Prime Mover December 2023 by Prime Creative Media

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 R T M OV E

December 2023

D E C E M B E R 2023

Border Express Miles Ahead

p rime m over mag . com .a u

DECEMBER 2023 $11.00

ISSN 1838-2320

9 771838 232000

INDUSTRY Carrier: Wickham Freight Lines Feature: Outback Brewing Co Showcase: New Power Generation Personality Profile: Sal Petrocitto

INNOVATION Fleet: Petrob Technology: Evenergi Spotlight: Detroit Performance Plus FE Test Drive: Hino FS2848 tipper and dog

Care. Care. It’s It’swhat whatwe wedo. do. At Isuzu, At Isuzu, we’ve we’ve always always taken taken great great carecare of our of customers. our customers. We’re We’re Australia’s Australia’s number number one one truck… truck… an honour an honour we’ve we’ve heldheld for over for over three three decades. decades. ThatThat means means moremore businesses businesses put their put their trusttrust in usinthan us than any any other other trucktruck brand. brand. We understand We understand thatthat reputations reputations are riding are riding on us onand us and that’s that’s whywhy Isuzu Isuzu CareCare is is moremore thanthan just just an aftersales an aftersales service service package. package. It’s part It’s part of our of DNA. our DNA. FromFrom day day one,one, we support we support customers customers and and demonstrate demonstrate thatthat reliability reliability is is everything. everything. We pride We pride ourselves ourselves on being on being proactive proactive and and always always going going the the extra extra mile.mile. And And as we aslook we look to new to new frontiers, frontiers, we’re we’re finding finding newnew waysways to help to help our customers our customers exceed exceed theirtheir goals. goals. Isuzu Isuzu CareCare is what is what setssets us apart. us apart. Always Always has,has, always always will.will.

Behind the people who keep Australia moving Behind everything you do, are transport workers - delivering our food, fuel and online shopping, as well as taking us to school, work and on holidays. And behind them is TWUSUPER, the industry super fund for the people who keep the country running.

Join the super fund for people who work in transport

Strong long-term performance

Transport ready insurance

Service tailored for TWUS 7267 transport workers

TWU Nominees Pty Ltd, ABN 67 002 835 412, AFSL 239163, is the trustee of TWUSUPER ABN 77 343 563 307 and the issuer of interests in it. *

Prepared and issued by TWU Nominees Pty Ltd ABN 67 002 835 412, Australian Financial Services Licence No. 239163 (‘Trustee’) on 18/08/2023 as trustee of TWUSUPER ABN 77 343 563 307 (‘TWUSUPER’ or ‘the Fund’) and the issuer of interests in it. Before making any decision to invest you should consider the PDS FSA/ISZS1660 FSA/ISZS1660 and TMD which are available at twusuper.com.au. * Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance and should never be the sole factor considered when selecting a fund. TWUS 8988

MEET THE TEAM

December 2023

WITH SHELL RIMULA ULTRA

Shell Rimula ULTRA works harder to reduce your costs, with up to 2% increase in fuel economy*, so you stay on the road for longer. D E C E M B E R 2023

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.

T H E P E O P L E & P R O D U C T S T H AT M A K E T R A N S P O RT M OV E

LESS FUEL, MORE PERFORMANCE

Border Express Miles Ahead

Christine Clancy | COO

Scan here to find out more

Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil

pr i memo v er mag. c o m. au

With more than two decades of experience as a media professional, Christine has worked in newsrooms across Canada, Vietnam and Australia. She joined the Prime Creative Media team 12 years ago, and today oversees more than 43 titles, including a dozen print and digital transportation titles. She continues to lead a team that focuses on continuous improvement to deliver quality insights that helps the commercial road transport industry grow.

ceo

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.

Louise Surette | Journalist

Louise joins Prime Mover after nearly 25 years as a writer. Starting her career as a reporter at the Toronto Star, she has spent much of the last 15 years as a design writer and editor. In 2020, she was shortlisted on the Richell Emerging Writers Prize list. Originally from Nova Scotia, she lives in Melbourne with her two children.

ISSN 1838-2320

INDUSTRY Carrier: Wickham Freight Lines Feature: Outback Brewing Co Showcase: New Power Generation Personality Profile: Sal Petrocitto

INNOVATION Fleet: Petrob Technology: Evenergi Spotlight: Detroit Performance Plus FE Test Drive: Hino FS2848 tipper and dog

*Compared with a typical 10W-40 oil over a 100,000 km oil drain interval.

William Craske | Editor

Over the past two decades William has published widely on transport, logistics, politics, agriculture, cinema, music and sports He has held senior positions in marketing and publicity for multinational businesses in the entertainment industry and is the author of two plays and a book on Australian film history. Like many based in Melbourne he is in a prolonged transition of either returning or leaving.

DECEMBER 2023 $11.00

9 771838 232000

editor managing editor, transport group senior feature writer

John Murphy john.murphy@primecreative.com.au William Craske william.craske@primecreative.com.au Luke Applebee luke.applebee@primecreative.com.au Peter Shields peter.shields@primecreative.com.au

business development manager

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

art director

Blake Storey blake.storey@primecreative.com.au Kerry Pert , Louis Romero, Tom Anderson

design journalists

Peter White peter.white@primecreative.com.au Louise Surette louise.surette@primecreative.com.au

design production manager

Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

client success manager

Salma Kennedy salma.kennedy@primecreative.com.au

head office

379 Docklands Drive, Docklands VIC 3008 enquiries@primecreative.com.au

Peter White | Journalist

Peter has completed a Bachelor of Media and Communication (Media Industries) degree at La Trobe University, and he brings a fresh perspective to Prime Mover. He gained valuable experience at Upstart, La Trobe’s newsroom, work that has been supplemented by direct industry experience in a Council placement. Peter has a strong interest in commercial road transport, and in contributing to Prime Mover’s efforts in growing the industry.

Ashley Blachford | Business Development Manager

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

www.primemovermag.com.au

subscriptions

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

articles

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

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

FUSO10

THE TRUCK YOU WANT WITH THE SUPPORT YOU NEED

5 YEAR WARRANTY SERVICE PLANS FINANCE SOLUTIONS 24HR ROADSIDE ASSIST SCAN TO LEARN MORE OR VISIT FUSO.COM.AU

FUSO10056_IGTKYGAF_FLEET_Prime Mover_297x210mm_FA.indd 1

ZERO EMISSION OPTIONS

8/11/2023 3:44 pm

CONTENTS

Prime Mover December 2023

60 52 20

COVER STORY “Part of the challenge with any business is you’re looking for purpose-built facilities and you’ve got ten or so years’ commitment and you’ve got to be pretty confident about what the next ten years looks like.”

TEST FLIGHT

Prime Feature

STORIES

Miles Ahead This year has heralded some major changes at Border Express. Founded by Max and Lynn Luff out of Albury in 1981, the business is set to embark on an exciting new chapter.

Twin Steer Hauling beer and cider around Western Australia is thirsty work but luckily twin brothers Adam and Peter Watts from Outback Brewing Co have an Isuzu Traypack to help them get their important cargo to pubs across the state.

TEST DRIVE

FLEET FOCUS

Heavy Weight Warwick-based family business, Wickham Freight Lines maintains an enviable reputation among its peers as a steadfast and reliable long-distance carrier that has, in recent years, increasingly embraced the benefits of PerformanceBased Standards for its unforgiving interstate tasks.

Gold Run Prime Mover revisits Hino’s 700 Series tipper and dog, this time on an extended interstate trip beginning in Rockhampton.

Regular Run

TRUCK & TECH

08 10 50 58 60 62 64 65 66

On the Boil Asphalt carting business, Petrob, has introduced a new DAF CF450 10×4 into its Sunshine Coast operations. The unit features a custom-made bin designed and built in conjunction with the business’s regular boilermaker.

Test Flight A recent 12-month trial with several Freightliner Cascadia and Western Star X-Series trucks should bolster the profile and operator confidence in the new Detroit Performance Plus FE 10W-30 engine oil.

From the Editor Prime Mover News New Power Generation Personality Profile Prime Movers & Shakers ARTSA-I Life Members Truck Industry Council Victorian Transport Association Peter Shields’ Number Crunch

FROM THE EDITOR

Choke Points

William Craske Editor An unforgettable line by John Keegan written about Alexander in Mask of Command bears repeating: “He saw the Persians for all their material superiority were vulnerable to the confrontation of a superior will, and of the strength of his will he had no doubt.” A couple of years ago Peter Fox relayed a decision Linfox had made internally to drastically flatten its management structure so that it could move more decisively. They were made aware, as a big business, that when it came to its ability to act, there were simply too many decision-makers in the chain. The process in place to facilitate deliberate actions had created choke points. Administration, in theory, is supposed to sharpen the capacity to foresee the consequence of any action. But as we know, over cautious processes designed to remove risk can summon forth inertia. That brings us to infrastructure. Close to 40 per cent of Australia’s entire GDP originates in the Pilbara. It’s value to the national interest, at least under the current economic model, cannot be doubted. When it comes to defence assets assigned to the area there is little

D ec ember 2023

to speak of. Mapping undertaken of the key Australian freight networks by the National Freight Data Hub and CSIRO’s Supply Chain Benchmarking Dashboard, used in the Road and Rail Supply Chain Resilience Review, found the most vulnerable networks were the north-south network, east-west rail corridor and the network that connects Perth to Darwin. Two of Australia’s three major military bases, as Cameron Dumnesy has rightly pointed out, are on two of these networks. The report notes that “breakage points assessed on these routes carry approximately 30 million tonnes of freight annually and in some cases of disruption, would be too much to practically mode shift to road.” Impacts on the network in recent years from adverse weather events for the communities and carriers most affected by them, has required intervention by state governments and regulators most usually in the form of exemption notices for high productivity vehicles, such as B-triples, rerouted thousands of kilometres at great expense and logistical undertaking. The report released by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics in February of this year noted that, “disruption to these routes would impact hundreds of LGAs along their length and beyond and could result in some communities being completely cut off from essential freight using these routes.”

Finding a singular, coordinating authority to fortify the national freight network with a centralised alert system is gathering support among those jurisdictions that have felt the brunt of floods and bushfires already this decade. A site that integrates alerts and nogo zones across all states with realtime updates on road closures (and openings), flooded or otherwise damaged infrastructure and hazardous conditions should be, one might hope, already in development. An emergency transcontinental task shouldered by truck under serious load through or around an area ravaged by natural disaster shouldn’t be made more difficult by bureauracy. Governments, given their co-ordinated responses to Broome and Swan Hill, at least fundamentally understand this. What makes leadership potent, after all, is the will to act. Main Roads WA, one of the representative bodies most impacted by these flood events, is doing a lot of the heavy lifting to widen the coalition invested in this conversation. These gathering voices, just as vulnerable parts of the network ready for the height of summer and, in some parts, wet season, will need to get louder before they are rent apart by supervisory committees.

THE NEW D190 FULL TIME PUMP HAS ARRIVED D190

E NG I N E E RE D & BU I LT I N AUSTRALIA For more information contact Dana on 1300 00 DANA or visit us at www.Dana.com.au

Strength • Power • Endurance

PRIME NEWS

> TNS Logistics builds on new generation MAN fleet Brisbane-based family outfit, TNS Logistics, has taken delivery of four new MAN TGS 26.440s, with another pair of 580hp MANs on order. The new vehicles will run in a single trailer application and sideloader work across metropolitan Brisbane with provision for B-double work as they are rated to 60 tonnes. One unit is excelling in this application with the prime mover mainly hauling light weight containers. The first MAN truck, a 580hp prime mover, was purchased by the business in 2021. So impressive was its power and fuel efficiency it has subsequently been assigned relentless A-double work from the Port of Brisbane where it travels out to Dalby, Wacol and Swan Bank, daily. At the present the fleet operates eight high productivity freight vehicles. The two new MAN TGS 26.580s, due in March, will also pull A-doubles. “It’s flying and there’s no dramas. From a fuel efficiency perspective, it stacks up with the other European brands,” said Jack Norton, TNS Logistics Co-Director. “The trucks do rotate in terms of who is running better on fuel but that also comes down to the driver.”

MAN TGS 26.580. 10

D ec ember 2023

According to Jack, who assumed ownership of the business in July with his brother, Matthew, Penske Australia provided a driver trainer which helped improve the fuel burn numbers immensely. “While the performance of the new MANs is very good it’s been their service that has really set them apart from everyone else,” said Jack Norton. TNS Logistics was established in 2006 by Matthew and Jack’s parents Tom and Sharon as a port logistics business. Tom sadly passed in 2020 but not before imparting much knowledge and leaving behind a solid base of clients with whom the company still enjoys strong relationships. “Mum and Dad showed faith in our ability to grow the business and with that came our first initial move which put us in a medium size yard which was a lot bigger than what they had had in the past,” said Matthew, who is also a Co-Director at the company. That 10,000m2 site allowed the company to expand into the e-commerce space. During that time the business diversified adding LCL freight,

e-commerce, pick and pack, and more recently express courier services and air freight. Escalating work, however, from the port revenue stream started to cost the business as it required more outsourcing and moving containers into other facilities for short-term storage. They reached a crossroads. Either they cut some of their clients or they took on a bigger facility down at the port to increase efficiencies, which they eventually did. “Through the COVID period we grew significantly and that provided us with the opportunity to invest in a 20,000m2 purpose-built facility at the Port of Brisbane,” said Matthew Norton, who joined the business in 2016. “Since then, it’s only grown and continues to,” he explained. “That said we probably could have built even bigger. Being down at the port we have a quicker turnaround time. We have a reach stacker on site now which helps us turn our vehicles around quicker and we can hub containers back here during the night for our deliveries during the day.” With the new facilities and improved efficiencies TNS Logistics have been able to attract additional clientele in no time. The expanded capabilities have been looked upon fondly by new business looking to move big volumes of goods. “We’ve taken on board more work from existing clients and secured three- and four-year deals from new customers which is pleasing,” said Matthew. “We’re looking to continually expand our offerings. When you’ve got such a big depot you might as well utilise it.” There are 20 trucks in the fleet including seven sideloaders and a 12-pallet UD Croner rigid with a tail-lift for short haul duties. “Our focus is to continue to build upon that and expand on the fleet there,” said Jack Norton.

DO FUTURE YOU A FAVOUR

If you rely on fleet management technologies in your business, you cannot afford to wait any longer. Telecommunications providers in Australia will be shutting down their 3G infrastructure from June 2024 to power the growing 4G/5G networks. If you and your business rely on the analytics, insights, reports and alerts that fleet management solutions provide, don’t wait, make the switch to Teletrac Navman today. Take away the pain of last minute migration. Prepare your business now and start enjoying the benefits of a future-proofed Teletrac Navman solution.

1300 111 477 TeletracNavman.com.au

PRIME NEWS

> Auswide Transport Solutions reintroduces premium express lane Auswide Transport Solutions (ATS) recently announced the reopening of its Brisbane to Perth express lane for its premium customers. This announcement comes due to a need for a premium express service that supports the safety and reliability standards of significant clients. ATS told Prime Mover it has worked diligently over the past several years to provide these standards to industry clients requiring peace of mind with safety and environmental standards being a key element. “The ATS technology and innovation places them in a position that is attractive to quality customers now requiring excellence in Governance, Safety, Environment and Innovation (GSEI) being the next drivers of mature

industry partnerships,” said ATS CEO, Tommy Pausic. “ATS has placed itself as a leading carrier in that space using innovative technology including AI it is developing to support its modern operations and to ensure driver safety and delivery excellence in an optimised logistics network.” Customer satisfaction, delivery timings, driver safety, job security and personnel wellbeing all form part of the metrics incorporated into ATS’s GSEI platform and Governance reporting. ATS’s customers, according to Pausic, deserve rate consistency and have steadfastly refused to scalp rates during peak periods including train derailments and floods. “It gives our customers commercial peace of mind for their forward

planning,” he said. “A modern fleet and large optimised network footprint, along with the move into high productivity freight vehicles throughout ATS’s daily east-west corridor, will further support our customer needs.” ATS is also moving towards gaining ISO standards certification in governance, safety and environment. “This will further place ATS as the benchmark in commercial general freight carriers for national customer satisfaction,” Pausic said. “ATS are already recognised as the preferred carrier for a number of large national customers and the Brisbane to Perth express lane gives customers a safe and very reliable commercial advantage.”

