®
October 2019
Tow Trucks Brisbane First on the Scene
OCTOBER 2019 $11.00
ISSN 1838-2320 01
9 771838 232000
Industry Fleet: OzWide Freight Feature: Paths of Glory Liquid Waste: Fuso Heavy Personality: Chris Loose
Innovation Fleet: Haulaway Test Drive: Kenworth T410 Final Mile: Toyota HiAce Electric Vehicles: Goodyear
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 O V E
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Photographs are representative only and may not reflect actual vehicle colours, accessories or option packages. Please check with your dealer regarding colour order and timing for delivery.
®
October 2019
MEET THE TEAM Australia’s leading truck magazine, Prime Mover, continues to invest more in its products and showcases a deep pool of editorial talent with a unique mix of experience and knowledge. Tow Trucks Brisbane First on the Scene
SEPTEMBER 2019 $11.00
ISSN 1838-2320
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.
Luke Applebee | Managing Editor, Transport Group
Luke has a background in copywriting and content marketing, working with a range of businesses from solar and engineering to freight forwarding and 3PL. With a special focus on digital marketing and content creation, Luke has a strong strategic edge and can draw on years of experience in social media campaign management.
9 771838 232000
01
Industry Fleet: OzWide Freight Feature: Paths of Glory Liquid Waste: Fuso Heavy Personality: Chris Loose
Innovation Fleet: Haulaway Test Drive: Kenworth T410 Communications: ToooAir Electric Vehicles: Goodyear
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 O V E
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 Peter Shields writer peter.shields@primecreative.com.au
Terry Wogan terry.wogan@primecreative.com.au 0417 474 752 advertising sales
business Ash Blachford
development ash.blachford@primecreative.com.au manager 0403 485 140
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.
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.
art director Blake Storey blake.storey@primecreative.com.au
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Ashley Blachford | Business Development Manager
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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.
copyright
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.
CONTENTS
Prime Mover October 2019
34 36 44
52
26
COVER STORY “People have to understand we’re not there to take their car and run and we make a point assuring them we’re there to make sure they are OK first. And that is usually very much appreciated.”
40
PATHS OF GLORY
Prime Feature Stories FLEET FOCUS
26 First on the Scene
44 Toxic Avengers
Jason Cooke operates a fleet of tow trucks in the Brisbane metropolitan area. Keen to lead from the front, Jason and his team utilise a range of Hino trucks to expedite the pick-up and delivery of damaged and broken down vehicles.
Lee’s Environmental is an innovative liquid waste operation in demand on the Gold Coast. To make use of a new industrial vacuum pump, never before mounted to a truck anywhere in the world, it turned to Fuso.
30 Starship Enterprise
52 Done to a T
OzWide Freight runs a dedicated general freight linehaul service between Brisbane and far north Queensland. With ultimate reliability as the primary requirement, a fleet of Western Star B-double prime movers is relied upon to keep the operation trekking true.
It’s almost fifty years since the first Australian-made Kenworth rolled off the production line at the Bayswater plant. There has been a number of new products from PACCAR in recent years with the latest being the T410.
36 Renewing the Future
06 From the Editor 08 Prime Mover News 56 Final Mile 60 Personality 66 Australian Road Transport Suppliers’ Association 69 Australian Trucking Association 70 Australian Logistics Council 72 Truck Industry Council 73 Victorian Transport Association 74 Peter Shields’ Number Crunch
Handling waste is no longer a case of out of sight, out of mind. Stricter regulations and higher community expectations have driven opportunities for innovative and reliable operators such as Haulaway to grow successful and sustainable businesses. TRUCK AND TECH
40 Paths of Glory Four years ago the newly appointed head of Daimler Trucks in Australia had a dream to bring the Freightliner Cascadia to local shores. Next year that dream becomes a reality.
TEST DRIVE
Regular Run
FROM THE EDITOR
Perverted by Language
William Craske Editor
6
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Disruption. Diversity. Deliverable. These three buzz words, and that’s just the Ds, seem everywhere in business at present, imbued through mere proliferation with meaning and yet they each refract, in similar ways, an atomisation of a supposed whole that can never be seen. A market disruption of course is something that promises to change the game, rather than what it actually does, which is render it inert. Diversity, as some blanket solution, discredits the inductive method of evaluating evidence validated by merit. Multiplying representative fields, across revenue or staff, can distort rather than unify a vision as there is less for it to solidify around. A deliverable, as a supposed commonplace descriptor for completing a job, imparts code where none should exist, making language, a bedrock of communication, inaccessible to others outside the realm of those who control and dictate the rules of its understanding. Academic jargon and new economy propheteering seem to happily coexist at symposium events created around future technologies in which terms like eco-systems and smart cities are a kind of currency to be exchanged, although in monetary terms it’s very much a protectionist economy. The deck is stacked heavily for those in the loop. Big picture perspective, however, is never lacking for demand. Everyone wants it. Entrepreneurial nations are healthier because of it. It’s the chief selling point of start-ups, the stimulus of think tanks and the space from which con-artists and university professors can carve a niche. Living, as mathematician Eric Weinstein suggests we are, with the embedded growth obligations from the boom time
1960s on the shifting tetonic plates of digitisation, it’s in this domain where the social influencer and cultural theorist, a product of administration rather than industry, thrives. At the recent ITS Summit in Melbourne, thought leaders, international experts, academics and attendant propheteers, were given a platform to discuss hotbed transport topics like electromobility, automated mass transit, pilot projects and cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. It was fascinating to watch different approaches to how industry and government are grappling with the slippery concept of the future, and a growing belief that our societies, will be at once determined and saved by technology. Uncertainty, unlike water, doesn’t seek its own level. “Technology today provides you the platform for being prepared for tomorrow” and “Inaction is no action,” were slogans often repeated. Slogans, as Andrew Vachss has helpfully reminded us, are not of much use on a wall if you plan to total the building. But they help with sales. Businesses get ahead of the curve by providing solutions not yet thought of. The risk in this endeavour is looking for challenges that are yet to exist. Administrative practices by a politicised few with power to guard understandings of new ways forward is one way of mistaking a game of musical chairs for diminishing comforts, rather than a process of elimination. Big business can, like academia, aspire to change the conversation regarding our culture and the conversation itself, but they are tied to commercial interests that are beholden to processes for which the end must justify the means. Transactional values don’t last, they only trend.
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PRIME NEWS
> Tassie Freight Scheme receives boost as Govt moves to improve processing times Under a proposed extension of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme (TFES), eligible businesses will receive new funding assistance for goods that are imported to Tasmania via an Australian port, where there is no direct Australian-made equivalent the Federal Government has announced. The extension confirmed in a statement released by the Government will follow a review process to ensure that any unforeseen consequences can be addressed in a way that does not adversely affect stakeholders. As a way of ensuring Tasmanian businesses have a level playing field with mainland counterparts, the Government said TFES would help to modernise its operations which would see it reap more benefits. According to a statement issued by Andrew Gee Assistant Minister to the
Deputy Prime Minister, the Government would review the level of assistance currently provided to Tasmanian businesses faced with the costs of transporting high-density goods to and from the mainland. “These improvements will be subject to a review, which is already underway, and the findings will be delivered to the Government by the end of year,” he said. “Geography should not be a barrier to prosperity and the review will consider increasing the rates to ensure the level assistance we provide for freight and high-density goods reflects current freight costs to put Tasmania’s business owners and employers on a level playing field,” the release continued. A transparent annual review process will also be instituted that will consider stakeholder submissions and publish the
outcomes and underlying assumptions of reviews. The first review is expected to commence in January 2020. “This will ensure the TFES is working as it is intended and no Tasmanian businesses are worse-off,” said Gee. “This is a common-sense approach that will provide greater assistance to Tasmanian businesses, particularly in the state’s growing agriculture and fisheries industries.”. The Government will also permanently integrate into the ongoing TFES the 2016 extension, which introduced assistance for Tasmanian goods transhipped at mainland ports. This will ensure that funding for eligible Tasmanian transhipped goods will be permanent, ongoing, uncapped and demand-driven, consistent with the overall funding approach for the TFES.
> WA debuts rolling crash barrier for heavy vehicles The Murdoch Drive Connection project will trial a roller safety barrier for high speed and heavy vehicle crashes in what is a first for Western Australia. Main Roads WA will evaluate the safety technology from Geraldton-based firm Mid-West Traffic Controllers which is built from vertical steel poles supporting a series of plastic rollers over a distance of 60 metres. Enhanced for local conditions, the roller safety barrier provides better impact protection as it absorbs shock and converts it into rotational energy. In the event of a run-off crash, the reduction of direct impact, the WA Government claims, is a key factor in minimising driver and passenger fatalities. Bright yellow rollers on the barrier visually stand out to alert drivers of the curved ramp ahead. The safety barriers have been used successfully overseas. Main Roads WA are monitoring the performance of the new barrier on 8
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a Murdoch Drive Connection ramp connecting Roe Highway to the Kwinana Freeway northbound before expanding its use. According to WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti a similar barrier installed at a notorious crash location in Victoria has reduced the number of crash
impacts dramatically. “In the Victorian case, there was evidence that a driver walked away after colliding with the barrier at high speed,” she said. “Main Roads will monitor the performance of the roller barrier and may install further barriers of this type on the State’s road network where appropriate.” New roller barriers will provide better impact protection.
PRIME NEWS
> Scania releases new commemorative V8 To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its V8 engine, Scania Australia has launched a limited edition truck. Finished in Ghost White paint with gold V8 detailing, the truck is based on the R 650 V8 6x4 prime mover. Only 50 will be released to market. The trucks will feature a premium leatherlined cab and will arrive in Australia for delivery early in 2020. According to Dean Dal Santo, Scania Australia Director of Truck Sales, the Scania 50th Anniversary Edition recognises the big role the V8 engine has played in the growth of Scania as a brand. “Scania is the sole supplier of V8 engines for the heavy vehicle market in Australia and our V8 range starts at 520 hp – a figure that would have been all-but unfathomable when the initial 350 hp V8 was launched – and reaches as high as the flagship 730 hp V8, which is the most powerful on-highway truck you can buy in Australia, complete with 3500 Nm of torque,” he said. “The special edition R 650 has been specified with Australian customers in mind and will provide an eye-catching hero to any fleet.”
The Ghost White Paint on the Scania 50th Anniversary Edition is finished with contrasting Ebony Black gloss chassis and trim highlights, Ebony Black gloss wheels, ‘50-year’ V8 stripes, V8 decals and hubcaps. Inside the cab, a numbered plaque identifies the vehicle as being an anniversary special and comes with premium black leather upholstery featuring red stitching and heated seats. Other features include a flat bottomed red-stitched V8 steering wheel, electric glass roof hatch, electrically-adjustable roof deflector, factory cab cooler integrated into the cab ventilation system Scania 50th Anniversary edition.
and a premium sound system with upgraded speakers and sub woofers. The 650 hp engine is one of the latest high-technology engines Scania has introduced with the New Truck Generation. Euro 6 compliant, the new generation 650 hp delivers improved fuel efficiency, in addition to producing peak torque of 3300 Nm (300 Nm more than the 620 hp version). The new generation 16.4-litre V8 stable is built on many of the successful features sourced from previous generation V8 engines. From the etimated 650 components that make up the entire engine, 200 are completely new. Trucks powered by the V8 engine account for around half of the more than 1000 Scania trucks sold in Australia each year, making Australia one of the more important markets for the V8 range. Italy and Norway, thanks to their mountainous terrain, are the biggest customers for Scania V8s overall according to the commercial vehicle manufacturer. Order books for the Scania 50th Anniversary editions are now open.
> Linfox announces CUB account, new nine hectare warehouse site in QLD Transport and logistics leader, Linfox, has unveiled its new Acacia Ridge Intermodal Terminal in Southeast Queensland. The nine-hectare site strategically located in the growth corridor of the state features five different temperaturecontrolled zones to manage a range of perishable products including food, beverages and health care according to Linfox Executive Chairman Peter Fox. The high security warehousing complements the recent purchase of land in Willawong near Brisbane where the company intends to build a multi-user distribution centre as part of its ongoing investment in the Sunshine State. “Sustainable design has been front of mind, with solar-power generation, smart LED lighting and water-capture 10
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facilities earning the design a five-star Green Star rating,” said Peter Fox in a statement issued by Linfox online. “We look forward to introducing our Queensland customers to the facility when it is completed.” Recently BevChain, the beverage carrier Linfox acquired in late 2017, has partnered with Carlton & United Breweries to provide warehousing and metropolitan transport across its customer network in Brisbane. The partnership, according to Fox, complements BevChain’s existing CUB network in New South Wales and Victoria and expands the BevChain group in Australia and New Zealand to more than 800 people. “CUB and Linfox have a deep history extending back to 1968 and we are
delighted they have chosen to continue our relationship through our BevChain team,” said Fox who recognised the business as an integral partner of the top brewers including Lion, whose 50 per cent stake in Bevchain Linfox bought out when it took full control. “This expansion of our Brisbane network, along with the opening of our new Intermodal offering in north Queensland, broadens the possibilities for customers to extend their reach in north Queensland and beyond,” he said. Linfox also confirmed it would custombuild 25 coal haulage vehicles to go with the bespoke high productivity tri-axle Lin-double it recently unveiled in partnership with South32 as part of the company’s metallurgical coal assignment in Woolongong, NSW.
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PRIME NEWS
> Fuso director departs company Commercial vehicle manufacturer, Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific, has announced the departure of a long time servant at Fuso. Fuso Truck and Bus Australia Director Justin Whitford has left the company to pursue a business opportunity outside the industry it has been revealed. According to Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific President and CEO, Daniel Whitehead Whitford’s
replacement will have a strong foundation to build on following the introduction of new models in the range such as the heavy-duty Shogun and the recently upgraded Canter. “Fuso’s Canter is the only light-duty truck in Australia with Active Emergency Braking and the just-introduced Shogun heavy-duty truck is a classleader with exceptional technology, comfort and performance,” he said
in a statement. “The excellent Fuso product range, backed by our stellar dealership network, presents an excellent opportunity for growth,” Whitehead said. Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific has already begun the process of identifying Whitford’s successor. “I would like to thank Justin for his time at Daimler and wish him all the best for the future,” said Whitehead.
> We Need Space safety campaign launches in Brisbane We Need Space, a new campaign from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has been launched to advise light vehicle drivers how to better act on roads around trucks. State Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey, Australian Supercars ace Garth Tander and NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto attended the launch held at Russell Transport in Brisbane as part of Queensland Road Safety Week. Bailey said getting the road safety message across to the broader population is critical, all the more pertinent in the wake of Queensland Road Safety Week. “Everybody’s got to remember that road safety is the most important thing every time we drive, every time we travel,” said Bailey. “What we’re seeing today is a fantastic campaign by the NHVR to increase peoples’ awareness around heavy vehicles. “The truth is, four out of five crashes that involve trucks are not the fault of the truck driver, but are actually the fault of light vehicle drivers who sometimes don’t understand how to act around heavy vehicles.” Bailey said the most important thing that people need to remember is to give trucks space, particularly when the truck is turning left from the right lane, which they are legally entitled to do. “People need to be aware of where truck drivers’ blind spots are – the left side is sometimes hard for truck drivers to see; 12
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Garth Tander, Supercars driver, Sal Petroccitto, NHVR CEO.
so staying out of these blind spots is an important thing for every light vehicle driver to do any time they are driving in close proximity to trucks.” Garth Tander said his role in the campaign was to communicate with light vehicle drivers to help them understand the important role truck drivers fulfil in society and how they can help rather than hinder them in carrying out their duties. “The truck driver’s role is to get their freight or cargo from A to B as safely and efficiently as possible and likewise the car driver also needs to get from their A to B as safely and efficiently as possible too; but it’s not a race,” said Tander. “My job when I’m racing is to get to the finish line first and to try and do so safely, but when I’m driving as a motorist it’s a completely different ballgame and
my number one priority is that myself and other road users all get to our destinations safely.” Tander said his aim was to help light vehicle drivers understand that truck drivers have a huge responsibility in managing the size and weight of their vehicles and ensuring they have enough room to manoeuvre and stop safely. “They’re not just operating their trucks, they’re also managing other motorists by checking their blind spots and the space in front and where they have to turn, so motorists need to give them as much space as possible,” he said. “We need space to keep you safe is a fantastic catchline because it really paints the picture of what trucks need and what motorists need to do when sharing the road with them.”
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PRIME NEWS
> Survey finds truck driver health needs to be addressed More than 200,000 people are employed as truck drivers in Australia and while their role in transporting goods across the country is critical, they are among the nation’s most unhealthy a new study has found. Dr Marguerite Sendall from Queensland University of Technology’s School of Public Health and Social Work at the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, led a survey of 231 truck drivers aged between 20 and 71 and discovered around two thirds of them are classified as obese, compared to one third of the Australian population. On a more positive note, the majority recognised the importance of improving their health, are motivated to do so and believe workplace health promotion is the most effective tool for that. “Truck drivers’ work environments generally consist of long sedentary hours, erratic schedules and tight deadlines,” said Dr Sendall. “They have limited access to healthy food options or physical activity and are therefore considered to be at a far greater risk of life-threatening conditions like cardio-vascular disease, diabetes and some cancers.” Dr Sendall and colleagues Laura
McCosker, Rahma Ahmed and Associate Professor Phil Crane, gave a multiple choice, short response survey to drivers at an Australian truck show in Brisbane. Each was asked about self-reported health, their sources for health information, how much fruit and vegetables they ate, how much unhealthy food and how much moderate intensity physical exercise they did each week. Their paper on the findings – Truckies’ Nutrition and Physical Activity: A Cross-sectional Survey in Queensland, Australia, has just been published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. “Our previous research has suggested the use of social media and digital technologies as a health promotion intervention for truck drivers has potential,” said Dr Sendall. “Truck drivers work long hours, are a highly mobile, pressured and hard-to-reach group so traditional health promotion strategies, such as television campaigns, can easily be missed. However, transport industry workplaces, including truck cabs, depots and truck stops, are seen as settings where health messages can be
promoted effectively. “It has been shown that workplace health promotion can generate improvements in drivers’ health knowledge, behaviours and selfreported health outcomes, as well as ease the burden on our public health system. Our research demonstrates a need for industry-wide adoption of this approach, along with some government incentives to encourage that Australia-wide.” Dr Sendall said she was collaborating with Brisbane-based Team Transport and Logistics to continue her push to help drivers make better choices about their health behaviour. The research backs up a 12-year Monash University-led Driving Health Study published in 2018 that revealed truck drivers had a 13 fold higher risk of dying at work than other Australian workers, making it among the most dangerous occupations in the country. It found truck driving was a job with many health risks: long working hours, lots of sitting, poor nutrition, social isolation, shift work, time pressure, elevated risk of chronic disease and musculoskeletal conditions, low levels of job control, and a high risk of road crashes.
Social media and digital technologies can help provide health interventions for truck drivers.
