Prime Mover News

> Brisbane infrastructure icon receives Milestone Mack

The latest Mack truck delivered to a southeast Queensland quarry business represents its 500th. Karreman Quarries, based at Mount Cotton, has been running Mack Trucks bearing its name since 1974. For its 500th truck, the company has received a gold 100 year Mack Trident which will carry road base for projects across southeast Queensland. Mack commercial vehicles have been an integral part of Dick Karreman’s business since it was sand mining on North Stradbroke Island. In partnership with his brother Maarten, Dick Karreman has leased equipment, transported produce and mined sand for nearly five decades. The brothers started operating out of the Mount Cotton site, where it is currently headquartered, back in 1976. Local innovation and manufacturing has helped to influence the mobile asset purchases over the years according to Karreman. “Fundamentally, the fact that they are built here in Australia is part and parcel of our decision to buy Mack,” he said. “We build new crushing plants and we build them ourselves. We source the steel here. We source the engineering here. Those basic principles, that support our own, the fact that it can be built in Queensland — that’s fundamentally the Mack story and our relationship with the brand.” Mack Trucks have been great servants to Karreman Quarries and the Managing Director likes to think the partnership goes both ways. The Trident truck and dog combination has been a mainstay of the Karreman fleet for many years, however, PBS has only added to the efficiencies of the business both in terms of fuel and productivity. “Everything we run is PBS, we’re getting 57.5 tonnes gross, and we are getting 40 tonne payloads,” said Karreman. “That’s unheard of when you compare it to a B-double and other combinations. That’s the best payload you are going to get out of a vehicle,” he said. “PBS is the best way to go economically, for value and productivity.” The Hercules dog trailer behind the 100 year commemorative Trident also pays tribute to Dick’s brother, Maarten who recently passed away. “This truck is a serious milestone for me personally,” said Karreman. “We never set out to go buy 500 Macks. I’m surprised I’ve lived long enough to see it!” Dick Karreman recalls a conversation he had with a pioneering Mack operator as a young bloke in Western Queensland. “There was a guy called Des Stevenson who owned Cubbie Station, and he used to run doubles with fresh produce to Darwin,” he said. “Des said to me, what’s your dream? What’s your goal? And I replied that I want one of those B61 Macks one day.” Some 30 years later Karreman is invited to lunch with Stevenson. The two hadn’t seen each other in well over 25 years. “By the time we got to dessert he asked, did you ever get to own that Mack son?” Karreman responded: “Yeah, we got a few. We’ve got about 40 of them.” By this time the company was running R models. The Karreman fleet now numbers 100 trucks on the road as the family business continues to forge ahead with a new generation stepping in to take the helm. “I never dreamt I’d see it,” Karreman said.

Middle left: Danny Karreman, Quarry Manager. Middle right: Dick Karreman.

> Ivan Vodanovich, pioneering transport entrepreneur, passes away

The Australian commercial road transport industry is mourning the sudden loss of Ivan Vodanovich. The Founder and Managing Director of Daysworth International, passed away on Father’s Day, 6th of September. A much-loved figure in transport circles around Australia, New Zealand, and the wider Pacific region, Vodanovich was, among other achievements, instrumental in introducing Terminal Tractors into Australia and revolutionising the Australian transport and port industries. Originally from Croatia, he was born in 1946 in the coastal village of Kremena, overlooking the Adriatic Sea. He immigrated to Australia to escape communism in 1967 and served on the assembly line for British Motor Corporation (BMC) in Sydney, before moving to Western Australia where he worked in construction. After a stint in Port Hedland, Vodanovich returned east, working for a period in the Hunter Valley. Following time as a technician for Scania in Sydney, he moved to Melbourne where he later marketed the brand and worked as a senior service engineer. He then moved to Rockwell Meritor as a senior engineer before taking the leap and setting out on his own. In 1978 he founded Daysworth International, the company with which he is most synonymous, specialising in power steering, differential and tailshaft component remanufacturing, initially working out of his humble garage at home, prior to constructing and moving onto a site in West Footscray, where the company still stands today, its spiritual home. The business model diversified in the 1980s when Kansasbased American Terminal Tractor manufacturer Ottawa approached Daysworth International to distribute its products in Australia. Despite terminal tractors being a largely unknown field at the time in Australia, Vodanovich was able to envisage the impact they would

Ivan Vodanovich.