> GTS lands 40 new Kenworth prime movers The final units of a massive order of 40 Kenworth trucks have been delivered to GTS Freight Management in Mildura. Mostly running to all capital cities, with the exception of Darwin, the new trucks are all powered by 600hp Cummins engines and constitute 29 Kenworth K200s, 10 T610s, one T909 and one K220, the most recent truck launched in Australia by Kenworth. It’s also the first K220 to be placed with a fleet in Mildura. The trucks in the purchase order, which was completed by the delivery of the Kenworth T909, comprise both replacement vehicles of older assets and additional units for recent business expansion. GTS Freight Management Managing Director Damien Matthews confirmed the prime movers have been assigned duties on multiple combinations ranging from 68-tonne B-doubles carrying 36 pallet loads, 90.5 tonnes B-triples with 50 pallet spaces and AB-triples rated to 110.5 tonnes and 56 pallets. He expects about 40 per cent of the new fleet will be utilised on high productivity freight combinations. “The Kenworths have been great to 12

D ec ember 2023

Kenworth K200 B-triple.

assist with the recruitment of quality drivers and also reduce the turnover of drivers,” he told Prime Mover. “Also the [brand ensures] reliability and re-sale value,” he added. The timing of the truck deliveries is advantageous as the business enters the traditional hectic Q4 period for freight movements. All indications, according to Matthews, was that the next few months

would continue to build at a heightened level ahead of the holiday season. “Q4 is shaping up as a period of record volume and a lot smoother than recent peak periods without COVID, floods, and derailments,” he said. Having recently moved into a new site in the Adelaide suburb of Burton, GTS was also looking to expand upon its growing ambient fleet.

I Y T

IN THIS BUSINESS, YOU NEED THE BEST TO SUCCEED

When your business is under pressure to deliver you need to maintain your engine at its best. New Caltex Delo® is formulated with our innovative ISOSYN™ Advanced Technology to give you excellent durability, reliability, and efficiency. Talk to your local distributor or find out more about Caltex fuels and lubricants.

Let’s go further™

www.caltex.com/au/business-solutions

PRIME NEWS

> Industry leaders discuss challenges, progress at Alternative Fuel Summit Professor Russell Thompson, University of Melbourne responds to a question..

A range of speakers from OEMs, academia, suppliers, the private sector and government have gathered together to discuss shifting management processes and the scale of challenges confronting industry at the second annual Victorian Transport Association Alternative Fuel Summit. A strong line-up of speakers made presentations at Hyatt Place Essendon Fields that encompassed a range of projects and projections, some of which helped dispel uncertainties associated with the lofty ambitions of proponents of net zero. Held to assist freight industry operators and suppliers prepare for a future that is significantly less reliant on fossil fuels and, over time, powered by renewable energy, the event attracted around 200 delegates who were provided a range of discussions on the latest technology, policy and regulation on energy consumption, alternative fuels, hydrogen, and electric vehicles. “The road transport industry is now firmly on a path towards decarbonisation as jurisdictions in Australia and around the world start to reduce their reliance on fossil 14

D ec ember 2023

fuels,” said VTA CEO Peter Anderson in his opening remarks. “This is what inspired our inaugural summit last year as transport operators are at various stages of decarbonising but are eager to understand where and how to start the journey.” The program was designed around the four pillars of Targets and Regulation, Alternative Fuel Sources, Equipment, and the Commercial Realities of Alternative Fuels. With projected growth in road freight between now and 2050 expected to rise by 77 per cent, the task and reality of integrating the available zero emissions technologies for instant results in the short-term will be incremental as carriers and transport firms embarked on staged strategies involving fleet and invariably project management with vehicle regulation and network harmonisation front of mind. Major fleets like Team Global Express, Australia Post and DHL offered glimpses into the progress and obstacles they were facing to lower emissions at scale. Emerging concepts like the physical internet, stochastic programming and micro consolidation centres shaped ongoing

discourse around shared facilities and socialisation of available networks to expedite meaningful changes towards reducing the industry’s current emissions footprint. Representatives from Foton Motors, NewVolt and Volvo Group delivered impressive presentations largely devoted to developments each had made in the battery electric space and the opportunities that were likely to eventuate in the medium-term. John Edgley of Hyzon Motors, backed up a strong presentation from last year, by providing an overview of hydrogen transport related projects underway nationally, data from field evalutations, design specifications, partnerships and the role his company and a hydrogen economy could potentially play on shoring up national sovereignty. He received, among the audience, a rousing reception. Bart Simes of Lochard Energy, a major power provider that supplies half of the state’s gas requirement on peak days in Victoria, delivered one of the presentations that resonated over the course of the day. Simes provided a short history and progress report on the H2REFUEL project proposed for Winton, which is strategically situated halfway between Melbourne and the Tarcutta trailer changeover. Delegates were given a glimpse of some of the work streams, landholder negotiations, initial stakeholder engagements and inherent complications of infrastructure development using a combination of renewables, recyclables and the existing grid hedged with renewable energy contracts. It generated ongoing discussions on stage and on the floor. The project, according to Simes, is intended to emulate how infrastructure will look in the 2030s. “If you spend time on something that doesn’t emulate what the future is going to look like you’re not going to get a particularly good learning curve,” he said.

> Delta Group deploys new Mack Anthem 10x4s Recycling construction and demolition waste specialist, Delta Group, has introduced five new Mack Anthem 10x4s into its Victorian fleet. The 435hp Anthems, powered by a 13-litre MP8 engine are officially the first of the new Mack Anthem range to find deployment at Delta Group, who have traditionally preferred cabovers. After just six weeks in action, the new Mack trucks have demonstrated uncommon versatility, working on some 40 projects currently underway in different stages across Melbourne according to Dominic Santullo, Delta General Manager Recycling & Logistics. “Normally we’ve selected cabover for access into the CBD,” Santullo said. “These new Macks are getting in well on those type of projects which typically present a challenge to heavy vehicles. It’s quite a unique type of truck in that it can give you a bit of everything, which squares nicely with our business model,” he said. Delta’s large fleet comprises an array of different configurations with 8x4s,

Mack Anthem 10x4.

10x4s, truck and dogs, super dogs, semi-tippers, hooklifts and livebottom floors. The new Mack Anthems are equipped with a liftable pusher axle which is helping to deliver better traction and driver feedback has been uniformly positive according to Santullo. “The driver instruments are well appointed and driver comfort is a plus,” he said. “A lot of the drivers are putting their hands up to drive these trucks. That’s always a good sign.” It also helps that the new trucks are visually pleasing to the eye.

“If you look at the finish with the chrome rims, mirrors and other details they’re quite an impressive looking truck,” Santullo said. “Combined with the Delta branding, they look good on the road.” Delta, who purchase their trucks outright, will likely run the Anthems to the end of life. Santullo is confident the fleet will add to its Mack Anthem units in the near future, and likely in interstate locations as well. “Delta is an industry leader, and I think other companies will follow suit,” he said.

> Centurion finalises ABC Transport acquisition Centurion has announced its successful acquisition of South Australian refrigerated and general linehaul freight transport business ABC Transport. The purchase was announced in October, where it was revealed the ABC Transport business would be transitioned to become part of Centurion’s operations to further expand its national footprint. At the time, Centurion CEO, Justin Cardaci, said it would add an important central corridor into Centurion’s national presence. “Our vision is for a seamless national footprint and this acquisition, with its Adelaide to Darwin focus, is a key part of that,” he said. The completion of the purchase marks a significant milestone in Centurion’s commitment to better serve its customers by expanding its capabilities. “ABC Transport brings a wealth of

expertise in general and express freight services and [it] has been dedicated to servicing remote communities in the Northern Territory, South Australia, and Western Australia,” a Centurion spokesperson said. “We extend a warm welcome to the exceptional team from ABC Transport, as their expertise and experience will undoubtedly enhance our operations nationwide.” Centurion will now deploy more than 900 prime movers and over 3,000 trailers on key Australian transport routes, with 35 sites in action. For more than 22 years, ABC Transport has served customers up and down central Australia from Adelaide, Darwin, Katherine and Kununurra, establishing strong relationships with customers. The team have built a solid business transporting frozen goods, dairy, fresh meats and other perishable goods through Central and Northern Australia

on an established network supplying supermarket chains and leading producers. In October, ABC Transport CEO, Andrew Cogan, said he was proud that the business, he founded in 1998, would become part of Centurion. “Our 260-plus employees will have a great future at Centurion, which has an industry-leading approach to safety and deploying advanced technology both on the road and in the warehouse,” he said. “The Cardaci family is committed long-term to the transport and logistics industry — the people who work in it and the regional communities that it serves.” Cogan and his leadership team will remain with the business post settlement, where it will continue to offer general freight services to local businesses up and down the Stuart Highway. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

PRIME NEWS

> Sterns Bulk Haulage deploys new 165-tonne-rated Kenworths Emerald-based roadtrain operator Sterns Bulk Haulage has taken delivery of two new Kenworth C509s. The big bangers will be used primarily to haul AB-triples moving sand, gravel, and coal from mine sites over the Central Highlands in Queensland. As part of a fleet reset, Sterns Bulk Haulage has moved on four Kenworth T909s, some of which have been running since the business was founded by Michael Stern in 2012. “We were working on a coal account for a couple of years which tied us up and we’ve finished that and sold all of our old gear including the Kenworth T909s,” he said. “Those trucks are over ten years old and in some cases have two million kilometres on them.” The new trucks are travelling approximately 6,000 kilometres a week dependent on the job. Roadworks and railway networks encompass much of the ongoing deliveries, however, coal jobs come up intermittently. Sterns Bulk Haulage often runs to the Adani mine carting sand and gravel into a concrete batch plant where they are hooked up as quad roadtrains. “We’ve gone for 165-tonne rated trucks to be able to do more of this type of work,” said Stern. Sterns Bulk Haulage opted for a

T th

G a h

Kenworth C509 AB-triple.

bigger, heavier spec’d truck for the punishing work in sweltering conditions that requires return legs across unsealed roads. “We see a bit of dirt road, in fact 80 kilometres of dirt road,” said Stern. “The C509 is more of a built-for-purpose bush truck that can handle the rough terrain a bit better.” The Kenworth C509s are fitted with Michelin tyres on the steer axles and Bridgestone on the drive axles. Both trucks are equipped with Dana’s ultrarobust D52-190 drive axle set on a 4.78:1 ratio with dual diff lock. The bins are built by 5 Star Side Tippers, a local operation based out of Bundaberg. Stern opted for an 18-speed RoadRanger gearbox through a Euro 5 rated Cummins X15 producing

up to 600 horsepower. “I’ve never had a C509 and it was an opportune time to get something that could stand up to the dirt roads out there,” he said. “By turning the fleet over we’ve initially downsized for the moment. The investment is in three C509s in total, with the first two recently arrived and a third one on the way.“ He added,” We should see it by the end of next financial year.” All three trucks have been delivered via Brown and Hurley Rockhampton through Salesman Tony Urzi. “Brown and Hurley build a good product. They’re a good team to deal with. I wouldn’t go to any other brand,” said Stern. “They back their product. They try their best to keep you on the road — that’s for sure.”

L b k In m

W v d

> SRT Logistics and ABC Transport awarded Carriers of the Year SRT Logistics and ABC Transport have been awarded Carriers of the Year at Primary Connect’s tenth annual Transport Safety Day. Primary Connect’s two longstanding transport partners were formally recognised for their outstanding performance in safety, compliance and service. The awards were held at Woolworths Group’s head office, with more than 150 carrier partner representatives, industry professionals and leaders from Primary Connect attending. At the event, SRT Logistics was named Large Carrier of the Year and ABC Transport Small Carrier of the Year. 16

D ec ember 2023

“Our Primary Connect Carrier of the Year Awards are a fantastic opportunity for us to recognise carriers that demonstrate the highest level of service and outstanding professionalism while reflecting our own values and commitment to safety,” said Director of Primary Connect+ and Transport for Woolworths Group, Chris Brooks. “We are thrilled to present the award to ABC Transport for the first time, and to SRT for the fourth time since the inception of these awards, and the second year in a row. We’re grateful to have such high-quality partners supporting our supply chain.”

SRT Logistics has been working with Primary Connect for more than 15 years. Its 370 employees currently transport approximately 375,000 pallets of goods for Woolworths Group and Primary Connect+ commercial customers each year. “It’s humbling to win the award multiple times,” said SRT Logistics CEO, Robert Miller. “It takes a lot of hard work and dedication from the team for both our leaders and the broader team at SRT. It’s their hard work and dedication every day that makes a difference to our business and the business of Woolworths.”

S t

MAKE YOUR FLEET MORE SUSTAINABLE WITH GEOTAB, THE WORLD’S LEADING TELEMATICS SOLUTION The transportation sector is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions globally. Geotab is helping more than 47,000 global customers and partners achieve sustainable transportation outcomes.

Geotab’s Green Fleet Dashboard gives fleet managers transparency over fleet performance in the areas of fuel and energy consumption, GHG emissions, EV utilization and driver behaviour. Keeping tabs on actual usage will help to reduce your organisation’s fleet emissions and monitor the success of green initiatives. Looking to transition into Electric Vehicles? Use our Electric Vehicle Suitability Assessment tool to figure out the best way to upgrade to electric vehicles. With our big data capabilities, we frequently advance the industry’s knowledge of EVs. We are able to provide insights on EV performance data including battery degradation trends. In addition, our datasets have been used by policy makers and members of the EV industry to access vehicle movement and inform strategy. Why choose Geotab? — As a proven leader in IoT and connected transportation, we securely connect commercial vehicles to the cloud, providing data-driven analytics to help businesses better manage their fleets and make data-driven decisions.

4 million+ connected vehicles

55 billion+

data points processed daily

Streamline fleet management with Geotab, the global telematics powerhouse. Learn more at geotab.com.au

160 million+ km driven every day

47,000+

global customers

GLOBAL NEWS

> Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck cracks 1,000km mark

A public road approved prototype of the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck has achieved a record distance covering 1,047 kilometres with one fill of liquid hydrogen. Powered by a cellcentric fuel-cell system and equipped with a liquid hydrogen fuel tank system, the run started at Mercedes-Benz Truck’s Customer Center in Wörth am Rhein and finished in Berlin. With a GVM of 40 tonnes, the vehicle completed the trip fully loaded under real-life conditions,

without emitting any CO2. The record drive with sealed tanks and controlled mileage was independently confirmed by an inspection document from TÜV Rheinland. After the successful run, Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG, Head of Truck Technology, drove the truck across the finish line. “To decarbonise transport, we need both battery-electric and hydrogenpowered drive technologies,” he said. “The sweet spot for fuel cell trucks lies in flexible and demanding long haul transportation tasks. By cracking the 1,000-kilometre mark with one fill, we have now impressively demonstrated hydrogen in trucks is anything but hot air, and we are making very good progress on the road to series production.” The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck was fuelled with liquid hydrogen at Daimler Truck’s filling station at the company’s development and testing centre in

Wörth. Hydrogen was supplied by Air Liquide and is reportedly of renewable origin. During the refuelling process, cryogenic liquid hydrogen at minus 253 degrees Celsius was filled into two 40kg tanks mounted on either side of the truck chassis. Because the vehicle tanks have exceptional insulation, the hydrogen can be kept at temperature for a sufficiently long time without active cooling. Both tanks were sealed before the start of the drive to TÜV Rheinland. Daimler Truck prefers liquid hydrogen in the development of hydrogen-based drives. In this aggregate state the energy carrier has a significantly higher energy density in relation to volume compared to gaseous hydrogen. As a result, “more hydrogen can be carried, which significantly increases the range and enables comparable performance of the vehicle with that of a conventional diesel truck,” the company said.

> PepsiCo Tesla Semis demonstrate megawatt charging in transport event Tesla Semi trucks in PepsiCo’s Sacramento-based fleet have taken part in the “Run on Less: Electric Depot” trucking event. The national initiative organised by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) involved participation of three Tesla Semis driving slip-seated long haul transport routes. Slip-seating is a term commonly used in North America for truck share arrangements for two or more drivers. After the first two weeks the Semis accumulated a total of 30,773 kilometres. Approximately 65 per cent of the distance driven in that time saw the Tesla Semis loaded to a gross vehicle weight plus load of over 32 tonnes. The program has also demonstrated the capability of megawatt charging in transport operations enabling slip-seat, continuous transportation capabilities 18

D ec ember 2023

with an electric vehicle. In December 2022, PepsiCo took the first delivery of the all-electric Tesla Semi trucks and as of 1 September, nearly 680,000 miles have been travelled. The Tesla Semis deployed out of Sacramento run two different types of routes: long haul routes that transport

between 400 and 837 kilometres per run, with a gross combination weight of up to 37.2 tonnes and 18 different delivery routes. On these the trucks cover less than 120km per day, hauling a diminishing load that leaves nearly full and lightens throughout the day as deliveries are made. Preparing for the deployment of the Tesla Semis included installation of four 750-kilowatt Tesla chargers for a total of 3 megawatts of installed charging capacity at a time at the Sacramento facility. The chargers are supplemented with the Telsa Megapack Battery Energy Storage System. Depots will be used to provide insights and guidance to tackle the challenges that come with electrifying a fleet, including building a charging network and its supporting infrastructure, along with building grid capability and resilience.

