of either the United States or New Zealand. The award recognises outstanding young truck drivers who demonstrate the best practice approach to driving and safety.

> VTA urges new Federal Government to engage with industry The Victorian Transport Association has called for renewal and reform from the new Labor Government. As it congratulated Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his incoming Labor Government on their victory in the Federal Election, the VTA said there was tremendous opportunity for the transport industry participants to come together to attain genuine reform that will benefit the industry. “Especially in consideration of its commitment to act on Senate recommendations for an independent body to set universal, binding standards to make the transport industry safer, fairer and more viable,” said VTA CEO Peter Anderson. “The VTA provided numerous recommendations to the Sterle Report and with Labor in government we look 20

forward to working constructively with them and other stakeholders so that the genuine reform we have been working towards can be enacted. “If we all work together and contribute constructively to the formation of an independent body, we will all benefit from the protection of universal standards. With the emergence of the gig economy and the Amazon’s of the world, now is the time to act to prevent a further erosion of standards,” said Anderson. Anderson also called on the new Government to heed the calls of the VTA and the broader transport industry to correct the imbalance created when the halving of the fuel excise in the recent Federal Budget was not fully passed on to the transport industry. “Operators only received a fuel saving

of 4.3 cents per litre because of their inability to claim the Fuel Tax Credit, which provides no ability for them to create any meaningful savings for customers and consumers,” Anderson said. “After wages, fuel is the second biggest direct expense for transport companies, accounting for around a third of costs. And with freight margins already wafer thin and operators facing higher labour costs because of driver shortages, the paltry saving cannot be passed on.” Anderson thanked outgoing Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport, Scott Buchholz for his three years of service. “Scott was always willing to listen to the concerns of the VTA and the broader industry and we wish him well going forward,” Anderson said.

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26/5/22 9:18 am

PRIME NEWS

> Huge truck convoy in tribute to industry legend A convoy of as many as a hundred trucks has paid tribute to a driver described as an industry legend in commercial road transport. Dozens of prime movers have gathered at the Hallam Truck Centre to form a convoy in tribute of truck driver Stuart Baker. The veteran truck driver was killed in a workplace accident at a Dandenong South truck depot on 23 April. Baker was a beloved figure at Membrey’s Transport, a lifting and heavy haulage specialist, where he had worked for the last 30 years. Managing Director of Membrey’s Transport & Crane Hire, Craig Membrey,

said the industry had “lost a legend”, describing Baker as a “long-serving, loyal employee.” “It’s a very sad day. We’ve lost a legend in our industry,” he told 3AW radio. The trucks for the convoy met at Hallam Truck Centre. An initial expectation was for 60 trucks to join the convoy. Initial reports suggest nearly one hundred prime movers took part in the procession down the Princess Highway in tribute to the grandfather as it travelled to Bunurong Memorial Park under police escort. The logistics have not been a problem for Membrey who has helped plan it. “If you knew how loved this guy was, how

respected he was, not an issue at all.” It’s a unique and rare honour for a revered transport worker, whose sons Shannon and Aaron also work for Membrey’s Transport as drivers. The presentation of the trucks in the convoy, according to Membrey, are up to Stuart’s high standards — he always had a clean, immaculately presented Kenworth. “You never know how many people are going to turn up to a funeral until you find out,” said Membrey. The turnout suggests Baker’s legacy as a mentor and friend to many across the industry has not gone unnoticed.

> Owner-driver laws receive awareness boost in campaign Wage Inspectorate Victoria has launched a new campaign to remind the state’s transport industry of its obligations under Victoria’s owner-driver and forestry contractor laws. The campaign reminds hirers and freight brokers of their obligation to provide the information booklet about owner-driver laws, the schedule of rates and a written contract to any owner drivers or forestry contractors they engage. Recent compliance checks have found many hirers failing to comply with these three obligations, which exist under the Owner Drivers and Forestry Contractors Act 2005. These requirements apply to engagements of 30 days or more in any three-month period, and hirers and freight brokers must keep records to prove they

are meeting them. The campaign also alerts drivers that they should be receiving the information booklet, schedule of rates and a written contract at least three business days before work starts. The Wage Inspectorate is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with Victoria’s owner driver laws and conducts regular compliance checks. Failing to comply with some requirements is a crime and can attract penalties of more than $4,500 for companies and over $900 for individuals. Research shows over 50 per cent of those covered by Victoria’s owner-driver laws speak a language other than English at home. Campaign information has been

translated into eight different languages to help reach Victoria’s multicultural communities. “This campaign focuses on the three most common compliance problems we’ve observed over the past 12 months. Compliance with these rules is straightforward, which leads us to believe some hirers and freight brokers may not be fully aware of their obligations,” said Robert Hortle, Commissioner of Wage Inspectorate Victoria. “These laws make contracting fairer by giving drivers the information they need to make informed decisions about their work – for example, the schedule of rates helps drivers decide if they’re likely to make a profit on a job, before they accept the work.” C

CMY

> DHL breaks ground on new $17M Brisbane facility DHL Global Forwarding has held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new 4,880 square meter facility at Brisbane Airport. The $17 million investment over the next ten years will house the largest international cold chain services in Brisbane. Scheduled for opening early next year, the new facility will support general freight growth in Queensland. “The expansion of our facilities at Brisbane airport reflects the tremendous growth in exports, especially perishable 22

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food,” said George Lawson, DHL Global Forwarding Australia Managing Director. “Brisbane’s economy is predicted to surge by 2031 and with this new facility, we are ready to support our customers growth,” he said in a statement. Strategically located at Brisbane airport, the facility offers air side access, the first and only freight forwarder to have such access, and is close to the Port of Brisbane. The new facility is a five green star rating according to the Green

Building Council of Australia, featuring solar panels, reusable batteries to power most of the warehouse operations, rainwater harvesting and EV charging stations. Plans are also in the works to introduce carbon offsetting and insetting for a carbon neutral supply chain for customers to promote a green supply chain. “A lot of thought went into the design of the new operation,” Lawson added. “It will assist our customers trade efficiently.”

tigerspider.com.au | (03) 9537 1027 | 106/181 St Kilda Rd, St Kilda VIC 3182

PRIME NEWS

> Qube, Mondiale, DHL execs among members appointed to advisory council Fifteen members have been appointed to the new NSW Freight Transport Advisory Council (FTAC), to be chaired by Duncan Gay. Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway congratulated the inaugural members and the incoming chair on their recent appointment. “Appointing Duncan as Chair to the new body will give the group a wealth of experience when interacting with Government and understanding policy,” said Farraway. “The new appointees come from a wide cross-section of industry, including road and rail bodies, intermodal operators, port representatives, couriers, retailers and producers,” he said. “The new body will not only discuss freight and supply chain issues, but provide input into government strategies,

policies and projects. “The wealth of industry leadership and experience on the council will mean better outcomes for the freight sector, which is expected to increase by 28 per cent to see 618 million tonnes moving across our state by 2036.” The new council replaces the Freight and Logistics Advisory Council and the Road Freight Industry Council to represent the entire freight chain across different transport modes as a single council. Gay welcomed his appointment in a statement. “I am honoured to be appointed as inaugural chair and look forward to giving the entire freight industry a united voice that will help inform NSW Government policy as freight demand continues to rise,” he said.

Among the new appointees are several prominent members of the road transport and logistics executive class including Geoff Crouch, Executive Director Ron Crouch Transport, Craig Carmody, Port of Newcastle, Rick Dani, Woolworths Group, Paul Digney, Qube, Brad Williams, Australian Logistics Council, Austin Vella, Road Freight NSW, Scott Walker, Mondiale VGL, Paul Pulver, Livestock Bulk and Rural Carriers Association (LBRCA), Leslie Logue, DHL, Michael Gallacher, Ports Australia, Allan Neil Johns, Naomi Cotton, Warren Clark, National Road Transport Association. The new Council will meet four times a year, with the first meeting to be held in June. New appointees will remain on the Council for a term of two years.

> Leading road freight outfits partner on healthy eating initiative Kings Transport Group and LDJ Transport have partnered with a food delivery company on a new pilot program. The brainchild of Lite n’ Easy, the program is aimed at improving the A truck driver takes his lunch break.

health and well-being of what has been dubbed Australia’s most unhealthy occupation. The initiative involving truck drivers from both companies has seen the drivers provided with a range of meals and snacks as part of a four week healthy eating initiative. Lite n’ Easy, following the completion of the first round of the program, have announced the results. “We know that sitting for extended periods of time has a negative impact on our general health and well-being,” said Ashleigh Jones, Accredited Practising Dietitian for Lite n’ Easy. “It can cause weight gain that leads to disease, as well as brain fog and demotivation. Eating fast food or unhealthy snacks on the go is also a contributing factor when it comes to fatigue and concentration,” she said. “We hope this joint initiative with Kings Transport & LDJ Transport demonstrates that eating healthy meals and snacks can have a life changing, positive effect on both the mind and body.” Kings Transport Group driver Shane

Howat lost eight kilograms over the four week trial. He has reportedly never felt better. “Sitting all day long, driving a vehicle can make it hard to look after the body,” he said. “By changing what I was eating and the time of day I sat down for meals, I noticed considerable weight loss. I also experienced improved sleep and saw a significant change in my concentration, which is so important when on the road for 8 hours a day. I actually couldn’t believe how good I felt,” said Howat. All of the drivers in the trial reported at least one area of improvement whether it was weight loss, sleep quality, concentration or fatigue levels. “We are heavily invested in the health and well-being of our employees, and we know now more than ever, how much strain and pressure is on our country’s supply chain,” said Kings Transport Group CEO Barry Thompson. “We need to look after the sector as much as possible to ensure they are fighting fit. This four-week trial has shown incredible initial results.”

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GLOB AL NEWS

> Cummins debuts 15-litre hydrogen engine Global power technology leader, Cummins, has launched a 15-litre hydrogen engine. Making its debut at the ACT Expo in Long Beach, California, the X15H is built on a new fuel-agnostic platform, where below the head gasket each fuel type’s engine has largely similar components, and above the head gasket, each has different components for different fuel types. It is expected to go into full production in 2027. Cummins said it intends to produce a hydrogen internal combustion engine also in a 6.7-litre displacement. These engines will enable the industry to take action and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the decade, ultimately accelerating carbon reduction according to Cummins. Cummins said the X-15H pairs with clean, zero-carbon hydrogen fuel, a key enabler of Cummins’ strategy to go further faster to help customers reduce GHG emissions. “We’ve established significant goals as part of our PLANET 2050 sustainability strategy, including a target of zero emissions,” said Srikanth Padmanabhan, President,

Engine Business, Cummins Inc. “Reducing well-to-wheels carbon emissions requires innovation of both energy sources and power solutions,” he said. “While use cases for battery electric and fuel cell electric powertrains are promising, the pairing of green hydrogen in the proven technology of internal combustion engines provides an important complement to future zero emissions solutions.” Cummins announced the testing of hydrogen internal combustion (ICE) technology in July 2021, and has made what it calls impressive early results, already achieving production power and torque targets (over 810 ft-lbs torque and 290 hp from the medium-duty engine). Additional testing on Cummins’ more advanced prototypes will begin soon. With Cummins’ significant global manufacturing footprint, the company can quickly scale production. The industry, according to Cummins, requires multiple solutions to meet the needs of all on- and off-highway customers and all applications considering the variation in duty cycles and

operating environments. “Our customers are responding favourably to this practical technology,” said Jim Nebergall, General Manger, Hydrogen Engines at Cummins Inc. “These engines look like engines, they sound like engines, and fit where engines normally fit.” Accelerated market adoption of hydrogen engine powered vehicles is driven by the technology’s high technology maturity, low initial cost, extended vehicle range, fast fuelling, powertrain installation commonality, and end-user familiarity. “Heavy-duty trucking is critical to the global economy and is one of the hard-to-abate sectors of the economy,” said Daryl Wilson, Executive Director of the Hydrogen Council. “We are encouraged by progress at Cummins in the development of hydrogenfueled internal combustion engines and look forward to continued advancements that can help us reach cost-effective decarbonisation of economies worldwide.” Cummins also showed off a natural gas version of the X15 based on an engine already used in other parts of the world.

> Sysco announces order for 800 Freightliner eCascadias Global foodservice distribution company, Sysco Corporation, has announced a Letter of Intent to deploy up to 800 battery electric Freightliner eCascadia Class 8 tractors. The first eCascadia delivery is expected to arrive at Sysco’s Riverside, California site later this year with the order expected to be completed by 2026 “Sysco is committed to making meaningful investments to support achievement of our climate goals,

Freightliner eCascadia. 26

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including those that encourage the development of electric tractors and trailers,” said Marie Robinson, Sysco EVP, Chief Supply Chain Officer in a statement. “We are eager to partner with a likeminded industry leader like Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) to deploy battery electric trucks nationwide. “This investment shows our commitment to sustainability and growing responsibly and will ultimately help us meet our goal of

reducing our direct carbon emissions by 27.5 per cent by 2030.” Sysco aims to power more of its truck fleet with alternative fuels, and the deployment of Freightliner eCascadias along with refrigerated trailers will play a significant role in achieving its climate goal to electrify 35 per cent of its US fleet by 2030. Daimler Truck North America recently unveiled its all-electric Freightliner eCascadia at the ACT Expo in Long Beach, California. “At Daimler Truck North America, we are proud to enter into a new era of sustainable, safe and efficient commercial transportation with our friends at Sysco,” said DTNA SVP, Sales and Marketing, David Carson. “Industry transformation requires leadership and collaboration, and a shared vision for the future of the supply chain. Together we are sustaining our mutual momentum toward a brighter future for us all.”

> Volvo to introduce fossil-free steel in trucks Volvo will become the world’s first truck manufacturer to move to fossil-free steel in its trucks. The steel is produced by the Swedish steel company SSAB and the heavy-duty electric Volvo trucks will be the first to include it. SSAB’s steel is produced using a completely new technology, based on hydrogen. The result reportedly equates to a much lower climate impact than conventionally produced steel according to Volvo. Small scale introduction of the steel in Volvo’s heavy electric trucks will begin in the third quarter of 2022. “We will increase the use of fossil-free materials in all our trucks to make them net-zero not only in operation – but also when it comes to the materials they are built of,” said Jessica Sandström, Volvo Trucks, Senior Vice President Product Management. The first steel produced with hydrogen will be used in the truck’s frame rails, the backbone of the truck upon which all other main components are mounted. As the availability of fossil-free steel increases, it will also be introduced in other parts of the truck. At present, 90 per cent of a Volvo truck can be recycled at the end of its life. Today, around 30 per cent of the materials in a new Volvo truck come from recycled materials. “We are continuously striving to further minimise our climate footprint. We are also moving towards greater circularity in both our operations and our trucks,” said Sandström. Volvo Group has been collaborating with SSAB on fossil-free steel since 2021. The first machine, a load carrier made of fossil-free steel, was showcased in October 2021.

Volvo FH Electric.

cummins.com

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MASS EFFECT Will our new Prime Minister finally deliver radical transport productivity reform?

T Marcus Coleman Tiger Spider Managing Director, Marcus Coleman, has more than 19 years’ of engineering consultancy experience in the heavy vehicle industry working for transport operators, heavy vehicle manufacturers and government. He is a professional PBS assessor, registered Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng), registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) and RVCS Agent.