have on the Australian transport industry. Daysworth’s subsequent commencement of Ottawa Terminal Tractor distribution and manufacturing signalled a dramatic change in the way operators in the Australian road transport and port sectors operated. Under Ivan’s leadership and with his vision, Daysworth achieved great success, selling over 3,000 Terminal Tractors, cementing itself as a vital player in Australia’s transport industry. Ivan’s engineering expertise combined with his singular vision and entrepreneurial drive, saw Daysworth International introduce new industry standards, and expanded Terminal Tractor usage to the construction, manufacturing and agriculture. “I admired Ivan’s entrepreneurial spirit and was inspired by his ability to back his own judgement and prove the naysayers wrong time and time again.” said John Murphy, Prime Creative

Media CEO. “A big thinker who was not afraid to go against convention, he combined a relentless work ethic with a strong but humble belief in his own abilities. We will miss him ” he said. “Ivan leaves behind a wonderful legacy, both as a dedicated and tenacious visionary of our industry, but more importantly a man of uncompromising integrity, a family man and a generous spirit who was above all, a gentleman.” Ivan’s family tells of his favourite quote from Michelangelo, a philosophy that has guided him through his life and is reflective of his unrelenting pursuit of self-improvement and growth: “The greatest danger for most of us is not that we aim too high and we miss it, but that we aim too low and we reach it.” He is survived by his adoring wife Eki, proud sons Ivan Jr. and Domagoj and extended Vodanovich family in both Australia and Croatia.

> New Cascadia returns impressive fuel figures for livestock haulier

One of the first Freightliner Cascadias to arrive in Australia is delivering solid results in performance and fuel efficiency for livestock haulage company Conbar Transport. Hauling livestock at a maximum combination weight of 68 tonnes, the new 16-litre Cascadia 126 is doing everything right according to Conbar Transport driver, Stephen McCormack. “Livestock hauling is tough on fuel and each run is different, but the Cascadia is very often doing 1.8km per litre (5.1mpg), and sometimes better, which is excellent,” said McCormack. According to Daimler Trucks, Conbar Transport fuel data showed the Cascadia 126 recently used 20 per cent less fuel than a locally-assembled conventional truck owned by a subcontractor on the same return trip with the same weight on-board. The company said fuel efficiency, along with the integrated safety features and performance, were the main reasons Conbar Transport decided to purchase a brand-new Cascadia from Daimler Trucks Albury, identifying the potential for significant bottom line savings over the life of the truck. The Cascadia 126 features a newgeneration DD16 six-cylinder engine that generates 600hp and 2,050lb-ft (2,779Nm) of torque. It is teamed with Daimler’s Detroit DT12 Automated Manual Transmission. Victorian-based Western Truck Repairs has been purchased by AMA Group. The move by AMA, which presently boasts a heavy vehicle national footprint, is expected to expand its coverage in heavy vehicle repairs and services across Australia. Western Truck Repairs will join Wales (NSW), Recar (VIC & QLD), Parins (WA) and All Transport (SA) to support AMA’s growing National Heavy Vehicle Repair Network. CEO of AMA’s Heavy Vehicle Division, Darren Wales, said he was delighted

Stephen McCormack.

According to McCormack, the new Freightliner is considerably quieter than the previous bonneted truck he used to drive and puts its power down with a lot less fuss. In fact, he suggests the serenity inside the cab can mask the Cascadia’s work rate. “The performance is great. It doesn’t seem all that fast, but then you realise that you are getting to your destination in a shorter timeframe most of the time. Sometimes, I’m getting there 15 minutes earlier,” he said. The enhanced visibility thanks to the clever design of the steeply raked bonnet and the windscreen means McCormack can see exactly where to place the truck — a feature that is especially helpful in tight yards. “We go into some crazy places that you Western will be joining the Group and bringing its superior craftsmanship from an experienced team of repair professionals. “For over 30 years Western has been Victoria’s leading truck repair group and from myself and our team we are excited for them to be a part of a quality company like AMA,” said Wales. “Western will complement our coverage not only in Victoria, but Australia-wide. It’s a ‘one-stop-shop’ for truck, bus & coach repairs,” he said. wouldn’t put a 4WD and I can see right down to the front of the truck,” he said. “The bonnet is so low that the vision is just great.” Like all Cascadias, Conbar’s 126 comes standard with fully integrated safety features including a radar and camera-based Autonomous Emergency Braking system that can automatically detect, and fully brake for, moving pedestrians. It also has a radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control system and Lane Departure Warning in addition to Electronic Stability Control. The company also ticked the box for the optional Sideguard Assist, which uses radar to ‘look’ down the left side of the truck and trailer to detect pedestrians and vehicles in preparation

> AMA Group acquires Western Truck Repairs

for left turns. Western’s Managing Director Phil Purdy said the decision to join the AMA Group was not taken lightly. “What they bring to the Heavy Vehicle Repair industry is second to none in terms of quality and service,” he said. “This ensures our client base of over 30 years remain the sole focus, for now and many years to come. Myself and our other two Directors, Joe Portelli and Erio Mirra, look forward to working with Darren and the whole AMA organisation,” said Purdy.

