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.
Christine Clancy | COO
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.
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 lm history. Like many based in Melbourne he is in a prolonged transition of either returning or leaving.
Peter Shields | Senior Feature Writer
A seasoned transport industry professional, Peter has spent more than a decade in the media industry. Starting out as a heavy vehicle mechanic, he managed a fuel tanker eet and held a range of senior marketing and management positions in the oil and chemicals industry before becoming a nationally acclaimed transport journalist.
Peter White | Journalist
Since completing a Bachelor of Media and Communication degree at La Trobe University in 2021, Peter has obtained valuable newsroom experience, supplemented by direct industry exposure at Prime Creative Media. As the Editor of Trailer, Peter brings a fresh perspective to Prime Mover. He has a strong interest in commercial road transport and in furthering the magazine’s goal of growing the industry.
Sean Gustini | Journalist
Having completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Media and Communications at the University of Melbourne in 2024, Sean looks forward to bringing his passion for writing and journalism to the road freight and transport industries. He previously lived in the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. In his downtime he enjoys playing the guitar and running.
Ashley Blachford | Business
Development Manager
Handling placements for Prime Mover magazine, Ashley has a unique perspective on the world of truck building both domestically and internationally. Focused on delivering the best results for advertisers, Ashley works closely with the editorial team to ensure the best integration of brand messaging across both print and digital platforms.
CEO John Murphy john.murphy@primecreative.com.au
Editor William Craske william.craske@primecreative.com.au
Managing Editor, Luke Applebee Transport Group luke.applebee@primecreative.com.au
Senior Feature Peter Shields Writer peter.shields@primecreative.com.au
Business Ashley Blachford Development ashley.blachford@primecreative.com.au Manager 0425 699 819
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“CEVA maintains strong relationships with local manufacturing. We take pride in that especially in an era when manufacturing in Australia has almost come to a stop.”
Prime Feature STORIES
FLEET FOCUS
26 Mass Movement
CEVA Logistics is expanding its presence around the globe, including Australia, where it is refining its extensive company-owned linehaul services with PBS-engineered B-doubles equipped with the latest in European truck technology.
32 Sky is the Limit
Wymap offers bespoke airside and landside logistics functions for its multinational customers handling last mile and interstate transports across all major ports within Australia and New Zealand.
36 Out of the Box
The introduction of a new A-double, the first in the Newcastle Sideloaders fleet, is delivering significant gains for the family business.
TRUCK
& TECH
42 Twin Peaks
The final weeks of 2024 promised to bring a hectic end to the year. It didn’t disappoint. Nor did cold chain logistics provider Scully RSV, who had been readying its transport capabilities in preparation for this very moment.
FLEET FOCUS 32
48 Whole Different Animal
Livestock carrier, Gerard Johnson Transport has taken delivery of a new 685hp Mack Titan rated to 140-tonnes.
TEST DRIVE
50 Tough Torque
Ideal for urban and short haul applications the Scania P-cab range is now available with a very torquey 500hp Euro VI engine.
William Craske Editor
There is no shortage of desirable parameters surrounding effective logistics. These might encompass anything from route monitoring, thermal ef ciencies, data security, emissions output and dispatch reaction times, to cite a few examples. Technology is widely recognised as a chief catalyst for growth and competitiveness in the transport and logistics industry. But the tools of innovation have, with increasing surety, moved from the purely physical domain to a realm increasingly reliant on the non-physical, with rapid utility. As the digital sphere unlocks advanced analytics for planning, scheduling and systems availability, the process of moving goods from production to consumption, including warehousing and transportation, is no less complex. Some projects with incompatibility to existing industry frameworks get marked as outliers merely because they are not, at least on the surface, candidates recognisable for duplication. These are often where the best stories hide.
This year the global refrigerated transport market is projected to pass
Underground Movements
$32 billion. Visibility is vital across the many links of the cold chain. Except when it isn’t.
To cope with subzero winters and sweltering summers in the American Midwest, warehouses have gone underground. Online videos taken by truck drivers entering into these subterranean facilities, demonstrate the size and scale of the awesome labyrinth of tunnels, docks and parking bays that would be hard to imagine otherwise. Well over 2.7 million square metres of industrial real estate has been so far carved from the huge limestone deposits in Kansas City making it something of a hub for “known underground space” including SubTropolis, the world’s largest business complex of this kind. It also remains one of the most energy ef cient.
Here the natural insulation provided by the limestone abutment provides a stable environment that signi cantly reduces heating and cooling costs. More than 55 companies and 2,000 employees are based at SubTropolis which houses businesses involved in food manufacturing and distribution, automotive, and pharmaceutical. The Kansas City facility, what’s more, accommodates the easy movement of trucks and heavy machinery having
its own sprawling network of roads. Natural temperature control prevents fast water evaporation, an advantage for any business reliant on water in the manufacturing process including food and beverage companies. Unlike above ground facilities, security is tight with only two points of entry and exit. A visit to Coober Pedy, with its underground dwellings, gets one to wondering if something of equal measure could be achieved at Mt Isa or Kalgoorlie, sites with similar capabilities where the weather is also dependably extreme. Storage for data servers that require temperaturecontrolled spaces is one potential candidate in a growth industry that immediately springs to mind. The desert is not a place we typically build infrastructure especially of this distinct type.