S O

SMARTER ON-BOARD MASS

The Perfect Pair for On-Board Mass. AXS Truck Scale & AXR In-Cab Remote. Built to endure and perform, Airtec’s compact mass management solution for Prime Movers takes the guesswork out of loading your combination. The AXS SmartOBM is powered with Bluetooth-Mesh technology, increasing data speeds and connectivity. Built with the same sleek design, the AXR In-Cab Remote operates from one 12v power cable, minimising your installation costs. Both products are IP66 rated, with customised mounting options to endure Australia’s rough terrain. Evolve your fleet with Airtec’s next generation mass management combination.

airteccorporation.com 1800 818 884

MILE S COVER STORY

This year has heralded some major changes at Border Express. Founded by Max and Lynn Luff out of Albury in 1981, the business is set to embark on an exciting new chapter.

D ec ember 2023

AHEAD

Fuso Shogun 510 B-double. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

COVER STORY

ounded in Albury in 1981 by Max and Lynn Luff, Border Express has flourished in recent decades to become one of Australia’s largest transport operations. But it was as recent as 2014 that the company initiated its now widely used parcel delivery business. The organisation’s strong growth since then has been largely organic, other than the acquisition of Ross Freight in NSW which was absorbed in 2017. “That gave us a true national network with full visibility,” says Mark Luff, Executive Director Transformation at Border Express. “When COVID hit it allowed us to leverage off that network.” It has been important during the evolution of Border Express that it be capable of operating in a dynamic New Fusos have been introduced across the light, medium and heavy-duty categories.

D ec ember 2023

market and have the resilience to handle unexpected circumstances such as those experienced during the era of COVID. “We recognise that to some extent we are unique, in that we’ve got a national platform for both bulk and parcel operations,” says Mark. “One of the things we did going back to 2020 was an end-to-end review and the development of our forward strategy. A critical component of that process was where to play and how to win. Defining the sectors in which it could deliver the best value for clients, while at the same time creating shareholder value, has been an important factor in the recent success of Border Express. “A key area of focus when operating a parcel service is density. Our strategy has created a parcel consignment profile that

underpins a fleet of vans which are larger than typical courier vans, and deliver larger freight volumes at each stop,” Mark explains. “Our bulk freight service then covers everything above the parcel profile, and the strength of the business is being able to offer that full-service range, and to do it nationally.” To efficiently perform those deliveries, Border Express has made a $13 million investment in upgrading its local PUD (Pickup and Delivery) fleet across Australia. This substantial investment indicates another commitment to staying at the forefront of the logistics industry and aligning with the evolving demands of driver safety and tangible environmental impacts. After a rigorous selection process which considered several vehicle brands, the

Border Express fleet upgrade involves 78 brand-new Fuso trucks, ranging from 15 Fuso Canter six-pallet parcel trucks, 36 medium duty Fuso Shogun 360 14 Pallet Rigid Tautliners, two Fuso Fighter 10 Pallet Rigid Tautliners, 24 Fuso Shogun 510 Prime Movers, as well as a Fuso Fighter crane truck. The fleet upgrade is just one part of the Border Express commitment to a more sustainable future and the company has also invested in a fleet of electric forklifts at its newly constructed Wetherill Park facility in NSW. This move is part of a comprehensive, multi-year plan to transition from LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to electric-powered material handling equipment. “We are in the process of upgrading our facilities,” says Mark. “Part of the

challenge with any business is you’re looking for purpose-built facilities and you’ve got ten or so years’ commitment and you’ve got to be confident about what the next ten years looks like.” With that, Border Express has taken on a new facility in Sydney, commissioned design and construction of a facility in Cranbourne West in the southeast of Melbourne, as well as one at Perth airport. “Over the last 42 years, our guiding principle has centred on a dedication to investing in our business. As we evolved from solely being a bulk carrier to incorporating a parcel service, we have consistently allocated resources to improve our operations and invest in IT and data analytics.” Mark says. “We have maintained a fleet of company owned

vehicles and always balanced the number of sub-contractors operating in our PUD fleet. A considerable portion of the work we’ve engaged in goes beyond the bulk space, reflecting a more balanced approach that involves venturing outside the confines of traditional square boxes.” In late October 2023 Freight Management Holdings (FMH Group), which is 88 per cent owned by Singapore Post Limited, entered into a conditional sale and purchase agreement with the shareholders of Border Express for a maximum purchase consideration of $210 million. If the agreement completes, as Australia’s sixth largest pallet and parcel distribution operator, Border Express will be a major addition to the portfolio of companies controlled by FMH Group and would join Niche

A new Fuso Shogun 360 embarks on a delivery run in Melbourne. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

COVER STORY

All up $13 million has been invested in the PUD arm of the business.

Logistics, BagTrans, Formby Logistics, Spectrum Transport (QLD) and GKR Transport in the stable as Singapore Post widens its logistics presence in Australia. “FMH Group has built a sustainable integrated logistics business in Australia,” says Vincent Phang, Group Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Post Group. “This acquisition solidifies FMH as a leading logistics provider and continues the growth and development of our Australian operations.” According to Mark, Border Express was excited to embark on a new chapter as it entered into the conditional agreement made public in early November. 24

D ec ember 2023

“Joining forces with FMH Group will provide us with access to an extensive network, cutting-edge technology and resources that will enable us to serve our customers even better and expand our reach even further,” he says. In Australia these kind of seismic changes are becoming more prevalent across the industry. The COVID pandemic and its aftermath has brought with it challenges never previously experienced in transport and logistics. “Back to March 2019 we were having daily meetings on the basis we were going to get shut down overnight, so we had our plans in place if the business

went down by 10 per cent, 20 per cent, even down to zero,” says Mark. “In the first year of COVID we had 100 people away throughout the year. In the second year, we had over 500 people away, about one third of our workforce. But the people were still trying to run the tasks in the branches. It was a good trading period, and the peaks were tough because of the volume, but we recognised that at some stage we were going to come out of it. So, like our investment in the equipment we needed, we’re investing in our people.” Not dissimilar to addressing the situations brought about by responding

“A key area of focus when operating a parcel service is density. Our strategy has created a parcel consignment profile that underpins a fleet of vans which are larger than typical courier vans.” Mark Luff Executive Director Transformation at Border Express

One of 15 Fuso Canter 615 sixpallet capacity parcel trucks.

to COVID, the current economy’s high fuel costs and labour shortages require careful attention to ensure profitability without sacrificing customer needs. “We’re certainly seeing now we are back to Transport 1.01 as the economy has gotten tougher, we’ve got to drive our efficiencies through our costs,” says Mark. “We’ve largely eliminated the outside hire by making sure we are employing our own people as casuals. It’s about costs, it’s about service and making sure we are adding value for our customers.” This time last year Border Express would have had over 150 labour hire people in the business. Now the number is closer to

20 according to Mark. “We’ve brought on a national talent acquisition manager to assist us to recruit in that space. Upskilling our people is one of our primary objectives, and we’ve got our own in-house academy that leads training, whether it be leadership training or Chain of Responsibility.” The economy, Mark notes, tends to make competitors react in different ways. Border Express therefore needs to make sure it’s adding value to ensure client retention is strong before it builds on it. “I believe the continued upskilling of our staff remains the focus for us,” adds Mark. The evolution of Border Express

hasn’t necessarily just been about facilities and trucks. It’s been about the entire organisation embracing a culture of continuous improvement and a passionate commitment to high ideals. Negotiating a conditional sale so soon after COVID is a strong indication of how resilient the Border Express organisation is regarded locally and internationally. “Everyone was so distracted over that twoto-three-year period,” says Mark. “Nobody could keep up with the task at hand, but we’ve certainly worked incredibly hard to make sure that our service is at the highest possible level and that we deliver value for our customers.” p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

FLEET FOCUS

HEAVY WEIGHT

Warwick-based family business, Wickham Freight Lines, maintains an enviable reputation among its peers as a steadfast and reliable long-distance carrier that has, in recent years, increasingly embraced the benefits of Performance-Based Standards for its growing interstate tasks.

t isn’t simply a question of whether a process or product doesn’t work for one of its competitors. If it can stand up to the benchmark asked of it by Wickham Freight Lines, then it’s more than likely already a key asset in its operations. Those same operations involve moving dozens of B-doubles and multi-combination units, whose presence in recent times has grown significantly within the fleet, up and down the east coast of Australia. 26

D ec ember 2023

Steve Lord, National Workshop Manager, has been with the company close to 17 years. In that time, he’s had a box seat to watch its consolidation as a premier long haul carrier, with a national reach, delivering general freight and refrigerated goods. “The fleet is changing at the moment because the NHVR has made it a lot easier to permit trucks and have approved vehicles running around on specialised legs,” he says. “You’ve got

Kenworth T659s on the highway now pulling B-doubles which was once unheard of.” Amid the changes at the fleet, which have been gradual over time, one thing remains constant: it’s choice of truck. Kenworth is, as it has been for the past four decades, the main go-to. Wickham Freight Lines runs an imposing interstate Kenworth fleet that, for many years, was primarily based on the K200 platform. With more permits

Head office near Warwick is modelled on a Kenworth K200.

The Wickham crew in front of its 350th Kenworth, a T909.

increasingly afforded bonneted 34-pallet B-doubles in recent times, courtesy of the NHVR, Wickhams has subsequently found itself transitioning from its stock and trade cabovers to conventional trucks. Moving forward Steve anticipates they will run an even split between the two across the fleet of 200 prime movers. “This is what the PBS and permit scheme can provide,” he says. “It’s opened some doors to make the freight task a little bit more flexible and it allows for better utilisation of your gear. Moving much more freight with the same amount of gear is what everyone is aspiring to.” He adds, “You get out on the highway now and the combinations you see just blow you away.” Operationally, adjusting to the new environment is of profound consequence. It affords, for one example, the opportunity to assemble a roadtrain at its Warwick headquarters and drive it straight through, uninterrupted,

to a yard in Melbourne. Wickhams, previously, would have dispatched a Moree-bound roadtrain via Cobar across the outback, before circling back to Moama where they would get decoupled. That’s a considerable detour for anyone. “There’s a lot of hours out there off the beaten track,” says Steve. “You’re nowhere near help. When you’re driving a semi-trailer, anything is possible, anything can happen.” When a truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere, as they have before, headaches compound fast. A mechanic will spend five hours in the car just to get out to them. For Steve it’s also exciting to see the likes of eight-wheeler K200s with quad-quad B-doubles running about. Wickham’s runs A-doubles into Brisbane on a dedicated route from the depot straight into port. That same combination has also been to Sydney and back on a trial run. The small cab short wheelbase locked the unit into an A-double permit they have since revised to incorporate a big cab, which was squeezed up moving the turntable forward and removing the bullbar, to facilitate the route access. Wickhams didn’t rush into PBS.

They chose to wait to see how early adopters fared mainly for assurances the equipment was suited, under the scheme, for the long-term. Decisions in fleet management at the business are now more directly downstream from it. This year Wickhams added more Kenworth T659s and T909s than they’ve had in a long time. Another ongoing project was the introduction of Dana disc brake axles on a pair of big cab Kenworth K200s. The trial after more than 1.9 million kilometres hasn’t ended. The sister trucks, as Steve calls them, are nearly identical. That’s to say 600hp Cummins engine, 18-speed Eaton manual transmission with a Dana 46-170 tandem drive. From the outset, Steve’s intention was to build a truck with disc brakes and pre-set hubs all round. “We’d been having a drama with drive seals and steer seals,” he says. “The fact is you’ve got to put a lot of work into drum brakes to keep them maintained. It was a test purely for our own benefit to see if there was a product out there for a 7.3-tonne front axle with disc brakes, which we run as a spec. That’s how we ended up with Dana front and back and p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

FLEET FOCUS

disc brakes all round.” Australia is an outlier country for running with a provisional 7.3-tonne front axle weight. That requires, among other considerations, the bearings up front to be twice the size as the kingpins. Wickhams is partial to a heavy spec given it ultimately delivers

Kenworth T909, the 17,00th ever sold by Brown and Hurley. 28

D ec ember 2023

better durability. Cognisant of potential issues arising from a mismatch of running gear, Steve stuck with Dana for uniformity. “The two trucks have been trouble -free at this stage,” he says. “Dana has done a lot of work with their front differential — it’s noticeable.”

Dana has greatly improved the lubrication and oil dispersal especially on the power divider area of the differential where it matters most. Oil is now circulated, using a 40-micron stainless steel gauze filter, onto the front of the diff giving the powder divider a far more reliable lubrication according to Steve. “The way they were doing it before just relying on splash was a bit antiquated,” he says. “But we’ve had other trucks in the past here with Dana diffs in them and they haven’t had a bad run. They are more than reasonable for reliability.” These particular trucks, to which Steve refers, were purchased from Fletcher’s when it went into receivership. All five Kenworth 404SARs were using Dana products and performed extremely well. “That was probably the catalyst that gave me leverage when we were spec’ing these trucks,” says Steve. “I’ve got one at around 970,000 kilometres and the other at 950,000 kilometres and no sign of any drama with the diff. No excessive backlash nor anything that would lead me to believe a million kilometres is where they stop.” The two K200s are hauling B-doubles up and down the Pacific Highway. The task consists of delivering goods between Brisbane and Beresfield en route to Sydney. One truck, however, traverses the New England Highway once weekly, return. The other K200 covers the same route only less frequently, perhaps every five or six weeks. “They’re not New England Highway trucks,” Steve says, referring to the northsouth freight route, undergoing upgrades at a glacial pace, between Toowoomba and Newcastle, “as a bloody goat track” characterised by repeated gradations, for over 800 kilometres. “You’re climbing and running down hills and you’re climbing again. It’s hard on gear,” he says. “Trucks running down the Pacific are getting 2.4 kilometres per litre pulling a B-double. Whereas you put them on the New England and they probably get 1.8. It equates to about $200 a leg difference in fuel cost.” The team have been experimenting with

Wickham refrigerated B-double.

different fuel calibrations on one of the vehicles. They dialled back the X15 Cummins engine from 600hp to 550hp. Though it’s near impossible to pick them apart on fuel economy when they’re on the Pacific with only as much as 0.1 l/100kms separating them. But, even still, the conditions always matter. “A blustery week for trucks carrying

One of the two Kenworth K200s with Dana disc brakes all round.