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PRIME NEWS
>NHVR shares Q4 snapshot The Brisbane Truck Show and the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) Review highlights the various ways the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is engaging with industry according to CEO, Sal Petroccitto. In the Q4 NHVR Quarterly Snapshot, Petroccitto said Brisbane Truck Show attendees in May were keen to discuss work and rest hours, access, Performance-Based Standards (PBS), Chain of Responsibility (CoR), accreditation, vehicle standards and compliance. During Q4, the NHVR also engaged closely with heavy vehicle operators as part of the HVNL Review. “Many operators with whom I’ve spoken over the past five years have raised concerns with areas of the law that they believe aren’t operating as effectively as it should,” said Petroccitto. “That’s why we support a review of the HVNL. It’s important to make the most of this opportunity to deliver the best possible reforms to the
HVNL, in many ways it’s a once in a generation opportunity. “The National Transport Commission — which is running the review — is releasing eight papers for feedback. These cover some of the most common topics that operators regularly raise,” he said – urging everyone in the industry to be involved via association partners, the expert industry panel or directly through the NTC. In addition to summarising safety and compliance announcements, the NHVR report also covered performance statistics on PBS and permit applications. The PBS scheme, according to the NHVR, approves innovative and optimised vehicle designs for higher productivity vehicles, which is said to reduce the impact on infrastructure and boosts safety for all road users. The NHVR has reported a total of 1,720 PBS combinations approved for the full year and it also processed 67,566 permit requests during 2018-19. On the National Heavy Vehicle
Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS) – which provides flexibility in managing fatigue and concessions for mass and maintenance for operators that have robust and compliant management systems – at the end of Q4 there were 7,259 heavy vehicle operators accredited in 11,689 modules. The maintenance module applied to 112,018 heavy vehicles, while the mass module applied to 41,912 heavy vehicles. Progress is also being made with heavy vehicle access. By the end of 2018-19 there were 2,426 pre-approved routes in place across Australia according to the NHVR. Preapprovals are reported to eliminate the need for individual road manager consents for agreed routes allowing council to get low-risk applications on their way to focus resources on more complex applications. The NHVR currently works with more than 400 road managers, utility providers and rail authorities to coordinate heavy vehicle access to state and local roads. The NHVR report covers performance statistics on PBS and permit applications.
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PRIME NEWS
> Congestion busting Minister embraces autonomous transport future Three of the state capitals in Australia accounted for 75 per cent of population growth.
Intelligent transport systems solutions are expected to reduce peak travel times for freight movers and commuters by 30 per cent on Government highway initiatives currently underway it has been announced. Speaking at the opening day of the Australian Intelligent Transport Systems Summit in Melbourne, Alan Tudge Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure said projects like the Kwinana Smart Freeway system in Perth and the Bruce Highway upgrades in Queensland were examples of technology getting better utilisation of hundreds of billions of dollars of existing road assets. According to Tudge, even a small improvement in capacity utilisation of existing roads and rail can be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. “Over the last decade, the freeways have slowed, the trains have become fuller, and many are concerned that it will only get worse,” he said. “Intelligent Transport System solutions—such as ramp metering, dynamic speed limits, reversible lanes, variable signage and traffic signal priority for emergency and freight vehicles—can massively increase road utilisation and hence, effective capacity,” said Tudge. Tudge said urban congestion was largely a function of rapid population 18
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growth and infrastructure was not keeping pace. The Federal Government, according to Tudge, was putting into place policies to ease the population pressures on Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane as they had been growing very fast by historic and international standards. The three state capitals accounted for 75 per cent of Australia’s population growth in recent years. Reducing the migration rate, which currently amounted to 60 per cent of the national population growth, was part of the plan according to Tudge, who said new arrivals would be encouraged to settle in regional areas and smaller cities where more workers were needed. Congestion costs were likely to drop by more than a quarter according to findings by the federal Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics under a fast penetration scenario involving automated vehicles. In the scenario automated vehicles accounted for 30 per cent of kilometres travelled, increasing road utilisation by having cars and other vehicles safely travel more closely together. Vehicles only occupy around 8 per cent of the bitumen according to US-based automated vehicle provider Zoox, when analysing traffic movements on a freeway before vehicles slow below the regulated speed. “Ninety two percent of the freeway
is not occupied, but is necessary for driver safety,” said Tudge. “If that eight percent figure was doubled through precise sensing and automation, then you are effectively doubling the freeway capacity,” he said. “We are preparing for this possible future of automated vehicles through the Transport and Infrastructure Council and our creation of the Office of Future Transport Technologies.” The $47 million Kwinana Smart Freeway system in Perth was already utilising intelligent transport systems such as coordinated ramp signals, all-lane running through a lane management system, variable speed limits and upgraded driver information system which were anticipated to boost freeway capacity bt 33 per cent. Kwinana Smart Freeway system in Perth is a great example of this. Costing $47 million (of which the Australian Government is contributing $38 million), the project is expected to boost the freeway capacity by 33 percent through coordinated ramp signals, all-lane running through a lane management system, variable speed limits and an upgraded driver information system. “If we were to boost the capacity of that freeway by the 33 percent by building new lanes, the cost would be in the hundreds of millions of dollars,” Tudge said.
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PRIME NEWS
> Penske announces partnership with energy management specialist Qinous Penske Power Systems has confirmed a new partnership in the Pacific region with global energy storage solutions provider Qinous. Effective since 16 August, the arrangement will see Penske Power Solutions bring the Qinous brand to the Australian market. Using Microgrid Energy Management Systems, Qinous integrates renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, with traditional fossil fuel power
generation and designs plug and play solutions for on- and off-grid applications. The German company was founded in 2013. Penske Power Systems General Manager Off-Highway, Matthew Smith said it was an exciting opportunity to bring Qinous to markets in Australia and the Pacific region. “Qinous comes with a wealth of experience in on- and off-grid
Representatives from Qinous and Penske Power Systems celebrate the new partnership.
applications that would benefit our customers greatly,” he said. Penske Power Systems will represent the Q Compact series (rated up to 200 kVA power output and 355 kWh storage capacity), the Q Medium series (rated at 500 kVA and 837 kWh), and the Q Large series (rated up to 1,500 kVA and 2,344 kWh). “The Qinous product range is perfectly complemented by Rolls Royce Power Systems’ MTU portfolio, which Penske Power Systems also represents,” said Steve Turton, Penske Power Systems Energy Solutions Business Manager. “And as an investor in Qinous, Rolls Royce Power Systems is actively working to provide cleaner solutions for customers seeking robust systems,” he said. Penske Power Systems will reportedly use its branch network to provide project development support, and sales, parts, and service functions for the Qinous product range, in order to facilitate customer support across the entire Australian and Pacific region.
> Townsville truck stop announced for triple roadtrains Trucks battling congestion for access to the Port of Townsville are set to benefit from a $4.5 million staging area that will cater to B-triples and other super combinations it was recently announced. Local contractors are invited to tender later this year on the project which will improve travel times, safety and cut down truck queues outside of the port. The 1.5 hectare designated staging area on Benwell Road includes upgrades to roads around the boundary of the port as it seeks efficiencies as part of a growth strategy according to Scott Stewart Member for Townsville. “Triple roadtrains are currently unable to turn from Benwell Road into Hubert Street, so the Port is also designing an upgrade of the intersection to improve heavy vehicle access,” he said. Despite major flooding in the region 20
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earlier this year, the Port of Townsville has increased total trade for the 2018-19 financial year with 7.68 million tonnes moved through it. A new Crane and Cargo Terminal costing $30 million is part of half a billion dollar allocation announced by the Queensland Government to improve transport infrastructure to the port. Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon said the staging area would support safer and more efficient freight movements. “Facilities like these not only mean less congestion for truck drivers, they also provide safe places to stop while they’re accessing the port,” he said. “Ports are busy places so the local road network needs to be up to a good standard to handle frequent heavy vehicle traffic.” The project includes a new paved and
asphalted area for heavy trucks, mobile guard hut, shower and toilet facilities and new lighting and security cameras. Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the works were another example of the Port of Townsville investing in infrastructure to support longterm growth. “The Port of Townsville is critical to Northern Australia’s economy, with international trade passing through it valued at around $9 billion annually,” he said. “The $193 million Townsville Channel Upgrade Project, construction of a port rail link, six new berths and plans to create 150 hectares of new port land will ensure Townsville’s publicly-owned port has the right infrastructure to meet growing demand for international trade,” said Bailey.
> Massive new outback transport route takes shape The first of five upgrade packages estimated to cost $26 million over the next three years have commenced in western Queensland according to the Federal Government. An 18 kilometre section of road has been sealed between Boulia and Tobermorey before road crews start paving and sealing a further 25 kilometre stretch of road linking the two communities as part of the Outback Way project first announced in the lead up to the May Federal election. Another 17 kilometres of road between Winton and Boulia will be widened under the scheme to connect mining and agricultural industries with rail and ports infrastructure. Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the road upgrade would support communities and drive even more tourism through ‘Australia’s Longest Shortcut’. “We’re delivering more than $14.5 billion for regional Queensland roads and transport over the next four years,”
he said. “I recently visited Winton and the message is clear: sealing roads better connects our communities, supports the economy and creates much-needed jobs.” The life of the first three upgrade projects will support 41 jobs reported Bailey who said the completion of all five stages will equate with 90 per cent of Outback Way in Queensland being sealed. Federal Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management David Littleproud said the upgrade packages would boost road safety. “The upgrades will help all motorists, locals and visitors alike, to get to their destination safely,” he said. “It is a welcome investment in the area and community.” Queensland Senator Susan McDonald said that the Outback Way upgrades would support the regional economy. “These works, once completed, will help boost efficiency and productivity and improve the supply chain,” she said.
“Making our transport network more efficient will support agriculture and small business in regional Queensland. “The final two upgrades are now in the planning phase and are expected to begin early next year.” The Australian Government is contributing more than $21 million to the five upgrade packages, with the Queensland Government committing about $1.9 million and Boulia Shire Council about $3.4 million. Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Government had committed $330 million over ten years to improve key sections of the Outback Way, a 2800 kilometre route connecting Laverton in Western Australia with Winton in Queensland. “The Outback Way is well placed to support the agriculture and mining industries and has the potential to enhance new tourism opportunities throughout inland Australia,” he said.
The Outback Way is placed to support agriculture and mining industries.
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GLOB AL NEWS
> UD Trucks demonstrates first autonomous driving trial on public roads In a landmark trial, Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer, UD Trucks, has successfully demonstrated autonomous driving technology on a heavy-duty Quon at an agriculture processing facility and its nearby surrounds. The evaluation took place in Nakashari, Hokkaido at Hokuren Sugar Refining Mill where a Level 4 (L4) autonomous vehicle from UD Trucks simulated the transportation of sugar beets in front of an estimated 150 key stakeholders, including senior executives from government, agriculture industries and news media. In a first for heavy-duty trucks in Japan, the trial included autonomous driving on a public road adjacent to the facility, a development reportedly made possible through the cooperation of relevant authorities. UD Trucks President Takamitsu Sakamaki said Japan’s growing labor shortage was a serious issue that needed addressing. “By combining the expertise of commercial vehicle manufacturers, logistics companies and the agricultural sector, we believe that autonomous driving technology can play an essential role in finding the solutions we need,” he said.
The truck driver shortage poses a great risk to the stable supply of the broader agricultural and livestock products produced in Hokkaido, of which 3.5 million tonnes are shipped outside the prefecture every year. Securing a stable transportation network connecting Hokkaido and other destinations is critical. “We have high hopes that the introduction of autonomous driving will help secure transportation capacity needs in the near future.” said Hokuren Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives President Kazuyuki Uchida. The trial program across the month of August, demonstrated how produce can be moved through the processing centre. A specially adapted L4 Quon operated on a typical delivery route from the entrance to the produce acceptance area, interim storage and the final unloading area at an average speed of 20 kph. The route included a distance of 200 meters on a public road (National Route 334). UD Trucks is a pioneer in the use of L4 automation in Japan, the last step towards Level 5 (L5) fully-automated transportation, allowing the vehicle full autonomy over
every aspect of driving in a predefined operational design domain (ODD). The Quon vehicle also employed Networkbased RTK-GPS (Real Time Kinematic Global Positioning System), an advanced version of GPS that allows for a high localisation accuracy. According to UD, by combining NetworkRTK with autonomous driving technology, it is possible to achieve higher precision in vehicle operation even in bad weather or on poor road conditions. These systems were put to the test under conditions that replicate actual operating environments and have shown the feasibility for real-world autonomous driving technology applications. In 2018, UD Trucks announced its innovation roadmap “Fujin & Raijin. Vision 2030” that aims to deliver a variety of solutions for Smart Logistics, including fully-electric and autonomous trucks by 2030. “We are confident that L4 technology for heavy-duty trucks will make logistics smarter when it comes to repetitive work in confined areas including large scale farming, in-plant and port operations,” said Douglas Nakano UD Trucks Senior Vice President of Technology.
> Hino gets in on US manufacturing boom Japanese commercial vehicle company, Hino Motors, has unveiled its new truck manufacturing plant in West Virginia as it looks to increase its investment in Class 6 and Class 8 vehicles in the United States. Situated in Mineral Springs, the cutting
The new Hino plant is capable of producing 15,000 units a year. 22
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edge factory represents a $100 million capital investment on a site of close to 1 million square feet. It will generate 250 new jobs. Hino began manufacturing commercial vehicles in Williamstown, West Virginia in 2007 following the closure of its Long Beach facility, owned by parent company Toyota that same year. Those operations have been subsumed by the new facility in Mineral Springs. The Class 7 and Class 8 XL series trucks recently introduced into the US market will be assembled at the plant which is capable of producing 15,000 trucks a year. A leader in sales of Class 4 trucks in North America where it offers a bonneted model, Hino maintains a dealer network of 240.
Hino Motors Manufacturing US President Takashi Ono said the plant would serve as the manufacturing foundation of Hino Trucks in the United States. “I’m proud, knowing that from New York to Dallas to Los Angeles, the DNA of Hino Trucks will shine with the passion, dedication and craftsmanship of West Virginians.” “But I believe the greatest accomplishment for us may not be this new plant or the new trucks produced here, but that we managed to keep all of our team members. We could not have asked for a better outcome. You are our greatest asset. It is what you do every day that truly defines Hino.” All of the employees at the Williamstown site were transferred to Mineral Wells.
> Electric Freightliner trucks to commence operations Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has announced it has built the first two Class 8 battery electric Freightliner eCascadias for customers at its research and development centre in Portland, Oregon. The trucks are part of Freightliner’s Electric Innovation Fleet and built to test the integration of battery electric trucks into large-scale fleet operations. Penske Truck Leasing of Reading, Pennsylvania and NFI of Camden, New Jersey are both members of the Freightliner Electric Vehicle Council and will be the first companies to employ the revolutionary eCascadia in their commercial operations. The eCascadias are destined for the Southern California operations of both companies and will be delivered prior to the end of August. Additional deliveries of the Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet will continue throughout 2019. The eCascadia is built on the foundation of
the Freightliner Cascadia, the best-selling Class 8 heavy-duty truck in the North American market. The initial customer shipments are the first heavy-duty additions to the 30-vehicle Freightliner Innovation Fleet. Real-world use of the Innovation Fleet and continuing feedback from the members of the Freightliner Electric Vehicle Council will influence the final production versions of both the eCascadia prime mover and the medium-duty Freightliner eM2 rigid truck. The Freightliner eCascadia prime mover is designed for local and regional distribution. Both the eCascadia and the medium-duty eM2 are currently planned to enter series production in late 2021. The eCascadia currently has a range of more than 400 kilometres on a full battery charge and delivers 400kW (540 horsepower) with a Gross Vehicle Weight of 80,000 lbs (36,300 kgs). The 550kWh
battery pack can be recharged to at least 80 per cent capacity in just 90 minutes. The Electric Vehicle Council brings together 38 Freightliner customers to identify and address all potential hurdles to large-scale deployment of commercial battery electric vehicles. Issues at the forefront of the discussion include charging infrastructure, partnerships with other parties in the e-mobility value chain, vehicle specifications and vehicle use case. “This milestone in electric (vehicles) is important as both today and tomorrow’s technology is progressing. Our purpose is resolute – we build for our customers,” said Roger Nielsen, president and CEO of DTNA. “Our team is incredibly proud to be leading the way for the industry, but prouder still to be working with our customers in a process of co-creation to make real electric trucks for real work in the real world,” he said.
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THE ENGINE MINDSET
DANIEL PETROVSKI Daniel Petrovski is the Manager of Product Strategy for Hino Australia. His role incorporates the critical business functions of product planning and future product strategies for all Hino vehicles in Australia. Petrovski leads a team of engineering, product development and vehicle homologation personnel, and ensures the Hino products for the Australian market meet the ever-changing market requirements and developing trends.
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HAVING A POWERFUL, CLEAN AND EFFICIENT MINDSET
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t Hino Australia, we know our customers want the best performance available, but they also want this performance delivered with improved fuel efficiency and in the most environmentally responsible way. No longer is an organisation’s carbon footprint merely a tick-box exercise. Increasingly, a company’s ability to minimise its impact on the world is a key factor in its decision-making processes. Organisations are also faced with increased operating costs; not least of all is the cost of fuel. At Hino, a key element of our solution is the all-new 500 Series Standard Cab and its heavy-duty A05 five-litre four-cylinder diesel engine which delivers superior torque, improved power and reduced fuel consumption. The A05 is a derivative of the larger A09 six cylinder heavy-duty engine fitted to the 700 Series heavy duty models in Japan and the heavy duty 500 Series Wide Cab models in Australia. The new engine has three power ratings, which are dependent on the 500 Series model selected - the FC 1124 and FD 1124 models receive the A05-TE engine, which delivers 240hp at 2300rpm and
794Nm of torque at 1,400rpm. FE 1424 crew models receive the A05-TD with 240hp at 2300rpm and 833Nm at 1,400rpm. The range-topping FD 1126 and FE 1426 models receive the top performance engine in the A05C-TC, which produces peak power of 260hp at 2300rpm and a very healthy torque rating of 882Nm at 1400rpm. The high torque output and the low revving nature of this engine is further evidence of its heavy duty genes – while reducing rpm improves the fuel efficiency, it also reduces stress on the engine and ultimately improves reliability and durability. The new A05 engine produces as much torque as the larger J08 engine in the 500 Series Wide Cab models, and has ten to 20 per cent more torque than the J07 engine in the outgoing Standard Cab vehicles. The A05 delivers its torque across a lower and wider rpm range, and delivers improved drivability and incredible hill-climbing performance. The increased torque ratings and wider torque range allows the new engine to be driven comfortably at lower rpm than the previous engine, reducing
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engine noise and fuel consumption. This is a heavy duty engine that we have been able to fit into a medium duty truck, resulting in a driving performance that is the best yet from a medium duty Hino truck. Our customers have very positive feedback on the fuel savings and reduced operating costs delivered by their all-new 500 Series Standard Cabs. Many are reporting the new model delivers in excess of the expected ten per cent improvement in fuel efficiency when compared to the previous model. For some high kilometre fleets, this equates to a reduction up to $75 per truck per day. A broader benefit of the reduced fuel consumption of the all-500 Series Standard Cab is significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions. Tow Trucks Brisbane, which is featured
on page 26 of this issue of Prime Mover is one of many customers for whom the new truck and engine have delivered significantly reduced fuel consumption. The all-new 500 Series Standard Cab is also the cleanest Japanese medium duty truck in Australia. It meets Japan’s stringent post-Post New Long Term (pPNLT) emission standards, which is essentially the equivalent of the European Euro 6 emission standards. Hino is leading the way with cleaner emissions well before the next level of emission regulations is legislated. At the heart of these heightened clean credentials on the all-new Hino 500 Series Standard Cab range is the exhaust after-treatment system, which combines Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Diesel Particulate Reduction (DPR) catalysts. The DPR captures the unburnt particulate
matter (soot) from the engine exhaust before it exits the vehicle, and the SCR converts oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in the exhaust gases into nitrogen and water through a chemical reaction with a reducing agent (urea) that is absorbed into a catalyst. These two proven exhaust emissions solutions have been used by Hino in the Australian market since 2011 in thousands of vehicles. The new model requires minimal amounts of Adblue, courtesy of using these two solutions to meet the pPNLT emissions standard, with refilling required only every third or fourth diesel tank fill, which is again a saving for customers. For businesses focused on reducing their carbon footprint and costs, the all-new 500 Series Standard Cab just makes better business sense.
High kilometre fleets are seeing reduced operating costs with the new 500 Series Standard Cabs.