Americans, on the other hand, tend to have the resources and appetite for these kind of exacting projects. Especially if they are clandestine. Ever wondered why there was an immaculate baseball diamond kept like an oasis in drought-striken Alice Springs?
Freight forwarding specialist, Mondiale VGL, has taken delivery of six new Volvo prime movers. Two new Volvo FH16s and four FH13s will be put to work in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, predominantly hauling shipping containers to and from major port terminals.
All six trucks are covered by Gold Service agreements.
The distinctive new vehicles will be closely monitored and benchmarked against the company’s existing transport fleet in regard to total cost of ownership and uptime.
Rory Gerhardt, Mondiale VGL Fleet & Compliance Manager notes the Volvo product offering has improved immensely.
“The big thing for us is their telematics platform and their reporting on the ESG side of things and their ability to write environmental reports,” he told Prime Mover. “That along with the competitive pricing has made it a very attractive proposition.”
These new trucks are part of a fleet refresh with some units purchased for additional work secured late last year.
“The FH16s are additions to our
existing fleet. They will be pulling A-doubles for us now for some of the heavier stuff we’ve signed up to recently,” said Gerhardt. “We do a lot of heavy specialised boxes. These trucks will certainly help. I’m interested to see how they perform against the V8s in our fleet as well.”
The Volvo FH13s will be designated existing Super B work around the ports with quad sideloader operations.
“Ninety-five per cent of our truck business is geared around Performance-Based Standards,” added Gerhardt.
These Volvos are the first ever to have been introduced into the Mondiale VGL fleet. The trucks arrived just prior to Christmas. They have only been in service for a couple of weeks.
“The cab, the ergonomics, the performance — the guys love them,” said Gerhardt. “There’s a lot of tech in them.”
Volvo’s reputation for a leading safety spec is also part of the attraction for reducing possible incidents and ensuring drivers are not only comfortable but looked after. Cabin coolers, lane departure cameras and
forward, rear and turntable cameras all make it a compelling product.
“They are safer and efficient for drivers and a lot more comfortable,” said Gerhardt. “They’re fit-for-purpose.”
He added, “It’s well established that the European product is pretty good whether it’s Mercedes-Benz, Volvo or Scania. So it becomes partly about the aftersales stuff and what they were offering. Volvo’s aftersales has drastically improved and is one of the best on offer in our opinion.”
Mondiale VGL handles end-to-end freight solutions from sea and air freight to wharf transport, import and export. It currently operates across 19 countries.
“We did big numbers last year and we set records in October and November,” said Gerhardt. “The numbers forecast for the next 12 months are even bigger. Again, a majority of that is heavy stuff. We move a lot of stone and tile product. We’ve invested in quads for this kind of cartage.”
Gerhardt confirmed the fleet had another eight quad trailers being built by Vawdrey slated to come off the production line in February.
> Mondiale VGL introduces first Volvos into fleet
Mondiale team members attend the truck handover at Wacol. Image:
> Griffith Corporation receives 100th Actros
Griffith Corporation has taken delivery of its 100th Mercedes-Benz Actros. Company Director Mark Griffith decided to mark the milestone with a very special truck, a black 2663 Actros 25 Driver Edition fitted with a GigaSpace cab.
Griffiths Corporation operates more than 60 prime movers. The majority perform overnight express work along the east coast for a raft of longterm customers including Tamex, DHL, Mainfreight and Northline.
Griffith Corporation also has eight transporters it sends to racetracks around the country, moving Australian race cars, targa cars and production cars, in addition to providing exotic vehicle and supercar transportation for individual owners.
The new 2663 Actros milestone truck was delivered by Daimler Trucks Brisbane and immediately put to work pulling the Team Nineteen race transporter that carries the AMG GT of Griffith Corporation raced by Griffith himself.
The 16-litre 630hp truck replaces a third-generation black Actros
prime mover, that was part of the transporter combination Griffith purchased from Erebus.
“It had come up on the lease deal and Mercedes-Benz had the 25th anniversary Actros, there were only 25 of them, so we thought ‘let’s have one of those,’” he recalled.
The Actros 25 Driver Edition comes with a range of special features including an illuminated MercedesBenz logo, Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels, dark chrome highlights, a light-bar with driving lights, stainless steel highlights, leather seats and woodgrain trim. It also features the optional GigaSpace cab, which has 2.13 metres of interior height, measured from the floor between the seats to the ceiling, providing ample room for the tallest drivers and adding three large cupboards built into the front of the truck cabin.