Tautliners is like sailing into the wind which naturally affects the fuel economy,” Steve says. “On a crisp night they are both close to doing the same.” In late September, Wickham Freight Lines opened a new trailer washbay on its premises. It can wash a full B-double in just eight minutes. Before it washes the van, it performs a prewash of the undercarriage. Tugs rather than trucks are used to move the trailers in and out of the washbay. Two separate single trailers can be washed simultaneously in the bay beside the B-doubles. According to Steve 1,000 trailers have been washed this week already. “We could get eight trucks in there if we wanted to,” he explains. “It’s an impressive show. The boss loves it.” The main Wickham offices, built in 1997, comports with the trend of distinct buildings on the premises. Modelled on a Kenworth K200, the

main facility leaves no doubt as to the ongoing allegiances of the fleet. At around the same time the washbay was introduced, the company took delivery of the 17,000th Kenworth – a T909 – sold by Brown and Hurley. It is, historically speaking, the 350th Kenworth ever purchased by the fleet. Steve, who can still remember his first day at the organisation, as it was his daughter’s birthday, has under his watch, seen the fleet expand from 60 units, mostly powered by Detroit 60s, to the powerhouse it is today. “We’ve got K200s here that are 14 years old that are coming up on 2 million kilometres that have probably spent four years on local already,” he says. “A K200 sourced from Bundaberg not long ago has done 1.8 million on the original engine. That’s happened in about 4.5 years. That truck has travelled 920 kilometres every day since we’ve had it. That’s a Kenworth for you.” p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

FLEET FOCUS

ON THE

BOIL

Asphalt carting business, Petrob, has introduced a new DAF CF450 10×4 into its Sunshine Coast operations. The unit features a custom-made bin designed and built in conjunction with the business’s regular boilermaker.

orking along the seam of the Glasshouse Mountains from Gympie down to the north side of Brisbane, Petrob distinguishes itself servicing clients like Main Roads, Downer and Boral. The small fleet complements this steady work with ongoing jobs asked of it by the Sunshine Coast Council for whom it carts asphalt primarily for overlay programs. Head office is situated in Chevallum, an inland district of the region. The trucks cart out of a facility nearby in Bli Bli, the Allen’s Asphalt plant in Caboolture and another plant located in Brendale. On occasion the vehicles will venture as far away as Kingaroy. Meanwhile, the business continues to work across different sections of the Bruce Highway upgrades including Forest Glen and the Gympie Bypass. “I started the Gympie Bypass and I’m destined to finish it,” says James Borthwick, Petrob Director. “It started in 2007 with our first DAF CF85 and I’m hoping to finish it with it. I’m trying to get the last load to the job which would be a nice way to bookend the project for us. It’s been put through the ringer and it still drives like a beautiful truck.” Petrob, including the latest addition, operates six DAF trucks now – all CFs. There are nine trucks in total working in the business. “Certainly, the DAFs are the superior product and the way to go in our business,” says James. He purchased the business from its 30

D ec ember 2023

previous owner in 2002. An IVECO 210 ACCO was inherited as part of the buyout. Eventually tired of working on old trucks, James took on ownership of a new DAF CF85 8×4, his first, in 2005. “From that moment we never looked back. The fleet and business, not surprisingly, grew from there,” he says. That first DAF was purchased from Brown and Hurley Darra. The new Euro 6 DAF CF450 is a big step up from the first DAF CF85 according to James. “We’d have been disappointed if they hadn’t improved anything,” he jokes. “They’re good in that you can trust the vehicle. We do a lot of hill work up in the ranges and you can sit back and let them drive themselves up.” The new Euro 6 DAF CF450 exhibits, according to James, all the hallmarks of a truck manufacturer that has thought long and hard about the driver, their operating environment and optimising comfort. “In the trucks I started out on, your back would get sore sitting in the thing,” James says. “Your legs are sore from climbing in and out of the truck. At the end of the day, you don’t feel like you’ve done a million miles. “I’ve got a couple of guys who work for me who were adamant Kenworth drivers and all they wanted was a gearstick and I said take them and see how you go.” He adds, “And now I can’t get them out of them.” The fleet has gradually transitioned away from manual vehicles to the automated manual transmission of the ZF

12-speed TraXon. “To have this kind of manoeuvrability on the profiling and overlay work we do for local councils is a real advantage for us,” says James. “The turning ability of the DAF is outstanding and in the construction industry it’s proving, time and again, more versatile in our experience than a bonneted truck.” Not having the load all up front is an advantage. Considering the 8x4s have all got tippers on them, the weight in the bin receives an improved balance in contrast to a bonneted truck according to James. “When you’re putting bins in the air all the weight is at the back of the bin,” he says. “Even though you’re still lifting the same weight, having the weight more to the back than to the front is better.” The new 10×4 configuration was chosen to help with this process. It’s not the first 10×4 in the fleet. There is another which features

a walking floor. “The only reason the new DAF ended up having a bin on it was because of COVID blowout times which were 19 months for a bin to be built,” says James. While the 10×4 prime mover is an imposing bit of kit, the gains in productivity have been huge for the business. James can now carry more weight with the vehicle. The payload, which has increased to 19 tonnes, is now 3-tonnes more than it was — that’s without any mass management. Karen Borthwick, James’ wife, said the backup and support the business has received from Brown and Hurley Caboolture has been of immense help. “They have been very good to us over the years and we certainly can’t complain about their service,” she says. “If you go to any of the asphalt sites on the coast now nearly half the trucks in attendance would

be DAFs and that’s just through word-ofmouth from the drivers. “The drivers when they’re waiting for their loads all talk on site amongst one and other. For fuel economy and comfort there’s no better than DAF.” The trucks haven’t hurt with driver retention and recruitment, either. “It makes it a little bit more alluring for us to attract drivers because they’ve got that comfort,” Karen explains. “It’s by no means easy to get drivers but knowing that they’ve got something fairly new, as we’ve got quite a new fleet now, you can always seem to find someone.” DAF is fast proving itself as a go-to brand in asphalt conveyance in Australia. James says the cost benefits are fast adding up for his business. “Being so economical to run on the local work we are doing it’s a no-brainer for your wallet,” he says.

Euro 6 DAF CF450 on the job. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

FLEET FOCUS

The new DAF CF450 10x4 takes a corner on the Sunshine Coast.

“DAF is ultimately an affordable truck that still fits within that luxury range.” With most of the moving parts on the DAF CF450 being non-greasable, DAF is making maintenance very easy for an owner-driver, according to James, with respect to their maintenance programs. “The greasing intervals are extended. On the truck you’ve only got the kingpins for the greasing points,” he says. “All of your tailshafts are non-greasable and I run disk brakes all round. Once again, for the maintenance side of it there is less greasing, you’ve still got to check them but it just keeps the maintenance down and keeps you on the road — my time is just as important as work time.” Speaking of time, the 19-month waiting period for a livebottom trailer was simply unfeasible economically and practically for a business of Petrob’s nature. So James decided to get creative. “I spoke to my boilermaker, Shane Beal here on the coast who does all of our maintenance and he’s been building steel and aluminium bins for a long time,” James recalls. “I said ‘what do you reckon?’ He said ‘why don’t we have a go at doing it ourselves?’ So we had a crack.” James started hunting around. He soon found the manufacturer for the hoists, opting for BT Hydraulics in nearby Kunda Park. They supplied the tanks and helped 32

D ec ember 2023

set up the hydraulics system. The hydraulic ram was sourced from Tasmania. An external Delta hoist was added to the front. Retractable Tarps, based in Brendale, produced the asphalt canvas tarp. For extra strength to mitigate against wear and tear and to better hold in the heat an 8mm floor was chosen over the more customary 6mm floor. “Heat retention is important. You don’t want to be driving to the job or sitting on the job and losing heat from the bin,” says James. “Basically, the whole truck was kept local.” Engineer Steve Walters at Truck Repairs in Rocklea added the third axle at the rear. It has been equipped with a pusher axle given all trucks in the application need to have stability control and so do the trailers. “The back pusher allows you to protect your stability control that’s on the truck,” explains Borthwick. “Because we get pushed around by pavers and buggies working on the asphalt, the machines we back up to, the stability control hangs out the back and can get bent up or broken so the way around it and, for me to keep using the DAF product, we put a pusher on it and that enables us to carry more weight.” To take on a project like this can become

all-consuming especially when it is not the main function of the business. It certainly stretched the small team thin. “As it’s something you don’t normally do you have to find out all about it to make it happen, so a lot of things need to be put on hold in order to make it happen,” says Karen. Livebottom trailers, in line with industry practice, will be favoured in the application going forward at Petrob. “In future we won’t put another new truck on the road without it being a livebottom — that’s just the way the industry is now,” Karen says. “It’s worked out well thanks to a great amount of effort from James but it’s not something we will jump into again. He was determined that it was going to happen, and he did get it done.” With resale value always in mind, James thought better of using an interior hoist which would take up too much room inside the bin while also making it harder for cleaning given the asphalt can get caught in the corners especially from the function of an internal hoist roll. “The reason we did an external hoist was if you want to sell the bin or use the truck for machinery you’ve got no hoist inside so you can fit two machines in it like a bobcat and an excavator if you needed to,” he says. The cut on the chassis by the boilermaker, was made with this in mind to allow for a livebottom floor in future. “If we have to convert to the livebottom floor at a later date we can,” says James. He expects livebottom floors, especially in the wake of recent accidents involving hoisted tippers, will become standard industry practice in the next few years. “I think from a distribution point we’ll eventually look to non-tipping bodies and how we do that efficiently,” he says. “But the problem you’ve also got is the safer you go the heavier they get. The less your payload will result in having to increase your rates to justify the safety mechanisms. Whereas there shouldn’t be any justification for safety. “I’m always told there’s no chequebook big enough for safety but there has to be. You can only spend so much. But that’s the way the industry is going.”

womeninindustry.com.au

DO YOU KNOW A DRIVER OF CHANGE?

Thurs 20 June, 2024

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

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

PROUDLY PRESENTED BY MHD Supply Chain Solutions

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

Australia Australia

TRUCK & TECH

TEST FLIGHT A recent 12-month trial with several Freightliner Cascadia and Western Star X-Series trucks should bolster the profile and operator confidence in the new Detroit Performance Plus FE 10W-30 engine oil.

ver the life of a working vehicle a range of factors will weigh over the drivetrain for it to respond effectively and durably. The right engine oil is of course one of them. For the latest generation Detroit engines built and developed to accept FA-4 spec engine oils, a new oil launched to market promises to help alleviate some of the operational and financial pressures that come with the territory. That territory is the unique, harsh, and often hot operating environment of the Australian continent. Launched to market as recently as September, Detroit Performance Plus FE 10W30 FA-4 Heavy Duty Engine Oil, has undergone millions of miles of testing in North America. As a low HTHS oil it is tested to ensure it provides protection at high temperatures and high shear, which are more demanding than standard viscosity tests, whilst opening up the opportunity for efficiency benefits. But a question remains. Is it cut out for the local conditions? Supplied by Viva Energy, who also have a Shell branded equivalent, Detroit Performance Plus features ‘Low SAPS’, high performing, efficient additive technology that is

D ec ember 2023

designed to deliver enhanced fuel economy and lower emissions. To prove this claim Viva Energy and Penske Australia, the local distributor of Detroit products, embarked on a 12-month validation trial involving up to six new prime movers. The trucks used in the testing, which were organised around the heaviest applications in duty cycle, all featured the latest Detroit engine technology. There were three Freightliner Cascadia 126s powered by a Detroit DD16, an engine designed and developed according to the GHG17 protocol, and a mix of DD13 and DD16 engines on three Western Star X-Series variants that are built to the more recent GHG21 standard. Both truck platforms have natural crossover ideal for such a trial. In one application the trial involved 90-tonne roadtrains loaded both ways from Adelaide to Perth. Each truck, according to Paul Smallacombe, Viva Energy Product Support Engineer, had started from the first oil drain with little more than 40,000kms on the odometer. “From the outset we wanted to get something that was representative of Australian conditions,” he says. “We know the product works. It’s spent a number

of years with proven performance under its belt.” The tests were completed in multiple trailer applications on linehaul routes in either A- or B-double. Up to five completed oil drain cycles were completed for each truck on the trial. This would include trial runs of up to 80,000 kilometres in each of those trial runs across four key trucks of the six units the Viva Energy team was drawing data from. Validation wasn’t, according to Paul, about trying to extend oil drain intervals. “While we were confident it would work, it was about giving that additional confidence to customers that it was proven in Australian conditions,” he says. The foremost concern with these types of oils is that they might be too thin to hold up to the stresses that are ongoing between the mechanical components in the engine. High temp, high shear, in that regard, is a differentiator between the traditional 15W40 heavy-duty diesel engine oils and the new FA-4 10W30 product. The main pushback on FA-4 oils, should it come from local industry, would likely hinge, Paul suspects, on it being simply too thin for Australian conditions. The

Inspection of a cylinder from the engine.

Troy Johnson, Viva Energy Australia, Key Account Manager with Paul Smallacombe and Bob Gowans. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TRUCK & TECH

Ajay Agrawal, Global Lubricant Specialist, Shell Company.

data, to the contrary, showed that Detroit Performance Plus FE performed well above expectations certainly in terms of any fears it might increase wear. “What we saw in the wear profile across the oil drain intervals was almost identical to what we ran in previous CK-4 trials,” Paul explains. “The 10W30 wasn’t showing any increased wear compared to 15W40. It was really no different to what we saw from 15W40 CK-4 previously.” There were many intermediate assessments made of the oil in addition to when it was added and taken out according to Bob Gowans, Penske Australia, Business Manager - Detroit. “By taking all the samples and putting them on a graph it will show you how the oil degrades over time,” he says. “When you get to a certain point on the curve that’s when you change it out. You look for signs of when the curve is going to bend and try and change it out just before then so you’re not damaging the truck in 36

D ec ember 2023

any way.” On this front, the wear metals within all of the oil samples collated during the trial were well within what would be expected of a Detroit engine. The newer, thinner oil isn’t backwards compatible for the older engines. Pressure relief valves and filtration oil pump sizing apertures, for instance, are not set up for FA-4, a fuel economy variant of the heavy-duty diesel engine oil spec, with which the new generation powertrains have been expressly developed. That previous oil – the CK-4 spec – is still available in the market. The range is called Detroit Engine Oils and features four iterations for different generations of engines through older two stroke to DD15 and now the DD13 and DD16 range. “We know there’s many customers that have legacy Detroit trucks whether that’s Western Star Constellation or Freightliner Argosy or Coronado,” says Bob. “There’s lots of fleets out there that have the more

modern Detroits as well. The CK-4 is a very valuable tool for those customers given it is fine for those engines.” That said, Shell, according to its data taken from the USA trials, reports between 2.6 per cent to 2.8 per cent fuel economy benefit over the previous 15W40 engine oil. These impressive figures, Paul says, should be qualified by acknowledging different operations are going to yield different results. “Even if they’re getting 1 per cent to 1.5 per cent that’s significant,” he says. “It’s a real selling point of the FA-4. It will certainly help reduce emissions obviously but there’s also big benefits for the operator in reduced fuel costs. As we know fuel costs is one of, if not the biggest cost for transport operators at the moment.” In recent years engine technology and exhaust aftertreatment has been targeting emissions like particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. However, the key thrust in reducing carbon dioxide, which has

become the main focus now that those other air pollutants have almost been eliminated, is through burning less fuel. FA-4 spec fuels like Detroit Performance Plus FE, which is the standard factory fill on all new Freightliners and Western Stars with a Detroit engine, help operators live that out to the fullest. “The way oils and lubricants can contribute to that is by using a thinner product, a lower viscosity oil so there’s less drag, less energy consumed, which improves the fuel economy,” says Paul. “By using a lower HTHS oil, you create less internal friction leading to the potential for fuel economy benefits without sacrificing longevity of the engine.” Every truck had its oil sampled regularly so that the behaviour of the oil was monitored and how its performance might have varied over the oil change

interval. This was in essence to watch for the signs of performance dropping off or other chemical compound elements appearing in the oil, a sure sign the oil is getting to the end of its life and needs to be changed. By looking at the behaviour of the oil over its lifecycle and at the end of the trial, inspections were made inside the cylinder of the engine. “The bores after 300,000 kilometres looked exactly like new,” says Bob. “There were no additional signs of wear, and we could also see that from the wear metal results in the oil analysis. They were at least as good as if not better than the CK-4 oil that preceded it.” The trial is considered a success having proved to Viva Energy and Detroit that the latest standard FA-4 oils are more than a match for Australian conditions. Ultimately, customers are going to be the beneficiary in terms of longer engine life

and fuel economy. “Everybody breathes, so it’s a win-win because the world gets lower greenhouse emissions and the operators get a lower fuel bill,” says Bob. “From an operator’s perspective, it’s great that the fuel efficiency requirements have come along at the same time, driving the development of this advanced oil.” Data observed from Detroit engine management system, confirmed for Paul a higher fuel burn than what is customarily seen in the American market and even higher than what Viva Energy had done in previous trials. “To see it get out to those 60-, 70-, 80,000 kms is pretty impressive,” he says. “In the US they go up to the equivalent of 100,000kms but that would be on single trailer operations. With much higher fuel burns for higher loads to still get around that 80,000km drains is very impressive.”