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COVER STORY
FIRS
ON THE SCENE JASON COOKE OPERATES A FLEET OF TOW TRUCKS IN THE BRISBANE METROPOLITAN AREA FROM HIS BASE IN MT GRAVATT. ALWAYS KEEN TO LEAD FROM THE FRONT, JASON AND HIS TEAM UTILISE A RANGE OF HINO TRUCKS TO EXPEDITE THE PICK-UP AND DELIVERY OF DAMAGED AND BROKEN DOWN VEHICLES.
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he tow truck industry is a niche category in road transport. While there are few barriers to entry, achieving long term success is another matter altogether according to Jason Cooke. “In any industry you’ll have the occasional cowboy. People who buy a cheap truck and think they are going to set the world on fire,” says Jason. “We tell people who have been involved in accidents to either make their own decision about who tows their vehicle or to ring their insurance company, which at the end of the day is usually paying the bills.” Jason is committed to presenting a good image of his business and the towing industry in general and goes beyond ensuring the trucks are immaculate and adorned with genuine hand pin-striping 26
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and enough LED lights to rival Luna Park. The drivers are expected to present a professional image by wearing long trousers and clean high visibility polo shirts. Above all they are expected to be diplomatic in their dealings with people and to foster good customer relationships. “You usually get people at their worst at an accident or a breakdown,” says Jason. “With a breakdown they know the repair is going to cost them, plus they’re frustrated because their trip has been interrupted. Often they’ve got their kids with them. A smash will cost money and inconvenience as well. So I always say to my drivers, no matter what’s happened, if you go to a smash or a breakdown the first thing to ask is ‘are you OK?’” Ultimately, the towing function is secondary and will be taken care of
Jason Cooke.
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either way whether it’s by Jason’s people or someone else. “We just make sure the people are OK and ask if there is anyone they want us to call such as a wife, husband or even dad.,” he says. “People have to understand we’re not there to take their car and run and we make a point of assuring them we’re there to make sure they are OK first. And that is usually very much appreciated.” Tow Trucks Brisbane has been contracted to Ready Towing for RACQ breakdown jobs for 22 years and has accredited relationships with the majority of motor vehicle insurers. Jason, through his Tow Trucks Brisbane business, is a respected operator who for many years has been
encouraged and mentored by Steve Economidis of Gabba Collision Centre. Tow Trucks Brisbane has a number of holding yards spread across the Brisbane area for the convenience of its clients. Jason was one of the first towing operators in Queensland to decide to use a Hino as the basis for a tilt tray tow truck and says he hasn’t looked back since. To Jason, Hino and the local Sci-Fleet dealerships do more than just sell him new trucks. “At the end of the day Hino’s are a reliable vehicle. Availability for parts is second to none and they always try to help you,” he says. “I’ve dealt with Hino and Sci-Fleet for 15 years and it’s never just a matter of them selling
me the truck – it’s always about their follow up. The salesmen are always there to answer any questions and the workshop manager is always ready to solve problems over the phone or get one of their mechanics to come out and help us. It’s a good relationship and I wouldn’t go away from the Hinos.” The evidence of Jason’s commitment to the Hino brand is the seven sparkling Hino’s currently at work, ranging from three Hino Series 300 trucks through to FE1426 and FD1124 models of the latest Hino 500 series. Jason chooses automatic transmissions for the reliability and simplicity of their operation and for the way the engine and transmission technologies work Average fuel consumption on the new Hinos is around 4.8 kilometres per litre.
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seamless together. “An auto is always better for the driver because not all drivers can handle a manual and there’s nothing worse than replacing clutches all the time,” he explains. There is one Hino remaining in the fleet fitted with a ProShift automated transmission which has covered approximately 400,000 kilometres during the past five or six years. Jason intends to replace it with a new fully automatic FD dual cab before the end of 2019. The trend towards dual cabs has been influenced by the RACQ work where circumstances often involve transporting a family in addition to their broken down vehicle. For the same reason Jason considers the Hino dual cabs are more convenient for his own business involving non-auto club call outs to Tow Trucks Brisbane. The latest dual cab FE1424 has only been on the road a few months but Jason is delighted with its performance already. “We can tow 6.2 tonnes on a dual cab with 7.1 metre tray length. This allows us to go out and pick up a recreational vehicle on the back which, as far as I know, no other dual cab in Queensland can do legally,” he says. “They can only go 3.8 or 3.9 tonnes on their FDs so we can nearly double the weight on the Hino FE and carry the stranded family of up to five people.” Jason Cooke started his working life as a very young butcher’s apprentice and had his own shop at just 17 years of age. He found his true calling more than 30 years ago when he and his father became involved in towing in the rural city of Wagga Wagga. Following some years involved with Royan’s Truck Repairs, Jason commenced his own towing operation and has seen his dedication to his profession as much more than a just a job. “When I started 30 years ago all you wanted to do was get the car onto the back of your truck and get it to the
“We can tow 6.2 tonnes on a dual cab with 7.1 metre tray length. This allows us to go out and pick up a recreational vehicle on the back which, as far as I know, no other dual cab in Queensland can do, legally,” Jason Cooke Tow Trucks Brisbane
holding yard or the smash repairers. Now the first thing is to make sure people are OK and then we can worry about the rest,” he said. “Their vehicle is not going anywhere and the damage has already been done.” In addition to accident damaged vehicles and breakdowns, Tow Trucks Brisbane also transports a lot of machinery including forklifts, compact bulldozers and excavators, and access equipment such as scissor lifts. Although the larger trucks are set up to transport 20 foot containers, Jason is not enthusiastic about this type of work as it can lead to damage of the trucks. “I once had a driver forget to unlock the container pins, causing damage that cost $2,000 to 3,000 to repair for a job worth just a few hundred,” he recalls. The performance and the fuel economy of the latest four cylinder Hino engines in his trucks has impressed Jason. He acknowledges that any concerns in regard to Hino engines going from six cylinder to five and then to four cylinder configuration, have not been justified. He has no qualms about their abilities. “These latest engines are excellent. Like any business person I watch the fuel bill all the time. I only use Caltex diesel so I know I’m getting good fuel and we spend between $11,000 and
$15,000 every month,” Jason says. “I noticed that the first of the latest Hino’s was up to $400 a month cheaper and now it’s settled in to be constantly $500 cheaper than the five cylinder ProShift that it replaced. That’s $6,000 a year and just about covers the cost of rego and insurance.” A recent return trip between Brisbane and Hervey Bay proved just how economical the Hino’s can be. Carrying a well-equipped Nissan Patrol the tow truck was loaded up to full weight on the outward leg and travelled 660 kilometres for the return journey and consumed just 104 litres of diesel. “I wanted to see what it could do on the highway and achieved better than six kilometres-per-litre which is never heard of,” says Jason. The average fuel consumption around town for the FE and FD Hinos is consistently between 4.8 and 4.9 kilometres-per-litre which Jason regards as excellent. With all of its necessary equipment, a tow truck can weigh up to 7.4 tonnes before being loaded and with four wheel drives and dual cab utes now being Australia’s most popular vehicles it is typical for Jason’s trucks to be running at a gross weight of ten to 11 tonnes. Jason and his drivers don’t regard accidents or breakdowns as one-off events and this frequently results in follow up calls from previous clients or from other people who have been referred to them. Social media forms another plank in the platform for the marketing of Tow Trucks Brisbane and online feedback is encouraged. Tow Trucks Brisbane is an enthusiastic supporter of several community charity initiatives and was awarded Best Tilt Tray and Best Company Display at the 2019 MS Queensland Lowood Truck Show. “I love towing,” Jason declares. “I tell my drivers if you don’t love the job you won’t last. No matter where you are or what time it is, one call and we’ll be there for you.” p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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FLEET FOCUS
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STARSHIP
ENTERPRISE OZWIDE FREIGHT RUNS A DEDICATED GENERAL FREIGHT LINEHAUL SERVICE BETWEEN BRISBANE AND THE FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND CITIES OF TOWNSVILLE AND CAIRNS. WITH ULTIMATE RELIABILITY AS THE PRIMARY REQUIREMENT, A FLEET OF WESTERN STAR B-DOUBLE PRIME MOVERS IS RELIED UPON TO KEEP THE OPERATION TREKKING TRUE.
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Western Stars: 5800FE and 4800FXB.
n a similar vein to many mediumsized trucking outfits, OzWide Freight was founded by one man with one truck. The year was 2005 and an enterprising Luke Ashton decided he was through with managing trucking companies for other people and set his sights on building an operation of his own. “A friend of mine encouraged me to make the transition which sort of gave me the push I needed to have a red-hot crack at it,” Luke recalls. “His ongoing support was a great asset to me at the start and I kicked off with one truck that I solely drove for the first two years.” Luke’s formative years of the business involved a lot of hard yards, but he worked diligently to keep the dream alive and the reward can be seen in the thriving enterprise he owns today. “In the early years my wife returned to work to help make ends meet and I would often have our bubs with me in the truck and be changing nappies on the side of the road. Back then OH&S (occupational health and p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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safety) wasn’t as strict, whereas these days you would almost certainly be denied entry to customers’ sites if you had children in the truck.” A big turning point for the business presented in 2009 when Luke took on a new client with a start-up business venture which quickly grew in size with a corresponding increase in demand for freight transportation. It was a demand that the by then, well-established OzWide Freight was ready to fulfill and the two companies forged a long-term connection that continues to this day. Another big milestone for the business came in 2012 with the move into its first depot. However, such was the pace of growth at the time it was outgrown almost immediately. “We initially rented 120 square metres of shed space and within four weeks we were needing 1,000 square metres. At that point I was still driving but I could see that my driving days were numbered as the size of the business now demanded my full-time attention,” Luke says. “Around that time we had a big influx of new work with a number of interstate transport companies asking us to do local distribution and storage for them. From that we got additional contacts and leads which we chased up and it all kept growing from there.” Further to this, Luke acknowledges the tireless efforts of his State Manager, Michael Miller, and Warehouse Manager, Steve Clarke, who have been instrumental in expanding the business over the last seven years. “Steve was working one day a week for me back then and it got to the point where he came onboard fulltime managing the warehousing side of the business,” Luke says. After the first depot had been well and truly outgrown, the company moved to a new premise at Richlands, then sometime later business expansion forced another move to Loganlea. The third – and Luke hopes final – move was to the current site at Crestmead. 32
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“This site has plenty of space for where we are at now and I want to stay put here,” he says. “The current size of the business is ideally manageable and enables us to provide the high level of customer service that our clients expect. We are all contactable by phone at all times which means we can provide a personalised service; this becomes harder if a company grows too big.” Luke says that most of the company’s growth has come from referrals from existing customers and from people seeing the trucks with their striking Aussie-themed colour scheme out on the road. While the company’s own trucks largely run along the east coast of Queensland and around Brisbane, OzWide also specialises in general freight carried by subcontractors between Brisbane and Perth. The brainchild of Michael Miller, this work has built up over time to become a reliable revenue source for the company. “Mick wanted to have a crack at the Perth market and it’s become an important part of the business,” Luke continues, adding “we’re now sending out one to two roadtrains a week to the west.” He is quick to stress that he has no desire to run his own trucks across the paddock, saying that operating them in Queensland enables everything to be managed in the best possible way. Over the years as the business grew a new depot was established in Cairns and one at Townsville is due to be opened in October 2019. “In addition to our depot in Cairns, a Townsville depot will soon be
FAST FACT
Western Star trucks tick all the boxes for OzWide Freight. The company currently runs five Western Star prime movers hauling B-double curtain siders loaded with general freight between Brisbane and Cairns.
operational,” Luke says. “We see these as strategic areas of growth for the business. Our aim is to replicate the Brisbane operation in both these cities. “Having our own depots up north enables our drivers to unload late at night with the freight then have it ready to be delivered to customers early the next morning. It’s all about improving the service we offer to our clients.” Luke says the people factor within the business is the critical yardstick in determining what can be achieved and where. “You can have the freight volume to make a new depot viable but you also have to have the right people running it to make it successful,” he explains. “We have a good core group of people working for us and I don’t want things to get out of hand so we’re all stressed out. The way things are we can all have a life and enjoy what we do, that’s how I want to keep it.” Not surprisingly, it’s also the people factor that plays a big part in Luke’s decision to exclusively run Western Star prime movers, which are distributed through Penske Commercial Vehicles, as the B-double linehaulers between Brisbane and Cairns. Equally important is the durability of the trucks and the extended warranty on the engines which Luke describes as the best in the business. “I’ve been dealing with three sales reps since I’ve been buying Western Star trucks. I bought the first one through Joey Cahill who is a friend of mine and the last three I have bought through Kurt Dein who has also been absolutely brilliant to deal with,” he says. “Kurt’s aftersales commitment to this company means the world to us; we can ring him anytime we have an issue and he’s right onto it without fail. “He also knows Western Star trucks inside out – his family ran a Western Star dealership at Port Macquarie where he rose through the ranks after starting as an apprentice mechanic.” Luke also appreciates the way Kurt goes
OzWide Freight State Manager Michael Miller, Warehouse Manager Steve Clarke, and Director Luke Ashton.
out of his way to keep OzWide informed on the progress of the new trucks from conception to delivery. “He gives us a schedule within a week after we sign the sales form, which means we can follow the truck’s progress right through to when we receive it,” he says. As for what he likes most about the product, Luke says the single most important factor to him is the onemillion kilometre/five-year engine warranty which gives him peace of mind should any unexpected issues arise. A recent incident proved to him that the extended warranty was worth its weight in gold. “You just can’t beat the warranty,” he
enthuses. “One of our Western Stars recently clocked 800,000km without missing a beat. Shortly after that, we had an engine issue that could have been costly. The warranty covered everything including the cost of the tow truck and it was back on the road again in four days which is pretty good considering what they had to fix and replace. “In another example of Kurt going above and beyond the call of duty, he liaised with the dealer in Townsville to ensure the entire repair operation was done as efficiently as possible and regularly reported back to me.” Penske has expanded its companyowned dealer network to include
Mackay, Townsville and Cairns, key locations in which OzWide Freight operates. It meets with Luke’s endorsement. “It’s great to know the same dealer, Penske Power Systems, which sells the truck is able to support us with service and repairs in these locations where we are frequently passing through,” he says. OzWide employs a full-time mechanic who services the trucks at 30,000km intervals while every third service is done by Penske technicians. As for how long he plans to own each Western Star, Luke says he has a basic five-year plan which can be altered either way, depending on the truck. Two of the newest Western Stars in the fleet are 5800 Constellations, along with two 4800FXBs and an older 5800SS. All feature Detroit 14.8-litre DD15 engines producing 560hp (418kW) at 1,800rpm and peak torque of 1,850lbft (2,510Nm) of torque between 1,100 and 1,400rpm. The newest pair feature an 18-speed Ultrashift Plus automated manual transmission (AMT) while the others run 18-speed manual shifters. OzWide Freight’s 5800FE sports a downswept exhaust for optimum aerodynamic performance, while the newest 5800SS has the vertical exhaust stacks. And both 5800s feature a set-back front axle that provides optimum weight distribution in B-double applications. Luke says the steeply raked snout of the 5800 provides better visibility when driving in local traffic areas compared with the square and relatively horizontal bonnet line of the 4800FXB. He also reckons the ride in the 5800 is superior. Overall, for OzWide’s linehaul B-double application, Luke believes the Western Stars are the ideal choice. “The drivers love them, they are a solid and reliable truck with an unrivalled engine warranty, and the aftersales service and support are second to none,” he says. “I don’t think you could expect anything more than that.” p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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FLEET FOCUS
CITY
LIMITS LUCAS TRANSPORT TAKES PRIDE IN THE SMALL FLEET OF DAF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES IT RUNS AROUND BRISBANE. AS A METROPOLITAN-FOCUSED CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY BUSINESS THE COMPANY VALUES THE COMFORT, DRIVEABILITY AND EFFICIENCY OF ITS TRUCKS.
D
ean Lucas fell in love with trucks at a very young age. Growing up, his father delivered soft drinks on Saturday afternoons and Dean tagged along, by his own admission rain, hail
Lucas Transport runs five DAF CF85 vehicles around Queensland. 34
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or shine. “It didn’t matter to me. I loved it because that was what I wanted to do,” he recalls. As the Director of Lucas Transport, Dean oversees an operation that involves seven commercial vehicles. These include five
DAF CF85s and one XF105. He added the XF105 more recently, with the intention of using it for linehaul work to drive additional revenue should business, in the sometimes fluctuating construction industry, wane.
Based out of the yard of building supplier CSR, in Cooper’s Plains, a suburb in the south of Brisbane, Lucas Transport has called the location home for the past 17 years. In 2018 the family-owned business celebrated turning 25 years. The specialist carrier delivers plasterboard mainly in and around Brisbane and southeast Queensland, where it can work the picturesque coastline between Mooloolaba and Byron Bay, attending construction sites in commercial and residential industries with provisions for occasional linehaul tasks to Sydney to ensure the assets are always being utilised. The first DAF commercial vehicle was purchased in 2003. Back then the business had been already operating for a decade, having started from scratch with the obligatory single vehicle. As the third truck in the business, the purchase of the CF85 was something of a watershed moment. “The price was right, and it was a nicelooking truck,” Dean says. “The cab was a bit more like the inside of a car, comfortwise and that was significant for me.” It began a long term connection to dealer Brown & Hurley in Caboolture. That long term relationship was forged three
years later with a defining experience when Dean considered buying another European cabover truck. “I was offered a good deal but around that same time the CF85 engine had some issues. While it was out of warranty, PACCAR still paid for all the parts to have the engine rebuilt and I went halves with the dealer on labour costs,” he recalls. “So, my loyalty has remained to them.” It’s been DAFs ever since. At present Lucas Transport runs a B-double, four single trailers and an eight-wheeler with a pig trailer. Dean suggests the newer model trucks provide his business with the best value especially in the key performance indicators he scrutinises most often like fuel efficiency and reduced maintenance costs. Primed in different colours, each truck is detailed with signature pin-stripe down the side. The DAFs, from an aesthetic perspective, are ideal for someone like Dean who takes pride in their fleet. “I think both DAF models look great and it makes it that much easier when you purchase the truck knowing it has a real presence when you’re taking it onto construction sites,” he says. Another, more essential attribute for Lucas Transport, is the exceptional turning circle of the DAF, given the vehicles are tasked with unloading on the notoriously tight and awkward dimensions afforded most construction sites. “I’m always thinking of ways to do a better job. For me, there’s real satisfaction in going into a site and successfully unloading without causing any hassle,” he says. “I love achieving that.” Always hungry for improvements to his operations, he has invested in specially engineered trailers having come across equipment from Stobart in England that is designed to give cranes and forklifts an edge in unloading plasterboard. “For years I wanted some sort of system where we didn’t have to tarp-up and yet we would still have access through the roof so that a crane can unload,” Dean says. “I noticed these trailers that actually
opened out and the roof concertinaed away and I thought that was alright.” After realising they were manufactured in Ireland he liaised with a local trailer manufacturer who suggested a Tautliner with a rollover roof, like those used on grain tippers. “So I just put the two of them together and we got two of them on the road in April this year,” Dean says. “We’ll see the benefit when the wet season hits at the end of the year. When we get to a job site and it starts raining it’s just a matter of rolling the roof out and the load will stay dry. Whereas before that we’d have to be climbing up on the trailer and rolling out tarps and we don’t have to do that now.” Even though the unique combination increased his costs by $25,000, Dean is resolved it will prove a cost effective investment over ten years, given a new tarp every year costs around $4,500. The construction sector is a fickle environment at the moment with much uncertainty hovering over the global economy and despite interest rates dropping to record lows it remains, for smaller transport businesses, a feast or famine proposition. Just 12 months ago Lucas Transport was delivering 12 loads a day with occasional use of sub-contractors. At the moment Dean says demand sits at around four loads a day in addition to the interstate linehaul B-double work with the DAF XF105 he has taken on to boost revenue. “The XF105 offers a little bit more storage for my payload but in performance I’m finding they are very similar to the CF85s,” he says. For the last 16 years Dean has enjoyed having a close relationship with Brown and Hurley. He has become friends with the dealer since that first DAF purchase back in 2003. “He understands my business needs and makes sure any issues I have are sorted out straight away,” he says. “I feel very supported by the dealer and am also happy with the level of service that PACCAR provide. They’ve worked hard to get things right for me.” p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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FLEET FOCUS
Technology is key to Haulaway’s internal management procedures.