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he federal election marked a meaningful change in Australian government and is hopefully good news for the heavy vehicle industry. Whatever your political persuasion may be, it is our best opportunity ever to pursue a radical policy agenda and unlock untapped innovation and productivity. For the first time we have a Prime Minister who has primarily served as Federal Transport Minister. The next best most experienced was Gough Whitlam who served as Transport Minister for 14 days during his stint as PM, far short of Albanese’s five years and 289 days. Albanese is the third longest serving Federal Transport Minister, around one year less than John Anderson who served the longest under John Howard. In September 2007, I left Mercedes-Benz Trucks to serve as Technical Advisor to the Performance-Based Standards (PBS) Preview Panel (PRP) at the National Transport Commission (NTC). Michael Deegan was the NTC Chairman and not long after, Anthony Albanese replaced Warren Truss as the Federal Transport Minister and became Chairman of the Australian Transport Council (ATC, the predecessor to SCOTI) the collection of federal, state and territory transport Ministers the NTC advises. The NTC was working on a grab bag of prescriptive polices like, quad-axles, a national truck and dog notice, twin-steer prime movers and B-triples. PBS was a fledgling reform, and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) was not yet conceived. Whilst PBS has always had many passionate advocates, much of the industry was extremely suspicious and openly hostile to PBS. The detractor’s preference was to expand and adjust the existing system. The NHVR tasked me with delivering a revised National Truck and Dog Notice with national consistency as the objective. After the first consultation workshop it

was clear that industry simply wanted NSW 48-tonne truck and three-axle dogs in all states. In the end, the state road managers agreed on the status quo — a national position of 45 tonnes for threeaxle and 50 tonnes for quad dogs. At the same time, the PRP had begun processing PBS applications. One was from a European truck manufacturer trying to get to parity with the Americans by utilising the Level 1 20-metre PBS length to overcome the lack of a bonneted cab with set forward axle. It became apparent that by utilising PBS it was possible to get up to 53.5 tonnes (or thereabouts) on the first truck and quad dog tipper. I suggested that the Assessor re-apply asking for the full 57.5 tonnes possible under PBS. To me it was clear that rather than collectively bargaining for an additional ten per cent more payload, individual companies could gain 20 per cent more productivity and competitive advantage to recoup their investment. Vehicle designers would design vehicles, not a government committee, and the private sector would invest in the scheme alongside the taxpayer for mutual benefit. I was determined to shelve rats and mice reform and focus on making PBS an effective scheme at scale. Of course, while the NTC had been busy developing good national policies, they relied on the States for implementation. It was in implementation that most reforms floundered. The problem was clear, the solution — a National Regulator. It was not just heavy vehicles, there was to be a National Rail Safety Regulator as well. Whilst I was working on PBS and various truck mass and dimension reforms, the economists were busy developing mass distance location charging and incremental pricing policies. I soon discovered that the economists and engineering teams were working on the same problem from different angles,

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and it boiled down to pavements and bridges. The engineering approach was to limit damage by designing innovative vehicles that carried more payload but did no more damage than existing vehicles. The economists sought the most efficient way to recover the costs of infrastructure damage caused by heavy vehicles. Mass distance location charging was to use GPS and on-board scales to measure how far each vehicle travelled, the prevailing weight and price based on the cost to maintain the section of road they were on. It was to be a more efficient way to allocate costs compared to the PAYGO system which matched fixed and marginal costs with annual registration fees and fuel excise. It would also help allocate infrastructure spending to the right roads. It turned out the PAYGO was pretty good at allocating costs and the administrative overhead of GPS tracking and onboard scales wasn’t justified. Infrastructure Australia was setup to rank projects and better spend taxpayer money. From my PBS perspective, unless there is more payload per trip, there is no productivity gain. Therefore, mass

distance location charging was not very interesting but incremental pricing was. With incremental pricing I saw a way to resolve the access and weight issues associated with wide single tyres, quadaxles, belly-axles and European style 6x2 trucks with steerable axles. It would open up the potential to get more weight with larger tyres. If the price is right, the design possibilities seemed endless. Alas, while reforming truck size and weight limits was hard, reforming vehicles charges proved impossible. The HVNL Act passed in Queensland in 2012 and by 2013 it passed in the remaining participating states — the same year Labor lost office and Albanese became Shadow Transport Minister. A position he held until 2019 when he became the Federal opposition leader. I am not sure if the Prime Minister will consider PBS and the HVNL landmark achievements of his time in Transport. But he certainly understands and supports the purpose and intent of these reforms as well as pricing reform. During my time at the NTC, PBS grew from a policy idea into a working

scheme and the HVNL became the NTC’s most significant reform since it its inception as the National Road Transport Commission (NRTC) in 1991. Albanese is now Prime Minister and Deegan CEO of the Australian Trucking Association (ATA). The ATA and Electric Vehicle Council have a developed a good policy on electric trucks. It is straight-forward and common-sense policy for electric vehicles. It recognises limitations like axle mass limits and overall width, curfew and stamp duty. On face value, these should work to increase the initial up take of zero emission vehicles, but they are band-aid solutions targeted at symptoms rather than the underlying sickness. We need more fundamental reform in vehicle configuration, vehicle standards, axlemass limits and road pricing. Fundamental microeconomic reform in our industry is complex, timeconsuming, and policies which have a chance of being truly effective in the long term will be met with suspicion and hostility. If everyone agrees, it is typically not the right answer.

A multi-combination five-axle dog roadtrain journeys through regional Australia.

p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

COVER STORY

NORT H Vision Freight Systems is welcoming the challenge of skyrocketing demand as it grows its intrastate road freight and logistics operations in Queensland where it is based.

t began as something of a ruse. He was working as an interstate truck driver having just returned from driving in the US — more of that later — loading out of a Brisbane pipe manufacturer waiting to go to Sydney. Sitting in the yard for the better part of the day, Mark Frankling wasn’t even close to finishing. Upon seeing another driver enter the yard, Mark jokingly enquired if he wanted to sell his truck. The inference being that he was so

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desperate to leave it didn’t matter in whose vehicle. “I might as well have gone and done some local work I’d been there that long,” he recalls. The driver, without missing a beat, told him, no, his truck wasn’t for sale but there was someone else in the yard who did have a truck to sell. Mark summarily found him, made an offer and bought it. It was a Hino GH with a rear mounted crane. That was the first of what now amounts

to a stable of some 30 commercial vehicles operated by Mark’s company Vision Freight Systems fleet where he serves as the Managing Director. A change of career trajectory made upon a spur of the moment whim personifies the adroitness in which Mark has moved from an auto electrician, by trade, to the top executive of a rapidly expanding Queensland-focused company based in his home town of Brisbane where he is “born and bred.”

T HERN EXPOSURE

It was while working on trucks as an auto electrician he was first offered the opportunity to tag along for a drive of a prime mover. Mark was, by his own admission, immediately hooked. Later that year he had learned to drive a truck and received the proper accreditation for the relevant heavy vehicle licences. In 2000, the following year, he had his first job driving with Booth Transport. Through that employment he learned the general side of road freight transport

which after a few years of business diversification has given expression to the current company as an express freight carrier. It operates out of Salisbury on the Southside of Brisbane in the Federal electorate of Moreton, situated, rather conveniently, between the major transit routes of the Ipswich and Pacific Motorways. The warehousing side of the business accommodates 4,500m2 under the roof and that comprises all local

metropolitan distribution. At present there are 36 full time staff. In recent times, Vision Freight Systems has been steadily building up its fleet of Fuso rigids with new Shoguns, Fighters and Canters being deployed alongside its bigger rigs including Mercedes-Benz Actros, Freightliner Argosy and some Western Stars. Four of the newest Fusos are operating out of Brisbane with three each in their northern depots at Mackay and Three Fusos and a Freightliner Argosy, the last one ever sold in Australia.

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COVER STORY

Mark and Jodie Frankling.

Townsville. Mackay, the site of a new warehouse facility currently under construction, is a major growth area for both Vision Freight Systems and the region with its central location along the vast Queensland coastline affording the town an opportunity to develop as the major freight distribution hub for central and northern Queensland. Being positioned within 12-hours driving distance from most regional settlements is an advantage also when it comes down to compliance under permissible driver fatigue hours. Vision Freight Systems have maintained a presence in Mackay, which was built on sugarcane and natural resources, for the last 12 years. “We’ve always worked on the philosophy if we give them a good service then they’ll keep coming,” says Mark. “That’s what it’s about. We’ve always focused on servicing the people in the town, not the mine.” 32

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Vision Freight Systems service many of the local businesses who, in turn, service their own clients. The new depot, once completed, is a subject of excitement for the business as it will be company operated and should enable it to grow its existing footprint in the town. “That’s going to be great for our freight side of the business,” says Mark. “It’s a good feeling when you’ve got that backing of the town behind you to do something like that. I noticed just the other day someone advertised for some freight moved on a Facebook page and the next thing you know I’m getting notifications from people because they’re instructing them to put it up on Vision Freight and that’s just from random people. It’s a fantastic thing.” Planned major infrastructure developments such as the Mackay Ring Road and Bowen Basin Service Link will enable further improved efficiencies for

local and other businesses alike. The approved land use plan for the Mackay Airport includes significant freight, logistics and distribution facilities which further improves the region’s intermodal accessibility via road, rail, port and air connections. A new Mercedes-Benz Actros 2653 runs Townsville to Mackay daily on a linehaul application and there’s another two 630hp Actros already on order intended for linehaul changeover. An Actros rigid currently services Cairns from Townsville every day. “We don’t do contract linehaul,” says Mark. “Every single parcel we cart is our freight. Some days we’ll be right up there at 62 tonnes, which includes express overnight satchels through to bulk pallet loads and oversized freight.” General freight road transportation was the result of a splinter away from carting PVC pipe for pipeline systems manufacturer Vinidex. Vision Freight

Fuso Shogun.

Systems methodically expanded its remit north and in doing so added more drivers which in turn required new and better vehicles. That coincided with increased demand for freight into the Mackay region. “In the process of diversifying the business into general freight it kept growing really from there,” Mark recalls. “It has completely taken the reins now making it our core business.” Since 2015, the Detroit DD15 has been, where possible, the engine of choice in the prime mover fleet. Along with the 13-litre and 15.6-litre, 630 horsepower Actros prime movers, which share an distinct similarity to different specs of Detroit engines, Vision Freight Express runs a handful of Western Stars and two cabover Freightliners including the last Argosy sold in the world. Along with Daimler Trucks Gold Coast, Vision Freight Systems commemorated the occasion with a big celebratory event

that included delivery of the vehicle and over 150 guests in attendance from both the OEM and carrier. Brock McGarity, Sales Executive Daimler Trucks Gold Coast, helped organise the night. “It was a great night with plenty of lasting memories for all who came,” says Mark. “It’s a shame they stopped building the Argosy — it’s a great truck actually.” Midway through the evening the last Argosy was delivered and a few hours later it was out the door already working. The Argosys are purely highway spec’d and come with an 18-speed automated manual gearbox matched with the Detroit DD15. Since 2015 the company has aligned proactively with Detroitpowered product. “That’s been our choice of engine when we can get it,” Mark says. “That’s nearly all we’ve been buying. The reliability out of them is fantastic and the product

support out of Detroit is amazing. They’re bloody brilliant and they do such a good job.” The fleet now has an increasing proclivity for Daimler Truck vehicles. Daimler Trucks Gold Coast supply the bulk of the new trucks to Vision Freight Systems and it now runs ten Fuso units of different stripes, all of which have been acquired in recent years. The Fusos run the gamut of 14-pallet Shoguns, 14-, 12- and 10-pallet Fuso Fighters and also a 918 eight-pallet Canter. The Japanese trucks are builtfor-purpose, handling the sticky humid conditions comfortably where some other truck brands might struggle. The new Fuso Shoguns, according to Mark, are excelling on a linehaul task servicing the Burnett region that encompasses Bundaberg, Rockhampton and surrounds. “They’re a great truck for what we ask of them,” says Mark. “Extremely p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

COVER STORY

comfortable for the driver. The fuel mileage out of the truck is great. They’re very easy to work with and the driver is extremely happy driving it.” Another Shogun is based in Townsville servicing Cairns every day on doorto-door delivery. The tapered A-pillars provide improved visibility while a lower transom window on the passenger side helps amplify important sightlines for the driver who is infrequently loading and unloading at docks. A low height chassis and electronically controlled rear air suspension are said to help even further with this process. “Given it can get pretty hot up there we haven’t had a single complaint from the drivers,” says Mark. “They’re absolutely rapt with the operation and cabin comforts. The ride and comfort are impressive to the point I called Fuso today to look into ordering more. They’ve got plenty of power.” An ADR 80/02 compliant 7.7L twinturbo provides linear torque delivery at any rev range, producing 360hp and 1400Nm of torque, coupled to a 12-speed AMT. The first Fusos were delivered in 2020 at the start of the pandemic when demand for its services started escalating. Since then, Vision Freight Services have progressively added more units to the business having, importantly, listened to the rapt response of staff who have been very pleased after positive engagement with the product. “We’re extremely happy with the product. It’s given us a really great run actually,” says Mark. “Our Fuso portfolio is broadening and we’re happy to be an ambassador of the brand in the services we offer it. It doesn’t hurt none that the Shogun is a really great looking truck.” Mark acknowledges the prodigious input of his wife Jodie who has been involved at the company since 2004. While he concentrates mainly on the operational side of the business she handles accounts. “Jodie’s contribution is immense. There’s the task of all the billing of the business and then, on top of that, all the support for me and others that comes with it,” he 34

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says. “Everything we do is a team effort.” The necessity of adding new assets and, in at least one case, a new facility, has been as much about moving the needle forward as it has been the consolidation of what has been achieved up to this point in time. For that Mark is grateful especially for the ongoing role his staff have played in making this upward curve possible. “Without the team, across all depots and departments, none of this happens,” he says. “They provide great supply and service from the GM to the office girls to the guys in the shed. Our business is a decent sized machine that ticks over everyday. It’s a massive effort week in and out. To get to where we’re currently is largely thanks to them.” It wasn’t that long ago Mark was living out of an extended-hood Peterbilt 379 he was asked to steer over all parts of the United States. In 2002 he ventured overseas and ended up gaining experience for DJ Franzen Trucking, an Iowan-based family carrier. For the better part of the year, at the age of 25, he enjoyed life as a driver touring from coast to coast. “It was just me in the truck travelling around getting to see everything for the first time,” he recalls. “It was such a cool experience. It was like, far out, I’m into this – let’s go.” With a little over a year under his belt driving in Australia much of what he encountered in the US seemed bigger — cinematic. “Everything is massive. The interstate highways. The truck stops and service stations. The equipment,” he says. “Everything is done on such a bigger scale than what we do here. It’s an amazing place to drive.” Experiencing America from the driver’s seat presented him with a slideshow of unforgettable imagery he will not soon forget. Loading often happens in deglamourised neighbourhoods where the neon has fizzed out and the windows of bleak brown brick house rows, like in Philadelphia, is blown out. Driving out of Chicago, a body sprawled out on the table drain, possibly deceased

Mark takes the 14-pallet Shogun out on the road in Brisbane.

or just temporarily suspended in the aftermath of a big night on the drink was left unattended. A woman, halfcrazed on the doorstep of the truck raps her fist on the door, insisting Mark give her a ride. “She was wanted for a homicide,” he says. “The police had only moments before that had her in the back of their car. I’ve seen some wild stuff.” Pulling a 53-foot refrigerated van through the Bronx, where bridge

clearances are notoriously low, signage is minimal, and the streets were unfamiliar is another memory he relishes. “That was 20 years ago and we’re only 48-foot maximum length here,” he says. “There is lots of different stuff that is, as a driver, amazing. What you see in the movies, much of it looks like that.” Every couple of weeks the drivers would catch up back in Des Moines for a break after living out on the road. Mark’s only regret is he didn’t take more photos.

Returning to 2022, following close to 30 months of unparalleled company growth, Mark is in the process of finalising a deal on a new building in Brisbane that will basically double the size of his facilities. New sets of Vawdrey double drop deck mezzanine floor B-double-rated trailers are also on the way. For Mark things have never been busier nor more productive — he knows the difference. Current forecasts suggest freight movement tonnages will increase

at a greater rate than the population in Queensland. The Centre for Transport, Energy and the Environment forecasts a growth in the freight task of up to 71.6 per cent in the next ten years. Mark, for one, is feeling it. The question is how much? “Off the chart. The last three years for us have just been incredible and I’m looking forward to the next three,” says Mark. “The next three are going to be even better.” p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

FLEET FOCUS

LANE CHANGE

Lane Transport began operating in the late eighties when Noel Lane saw the opportunity to provide a different level of exceptional customer service in the road freight industry.