The wear metal results after 300,000 kilometres were like new. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

FLEET FOCUS

TWIN STEER Hauling beer and cider around Western Australia is thirsty work but luckily twin brothers Adam and Peter Watts from Outback Brewing Co have an Isuzu Traypack to help them get their important cargo to pubs across the state. 38

D ec ember 2023

hanks to a bullbar and a bullhorn fastened to the front of his new Isuzu Traypack, Adam Watts likes to pretend he’s in a prime mover. “It’s a proper truck bullhorn,” says Adam, who is one half of family-owned Outback Brewing Co. “It’s really loud so It’s like I have a semi but it’s not a semi.” His Traypack, while not a semi, does still have everything he needs to pick up produce Adam later adds to the beverages, take kegs to pubs as well as

carry what he needs to showcase the craft brewery’s ciders and beers at festivals. Based in Chittering, Western Australia, Adam, who runs the company with his twin brother Peter, had previously been driving an Isuzu ute. But with 750,000 kilometres on the clock, he felt like it was time for an upgrade. He also knew they wanted something to carry all their gear, so they didn’t have to continuously hire a trailer. The answer was the NLR 45-150 AMT SWB Traypack, which meant they could carry an extra tonne

Peter and Adam Watts.

of weight but didn’t require a special license to do so. “With this truck, because it’s a threetonne, we can get everything to a festival in one trip,” he says. “And it can all be done with just a regular driver’s license.” This model is powered by a 4JJ1-TCS engine that produces 110kW at 2,800 rpm and has 375 Nm of torque. Adam’s is a 4 cylinder, 6-speed manual with a gross vehicle mass of 4,500 kg and a gross combination mass of 8,000 kg. Adam and his brother are refrigeration

technicians by trade and a lot of their work involved breweries. They liked what they saw, developing an interest in the art of brewing beer. “We thought ‘we could do this,’ so we decided to have a crack,” says Adam, adding that his fondness for beer also helped in his decision. Today, their concoctions are known for their natural ingredients and unique flavours and are sold wholesale in kegs to various venues. Unlike many other breweries, Adam says, their label isn’t

mass produced, and they keep their batches small, pumping out three to four thousand litres every fortnight. There are no chemicals used when brewing. In fact, the water they use is rainwater. “There’s no water up here so we have a 300,000-litre water tank and the rainwater just runs off the roof,” Adam says. The various flavours they come up with are all dependant on what’s nearby and what’s available. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TRUCK & TECH

NLR 45-150 AMT SWB Traypack.

“We have a passionfruit farm around the corner from us so we do passionfruit flavours, and then if there are pineapples around, we might do a pineapple cider,” Adam says. “We don’t store produce, so it is about whatever is available at time.” One of their most popular flavours, however doesn’t come from a tree. Bubble gum has become a firm

favourite after Adam melted down Hubba Bubba chewing gum to extract the flavour. “I ended up getting the flavour out of it, but it was a bit of a painful exercise,” Adam explains. “So I decided to write to Hubba Bubba and they sent me a flavour profile and we got someone to make it and wow, it was great.”

Adam Watt unloads kegs off the tray. 40

D ec ember 2023

Being refrigeration technicians has come in handy in the brothers’ quest to quench the thirst of their fellow Western Australians. They have built a custom refrigerated unit that they can put on the back of the Traypack when they need it to keep their stock cold. “We forklift it on and off when we need it for deliveries,” Adam says. “It’s a hybrid with a battery and inverter so it’s quite self-sufficient.” Adam says he’s happy with the Traypack’s four years of free servicing and the fact that it has a seven-year 250,000-kilometre warranty on the motor. His only complaint is that he wants another one. “I’m looking at the exact same truck but with a dual cab,” he says. “We’ve got some staff and it means we can carry a bit more weight in the back.” The twins’ goal now is to begin distilling whiskey and rum and while Adam says the two of them argue all the time, they do seem to “get the job done,” and at the end of the day are happy to indulge together in an ice-cold beer.

The Isuzu is powered by a 110kW 4JJ1-TCS engine.

The Traypack is perfect for carrying a custom refrigeration unit. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TRUCK & TECH

UD Quon GW 6x4 at the Tokyo Mobility Show.

SIGNIFICANT OTHERS

The recent Tokyo Mobility Show was an ideal platform for Isuzu to outline its intentions regarding the newest models destined for the Australian market.

suzu Australia Limited (IAL) has laid out the product pathway for the staged releases of its all-new truck range across the light, medium and heavyduty sectors. While there’s much on offer, the release of the all-new, next generation Isuzu truck range is set, according to IAL Director and Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Harbison, to propel its market success for years to come. “The release of the previous all-new Isuzu truck range was in 2008, and those models with their various upgrades and improvements over the period have sustained, and even allowed us to build, our market share in the 15 years since,” he says. In addition to the new previously announced four cylinder F Series models, 2024 will usher in the arrival of the new 44

D ec ember 2023

light-duty N Series as well as the sixcylinder F Series, followed by heavy-duty FX Series model releases in 2025 and concluding with the FY twin-steer range in 2026. Across the development of the nextgeneration Isuzu truck range, key drivers include carbon neutrality, driver comfort, safety, and connectivity. The design approach is described with the acronym ‘I-MACS’ or Isuzu Modular Architecture and Component Standard which follows the idea of combining various modular components, parts, and devices on an asneeds basis, thereby catering to the diverse requirements of Isuzu Trucks customers in today’s market and also into the future with the possibility of more than 2,000 model variations. The new N Series light truck range is set to build on its enduring market success with a host of new features and an expanded line-up including more car driver licenced and factory tipper models, increased GVM ratings, best-in-class safety and ADR80/04 emissions compliance while it will strengthen Isuzu’s “ute to truck” marketing. “We also have some neat new model options including the tight-access master, the new NKR 6.5-tonne GVM narrow cab

Andrew Harbison.

models, and a new high-power 4J engine variant in the 4JZ1 with both 150 and 175 horsepower ratings” says IAL LightDuty Product Manager, Jeff Gibson. “The all-new cab is comfortable, spacious, and very efficiently appointed, while our new nine-speed Isuzu dual-clutch automated transmission will provide seamless shifts for a super-smooth driving experience.” The new transmission incorporates a torque convertor as the coupling between the engine and gearbox should further enhance the seamless application of

power provided by the dual clutch technology and contribute significantly to fuel efficiency. Upgraded safety is another feature including intersection autonomous emergency braking (IEB) and traffic sign recognition (TCR) for all models, and fullspeed adaptive cruise control (FACC) for all two-pedal models. The rollout of the all-new Isuzu truck range includes the N Series EV, which will see Australian customer trials scheduled for 2024. “We also have several Japanese-spec N Series battery electric models due to arrive shortly in Australia,” says Jeff Gibson. “In-line with our strategy of targeting last mile and local council and government applications, the trucks will be car and light rigid licence models, rated at a 4.5and 7.5-tonne GVM.” The eNLR at 4.5-tonne GVM will feature a three-battery configuration with 60kWh capacity, while the eNPR is rated at 7.5-tonne GVM in a five-battery configuration with 100kWh capacity. The electric driveline components are sourced from ZF. A feature of the Isuzu display in Tokyo was the world-first reveal of the e-Vision Cycle Concept, showcasing the potential for a fast-turnaround battery-swap system using robotics to perform the battery exchange process and alleviate charging time issues. Another major part of the future line up will be six-cylinder F Series models, with a 6.7-litre DB6A Euro-VI engine in FSR/D, FV and FTS models, all featuring fully automatic Allison transmissions. “Our six-cylinder F Series model range with the new engine is a first-class product and an outcome of the alliance with Cummins, representing one of the first major product initiatives from Isuzu Motors’ strategic partnerships,” said IAL Medium and Heavy-Duty Product Manager and Chief Engineer, Simon Humphries. “We have also upped the spec on heavy-duty FV models, with higher capacity steer axles, Meritor full-air disc brakes and an all-new chassis frame.” The new four-cylinder F Series models cover the key 9,000 to 12,000 kg GVM sub-segment of the medium-duty market, a

category where Isuzu has achieved over 50 per cent market share during the year-todate. Transmissions include the six-speed torque-converter automated manual (TCAMT) and six-speed manual. “The launch and release of an entirely new product line-up, from our driver’s licence N Series models all the way through to our FY heavy-duty trucks represents a significant undertaking, and so staging the various range releases in Australia made best sense,” says Andrew. Isuzu uses the term “hospitality” in reference to its cabin features and inside the new F Series cab, drivers are greeted by an all-new interior, with new display, dash, lighting, storage and seating and steering componentry, with improved ergonomics contributing to reduced user fatigue. In the F Series, essential operational information is provided to the driver via a large and sharp, enhanced full-colour TFT 7-inch multi-information display, located between the speedometer and tachometer.

Attracting plenty of attention on the stand was the heavy-duty Giga Fuel Cell truck which has been developed in conjunction with Honda. Since 2020, both Isuzu and Honda have strongly backed hydrogen fuel cell (FC) technology as the ideal solution for heavier loads over longer distances. Production models are slated for 2027. Also on display in Tokyo and of particular interest to the Australian market, the UD Quon GW 6x4 is already on sale in Japan under the Isuzu EXY nomenclature and Isuzu says plans are “well advanced” for a common cab Isuzu/UD Heavy Duty line up featuring “strong specifications,” which indicated IAL’s preference to bring the truck to the Australian market with a 13-litre engine rather than being limited to the 11-litre which is also available. The displayed truck is powered by a 13-litre engine rated at 530hp. Other UD trucks displayed included the Level 4 Autonomous Quon tipper and the Euro V Quester which has been developed

Isuzu’s GIGA fuel cell truck.

Comfort out on the road is provided via the new ISRI NTS2 6860 driver’s seat, while improved user experience comes by way of a new steering wheel featuring control buttons for the AV unit, cruise, and the multi-information display. The single unit headlamps incorporate a combination LED lamp assembly with Bi-LED high and lowbeam, distinctive daytime running lamps (DRL), position lamps and indicators.

to suit “emerging” markets and now available with the ESCOT automated manual transmission but is unlikely to be seen here. The revelations from Isuzu in relation to the company’s multiple future directions are a strong indication that the manufacturer has no intention of relinquishing its number one position in the markets in which it operates. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TRUCK & TECH

3G TO THE

The 3G shutdown fast approaches. The time to plan for it is now.

uring the past decade, two telecommunication trends overlapped: 3G mobile phone handsets were superseded by faster 4G standards, and the Internet of Things (IoT) began to take off. The Internet of Things, or IoT is, as its name suggests, devices that are not traditional computers or mobile handsets connected to the cloud. These can be remote sensors, factory equipment or, for heavy vehicle fleets, the telematics systems used to improve efficiency, monitor driver behaviour and boost safety. Telematics and other fleet management solutions are essentially IoT applications, connecting remote and mobile devices to the internet through the cellular network. However, while mobile handsets have largely left the 3G network behind, many IoT devices still use the outdated system. It’s estimated that there are approximately one per cent or 3 million devices out there actively using the network. These include phones, EFTPOS machines, cars, tablets, security cameras, and most importantly, fleet management technologies. For fleet operators, this creates an urgency to upgrade telematics systems, as Telstra and all other providers begin to shut down their 3G network on 30 June, 2024, or little more than 200 days away. The time for planning is over, it’s time to get into action according to Andrew Rossington, Chief Product Officer, Teletrac Navman. “If you don’t migrate your telematics, and all other IoT technologies to 4G-powered equipment, you will lose the ability to monitor your fleet and use the data generated to improve operational efficiency, coach driver behaviour, and have a safer operation,” he says. “Do your future 44

D ec ember 2023

self a favour by starting your migration to 4G. As the shutdown quickly approaches, demand for equipment and installers will increase. If you’re not thinking about it now, there’s a real danger you and your operation could be left without functioning telematics systems come June 30.” As the busy Christmas season approaches, many operators can’t afford to have their fleets off the road for upgrades during this profitable time. The critical action therefore is to begin the process. Andrew suggests that operators book in the upgrades early next year when things begin to slow down. “You’ll need to assess how many devices you have in your fleet and around your operations centre — think security systems, cameras, mobile phones, point of sale,” he says. “One operator, for example, has a 3G-enabled IoT device controlling the gates and access to their yard. If this device isn’t upgraded, there’s no way for the operator to keep their business running, as trucks won’t be able to get in or out quickly and securely.” It’s not all bad news, however. 4G technology offers faster, higher bandwidth connections. This means managers and owner-operators can get more data about their fleet and drivers in real-time, which will, more to the point, last a very long time. The opportunities behind futureproofing will lead to greater operational efficiencies, fuel savings, improved driver behaviour and coaching, and an increased focus on a safety-first business culture says Andrew. “4G telematics solutions also use artificial intelligence, or AI, for tasks like speed and street sign recognition, warning drivers if they’re engaging in harsh manoeuvring

or braking or following traffic ahead of them too closely,” he explains. “These technologies mean your drivers are empowered to make better decisions on the road, contributing to improved safety for themselves and other road users.” Further information about the closure of the 3G network can be found on the Telstra website. Otherwise fleets can begin their migration journey with Teletrac Navman at: www.teletracnavman.com/support/ customer-support.

WIND

Mobile handsets have largely left the 3G network behind. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TRUCK & TECH

VIDEO

Connected transport solutions company, Geotab, has stepped up its offerings, by providing its customers an enhanced user experience with a new dashcam and a seamless way to manage it.

eading transportation telematics company Geotab has timed the Australian introduction of its Marketplace Order Now program, with the launch of a new video telematics solution, for good reason. The two initiatives work hand-in-hand, allowing operators to add an extra layer of knowledge and security through the video solution, but also a platform to ensure the user experience is enhanced. Sensata INSIGHTS, a global industrial technology company, is Geotab’s first participating partner. “Order Now allows Geotab customers to access a marketplace of solutions with deeply integrated capabilities to the Geotab telematics platform, providing the best user experience,” says Geotab Vice President, Latin America, Asia and Australia, Sean Killen. “We chose Sensata INSIGHTS to launch the program in Australia based on our customers’ demand to have streamlined access to a high-quality video technology to help improve fleet safety, reduce insurancerelated costs and support drivers while on the road.” Geotab is a global leader in data collection, focusing primarily on providing fleet management solutions that allow operators to harness a variety of asset data. With more 46

D ec ember 2023

than 3.2 million connected vehicles globally, including 750,000 connected heavy trucks, it partners with some of biggest fleets in the world. A privately held company, with its headquarters in Ontario, Canada, Geotab now has offices around the globe including Adelaide. Partnering with Sensata means access to its broad portfolio of sensors, electrical protection components and sensor solutions. Sensata INSIGHTS is providing Geotab the KP2, a modular high-definition, road-facing dash camera, offering road and optional driver-facing visibility. “Drivers are a fleet’s greatest asset, and their safety is a top priority,” says the

Director of Product Strategy at Sensata INSIGHTS, Aaron Kim. “Adding our solutions to the Order Now program, starting with our KP2 camera, enables Geotab customers to choose a video telematics solution that best serves their fleet and provides them with intelligent insights that can help improve driver safety, as well as video footage to help protect themselves against litigation.” The KP2 is a modular high-definition road facing dash camera that also includes a driver facing option. The camera and its capabilities connect the dots between on-road events and driver actions. For fleet operators this means not only will they see why something may have occurred, but they can get the

KP2 is a modular high def road facing dashcam..

insights into why it occurred. It also has advanced driver assistant systems that help drivers avoid collisions and lane departures. The integration with Geotab is seamless, with customers simply logging into Geotab, adding the camera, and then pairing it with the corresponding vehicle. Partnering with other companies means, for Geotab, being able to offer a wide range of third-party applications, add-ons and integrations, and leads to greater innovations in data intelligence, operational performance, safety and sustainability solutions. In fact, Geotab recently announced a partnership with Australian company, Logmaster, which provides electronic work diary and fatigue compliance management systems. Meanwhile, the new Geotab Marketplace Order Now program facilitates the purchases of the hardware Add-Ons, software Add-Ins and Geotab GO9 devices. Third-party hardware and software solutions are also available through the program. Designed to enhance the user experience, Geotab says the program provides its customers seamless ordering, delivery and aftersales support for solutions allowing them to expand their fleet management solutions with the click of a button.