RENEWING THE
FUTURE HANDLING WASTE IS NO LONGER A CASE OF OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND. STRICTER REGULATIONS AND HIGHER COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS HAVE DRIVEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATIVE AND RELIABLE OPERATORS SUCH AS HAULAWAY TO GROW SUCCESSFUL AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES.
F
Jake Hilbert. 36
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rom its base in Dandenong South, the family-owned Haulaway provides a diverse range of waste management services using a variety of on-road vehicles from its fleet of more than 40 trucks ranging from 4x2 rear lifts performing litter collection, to B-doubles hauling bulk loads of waste. Suburban kerbside pickups are one of the few areas of waste collection not falling within Haulaway’s remit. The company does perform some tasks for local councils such as rubbish collections from parks and gardens. Industrial waste contracts from small and large factories are an area where recycling streams are becoming more
important and Haulaway is able to offer total solutions for their customers. Haulaway also provides a full suite of services for commercial premises ranging from shopping centres to high rise apartment and office buildings. The company also has the necessary licences to transport asbestos to an approved facility where it is processed according to regulations. Infrastructure projects are also contributing to Haulaway’s growth and the company has recently been successful with providing waste services for the Melbourne metro tunnelling project, the Westgate Tunnel contract and the majority of the multiple level crossing works currently being undertaken around Melbourne. The Haulaway trucks concentrate on handling the waste from the demolition and construction operations and the removal of spoil is left to be performed by other specialised contractors. Family owned and operated Haulaway has a reputation for being an industry leader in the adoption of new technology to cope with the multiple changes affecting the growing waste management sector. “With technology, if you’re not surfing ahead of the wave then you’re getting swallowed up by it,” says Haulaway Sales Manager Jake Hilbert, who just happens to be the grandson of the company’s founder. He represents the fourth generation in the waste industry. Telematics and vehicle connectivity, according to Jake, can deliver live reporting for clients on their sustainability and financial outcomes. “The technology is key to our internal management processes and procedures and delivers the metrics for management KPIs for senior staff members,” says Jake. “Day to day monitoring of our trucks on GPS for logistical efficiencies, fuel consumption management and managing driver fatigue also fits with the latest legislation making sure we are legally transporting materials at, and never exceeding, weight limits.”
Because Haulaway is increasingly monitoring its fleet, the technology in the Scania commercial vehicles it has invested in is exceedingly interesting for Jake. “We are monitoring our fleet more and more now, which is why the technology in the Scanias is so interesting. It is not something we have focussed on a lot in the past, but lately we are because we can see the efficiency advantages available to us from knowing where a truck is located, where it has been and how much it was carrying,” he says. “At present most of our operation is generally paperless and we aim to transition to become completely paperless by beginning of 2020.” The decision making process applied to Haulaway’s’ choice of truck brand takes into account the available on-
board technology, safety, comfort and fuel efficiency and following the recent addition of some Scania’s to the fleet Jake says the service he has received from Scania, and the all-encompassing Scania Total Transport Solutions concept is what has impressed him the most. “We have found when dealing with Scania you’re not just buying a truck. We have been impressed with the whole package from start-to-finish. It’s a holistic approach. The truck is no longer a piece of metal with an engine in the
Haulaway has invested in Scania’s Total Transport Solutions. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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FLEET FOCUS
middle, it is a tool we use every day, as part of the business,” Jake says. “The truck is a part of the family.” The company has recently taken delivery of three New Truck Generation P 450 8x4 hooklifts, finished in the corporate colours of gloss black, with gold livery and the readily identifiable bright green crocodile named Charlie. This brings the number of Scanias at Haulaway to seven. A typical day for the Scanias is between six and ten drops, which means the driver is in and out of the cab a lot, so accessibility is important. “One of the biggest advantages of the new trucks is the fuel burn is so much
better. We’re getting up to 3.0 km per litre from a truck which has only done 8,000 km. That’s a massive difference from the 2.4 we were getting from our older trucks we have now replaced.” The hooklift NTG P 450s on the Haulaway fleet can carry up to 28.5 tonnes gross and handle bins ranging from six to 31 cubic metres, with the latter able to be filled with a payload of up to ten tonnes. The on-board weighing systems ensure that there is a sufficient margin to avoid over loading. Some Scania’s are working on a fixed term contract with a specific client so it follows that the trucks are on a Scania
five-year Repair and Maintenance contract which gives Jake peace-of-mind. “I didn’t want the potential of ups and downs of maintenance costs. I just wanted to know that every month I would have the exact same cost. The insurance and fuel we can budget for, but unforeseen maintenance and repairs can’t be budgeted for. And another factor we really like is the uptime promise of MAX24, because these trucks are in use 20 hours a day, five to six days a week, so they have very limited downtime,” Jake explains. “The Scania Repair and Maintenance contracts make the overall cost of the truck cheaper. The
The Scania vehicles are delivering a fuel burn of 3km per litre.
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o c t obe r 2019
“We have found when dealing with Scania you’re not just buying a truck. We have been impressed with the whole package from start-to-finish. It’s a holistic approach. The truck is no longer a piece of metal with an engine in the middle, it is a tool we use every day, as part of the business.”
One of three Scania P450 hooklifts delivered recently to Haulaway.
Jake Hilbert Haulaway Sales Manager
cab chassis may be more expensive than the competitors but the actual cost of running the truck over the lifetime of a Scania comes in probably about ten per cent better off.” Driver acceptance of the Scania’s has been an interesting process to observe. “In the beginning I had drivers who thought other brands were the ants’ pants, but we are starting to see a shift in that space now. Some of our people were concerned about the driver scoring system and how that worked and was this a case of Big Brother watching? Now they have seen they can get their own scores on their phone for themselves and that it’s not really us watching them, it’s a case of us giving them feedback and they’ve actually been really happy with it. And having a fridge as standard helps too.” The drivers have also been very supportive of fitting forward facing cameras to provide reliable witness to what happens in front of the truck. Reversing cameras are fitted as well due to much of the work involving constricted approaches. Access can be a problem for waste collection vehicles and the manoeuvrability and driver vision of the NTG Scanias has been boosted due to relocating the front axle forward 50 mm and also repositioning the driver’s seat closer to the windscreen and the door, coupled with the redesign of the ‘A’ pillars and repositioning of the door mirrors. In addition to skip and hook bins Haulaway has over recent times expanded to add bulk bins as well as walking-floor trailers and now has a new supply of four cubic metre Morrell bins. “We have diversified a lot lately,” Jake says. “We have moved on from just rigid hook and skip trucks to prime movers to pull semi-trailers and B-doubles, and now we’re looking at A-doubles as well. It is a constantly diversifying business.” The walking-floor trailers carry recycling material, general waste, and garbage to land fill as well as mulch, compost and garden waste. Haulaway began with one trailer set and now has nine as this part of the business has grown very quickly in just two years. Curiously enough the waste industry wasn’t Jake’s first aim as a career.
“I was headed towards the finance sector but gravitated back to the family waste management business. I started picking up cigarette butts and cleaning bins and washing trucks and there were no favours given,” he recalls. Most of its operations are centred in Victoria yet Haulaway has several contracts that it manages interstate. “We don’t yet have a heavy footprint there nor do we have collection licences. However, there are always aspirations,” Jake says.
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TRUCK & TECH
PAT H S O F
GLORY
Freightliner Cascadia put through its paces in the Oregon high desert.
FOUR YEARS AGO THE NEWLY APPOINTED HEAD OF DAIMLER TRUCKS IN AUSTRALIA HAD A DREAM TO BRING THE FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA TO LOCAL SHORES. NEXT YEAR THAT DREAM BECOMES A REALITY.
B
ack in February 2015, Daniel Whitehead, relatively new to his role as President and CEO Daimler Trucks Australia Pacific, told Prime Mover he had a dream. “Most nights when I fall asleep,” he said, “I have
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visions of a right hand drive version of the Freightliner Cascadia.” Just as the Freightliner Cascadia has become the undisputed North American heavy duty market leader in every dimension, yet mindful that any model
destined to be offered to the Australian market would have to significantly exceed the expectations of local customers, Daniel and Brand Manager Stephen Downes insisted that the trucks be subjected to what is quite possibly the most rigorous
and extensive testing regime ever applied to a truck destined for Australia. Any imaginable shortcomings that the exhaustive assessment program revealed have been subjected to re-engineering and tested and tested again – and then tested again just to be sure. It isn’t good enough to be merely fit for purpose, these trucks have gone to the next level and beyond. The right hand drive Cascadia isn’t some cobbled together badge engineering exercise and the figure of a $100 million investment into its development has been frequently mentioned over the past couple of years as Whitehead’s dream eventually morphs into reality. During a recent visit to the various Daimler Trucks facilities in the United States, Prime Mover can verify that the $100 million is far from some fanciful throwaway claim and sits well with the more than $USD1 billion that the parent company invests in research and development every year. Given the size of the investment Daimler must regard Australia as an important market with significant potential. The reality is that the Cascadia only needs to take small points of market shares from the competition to achieve reasonable numbers for itself but there already appears to be a quiet confidence on both sides of the Pacific that the Cascadia will do much more than that in addressing the balancing of the investment equation. The success of the Cascadia in North America can be traced back to the genesis of its design. At all times, the ambition, at least conceptually, was to make trucks, especially those with integrated proprietary drivelines, with a realistic expectation of lasting two million kilometres if maintained correctly. A key factor in the process is that it has to be a straight-forward truck to build from a manufacturing perspective, hence such factors as the separate firewall assembly. The Cascadia has been Daimler Truck’s most successful product launch ever, with more than 150,000 units already sold with the 200,000 sales mark likely to be achieved very soon. The Cascadia chassis is unique. Rather than being a
modified Coronado unit, it uses three point driveline mounting architecture to integrate with the Detroit Diesel and Detroit Transmission drivelines. This US trip gives us our first opportunity to take in the slippery shape of the Cascadia as the camouflage disguise applied to the initial test trucks in Australia made it deliberately difficult to conceive
their truck. Other facilities at the Portland headquarters are constantly testing entire trucks on six post shaker units. Away from the labs in Portland the trucks are given real world conditions at the recently opened $USD18.7 million facility near the town of Madras in the Oregon High Desert. Various surfaces and a canoe-shaped road course shaped to
Data matrix stamps and barcodes on many of the vehicle components contribute to the quality control.
the truck’s outline. It’s an elegant looking truck and its sculpted lines contribute to its aerodynamic efficiency. The design phases have included extensive time in the wind tunnel at Portland with both scale models and full size trucks to assess aspects of the exterior design in relation to airflow across the various surfaces. The principal intention of the comprehensive testing regimes is not to break the components but to define the limits at which they can operate reliably. Environment testing is performed at up to 45 degrees in the hot cell while the cold cell is capable of reducing temperatures to as low as -43C. Test cycles have been developed to assess everything from window winders, door locks, steps and grab handles and even a program to test for ‘doors being slammed by angry drivers’. Not that they are likely to be angry with
provide equal right and left hand turns are employed to accelerate testing by a factor of 150:1, which equates to one kilometre of testing being similar to 150 kilometres of reality road driving. A calculated variety of road characteristics to suit target markets are incorporated at the Madras facility including a chassis twist section with 150mm sized variations for assessing on-highway trucks and a much more rugged section with 250mm ‘bumps’ for vocational trucks such as tippers and agitators to simulate off-road conditions and mounting gutter kerbs. Despite being categorised as intended on-highway vehicles, the Australian-spec Cascadia’s are being tested on the vocational duty cycle featuring the more extreme of the two surfaces to deliver a more realistic assessment of the trucks’ performance on our local roads. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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TRUCK & TECH
The extreme level of testing requires the shock absorbers to be fitted with cooling water jackets and input from the wheels and tyres is obtained using wheel force transducers at a cost of $USD750,000 per set of six. A regular test route away from Madras is the Baker Rise in Death Valley. Known as the ‘truck killer,’ the road has an eight per cent gradient that extends for 20 miles (32 kilometres) in a desert with very high ambient temperatures. Trucks are operated up it at 100 per cent load at 100 per cent throttle at 10 mph (16 km/h) for half an hour at a time. Our visit to Madras provides our first opportunity to get behind the wheel of a right hand drive version of the Cascadia. The truck we are driving is powered by a DD16 and has 2.1:1 diff gears that are combined with tall drive tyres. At 48mph (77km/h) in 11th gear the big six is untroubled at 1,100rpm and even with this final drive ratio the low down torque is able to handle the 80,000 lbs GVM (36.25 tonnes) of this combination. The diff gearing may not be ideal for some Australian applications where it is common for GVMs to exceed 60 tonnes. It is for this reason that local testing has been performed at weights up to 100 tonnes. On the steering column are control stalks similar to those on local Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks including for the lights, wipers, transmission and three stage engine brake. The one piece windscreen and low bonnet provide excellent forward vision. The mirror arms are solid fabrications with lower mounts only and contributes to the broad field of vision. In fact, the vision is astounding for a conventional truck which is an important safety characteristic and is then backed up by the camera and radar systems. We check and see no mirror vibration even when travelling across the rough sections of the test facility that make the Tanami Track seem like a boulevard. This may only be a brief stint at the wheel, but the overarching driving impressions is that the Cascadia steers really well on any surface. The DT12 transmission is the perfect match for the DD16 engine and its light weight 42
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Upon final assembly each truck is subjected to a worst storm simulation water test.
contributes to usable payload. This truck has the absolute potential to become a disruptive force in the Australian heavy duty truck landscape. In many senses it’s not radical, but every component and every system has been evaluated, reviewed and tested again. This particular unit is about 60 per cent through its testing life and still has no rattles or squeaks despite covering the equivalent of more than a half million kilometres. At the Freightliner production facility in Cleveland, outside of Charlotte in North Carolina, robots have built the Cascadia cabs from stamped panels using Henrob rivets rather than spot welding. Data matrix stamps and barcodes on many of the vehicle components contribute to the quality control. The chassis for Australiandestined trucks are blasted using dry ice to assist in the paint adhesion process and to address surface corrosion. Upon final assembly every truck is subjected to a water test which simulates the worst storm imaginable. Every engine is hot tested and put through a dynamometer check, which is, in addition to the 17 minutes of dyno testing, performed on the bare engines before they leave the Detroit Engine plant where each is checked for peak torque and power as well as other functions including oil pressure. The Cascadia sets the bar as the most modern truck we will have here. The emissions meet the latest US standards,
which are more stringent then even Euro 6, which can be important to some buyers despite Euro 6 not being mandated here yet. The Cascadia’s safety technologies such as Active Brake Assist and Active Cruise Control will boost productivity, increase safety, saves lives and save money. “The biggest thing I see for our market is the opportunity,” says Stephen Downes. “It’s at least two generations in front of anything we have today. It’s an opportunity to reposition the Freightliner brand as a technology and innovation leader, exactly how it has been done in North America. Engines will deliver the lowest emissions in the market and the Cascadia will be the most aerodynamic truck on the highway. We will be a dominate player in the fuel efficiency space, not just because of the aerodynamics but due to factors such as the integrated driveline. Importantly, it will be one of the safest, if not the safest truck with second to none driver comfort.” Today’s trucks are no longer merely a mechanical tool, instead they are a connected technological platform. Freightliner’s Cascadia may already be referred to by some as a ‘game-changer’. Based on our own observations of the passion for excellence across the design phases, the driveline engineering and the vehicle assembly and testing, we can go a little further: the Cascadia, which becomes available here in early 2020, is a game winner.
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TRUCK & TECH
TOXIC
AV E N G E R S
LEE’S ENVIRONMENTAL IS AN INNOVATIVE LIQUID WASTE OPERATION IN DEMAND ON THE GOLD COAST AND WIDER SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND. TO MAKE USE OF A NEW INDUSTRIAL VACUUM PUMP, NEVER BEFORE MOUNTED TO A TRUCK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, IT TURNED TO FUSO. A new Fuso Heavy FS is mounted with a Helix 2000 vacuum pump.
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ee’s Environmental, a Brisbanebased family business, makes the most of mining the less desirable recesses of the most desirable holiday destinations in the country. Noosa. Surfer’s Paradise. NSW Northern Rivers. The vacuum excavation company covers territory beyond the edge of the postcard, in transit between acreage estates, landfill sites and, to cite one specific account, the Stradbroke Islands Ferry, where it rides the barge to the community of holiday houses that need servicing every holiday season when the homes, having gone unoccupied for months on end, are suddenly overpopulated by big family gatherings. Septic storage like celebrations often reach a limit. Lee’s Environmental also attends to the fleet of barges operating from the mainland to Stradbroke and other Bay Islands. Depending on the vessel in question, each has an onboard sewage system, usually installed with a macerator, which breaks down the waste before its pumped out. Sometimes the truck will go on the return trip with the barge. If time permits, however, the job will be completed while the ferry is unloading at the dock. Seeking new efficiencies in the area of suction excavation, Lee’s Environmental purchased a state-of-the-art industrial pump from Italian manufacturer Jurop. While blower pumps are not uncommon in the liquid waste market, the Helix 2000, as it has been named, can reportedly load its 10,000 litre tanks in just two minutes. The investment hastened, in turn, an infrastructure response and a new model Fuso Heavy FS Series was added to its fleet of 30 commercial vehicles, for the specific purpose of transporting the new equipment according to company Director Peter Sprague. “For the last seven years we worked a Fuso 8x4 with a vacuum tank for high pressure drain cleaning and it hasn’t missed a beat,” he says. “It’s been a fabulous truck. We had to build another one because sometimes it’s got to be in two places at once.” A longer wheelbase was necessary, making
Cameron Saunders.
an 8x4 configuration as Peter tells it, a prerequisite. As Fuso supports a body length of 8.3 metres, Daimler Trucks in Brisbane was approached for the job of engineering the tank and vacuum. Body builder, Air and Gas Industries, based in Wacol, liaised directly with Daimler on the cab chassis design and with Jurop in Italy through their Australian agent. The process lasted over a year. “We had no qualms about whether Air and Gas had the capabilities to do the job having worked with them on several previous occasions,” says Peter. “They had to get the weight up and the right balance between the twin-steer at the front and the bogey tri-axle at the back. We’ve had it in operation for a few weeks and it’s now being seen in the marketplace and starting to earn us some money.” As a rigid truck suited to applications requiring high weight distribution across the front axles, the Fuso Heavy FS is, rated at 31 tonnes gross vehicle mass (GVM). Accessing grease traps requires it to squeeze into some inconvenient, tight spaces for a commercial vehicle that size. Peter says they have since modified the vehicle by augmenting it with a lazy axle. “It’s there for extra capacity as it’s got 10,000 litres on the back, and we’ve been able to increase the payload,” he says. Peter’s son Cameron Saunders, a company Director, says the eight inch boom on top of the pump requires hydraulics, as it’s too
large to lug by hand. “It provides deep vacuuming and drops down to 50 metres with a heap of air flow that goes up to 92 per cent vacuum,” he says. “Most body builders only put blowers on trucks and even then these might only achieve 50 per cent efficiency.” Despite the high volume it can extract in one session, the new Helix is much quieter than a lot of the other vacuum pumps according to Cameron who says there is a dearth of high power vacuum tankers with drain cleaning capabilities on the Australian market. It was a primary reason behind Lee’s Environmental building their own. “In building the vehicle we had to listen to the needs and requirements of our customers. We have found Council Pump Stations are getting much deeper, as new housing estates are commissioned,” he says. “It was becoming obvious that we needed a truck capable of sucking to a depth of 50 meters through an eight inch hose. This would eliminate most blockages which occur in smaller diameter hoses.” No stranger to Jurop vacuum pumps, Lee’s Environmental has found them to be the most efficient and reliable of their kind in the world. Once they had decided upon the pump the next consideration was the horsepower required to move it. Cameron explains they settled on 455hp which would allow the vacuum pump to p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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operate at 92 per cent full vacuum and full suction of 5800 cubic feet per minute (CFM). The next job was to search for a suitable cab chassis to mount it on. “We also needed the truck to drain cleaning industrial, stormwater and sewerage pipes from 150mm to 2 metres in diameter,” he says. “The pump required for this task needed another 100 horsepower to run it.” Insofar as the Fusos operate for long hours they aren’t required to work at high mileage. Most of the time the vehicles are immobile running the PTO that drives the hydraulic vacuum pump. The Fuso Heavy front axle comfortably supports 6.5 tonne. Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology, well suited to this application, allows the vehicle to run cooler, removing the need to perform a diesel particulate filter burn off and, according to Fuso. The digital dash includes trip computer with fuel economy data and the vehicle can support up to three reversing cameras. Because the climate in southeast Queensland is warm for a majority of the year, inground pools are in abundance. Lee’s Environmental transports pool chlorine and in addition to Class 3 flammable waste such as fuel, ethanol, methanol and petrol. Lee’s also carries insecticides, pesticides and herbicides and other Dangerous Goods. Founded in 1980, Lee’s Environmental was purchased 15 years ago by Peter and Marlene Sprague, and their sons Brett and Cameron. Initially located at Victoria Point, Lee’s have recently moved into a $1 million new office/workshop and holding yard complex, located just off the M1 at Stapylton. A branch has also been established in Emerald in the Central Highlands of Queensland to cope with the rising demand for liquid waste removal. Cameron’s brother Brett Saunders installed the business’ information technology system. For general repeat type of work the company relies on Service M8 for telematics solutions. This tracks the commercial vehicles and provides job allocation and computer 46
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generated invoices. Marlene oversees finances and administration. At the new head office, which has been environmentally approved by local council and the EPA, smaller trucks holding 2,000 and 8,000 litres of waste dump their contents into holding tanks on site. Three dedicated semi-trailers with 22,000 litre tanks then remove it to various treatment plants and landfill. All commercial sites which generate oily
Cameron or Peter to receive an emergency call out in the middle of the night to attend to someone’s house when the septic was overflowing down a hill into the pool or onto the roadway `. “It’s all part and parcel of working a family business,” Peter says. “In the odd hours people call up with a problem and the bigger companies at that time can only offer an answering machine. It’s been our job to take care of it.”