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ike so many others in his industry, Noel Lane started with a single truck and has grown the business to provide a transport service which reaches across Australia from its base beside the Princes Highway at Killarney in south western Victoria. The Killarney location is a convenient one for an operation such as Lane Transport, positioned about 280 kilometres from Melbourne and 580 kilometres from Adelaide. The Melbourne-Adelaide route is an important part of the overall operation, as are journeys to and from the capital

of the ‘green triangle’, Mt Gambier, which is just 160 kilometres away. “It suits us to be in the Western District of Victoria and we also have six or seven drivers based in South Australia,” says Noel, who established the transport company in 1992. The location also suits having a core group of good drivers who can be based anywhere up the east coast. As a young boy, Noel grew up on a spud farm, so when he started driving trucks his loads consisted predominantly of potatoes. The operation expanded to carrying potatoes from the wider

Western District of Victoria as well as hauling out of the potato growing centre of Hillston in NSW. As his business grew Noel began carrying paper for Visy in 1992 and has continued to do so ever since, and now Lane trucks also transport packaging for other companies such as Orora. Glass wine bottles are also picked up at the Orora glass bottle manufacturing facility in Gawler, South Australia, and are delivered to wineries as far away as the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, as well as to wineries located around Victoria. Other transport activities

Freightliner Cascadia B-double.

p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

FLEET FOCUS

Alison and Noel Lane.

include the full loads of packages and parcels as well as sawn timber. The company currently has 35 prime movers and associated B-double trailer sets including Tautliners, drop deck Tautliners, flat tops and specialised glass trailers. There are no rigids as Lane Transport tends to concentrate on full load customers, many of which are long term associates. Lane Transport operates an eclectic fleet of American and European prime movers including Kenworth K200s, Volvo FH16s and Freightliner Argosys. Noel considers he’s had a good run out of the Argosy models, of which six or seven currently remain in the fleet. “They’ve been a good honest linehaul truck and I’ve been big on the Freightliner product for a time,” he says. Noel has restored a 1418 MercedesBenz which he describes as a “good honest workhorse”. The 180hp of the Benz is a far cry from the modern and 38

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sophisticated high horsepower trucks which make up the Lane fleet today. The most recent additions to the line-up are two Freightliner Cascadias which stand out among the other various cabovers in the fleet. However, these are not the first bonneted trucks Noel has had, as Freightliner Coronados have also seen service. “We find our drivers like bonneted trucks because of their slightly better ride,” says Noel. “In every application which we can handle lengthwise with a bonneted truck, that’s what we get.” The Cascadia 116 is powered by a 13-litre Detroit Diesel rated at 505hp and 1850lb/ft (2500Nm) of torque, while the Cascadia 126 is equipped with a DD16 16-litre Detroit engine with 600hp and 2050lb/ft (2779Nm). Both cabs are 36-inch sleeper XT models, with the 116 equipped with the electronic HDMI instrument panel on its dash. Safety systems include Lane Departure

Warning, Active Brake Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control. Both trucks are fitted with the DT12 automated manual transmission that Noel sees as a general trend in modern trucks and the automation,

Lane Transport has opted for 36-inch sleepers on the Cascadia. Here is the 116 version.

in combination with the aerodynamic styling, contributes to the Cascadia’s fuel economy. “They’ve been really good on fuel and the economy is great,” he says. “Because of the shorter wheelbase of the Cascadias’, fuel capacity isn’t what we’d like it to be, and we’d love it to be a bit more, but saying that they’re very fuel efficient trucks. The cost of fuel is a real issue at the moment. So we are trying to get everything running as efficiently as possible.” The Freightliner Cascadias are on a Freightliner Service Plan maintenance contract and Lane Transport operates its own workshop with three experienced technicians responsible for looking after the rest of the fleet. “We try to do everything in-house but with trucks becoming so complicated, there are so many different things which can go wrong and we have found that maintenance contracts provide a peace of mind,” he says. As with everyone in today’s business climate which is influenced in so many ways by global effects, keeping control of costs is vital, as is attempting to get customers to understand that the costs of imported items such as parts and tyres add to the overall cost of providing a quality road transport service. “At some stage we’ve got to be looking at the CPI increase as well as the fuel surcharge increase,” says Noel. “Going

The Lane Transport yard at Killarney.

forward, there are people getting out of the industry. Coming into COVID we didn’t know what to expect, and we survived that and now the war in Ukraine is having its effect.” Noel has adopted the process of calculating fuel costs on a weekly rather than monthly basis. “A lot of the companies are pretty well on board with it, but they’ve got to put the cost of fuel onto their customers too,” he says. An area where Lane Transport devotes considerable investment is safety and compliance and the associated accreditations. “We’re pretty well all across it because for every major customer now we get

audited by an increasing number of suppliers. We do work for companies such as Linfox so it’s important to be compliant. It is a big cost and it’s not just a matter of picking up freight any more. There has to be planning and action around compliance as well.” By providing exceptional and reliable service to their customers over the past 30 years Noel and Alison Lane have developed Lane Transport to be in a good position with a strong reputation in the local and interstate freight industries. Despite the challenges faced by all in the industry, their business has continued to flourish with new and also solid long-term customers.

p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

FLEET FOCUS

REAC H A new Volvo FM 10x4 fitted with a Palfinger truck mounted crane is helping extend the innovative vision at MBS Sand and Cement.

aroubra Building Supplies (MBS) has been supplying Sydney construction and building industries since 1983 when builder Sam Papadakis bought into the suburban hardware store where he had been a customer. Families and tradies alike trusted and frequented the store, which became an Eastern Suburbs institution that valued old-fashioned service and value for money. To meet the growing demand for bulk goods, the company finally moved from a small storefront to a much larger facility in Matraville.

Volvo FM13 10x4..

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Louie Papadakis, the second-generation Managing Director, began working at the shop on weekends and during school holidays, where he sold nails by weight, bagged sand by hand, and gained the knowledge that would eventually inspire him to take over the administration of the company established by his father. Louie’s vision has always been to not only expand, but also to become an industry leader, offering a broader range of materials and an uncompromising level of customer service. Maroubra Building Supplies was renamed MBS Sand and Cement

in 2008. The rebranding was done to represent the expanded range of materials available as well as the ability to supply and deliver Sydney-wide with a modern fleet of vehicles capable of providing unique on-site logistics and transport solutions. “Our doors are open to everyone,” Louie explains, “from ‘mum and dad’ home renovators to builders, tradespeople, and developers. Whether it’s one tonne or a thousand tonnes, whether it’s one brick or a developer looking to acquire a million bricks, we continue to provide premium service. We strive to be

C HING

CRITICAL MASS Louie Papadakis.

inventive at all times, and we’re always looking for new methods to expand our business by incorporating new technologies and service lines.” MBS owns a fleet of small tippers, primarily Hino and Fuso models, with several equipped with truck-mounted cranes and a Mack Trident tipper with a dog trailer. There are also Isuzu 6x4, 8x4, and 10x4 flat tops with cranes with reach capacities of up to 21 metres also available. The Mack and a number of subcontractors deliver bulk materials to the MBS facilities from quarries located throughout NSW at places including Newcastle, Marulan, Albion Park, Taree

and Cowra. “Having our own trucks is beneficial because it allows us to have more control over the transportation, however we also utilise external contractors to deliver to our yard.” Customers in Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, and Wollongong are served by the smaller MBS vehicles. The truck mounted cranes provide a one stop shop convenience for building and trade customers by being able to arrange the product delivery and crane in one phone call. “They call us, place an order for materials, and they don’t have to call a

separate crane hire company and book in a four-hour minimum,” Louie says. “We use our trucks to deliver and place materials where they need them on site. They can also hire the crane only. We don’t have to supply the products, they can simply hire our crane trucks.” The addition of a Volvo FM 10x4 fitted with a Palfinger truck mounted crane is a recent extension of Louie’s vision for innovation. This is the first Volvo to join the MBS fleet, and the 31-metre Palfinger crane rightfully makes it the flagship vehicle and differentiates the company from others in the industry. “We felt it was time to upgrade our crane p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

FLEET FOCUS

Palfinger truck mounted 31-metre crane.

and take our service and reputation to the next level,” says Louie. “We are really proud of the fact that it is the largest crane truck in the Sydney building and landscape supply sector.” Characterised as ‘Zeus’, the mythical Mount Olympus King of the Gods, the new Volvo is liveried black and gold, in contrast to the other MBS vehicles which are predominantly green. The separate branding of this latest crane truck is in line with the company’s plan to operate it as a stand-alone business. ‘Zeus’ combines the flexibility of a 42

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table top truck capable of transporting items up to six metres in length with the innovation of the crane’s maximum reach of 31 metres (101 feet). The crane’s combination of fly jib and cable winch allows it to reach the difficult places that are often encountered at construction sites. The truck is also capable of handling 20 foot containers. The Volvo FM13 is a 10x4 configuration with a 5,600mm wheelbase and is powered by the 500 horsepower version of Volvo’s 13-litre engine driving through a 12-speed

I-Shift automated transmission. The tag axle is a non-lift type and is designed to contribute to the carriage of the Palfinger Tec 7 crane which weighs 4,670 tonnes itself, plus the additional weight of the hydraulic oil tank and its contents. Louie values the relationship with Volvo Group which began when MBS purchased its first Mack more than 12 years ago. The Prestons dealership provides 24-hour service, ensuring that the vehicles are always operational and on the road with minimum downtime. The MBS trucks are covered by a gold service agreement. “Back when we initially obtained our first trucks and dog trailers it was always a surprise when we put one in for service overnight and got a call at 2 or 3 am asking for approval for a $10,000 repair bill. Of course, you’ll say ‘yes’ in order to get the truck back on the road.” The service agreement takes care of that and Louie can now sleep uninterrupted, knowing exactly what his service costs will be. “This is the first Volvo we’ve ever owned,” he says. “We felt we’d choose a European vehicle for this scale of crane, we didn’t want to cut corners and invest in an expensive sophisticated crane and add it to a second-hand vehicle or lesser truck, so we decided we’d go with Volvo.” The company has NHVR Mass and Fatigue accreditations. Louie has a great level of empathy for what his drivers do on a daily basis, especially when dealing with Sydney’s notorious traffic. “I started as a young driver when dad owned the business, so I understand the fatigue they might get on the road which involves a lot of thinking and avoiding dangerous drivers and situations,” says Louie. “They have a demanding job, and I encourage them to take use of the toll roads to help make their jobs a little easier.” A strong company culture is very evident at MBS and staff retention isn’t an issue for the team of around 28. One employee retired after 30 years on the job, while several have notched up 15

years of service. Louie and his wife Nancy married in 2004 and decided to invest their ‘wedding money,’ a tradition of the family’s Greek heritage, towards a materials packaging machine. “That’s how we started Australian Sands Pty Ltd and now we have a robot that packages the products,” says Louie. Bulk and packaged firewood has recently been added to the range which is also sold wholesale to other hardware stores. In an industry where category killers dominate to the extent that even a well-heeled competitor has tried to take them on and failed, it’s inspirational to observe the growth of a family-oriented operation such as MBS where the team is passionate about what they do and the services they provide, while still finding time to support their local and wider communities by sponsoring junior soccer teams and doing good work by supporting the Starlight Foundation.

1800 575 061 2-20 Quantum Close, Dandenong VIC 3175 www.truck-tech.com.au admin@truck-tech.com.au

EXPANDS TO VICTORIA

TRUCK & TECH

SUPP PacLease achieves dividends for itself and its customers by specifying Dana driveline and brake products for its Kenworth fleet.

he management team behind PacLease has been quietly dedicated to consistently growing its footprint since its introduction to our shores here in Australia seven years ago. From a single person it has grown to become the market-leading truck rental and leasing business that we see today with 26 locations at dealerships across the country each providing a personalised, local service. PacLease is a commercial truck leasing company that provides customised full-service lease, rental and contract maintenance services. Think of it as a 44

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team of highly qualified technicians and business professionals who also happen to have keys to premium quality Kenworth and DAF trucks that are in demand by drivers. Long-term arrangements are similar to traditional operating leases where the vehicle finance and contract maintenance factors are included for the term of the agreement. When short-term transport solutions are required for situations such as seasonal spikes in harvests and agricultural markets, while transitioning into a newly acquired contract or making the most of a business opportunity when it presents itself, or

to simply keep the wheels turning when the inevitable accident or breakdown occurs, PacLease provides flexible rental options in both prime movers and/ or heavy rigid configurations trucks drawing on its extensive fleet of DAF models and Kenworth trucks. K200 and T610SAR models along with the CF and XF DAF models provide PacLease with an exceptionally versatile product range that offers flexible solutions for smart transport operators in today’s highly competitive marketplace. Demand during grain harvest seasons is particularly busy for rental vehicles as transport operators take on the

Kenworth T610SAR with Dana axles.

P ORT

GROUP

challenge of moving millions of tonnes of grain during a relatively short time, often under pressure from unfavourable weather conditions. PacLease also has the capability to provide prime movers for high Gross Combination Mass (GCM) mining applications as well as for general freight linehaul situations. “Harvest time is always big for us,” says Lindsay Smith, PacLease Laverton Branch Manager in Victoria. “We have spec’d up a lot of our equipment with PTO hydraulics to suit the needs of grain trailer operators. We do have specialised equipment to a point with some trucks with PTO hydraulics or dangerous goods fit-ups for hauling fuel, and we now have a number of prime movers fitted with cranes servicing

construction industry.” Dana driveline components are specified in the Kenworth trucks in the PacLease fleet which currently numbers around 140 of the iconic brand. “We have found Dana understanding and friendly to work with, and using the Dana axle, driveline and brake assemblies has greatly improved the utilisation of our rental fleet by reducing down time due to extended oil drain intervals, and fewer repairs and less maintenance over the life of the vehicle,” Lindsay explains. “Overall Dana’s support for these products has been unmatched.” The innovative development of the Australian designed and locally manufactured full time oil pump for

the Dana D46-170 (20.9 tonnes GAWR) tandem drive axles has played a major role in improving the lubrication systems of the Dana axle assemblies with the resultant reliability and reduced maintenance requirements impressing customers such as PacLease. “Since the full time pump was released in 2019, the improvements made to the lubrication systems have given us a great amount of confidence for our rental fleet when we may not know where the trucks are going to be all the time,” says Lindsay. “Full service fleets are a little bit different because they are obviously tailored for certain contracts and applications. The oil pump system has improved the longevity of the diff assemblies and it’s allowed us p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TRUCK & TECH

to move ahead to extended oil drain intervals as well, which helps when it comes to maintenance costs. I had the fleet managers go back and check the records and we haven’t had any failures with items such as power dividers or thrust washers or even noticed any premature wear in the vehicles since the introduction of the full time pump.” Dana also supplies the SUPER DUTY (SPICER Series) SD 300 service-free main drive shaft assemblies. As the name says, these require no maintenance and make yet another contribution to reducing servicing costs. The insistence by PacLease Laverton upon Dana components isn’t just in relation to the driveline. The lightweight DANA SPICER E-1462I (6.6-tonne GAWR) single-steer front axles are specified for their durability and reliability. Dana ADB22X disc brakes are chosen over drum brakes which are more commonly specified on Kenworth trucks in Australia. Fitted to the front and rear axles, the inherent advantages of the Dana disc brake systems include their self-adjusting capabilities which A PacLease Kenworth K200 crosses the Yarra River in Melbourne.