Sean Killen. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TRUCK & TECH

WITHIN REACH The AXR Remote Display joins the AXS Series in Airtec’s brand-new On-Board Mass (OBM) line-up, with a range of new features and abilities for fleets looking for a reliable solution.

he new AXR Remote Display, developed in conjunction with the AXS SmartOBM, embodies Airtec’s aim to modernise and bring the latest technology to fleets. The smarter and faster OBM solution was recently launched to market. Replacing the discontinued AXMRC In Cab Display, AXR offers operators a plethora of new features within hands reach such as improved performance, speed and Bluetooth capabilities. Completely Australian-designed and manufactured, AXR now allows Airtec users to scroll through weights in both directions via plus and minus buttons. Based on customer feedback, it also has a new ability to set a display time-out for those wanting to turn off the display after a certain period of time. The unit itself reflects the AXS Series’ sleek, circular design, and being single cab required , it only needs 12V of power without being hardwired like the old remote. Though, the AXR’s biggest difference compared to AXMRC , says Airtec Senior Electronic Engineer, David Morton, is its wireless transition. “The biggest change was going wireless to have that connection and reduce installation costs,” he says. “We’ve been able to incorporate improved speed and 48

D ec ember 2023

responsiveness of our data, going through our Bluetooth network. What you will experience with the new in-cab remote is a faster update of your data, with less lag from the point of which the payload changes to the update on the screen in the cab.” During the AXR’s development, this idea evolved to incorporate wireless capabilities into the product’s in-cab remote as well. To do this, Airtec’s engineering team utilised the same technology from the AXS’s wireless communications and incorporated it into AXR. The benefits this brings, David says, goes back to the reason why Airtec started the project in the first place. “The installation cost just to run that six-metre cable in through the cab, particularly in European trucks, it’s very difficult,” he says. “There’s not a lot of space to run those cables out to the side of the truck, and talking to our installers, they were saying that it could easily be $600 in labour time just to run that cable. So, that was the motivation to push on and develop a wireless solution so that we could remove that added cost to the customer when they go to install a unit.” Now the unit just needs power, which users can easily tap into with anything that is locally available within the

dashboard of their trucks. The pairing process to connect the in-cab remote to the OBM gauge on the truck is even simpler — all you have to do is hold down the program button on the AXR, press scan, and it will automatically pick up the closest gauge to the remote. Airtec’s new AXR also comes with a new magnetic mounting option to give customers more flexible choices in this area. The traditional standard mounting bracket method is still available, but the new magnetic availability means truck drivers can purchase any off-the-shelf magnetic mounting bracket for their AXR Remote Display. “What we found with our previous products is they weren’t always getting installed in a way that we would necessarily recommend, and that would often be the cause for gauges to be broken or wear quicker than we would ideally like,” David says. “What we decided to do with the new equipment is offer mounting solutions to help our products be installed in a way that would improve the lifetime of the product and also protect it from working environments.” Airtec’s Bluetooth capabilities have been carried over into the AXR, and by being incorporated, it makes gauge weight readings available remotely. Additionally,

AXR Remote Display.

thanks to the Bluetooth Mesh technology within the AXS units and upgrades available for existing systems, signal strength and data collection speeds have reduced. “This was the most challenging thing we came across in developing the product,” David says. “It’s a relatively new technology and there’s no other OBM systems that we know of that uses Bluetooth Mesh. So, a lot of it was about how we can get the data through the network as seamlessly and quickly as we can to give the user the best experience, as well as maximising the range of communication so that we minimise any dropouts and make sure that we are maintaining our good, reliable connectivity across a range of different

combinations of trucks.” With AXR now ready, Airtec’s entire OBM solution, David says, gives operators a cost-effective and high-performing solution in the OBM market. “We feel like we’ve targeted this price point for this new series at a really attractive price for new customers getting involved in OBM,” he says. “I think the whole solution is at a very competitive price but also very high-quality and easy to install.” The other key focus for David and his team was being able to do over-the-air updates on firmware and configurations. “We also provide an Airtec iOS and Android application, free of charge, that goes with our product,” he says. “What happens is, with a lot of hardware,

once it gets shipped out, whatever firmware and configuration is on it is basically what you get. But with our products, as we develop the firmware, make improvements, change things for certifications or improve the performance, we can push that firmware out through the application to our customers. So, our customers have access to the latest firmware and the best performance. “When it comes to support for the product, we can get the customers to connect to the unit and we can pull the data through and see it and offer a much better support process. Because we can see what’s going on with the product, we can identify faults or issues with calibration and offer a much better support process than what we could have otherwise.” p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

NEW POWER GENERATION

ZERO A

recent recipient of a Commercial Sector Innovation Fund grant, Evenergi has developed an online tool for organisations to implement viable strategies for adopting and transitioning to zero emissions vehicles across the fleet. BetterFleet, as it is known, provides a comprehensive overview of battery electric and low emission vehicles available in the market — a market that is moving fast. As part of the platform’s full fleet transition planning capabilities, a whole cost of ownership engine iterates through every vehicle within the fleet to compare different vehicle replacement scenarios and home in on the best solution. Users, for instance, can take specific vehicles, input the relevant details, and compare these details directly to another vehicle and the BetterFleet tool will generate total cost of ownership statistical graphs 50

D ec ember 2023

SUMS

EVenergi offers a fleet management platform for organisations looking to decarbonise mobile assets.

over the asset’s life cycle and how much that vehicle will emit with costs. It’s currently available as a free tool to help facilitate early-stage conversations for interested organisations and councils, one of the groups that regularly engages with Evenergi. Because of the speed of which the industry is moving, fleet transition planning, given its static nature, can be limiting. In other words, these plans can become outdated or irrelevant very quickly. “Oftentimes before you can realise their potential or realise the plan,” says James Gard, Evenergi Business Development Manager. “If you’ve done all your business cases based around one cost and it drastically changed the next day, your plan is semi-irrelevant. You’d need to go back and recut it.” Evenergi has developed a live library of all electric vehicles on the market currently. The newest releases of EVs

are updated with their availabilities and prices. The library is managed so users can have the most up to date information across the industry. In turn, that allows Evenergi to rerun scenario analyses and update fleet transition plans very quickly. “Framework methodology shouldn’t change that much from organisation to organisation which allows us to have uniformity and a consistent approach,” says James. “However, the way that organisations choose to implement their fleet transition can have a lot of variances.” For instance, timelines to fleet electrification will differ depending on organisational goals. Some businesses are super aggressive and want to generate a four-year plan starting the very next year while other organisations prefer to start in five-year’s time with an end date after ten years. “They’re not doing anything in the

POWERED POWERED BYBY

short-term, they’re waiting for the technology to mature and then they want to go forward from there,” says James. “They can define it as really aggressive or conservative in terms of how much they want to spend. You can add in parameters like that.” BetterFleet generates the financials and the step change of vehicle integration in their fleet. It even factors in the replacement schedules of the assets, price sensitivities, and it also recognises different states as well. While rolling out the Betterfleet platform in a number of jurisdictions, through grant funding from the Victorian Government, Evernergi were able to develop a Victorian specific version of the tool. Evenergi, whose team includes electrical engineers, software engineers and transport planners, launched a platform that includes a vehicle operating cost calculator which is available to any organisation. There are two versions of the comparison tool. One is more individual focused with less parameters that can be customised. The more granular tool is primarily accessed by people in fleet management or sustainability. Here fleet managers can upload their fleet of vehicles and define their own transition pathway. The business has attracted an impressive and varied range of current partners from Telstra, Coates Hire, Reece, Yarra Trams, and South Gippsland Water. The response to the platform has been positive from many of the fleets, according to James, who haven’t had the bandwidth internally to perform such a comprehensive assessment. It’s helped, in this case, to remove the barrier to entry across the board. “We’ve achieved what we set out to do which was to generate a self-service platform for fleet managers and to provide a free tool as well, which allows anyone to access fleet transition planning tools and see the total cost of ownership comparison between individual vehicles,” says James. BetterFleet Asset Manager was one of the by-products of the CSIF program, the first fully self-service fleet transition

software released in the market. It maintains a live database of vehicles maintained by the Evenergi team which allows the reports that it generates to be frequently rerun, iterated on, and kept up to date. “If someone has created a plan six months ago and a new vehicle comes to market, which we’re seeing happen, they can jump into their previous plan and run the analyses again and see how this new information might impact their transition,” says James. “That’s part of the service of having a BetterFleet licence.”

James Gard.

Fleet transition planning is also difficult as it requires the involvement of many stakeholders, who may have had previously very little to do with electric vehicles, from landlords and location managers to Human Resources and others whose input is suddenly necessary says James. “All these people have got different needs and wants,” he says. “What this means is the Change Management process and the engagement process is just as, if not more important, than the final report you generate.” As part of the stakeholder mapping, it does, Evenergi pools together all the needs and wants of these relevant departments, collates the concerns,

and notes the ideal outcome for each to better define the options for different pathways. In short, Evenergi will model multiple scenarios through the tools they offer. These reports that are generated back to the client will allow them to have more transparent conversations with everybody better representing all their needs. It might involve site upgrades to electrical infrastructure down the line or budgeting for an extra 10 per cent of total spend for something that wasn’t initially accounted for. “It allows you to bring out some of these concerns and we can walk through them so you can remove all roadblocks,” says James. “Once you provide that initial insight the next question fleets ask is how do we do it?” Beyond the initial planning Evenergi can also deliver on energy management. It offers live monitoring on EV chargers and the vehicles. Chargers can be remotely controlled through the system and have reporting that feeds back into the planning process. “Some companies even want us to manage that charging point infrastructure and guide them through the whole installation process,” James says. “We are a comprehensive partner.” While a plan to decarbonise can be created on day one, it might take 18 months before an electric vehicle is deployed with the right charging infrastructure up and running. At that point, a year, and a half later, the technology has developed and with it a likely different dataset of vehicle efficiencies, from battery capacities, charging speeds and range distances. “At that point it makes sense to have one platform where you can say this is how things are actually working today and rerun your scenarios,” says James. “It’s about having a fleet transition plan that is not stuck in a static point in time.” The BetterFleet platform is now actively in use by Victorian fleets and across various government departments throughout the country for zeroemission transition planning and energy management. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

NEW POWER GENERATION

FINE

TUNING

IVECO Australia’s reinvention as a local innovator coincides with the global transition underway to lower emissions on vehicles for OEMs.

isposed of the local manufacturing capability that had long served its brand so well in this country, IVECO Australia is undergoing transformational change as a business but with one major difference. It will, according to a Complete Built Up (CBU) model, retain engineering expertise to support the local market. Just as product development eases off, the company is ramping up its capacity for innovation with a pipeline of products in various stages of development. The IVECO eDaily, the OEM’s electrified modular chassis platform, is central to this focus. Methodically, the team have been on a learning curve, identifying the hurdles and finding solutions, where possible, in introducing the battery electric vehicle to the local market. The Victorian Department of Transport and Planning’s Commercial Sector Innovation Fund has helped to make this possible. Starting effectively from scratch is in many ways uncharted waters. Having a vehicle with high voltage necessitates determining the proper partners for training and the legal requirements involved in servicing it. Andrew Winbanks, IVECO Australia, Manufacturing Plant Manager, says the Chisholm Institute have provided invaluable support with training, establishing an EV service area, sourcing the appropriate personal protective equipment and insulated tools with which to use on the equipment as well as identifying potential partners to work with along the whole circular life of the vehicle. “It was a one-day course at Chisholm,” he says. “It involved half a day of study and 52

D ec ember 2023

half a day of practical work in full PPE to depower the vehicle.” It’s a standard credit that qualified mechanics now undertake to work on electric vehicles. The depower/ repower process makes the vehicle safe by isolating the batteries. During the practical component, in which Chisholm provided three passenger EVs, trainees are issued 1000-volt gloves, a face shield and stand on rubber mats. Because of the PPE compliance, manual dexterity can be tricky and will add some time to certain service requirements on the vehicles. “I think it’s necessary at this early stage,” says Andrew. “All of my staff here have been trained and qualified on the depower and repower of the vehicle.” The IVECO eDaily they are working with, at present, is particularly noteworthy being one of the first right hand drive units produced. “It was a pre-build which means it’s not a normal production vehicle,” says Andrew. “There was a lot of trust in the parent company releasing it to us. So, we’ve been careful to toe the line with their directions on the vehicle. It’s ready to go, ready to start its next phase of its testing and development.” While evaluations are still in their infancy, the eDaily has just received its body and is going out for more trials. To date, the cab chassis has been evaluated but more data in local conditions is warranted to compare with the large data samples recorded in Europe. “If we can notice any small deltas in the data, we can finetune our product offering and market it to our customers and also get the subjective feedback from local customers because our market is a little

bit different,” says Andrew. “A fleet might expect different things and we just need to understand what that is to assist us in a good launch.” Drivers, it goes without saying, expect different things. On that front Andrew is impressed by what he and his team have been able to see so far from the vehicle. “The responsiveness is next level and the acceleration is smooth,” he says. “As engineers, we want to tinker around with it and push it a little bit. The traction delivery on it is excellent. I couldn’t make it misbehave even though it’s only a cab chassis at the moment. It just goes. With some of the different calibrations, you can practically have a single pedal operation. You can take your foot off the throttle and regenerative braking kicks in and it does a lot of work and it does make it very comfortable and simple to drive — our products are known for being comfortable.” For the moment the testing is geared around making sure the real-world data they get under loaded application matches with what they’re seeing out of Europe. The battery spec on the eDaily is lithium manganese cobalt oxide. Each battery is 37kW. As a three-battery pack vehicle it has a range of approximately 350 kilometres according to EV efficiency standard testing. “We would like to see how that translates in Australia with the air conditioner cranked on full,” says Andrew. “All the heavy vehicle customers know fuel efficiency is very application dependent on the load, on the gradient, on everything. I think the light vehicle guys understand that as well as how it’s used. There is the standard that we publish but

IVECO eDaily charging point.

we want to know what it’s like in the real world so we can advise the customers on the spec.” A two-battery version will be available. IVECO Australia will advise customers on the appropriate variant for best productivity weighed against upfront cost. Plans are underway to purchase an Ampol fast electric vehicle charger pending a decision around location and the requisite site approvals. The 120kW fast charger would be able to charge two eDailys very quickly. It will be a matter of lease management and capital expenditure in delivering enough power to the site, depending on the long-term viability of the premises in which the infrastructure is established. Through the new Customer Innovation Centre, which is currently under construction, IVECO plans to work more closely with its partners both locally and in Europe to explore alternative propulsion solutions, digitisation, connectivity and autonomous driving. Customer incentivisation will be a major part of that. One chief area the company is looking

to be active in is better assisting IVECO customers and body-builders – particularly those with complex body types – to integrate better with them as an OEM and achieve a more streamlined design and body fitment process for vehicles. “Some of these will be high IP type customisations that they’re expecting will be rare,” Andrew says. “We’ve got some other exciting innovation projects on the horizon. I’ve got a couple of engineers in Europe looking at the heavy battery electric vehicle which has just been launched and the fuel cell electric vehicle which we’ve got trial vehicles on the road with EVCO, our new brand we’ve got over there developing the fuel cell electric vehicle. And also looking at the automated driver assist systems.” EVCO, short for Electric Vehicles Company) was born from IVECO acquiring full and sole ownership of the German company resulting from its former joint venture with Nikola Iveco Europe. As part of ramping up its current product innovation, IVECO has a protype dual control new IVECO ACCO being used for

Andrew Winbanks, second from left, inspects the eDaily chassis.

inhouse accumulation data and the first production units out of Madrid are due fresh off the boat any minute. “They’ll all be coming here for a quick audit as they are a very important product to the local market,” says Andrew. “That is imminent. We’ve got some customers who are very keen.” Andrew and his team are hopeful that there will be several good projects to come out its new facility in Keysborough where most of the current auditing on new vehicles in taking place. Australia, he says, has been a great proving ground particularly in the heavy vehicle category due to the higher speeds and higher load limits compared to other international territories. “We can get these things out and stress test them on public real-world applications a little harder than they can in Europe,” he says. “One of the things [MD] Mike [May] is vocal on was being small and punching above our weight. We’ve got myself and five engineers and two test technicians and we’ve got a fair bit done in the last 12 months. We have been busy.” p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TEST DRIVE

XX GOLD RUN Prime Mover revisits Hino’s 700 Series tipper and dog this time on an extended interstate trip.

uring Hino’s roadshow in Far North Queensland back in 2022, we had briefly driven the Hino 700 tipper and dog. A short, shared drive around southern Sydney and Wollongong followed. This was our first opportunity to experience the big Hino on our own for a couple of days over a trip covering around 900 kilometres. Since our initial drive, the Hino FS2848 has ‘loosened up’ having covered more than 28,000kms. Well run in, the Hino is performing at its best, yet without any squeaks or rattles. According to the weighbridge ticket we are provided, the truck has a gross weight of 19,340 kg with the three-axle dog from Chris’s Body Builders tipping the scales at 17,820 kg, totalling a realistic 37,140kg gross mass across the combination. The exterior appearance of the 700 Series is distinctive due to the large chrome grille and Hino badge with LED headlamps and daytime running lamps set in the bumper 54