Fuso’s 8x4 configuration was a prerequisite for the task of deep vacuuming.
water run-off as a by-product of their operations are required to have oily water pits installed to prevent the oils from entering council sewer lines. Because oil floats, it is held in a compartment by adjustable weir baffles, while cleaner water is able to flow out of the oily water pit. Operational challenges throw up many variables that must be factored in when coping with the logistical task of matching commercial vehicles with access points – given septic tanks and grease traps are often found in hard-to-get-to locations. “On acreage properties with long, treelined driveways it’s often difficult to get a 16 tonne GVM vehicle down there,” Cameron says. “You can’t mix grease and septic waste as they require two different dumping points. Even the big boys like JJ Richards and Cleanway struggle with the same problem.” Over the years it wasn’t uncommon for
According to Peter, the hardest part of a transport business these days is finding the right people. It goes beyond mere qualifications. “It’s not as simple as having staff members with a heavy combination licence who can drive the trucks,” he says. “It’s having courtesy and professionalism that go with it and knowledge about liquid waste and vacuum excavation. Having the ability to say ‘no sir, yes sir.’” Lee’s Environmental prides itself on delivering superior customer service. Part of honouring such a commitment is investing in quality people and transport equipment. “I was already 56 when we got into this game. I can only imagine what we might have achieved, the way we are growing, had I started when I was 20,” Peter says. “We’re only scratching the surface of this business.”
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TRUCK & TECH
PREPARING FOR THE
FUTURE
FOR OVER 120 YEARS GOODYEAR HAS BEEN DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLYING TYRES. IN THAT TIME AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES HAVE CONTINUALLY EVOLVED. WHILE MODERN ELECTRIC VEHICLES PRESENT NEW CHALLENGES FOR TYRES GOODYEAR HAS BEEN ACTIVELY PREPARING FOR IT.
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or the few who could afford a vehicle 140 years ago the obvious choice was an electric vehicle. Internal combustion vehicles were difficult to operate, unreliable and noisy. The roads at the time only allowed for slow speeds which suited electric vehicles. Within ten years the situation had completely changed, with road networks growing quickly as internal combustion vehicles advanced rapidly resulting in widespread adoption. In more recent times electric vehicles have seen significant increases in technology, performance and value. In parallel there have been changing attitudes towards the environment, energy usage and regulation. When combining these factors and assuming technology continues to advance as it has, it stands to reason that electric vehicles will have an increasing role in the future of transportation. Tyres have been a critical component right from the very first vehicle. As automotive technologies continually evolve, so have the expectations around tyres. Electric powertrains can produce high levels of torque and can reach them more quickly compared to typical internal combustion engines. This can place high loads of the tyre sidewall and tread blocks. Careful design is required to ensure the tyre is durable and retains good mileage performance without significantly increasing its weight. While vehicle batteries have shown improvements in more recent times they are still a long way from matching fossil fuels for energy storage. According to Peter 48
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Jones, Goodyear ANZ Fleet Solutions Director, this will impact tyre design in two ways: higher loading and lower resistance. “Vehicles will likely be heavier to accommodate extra battery packs requiring high load tyres designed for the application,” he says. “Wider tyres or increased pressures could be a solution but need to be balanced against regulations and vehicle constraints.” As the stored energy in a battery is limited inefficiencies will need to be reduced to ensure range can be maximised. To achieve this, Peter explains, tyres will need to be as light as possible with low rotational inertia. “Reducing aerodynamic drag from the tyres can also make a positive contribution. Beyond the design of the tyre, how it is operated and maintained will become increasingly important,” he says. “An underinflated tyre will raise rolling resistance and negatively impact the vehicle’s range. This is no different to internal combustion vehicles except that for an electric vehicle the range safety margin is much smaller.”
To address this Goodyear reports it is fitting tyre pressure monitoring systems to detect underinflation early and allow for corrective actions before the performance of the tyre or vehicle is impacted. Another potential impact is tyre noise which will become more noticeable in otherwise near silent electric vehicles. While this will be less of a concern in commercial vehicles compared to passenger cars, the solutions for both will likely be similar. The learnings from passenger tyres will help improve casing and tread design for trucks leading to a reduction in environmental noise.According to Peter, as with all good design, the goal is to understand the need and maximise the benefits while minimising any tradeoffs. “The needs of electric vehicles provide an opportunity for Goodyear to ensure we can continue to design, manufacture and supply tyres that allow the user to get the most out of their vehicle,” he says.
RADIO FREEDOM GME offers a portfolio of XRSTM Connect range of UHF radios.
A NEW FEATURE AVAILABLE FOR THE XRSTM CONNECT RANGE OF UHF CB RADIOS, OFFERED BY GME, ALLOWS OPERATORS OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES TO AUTOMATICALLY MUTE OR LOWER THE VOLUME ON THE RADIO WHEN RECEIVING INCOMING CALLS ON THEIR MOBILE PHONE. IT’S ONE OF SEVERAL RECENT ADVANCEMENTS IN THE XRS RANGE.
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eizing on emerging technologies is now the rule rather than the exception for forward thinking freight companies implicated in the supply chain. Communications are often considered the connective tissue between an entire organisation linking its drivers to remote depots, service centres and head office. As emerging technologies are changing how goods are getting transported, modifications and noticeable improvements to existing technologies are providing advantages in both safety and efficiency, which ultimately, contributes to productivity and the bottom line. Transport communications specialist, GME, offers a portfolio of UHF radio solutions for road transport fleets in Australia. Through its XRSTM Location Services App it can detect incoming phone calls and automatically mute the XRSTM radio for the duration of the call. This ensures uninterrupted phone conversations for drivers ensuring they are always within reach during hectic delivery assignments on seasonal demand or on urgent linehaul commitments, in which real-time
updates and checkpoints are essential. Given the role smart phone and online technologies have had in transforming the industry, the agility to keep abreast of the increasing demands of supply chain commitments has in turn accelerated userfriendly communications options. The XRSTM Connect range of UHF CB Radios, in which the XRSTM Connect Active Mute facilitates the muting of the radio when receiving a call to a mobile phone, is one of them. Active Mute uses smart phone and Bluetooth technology to either mute or lower the XRSTM radio volume automatically when the user makes or receives a phone call. This allows the user to focus on their conversation rather than manually adjusting the volume on the XRSTM radio, ensuring more of the driver’s time is focused on the job and, more critically, the road. The Active Mute feature can be programmed via the XRSTM microphone or through the XRSTM Connect App. Custom programmable features, according to GME, will allow the drivers to select exactly how they want the Active Mute feature to work. Drivers, worried
about missing a call, can rest at ease when using it in conjunction with the XRSTM Connect Voice Playback feature – even when the XRSTM radio is on mute. It’s one of several recent products offered by GME in its expanding XRS range. To keep pace with the greater sophistication and respect for technology across the trucking industry, GME has also introduced an XRS Connect Truck Pack. Also enabled by Bluetooth technology, the XRS Connect range is designed to be smart and adaptable for the most rugged environments. As part of a new generation of connected UHF radios it boasts features exclusive to GME and includes the XRS Connect smartphone app and the XRS Connect Location Services smartphone app. It comes with a Speaker Microphone with an anti-glare OLED display and 2-watt front-facing speaker. According to GME, the XRS Connect Truck Pack pairs the popular XRS-330C Super Compact UHF CB Radio, with the AE4017K1 elevated-feed antenna, a timely communication solution that will likely appeal to all in the light, medium and heavy duty truck market. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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EROAD helps companies coordinate large fleets across vast distances.
COMPLETE
VISIBILITY
EROAD DEVELOPS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS THAT MANAGE VEHICLE FLEETS, SUPPORT REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, IMPROVE DRIVER SAFETY AND REDUCE THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DRIVING.
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ven under the most optimal conditions, fleet management is tricky business, requiring the orchestration of specialised equipment often pushed to its capacity. So that this is achieved to the highest of safety standards a base level of monitoring across performance and maintenance is fast becoming a fundamental for realising improving total operating economy. There are many benefits for having greater visibility across the fleet for transport companies that use telemetry technology to connect to their vehicles. Meeting chain of responsibility obligations is only one of them. Poring over data, of course, is now standard practice among top level businesses operating in last mile, logistics and the freight carrying sector. Data captured from commercial vehicles can offer operational insights across key performance indicators like speed, idling, handling and fuel use. In-cab devices, according to EROAD, help drive efficiencies in which live route updates and driver coaching can be enabled through two-way communication. EROAD’s network communications store data that is subsequently encrypted and transmitted via mobile networks to a central, secure 50
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database for easy access, any time. Given that all types of vehicles and assets in a fleet can be managed on the one platform it helps support better maintenance and fatigue management – and it’s usage and adaptability encompasses the majority of industry sectors. EROAD’s easy-to-use solution is used by fleets of all shapes and sizes, in every industry including road transport, civil contracting, construction, agriculture, government and ministries, fleet cars, light vans, single axle trailers, tractor units, heavy vehicles, haulage trucks, buses and coaches, tow trucks, agitators and waste management trucks as well as off-road assets. Drive Buddy, the system’s in-cab alert system, ensures drivers know when they’ve exceeded the speed limit, while giving managers the information they need to support the people behind the wheel. Trans-Tasman transport company, Conroy Removals, an EROAD customer, has installed the system across its 12 Australian branches in a bid to improve safety and limit, given the urgency of the task, unavoidable speeding infringements with almost immediate results. Conroy Removals Operations Manager Wayne Moody says he can follow
the trucks from either Australia or head office in New Zealand, since the countries also conveniently share a single technology platform. “It helps us monitor and look after the guys a lot better,” he says. “Our operations team now is a little more finger-on-pulse.” As Conroy Removals stake their reputation on delivering the possessions of its valued clients safely and as efficiently as possible around the world, EROAD has assisted it coordinate its 50 delivery vehicles across vast distances that span Townsville, Perth Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Recent changes to the Heavy Vehicle National Law have also underlined the importance of health and safety, so Conroy Removals sought to improve fleet visibility and find a more efficient way to track maintenance. Wayne says the cloud-based portal from EROAD provides visualisations of his fleet activity, providing something of a boost to his compliance management and health and safety processes. “Office management and analysis of fleet maintenance can identify for us business trends or issues that can then be addressed and that is a good thing for our business,” he says.
AIR S U P P L Y
IN TRANSPORT COMMUNICATIONS, PUSH-TO-TALK OVER CELLULAR RADIO REPRESENTS SOMETHING OF A DISRUPTION IN THE INDUSTRY. WITH ITS NEW CELLULAR PRODUCT RANGE, TOOOAIR HELPS FLEETS CONNECT ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON-HIGHWAY, IN REMOTE LOCATIONS AND EVEN UNDERGROUND.
P
ush-to-talk over Cellular (PTToC) radio adoption is increasing among companies, many of whom have been forced to play catch-up in communications technology ever since it entered the market three years back. As it offers national coverage, PTToC is ideal for operators crossing state lines given it makes having to get a national frequency redundant. As it runs on the Telstra cellular network, the technology can access one of 8,500 repeaters around Australia, an advantage according to ToooAir General Manager Peter Langbart, given the immense distances and rugged topography of the country. “It goes anywhere you have Telstra coverage and a little bit further than where your phone works because it’s using the data channels and better antennas and so on,” he says. “With this technology I can get in a truck in Port Arthur in Tasmania and talk to a driver in Port Douglas in Far North Queensland and talk to 50 people at once with the touch of a button.” PTToC works similarly to any two-way radio system. Drivers can preference groups and single out vehicles from the group, an advantage for fleets transporting cash or bonds on a security detail. A dispatcher can stun the radio, should it go missing or be stolen to prevent others from listening in to the private fleet communications. In tow truck situations in which, for instance, a flatbed truck is preferable to a traditional tow truck, the dispatcher can concentrate the call-out directly to just the flatbed group. According to Peter, a communications industry veteran with 25-years of
transferred across into other groups. experience, ToooAir has expanded its Geofencing is also offered. product offerings with new 3G, 4G and “On maps of our dispatcher software we 4Gx PTT radios including a new ToooAir can draw shapes in an area and be made 3G/4G Fixed Mount Mobile – the TA-995. aware whenever a vehicle goes in or “The new TA-995 design incorporates both around that particular zone,” says Peter. Push-to-Talk over Cellular, commercial The ToooAir platform records all voice UHF and 80 channel CB,” he says. “A communications and a tracklog of GPS large front facing speaker and 3w audio positions of all vehicles in case a fleet amplifier gives ample sound for noisy manager needs to go back and check truck environments and the large LCD where a truck was for efficiencies and display and icon-based menu lends itself fatigue management.” to easy operation. All the features required Because concrete operators need for heavy transport, agriculture, mining, to communicate where they are as construction and service industries have been incorporated into the TA-995.” The speaker is now louder, having been introduced for operators of noisy agitators and 18-wheelers. Each radio features its own GPS and reports its position every 60 seconds. It also includes SOS, Numerical keypad TA-995 uses PTToC, commercial UHF and 80 channel CB. microphone, Dual SIM, construction sites anticipate their arrival Dual band UHF and 3G/4G/4GX LTE. before a pour, they may also require The unit is also designed to work from access to prohibited areas for jobs with a 12volts to 24volts and negates the need secured perimeter or gate. In the case of for a voltage reducer. While most twotow truck operations, trucklogging can way radios offer hierarchy calling, where help to confirm if a vehicle made it to announcements according to safety or an incident or, should the driver radio in scheduling, can be prioritised, allowing at the time, confirm if there actually was for certain team members in a crew to an accident. be heard above everyone else. The TA“It gives you your own private fleet 995 allows for ten levels of hierarchy access across the expanse of Australia calling. Dynamic group reprogramming and CB radio,” Peter says. “But operators is another useful function, in which no longer need to put a separate CB into commercial refuse trucks on waste the vehicle. The radio picks them both management routes that might also up at the same time.” get used on recycling jobs, can be p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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The Kenworth T410 suits a variety of vocational distribution applications. 52
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IT’S ALMOST FIFTY YEARS SINCE THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN-MADE KENWORTH ROLLED OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE AT THE BAYSWATER PLANT IN MELBOURNE IN MARCH 1971. DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS THERE HAS BEEN A NUMBER OF NEW PRODUCTS FROM PACCAR WITH THE LATEST BEING THE T410.