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allows for longer service intervals and provides an improved brake response and feel for the driver which is more akin to driving a passenger car. Down time is minimised due to the Dana disc brake assemblies having no grease points which again contributes to longer service intervals, and disc pad changes require less time to perform than required for conventional shoe and drum set ups and it is also easier to visibly check the pads for any contamination or wear. The fitment of the Dana disc brakes also provides the ability to utilise the Dana Spicer pre-set bearing hubs which feature precision machined spacers and specially-toleranced roller bearings. It eliminates the need to adjust wheel end play and avoids premature failures due to improper installation and incorrect bearing pre-load adjustments. Dana has a strong presence in Australia and operates from a purpose-built facility in Keysborough located on the outskirts of Melbourne where the assembly takes place of drive and steer axles, and drive and steering shafts for

domestic truck manufacturers and the aftermarket. The organisation’s global customer base includes almost every major vehicle manufacturer in the automotive, commercial vehicle and offhighway markets. “A lot of the bonuses for our business revolve around the product support provided to us by Dana, their ability to work with us in achieving our goals of decreasing maintenance costs and downtime for our customers, which we achieve through increased service intervals,” says Lindsay. “We have a lot of faith in their product fitted to our trucks due to their proven durability in our applications and for a rental fleet that confidence is very important.” Of the more than 284 units currently in the PacLease fleet, 140 are Kenworths and all are running Dana products. “When you have those sorts of numbers you need a product you can trust,” says Lindsay. “Additionally, Dana gives us the capability to minimise and extend servicing and it really does help when you’re managing that volume of vehicles as well.”

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TRUCK & TECH

REPORTING FOR

DUTY

The 2022 F Series range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks from Isuzu has become available in the Australian market with a major technology shake-up.

n the back of an allnew audio visual unit, a comprehensive hi-tech safety package and an industry-leading six year warranty and roadside assistance package, Isuzu has presented a consolidated range of its new medium and heavy models with what will be the last ‘minor’ update prior to new full models expected later in 2023. Technology is a strong feature in the

new Isuzu F Series, the most obvious upgrade being the 10.1-inch touchscreen audio visual and multimedia unit. Referred to as the MyIsuzu Co-Pilot the new unit is being marketed as an all-inone smart partner and was developed in conjunction with leading electronics manufacturer Blaupunkt. Designed from the outset to suit the local right hand drive applications, the screen offers a low distraction interface and is angled slightly towards the driver with the

most often used ‘buttons’ located on the side of the screen closest to the driver. The unit has 32GB of onboard storage for music and video and is equipped with truck route specific navigation from HERE Technologies with smart updates for maps, live traffic using a mobile phone Wi-Fi connection. The unit supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integral connections as well as two USB ports and a smartphone storage pocket. Wireless phone charging

Rear view of the Isuzu FSR 140-240.

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Front view of Isuzu FSR.

capability is provided as standard in FV, FX and FY models, and is an option in other Isuzu F Series models. The unit also provides on-screen access to Isuzu truck owner’s manuals and is also programmable to include a stepby-step process of daily pre-operation inspections. In the four-cylinder 4×2 models the AV unit is complemented by a new electronic instrument panel with 4.2inch colour multi-info display linked to the steering wheel controls for menu scrolling. A CAN electrical connection is handily located behind the dash for the ready installation of fleet management telematics systems. Not as obvious as the AV unit is the extensive package of safety systems now incorporated in the Isuzu F Series. The Isuzu Advanced Driver Assurance System (ADAS) has been developed to help keep all road

users safe and the combination of a high mounted forward facing camera and a milliwave radar provides data to the numerous intelligent safety systems. The 4×2 models powered by the fourcylinder engines come equipped with Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Distance Warning System (DWS) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW). The 4x2 models and the larger FTR and FV models have, as an additional benefit, received Electronic Stability Control (ESC), while the Electronic Braking System is introduced to the four-cylinder FSR and FTR and FV models. New LED headlamps for all FRR/D, FSR/D, FTR and FV models have been installed for improved night-time operation while cab-tilt warning has been introduced across the entire range. “Our technology approach has been adopted to cater for the types of

applications and locations that these trucks operate in,” says IAL Chief Engineer, Product Strategy, Simon Humphries. “The combination radar and camera is well suited to both urban and regional usage, while the upgrade to full-air brakes in the FSR models provides improved braking response and faster acting electronic stability control.” In line with its strong message that ‘reliability is everything’, Isuzu’s highly regarded aftermarket support is bolstered with warranty upgrades across the range, featuring a six year standard warranty with much higher distance and engine hour limits than previous models, as well as a six-year 24/7 roadside assistance package. The doubling of the warranty period creates a compelling point of difference for Isuzu in the medium and heavy-duty categories. “In planning this model release, we’ve p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TRUCK & TECH

Chassis view of Electronic Braking System.

looked at how our customers are using their medium-duty trucks and we’ve targeted our updates at the key market requirements,” says Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) National Sales Manager, Les Spaltman. “We’ve introduced active safety with ADAS to the volume 12- to 14-tonne GVM segment and in doing so, we’ve got features that match the operating environment. In the heavier end of our offering, again the introduction of electronic stability control and electronic braking system brings the features that operators of these models, namely fleets, are looking for.” There are no prime movers included in the new range and the Isuzu Giga and its 15.7-litre engine are likely to be replaced some time during 2023. This leaves the F Series rigid models available with either four- or six-cylinder engines with outputs ranging from 210PS (154kW) to 300PS (221kW). There are also numerous options for transmissions including six- and nine-speed manuals, Allison automatics and Isuzu’s innovative and effective six-speed torque convertor-driven automated manual transmissions. The engines meet the current EURO 5 emission standards with the use of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC). The use of the DOC provides greater simplicity for body builders as well 50

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as operators, while the EGR not only reduces emissions, but also delivers improved driveability and enhanced engine braking. The absence of a diesel particulate filter and an AdBlue system keeps operation and maintenance simple, without the additional costs of AdBlue fluid. Isuzu continues with its successful ‘ready to work’ truck offerings with factory tippers and the Freightpack curtain- side packages in 10-, 12- or 14- pallet specifications. The twin-steer Isuzu FY is available in 8x4 and a 10x4 configuration with a lift up lazy axle.

The FY has been a very successful truck and incorporates a broad selection of models, transmissions, wheelbases, axles, and air or mechanical suspensions to allow the tailoring to suit specific applications such as agitator, bin-lift, concrete pumper, and crane trucks. Components from world-renowned brands including ISRI, Hendrickson, Allison, ZF, and Meritor are important parts in the Isuzu finished products and provide the components to enable operators to specify their Isuzu to best suit their applications.

Cabin view of MyIsuzu Co-Pilot.

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TRUCK & TECH

SWITCHED ON TRUCKING

Since its inception in 2012, Australian manufacturer SEA Electric has grown a global reputation for its innovative electric power system solutions for commercial vehicles. SEA 300/44.

n 2017, SEA Electric began performing driveline swaps on existing internal combustion engine (ICE) powered trucks, and now at its immaculate Melbourne facility has moved to fitting its patented SEA-Drive power-system to new Semi Knocked Down (SKD) cab-chassis kits sourced from Hino. The new range wears the latest SEA Electric badging and branding, complete with its own compliance plate and full three-year factory warranty. The Hino cabs come fully trimmed and the finished vehicles are almost indiscernible from their parentage. This move, to series production in Australia, has resulted in SEA Electric becoming the country’s latest

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OEM, with the trucks available via a nationwide network of established and accredited dealers, and fully backed by a comprehensive aftersales offering including factory warranties and roadside service through NTI Truck Assist. Australia’s road freight sector accounts for 38 per cent of country’s total transport emissions and electric vehicles are expected to play an increasing role in the journey to net zero by 2050. Operationally, lower maintenance and running costs are possible with electric trucks, with the cost of consumption of diesel fuel eliminated, and by having fewer moving parts service costs are minimised with SEA Electric scheduling a routine four-hour inspection at a

dealer every six months. Minimal wear on service brakes will be one adjunct reward given the use of the regenerative braking available when the motor is in over-run. Using standard off-peak electricity prices of 15 cents per kWh, SEA Electric says it currently costs around $14 per day to charge from the grid, and even less if solar power is used. SEA Electric’s own Melbourne facility is now powered by a 100kW rooftop solar power system. Future-proofed with an upgradable plug and play architecture, the SEA-Drive power-system can be charged using 415Volt 3-phase power via the truck’s standard on-board charging equipment, with optional DC fast charging also available. The fast-charging option enables a charging rate four times faster than standard, and offers range extending top-ups during drivers’ breaks or vehicle loading. The electric motor used in the passenger licence category SEA 300/45 model delivers an impressive 700Nm of torque and 140kW of power. The larger SEA 500 medium-duty EV truck range is available in either 4x2 or 6x2 axle configurations with a maximum body length of 8,930mm and a GVM range between 15 or 22.5 tonnes. The drivetrain is currently available in four specifications, ranging from 180HP/700Nm, through to 470HP/3,500Nm, with various battery capacities available between 88kWh and 220kWh. The initial focus for SEA Electric trucks includes applications associated with municipal and regional local government authorities and includes

tippers, garbage compactors and elevated work platforms. First and last mile delivery operations are a logical target as well and IKEA has been one of the early Australian adopters of SEA Electric trucks. “Many of these large fleets utilise their vehicles for less than half of a 24 hour day. The balance is spent in depot yards, where rooftop solar panels can generate ample power supply to fully charge their batteries,” says Tony Fairweather, SEA Electric Founder and CEO. The battery packs are located between the chassis rails to achieve a low centre of gravity and to protect the batteries from accidental damage by items such as bollards or errant forklifts. During a series of brief test drives two factors stand out when driving the SEA Electric trucks: the outstanding initial torque which is available instantly from start off, and the quietness of the trucks’ operation. With the windows up and the radio off the only noise discernible is from the air conditioning fan and with the windows wound down the hum of the tyres on the pavement is the most noticeable sound. Inside the cab the familiar multi-media unit found in most Japanese trucks has been configured to provide additional information including the state of

battery charge and the anticipated driving range. The wand used to operate engine exhaust brakes on diesel models activates the very effective electric retardation which also diverts energy back to the batteries, recharging on the go and extending the range prior to being connected to a charger. A touch pad is located in the gear lever position to enable the selection of forward and reverse gears. The move to using knock-down chassis and cab kits from a recognised global manufacturer strengthens the case for SEA Electric vehicles and has enabled the company to concentrate on its patented software system that delivers high torque with low stress similarly to diesel engines in commercial vehicle applications. “SEA Electric is already in the process of working with our tier one supply base to develop components better suited to our needs from batteries through to charging systems,” says Glen Walker, Vice President, SEA Electric, Asia Pacific Region. “These co-developments will be increasingly proprietary.” Glen comes from an 18-year career at Kenworth Australia which included roles as Chief Engineer of Kenworth Trucks, and Group Operations and

The patented SEA-Drive power system.

National Sales Manager. He is also a board member of the Australian Electric Vehicle Council. Glen explains the total cost of ownership of an electric vehicle compared to one powered by an internal combustion engine. “If you pay cash for an EV and cash for an ICE today, the premium for the EV is fully refunded in a little under five years,” Glen says. “From then on it is profoundly positive. In relation to diesel use, more or less, distance travelled respectively shortens or lengthens this payback period. Alternatively with the appropriate finance package, the vehicle can be cash-flow positive from month one.” The SEA-Drive power-system had previously been offered to the market as a retrofit option for existing internal combustion engine powered vehicles. The fresh process of assembling the trucks from new results in less wastage, quicker build times and lower costs. The current Melbourne factory building is being doubled in size and while SEA Electric is well on its way to become an Australian success story, the company firmly has its sights set on global leadership, with a presence now across five continents. It has already been particularly successful in the United States where its technologies have been adapted to both trucks and buses. An order was placed in late 2021 for 1,150 EV trucks and SEA Electric has partnered with Midwest Transit Equipment (MTE), one of the largest school bus dealers in the United States, to update 10,000 school buses with battery-electric power-systems, the biggest deal of its kind to date. Prior to the May Federal election the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reductions announced a program which will see the additional funding of up to $127.9 million made available to support the integration of electric vehicle technologies into both light and heavy vehicle fleets in Australia. p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TRUCK & TECH

RELENTLESS

PURSUITS Truck-Tech’s open day at its new Dandenong workshop was an opportunity for the company to demonstrate its customer-focus philosophy.

ndependent heavy-vehicle repairer, Truck-Tech Group, recently opened a new workshop in Dandenong, expanding its customer base to the Victorian corner of Australia. The company specialises in the maintenance and repair of trucks, trailers and buses. An open day at its Dandenong workshop last May, saw Truck-Tech invite along all families and friends in the community to get an idea of the brand’s values. Barry Saad, CEO of Truck-Tech, says it provided the business with a great opportunity to showcase their values and services. “For us, it’s really about understanding our culture,” he says. “It’s about us allowing customers and their families, and our staff and their families to see the inside of what Truck-Tech’s about, and how we’re very family-orientated.”

Truck-Tech Dandenong workshop.

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Single cylinder heads.

The new location is an 18-bay workshop with A-double access, featuring state-ofthe-art diagnostic equipment and tooling, overhead crane, engine reconditioning room, brake tester and service pits. But,

as Barry explains, the new workshop is quite different from the company’s stomping grounds. “I did my apprenticeship and started Truck-Tech in 2007 out of the back of

Inside the 18-bay workshop.

the ute,” he says. “We’ve grown as a company ever since. Then we moved into a workshop in Condell Park. From there, we continued to grow and moved to Moorebank.” According to Barry, creating a workshop in Victoria had always been part of TruckTech’s vision. It was a strategic decision over the last 12 months, and since the timing and execution was right, the company went straight for it. Barry says the open day provided the business with a plethora of benefits. From an internal culture, he was pleased to show the Sydney team the growth they’re contributing to, and the journey they’re all heading towards. From a business

perspective, he says it was also important for clients to see that they’re a part of a successful company which is giving them more options and opportunities to get their assets services. But from a community perspective, it was all about giving. “It’s a great opportunity for us to give back to the community and to allow them to understand what we do and who we really are,” he says. “It was really good – we got a lot of great feedback.” Truck-Tech is completely customerfocused. By being an independent company unaligned with any other brand, the company prioritises its customers first through every single

operation and task carried out on a daily basis. “Our company goal is the relentless pursuit of customer success,” he says. “Everything we do should support the customer succeeding in their own business, which in turn, will allow us to succeed in ours. If we can support the customer to be successful, naturally, Truck-Tech will be successful.” As Barry points out, one thing that has changed the most in the industry over the years is the personification of a truck mechanic. He says that to many people, the ideal vision of the word ‘truck mechanic’ is a guy covered from head to toe in grease. However, as seen in the operations at his company, this couldn’t be further from the truth. “With the industry now, it’s really savvy when it comes to technology and innovation,” he says. “We’re really trying to change the mindset of peoples’ ideology around being a truck mechanic in our industry, and really bringing it to the next level. Your ideal technician can repair trucks behind a laptop, which is really cool. This is where the industry’s heading, and it’s very exciting. For us, it’s just important for people to know who we are, where the business has come from and understand our capabilities. Opening up in Victoria has been a great stepping stone for us and we’re excited to continue to grow further.”

A cylinder block. p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TELEMATICS SHOWC ASE

Peter Jorgensen.