D ec ember 2023

behind the neat “bikini” bullbar. Fairings fitted to the rear of the cab make it look bigger while contributing to aerodynamics by closing the gap between the cab and the tipper body. Polished Alcoa alloy wheels are standard equipment and add to the quality look of the truck. We pick up the truck from the Hino dealership in Rockhampton on the Queensland coast, with the next day’s intended destination being the town of Inverell located on the western side of the New South Wales northern tablelands. Leaving the coast, we head west along the Burnett Highway which includes ascending the Mount Morgan range on a road popular with motorcyclists, but not so much with truck drivers, evidenced by extensive sections of damaged Armco guardrail. The Hino handled the climb with ease after we selected and locked in twelfth gear in the ZF TraXon automated manual transmission using the control wand on the left side of the steering

column. At the top of the climb, passing through Mount Morgan, we observe the once booming town which was the site of one of the richest gold mines in Australia, and for a time, the world. During its 99 years of mining the area produced a total of 225 tonnes of gold, 50 tonnes of silver and 360,000 tonnes of copper. This truck is powered by Hino’s 13-litre E13C-BK engine which delivers 480hp (353kW) between 1,600 and 1,800rpm, with a maximum torque of 2,157Nm available from as low as 1,000rpm through to 1,500rpm. All Hino 700 Series trucks meet the Euro VI emission standard using DPR and SCR. Standard auxiliary braking on the 13-litre 700 Series models is a Jacobs Engine Brake which is bolstered by the ZF Intarder fitted to the rear of the ZF TraXon 16-speed Automated Manual Transmission. The transmission is controlled by a rotary dial located on the dash, in conjunction with the wand on the steering column. A Euro VI 9-litre engine

Hino 700 tipper with dog trailer during its 840 kilometre journey.

is also available, in addition to the 13-litre engine powering this example. True automatic transmissions from Allison are also available in place of the TraXon AMT. The integration of the ZF transmission is in line with the “Europeanisation” of the Hino 700 Series, which comes with Hino’s SmartSafe safety and technology package that now rivals those expected in European trucks, but with a Japanese price. Active safety features include EBS, VSC, ABS and a Pre-collision System incorporating Autonomous Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Detection. Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Departure Warning all contribute to the confidence the driver has when behind the wheel in this vehicle. Hino’s Driver Monitor camera is located on the A pillar and references the driver’s facial features for indications of reduced concentration or even drowsiness. The Driver Monitor seems to have been refined to significantly decrease the incidence of false alarms which had been our experience during the previous drives. The combination of the Hino Taper

Roller service brakes, the engine’s ‘Jake’ compression brake and the transmission’s Intarder provides a remarkable braking performance with low maintenance requirements. Hino has moved from an S-cam brake system to the Hino Taper Roller brake system, which brings

the advantages of reduced tare weight, decreased compressed air requirements, and provides a smoother more consistent brake feel and uses less moving parts. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) maintains the speed set by the driver while continuously scanning the road in

A view inside the revamped Hino 700 cab. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

TEST DRIVE

The combination rests en route to Inverell.

front of the truck. If a slower vehicle is detected in front, the ACC can reduce the engine acceleration and even engage the auxiliary braking, matching the truck’s speed to that of the vehicle in front while maintaining a pre-determined gap between both vehicles. The Hino Easy Start system is a hill holder function which assists with smooth take-offs after stopping on a slope. Heading south, we eventually join the Leichhardt Highway and travel through wheat country along a road still exhibiting damage from the 2022 Queensland floods. There are many deformations of the sub-strata which, while the surface remains sealed, indicates the underlying base is collapsing. This could have brought about a bucking ride greatly diminishing the enjoyment in a truck not as sophisticated as the Hino, but the air suspended cab and Isri seat, with its integrated seat belt, smooth out the ride. The Hino six-rod taper leaf rear suspension is ideal to provide the articulation necessary in tipper applications while providing an acceptable ride. For other duties, Hendrickson road-friendly rear air suspension is available as an option. 56

D ec ember 2023

Although the Hino 700 cab is ADR42 sleeper compliant, we overnight in accommodation in the town of Miles about mid-way along our planned journey, starting off early the next morning heading to breakfast at the border at a truck stop in Goondiwindi where we take the opportunity to top up the 390- and 250-litre fuel tanks. This extended trip allows us to reacquaint ourselves with the interior of the Hino 700 which has undergone some significant changes prior to its release in 2022. Firstly, safe access is enhanced by wide illuminated non-slip steps and solid grab handles. Once in the cab the driver is provided with a latest generation ISRI 6860 NTS2 driver’s seat which has air lumbar supports and a myriad of adjustments. The redesign of the 700’s cab allows for additional rearward seat travel which, combined with the tilt and telescopic adjustable steering wheel, can provide the ideal driving position for the driver regardless of their size and physique. The interior features contemporary colours for the trim with a balance of carbon fibre, silver and milk chocolate ‘earthy’ tones. The wraparound dash

creates a cockpit-like environment for the driver. Cabin temperature is managed by automatic climate control, which is appreciated during the cool mornings as well as when driving through the much warmer afternoons. The dash layout combines comprehensive instrumentation with large, high contrast speedometer and tachometer, and a central LCD Multi-Information Display, which shows information such as the Hino SmartSafe settings, driving economy, gear selection and vehicle maintenance data, which are accessed using the various buttons located on the steering wheel. The multimedia unit has a high definition touch screen display but for this trip we are unable to access the satellite navigation feature as the required SD card to activate it is missing. Thankfully, we can access our smartphone’s navigation and don’t take any incorrect turns as we head towards our destination in Inverell. The Hino 700 Series has raised the bar for heavy-duty Japanese-built trucks and can be specified in a wide range of axle combinations as well as power ratings to suit a variety of genuine heavy duty applications.

MARKETPLACE

BUY. SELL. HIRE. AUSTRALIA’S DEDICATED ONLINE MARKETPLACE PORTAL FOR BUYING, SELLING AND HIRING TRUCKS AND TRAILERS. For advertising opportunities, contact ben.coleman@primecreative.com.au or call 0466 545 664

Scan the QR code to find out more.

Our online marketplace is dedicated to the sale and hire of trucks, trailers and other transport equipment Australiawide. From low loaders and tag trailers to rigid-bodied vehicles and prime movers, you’ll find it here. Whether you’re looking for a deal or keen to sell some high-value assets, we have you covered.

PERSONALITY PROFILE

MISSION

POSSIBLE The NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto OAM sat down with Prime Mover’s Peter Shields and a couple of hundred delegates to answer some burning questions.

he following conversation took place at the Royal Pines resort on the Gold Coast as part of the National Road Transport Association annual conference. Prime Mover: Congratulations on receiving the OAM. Is it good to get that sort of recognition after a decade with the Regulator? Sal Petroccitto: It was surprising. It’s been almost ten years but feels more like 30 and wonderful to be acknowledged by the industry for the efforts I made that, hopefully, contributed to a better outcome. PM: You joined the NHVR in 2014 at

a rather critical point in time and you impressed a lot of people in the industry by your language when you kept referring to it as “my” regulator. Do you still have that sense of passion? SP: The opportunity came to have a say about how the future of this organisation could go, or not. It’s still ‘my’ regulator and it still needs to be, and I can say that without being arrogant. The passion was required to take an organisation which had lost support from the Queensland Government as well as industry and where the staff were really disheartened, to be where we are now in just under ten years

to be nearly a thousand people and I think making a difference. If that passion wasn’t there, I don’t think we would have succeeded. PM: Moving forward from those early times, has the focus changed? SP: We are on our way to becoming more established in the way we do things, the way we interact, the way we engage and the diversity of the things we do. We’ve grown from about 110 people ten years ago to just under a 1,000 by the time we transition the Queensland work force. We’re servicing an industry Sal Petrocitto with Peter Shields at Royal Pines.

D ec ember 2023

these where we can. I think there is still an element that needs some corrections. Our commitment to our change in philosophy in the way we do enforcement and compliance. We’ve started to bring the concept of the ‘customer’ into the organisation. We will deal with nearly 60,000 customer calls this year. We have a 95 per cent satisfaction rating and you’re speaking to an Australian based operator within 30 seconds 85 per cent of the time. They’re some amazing achievements for a regulatory body.

of over 200,000 people, 50,000 drivers and everything else in between. I’ve always been adamant that the success of my tenure was the transition of the jurisdictions. PM: From your background prior to joining the Regulator, was knowing how various levels of government work an advantage? SP: It definitely has been beneficial. I have now worked in all three spheres, from local to state to federal. I’ve lost count now of how many federal transport ministers I’ve responded to, and how many state ministers we’ve had to brief. That constant churn and change is always difficult, but having the ability to tap into a senator or a Minister of Transport is really important and helps with credibility issues. PM: Has it been a challenge balancing the administrative issues with initiating and following through with reforms? SP: The Board really does need more authority and the power to implement the things that are in the HVNL. And that’s not to undermine the role that jurisdictions play, but the reason we establish independent statutory bodies is to allow them to be independent with the authority to do what they need to do. PM: We’re not expecting the new law until next July. It’s been a very long drawn-out process. Is it going to be fit for purpose given that time frame? SP: I’m really concerned about what that law would be and I think industry should be as well. This is not a criticism of the bureaucracies, but we did develop a national law that was based on the lowest common denominator rather than what we aspire to. PM: Road managers can be the bane of many people in this room and probably an area of frustration from your organisation as well. What are some things that can be done to improve the situation? SP: It has been a long journey and local governments were thrust into a role that hadn’t traditionally been at the forefront

NHVR CEO Sal Petrocitto.

of what they did. Then the HVNL came out and made them truly accountable for their assets. But they are not resourced, they weren’t appropriately trained, and there are still some challenges there. We need to comprehend there are obstacles in the way they operate. They don’t deliberately try to be problematic. They are normally dealing with roads, rates, rubbish and anything else that might be thrown at them on any day. I think of the efforts and energies that the Regulator has put into supporting, educating and assisting them. The mere fact we have picked up $14 million from the Commonwealth to do structural assessments on local government networks starts to help them. At a state level I am seeing a genuine desire now to start thinking more at cross-border level, but at the end of the day the state ministers deal with state-based issues and I think the states are doing some good work in that space. I’d love some more resources to get out there and support local governments. PM: Looking back over your time with the Regulator what are you most proud of? SP: There are so many things, but for me I think it is the fact we survived when there was a genuine risk to this organisation. By adopting the ‘inform, educate and enforce’ approach we really want to start to look at what industry’s challenges are and to work with them to try to overcome

PM: What would you have done differently? SP: It was a difficult period when we had to rebuild, in my view, the credibility with the industry that we were set up to regulate. Potentially, we may have disengaged some of the jurisdictional relationships. And that was a hard call because we couldn’t do both. But if we didn’t build the confidence back with the industry, we would have lost the agenda, and some agendas that we had to drive probably created tension. So I don’t regret what we did. PM: Was it a conscious strategy to move away from the ‘us and them’ concept? SP: There were some cultural discussions in the early days with many industry participants around the table around what we should do and how we should do it. We have always said we would listen. We may not always give you what you want but we will have considered your position because we have to sift through to make the right decision. What you have to be cognisant of is I am accountable to seven ministers, I have seven jurisdictions, 400-odd local governments and there is a broader community in Australia we also have to consider in our decision-making. So not everyone is going to win. What we hope we will do is have balance in our approach that ensures that in most cases the most sensible and reasonable decision is reached to firstly ensure that we can keep everyone safe, keep this industry productive and in doing that provide a better service to the broader Australian community. p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

PRIME MOVERS & SHAKERS

NO BARRIER TO ENTRY

Melissa Barry is passionate about her family, their business, and accessing untapped talent pools by encouraging people from new demographics not associated with the transport and logistics industries.

longside her husband Jason, Melissa Barry owns and operates Border Crane Consultants which is based in Albury/Wodonga on the border of Victoria and New South Wales. The company was established in 2011 with just one employee and now employs 45 people. Melissa has an extensive background in business management, marketing, human resources, finance, compliance,

Melissa and Jason Barry. 60

D ec ember 2023

and safety, as well as quality assurance and administration. Prior to the family operation, Melissa worked in various roles within transport, manufacturing, local government, defence, and the construction sectors. “I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up,” she says. “I finished school, enrolled in university, completed a business degree and never really wanted to own a business, yet here I am.” In addition to her Bachelor’s degree

Melissa holds a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, as well as a heavy rigid truck licence and a forklift operator’s licence. Following university Melissa found herself working in industries which were typically male-dominated with just perhaps a few females working in administration roles or as process workers. Prior to joining Border Crane Consultants full-time, Melissa worked for a bus operator where the average driver

was a male aged 58, and there were very few female drivers. “For our own business to really grow and become an employer of choice we needed to look at our diversity strategy and identified that we had some gaps to fill,” she says. “We have been on that journey for quite some time. We had some staff who were probably a bit apprehensive to some changes we wanted to make, so that was a journey itself to overcome some of those barriers”. Buzz words abound in the politically correct space involving employee recruitment and are too frequently dismissed for not being applicable to particular industries. Melissa utilises some clever analogies to better explain the differences between diversity, inclusion and belonging. “Diversity is having a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice and belonging is having that voice heard. Or, to put it another way: Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance and belonging is feeling free to dance however you want.” Melissa is a strong believer in businesses having a genuine commitment to not only look beyond their recruiting norms but also to ensure the culture within the business is capable of supporting a diverse workforce in an ongoing situation. “It’s all well and good to have quotas in your business and tick off a couple of boxes and hit those stats, but moving on and delving further into that, how do we actually create that sense of inclusion and belonging within our businesses and workshops?” she asks. Jason and Melissa have put the strategies into practice and are apparently delighted with the results. “My passion has been, and still is, women in trades. Our business is a trade business, and all our workshop technicians were male and now I’m happy and proud to say that we do have a female apprentice, she’s not our first but she’s kicking some amazing goals in our business,” she says. “We are really happy with how she is tracking.”