> New Western Star launches ahead of Australian arrival

A next generation vocational truck has been introduced by Western Star. The all-new 49x has been built from the ground up to work in the most demanding applications. These new trucks will build on the rugged American heritage of the Western Star brand, with the technologically advanced safety and performance features that tomorrow’s

Western Star 49x. Leading Queensland freight carrier, Followmont Transport, has added to its growing fleet of trucks with a triple roadtrain rated new Kenworth T659. Built to withstand the rugged conditions of the Australian outback, the latest addition to the Followmont fleet is powered by 650 hp Cummins X15 mated to a Eaton 18-speed transmission. The Meritor 50-160 drive axles sit on Neway Suspension. Specified for long haul, Followmont opted for a 58 inch bunk with custom air cooler and the cabin includes fridge and microwave. “The wellbeing of our people is what drives us to continue to invest back continuously,” said Followmont Transport Managing Director & CEO Mark Tobin. “We recognise that being away from home is hard on our drivers and with that the impact being on the road can have on a person’s health,” he said. “The Seeing Eye machines installed in this truck, like all our other linehaul units, allows us to actively manage driver fatigue, to help our people get home safely every day.” market demands according to a statement issued by Penske Australia. An all-new Detroit DT12 Vocational series of transmissions and Detroit Assurance suite of safety systems offer proven innovation for best-inclass safety, improved productivity and maximum uptime. With a stronger, lighter chassis and equipped with an allnew X-series cab, the 49X is engineered to deliver maximum versatility in a purpose-built package. Penske Australia said it had worked closely with Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) over several years throughout the development process and would do so ahead of the launch in the local market. “We are thrilled to see the brand new Western Star platform unveiled today in the United States,” said Randall Seymore, President of Penske Australia The latest purchase follows a recent trend at the company which has been investing in mobile assets designed for interstate and other tasks outside of the company’s more traditional operations. “We have identified areas of growth and sought ways to extend our revenue streams into different areas,” said Tobin. “Not only does this allow us to make a path towards healthier options for our people, the diversity of our fleet will also allow us to accommodate for our clients’ needs, to allow for them to be able to have a full service when working with Followmont.” The Kenworth T659 has been appropriately named ‘The Boss’. Tobin said the new truck leads the way with its sleek exterior and high-performance interior, and served as a reminder of how the company continued to do business. & New Zealand. “Here in Australia and New Zealand, Western Star has amassed a loyal customer base over the decades and we are confident our customers will be just as excited by today’s launch,” he said. “We will be rolling out a testing program next year ensuring the new trucks are a perfect fit for our local conditions and applications. “We will continue to support our current Western Star truck portfolio which has been proven to thrive in our tough and unique conditions, and Penske is committed to continuing to provide our customers with the service excellence they have come to expect. Our launch plans for the new trucks will be revealed in due course, however we expect to see the trucks enter our local markets in

> Followmont adds B-triple rated Kenworth

late 2022 or early 2023.”

‘The Boss’ Kenworth T659.