FLICKING THE SWITCH

Spiral Logistics has found, through its partnership with Teletrac Navman, telematics systems make life on the road easier, by helping their staff do their jobs well while ensuring everyone makes it home on time.

mproving fleet efficiency remains the number one challenge for businesses in the transport industry. For truck drivers, it doesn’t matter whether they are delivering household goods, steel, petrol, or construction materials. The goal is the same: to ensure operation of the vehicle is as effective as possible while staying compliant and delivering accurate reporting. On top of this drivers need to give their customers the best service possible. Balancing these competing demands can leave operators frustrated, particularly

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if they are relying on paper-based processes and operating without any clear insight into the performance of operations. Given most fleets operate remotely without returning to a depot or central site for days at a time or longer, relying on manual paperbased reporting is inefficient and can result in missing data or lags in important information getting back to administration. That’ why AI-powered telematics technology can transform businesses with many moving parts into

streamlined and well-oiled machines — making everyone’s lives easier. This was the case for Spiral Logistics, who having adopted telematics, saw immediate improvements to its efficiency. A specialised logistics organisation that designs and operates fleets of dedicated company vehicles and contract drivers for their customers, Spiral Logistics found that keeping track of essential business records like vehicle maintenance, odometer readings, fuel tax credits, and asset registers by relying on spreadsheets and physical filing was

a drain on administrative resources. And it slowed down their fleets as drivers needed to spend time recording the information. After switching out manual paperwork for a digitised fleet management system with electronic forms and work diaries, the business streamlined administration processes and drastically reduced the time both administration staff and drivers spent on paperwork. Proactively maintaining vehicles is essential for fleet efficiency. Staying on top of vehicle maintenance reduces the potential for downtime caused by vehicle breakdowns or repairs, improves fuel efficiency, and keeps the driver safe behind the wheel. However, ensuring the vehicle is in peak shape can be a nightmare if administration has to sort through stacks of paperwork to keep things in order. It’s easy for the kilometres to add up, and service dates can fly past without anyone noticing. Vehicle maintenance reporting can, as a result, fall by the wayside. Or working on the road prevents the driver handing in paper-based maintenance reports until they’re back at the depot. By then, the issue may have been exacerbated, causing costly damage to the vehicle that takes longer to repair or replace — or it could result in a time-consuming breakdown. Predictive equipment management solutions use historical data to identify and alert drivers and fleet managers of what equipment needs maintenance and when. The digitised systems fully automate maintenance routines with custom schedules and real-time access to equipment diagnostics and inspection reports, so administration staff don’t need to spend time sorting through a vehicle’s past reports. When it’s time for a service, everyone will be alerted. Complete vehicle visibility presents an obvious advantage in that managers and drivers both immediately know when something is wrong, and everyone has the information to fix that problem. Whether it’s a vehicle breakdown, fatigue, changes to routes, or excessive

time spent at a job site, knowing how to improve efficiency becomes clear if everyone can see what’s happening with a vehicle. On top of that, they can, quite critically, offer customers real-time delivery updates. AI-powered telematics technology gives drivers instant visibility. It can measure everything from their location to time spent at a job and travelling time, and the platform allows for the optimisation of route planning to limit unnecessary kilometres or avoid trafficcongested roads. “There’s a lot of challenges in the field for drivers, and if they know there’s footage of their delivery place, and we intend to support them and use that footage for their benefit, then they’re pretty receptive to getting cameras on the trucks,” says Peter Jorgensen, Spiral Logistics Managing Director. He reports that for Spiral Logistics, combining electronic work diaries, intelligent dashcams, and GPS tracking has created a robust safety management system

and improved driver performance — increasing efficiency. Equipping the vehicle with a smart camera that combines AI technology with telematics data and advanced onboard sensors provides insight into key driving metrics and also identifies training opportunities. “As far as an investment’s concerned, often you get one – forward-facing or rear-facing – but with Teletrac Navman, we’ve been able to get the return on rear-facing by saving costs, and also forward-facing by adding value,” Peter says. “So, the ROI is definitely there.” Make no mistake — telematics technology is the future of fleet efficiency. Using intelligent AI-powered solutions in a commercial vehicle can offer a range of benefits for transport operators. Spiral Logistics witnessed the possibilities with their results: drastically improved administration processes, easy vehicle maintenance, better fuel efficiency, and enhanced driver performance and safety.

Spiral Logistics team members inspect data from their UD Quon,

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TELEMATICS SHOWC ASE

ON THE L LSM FSM Fleet Safety & Tracking Manager offers the Australian market a purpose-built solution that integrates with other LSM developed risk mitigation controls designed and engineered to keep operators and their vehicles moving efficiently and always safely.

educing equipment operating costs and increasing productivity numbers are generally recognised as daily pressures, along with a host of other factors, with which commercial vehicle fleets measure their ongoing performance indicators. If that wasn’t enough, these challenges, despite operations being at or nearing peak capacity, must all be met while adhering to the strict requirements of OH&S compliance. It’s one thing to push the envelope for gains and another to do it safely and efficiently, which is to say repeatedly, time and again. Having a centralised control system that affords proof of compliance is a start. As an Australian innovation, LSM FSM Fleet Safety & Tracking Manager technology is proudly developed, IP designed, maintained and managed locally by the team at LSM Technologies. How it differentiates from standard telematics, however, makes it a world first. Artist impression of the FSM Contol room.

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In concert, it pulls in a live view of alerts and data from a range of LSM Australian developed mitigation controls like Driver Fatigue & Distraction Monitoring, Collision Avoidance and Vehicle Interactions, Quality Cabin Environmental Monitoring, Compliance and Event Recording analysis and a Tyre Condition Monitoring System. These Australian developed mitigation controls are seamlessly and simultaneously integrated into LSM Sentinel (pat. pend.) VSS Vehicle Safety System Central Logic Contoler. More importantly, the integration into the Sentinel VSS means the driver of the vehicle need only worry about using one display. Attention, consequently, can be better focused on what needs to happen inside the cab so that productivity improvements and crucial risk mitigation checks don’t suffer while the predominant operational management tasks of extending component service life, reducing equipment damage and providing proof

of compliance can all be better achieved. “As a back-to-base management solution, the FSM technology is scalable from a single vehicle up to thousands of mobile assets,” says Peter Woodford, LSM Technologies CEO & Engineering Director. “FSM Fleet Safety Manager works as an intuitive web browser interface with a single click access to fleet dashboards, customised reports, compliance tools as well as real-time, user-defined alerts. These alerts can be provided immediately as required via SMS and email, anywhere in the world, 24/7.” The user therefore can access scheduled and automatic reporting with trending data, analysis and compliance reporting including historical data storage for as long as required. Remote data back-tobase is accessed by a web browser and viewed on any PC, Tablet, or even a smart phone. Tyre Monitoring Systems is one of a score of safety mitigation controls offered by LSM Technologies, currently in demand by industry. In recent years, inadequate tyre inflation has been rightly identified as a leading cause of tyre failure — a major contributor not only of accident events but often a giveaway of compliance negligence. Since 2011, 33 per cent of truck fire losses to 2020, have been caused by tyre/well end failure or fault according to statistics compiled by the National Transport Accident Research Centre. Figures per National Transport Insurance confirm, moreover, one in every 20 large losses of trucktrailer combinations are a direct result of mechanical failure. Steer tyre failure incidents contributed to more than

E LEVEL Tyre conditions can change with the landscape and when vehicles are already operational.

half of mechanical failures, resulting in vehicles having high speed crashes with little to no opportunity for the driver to respond before striking barriers or leaving the roadway. While tyre pressure management is crucial, it is also time-consuming. In Australia environmental extremes can have a severe impact on the condition of the tyres themselves. As these changes occur in medias res, especially when trailing equipment is fully loaded, the physical act of monitoring the tyres can itself become a dangerous proposition. Systems like the LSM TyreGuard MTR360, a multi-combination tyre monitoring system have proven to deliver major gains in both safety and efficiency by communicating measurements for the pressure and temperature of tyres/wheels. It’s critical now, given trends in recent accident data, to reduce the cost per kilometre of tyres. By doing so operators and fleet managers reduce fire risks. “Whether moving or parked, the

TMSystem constantly monitors the pressure and temperature of every tyre,” says Peter. “Having been purpose-built for the extreme and variable conditions of Australia, the LSM TyreGuard MTR360 offers the highest levels of accuracy, durability, reliability and protection for tyres, vehicles and their occupants.” Excessive wheel temperatures, to highlight one primary cause, indicate possible poor bearing condition and perhaps lubrication or brake failure, such as dragging brakes or poor brake balance. All of which can result in a fire if the temperature of the wheel or tyre components reaches ignition point. An alert is issued if the pre-set pressure, while in operation, is not satisfied. Using Wheel Sensors communicating via radio signals that are charged by wheel motion, LSM TyreGuard MTR360 monitors tyre and rim conditions, maintenance needs and track wear, all of which can assist in predicting the service life of the tyre.

“With LSM Technologies FSM Fleet Safety & Tracking Manager, a live online data portal means we can see information about every single tyre, at any given time, all from the one location remotely,” says Peter. “That means drivers and fleet managers can receive live verification prior, during and after haulage movements.” LSM TyreGuard MTR360 is uniquely suited to monitor and report live tyre pressures and temperatures for road transport like that of multi-combination roadtrains utilising up to eight tows (trailers/dollies) at once. A TyreGuard Transceiver is installed on each tow asset and its wireless tyre sensors. Up to 20 tyres can be programmed to the Transceiver. “Each TyreGuard Transceiver relays its tyre sensor data in a daisy-chain process to the TyreGuard MTR360 hub located in the prime mover where the tyre data can be viewed by the operator on the incabin monitor,” explains Peter. “The incabin monitor will provide the operator with the exact position and problem tyre on the retrospective axle of the eight tow assets and prime mover.” Alerts and warnings are both static, during prestart checks, and dynamic when the vehicle is out on the road, helping drivers avoid blow-outs, which can lead to equipment damage, tyre fire, costly downtime and lowered insurance premiums. Eliminating the risk of tyre fires, across the industry, for all types of heavy vehicles, make the TyreGuard MTR360 more than just a tool of incident prevention especially in dangerous goods transport applications where catastrophic failure of the tank occurs during a fire. In a new era of evidencebased compliance it’s a technology befitting the moment. p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TELEMATICS SHOWC ASE

MACH I DREAM

When it comes to road freight, there is telematics and there is true connectivity. Welcome to Detroit Connect.

reightliner, which leverages the global might of Daimler Truck, knows that full connectivity, including over-the-air vehicle updates, accurate diagnosis of faults and forensic detail of incidents, is the kind of technology that can really benefit customers. The Cascadia, which dominates the massive North American market thanks to its class-leading fuel efficiency and advanced features, also brings new technology to the bonneted truck market in Australia. Given its market-leading position, it is only natural that the Cascadia delivers a premium connectivity solution with unique features called Detroit Connect. This is standard in every truck, which roll out of the dealership with a SIM Intelligent Powertrain Management is part of the Detroit Connect features offered on the Freightliner Cascadia.

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card-equipped connectivity unit and five years of Detroit Connect for free. Part of the Cascadia’s connectivity helps drive down fuel consumption using features like the Intelligent Powertrain Management, which uses satellite positioning data and topographic information to advise the truck when to change gears or when to coast in neutral in order to optimise fuel efficiency. There are also telemetry elements, such as route and location information, but the Detroit Connect system goes further because it can give operators an immense amount of data from the truck’s advanced systems that third party telemetry systems just can’t see. This is just one of the cases where the full integration of the Daimler Truck models

and its own Detroit componentry, including engine and transmission and other systems, come into play. Here is how Freightliner Australia Technical Support Engineer, Julian Wu, explains it. “Any telematics solution can give you certain data, but Detroit Connect can actually tell you what the truck is thinking,” he says. “It can tell you exactly what the vehicle’s systems, such as the integrated radars and camera, are actually processing throughout any incident. This represents a wealth of valuable information.” Indeed, the Detroit Connect system can tell the fleet operator everything from when the Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) was engaged, to the

H INE throttle position, steering position, gear and braking actions. It can present the incident in an overhead satellite map, with dots for each second of the event. A range of click down menus show graphs that extrapolate the various elements in meticulous detail. These kind of details can be immensely useful in understanding what went wrong in any specific incident and potentially arming the company against any incorrect claims of fault. The system also allows fleet operators to delve deep into the data to check on driver behavior using the truck’s vast array of sensors. Using the Detroit Connect system, fleet operators can go beyond the simple reports of overspeed notices or heavy brake incidents and use the Cascadia’s safety system data. “You can really pick out any cowboys in your fleet,” Julian says. For example, it is possible to see if a driver has triggered the Roll Stability Control, which is when the truck begins to brake or retard power in order to prevent a rollover. Basically, it comes on if a driver is going too fast through turns. This information can be used to counsel a driver and potentially prevent an accident. The system can see everything including Land Departure Warning alerts, sudden braking and AEBS triggers. It is also able to tell the fleet operator whether the driver is switching some of these safety systems off, which may be against company policy. Another important part of the Detroit Connect system is the ability to see faults and understand them far better than a third-party telemetry system can. “Other telematics systems will take

information from the J1939 Canbus. Some fault codes would be reported but not all of them,” Julian explains. “If they are reported, they are not going to be very detailed.” This is important because an unclear fault code can cause great disruption. “In many cases, a driver will see a warning light or fault code flash up and immediately pull over and call the fleet manager to ask if they should keep going or not. Often, it is hard to determine what kind of fault it is and whether it can cause more damage,” says Julian. “With Detroit Connect, the fleet manager is emailed a detailed description of the fault code within three seconds, whether it is serious or minor and the best course of action. It takes away the guessing games for the customer.” If it is serious and a dealership technician is required to fix the truck, the fleet manager can give the technician this information, which helps to ensure they know exactly which parts and

tools to bring and also gives an accurate location of the truck. In situations where technicians have to drive hours to get the truck this can be of immense value. Some fault codes can be very minor but provide useful information. For example, the truck can report low tyre pressure or higher-than-recommended tyre pressure, which can lead to tyre life issues. Detailed engine reports are another strong point of the Detroit Connect system. Instead of asking the workshop to download the DDEC engine data, it can be accessed online at any time. This shows a vast array of data from fuel consumption and AdBlue use to idle time and even the amount of time a driver has cruise control engaged. Given that cruise control engagement is required for systems such as the fuel saving IPM feature, some operators have been able to improve fuel efficiency numbers by encouraging drivers to use cruise more often after seeing the DDEC reports. The benefits of connectivity are already crystal clear, but Freightliner says there are even more exciting developments on the way. It is currently working on a function that will allow customers to actually update their truck’s firmware over the air. Setting a new speed limit for the trucks would also be achievable with a touch of a button and idle time limits could also be changed remotely.

Detroit Connect diesel vehicle event details.