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enworth has applied the features of its new 2.1m wide cab, first seen with the T610 launched in December 2016, and it has been expected that the new cab would progressively roll out throughout the rest of Kenworth range, with the next being the T410. The launch of the T610 heralded the beginning of a new era for Kenworth and the T610 currently accounts for around one third of the trucks produced at the Kenworth plant. The product development project for the T410 has been aimed at specific segments of the Australian and New Zealand markets and sensibly hasn’t tried to come up with a truck that is all things to all people. Nevertheless, the T410 will suit a variety of vocational, intrastate and interstate distribution applications as a rigid or in single or even multi-trailer configurations. The set-back front axle and the bumper-to-back-of-cab dimension of 2,845mm (112 inches) contribute to the versatility of the T410 which can be specified with ratings up to 70 tonnes gross concessional mass (GCM) therefore also making it a starter for applications such as PBS tipper and dog operations. In addition to the day cab, the T410 is available in a choice of three sleeper cab options – a 600mm aero, a 760mm mid-roof and an 860mm aero sleeper cab. The new T410 is much more than just a new wider cab and incorporates a significant range of improvements in areas such as visibility, application flexibility through its shorter bumperto-back-of-cab (BBC) length as well as overall better performance and driveability. The enhanced aerodynamic styling of the exterior, including the sloped bonnet and raked back windscreen, contribute to improved fuel economy and improve the drivers’ sight
lines. The steps to access the cab are evenly spaced and are no longer vertical and are angled out similar to a staircase. This important enhancement must have presented a challenge with the wider cab, but Kenworth has managed to achieve it, much to the benefit of drivers’ safety. Within the cab there is a definite focus on driver comfort and control. The Kenworth designers paid attention to refining the instrument panel so switches and controls are positioned intuitively and the key dashboard instruments are visible at a glance. Switches, controls and gauges have been positioned to allow drivers to maintain their concentration on their surroundings instead of fumbling with controls. Taking away even minor sources of stress can also contribute to reducing driver fatigue. Critical information, like the speedometer, tachometer and air and engine monitoring gauges are clear and well laid out directly in front of the driver. Toggle switches provide positive control of systems such as the engine brake, engine fan, driver-controlled differential locks and airbag suspension dump valves. An optional seven inch display screen provides access to satellite navigation systems, radio and media functions and a virtual gauge system which is unique to Kenworth and uses the screen to provide a new level of detail about key temperatures, pressures and voltages. During development of the T410 the focus was on much more than just ergonomic switchgear and is evidenced in factors such as the super strong, high quality injection-moulded dash shell and the way the instrument panel is supported and braced internally. To assist with access the driver’s door opens further than the passenger’s and the in-cab environment has a choice of premium quality traditional
diamond pleat trim in a range of contemporary colours or the option of a more utilarian ‘fleet spec’ trim. The ‘smart’ steering wheel is the location for the cruise control and audio system controls. Carried over from the T610 is the significantly advanced heating and air-conditioning system which features automatic climate control. Unlike the T409 model which it replaces, the T410 Kenworth will only be available in the 13-litre PACCAR MX-13 in either 460 or 510 horsepower ratings. There is no option for the 15-litre Cummins X15 engine which was available with up to 550 horsepower in the preceding T409. The technical reasons for this are many and involve the assumption that the T410 will find favour in urban applications and is not the sort of truck destined to operate at maximum weights between Sydney and Melbourne three times a week. By restricting the engine availability to its own proprietary MX engine which has 12-volt electrics, 24v-12v inverters are no longer required and the truck’s entire electrical architecture is more simple, durable and cost effective to service and maintain. By opting for the 12 volt system the T410 also opens up the potential of the Bendix Wingman System of electronic safety enhancements which include collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and electronic stability control. The use of an alloy radiator has increased the efficiency of the cooling system with the bonus of removing around 100kgs of tare weight off the front axle area. New to the Kenworth range and first to be offered in the new T410 is the PACCAR 12-speed automated manual transmission which has a twin counter shaft design and an aluminium main case to reduce weight p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
53
TEST DRIVE
plus helical cut gearing to reduce noise and increase durability. Kenworth have chosen to be conservative and have applied a maximum torque capacity of 1850lbft and restricted the GCM rating to 50 tonnes. On the road the PACCAR AMT demonstrates the worth of it being engineered and integrated to work seamlessly with the PACCAR MX-13 engine. The transmission is operated via a stalk controller mounted on the right hand side of the steering column and selecting various transmission modes and engine brake activation is easy with both the transmission and two stage engine/exhaust brake controls integrated into the one lever. Moving the transmission controller away from the dash has provided a little more space to facilitate easier movement around the cabin. For applications between 50 tonnes and 70 tonnes GCM, an Eaton Manual or UltraShift 18-speed is available upon application. The more expansive windscreen provides a panoramic view of the road and the large door windows allow for an
excellent view to the sides of the vehicle giving a full 180 degree view from the driver’s seat. The mirrors have carried over from the T610 and their thoughtful placement in sitting low on the cab also allows for an effective forward line of sight, both over the mirrors and between the mirror and A-pillar making for exceptional cross-traffic visibility particularly at intersections and roundabouts. The use of cast asymmetric mirror arms places the mirror heads in an optimal position for rearward vision which remains clear with no noticeable effect of vibration. The LED interior lighting provides either bright or subtle lighting to reduce fatigue, using red lights and soft dash lights to minimise distracting glare when driving at night. Overhead lighting provides a flood of light when you need to complete paperwork or move safely about the cabin. A doormounted floodlight also illuminates a clear pathway to the ground surface via the steps with a pool of light next to the cab when the door opens. Mounted high
on the external rear wall of the cabin is an LED strip light which illuminates the immediate area behind the cabin, providing a safe well-lit work area when connecting air lines and electrical cables in poor light conditions. To assist with the truck hook up and pre-trip checks, a light check function is provided and activated either via the dash or button on the key fob. This function cycles headlamps, stop lights, tail-lights, clearance lights and indicators allowing the driver to quickly identify nonfunctioning lights prior to setting off. The Kenworth T410 exhibits new exterior and interior styling, improved safety features, improved driver ergonomics and a range of available options. The tightening of the bumper-to-back-ofcab (BBC) dimension by four inches improves trailer clearance, swing angles, and crucial weight distribution which will appeal particularly to bulk haulage applications such as liquids or quarry products. The short BBC also adds flexibility to move trailers around within the fleet. Large door windows offer 180 degree views from the driver’s seat.
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THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO OPERATE A TRANSPORT BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA, BUT THE FRANCHISE MODEL IS STILL COMPARATIVELY RARE. MOOREBANK-BASED PACK & SEND HAS PERFECTED THE CONCEPT. Interview by Sebastian Grote
FAST FACT
According to Pack & Send CEO, Michael Paul, the company’s franchise model is key to ensuring a ‘premium service’ experience. “Our franchisees are our movers and shakers. They’re the faces of the overall business, and of their individual businesses too. As members of the communities they service, they play an integral role in the local marketing of Pack & Send,” he says. In contrast, the role of the franchisor is to provide franchisees with a solid foundation of business systems, or “small business with the tools of a big business,” as Michael puts it. 34
feb r ua r y 2 0 1 6
Q: Pack & Send has been around for a while now. Is the 2016 business still comparable to the one 22 years ago – for example, is parcel delivery still the core of the business? A: The Pack & Send business has changed tremendously since 1993. We started it before the notion of e-commerce, or even the Internet, was in the vernacular, so there has been a significant shift in the way we function. But our mission has always been the same – providing convenient access to a wide range of solutions when sending anything, anywhere. The types of services we can offer are now more varied, though – from traditional
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domestic and international import and export work to more modern services, like supporting eBay and online retailers in delivering their products to customers. Q: How did the parcel delivery industry change since the early days? With Toll IPEC, Star Track and emerging online services like Sendle on the scene, the competition must be fierce. A: The parcel delivery industry has evolved with the times. For example, customers today expect that a fundamental requirement of parcel delivery services is an online ‘track and trace’ function that provides a real time delivery status. When we started in 1993, no parcel carrier in Australia had that capability as the technology wasn’t yet in place. You had to phone the carrier to find out exactly where your parcel was – and you usually got a response the next day. In the early days, deliveries were also primarily B2B and very few deliveries were made to households. The growth of e-commerce has changed that, with significantly more B2C deliveries. In line with that, the competition has also changed – for example, where Pack & Send once relied either on customers walking in store or phoning us to send their goods, we are now developing new and
T R A IL E R O M Y B U IL D E R BODY
SHO WC ASI NG
THE
TECHNOL OGY
VER Y
BES T
The truck brand of choice at QFS is Hino, mostly the wide body 500 Series with 260 horsepower engines and Allison automatic transmissions. is the extensive and ever increasing range of gourmet items that it has available including boutique nonalcoholic beverages. The beverage sector is a growing market and drinks now account for around 10 per cent of sales with almost 700 different beverage products available. The warehouse holds bay after bay of food service products that are not readily available in retail supermarkets and are required by catering, hospitality and cooked food outlets. One of the advantages of expanding the beverage business is the opportunity to cross sell food service products to those on the beverage customers’ base. “With beverages we don’t deal with the chef as we often do with food products,” says Brian Saharin, QFS General Manager. “Instead we deal with the front of house.” This opens the possibility to provide ancillary items such as napkins, coasters and straws and
customers who were predominantly beverage clients are now able to obtain food service products as well. This also translates into the opportunity for traditional food customers to amalgamate their beverage and food orders. QFS Company Director Guy Politi says that there is a trend in demand towards some higher quality food and beverages. “It can be tomato paste from Italy or cooking oil from Malaysia. We import a lot of quality gourmet products such as flour, rice and confectionery,” Guy says. The truck brand of choice at QFS is Hino, mostly the wide body 500 Series with 260 horsepower engines and Allison automatic transmissions. Trucks that have entered the QFS fleet as assets of various business acquisitions will be progressively replaced with more Hinos to join the 39 Hinos that are already in the fleet. The decision to adopt Hino as
manufacturer with a distinct sense for key
The next logical step, he adds, is the launch
hen company CEO Frank DePasquale established Quality Food Services (QFS) in 1988 the two main products were lasagne and hot dogs and were mostly sold to school canteens. Today QFS has a range of over 7,000 products, which it delivers to businesses such as restaurants, 26
december 2018
pubs, clubs, hotels, cafes, and aged care facilities. And QFS continues to supply a wide range of products to approximately 800 schools. Providing direct service to an area extending from Cooroy on the Sunshine Coast to Ballina in northern New South Wales, and west to Toowoomba, QFS is also involved in providing food services to remote
mining camps using sub-contractors. During late 2018, in order to handle the volume and to cater for future growth, QFS moved into its purpose designed and built warehouse and administration facility located in Pinkenba in close vicinity to Brisbane Airport. By being directly under the flight path the location presented some unique challenges in
T
zero. Its new ‘Stay alert – There’s a life riding
and Sydney and Melbourne.
on it’ campaign is urging the public to be
“There is a large number of posties on
“PBS is a trending topic in transport and
was all about pushing the innovation
every operator is either getting on board
bar higher, which meant reducing the
of letters and parcels to millions of people
with high productivity vehicle design or at least strongly considering adding that type of equipment to their fleet,” says National to provide them with the best support on that journey, we’ve dedicated ourselves to growing our PBS offering.” Drawing on ample experience in PBS vehicle
ORT
EQU
IPM
ENT
NEW
S
support and work within those areas as well, and Vawdrey does just that,” adds Terry. Australia Post’s commitment to safety has
CHN OLO GY
never waivered, with the business constantly taking advantage of developing safety technologies to ensure its fleet is as safe as can be. In 2012 for example, Australia Post began implementing anti-lock brakes and stability control across the fleet. “We use Volvo prime movers which we consider to be the safest on the market. The prime movers have anti lock brakes and stability control, so it makes sense to pair that with a trailer that
The freight task of Australia Post is enormous. The company sends millions
Sales Manager, Grant Krueger. “To be able
NSP
of a refrigerated double version of the best selling model. “This is a first for us,”
PBS is a trending topic in transport and every operator is either getting on board with high productivity vehicle design or at least strongly considering adding that type of equipment to their fleet.
we wanted to offer our customers even
allows for maximum cubic, full-height
maximise freight capacity and also minimise
more vigilant in a bid to curb the number of posties injured on their motorcycles at
motorcycles. And there are many injuries
work, encouraging drivers to slow down and
that are occurring on a regular basis.
remove distractions while they are behind
has the same capabilities,” says Terry. Vawdrey has built more than half of the national Australia Post fleet.
the road every day, delivering our mail on
across Australia and around the world. Australia Post, together with its StarTrack business, operates a fleet comprised of Krueger’s latest PBS build is a hybrid between a standard curtain-sider in the front and a refirgerated one in the back, both PBS-optimised for maximum payload.
Australia Post has decided to use these new
As well as ensuring its fleet is built to the highest safety standards, reliability is paramount too. “And that’s part of the
National Manager of Fleet for the Australia Post Group.
based around the safety features they can incorporate into our equipment, the large
reason we use the manufacturers we use. We choose suppliers that we believe are the
over 16,500 pieces of equipment, including
the wheel.
trailers to spread our road safety message
Vawdrey has built more than half of the
volumes they are capable of producing and
best in their category,” Terry adds. “Australia
prime movers, rigids, vans, motorcycles and
Australia Post’s recent trailer order of 10
to the public, serving as a reminder to help
national Australia Post trailer fleet, and is the
their ability to satisfy all of our requirements.
Post has a great partnership with Vawdrey.
approximately 4,500 trailers.
new B-doubles from Vawdrey, delivered in
keep our motorcyclists safe. These are the
manufacturer of choice when it comes to
“Vawdrey is quite a progressive company
They are very accessible and understand our
A number of posties are injured in motor
September, are serving as mobile billboards,
first trailers to wear this new safety message,
tautliners. It’s a business partnership that has
from a safety and an innovation perspective.
requirements. If I need trailers produced in a
vehicle accidents each week – and Australia
spreading this message as they travel along
but people can expect to see a lot more of it
stood the test of time, extending for more
They are always pushing the boundaries
hurry, they always try and accommodate that
Post aims to bring that number down to
their routes between Brisbane and Sydney,
in coming months,” explains Terry Bickerton,
than 30 years.
in terms of what can be done. They are
wherever possible.
design – Krueger has built numerous PBS-
tare weight of the trailer and giving fleet
that operators can use to ramp up payloads.
more space and flexibility, making for a
loading, with the ability to achieve general
downtime, with daily loading and unloading
“Vawdrey understands our business
a very progressive business with regards
The longevity of the Vawdrey product is also
approved skels, curtain-siders and B-double drop decks, as well as Super B-doubles
operators more clearance space to work with inside and out.”
It has a cubic capacity of 190m³, with 75m³ in the A and 116m³ in the B-trailer.
solid productivity plus. We again use our 36-pallet, 4.6m design as a base, which
loads and mass loading without the usual
going much faster,” he explains.
and Australia Post understands theirs,
to producing higher productivity and PBS
testament to the build quality. We do very
in the past – one model that has been in particularly high demand recently is the company’s 36-pallet, high-cubic double
Krueger’s PBS refrigerated double drop deck B-double measures 4.6 metres high and 2.5m wide, allowing for excess cubic space
Grant explains, “Under the PBS framework,
drop deck B-double with mezzanine decks, Grant says.
10 per cent payload reduction.”
trailers. With more and more online orders, our freight task continues to grow, so we are
little work to the trailers apart from regular maintenance. And on the flip side, when
timeframe perspective,” adds Terry. “Safety
moving very large volumes of product.”
a trailer comes to the end of its life in our
idea of what freight will be on board, how
is our number one core value and we don’t
Thanks to PBS, Australia Post has been
fleet, a Vawdrey trailer maintains great resale
introducing a growing number of higher
value too.”
version, says Grant, with the A-trailer
compromise on it. That’s part of the reason
non-refrigerated and the B-trailer set-up
frequently the trailers are used and what
as a refrigerated curtain-sider. According
roads the drivers will use. Information like
we only purchase equipment from major
productivity vehicles into the fleet. “This sort
this is crucial when building any trailer that
manufacturers. We choose our suppliers
of innovation means we can move more freight with less vehicles, helping to get
upgrades to both the A and B-trailer for
runs on PBS.”
the hybrid unit. “Both trailers feature
Going forward, Krueger’s focus will be
more vehicles off the road. We work within
on adding to its portfolio across the
the limits of what the current legislation
the front deck and 100mm on the rear
board, while also solidifying its position
allows, but we need manufacturers that can
lower decks, ed.), allowing for extra loading
as a PBS powerhouse. “Krueger is all and high productivity transport solutions and that’s what the new PBS B-double refrigerated double drop deck
division sheets between the drops of the
combination represents,” Grant adds. “The
trailer to this build to provide additional air
unit is designed to deliver huge productivity gains that will help increase a company’s
side shifting pallets. They also provide load
profit margins. For maximum safety, we
restraint when braking.”
have also added our patent pending, OHS-
Regardless of the set-up, the PBS
friendly Self Lifting Gate system.”
refrigerated combination will generate high volume freight operators heading into 2016, Grant predicts. “The bottom line is this combination is designed to
Contact Vawdrey Australia 1-53 Quantum Close Dandenong South VIC 3175 Ph: 03 9797 3700 Web: www.vawdrey.com.au
about developing effective, efficient
for the customer, particularly for forklift drivers loading pallets,” he notes.
plenty of excitement amongst many
Trailer Magazine DECEMBER 15
a productivity perspective and from a
unit, we’ll have our engineers sit down with them, or visit their facilities, to get an
to Grant, Krueger has made significant
30
in terms of what we can achieve from
“With each customer that orders a PBS
One of the first customers to embrace the new design has ordered a hybrid
flow and circulation and assist operators in
p r i memover mag. c om. au
BOD Y
says Grant. “Designing this combination
“In addition, we have fitted perforated
Hino 500 series with a 260hp engine.
AN D
industry trends, and Performance-Based
QUALITY FOOD SERVICES IS BASED IN BRISBANE AND PROVIDES THE IMPORTANT LINK BETWEEN FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURERS AND THEIR WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS. HINO’S WIDE BODY 500 TRUCKS ARE THEIR VEHICLES OF CHOICE FOR THE EXPANDING DELIVERY FLEET.
W
TRA ILE R
Standards (PBS) is no exception.
space that provides more loading capacity
35
TRA
E FOR AUSTRALIA POST, SAFETY IS AT THE HEART OF ALL OF ITS OPERATIONS, AND THE SAFETY OF ITS PEOPLE COMES FIRST. WITH ITS LATEST DELIVERY OF B-DOUBLES FROM VAWDREY AUSTRALIA, THE COMPANY IS TAKING THIS MESSAGE TO THE STREETS, AIMING TO SPREAD THE WORD AND ENCOURAGE SAFE DRIVER HABITS AMONG ROAD USERS AROUND THE NATION.
TO SUPPORT AUSTRALIA’S GROWING FREIGHT TASK, KRUEGER TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT HAS JUST PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON A NEW PBS B-DOUBLE REFRIGERATED DOUBLE DROP DECK COMBINATION. Krueger Transport Equipment is a trailer
Refrig P A IN T A erated N I N D U S T D C O A T IN G S CRAN RY LEA DERS ES WORLD MAP Spreading the word
AUS T R ATRAILER BUILDER LAS IAN
High cubic combination order to comply with more than the usual Commonwealth, State and local regulations and has resulted in an ultrahigh technology facility that is covered by 69 safety and security cameras and extensive on-site fire detection and fire fighting systems. The authorities are anxious to prevent any incidents that could affect the operation of the airport so there is a continuous sampling of air to detect any smoke and the entire fire and security system is tamper monitored. The warehouse has nine robotic doors, which will open in the event of a fire to vent any smoke. The warehouse has a footprint of 11,000 square metres of which 50 per cent is refrigerated in four different temperature zones using a very efficient refrigeration plant that utilises ammonia rather than the more common Freon. The move from QFS’s previous premises in Stafford required 5,000 pallets to be moved in a 72 hour period and as the QFS fleet needed to continue to deliver goods to customers, contractors were engaged to handle the 120 trailer loads of products. A distinct point of difference between QFS and other food service suppliers
low profile mezzanine decks (58mm on
p r i m e m ove r m a g . c om . a u
N E W S
TIPPERS E C ON E W S N
PBS SPECIAL
DELIVERY S
M OV E
E C O N O M Y TRAILER BUILDER
COVER STORY
PARCEL tarting off with a single office in Parramatta, NSW, Pack & Send has evolved into a national delivery heavyweight that can draw on more than 100 service centres Australiawide and was recognised as the Australian Franchisor of the Year in 2007 by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Franchise Council of Australia. Now also present in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, Pack & Send is considered a leading force in the transport franchise game. Prime Mover met founder Michael Paul, who has been serving as CEO of the company since its incorporation in February 1993.
9 771838 23100 3
Innovation Fleet: LogicHaul Test Drive: Hino 500 n Sustainability: Micheli ar Automation: Goodye
9 7718 38
r ulage y Ha52 septembe str y Indu Heav ogun LCL ns Sh ratio Fleet: Fuso llabo Staff ure: Feat EM Co ief of rt: O ATA Ch : Repo nality rso Pe
D PRO
Industry s Fleet: McMahon Service n : Cabin Fever Feature vatio el : Jim Temple Inno Shakers ic nts&Fu Movers 80 Electr McMas et: Hu 26.5 ter FlePersona DanaHugh TGX 4 uct: lity: Prod ive: MAN Daily 4x Dr co Test : Ive Mile Final
V EM A K E T R A N S P O RT AT HO S TTM & P R O D U PCOT R THE PEOPLE NS TRA E K MA H AT S T UCT 9 771838 232000
1.00
19 $1
ST 20
AUGU
11
ISSN 1838-2312
ISSN 1838-2320
AUGUST 2019
$11.00
$10.00
a Loc
SEPTEMBER 2019
ISSN
s ube Logistic BroesQs w Frontiers y Ne r a Cle l Hero
07
SE
Contact Krueger Transport Equipment 275 Fitzgerald Road Derrimut VIC 3030 Ph: 03 9366 2133 Web: www.krueger.com.au
www.trailermag.com.au
Terry Bickerton, Paul Vawdrey and James Dixon.