> Linfox spends big on ultra-clean Euro 6 Volvo trucks

One of Australia’s largest transport companies, Linfox, has purchased a sizeable batch of Euro 6 compliant Volvo prime movers that will be used for regional and metropolitan work on the eastern seaboard. Local legislation mandating Euro 6 exhaust emissions compliance on new trucks is still some years away, but Linfox remains bullish about reducing its environmental footprint. The handover took place at Volvo Group Australia’s (VGA) worldclass truck manufacturing plant at Wacol, Brisbane, and was attended by Linfox Executive Chairman and son of the company’s founder, Peter Fox, who currently resides at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast with his family. Also in attendance were the Federal Government’s Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport, Scott Buchholz and VGA President, Martin Merrick. Asked his view on what benefits Euro 6 technology will bring to the wider community, Buchholz said it was definitely the way of the future. “As the Australian public and indeed the global population grow a greater appetite for reducing emissions, the transport industry will be up front and centre playing its part,” he said. “It’s so humbling to see the significant investment Volvo has made with its Mack and Volvo products – proudly built right here in Queensland by Queenslanders – to make sure that Euro 6 production is part of its business strategy moving forward into the future,” said Buchholz. He implored those who think that vehicle manufacturing in Australia is dead to “look over your shoulder, look for that golden kangaroo on top of Mack, on top of Volvo – they are not just assembled here, they are built from the ground up by over 1,200 talented Queenslanders here at the Wacol site, and then sold right around Australia and New Zealand.” Martin Merrick added that while VGA has been importing Euro 6-compliant trucks since 2017, the parent company’s $25,000,000 investment has been the catalyst for kick-starting the building of Euro 6 engines at Wacol. “We’re very proud that our new Volvo models including FH, FH16, FM and FMX will now be manufactured here with the Euro 6 technology,” said Merrick. From Linfox’s perspective, transitioning to an all-Euro 6 fleet over the next handful of years is a high priority and according to Peter Fox, the next batch of new trucks the company orders, and all subsequent batches, will be Euro 6 in their entirety. The latest batch of 130 Volvo trucks to join the Linfox fleet, according to Fox, comprises around 60 Euro 6 versions. “If we as a company can introduce the highest level of standards available globally in regard to emissions controls why wouldn’t we do it?” said Fox. “It doesn’t cost us a whole lot more and frankly we don’t want to wait for the boys in Canberra to legislate Euro 6. We as an organisation want to take the lead in ensuring our vehicles on the road emit the least amount of emissions into the environment.” Fox said the company has for the last 12 years been conducting the ‘Green Fox’ sustainability program that has led to a 50 per cent reduction in its carbon footprint. “Volvo has made the significant capital investment in this facility so not only are we now getting the world’s best vehicles in terms of sustainability, but they are actually being made in Australia,” said Fox. “I would much prefer, as a sixth generation Australian, to be buying Australian made with local content because the whole country benefits from it,” he said.

> Scania unveils new gearbox range

The current automated Scania Opticruise is set to be replaced according to Swedish truck maker Scania. A new range of gearboxes headlined by the G33CM are fitted to Scania’s updated V8 engines (with the exception of the 770hp) including the two 13-litre six cylinder engines rated at 500 and 540 horsepower. More than $659 million has been invested in the new range as the commercial vehicle manufacturer looks to get an edge with its customary low-rev and fuel-efficient powertrains over the next decade. A core feature of the new gearbox range is the wider ratio spread, which Scania has backed to better suit its low-rev engines with extended economy-gearing as it continues to push the envelope on reduced fuel consumption. Scania’s new gearbox range has a significantly wider spread with a true overdrive gear on top and can handle both low and high revs in an efficient way. The first new gearboxes will be seen coupled to three of Scania’s four Euro 6 V8s and two inline six engines. A new 770 hp V8, however, will utilise the existing gearbox mated to the out-going 730 hp engine. For Scania, developing a completely new gearbox range has been an enormous undertaking, especially when the range being replaced has been so successful. In fact, the all-new Scania Opticruise gearbox range has no parts in common with the existing range according to Jimmy Larsson, Senior Manager, Head of Gearbox Development at Scania R&D. “The team’s assignment was to develop gearboxes that could handle the diverse demands of the next decade, especially regarding fuel consumption, drivability and sustainability,” he said. “And with the new range, vehicles with high GCM can use fast axle gearing while still maintaining the required startability.” The first example in the new range, the G33CM, is around 60 kg lighter than the current gearboxes, mainly due to the all-aluminium housings and somewhat

> Nikola founder steps down amid fraud allegations

Nikola founder, Trevor Milton, has resigned as Executive Chairman. The news follows recent allegations levelled at the hydrogen truck company, after Hidenburg Research accused the startup of intricate fraud. The Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly making inquiries into the accusations which have been vehemently denied by Nikola. Milton will be replaced in his role by Stephen Girsky, a Nikola board member and former vice-chairman of General Motors. General Motors recently signed an agreement worth $US2 billion, to produce a hydrogen fuel cell electric pickup truck for the company. It is estimated the 112-year-old Detroit-based company would cut $US5 billion in manufacturing and engineering expenses. News of Milton’s departure at the time plummeted shares of Nikola a further 22 per cent in pre-market trading. In June, Girsky’s firm, VectoIQ, purchased Nikola in a reverse merger that took the startup

Trevor Milton.

public. Girsky has since defended the due diligence that went into the deal. Where Nikola is concerned, partnerships to develop fuel cell technology and electric linehaul commercial vehicles with Bosch and IVECO and the new alliance with General Motors will be crucial to regaining momentum lost amid these latest allegations. There are growing concerns that IPO’d electric vehicle companies, continue to launch products with little real

The G33CM headlines the new gearbox range.