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TEST DRIVE

RISE TO P Fuso has been building trucks for 90 years and its most powerful version to date is now on the Australian market.

he Fuso Shogun is known as the Fuso Super Great in its homeland of Japan and now with the availability of a 510hp version of the Daimler-sourced 13-litre engine, that rather awkward moniker is actually quite an apt description of the Fuso heavy hitter. Ideally suited to metropolitan and intrastate transport, the Shogun 510 is rated at 63 tonnes Gross Combination Mass and is capable of hauling a single or double trailer set or working in a tipper and dog combination. It is available as a 6x4 prime mover or as a rigid and air rear suspension is standard equipment on both. The Shogun has been around for a couple of years with sub-500hp power and after the pandemic hiatus it’s refreshing to actually get behind the wheel of a production model which isn’t wrapped in camouflage. The plain white livery of the test unit is contrasted by the matt black front panel. Fuso had a record sales year in Australia in 2021, setting a new benchmark of 4,770 units across its entire range, acknowledging that the total consisted of more Canters than Shoguns, even though Fuso increased its market share in all segments including the Heavy Duty category. The 510hp Shogun is the result of strong representations by local senior Daimler executives including Daimler Truck and Bus Australia President and CEO Daniel Whitehead, who put forward the business case that the Australian market would respond favourably to a Japanese truck with 500-plus horsepower, particularly in prime mover applications. 62

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In addition to the 13-litre power plant, the Fuso Shogun range is available with 8- and 11-litre engines with power outputs ranging through 360, 400, 460 and now 510 horsepower. Australia and New Zealand are the only countries where the 510 version of the Shogun is available and with its introduction late

Fuso Shogun 510 B-double.

in 2021 Fuso became the only Japanese manufacturer with a heavy-duty Euro 6 truck with more than 500hp. But as in most conversations about engines, it’s not the headline horsepower of the shiny badge on the cab that matters. It‘s the torque required to haul Australia’s heavy loads up and over the

O POWER landscape with acceptable point to point times without drinking buckets of diesel fuel. In this situation the Shogun shines. You can use any analogy to pulling you like, but this truck is impressive from the moment the parking brakes are released and Drive mode is engaged. The 510hp engine has been designated the Daimler OM471 and delivers its maximum torque of 2,500Nm from as low as 1,100rpm with 84 per cent of that maximum torque still available at

1,700rpm. At the other end of the torque curve 86 per cent of maximum torque is available from as low as 800rpm. Maximum power is at 1,600rpm and much of the engine’s performance can be accredited to its finely developed high pressure fuel system in combination with an asymmetric turbocharger. The 12-speed single overdrive automated manual transmission is well-proven across its applications in a number of Daimler products and has three main

modes of Auto, Economy and Heavy, in addition to a crawler mode in which speed is regulated with the brake pedal rather than the accelerator and is ideal for connecting trailers or reversing into loading docks. The transmission is programmed to deliver the maximum benefit of the engine’s prodigious torque and even on long climbs hangs on to higher gears to get the most out of each drop of fuel. When it does downshift, the function is ultra-smooth

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TEST DRIVE

with negligible loss of momentum. In sections of road where the ‘grunt’ isn’t needed, the Eco-Roll feature now common on most automated manuals makes its own contribution to fuel efficiency and reduces cabin noise as well. The transmission also has a ‘rock free’ mode which shuffles the drive between forward and reverse in an effort to get the truck back onto solid ground should it become bogged. This feature will be popular with rigid tipper applications, along with the optional manual diff locks. In line with efficiency of componentry, items shared with its European cousins are not limited to the driveline. The Shogun has a similar steering wheel to the one found in the Actros, albeit with three triangles instead of a three pointed star on the air bag padding. The Japanese standard for headlight and turning indicator controls is to locate them on the right-hand side of the steering column which is, in the Shogun, found in the same location of the control lever for the automated transmission. European customers, however, have a preference for these controls to be on left so it seems the Fuso engineers simply mirrored entire European switch assembly over to achieve this, which results in the engine brake (retarder) control needing to be

pushed forward rather than being pulled back as experienced in the MercedesBenz Actros that we were driving on the return journey. The three-stage engine brake has a maximum retardation power of 411kW. Although it will do it itself on steeper hills, a nudge on the transmission selector to drop down a gear or two assists maximising engine braking. Speaking of light switches, in addition to its LED daytime running lights, the Fuso Shogun has Intelligent Headlight Control for its LED head lights which automatically dips to low beam at night when other traffic is approaching and then flicks back to high beam once the road ahead is clear. The 510 Shogun isn’t just all about hill-conquering torque and power, and the safety package is equal to most European and Japanese trucks in the category and includes an upgraded Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) and the enhanced Active Attention Assist (AAA) system that can detect when the driver is showing fatigue or lacking concentration on the road. All Shogun models benefit from the latest generation of the AEBS that now uses camera and radar camera technology, making it able to come to a stop in the event the driver does not respond to an audible warning. This system is standard on all Shogun

models, as is radar-based adaptive cruise control. Lane departure warning, a driver airbag, electronic stability program (ESP) and Hill Start System (HSS) are also standard in the Shogun safety package. Side guard assist is available as standard on long wheelbase rigid models. The Japanese heavy rigid and prime mover offerings to the Australian market is an interesting landscape. Isuzu has removed itself from the category by ceasing to persevere with the Gigamax and its wheezy and relatively inefficient 15.7-litre engine which only managed to provide 512hp. Volvo Group has steadfastly refused to allow anything other than the 11-litre engine in its otherwise very capable UD Quon, although what happens once Isuzu completes its global takeover of UD remains an area of some conjecture and all is likely to be revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2023. This leaves Hino currently maxing out at the 480-horsepower available from the 13-litre engine in its also capable 700 Series. Daimler Trucks Australia have put playing games behind them in opting for the 510 horsepower rating in the big Fuso giving it the current horsepower and torque crowns for Japanese trucks — for the moment. The Fuso Shogun now claims the crown as the most powerful Japanese truck..

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FREIGHT Brad Williams is the CEO of the Australian Logistics Council which represents the major Australian logistics supply chain customers, providers, infrastructure owners and suppliers incorporating road, rail, sea, air, seaports and intermodal terminals.

oining the Australian Logistics Council just as the COVID drama befell critical supply chains in Australia and globally has brought to an already issues-rich environment another set of challenges according to Chief Executive Officer, Brad Williams. Prime Mover: The freight and logistics industries have been largely underrecognised and under-appreciated until COVID and now the public are full of praise. Has there been a corresponding change in attitude from bureaucracies and governments? Brad Williams: I think everyone gets it now and most people know how important it is to keep food and medicines on the shelves and fuel in the

bowsers, so that’s a positive for the sector which has come out of the pandemic. It took a lot of effort to make that happen, but I do think that governments now have a much better understanding of the inter-connectivity of the logistics system and some of the challenges the sector has had and why it is so reliant on all the pieces fitting together. The AdBlue shortage was a classic example where the Commonwealth response to the crisis was built off the back of the preceding 18 months of experience with the sector and knowing what a key factor AdBlue was in keeping our trucks moving. They responded accordingly which is a good example of ‘they’ve seen, they heard, they’ve listened and they’re responding differently’.

Brad Williams.

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PM: What other conclusions can we draw from the response to the pandemic? BW: It put back focus on sovereign manufacturing capability and that’s not just a matter of our sector, it’s across the board. People are thinking differently about building some resilience into the system. The AdBlue situation was pretty drastic, and we came pretty close to people having to turn their trucks off. The response was a good example of governments and industry working together to solve a problem, which is quite refreshing. PM: Can the multiple freight transport modes co-exist successfully and profitably or is competition between modes having a negative effect? BW: From our perspective it’s about getting the balance right in terms of the freight task. The modal shift from road to rail is about improving the overall efficiency of the system and making sure that ultimately, we can meet that growing freight task which is expected to grow by 35 per cent over the next 20 years. In the urban context it may be as much as 60 per cent growth. We are continually looking at how we move that freight and our view is it’s not one at the expense of the other. If we’ve got an efficient rail network that will contribute to a more efficient road network because we’ll have less congestion on the roads. The key challenges in terms of modal shift, say, in the context of inland rail, are we’ve got to get all the pieces connecting so that the system actually works efficiently. The big challenge with

Trucks service the growing container pile at Port Botany.

inland rail is the connectivity with the Port of Melbourne and the Port of Brisbane. At this point in time that is still not resolved, although the Federal Government put a multi-billion dollar investment package on the table just prior to the election for a two-terminal strategy in Melbourne, which we welcomed. PM: Are there too many industry groups struggling to get governments’ attention? BW: I’ve worked in agriculture, mining, and the oil and gas sectors, so I’ve had involvement in many industry organisations over the years. All of us have a role to play, but from the governments’ perspective it’s important that we maintain consistency of message and consistency of voice. We are the only organisation where we represent across the whole supply chain. That gives us a unique perspective, but it doesn’t give us a monopoly. We work with as many other industry groups as we can to make sure we get the best outcome for our members. That might sound a little bit like marketing rhetoric, but in actual fact I genuinely mean that. I like a grassroots approach and interaction, and in this day and age it may seem slightly altruistic, but I still firmly believe in it. The freight and logistics sector has a very strong regional footprint and I’ve always admired regional and country communities for being so resilient and there is a lot we can learn from that.

PM What are some of the issues to be faced in the next few years? BW: The geo-political tensions and global supply chain challenges are certainly still going to be around. It’s important to remember that as much as we rely on imported goods and exported goods, we are still only one per cent of the world’s container trade and in that respect, we are a price-taker not a price-maker. A big challenge, which is also an opportunity, is decarbonisation and transition to net zero emissions. The transport sector is well and truly on board but there are a lot of changes which have to happen. Another challenge is how we build resilience into our freight and logistics supply chains for situations like extreme weather events or the AdBlue shortage. How do we make the system better able to deal with the shocks? It’s an ongoing challenge which industry and government need to work collectively on. Leading off that is the constant challenge of how we build capacity into the system to meet the growing freight task. PM: With the current low unemployment rate what can the wider industry do to attract labour? BW: We need access to a skilled workforce and there must be opportunities for people to upskill as we head towards digitalisation, automation and robotics. There is a real opportunity for the sector to sell itself as a different career for people which they might not have considered

in the past. We just don’t have enough drivers at the moment for our vehicles so how do we meet that? What are we doing in terms of migration and skills priorities as part of our migration system and who are we helping to upskill people? Again, there’s a role for both industry and government. PM: Is there enough ‘big picture’ planning taking place? BW: Something which is a bit of a sleeping giant is the planning and preservation of industrial land. The Greater Sydney Planning Commission has been doing some work recently on this and it is important because in a city like Sydney you’re constrained in terms of space because of the geographical nature of the Sydney basin. There is growing pressure for housing and all the things that go with it. If we are talking about 60 per cent growth in freight in our urban areas where are we putting the warehouses, where are we putting our empty containers when we need to stack them, how are the ports going to cope? That’s why places like Western Sydney airport and the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal are becoming increasingly important because there are less and less green field sites around. So how do we think differently about our warehousing? What can we learn from Europe and other places about how do we go about doing that? So, there’s a bit on the agenda and it’s an issues-rich environment. p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

PRIME MOVERS & SHAKERS

Mark O’Dwyer with his two trophies for Kenworth and DAF Technician of the Year.

he search for the 2022 Kenworth Technician of the Year began in October 2021. All service technicians at Kenworth Dealerships Australia wide were invited to participate in the competition, which aims to recognise and reward the best of the best truck technicians. The event encompasses five practical assessments which measure technical skills, product knowledge, engine expertise and professionalism in a combination of electrical, mechanical and system testing. Mark O’Dwyer is an auto electrician by trade and completed his apprenticeship at Hallam Truck Centre where he continues to work to this day. Before Hallam Truck Centre he worked at ReCar Truck Repairs during school holidays and for work experience. “I started as an apprentice here at Hallam in 2003 which was right at the beginning of electronics in commercial vehicles,” Mark recalls. “I’ve seen electronics go from providing very basic fuel control to now controlling almost everything on the truck. 68

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I’m still an auto electrician and I’m one of those guys who takes on everything.” As proof of his versatility, Mark has previously won the DAF Technician of the Year award in 2021. In 2022 he made finals for both of the PACCAR brands affording him the opportunity to choose which one he pursued. “I thought I’d have a go at the Kenworth one and try for back-to-back wins,” he says. The competition process begins with four timed online tests involving the use of Kenworth and DAF service manuals and accessing the correct information. The top four technicians and the top apprentice move on to the finals which were held at the PACCAR dealership in Laverton. “They had five different trucks set up with multiple faults in them so each person picks a truck and has 45 minutes to figure what was wrong and to show you knew how to diagnose it properly,” explains Mark. “Then the examiners would reset the faults for the next contestant and you’d go onto finding the next truck’s faults. I don’t do a lot of mechanical stuff

anymore so I had to work harder at the mechanical issues, but I got through them. The electrical ones were a breeze but only because that’s what we do here every day.” The finalists received over $30,000 worth of prizes, including a voucher for Snap-On tools and this year included an additional incentive for the first placed Kenworth Technician of the Year winner to join Supercars’ Team 18 as a garage crew member at the 2022 Repco Bathurst 1000 in October. Mark describes himself as a “car guy” and is building a street rod based on a 1941 Dodge pickup and is performing all of the fabrication, bodywork and paint tasks himself so he is likely to have a lot to offer when he’s at ‘The Mountain’. Mark, more recently, moved in to the role of supervisor of the pre-delivery department at Hallam Truck Centre, a position in which he combines still being “on the tools” for more than half of his time. “I’ve sort of slid out of the workshop diagnostic side of things lately but I’m still looking after the other three auto

BEST T E C H N I C A L LY T H E

From a shortlist of five Kenworth technicians across Australia, Mark O’Dwyer of Hallam Truck Centre, was named the 2022 Kenworth Technician of the Year.

electricians here as well as a first-year apprentice,” he says. “In addition to running the pre-delivery department, I am often carrying out electrical fit-ups of components in new trucks.” As he approaches it, Mark doesn’t see any issues with the mix of American and European trucks although he has a slightly different approach to each. “Some of these European trucks can test me out a little bit. The DAF is more diagnostic-centred with computers, whereas with a Kenworth there is still a lot more visual work looking for issues. But they are catching up pretty quickly.” Over the past few years Mark has regarded the development and availability of the PACCAR MX engines in some Kenworth models as a move which hasn’t created many challenges for technicians, despite using ‘metric’ engines in ‘imperial’ chassis. “Because we are a DAF dealer as well, we are pretty used to them, and now with the new Kenworth T410s it’s pretty seamless,” he says. The widespread industry shortage of good

Mark shows off his technical skills during competition.

technicians is as concerning as the lack of good drivers and Mark is in a position to identify what he considers to be a fundamental problem. “From what I can tell, young kids today are just going off into the building trades or want to work with computers. Unless they have grown up in a family with trucks, they are not interested in working with trucks and they are just not interested in the trade unless they have had exposure to it,” he says. “Many apprentices we get through here have got a truck background. We need to show them that you can have a great career as a technician that can lead to many other positions in the industry.” Mark considers the truck industry to have a range of opportunities and appreciates the support of the PACCAR group and Hallam Truck Centre in providing him with the scenario of being able to experience the satisfaction of diagnosing, and

subsequently rectifying, any issues which may arise in the complexities of modern heavy-duty trucks and he welcomes the responsibility of providing the ultimate solutions for customers’ vehicles, often after others have attempted to solve the issue. “Being a dealer, we win all of the hard stuff which is good challenge for us,” Mark says. “A few other people might have had a go, but it ends up with us, so we’ve got to figure it out.” Technical knowledge, abilities and experience are important factors in the technicians’ role, and an inquiring attitude towards tricky problems is vital as well. “I enjoy figuring out how to fix the hard stuff and it’s good when you finally figure out something no one else has been able to diagnose or repair,” says Mark. “It’s obviously rewarding when you get to the bottom of it.” p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

DELIVERY NEWS

FORMER ARAMEX SALES BOSS APPOINTED AT COURIERSPLEASE Parcel delivery service CouriersPlease has named Chris Read as its first Head of Sales. Read brings nearly three decades’ experience across several industries to the role including franchised businesses in logistics and transportation. He previously worked at transport and logistics company Aramex for several years as National Sales Manager, where he was instrumental in attracting new business and increasing company revenue. In the last two years, Read was Operations Manager at 13cabs and Yellow Couriers, helping the company expand its partnerships and improve its delivery services. In his role, Read will be responsible for driving revenue across all areas of the business and support key customer and new business acquisition nationally. This will involve both leading and collaboration with the marketing team to develop and implement strategies

to maximise sales opportunities, the building of relationships with new partners to increase revenue, and streamlining the customer onboarding process. Owing to his diverse background in leadership roles across numerous industries, Read has expertise in multiple areas that are considered valuable to CouriersPlease. Decades of experience working as a driving force to the success of franchised businesses will also prove invaluable CouriersPlease said in an issued statement. Read is also an expert in developing successful sales strategies, change management, risks and financial governance, stakeholder engagement, employee relations, IT, and has strong business acumen. “I look forward to supporting CouriersPlease in its continuing growth trajectory with new customer acquisition. A focus for me will be to lead the

team to develop and implement an industry-leading sales strategy based on continuous improvement, to help the company grow its bottom line,” said Read. “I will also look to strengthen our relationships with customers and optimise the customer experience throughout the company,” he said. CouriersPlease CEO Richard Thame said, in response to Read’s appointment, that he brought a wealth of experience from logistics and transport as well as other industries where he had acquired transferrable skills “His ability to increase company revenue and drive customer acquisition will be invaluable for CouriersPlease, as we continue building upon our strong customer base,” said Thame. “Chris’s breadth of knowledge and experience will undoubtedly be instrumental in our desire to continue to set the benchmark as Australia’s leading franchised courier service.”