Melissa champions the benefits of incorporating diversity into recruitment and the resulting gains in problem solving and creativity in different perspectives. The bottom line can also benefit due to reduced rates of employee turnover because staff have a sense of belonging and loyalty and a higher level of engagement with the business. “Someone with no sense of belonging is never going to contribute back to your business,” she says. “In any business, if you are recruiting the same type of people with the same thought patterns and processes and experiences in life, then you are going to continually come

Melissa Barry at TMC.

up with the same outcomes.” Melissa acknowledges that there can be unconscious bias influencing recruitment decisions by making preconceptions about a potential employee’s age, race, skin colour, gender or cognitive abilities. Unconscious bias and stereotypes can influence how we think and feel about people according to Melissa. “Shortcuts use information from previous experience. Unfortunately, our brains make assumptions and take shortcuts through having stereotypes,” she says. “It’s human nature but the good thing about understanding these is once we know that’s our brain’s way of operating, we can be more aware of it and make better decisions about

potentially not overlooking someone’s resume and making the wrong assumption based on they might have had a short gap in their employment history because maybe they’ve had some poor mental health, or had to care for a family member.” Neurodivergent people typically have corresponding strengths. Those who have difficulty with maths and numbers (dyscalculia) often have superior verbal skills and can be innovative in finding solutions to practical problems. People with dyslexia typically have good reasoning skills and are great visual thinkers. People with autism, despite difficulties with communication and sometimes with social skills, are known to have great attention to detail, impressive memory capabilities, deep focus and divergent thinking. “All things any employer would want in their business,” says Melissa. “Just because they’re neuro diverse and there may be a barrier, the other things they can bring to the team, to the business, to the workshop, are generally really great skills which are highly sought after in technicians.” Melissa’s contributions to raising the awareness of the potentials associated with diversity have been acknowledged through her receiving a Driving Change Diversity Program scholarship supported by Transport Women Australia Limited and Daimler Truck and Bus Australia in 2021. Melissa was also named a Teletrac Navman Diversity Champion in that same year by the Australian Trucking Association. She continues to provide significant influence upon the industry and became a member of the board of NatRoad in 2023. “Road transport is the backbone of our nation, and I’m enthusiastic about contributing to its growth and prosperity,” Melissa says of her appointment to the board. “I’ve witnessed the challenges and opportunities in transport and logistics first-hand, and I am confident that together, we can drive real change for the benefit of our members and the sector at large.” p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

INSIGHT | VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION INSTITUTE

ARTSA-i data analysis of the NEVDIS heavy vehicle registration database Graph 1

ROB PERKINS

RTSA-institute has been analysing the Australian heavy vehicle registration database for the past ten years. Every quarter ARTSA-i obtains an extract of the Australian vehicle registration base called NEVDIS that is maintained by AustRoads. ARTSA-i then refines the data so it can be presented with consistent makes, models and types. ARTSA-i produces reports that are tailored to the interests of the equipment suppliers that participate in this project and to agencies and other interest groups. Over recent years ARTSA-i has developed the advanced analytics using the Tableau analysis software to present the refined data in a real-time graphical format. So, ARTSA-i can now cut and dice the data according to geographical region, registration code, vehicle age, body type and many more indicators. ARTSA-i also makes a quarterly report about market trends, which can be downloaded from the ARTSA-i website: http://www.artsa.com.au/data/index.html There are many insights that have come from this project. This article will illustrate some of them in graphical format. Total registrations of heavy vehicles The total registration numbers are shown in Graph 1 for each of the four main registration types: prime movers, trailers and both heavy and medium duty rigids. Note the market uptake for prime movers, trailers and heavy rigid trucks started in late 2020. 62

D ec 2023 de c eember mbe r 2018

Graph 2

ARTSA-I LIFE ME MBERS

news

COMMERCIAL ROAD TRANSPORT

Growth in the last ten years has seen total registrations increase by: Prime movers

25.5%

Heavy Rigids

23.3%

Trailers

Medium Rigids

33.6% 9.9%

New registrations of heavy vehicles Graph 2 shows the quarterly growth in new registrations over the last ten years. A marked increase in registrations can be seen from around Q3 2020 and continues to break records for new registrations almost every quarter. Trailer growth is particularly evident. Quarter 1 registrations tend to be low, as expected, due to the holiday slowdown. Q4 registrations peak. Over the past two years the new prime mover market grew by about 19 per cent per annum. For heavy trailers the new market grew by about 14 per cent per annum. For heavy rigid trucks the new market grew by about 15 per cent per annum. For medium rigid trucks the new market grew by about 2 per cent per annum.

for trailers, prime movers and heavy rigids, particularly in recent years, the median age of the fleet continues to increase over that period. This is illustrated in Graph 3. Median age is the age where there are equal numbers of younger and older vehicles. The prime mover category can be further split into single-trailer haulers and multicombination prime movers. The single combination prime movers have a median age well over 12 years. Demand for road transport is growing at such a pace that older vehicles still move a lot of freight.

Median age Despite the remarkable growth trajectory

Detailed analytics using Tableau ARTSA-i data analytics uses Tableau

data analytics to provide an interactive database that allows the user to interrogate the registration data to reveal insights that flat spreadsheets cannot provide. An example applicable to prime movers is shown in Graph 4 below. Tableau delivers the ability to investigate regions as well as providing a national picture. This includes new as well as total registrations and the many sub-categories across prime movers, trailers, buses and rigid vehicles. It is a very powerful analytics tool and one that ARTSA-i Data and its subscribers can use around the clock given it is an online service. Data is updated quarterly but the history of data and the ability to download data of interest is a considerable plus for this tool. The future for ARTSA-i Data ARTSA-i Data is continuing to develop new features and tools as well as new sources of data to further enhance the already powerful collection. We want to expand our reach and usefulness with suppliers, operator associations and regulators. The ARTSA-i database is now a national industry asset. It’s been a rewarding ten years and the work has only just begun. For more information, visit http://www.artsa.com.au/data/ index.html or email rob@artsa.com.au

Graph 4 Interactive data analysis using Tableau.

Rob Perkins ARTSA-I Data Executive Director p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

INSIGHT | TRUCK INDUSTRY COUNCIL

Road User Charging, where to from here?

TONY MCMULLAN

he recent High Court of Australia ruling that struck down charges on electric vehicle use under Victoria’s Zero and Low Emission Vehicle Distance-based Charge Act 2021 as unconstitutional, following a test case challenge from two electric and hybrid vehicle owners in the state of Victoria, serves to justify calls from the Truck Industry Council (TIC) that a holistic national review of the Road User Charging (RUC) scheme is urgently required. While the above mentioned Victorian tax was specifically aimed at light vehicles and noting that the heavy vehicle RUC is and has been determined at a national, not state, level for a couple of decades now, the underlying issue is that the current road user charging model for all vehicles in Australia is fundamentally flawed in addressing where road infrastructure funding will be derived as we move to a low carbon future. This premise was at the heart of Victoria’s Zero and Low Emission Vehicle tax. The recent High Court decision was hardly a landslide victory, with the vote against the Victorian state based tax finding only a slender majority, a 4-3 vote. Nonetheless, the ruling by the High Court found that the Victorian Zero/Low Emission Vehicle (ZLEV) charge imposed an excise, a tax on goods. As only the Commonwealth can impose duties of excise, this was beyond the power of the Victorian Parliament and the charge 64

D ec ember 2023

was found to be invalid. The landmark decision has substantial implications for electric vehicle taxes in Australia, as only the Commonwealth can now impose such taxes. As I noted above, nationally consistent, Commonwealth determined, RUC for heavy vehicles has been the norm for many years in Australia. However, the current heavy vehicle RUC is flawed in the same way as current light vehicle road charging schemes, deriving its revenue from both registration fees for trucks and trailers, as well as a fuel excise on every litre of diesel purchased. With the majority of the heavy vehicle RUC funds derived from the diesel fuel excise. With no current mechanism to capture anything but registration funding from ZLEV trucks, the majority of RUC funding will diminish as we transition the heavy vehicle road freight sector to a low/zero carbon future. The last review of the heavy vehicle RUC was completed by the National Transport Commission (NTC) in 2020-2021. The NTC undertook a review of heavy vehicle Pay As You GO (PAYGO) charging fees in Australia at the request of, the then named, Transport and Infrastructure Council within the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). At that time, this was the first review of Australia’s heavy vehicle road user charging (RUC) scheme in over four years. In 2020 TIC expressed an opinion that the NTCs review should be extensive and holistic, arguing the current RUC, that derived the majority of its funding from diesel excise, was fundamentally flawed in light of a global movement to alternatively fuelled trucks, most likely to be powered by electricity and hydrogen. TIC postulated that the current RUC arrangements could not

take Australian road transport deep into the twenty first century and that a significant overhaul of the current charging arrangements was required. TIC suggested a RUC scheme that ensures that all vehicles pay proportionally for the damage, or lack thereof, they contribute to our roads, the safety they afford all road users, the public health outcomes they generate and the carbon emissions that they produce, would be a fairer scheme. The RUC review was delayed due to the difficulties of consultation with industry during COVID, with the NTC making its final recommendations in December 2021 and the Infrastructure and Transport Ministers (ITMM) handing down their RUC decision soon after. Sadly, as I reported in this column in September 2022, the NTC rejected the Truck Industry Council’s calls for a wideranging review of the RUC, detailing that the scope of their actions was governed by the request set by the COAG/ITMM ministers. Hence the review process was a somewhat benign examination of the current PAYGO parameters. In TICs view, a missed opportunity. The recent High Court decision justifies TICs’ previous calls for State, Territory and the Federal Transport governments to show leadership for the times and look beyond state borders and the current RUC scheme and to instigate a substantial review of the PAYGO road user charging scheme in Australia. That work should investigate and develop a heavy vehicle RUC scheme to take our country out of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. Tony McMullan CEO, Truck Industry Council

VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION | INSIGHT

Decarbonising the freight industry

PETERSTUART ANDERSON ST CLAIR

n an era marked by growing climate consciousness and the increasing need for sustainability, the freight industry stands at a critical juncture. With the pressing global challenge of climate change, the imperative for the decarbonisation of the freight industry is important to acknowledge. The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) strongly advocates for and supports the shift towards decarbonisation within our crucial sector, but we also recognise the shift will take time and require support from government. The freight industry plays a pivotal role in the economic framework of Victoria, driving the movement of goods and services essential to both local and global markets. However, this indispensable function has historically been associated with substantial environmental costs, chiefly in the form of carbon emissions. As the world increasingly recognises the adverse effects of greenhouse gases on our planet, the freight industry’s responsibility to reduce its carbon footprint becomes more paramount. Decarbonisation of the freight industry not only aligns with the global environmental push towards lower emissions, but also offers multifaceted benefits to operators, businesses, consumers, and domestic and international economies. Transitioning towards sustainable, low-emission transportation methods and technologies presents a range of advantages that are not

limited to environmental preservation. These and other issues were discussed at length at the VTA’s recent second Alternative Fuel Summit. The Summit provided a forum for freight operators and customers coming together to strive for consensus on manageable paths towards decarbonisation, recognising that the path won’t be the same for everyone. One of the significant advantages of decarbonisation lies in the potential for cost savings. While initial investments in eco-friendly technology might seem daunting, the long-term savings are substantial. Enhanced fuel efficiency, streamlined logistics, and reduced maintenance costs of green vehicles contribute to significant operational savings for freight companies. Moreover, as governments and consumers increasingly prioritise sustainable practices, companies embracing decarbonisation may gain a competitive edge, fostering brand loyalty and attracting eco-conscious customers. And with emissions reductions an increasing requirement of Environmental, Sustainability, and Governance reporting (ESG), it is freight customers that are increasingly requiring evidence of decarbonising from operators as a condition for their business. This shift towards cleaner technologies in the freight industry also presents opportunities for innovation and economic growth. Research and development in green transportation systems foster new markets, job creation, and stimulate technological advancements. Supporting and incentivising the development of low-emission vehicles and infrastructure not only benefits the environment but also bolsters economic growth and promotes technological leadership. And of course, reducing carbon emissions from freight transportation contributes significantly to improving air quality and public health. The potential adverse health effects of air pollution caused by freight emissions are generally well-documented. Decarbonisation

news

COMMERCIAL ROAD TRANSPORT

initiatives, such as transitioning to electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles, reduce harmful emissions, leading to cleaner air and better health outcomes for communities residing along transportation routes and in urban centres. The VTA recognises that decarbonisation cannot be achieved in isolation and can only be attained in partnership with customers, consumers, and regulators. Collaborative efforts among industry stakeholders, policymakers, and technology innovators are essential. Governments need to provide policy frameworks and incentives that encourage and support the adoption of lowcarbon technologies. This can involve tax incentives, subsidies, and regulatory measures that encourage the deployment of cleaner transportation methods. The industry must also invest in research and development to continuously innovate and improve existing technologies, making them more efficient, accessible, and cost-effective. Publicprivate partnerships, knowledge sharing, and collaborative research initiatives can play a significant role in accelerating the transition to a greener freight industry. Decarbonisation of the freight industry is not just a growing community imperative but an economic and social necessity. The benefits extend far beyond environmental stewardship, with cost savings, innovation, improved public health, and economic growth among the numerous advantages that beckon us towards a sustainable future. It’s an ambitious and long-term goal that may seem unreachable for some, however through VTA and industry advocacy, we will ensure the transition is manageable, sensible, and affordable. As we approach the holiday season, I’d like to wish you a Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year. I look forward to engaging with Prime Mover readers on these pages in 2024. Peter Anderson CEO, VTA p r i m e m ove r m a g . c o m . a u

PETER SHIELDS’ NUMBER CRUNCH

Back on Track

Care. It’s what we do.

they continue to perform slightly above 2022 sales on a year-to-date basis. It was also pleasing to see that the overall result for October 2023 was an all-time monthly record. We are inching ever closer to a new all-time sales record for heavy vehicle sales in Australia. We may even crack the 45,000 new truck sales mark in a calendar year.”

At Isuzu, we’ve always taken great care of our customers. ISUZU

We’re Australia’s number one truck… an honour we’ve held for over HINO three decades. The Truck Industry Council report of sales of new trucks

FUSO into Australian during the rst month nal any other Thatthe means moremarket businesses putfitheir trustofinthe usfithan truck brand. KENWORTH quarter of 2023 showed that after a couple of slower sales We understand reputations areon riding usthis and that’s why Isuzu Care is months following that the financial year end 30th on June, VOLVO trend was reversed during October. New truck and heavy van more than just an aftersales service package. IVECO sales have, for the time being, returned to record levels. The It’s part of our DNA. MERCEDES-BENZ overall truck and prime mover total of 3,478 units during October wasone, 119 we more than during the same month last year that reliability From day support customers and demonstrate is SCANIA (+3.4 per cent) and the YTD total of 34,420 shows a growth of everything. We pride ourselves on being proactive and always going the UD TRUCKS 2,773 units (+8.8 per cent). extra mile. MACK The Heavy Duty sector set an all-time record for October, posting of 1,558 units, up 179 trucks (13.0new per ways to help And asdeliveries we look to new frontiers, we’re finding DAF our customers cent) on October 2022. Year-to-date the result shows the exceed their goals. FIAT sector to be tracking 18.8 per cent ahead of this time last year. FREIGHTLINER Isuzu is what sets us apart. In termsCare of actual truck numbers, the sales gap now sits at 2,244 more Heavy Trucks sold year-to-date than to the end of HYUNDAI Always has, always will. October 2022. MAN The Medium Duty Truck segment also had a strong month in RENAULT October with 652 new trucks, 118 more than the same month WESTERN STAR last year (+22.1 per cent). The Year-to-date tally continued to build on the solid 2022 volumes with 6,525 trucks delivered VOLKSWAGEN to the end of October 2023 compared to 6,166 Medium FOTON MOBILITY Trucks at the same time last year, an increase of 359 units (5.8 DENNIS EAGLE per cent). Light Duty Truck sales have been up and down all year, with SEA ELECTRIC October another ‘down’ month. In October only 1,268 Light FORD Trucks were delivered, down 178 trucks (-12.3 per cent) INTERNATIONAL compared to the same month last year. To the end of October, 13,685 Light Duty trucks have been sold year-to-date, which CAB CHASSIS/PRIME represents a small increase of 170 units (1.3 per cent) for sales M-B VANS in 2023. RENAULT VANS Light Duty Van sales continue to recover from the lows of 2022, and October 2023 was another solid month with 492 VOLKSWAGEN VANS units, 52 additional vans (+11.8 per cent) over October 2022. FIAT VANS The YTD total of 3,970 vans represents 615 more van sales thus IVECO VANS far in 2023 compared to this time last year (+14.0 per cent). FORD VANS “It was great to see strong Heavy Duty Truck sales in October, while the Medium Truck and Light Van sectors also continue VANS to perform solidly,” said Chief Executive Officer of TIC, Tony TOTAL McMullan. “Light Truck sales were weak in October however 66

D ec ember 2023

Oct-23

YTD

Change

1102

11453

5.7%

504

4875

-4.5%

325

4072

0.9%

343

2907

20.0%

322

2898

8.4%

152

1311

3.8%

112

1273

3.7%

159

1112

3.2%

957

-4.7%

102

881

43.5%

693

27.9%

609

39.4%

309

-22.4%

268

19.6%

262

-4.4%

159

-50.9%

149

-21.2%

20.8%

0.0%

-30.3%

57.1%

-71.7%

3478

34420

8.8%

153

2075

25.4%

143

936

-14.1%

107

914

26.8%

468

148.9%

365

-10.5%

244

-24.9%

492

5002

14.0%

3970

39422

9.4%

P T a c

Join the super fund for people who work in transport

Strong long-term performance

Transport ready insurance

Service tailored for TWUS 7267 transport workers

TWU Nominees Pty Ltd, ABN 67 002 835 412, AFSL 239163, is the trustee of TWUSUPER ABN 77 343 563 307 and the issuer of interests in it. *

Prepared and issued by TWU Nominees Pty Ltd ABN 67 002 835 412, Australian Financial Services Licence No. 239163 (‘Trustee’) on 18/08/2023 as trustee of TWUSUPER ABN 77 343 563 307 (‘TWUSUPER’ or ‘the Fund’) and the issuer of interests in it. Before making any decision to invest you should consider the PDS FSA/ISZS1660 and TMD which are available at twusuper.com.au. * Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance and should never be the sole factor considered when selecting a fund. TWUS 8988

LESS FUEL, MORE PERFORMANCE WITH SHELL RIMULA ULTRA

Shell Rimula ULTRA works harder to reduce your costs, with up to 2% increase in fuel economy*, so you stay on the road for longer. D E C E M B E R 2023

*Compared with a typical 10W-40 oil over a 100,000 km oil drain interval.

Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil

p rime m over mag . com .a u

Scan here to find out more