31
36
Trailer Magazine NOVEMBER 18
www.trailermag.com.au
27
PRIME MOVER and TRAILER are Australia’s most-read monthly news resources for the commercial road transport industry covering all facets of our industry from bitumen to boardroom. Subscribe today to get access to award-winning reporting and thought-provoking insight — 22 times a year — from the most acclaimed journalists in the country. SPECIAL OFFER – Subscribe online today to receive both magazine for the price of just one! Save over 50% and never miss another story from our fast-paced industry.
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37
FINAL MILE
BACK TO THE
The new HiAce boasts a comprehensive array of safety features.
THE ALL-NEW TOYOTA HIACE WITH ITS LARGER SEMI-BONNETED VAN (SBV) ARCHITECTURE REPRESENTS BY FAR THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE THIS MODEL HAS RECEIVED SINCE IT WAS ORIGINALLY LAUNCHED WAY BACK IN 1967. PRIME MOVER SADDLED UP A LONGWHEELBASE MANUAL DIESEL VERSION FOR THIS EXCLUSIVE EVALUATION.
T
oyota, perhaps more than most other commercial vehicle manufacturers, traditionally tends to stick with tried and tested formulae when it comes to updating and refreshing its various light commercial offerings over the course of time. As such, incremental improvements rather than radical reformation is typically the modus operandi. It’s a principle that has worked well for 56
o c t obe r 2019
the company, with its vehicles gaining an enviable reputation for being robust and reliable, if somewhat conservative. However, conservatism is fine by most of the people who buy light commercial vans; their main criterion is that these vehicles keep doing the hard yards day in, day out, for a very long time. Ironically, it was back in the mid-1990s that Toyota introduced its first semibonneted HiAce – branded logically
enough as HiAce SBV – to supplement the garden variety HiAce, but it didn’t have much of an impact on the market. Arguably it was ahead of its time, which is to say the market simply wasn’t ready for such a radical departure from the quintessential one-box Toyota van that had dominated the scene for decades. Some years later Toyota quietly discontinued the SBV and kept turning out the market staple HiAce in its
FUTURE traditional form until earlier this year. The safety-conscious European manufacturers pioneered the SBV concept with its well-proven benefits of superior crash protection and driving dynamics decades ago; and with the steadily increasing emphasis on work health and safety, it’s not surprising that Toyota has finally followed suit with its latest HiAce. The subsequent transformation is truly remarkable and puts HiAce, for the first time, on level pegging with its European rivals. In fact, the driving experience of the new HiAce feels very similar to that of its Euro counterparts, with features like a commanding driving position, nifty dash-mounted shifter, excellent all-round visibility and a torquey diesel engine that delivers in spades. The New HiAce comes in two basic sizes – long wheelbase medium roof (LWB) and super long wheelbase high roof (SLWB) with wheelbases measuring 3,210mm and 3,860mm respectively. Combine these with a generous wheel track measurement of 1,670mm and overall body width (excluding mirrors) of 1,950mm and it’s easy to understand why the newcomers are superior in load carrying and general driving dynamics compared with their predecessors. In terms of load carrying, the LWB manual diesel has a kerb mass of 2,220kg along with respective gross vehicle and gross combination mass ratings of 3,300 and 5,200kg respectively. This allows a payload capacity of 1,080kg and towing of a braked trailer with a maximum all-up weight of 1,900kg. An overall height of 1,990mm means the LWB version can sneak into most underground car parks, an imperative for some buyers, while the SLWB has an overall height of 2,280mm. Other variations include the choice between diesel and V6 petrol power,
A 250kg payload barely puts a dent in the vehicle’s performance.
automatic or manual transmissions, along with a crew seating option in the LWB and two Commuter (people mover) variants in SLWB guise. The 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine produces 130kW at 3,400rpm and a healthy 420Nm of torque between 1,400 and 2,600rpm in the manual version. Meanwhile, the diesel automatic version sports an identical power output along with a beefier torque rating of 450Nm between 1,600 and 2,400rpm. The manual transmission is a six-speed overdrive unit with a stubby dash-mounted lever that provides a pleasant sports-car like shift action. It incorporates a well thought out spread of gear ratios including a first low enough for smooth hill starts when loaded through to sixth which enables relaxed 100km/h cruising with the engine ticking over at 1,500rpm. The new HiAce also steps into a new stratosphere in the safety stakes, boasting
an utterly comprehensive array of passive and active safety features as standard. The list includes seven airbags, a pre-collision safety system with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure alert, brake assist, auto high beam, road sign assist, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert and front passenger occupant detection. An overarching feeling of spaciousness greets the driver upon entering the cab, with a panoramic view through the deep and wide windscreen and side windows and minimal blind spots. In a first for HiAce, the twin bucket seat arrangement allows walk through access to the load compartment, although some might lament the lack of a three-seat option for carrying an extra passenger. Our 250kg payload didn’t put a dent in the lively performance, with the HiAce blasting up hills like they weren’t even there. Despite its significant overall size, the LWB version is remarkably manoeuvrable and seems to shrink around the driver, giving the impression that it is smaller than it actually is. Toyota claims a combined fuel figure for the LWB manual diesel of 13.3km/l (37.5mpg), but in our experience a more realistic average figure is likely to be around the 11.7km/l (33mpg) mark. Overall, the new HiAce provides a package that comfortably eclipses its predecessor in virtually every respect. Given the inherent Toyota virtues of quality and reliability, it definitely has the potential to reclaim some of the sales lost to European competitors in recent times.
FAST FACT
The new HiAce is bigger and better than its predecessor in almost every respect. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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PRIME MOVERS & SHAKERS
MAKING
CHANGES HER START IN ROAD TRANSPORT ALMOST CAME BY DEFAULT, BUT MELISSA STRONG PROMPTLY FOUND HER FEET IN THE INDUSTRY, GROWING WITH IT OVER TWO DECADES. IN 2008 SHE ACCEPTED A ROLE AT LINDSAY AUSTRALIA WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY THE SAFETY, PEOPLE AND CULTURE MANAGER.
I
t’s fair to say when Melissa Strong left high school the idea of working in the trucking industry couldn’t have been further from her mind. At the time she had set her heart on a career in the travel industry but as fate would have it, an opportunity soon became available at a Sydney-based family-owned trucking company as a manifester. She dived into the role and set forth on what has become a journey of a lifetime. “Not long after I started the job I recognised there was a world of opportunity within the industry and I could see a great career path ahead of me,” she says. “The people, diversity and opportunities have kept me in the industry for my career. And the rest, you could say, is history. As a high achiever, Melissa identifies the range of challenges and experiences the industry presents, changing as they do on a daily basis, as one of its chief attractions. “In my current role with Lindsay Australia, on any given day work can include visiting our sites and developing new initiatives to support managers and employees,” she says. “I firmly believe that encouraging individual progress and positive change in our employees is the best way to prepare for our future. I liaise with all divisions, helping to clarify and communicate business 58
o c t obe r 2019
Melissa Strong.
activities and initiatives. “I lead a dedicated team, with each member relentless in the pursuit of the three pillars of our vision: Safety, People and Culture. I’m very proud of them.” As the conversation turns to highlights in her career to date, Melissa says the growing diversity of personnel within the industry has led to an increased prevalence of women working across all areas and given rise, she observes, to many highlights. “In over 20 years of my career in the industry I’ve had so many wonderful opportunities, it’s difficult to narrow it down to just one,” she says. “I feel very fortunate to have found an industry I love and one within which I have been
able to establish a rewarding career.” In 2007, Melissa was recognised by her peers and industry when she was awarded Transport Woman of the Year by the Australian Trucking Association’s (ATA). “I was surprised and humbled by this announcement,” she says. “Then ten years later I was presented with the Queensland Trucking Association’s Trucking Woman of the Year award. It was then I really knew my efforts could produce positive change and I realised I was finally in a position to influence and instigate changes that will hopefully create lasting benefits and opportunities for others.” Being recognised in these ways has helped Melissa redouble her efforts to strive for continual improvement in the transport industry. “For me the special thing about the industry is that it is such a necessary part of the everyday lives of every person in this country,” she says. “The Transport Industry services our nation and plays a vital part in our economy, so being able to play a part and contribute to help this cause is very rewarding.” According to Melissa all industries, including commercial road transport, evolve and mature. “There will always be opportunities for improvement. In order to stay relevant, competitive and viable, change must
occur. I believe that in the Safety and Compliance space we have made big inroads and come a long way. But there is still a way to go,” she says. “We need to continue to focus on practical changes and strive for consistency and transparency in compliance and enforcement industry-wide.” Inconsistencies and unnecessary duplication within industry accreditation schemes and auditing processes, according to Melissa, remain a huge cost to business. “These processes can be quite labour intensive and the results, I believe, don’t always reflect the outcome end users are hoping to achieve,” she says. “I think there is scope for streamlining and maximising efficiencies in these areas.” An aging workforce and globalisation present serious challenges to attracting the required quality and quantity of personnel needed for the transport task. “There definitely needs to be more work done towards recognising Heavy Vehicle Driving as a professional career,” she says. “We are also at risk of not capturing the knowledge base of our older drivers before they retire.” The opportunity to attend femaledriven events in commercial road transport when she was starting out, along with starting in a medium-sized family business, assisted Melissa with networking, as it helped her to see the merit in transport as a lifelong career. She contends that these events are crucial in introducing new talents and skills to the industry that can only be realised through improved diversity in many shapes and forms, not only gender. “Businesses and individuals all have a part to play and I believe it is much more than just promoting opportunities for women. It’s about being open to diversity by accepting people from all walks of life and backgrounds,” she says. “We must remember that someone once took a chance on us, so it is now up to us to take a chance on others and support and encourage them.”
Strong was awarded the QTA Trucking Woman of the Year 2018.
p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
59
PERSONALITY
ALL
FIRED UP
THE TRUCK INDUSTRY COUNCIL IS THE PEAK INDUSTRY BODY IN AUSTRALIA REPRESENTING MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF HEAVY COMMERCIAL VEHICLES WITH GROSS VEHICLE MASS LIMITS OF 3.5 TONNES OR MORE. CHRIS LOOSE IS AN ENGINEER WHO IS WELL KNOWN WITHIN THE INDUSTRY AND IS THE TECHNICAL OFFICER AT TIC. HE SPEAKS WITH PRIME MOVER FROM THE RECENT ARTSA TRUCK FIRE SEMINAR. PM: If you pardon the pun, truck fires are a hot topic at the moment. What are your thoughts? CL: Regarding fires, from my point of view there are three golden rules: maintenance, maintenance and maintenance. It’s really about what, when and how and maintenance is not an issue restricted to the first few years of a truck’s operation. Trucks in this country tend to have three lives. The first is usually arduous work such as running linehaul, then it becomes a domestic unit performing tasks such as pulling containers from the wharves, and then it finally may end up as a tipper in its third life. By then it’s probably operating in a suburban environment so it’s not too great a problem if it breaks down. The problem is that by then maintenance may not be as rigorous as it should be. PM: Why do many fires start in the engine bay? CL: Virtually all diesel engines being built today are equipped with common 60
o c t obe r 2019
to be aware that certain high pressure fuel lines are designated single use only, although some Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) do allow for re-use. That means if the tube nuts are disturbed for any reason the entire fuel line must be replaced. Anecdotally we hear of some being re-used up to five times. Lines can crack due to stress and vibration hence many being specified single use items.
Chris Loose.
rail fuel systems due to emission reasons. Common rail engines present a particular set of circumstances relative to the ultrahigh pressures at which they operate. On a big diesel there are probably 10 to 12 high pressure lines which means there’s 20 to 24 connection points. Technicians need
PM: What about electrical fires? CL: Starter cables appear to be the most common cause. These thick starter cables are difficult to route and keep clear of rub points. Quite often there are two positive cables and only one negative cable and what’s known as a frame ground return. Electrically, the frame is required in addition to the cable return. Sometimes mechanics fail to reconnect all cables and don’t pick up their error because the truck still starts. It then takes some time for the connected cables to overheat.
It can be understandable because the visual and physical access to the starter area can be very restricted so it’s not easy for some of this work to be done but we need to address this type of human error. We are all aware of driver fatigue but there can be mechanic fatigue as well. We have a national shortage of competent technicians. PM: Is the age of the truck fleet a contributing factor to fires? CL: The average age of the fleet is definitely an issue. According to the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) in January this year the average age of vehicles above 4.5t GVM was 14.9 years and getting older all the time. Anecdotal evidence and information from National Transport Insurance suggests that trucks between eight and nine years of age are the most likely ones to be involved in a non-impact fire. PM: What about the rate of truck fires? CL: One of the questions discussed at the recent NHVR round table on this issue was that no one could tell us whether the rate of fires is increasing or decreasing. We don’t have the information because we are a federation with states and territories, each with their own bureaucracies. So it’s hard for us to gather the information as to the causes and the rates. Fires may seem more common because we certainly have a much higher social media presence and everyone has a camera on their phone. The older trucks tend to be in the city where often they are the problematic trucks and if there is a fire it’s more likely to make it into the media. However, the Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) bus fire mitigation advisory indicated the increased engine complexity required for compliance to recent exhaust and noise emission standards has contributed to an increase. PM: What is TIC working on in relation to fires? CL: We are working with groups including ARTSA (Australian Road Transport Suppliers’ Association) to
develop a guide for trucks which will be very similar to the one produced by the Bus Industry Confederation (BIC). We are currently seeking input from the industry to assist in the writing of the guide although such a guide is only a narrow part of the solution. It will highlight the risks to help our maintenance people understand what to look for and what to do. PM: What about recall programs? CL: The new Road Vehicles Standards Act is being implemented and will include provisions for a recall, but the new legislation is potentially going to be delayed. At present under the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) legislation we don’t have to undertake a recall because a truck is not defined as a consumer good, so technically it’s not recallable. Importantly though, the ACCC does help facilitate voluntary recalls and in a couple of years I expect the new Act will provide a much-improved
framework for both a voluntary recall and support mandatory recalls, when necessary, for all on-road vehicles. Recall decisions are always tough ones and are made within the individual OEMs organisation. Often the decisions are not made in Australia – the parent company makes them and may take into consideration implications to their global markets. Often what happens locally is, rather than a recall, they’ll do a service campaign. That’s an initiative that can be taken locally and can be more expedient. PM: Does TIC have a framework for service campaigns? CL: TIC has a code of practice for recalls but a service campaign is very much an OEM responsibility and how they facilitate it is up to them and they’ll take an appropriate approach to get hold of problem vehicles. The Takata airbag campaign has shown that despite best efforts a large proportion of people continue to ignore recalls. p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
R E F R I G E R AT I O N
FREEZE FRAME
RUNNING A COMPETITIVE FRESH PRODUCE BUSINESS DEMANDS HIGH QUALITY, EFFICIENT, SAFE AND RELIABLE REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION. FOR SCHREURS & SONS, THE MAXI-CUBE SLIDE-A-SIDE DELIVERS ON ALL FRONTS.
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chreurs & Sons is a thirdgeneration farming business that is 100 per cent Australian familyowned and operated, specialising in celery, leek and baby leaf lines including spinach, rocket and snow pea tendrils. With seven properties, spanning in total over 1,000 acres, it is one of the largest suppliers of celery in Australia and also serves international markets.
“As we don’t have loading docks on any of our farms, we need an efficient and safe solution that not only maintains the integrity of the produce, but also achieves minimal turnaround time between locations,” he says. “Maxi-CUBE came highly recommended to us by our interstate freight partners, Consolidated Freight, and when we compared a Slide-a-Side to other
Maxi-CUBE Slide-a-Side.
The fleet transports fresh produce in Victoria, primarily between the business’ farm growing regions and the Melbourne wholesale market. Two of the biggest challenges for Schreurs & Sons are operational efficiency and load security according to Chris Schreurs – Director of Business & Commercial Operations. 62
o c t obe r 2019
equivalent options available, we believed Maxi-CUBE provided the best solution for our needs. “MaxiTRANS’ willingness to work with us to ensure we obtained the most efficient set-up and best use of the Slide-a-Side design was a great contributing factor.” The design process involved working
through various door configurations that could deliver the most efficient results. “We believe the time spent on this task was well worthwhile as we are now benefiting from that final design,” Chris says. “Another special specification we added was a stainless steel floor. As our finished produce can come out of the fields quite wet, we went for a more durable floor to prevent rust settling in as we’ve experienced in the past with other trailers.” Having elected to purchase a B-double set to take in round trips from its main growing region in Tarwin to the production facility in Clyde has helped reduce the daily trips from three to two. “So, the fuel and labour savings have been quite significant. Prior to investing in our new rig set-up, we were frequently using two drivers doing three-to-four round trips between these locations during our peak season,” Chris says. With the load restraint characteristics of a rigid wall van, Chris says the Maxi-CUBE Slide-a-side is advantageous because the operator is not required to strap down the entire payload when at full capacity. “This time saving ensures our produce returns to the production facility in a more timely manner, enabling us to get it packed and pre-cooled ready for effective and efficient distribution,” he says. “With the fridges up and running over last summer, we were very surprised with how well the thermal insulation worked on the Slide-aSide. It has exceeded our expectations in maintaining temperature control. So, they have done an excellent job there.”
A CLASSIC DESIGN
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INSIGHT | VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION
A tale of three drivers
PETER HART
I
have recently invetigated the braking history of a B-double trailer set that rolled over. Both trailers had Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), which is also called roll-over control or trailer EBS. The VSC control systems keep a record of the duration and severity of braking events, as well as the details of stabilising brake interventions. I obtained monthly braking data from the VSC unit on three vehicles in the fleet. Each vehicle has a dedicated driver. The comparision of braking data paints a picture of the driving styles of each driver. There is important information that can be extracted from the electronic brake controllers on trailers. The braking performance of two drivers, A and B can be compared as the routes are similar. Driver C is on a different route with different type of freight and is not directly comparable. Driver C’s vehicle rolled over on the 27th day of the monthly record. The following graphs show that the number of brake applications made by drivers A and B during the same month are about the same: 60,897 v 58,938. The total braking duration is also about the same: 696s v 714s. Driver C, who is on a different route, made 103,650 brake applications in 27 days. But Drivers A and B have radically different driving styles. Driver A brakes early and lightly (Graphs 1 & 3). She drives cautiously. Driver B brakes late
66
n ove o c t obe mbe r 2019 r 2018
and hard (Graphs 2 & 4). He relies on the antilock system to keep his truck straight. The lessen of this is that the data in the trailer VSC controller can illustrate the character of the driver. Driver A is defencive while Driver B is aggressive. Driver C’s vehicle rolled over on the 27th day of the monthly record. There were 38 brake interventions by the VSC during the 27 days in the record. Lateral decelerations greater than 0.3g are of concern. The design measure of vulnerability to roll over is called the Static Rollover Threshold or SRT (for more information see my PM article of June 2012 at www.artsa.com.au/ articles). An SRT for the vehicle of 0.35g is regarded as a desirable minimum.