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LANDCRUISER 70 SERIES UPGRADES ANNOUNCED Toyota is set to upgrade its iconic workhorse 4WD LandCruiser 70 Series. Set for arrival in November later this year, the upgraded LandCruiser 70 Series pickup and wagon range benefits from the addition of a precollision safety system incorporating autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection. This builds, according to Toyota, upon the already extensive safety technology that includes anti-lock braking, traction control, vehicle stability control and hill-start assist. Design refinements have enabled Toyota to increase the GVM to more than 3,500kg, supporting useful increases in payload and taking the range from the light to the medium goods category. Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley said Toyota was committed to providing LandCruiser 70 70

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Series customers with greater flexibility and peace of mind. “The upcoming changes are designed to ensure that the legendary LandCruiser 70 Series will continue to be available for the foreseeable future in the Australian market, where its popularity resulted in more than 13,900 sales last year,” he said. “The increase in GVM is sure to appeal to

owners who use the 70 Series as a tool of trade or are seeking an even greater ability as a heavy duty recreational off roader. Combined with heavyduty suspension and 3,500kg towing capacity, these upgrades will enhance the versatility of the LandCruiser 70 Series which is powered by a strong 151kW/430Nm 4.5-litre V8 turbo diesel engine.

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r Toyota LandCruiser 70.

RENAULT MASTER it’s my business it’s my van

“They look great on the road and they are great for business” “I have a fleet of Renault Masters. I started my business in 2002 with 5 Renault Masters. I now have more than 40 across Australia. They look great on the road and they are great for business. There’s loads of storage throughout and tech keeps us connected. Both rear doors open and you can load a pallet straight in. We love the way our signage looks on the van. You can’t miss us on the road!” Peter, Cowan Restoration Services renault.com.au

DELIVERY NEWS

PREMIER PROGRAM SET TO EXPAND FOR NISSAN Nissan Navara Warrior.

The Nissan Warrior by Premcar program is set to expand local manufacturing. Nissan said the success of the Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior by Premcar has prompted a new, locally developed model that is tailor-made for Australia and Australian conditions. The Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior by Premcar was the second model released through the Warrior program — a successor to the Navara N-Trek Warrior — and it has proved a major success, with the Premcar team having now built more than 1000 examples of what it describes as the world’s

toughest Navara in Victoria. The popularity of the Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior by Premcar will now see the Warrior program expand, with the Navara SL Warrior to introduce a new entry point to the family. A Nissan Patrol Warrior concept is also under study. The program expansion was confirmed last week to Nissan’s dealer network, along with the new Qashqai, X-Trail, Pathfinder, and flagship Z performance coupe, as Nissan prepares for one of its biggest six-month periods in its history. “I’m thrilled to announce the expansion of the Warrior program, developed in

collaboration with Premcar, which has proven immensely popular in Australia,” said Adam Paterson, Nissan Australia Managing Director. “With the Navara SL Warrior by Premcar, a new and more accessible entry point will join the Warrior family, ensuring even more customers can experience the world’s toughest Navara for themselves,” he said. “The Nissan Patrol is also currently under study by Premcar to further broaden its capability, both on and off the road. Our collaboration with Premcar is guided by the development of vehicles that are perfectly suited to Australian customers and conditions.” Having undergone the same exhaustive local testing, tuning and validation program as the PRO-4X Warrior by Premcar, the SL Warrior — which is based on the SL Navara — will arrive with a more aggressive exterior and the enhanced capability required to earn the Warrior name. Nissan had promised more details will be revealed closer to the vehicle’s launch.

KEBAB FACTORY ENDORSES LAST MILE LONGEVITY An IVECO Daily used for Kebab Factory operations has comfortably exceeded 1.1 million kilometres. Kebab Factory Owner, Akin Sezgin, purchased his first Daily in 2005 and achieved 800,000 kilometres of trouble-free running before it was involved in an accident. His next purchase, a 2013 model 50C17 did even better, having recently travelled an impressive 1,100,000 kilometres without incident. As a producer of kebab meat products, Kebab Factory distributes its goods from its Sydney facility to outlets as far afield as Northern New South Wales and South into Central Victoria, on routes that regularly see the 12m³ Daily cover 3,000 kilometres per week. The van works hard often maximising its 2,700kg payload, however the driveline combination of 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine (producing 124kW and 400 Nm) 72

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and 6-speed manual, has taken the work in its stride according to Sezgin. “What I like about the Daily is that unlike a lot of the other vans, it has good power which makes it responsive and easy to drive on the open road,” he said. “I’m also impressed with the fuel efficiency that we’re getting – if we were travelling these distances in a cab over truck with Pantech body, we’d definitely be using a lot more fuel,” said Sezgin. “Another feature that’s great about the Daily is that is has a proper full-length chassis, which lets us carry the weight we need to get the job done efficiently.” While many commercial vehicle owners trade-up to a newer model once the kilometres begin to rise, Sezgin said that he has achieved good results by keeping his vehicles for longer. “So long as the van’s still going well, is reliable and doing the job you need it to,

I don’t really see the need to update,” he said. “The last Daily we had for eight years before it was damaged and it was still going well – this current model is showing no sign of giving us trouble.” The professionalism of the van’s driver, Ugur, has played a major part in looking after the vehicle according to Sezgin who noted the Daily is exclusively serviced by IVECO Sydney using IVECO parts. “We’ve stuck to the logbook servicing in terms of the work that’s carried out, the only difference is that where the oil change intervals are specified every 40,000 kilometres by the manufacturer, we go a bit earlier at 30,000 kilometres,” he explained. “The guys at the dealership have done a great job at keeping the Daily running nicely.”

AMA GROUP SET TO INSTALL DEFIBRILLATORS ACROSS 172 SITES Passenger and commercial vehicle collision repair specialist, AMA Group, has partnered with Defib for Life to install defibrillators at every one of the Group’s 172 sites. The roll out will be fast and is expected to be completed over the national network in the next two months. Each year in Australia and New Zealand, an estimated 27,000 people have a cardiac arrest (where their heart suddenly stops beating) out of hospital. A cardiac arrest can occur at any moment and the chances of survival depend largely on having a defibrillator nearby to reset the patient’s heartbeat. Survival rates are as low as five per cent if no one starts CPR or defibrillation, to 90 per cent if a defibrillator is attached immediately. It’s not the only recent news of en masse defibrillator uptake with a new pilot program in Reservoir in Melbourne’s north announced in April. The year-long program will place defibrillators in the suburb in a grid to make it so residents are constantly within 400 metres of a lifesaving device. Former paramedic, Andrew White, Defib for Life Founder said by installing a

defibrillator, workplaces were ensuring that they were rescue-ready in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest. “Like fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and first aid kits, defibrillators are becoming a vital part of any workplace’s emergency response plan,” he said. “AMA Group is leading by example and I strongly encourage other workplaces to follow suit,” said White. A not-for-profit foundation, Defib for Life was established in 2010, following the tragic loss of several young people to sudden cardiac arrests at sporting venues. One of those, 19-year-old Stephen Buckman, collapsed suddenly at football training and, with no defibrillator available and ambulance response prolonged, he tragically died. White teamed up with Buckman’s mother, Sue, in order to reduce these tragic incidents. The Samaritan PAD 500P defibrillator provided by Defib for Life analyses heart rhythm and automatically delivers electrical shocks (if needed) to restore normal heartbeat. It also has an integrated CPR Advisor, which gives visual and verbal feedback on the force

and rate of chest compressions. Having these devices to hand at every AMA Group site will not only safeguard employees and visitors but provides a life-saving resource for the whole local community according to the company, with the devices listed on national registers, so anyone witnessing a cardiac arrest nearby can locate the site online. “There is nothing more important to us than the safety of our people and the communities in which we work,” said Carl Bizon, AMA Group CEO. “With the biggest collision repair network across Australia and New Zealand, plus our parts supply network, partnering with Defib for Life means there are over 170 additional defibrillators available in our workplaces and to our communities. While we hope these will never be needed, I am pleased that we have made this investment, should their use ever be required.” White said that although defibrillators are not yet mandatory in workplaces AMA Group has helped Defib for Life continue advocating through partnerships like this to make them more available. “The more defibs out there the more lives will be saved,” he said.

An AMA Group bus repair workshop. d e live r y m a g a z ine . c o m . a u

LAUNCH PAD

Uber has expanded its model to include on-demand retail.

RUSH HOUR Software e-Commerce specialist Shippit has partnered with Uber to bring retail product purchases into the on-demand delivery model.

he growing appetite for retail eCommerce has, with the advancement of delivery technology and strategic carrier partnerships, entered the realm of on-the-hour dispatch and delivery. Dubbed a first-ofits-kind partnership, multi-carrier shipping software specialist Shippit and Uber have teamed up to bring one hour shipping, more commonly associated with takeaway food, to Australian consumers. Retailers Cue and Sephora are the first to jump on board the new model 74

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in which merchants, using Shippit’s software, now have the ability to offer customers an Uber delivery option at checkout. Much like the Uber Eats model, quotes and estimated time of arrival will be viewable in a customer’s shopping cart, with packages to be tracked using the technology platform’s real-time GPS. Customers can also checkout and book on-demand deliveries after business hours and on weekends. Clothing retail chain Cue was the first Australian fashion brand to offer one hour on-demand delivery through Uber providing its consumers

who opt for the service reside within a 20 kilometre radius of a Cue store. Up to 30 cities across Australia currently, under these terms, qualify for the partnership. Costs and estimated delivery times are calculated within checkout with Uber On Demand delivery available from 10am – 3:30pm, seven days a week. Consumers can buy from retail stores and order and track its delivery in realtime according to Shane Lenton Cue Clothing Chief Information Officer. “When a customer is checking out on our website, they are provided

options based on the location of the inventory in our stores and also the customers delivery address,” he says. “Surprisingly it’s not that much different than standard and express shipping — even same-day delivery. It’s very competitive.” Deliveries of up to two kilometres cost $10 while shipping to eight kilometres costs around $22. Shippit boasts a streamlined fulfilment workflow and allocation engine which it says picks the fastest or cheapest courier for each delivery. Business has tripled since COVID hit Australia seeing Shippit grow at 200 per cent. Prior to that it was growing at 100 per cent year-on-year Shippit, the brainchild of former Unilever Marketing Manager Ron Hango-Zada, currently partners with many of the major carriers and integrates with services like TNT Express, Toll Overnight and Auspost eParcel and more. “The great news about the partnership is Shippit acts as the glue that sits between the retailer and the delivery provider,” says Ron, Shippit CEO. “So the retailer doesn’t need to change much on their end if they’re connected to Shippit. They can now avail themselves of options like Uber’s same hour delivery service pretty easily.” He believes it’s only a matter of time before it becomes common practice as other retailers, like cosmetics business Sephora, jump on board. “The current generation is the ondemand generation, so we do expect everything yesterday,” Ron says. “This is really going to set the benchmark for what delivery should be for customers and it’s not something that every retailer can offer based on the way they’re set up.” Uber drivers, who are not unfamiliar with couriering parcels, can add formal wear, perfume and women’s fashion to the burgers, barbecue and Thai takeaway they already deliver. Uber now competes with the likes of Yello, Zoom2u, Amazon Flex and Sherpa who all offer on-demand and

in some cases, ‘near-instant,’ delivery services across the major capital cities of Australia. It’s a sector that will only get more competitive. According to a 2021 ANZ Economic Impact Report, compiled by Public First, Uber has transformed the ondemand economy for consumers, communities, merchants, drivers and delivery people, generating $10.4 billion in value for Australia’s economy last year. It produced $6.6 billion in consumer surplus in 2021 — equivalent to 0.35 per cent of GDP. The report also looks at the drivers behind this economic contribution and what it calls “its enhancement of safety and sustainability of the industry”. Ondemand services, for one, helped boost small business recovery following ongoing and infrequent governmentimposed COVID lockdowns. Uber’s platforms encouraged Australians to support local restaurants and merchants which they would otherwise not have had access to, leading to $889 million in additional revenue – and a gross impact of $8.4 billion for the Australian economy, as a whole. Food delivery apps made it easier to discover new restaurants according to 79 per cent of Uber Eats users with another 70 per cent of users agreeing that they had ordered from restaurants they had never tried before.

Consumer behaviour last year also helped to drive innovation according to the report. As part of an increasing trend in regard to behaviours, consumers continued to prioritise convenience and reliability. Uber estimates it to saved riders in Australia over 40 million hours a year leaving more time for family and friends. According to Australian riders, ridesharing is the most significant transport innovation they have experienced in the last decade. After nearly ten years partnering with Australians, Uber’s combined delivery and mobility businesses was making a significant contribution to the local economy according to GM Rides, Uber Australia and New Zealand, Dom Taylor. “Uber has provided $10 billion in economic value, with the platform creating $456 million in earnings for drivers and delivery people and an additional $889 million incremental revenue for restaurant partners in 2021,” he said. “It is clear from this report that flexibility is the most important factor in why people choose to drive or deliver with the Uber app, which is worth an estimated $400 million to this cohort.” Uber was able to provide earnings opportunities for more than 100,000 people in the past year including the support of restaurants and small businesses according to the report.