smaller dimensions. There will be nine different PTOs available, all offering increased performance, less drag losses and great flexibility via modularity. The EG PTOs are driven directly by the layshaft and are pressure-lubricated by the gearbox. The new interface on the gearbox with a lubrication port means that they can power heavier equipment such as hydraulic pumps. Four different ratios will be available and the output tower can be mounted in three different positions.

world application, to insulate stock by taking credit for batteries they do not yet produce themselves. Tesla, for its own part, relies on Panasonic to develop its batteries. Nikola has, in many ways, imitated Tesla’s evolution as a company. But for investors, a credibility crunch looms. As the pioneering high profile EV startup, Tesla is going to require enormous sales volumes in a slow market that is set to be inundated by competitors. So for the moment, the Tesla story might be considered more compelling than the product. Last year Nikola claimed it had secured the IP on a new battery cell technology with double the energy density it had developed in conjunction with a university lab. With public demonstrations originally delayed until the second half of 2020 the announcement garnered scepticism. At the time Cairn Energy Research Advisors, a firm that specialises in energy storage technology, dismissed the claims as ridiculous.

Andrew Rossington

Andrew Rossington joined Teletrac Navman in February 2016, working first as Vice President of Transport Solutions before becoming Vice President, Next Generation Platform. In his role, Andrew is responsible with the development of Teletrac Navman’s strategic platform TN360, and its surrounding applications.

CURBING YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

While the transport industry has been rightfully focused on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic this year, environmental impact remains a critical issue for trucking and logistics.

ust as greenhouse gas emissions fell during the early months of the pandemic, emission levels may return to normal as lockdowns, restrictions and border closures begin to ease again. Transport operators need to start thinking about how to reduce their carbon footprints in the medium to long term. Fleets that use AI-enabled telematics platforms will be a step ahead, as the technology helps businesses to make manageable and meaningful inroads into reducing environmental impacts.

How AI is making a difference

Everyone is busy. It’s all too easy for the focus on reducing your carbon footprint to get lost in the shuffle. While reducing emissions is a big picture goal that needs to be driven by people in senior and director level roles, the staff that are tasked to work on achieving these goals are busy with day-to-day operations. These tasks include compliance requirements, scheduling, and everything else that keeps a transport company on the road. AI helps keep the focus on emissions by introducing additional efficiency to reporting processes. In the past you would have to manually investigate specific issues, such as idle time, speed events or harsh driving. AIdriven platforms are less reliant on an individual discovering an issue and spending hours of time to manually investigate it. Thanks to natural language voice search, advanced visualisation techniques and the adoption of machine learning (ML) principles, operators can discover problem areas and drill down to solve the issues. To make an environmental difference with AI, all you need to do is ask the right question.

Idle time and driver behaviour AI assists in reducing waste and improving efficiency across your operations. The key area of impact

is idling and driver downtime. Traffic congestion in urban areas is unlikely to be solved any time soon and sitting in traffic during peak-hour is a massive fuel waster and CO2 creator. However, AI-equipped telematics platforms show organisations when and where excessive idling is occurring, suggesting new routes that help to avoid peak hour and congested roads, cutting down on emissions and wastage. AI also assists in addressing driver behaviour behind the wheel. Smart language search functionality helps users to easily locate inefficiencies to turn problems into opportunities, like driver behavioural issues on the road. It’s easy to find examples of harsh braking, fast cornering or speed limit breaches and tailgating, all of which burn unnecessary fuel, as well as being unsafe for everyone on the road. Once you’ve found them, you can have a constructive conversation with drivers, educating them and reducing emissions to boot.

Route planning and maintenance

While route planning has been a staple of GPS-enabled telematics platforms for some time now, AI is taking it to new levels. AI and ML highlight patterns in your route planning that you may not be aware of. You can then discover more efficient routes for your vehicles, which means less time spent on the road, burning fuel and releasing harmful emissions. Less kilometres means less fuel and less CO2. Shortening the distance vehicles must travel to complete their routes and return to the depot also means less wear and tear on engines. By combining routes and optimising the days a vehicle needs to be on the road, operators can take more control of their emissions, saving money, decreasing maintenance requirements, and reducing pollution. AI and ML-based platforms also provide much needed assistance to identify and address maintenance issues with vehicles by automatically bringing potential faults to your attention as they arise. The quicker a transport operator can identify issues and assign a work order to fix them, the quicker additional pollutants are being reduced.

A collective responsibility

AI-powered telematics platforms are the next logical step in tackling environmental impact for the transport industry. They make the job of back-office staff easier by collecting and presenting the information that operators need to make real change within their organisations. Change that will make a difference to many generations to come.

Artificial Intelligence is taking route planning and fuel usage analysis to new levels.