Graph 5 shows that many of the interventions occurred at above 0.3g. The rollover event occurred at low speed. Graph 6 shows that the rollover occurred while a moderate brake intervention was being made. The rollover event occurred while the vehicle was turning at a Tee-intersection. The speed was low. The vehicle cut the corner and clipped the gutter. This gave the trailer the kick-up it needed to roll over. The brake intervention data indicates that Driver C often put his vehicle into the rollover danger zone. He relied upon the VSC to stop him rolling over. Unfortunately for Driver C, the VSC could not overcome the basic physics of hitting a raised gutter. Graphs 7 shows the distribution of
Graph 1 - Duration of Braking v Braking Pressure Driver A 250 200 150 100 50
Bar 0
0.0-1.0
1.0-1.2
1.2-1.4
1.4-1.7
1.7-2.0
2.0-2.5
2.5-4.5
>4.5
Graph 2 - Duration of Braking v Braking Pressure Driver B 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50
Bar
0 0.0-1.0
1.0-1.2
1.2-1.4
1.4-1.7
1.7-2.0
2.0-2.5
2.5-4.5
>4.5
ARTSA TECHNIC AL COLUMN
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Driver C’s braking events against speed. Space prevents me from showing the distribution of speeds at which Driver C brakes his vehicle. The distribution is skewed to higher speed bands. This suggest that Driver C is not a defensive driver. I classify braking events that occur at no more than 1.5 Bar control air pressure as modest. Brake applications above 4.5 Bar are severe or emergency stops. Driver A makes fewer severe/emergency stops than Driver C who makes fewer that Driver B. Driver C’s practice is to travel fast and rely upon the roll-stability intervention in the VSC to prevent rollover. Driver B’s practice is to leave the braking late. Interventions about 0.3g lateral decceleration are a cause for concern. This is an absolute measure that needs no comparison. The records I have been reviewing do not have a GPS location for recordable events such as overspeeding, severe deceleration and rollover interventions. I encourage all operators who put VSC onto the trailer to get the GPS sensor option. Knowledge about the locations of interventions is valuable business information. These are the locations where the oeprators business is most vulnerable. ARTSA has started thinking about the conditions under which operators might voluntarily provide location data about VSC interventions to it for analysis. There is both an operator and community interest in identifying rollover- or braking-intervention hotspots. Maybe this information can be used to improve the road and the driver. Regular discussions about the VSC-intervention and brakingperformance data with the driver could help to either improve or confirm the driving performance. The VSC data loger is actually an important risk-reduction tool so operators, please routinely look at what it is telling you! Dr Peter Hart ARTSA
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Graph 3 - Number of Braking Events v Braking Pressure Driver A 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0
Bar 0.0-1.0
1.0-1.2
1.2-1.4
1.4-1.7
1.7-2.0
2.0-2.5
2.5-4.5
>4.5
Graph 4 - Number of Braking Events v Braking Pressure Driver B 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000
Bar
5000 0 0.0-1.0
1.0-1.2
1.2-1.4
1.4-1.7
1.7-2.0
2.0-2.5
2.5-4.5
>4.5
Graph 5 - Lateral Deceleration v Speed at Intervention - Driver C 120 100 80 60 40
Rollover
20
-0.6
left
-0.4
-0.2
0
0
0.2
Lateral deceleration xg
0.4
0.6
0.8
right p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
67
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GEOFF CROUCH
I
n the world of heavy vehicle accreditation, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is the regulator, the implementor and the enforcer, responsible for regulating heavy vehicle accreditation all while running their own scheme, the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS). There is no separation of powers whatsoever, and I think that most would agree that this simply does not pass the pub test. The ATA is taking a stand. We’re calling on the jurisdictions to understand there are more effective ways to manage accreditation. There is a better way to do this, and it starts with structurally separating the NHVR from the NHVAS. The NHVR should instead focus on being a good regulator and turn its attention to improving safety outcomes. Accreditation schemes were first developed in the mid-1990s as an alternative compliance solution to support the traditional approaches based on prescriptive regulation, and as a result the ATA established TruckSafe and the governments implemented the NHVAS, now run by the NHVR, and both are voluntary schemes. The ATA has long argued that the NHVAS breaches the competitive neutrality policy agreed by the Australian and state governments. Operators accredited by this government business receive regulatory benefits that operators in comparable private
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Taking a stand on heavy vehicle accreditation schemes, including TruckSafe, don’t get. Under the NHVAS, operators can access regulatory concessions that reduce business costs, including extra mass, exemption from inspection requirements and longer working hours for drivers. In contrast, TruckSafe accredited operators do not receive the same regulatory concessions as NHVAS operators, even though they need to meet higher standards. This is not just unfair and anticompetitive; it discourages operators from being in a higher quality scheme. In its first submission to the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) review, the ATA proposed that safety-based schemes like TruckSafe should be formally recognised under the law, with the NHVR to regulate safety schemes and auditors, rather than trying to run their own. It’s important to note that this is not just something the ATA is calling for. An independent review of Australia’s heavy vehicle accreditation schemes by respected consultant Peter Medlock recognised TruckSafe as a robust scheme and identified the need for schemes that operate to a high set of standards to receive the same regulatory concessions as those in the NHVAS. The Medlock review called for dramatic changes, recommending the NHVR turns its focus to supervising alternative providers of industry accreditation, not running their own scheme. This report has great potential to reform the heavy vehicle industry and establishes a new basis for
heavy vehicle accreditation in Australia. So, what would it look like if the NHVAS were to be separated from the NHVR? First and foremost, the separation would improve the safety of those in the NHVAS scheme. The current standards do not cover the full scope of the HNVL, and there is growing acceptance of this across government and industry. These exclusions include speed management, speed limiter maintenance, non-concessional mass, dimensional requirements, load restraint or fatigue management under standard hours. Additionally, the separation would improve productivity and provide greater benefit to operators by reducing the need for multiple scheme and customer audits. Most importantly, it would enable the NHVR to focus its safety role on fewer and more effective accreditation schemes rather than remain tied up trying to run its own and encourage more businesses to become accredited. This would be a big step towards improving safety outcomes. This is about ensuring a safer industry, reducing audits, stronger regulation and competitive neutrality – there has never been a better time for transformational change in how we improve safety. For more information about the TruckSafe program or to become accredited, head to www.trucksafe.com.au Geoff Crouch Chair, Australian Trucking Association p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
69
INSIGHT | VICTORIAN AUSTRALIANTRANSPORT LOGISTICS ASSOCIATION COUNCIL
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Real details and real dollars needed for Strategy
KIRK CONINGHAM PETER ANDERSON
T
he release of the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy by Ministers attending the Transport and Infrastructure Council (TIC) meeting in Adelaide on 2 August was an important moment for Australia. For the first time, Australia now has a clear set of actions for improving supply chain efficiency which all governments nationwide have committed to pursue. The TIC meeting also resolved to have all governments return to the next meeting scheduled for November with implementation plans, setting out the infrastructure investments and regulatory reforms they will pursue to give effect to the National Action Plan released in conjunction with the Strategy. In ALC’s view, these implementation plans must clearly spell out how, when and by whom actions will be delivered, so that progress can be measured and all jurisdictions can be held to account for the delivery of their undertakings. It is impossible to understate how central the successful implementation of this Strategy will be to sustaining our standard of living in Australia. The price we pay for consumer goods, our international competitiveness, continued growth in exports and the liveability of our communities are all inextricably linked to our ability to move freight efficiently, safely and cost effectively. Achieving this is already a challenge that 70
o c t obe r 2019
logistics operators face every day – and the challenge is only going to grow. Research undertaken to support the development of the Strategy shows that the size of Australia’s freight task will increase by 35 per cent between now and 2040. The National Action Plan that underpins the Strategy identifies four key focus areas, as follows: • Smarter and targeted infrastructure investment; • Enable improved supply chain efficiency; • Better planning, coordination and regulation; and • Better freight location and performance data. As the lead jurisdiction on the development of the Strategy, the Commonwealth has already undertaken several significant initiatives. In particular, ALC has welcomed the establishment of a National Freight Data Hub and agreed to join the Advisory Board to champion the interests of industry in this key initiative. We also welcomed the commitment to developing a set of National Planning Principles, another long-standing priority for many in the logistics sector. The Commonwealth Government has also advised that as part of its implementation plan there will be updated mapping of key freight routes and hubs. This will go some way to helping map and address bottle necks in the system, a practical ALC ambition that will target better regulation and infrastructure. As has been consistently noted throughout the development of the Strategy, it is a ‘national’ initiative, as distinct from a Commonwealth one.
Although the Commonwealth has taken the lead to date, we are now at a point where state and territory governments need to match their support for the Strategy in-principle with real commitments to actions that will support its effective and efficient implementation. Consequently, it will be imperative for the implementation plans that states and territories present to the November 2019 TIC meeting to contain concrete deadlines for achieving actions, commit to real investments in freight infrastructure and regulatory reform, and clearly identify the relevant Minister or agency responsible for delivering each action. In ALC’s view, it is not acceptable for governments to simply present a list of existing infrastructure projects, or point to their existing freight plan and claim it is an ‘implementation plan’ for the National Strategy. ALC is especially pleased that the Strategy commits to working with the industry throughout the implementation phase. For that process to succeed, it is critical this industry engagement is regular, meaningful and robust, so that industry’s concerns are listened to and acted upon by governments at all levels. Providing implementation plans that commit to concrete actions, real investment and proper lines of accountability for delivering outcomes will be essential if governments and industry are to ensure their collaborative efforts to date result in a Strategy that delivers for the industry – and for the communities we all ultimately serve. Kirk Conningham CEO, ALC
MAKING REPAIRS COUNT ADVERTISE IN OUR DECEMBER 2019 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE. From the odd scrape in city traffic through to the – rare – worst case scenario of a fullsize collision, accident damage is a cost every modern transport company has to make provision against - especially in an age where traffic and freight volume growth are in constant overdrive. Often referred to as the unsung heroes of commercial road transport, modern repair businesses play a vital role in keeping Australia’s transport industry running – even though they are not always top of mind. Prime Mover’s Promotional Feature is providing industry with a forum to showcase just how important professional risk management continues to be – from building a solid relationship with the insurance industry through to finding the right repair company to ensure a quick turnaround and reliable result.
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INSIGHT | TRUCK VICTORIAN INDUSTRY TRANSPORT COUNCIL ASSOCIATION
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TONY MCMULLAN PETER ANDERSON
A
ustralian governments have a mandate whereby they align with international regulations, in particular European regulations, wherever practical. This is part of an overarching global harmonisation strategy that is aimed at reducing Australian specific laws and rules, enabling trade to be accomplished between our country and international markets. This is a two-way street, allowing products from Australia to be exported more efficiently and allowing us to import goods that have been developed to international regulations, rather than to Australian specific rules. The end result is more choice for Australian consumers. In the new vehicle space, this international harmonisation is achieved by a piece of regulation known as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Agreement for World Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations - 1958, known within government and industry circles simply as “the ’58 Agreement”, of which Australia is a signatory. Under our ‘58 Agreement obligations, Australia adopts European safety and environmental vehicle regulations where appropriate and typically within two, to four years, after implementation in Europe. The National Transport Commission (NTC) recently released a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for In-service Safety for Automated Vehicles. The RIS explores the safety risk of Automated Vehicle (AV) deployment in Australia and 72
o c t obe r 2019
Putting the cart before the horse makes a number of recommendations for possible AV regulation in Australia. The NTC’s Automated Vehicle RIS is not the type of robust financial analysis of a specific option, or options, that we are accustomed to seeing from government, but rather a flimsy review that does not consider pending global technical regulation for AVs. Amongst a number of shortcomings of the RIS, the most glaring oversight is the document’s lack of consideration of Australia’s obligations to international vehicle harmonisation. The NTC are proposing unique and specific Australian rules and laws for Automated Vehicles, regulations that do not currently exist in any other country in the world. If Australia was to ‘go it alone’ and introduce the regulations proposed by the NTC’s RIS, global manufacturers of Automated Vehicles would have to seriously consider the legal ramifications and risks of selling AVs in Australia, with their likely conclusion being not to offer vehicles with this technology, due to the significant litigation risks associated with the proposed unique Australian laws. This would slow, or halt, Automated Vehicle deployment, including trials, in Australia. The RIS also makes the recommendation that a new Australian law should be developed that would make an employee of the vehicle manufacturer, or distributor, in Australia, personally liable for the AV when it is in automated driving mode. That person would be
legally responsible for an automated driving system that he/she had no control over and was likely developed and tested overseas by an organisation that has no legal and possibly no financial, standing in Australia. What individual would put themselves at that level of risk and what vehicle company would put one of their employees in that precarious position? None, the vehicle manufacturer, or distributor, would simply not offer such vehicles or technology in Australia, thus depriving all Australians of the potential safety, mobility and productivity/ economic benefits that could be gained from being an earlier adopter of advanced driver assist systems, automated vehicles and automated vehicle technology. The RIS and its recommendations are a classic example of ‘putting the cart before the horse’, or in our industry’s case, ‘the trailer before the truck’. The NTC should be reviewing the global development of regulations for effective automated vehicle cyber security, in-vehicle recording systems that will capture predetermined AV data, to determine who, or what, was controlling the vehicle in the event of an incident and data access protocols. These international regulations will be the real enabler of automated vehicles globally and in Australia and must first be in place overseas, then adopted by Australia. Tony McMullan CEO, Truck Industry Council
VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION | INSIGHT
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Win-win for Melbourne’s inner west
PETER ANDERSON
T
he Victorian Transport Association (VTA) and our former adversaries the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group (MTAG) notched up a significant victory recently, with the Victorian Government agreeing to proceed with a variation of our innovative solution to addressing heavy vehicle movements in Melbourne’s inner west. For years, inner-west residents in and around suburbs adjacent to the Port of Melbourne – Australia’s busiest container port – have waged a campaign against the industry to reduce the amount of trucks on local streets. Safety, traffic congestion and emissions were common themes in what has often been a very public campaign, with the VTA on behalf of the industry advocating for continued seamless access to the Port of Melbourne for operators to be able to remain productive, efficient and profitable. The Andrews Labor government announcing permanent restrictions on key inner west streets after the West Gate Tunnel is built, was one of many triggers for us to engage directly with MTAG to end the long-running dispute and come up with an innovative solution that would incentivise operators to continue working in the area whilst improving safety and amenity for residents. Our jointly developed Maribyrnong Cleaner Freight Initiative was put to VicRoads in 2017 and represented
a world-first collaboration between previously staunch opponents in the interest of developing effective transport policy, independent of government. The proposal would incentivise operators to upgrade their fleets to ‘cleaner’ loweremissions vehicles and require drivers to complete specific training on local transport and infrastructure issues to improve safety and amenity for residents. In exchange, those operators would be granted access to presently curfewed roads for longer, providing a significant productivity dividend compared with other operators. After 18 months of lobbying, we welcome progress on implementation of our proposal in the form of the Smart Freight Partnership – Inner West. The Smart Freight Partnership is an Australian first in terms of encouraging freight operators to modernise their fleet and is seen by industry and the community as one way of reducing the age of Australia’s aging heavy vehicles. With an average age of 14.9 years Australia has one of the oldest truck fleets in the developed world, prompting industry groups to come up with incentives for operators to transition to new trucks that are quieter, safer and use less fuel. The initiative is a great example of how traditional adversaries can work constructively together to achieve solutions that benefit residents and operators. Industry and community groups can achieve great things when they work together and acknowledge their individual needs and interests can be achieved through compromise and mature discussions. It is encouraging that the Victorian Government has recognised the merits of the visionary plan we developed with
MTAG by establishing the Smart Freight Partnership, and we look forward to implementing it in conjunction with operators, residents, Freight Victoria and local and state governments. As part of the Smart Freight Partnership, an Environment Freight Zone covering Somerville Road and Moore, Francis and Buckley streets in Melbourne’s inner west would be established. Access times to these roads would be reduced for trucks that don’t meet current emission control standards, resulting in a reduction of two hours per day for the first two years, followed by a further two-hour reduction per day in subsequent years. Trucks manufactured on or after 1 January 2010 that meet stricter emission control standards (Australian Design Rule 80/03 or EURO V equivalent) will have three hours more access on weekdays than the older trucks and two hours more time on Saturdays. Industry-led training is a key element of the program which includes measures to deliver driver awareness training on local access, safety and amenity issues. A key reason we were able to constructively collaborate with MTAG was a shared willingness to compromise, and recognition by both parties of each other’s legitimate concerns. For our part, it was vital that the rights of operators to be able to run productive and efficient businesses was paramount, whilst MTAG were after improvements in safety and amenity. We were only able to reach a consensus because of mutual respect and a determinedness to get a positive outcome, and I applaud MTAG for their mature and respectful approach throughout our negotiations. Peter Anderson CEO, Victorian Transport Association p r i m em over m a g . c o m . a u
73
PETER SHIELDS’ NUMBER CRUNCH
Rounding the Straight
The sales of new trucks in Australia continued to slide away during August from the heady 2018 record results according to statistics compiled by the Truck Industry Council. The total of 2,659 prime movers and cab chassis for August was 473 units less than in August 2018 representing a difference of -15.1 per cent. The year-to-date accrual for the first eight months of 2019 stood at 21,075, showing a reduction of 1,891 units compared with the same period last year (-8.2 per cent). Heavy Duty trucks achieved 986 units during August, 271 less than in August 2018 (-21.6 per cent) with the year-to-date total of 8,443 steadied by some better results earlier in the year and standing at 722 less units (-7.9 per cent). Medium Duty deliveries of 644 units was 77 less than in August last year (-10.7 per cent) with the year-to-date accrual of 5,051 being 380 less at the end of August last year (-7.0 per cent). The Light Duty market managed 1,029 trucks during the month, 125 less than last August (-10.8 per cent), and the total for the year so far of 7,581 is 789 less than for the same period during 2018 (-9.4 per cent). Sales of Heavy Duty vans also showed a lower result than for August last year down 75 units to 638 (-10.5 per cent), however, stronger sales earlier in the year kept the year-to-date 112 units in front at 4,305 which kept the category 2.7 per cent ahead. The economy grew 0.5 per cent in seasonally adjusted chain volume terms in the June quarter 2019 and 1.4 per cent through the year, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Australia recorded its first current account surplus since the June quarter 1975 and included the largest quarterly goods and services surplus on record at $19.9 billion as the consumer economy keeps trucking, at least figuratively. Among the truck OEMs, so far there are some mixed results for the year with Hino a clear standout. Up to August it is just one unit behind last year’s total and showing a strong resistance against the -8.2 per cent reduction by the overall truck category. In the Heavy Duty category the remaining four months of this year should provide some fascination as the challenge from Volvo to overtake Kenworth as the category’s number one plays out. Other makes are planning to launch new models, several with the potential to be disrupters to the long standing status quo and the tally board may have a distinctly changed look by this time in 2020. 74
oc t o be r 2019
Aug-19
YTD
% Change
ISUZU
742
5864
-8.3%
HINO
480
3635
0.0%
FUSO
280
2309
-18.4%
KENWORTH
170
1511
-17.0%
VOLVO
185
1479
3.9%
MERCEDES-BENZ
147
1160
-6.2%
IVECO
132
1007
-17.7%
SCANIA
88
743
28.3%
MACK
77
711
0.7%
MAN
80
705
-15.9%
UD TRUCKS
57
441
-33.0%
FIAT
73
350
-12.1%
DAF
43
302
-2.9%
WESTERN STAR
28
198
-32.9%
FREIGHTLINER
22
195
-20.1%
RENAULT
22
189
11.2%
FORD
9
84
40.0%
DENNIS EAGLE
7
70
55.6%
HYUNDAI
8
70
34.6%
INTERNATIONAL
6
39
5.4%
VOLKSWAGEN
3
13
1200.0%
16
-100.0%
CAT CAB CHASSIS/PRIME
2659
21075
-8.2%
M-B VANS
316
1874
4.0%
RENAULT VANS
148
768
-11.3%
FORD VANS
65
610
8.5%
VOLKSWAGEN VANS
49
531
32.8%
FIAT VANS
41
288
-15.3%
IVECO VANS
19
234
4.9%
638
4305
2.7%
3297
25380
-6.6%
TOTAL
GOING THE EXTRA MILE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS
Time is money. Specifically developed for the commercial vehicle sector, the advanced DELFLEET EvolutionÂŽ paint system offers a complete range of high productivity solutions that are easy to use and achieve exceptional results. To boost throughput and get vehicles on the road faster, complete with outstanding durability, colour and gloss, Delfleet Evolution is perfect for the long-haul!
www.ppgrefinish.com.au @PPGANZRefinish
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