A retailer assesses outgoing inventory. d e live r y m a g a z ine . c o m . a u

INSIGHT | VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION INSTITUTE

Unfinished business from Wodonga

PETER HART

n 7 August 2014, a dog trailer tanker separated from its rigid tanker truck on the YackandandahWodonga Rd. The separation occurred on a sweeping left-hand bend of the two-lane main country road. The tanker wandered onto the wrong side of road and ran on the outside of the truck for many seconds. Oncoming traffic was presented with an impossible situation. Tragically three people were killed in the resulting road crashes. The road transport industry has a responsibility to learn lessons from this road crash and try to minimise the risk that such a crash can reoccur. There has been court action resulting from this crash and I respect the judgements that were made. I want to focus on the vehicle-standards issues that arise from this terrible event. After the crash the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) developed a Vehicle Standards Guide (VSG 4 Inspection of Drawbar Eyes). This is an important document that gives advice about inspection of drawbar hardware. It exhibits photos that show drawbars and towing eyes that are in both good and poor condition. An essential aspect of any routine workshop inspection of a drawbar trailer must be a careful examination of the drawbar and its coupling, as they are high risk items. VSG4 is important as a reference point for service workshops, but is not an

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adequate community response to this incident. The Australian Design Rules (ADRs) have requirements that are directly relevant to the drawbar and its coupling. It would be wrong to assume that the ADRs are an all-embracing set of safety standards that, if complied with, will deliver the best safety outcomes. All technical regulations should be reviewed periodically to take account of real-world experience. The mechanical coupling between heavy vehicles is a safety-critical element. For a heavy mechanical coupling, five fundamental safety requirements exist, which are: (i) Multiple independent protections against failure. (ii) Correctly specified mating parts on each side of the coupling. (iii) Adequate mechanical strength and resilience proven by tests. (iv) Well-defined and practical coupling installation instructions. (v) Clear maintenance instructions, including a statement of wear limits. In consequence of the Wodonga incident, our industry should review aspects (i), (iii), (iv) and (v) to consider whether the rules are adequate. The trailer separated because the boltin towing eye coupling came loose. It did this because the thread on the retention nut had been damaged by prior chattering movement. Photos of the parts are shown on the next page. The threads had been damaged because the nut was marginally loose. The manufacturer’s torque specification for some bolt-in towing eyes is 1,500Nm. Putting this in context, this torque would be generated by the weight of an 80kg mechanic hanging off a 1.91m long handle. Such a torque cannot be achieved without specialised tightening equipment. It is arguable that the maintenance

requirements (v) are beyond the average workshop. The problem is that it is difficult to assess the nut torque without using a torque multiplier to try to loosen the nut at 1500Nm. Despite the likely use of a retention pin on the nut, it broke off when the trailer was pulled and the threads jumped on the nut. The soft metal pin was no match for the shearing forces that occurred. Once it separated, the trailer continued straight when the roadway went left, leaving the trailer to wander onto the wrong side of the road. The trailer emergency brakes did not operate automatically because the trailer brake system was connected to the truck via coiled air lines. They allowed a considerable separation between the truck and trailer before the air-lines broke. Therefore, the emergency brakes did not operate immediately. There is a general principle applicable to machinery safety that is: ‘there should be at least two independent protections against failure of a safety critical element’. The reason for this is to reduce the risk of failure of the safety-critical part or system. In the case of an automatic pin coupling and D-50 towing eye, the independent safety protections are 1: adequate coupling strength correctly specified, installed and maintained; and 2: an emergency brake that comes on immediately when the trailer separates. Neither of these protections were met and in total they were inadequate. Aspect 2 failed because coiled brake lines were used that could stretch to many meters before breaking. In my opinion, these protections, even if effective, are not adequate. Dog trailer drawbars should have safety chains as a third protection. The Australian Design Rule 38

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COMMERCIAL ROAD TRANSPORT

RULES THAT SHOULD BE REVIEWED: 1. Amend Clause 5.4 of ADR 38/05 to define “automatic application” of the emergency brakes. A suitable specification is that the emergency brake apply when the trailer separation exceeds 500mm. 2. Amend ADR 62/02 to require proof tests for mechanical couplings at 100% of the D- and V-values. The test should be done immediately after endurance testing of the sample. 3. Amend clause 14.3.1of ADR 62/02 to specify the trailer types that must have safety chains attached. This should include all drawbar trailers.

Crash scene photos of the failed coupling.

requires trailers to have an “efficient ‘Emergency Brake System’ which will cause immediate automatic application of its ‘Brakes’ in the event of the trailer accidentally becoming disconnected from the towing vehicle.” The implication is that the element that holds the emergency brakes off will operate “immediately” if the trailer coupling fails. There is no definition of “immediately” in the rule. In any case, “immediately” is impossible. However, a reasonable expectation is that the emergency brake controls are triggered when the separation of a trailer exceeds 500mm. I cannot say what the outcome of the Wodonga crash would have been if the brakes on the trailer had applied “immediately”, but I do think the outcome could have been better. In July 2015 I published an article in this magazine (‘Why electronic brake control and safety chains should be mandatory on new dog trailers’) that made the case for mandating safety chains on dog trailer drawbars. The reasons for

this are relevant to the Wodonga crash. ADR 62 requires that towbars have safety chain attachments. It does not mandate safety chains on trailers with a single-axle-group such as centre-axle trailers and semi-trailers. The reason for this discrepancy is that separation of a single-axle-group trailer will probably result in the front of the trailer hitting the roadway, which might restrict operation of the emergency brakes. In my opinion the logic for excluding dog trailers from the safety chain requirement is false. A separated dog trailer will run until the emergency brakes operate. If the emergency brake control mechanism is ineffective, as in the Wodonga crash, safety chains would prevent the trailer wandering. ADR 62 Mechanical Couplings specifies dimensions and test forces for various types of couplings. It follows UN ECE Regulation 55 but is independent of it. ECE R55 defines classes of automatic pin couplings; there are several. For example, a 50mm towing eye couple

should be coupled to a 40mm pin coupling. The operator must ensure that the correct parts are coupled — this is beyond the scope of ADR 62. ADR 62 requires a coupling to meet endurance testing requirements based upon a strength rating of the coupling called the ‘D-Value’, which the coupling manufacturer declares. The endurance testing requires the coupling to survive 2 million force cycles that are applied between +0.6D and -0.6D. There is no proof test for couplings, only an endurance test at 60 per cent of the D-value. This is also a failing of the design rule. A proof test after endurance testing would prove the rating. My list of items relevant to the Australian Design Rules that should be reviewed is shown in the text box. The question is now whether the road transport industry is prepared to accept the status quo or act to make improvements. Dr Peter Hart, ARTSA-i p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

INSURANCE SHOWCASE ADVERTISE IN OUR SEPTEMBER 2022 PRODUCT SHOWCASE ON HEAVY VEHICLE INSURANCE. Roadside inspections not only identify unsafe carriers but can have ramifications up and down the supply chain, impacting senior management, insurance premiums, customers and reputations. It’s critically important to have a contingency plan in place on how to handle damage-related downtime. Every day a truck is not on the road it costs a business money. For fleet management to improve its culture of safety it must have a dependable repairer and be able to centralise its maintenance and safety management for its insurers. More than ever it’s vital to have complete records of driver coaching, maintenance both performed and scheduled, and claims made to expedite insurance renewals. It’s no coincidence a strong workshop culture incorporating practical and theoretical heavy vehicle safety and management is increasingly being associated with best practice risk-management. If your business is contributing to safety culture through insurance, repairs or workshops our September edition is the platform for you.

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TRUCK INDUSTRY COUNCIL | INSIGHT

A new broom sweeps clean

TONY MCMULLAN

hile it is still early days since the recent federal election and the appointment of a new Labor Government, there are signs that the winds of change are blowing through our nation’s capital. From the perspective of the Truck Industry Council (TIC) and our members, the local truck manufacturers and importers, we are looking forward to working with the Albanese government. TIC’s direct engagement with Mr Albanese stretches well back to when Labor was last in power and he was the National Transport Minister. That relationship continued through Labor’s time in opposition, where Mr Albanese was the Shadow Transport Minister up until he took the reins as party leader in 2019. As a former minister directly responsible for transport in Australia, Mr Albanese knows very well the importance of the heavy vehicle road freight sector and significant role that trucks play in supplying goods and services to all Australians every day, to the rural and mining sectors and ensuring timely transportation to the docks and airports to keep our valuable export trade moving. He is also aware of the challenges that our industry faces, an ageing driver collective, skills shortages, rising operational costs, an ever-ageing truck fleet that lags much of the world with regard to current safety and environmental systems and the unfortunate, but ever present, road trauma that is associated with any vehicle network.

Then there is the emerging problem of how to decarbonise the transport sector, an issue that the world is struggling with. There is no shortage of ideas, however a clear direction, or solution, is yet to emerge and the challenges for Australia are greater than most. A sparsely settled country that is reliant on an effective and affordable road transport network to service our needs for personal and freight movements. No other form of transport can offer the coverage, flexibility and bottom-line economic value that road can in Australia. However, as we transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles challenges will emerge. How will we fund road infrastructure, for example? The current Road User Charging (RUC) model relies on the fuel excise tax gained from diesel and petrol. Those funds will diminish over time as we transition away from fossil fuels. On this RUC issue, the reform discussion needs to start now. Truck owners and operators, freight companies, car owners, fleet and leasing organisations, state and territory governments, all need a clear understanding of how the RUC will work moving forward. Essential changes to the RUC will determine future road expenditure, influence the technologies that will power our future trucks and cars and determine when we are likely to witness the tipping point away from diesel and petrol. Given that truck model development cycles are typically ten years, or greater, vehicle manufacturers need clear directional intent now, from our government. Other key issues that TIC will be discussing with the new government include, implementation of ADR80/04 (Euro 6 and equivalent alternative regulations from Japan and the USA). With no action by the previous government, Australia now lags

Europe and the US by a decade with regard to noxious vehicle emissions and we are potentially faced with the embarrassing situation that these regions will move to Euro 7 before Australia implements Euro 6. Our ageing truck park, one of the oldest in the developed world, will be a significant impediment to transitioning to a low/zero emission future and the impacts of not having the latest safety technologies across our heavy vehicle fleet are well documented. TIC will be discussing measures aimed at increasing the retirement rate of older trucks, while incentivising new, safer, cleaner, greener and more productive new vehicles. Heading those discussions will be much needed mass and dimensional reform for heavy vehicles, aligning our regulations with globally accepted practice. Finally, the Road Vehicle Standards Act reform process was poorly administered and executed. TIC members are spending significantly more time and money certifying new model trucks to the same Australia Design Rules that existed under the previous Act. There have been no safety benefits derived from the new system, just significantly more cost. These failings need to be addressed by the incoming government, otherwise all new motor vehicles will needlessly cost consumer more to purchase. The road ahead will be challenging. However, TIC and our members are looking forward to working with the new Labor Government to progress real regulatory reform that will benefit the road transport industry and in turn all Australians.

Tony McMullan CEO, Truck Industry Council p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

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VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION | INSIGHT

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COMMERCIAL ROAD TRANSPORT

Shipping profits validate calls to change competition law

PETER ANDERSON STUART ST CLAIR

veryone in the business world is acutely aware of the havoc unleashed by the pandemic on the financial performance of businesses. Revenue and profits have taken a massive hit, with some sectors hit much harder than others considering industries like tourism, hospitality and the retail sector were disproportionally impacted by public health restrictions. The transport industry has continued with less disruptions because of the essential service operators provide, but that hasn’t prevented similar disproportions in the financial performance of different links in the logistics supply chain. Road freight operators in Australia have experienced spiralling diesel costs, which other transport modes haven’t been exposed to. The financial impact of the pandemic on shippers is worth examining in consideration of competition exemptions they receive under Competition and Act Consumer 2010, with increases in shipping liner super profits of up to 900 per cent further evidence Part X of the Act needs to be repealed. Victorian Transport Association analysis of the reported earnings of some of the world’s biggest shipping liners reveals a significant variance in revenue and profit over like-for-like quarters this year and last year, despite a corresponding

reduction in TEU activity. Our analysis found, in part, one liner reported a 61.2 per cent increase in revenue of USD$15.5 billion and a 41.4 per cent profit increase to USD$8.2 billion in a recent reporting quarter compared with the same quarter last year; another reported a 101 per cent increase in revenue of USD$12.5 billion and a 23.6 per cent profit increase to USD$6.8 billion in a recent reporting quarter compared with the same quarter last year; and a third liner reported a 78 per cent increase in revenue of USD$56 billion and a 21.8 per cent profit increase to USD23 billion in 2021 compared with 2020. Over the same period the first two reported TEU activity reductions of 12 per cent and 2.5 per cent, respectively. The most extreme example of such significant variances in profits and revenues shipping lines experienced during the pandemic was one liner reporting a 136 per cent increase in revenue of USD$16 billion and a massive 900 per cent profit increase to USD$8.4 billion in 2021 compared with 2020. The ACCC has had under consideration ocean liner shipping class exemptions from Part X since it issued a discussion paper on the matter in December 2019. Liners currently can access a wide suite of exemptions from Australia’s competition law. However, the 2015 Competition Policy Harper Review recommended the repeal of Part X and that the ACCC develop a class exemption for liner shipping agreements that meet a minimum standard of pro-competitive features. Shipping lines earning such massive profits and revenues while transporting less cargo shows the competition exemptions they are afforded under Part

X of the Act are unfair. Under Part X, shipping liners are also allowed to agree on freight rates and quantities and the kinds of goods to be transported on particular trade routes, which is a form of complicity unheard of for other parts of the business world. While shippers have enjoyed record profits, the rest of the transport industry has suffered from exponentially rising shipping costs, together with higher prices for fuel, labour and maintenance, and a very limited capacity to pass these costs onto customers. With super profit and revenue increases like this, it’s clear Part X has passed its use-by date and needs to go. Allowing cooperation among shipping companies under Part X is intended to prevent undue volatility in price and the creation of excess and under capacity. The recent profit and revenue volatility in shipping we’ve seen clearly shows Part X isn’t working. The profit and revenue volatility were also a likely factor in inflationary pressures being experienced by most economies, along with other supply chain constraints coming out of COVID and conflict in Eastern Europe. Consumers are feeling the effects of this volatility right now in the form of higher prices and unless action is taken to prevent such exorbitant increases in shipping rates, inflationary effects will continue. For the long-term health of our industry such discrepancy in the financial performance of different parts of transport is not sustainable or desirable. Public policy that enables this needs to change.

Peter Anderson CEO, VTA p r im e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

PETER SHIELDS’ NUMBER CRUNCH

Divisions of Labour more than in last May (+14 per cent) and took the YTD to 5,766 which is 516 more units than at the same time last year (+9.8 per cent). The costs of manufacture will inevitably rise, driven by factors including energy costs and availability of essential components. A growing disparity between wage growth and inflation will also have to addressed at some point, quite probably before the end of 2022, which will consequently lead to increased labour costs.

The G7 Nations’s energy and environment ministers have agreed to cease funding overseas fossil fuel development at the end of 2022 and shift that money to clean energy. Analysts suggest that the G7’s decision could shift around $USD33 billion in investment from fossil fuels to the clean energy sector and accelerate the development and availability of battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell powered commercial vehicles. Closer to home, the latest national accounts data shows that the Australian economy grew by 0.8 per cent in the March quarter but the annual growth rate fell from 4.2 per cent to 3.3 per cent. The incoming Albanese Government is faced with rising inflation and interest rates as well as rising fuel prices. According to Roy Morgan Research wholesale electricity prices increased by more than 230 per cent since the end of March and gas reached more than 300 per cent higher than the average of the past few years. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that 1.3 million workers – or 9.5 per cent of the workforce – switched jobs in the year to February. This compares with a record low of 7.5 per cent in the previous 12 months and 8.1 per cent in the 12 months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The scarcity of labour is affecting local manufacture and assembly of new trucks as well as the additional drivers required once they hit the road. The statistics from the Truck Industry Council for the month of May show sales of 3,284 new trucks and 493 new large vans. The year-to-date total of 14,052 cab chassis and prime movers was 13.6 per cent more than for the same period in 2021 while the van accrual of 1,848 is down 34.2 per cent compared with the first five months of last year. Heavy Duty truck deliveries of 1,274 units during May was up 224 units on the previous May (+21.3 per cent) and took the YTD total to 5,322 units, a growth of 20.5 per cent year-on-year. The Medium Duty category was almost line-ball for May, with the 681 new units being just four more than in May 2021, and the YTD of 2,964 shows a growth of 9.7 per cent. Light Duty trucks achieved a total of 1,329 for the May, 163 82

ju ly 2022

May-22

YTD

Change

ISUZU

1140

4522

22.8%

HINO

574

2563

5.0%

FUSO

406

1896

17.7%

KENWORTH

260

1123

27.9%

VOLVO

173

769

30.8%

MERCEDES-BENZ

135

513

-24.0%

IVECO

487

2.5%

UD TRUCKS

104

396

76.8%

SCANIA

120

355

21.8%

MACK

309

35.5%

DAF

207

10.1%

FIAT

195

-19.4%

FREIGHTLINER

172

21.1%

MAN

159

57.4%

WESTERN STAR

120

0.0%

RENAULT

54.7%

HYUNDAI

-6.3%

VOLKSWAGEN

100.0%

FORD

-70.1%

DENNIS EAGLE

-71.4%

SEA ELECTRIC

INTERNATIONAL

-86.7%

CAB CHASSIS/PRIME

3284

14052

13.6%

M-B VANS

192

764

-14.1%

RENAULT VANS

163

446

43.4%

VOLKSWAGEN VANS

236

-55.7%

FORD VANS

222

-71.1%

IVECO VANS

-21.1%

FIAT VANS

-55.1%

VANS

493

1848

-34.2%

TOTAL

3777

15900

4.7%

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