The majority of the Griffith Corporation fleet is made up of Actros trucks, which are switched over every four years to ensure the company is always operating the most modern, safest and fuel-
efficient models.
Griffith Corporation takes advantage of Daimler Truck Financial Services and its guaranteed buy back program, which is part of its finance offering.
“We get a guaranteed future value at four years, so we finance them for four years, then hand them over and get a new one,” he said. “It’s a good thing to know that at the end of the term they are going to give you ‘X’ amount and you can plan for it.”
Customers do have the flexibility to take advantage of the guaranteed buyback option, keep the truck or sell it themselves.
“When COVID was on, people were giving you more money than what the payout figure was, so we did, but if it is less than that you can just hand it back and walk away,” he said.
Apart from the certainty of knowing how much it will cost, Griffith is happy he doesn’t have to sell the trucks.
“I don’t need to be arguing about the price of a second-hand truck. We are better off doing what we do and let the truck salespeople do what they do,” he said.
Company Director Mark Griffith.
Image: Daimler Truck.
> SRV Roadfreight Services acquires BEVTRANS
General freight carrier, SRV Roadfreight Services has announced the acquisition of BEVTRANS. SRV is looking to integrate the beverage and food transporter and finalise its new look organisational structure within the next 60 days.
The integration effort will be driven by management and operational staff.
“This is an important day for the SRV Group as we can take our Safety, Reliability and Value to the next level along the eastern seaboard,” the company said in a statement. “SRV
recognised the strategic fit between our organisations and the significant value this will create for both parties.”
Company leaders and drivers, according to SRV, will be visiting operational sites and DTCs in order to facilitate a smooth integration.
The agreement will involve new Kenworths and Vawdrey trailers featuring the new BEVTRANS logo.
SRV currently operates over 80 Kenworth prime movers. Major accounts include Coca Cola.
The Yatala-based company
anticipates the acquisition will deliver increased employment opportunities within the group.
“I strongly believe offering our innovative solutions and integrating our resources and expertise will enhance our market position and provide substantial benefits to our customers,” said SRV Owner Errol Cosgrove.
SRV appointed former award-winning Driver Trainer & Operations assistant Ben Sparrow as its new General Manager last year.
Kenworth T610SAR.
Image: Brown and Hurley.
> Marley’s Transport debuts first electric truck
Marley’s Transport have taken delivery of a Volvo FM Electric. It’s the Perth-based fleet’s first battery electric truck. Delivered by Truck Centre WA, the Volvo FM will be integrated into Marley’s operations to service their customers in transporting produce and delivering supplies to the agricultural industry, one of the primary sectors the fleet operates within.
Considered a strategic move, the new truck aligns with the company’s broader sustainability initiatives and demonstrates its dedication to adopting innovative technologies that benefit the environment and the agricultural community.
Frank Marley, Owner of Marleys
Transport reflected on the company’s progression.
“My dad always said, ‘if you don’t stay at the front, you will get left behind’ which is a value we have always lived by,” he said.
“For us, this truck signifies our commitment to leading from the front with sustainability and alternative fuels.”
A family run and owned company for 55 years, Marley’s Transport carts bulk agricultural commodities. The business hauls grain, fertiliser, lime, livestock and pelletised feed with a customer portfolio that includes CBH, Weston Animal Nutrition, Milne Agrigroup, Westpork, Viterra and Wheatbelt farmers.
“Marley’s have a proud history
of innovating to find efficiencies across their business and I’m sure their pursuit of sustainable transport solutions and their embrace of emerging technology will serve them well into the future,” said Volvo Trucks Australia Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Tom Chapman.
To date, more than 80 Battery Electric Volvo Trucks have been delivered in Australia, with Volvo setting a target of having 50 per cent of its global volume as either battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks by 2030. The Australian manufacture of Volvo Trucks battery electric vehicles is set to take place at Volvo Group Australia’s Wacol factory from as soon as 2028.
Volvo FM Electric semi with end-tipper.
Image:
Volvo Group Australia.
> JJ
Lawson celebrates 50 years with six new Mack Anthems
JJ Lawson have recently taken delivery of six new Mack Anthems as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. One of which is fitted out in a special 50th anniversary gold livery for the family owned and operated customs, freight and transport specialists.
“We wanted something different to commemorate our 50 years,” said Greg Lawson, who owns and operates the business alongside his brother Marty.
“We asked our signwriter Bear Signs for some ideas, and they came up with a gold livery wrap. It’s a collage of historical photos of our fleet along with special moments in our company history. The concept seemed like a good idea and the finished product exceeded all expectations.”
The new Anthem follows in the footsteps of a special Mack Granite the company commissioned for its 45th anniversary.
As longtime supporters of the North Sydney Bears rugby league club, Greg had that truck outfitted in the reverse of the company’s usual red with black stripes.
“With this Anthem we’ve gone back to our usual red, but the gold livery really makes it stand out on the road. It tells the story of the company in a unique way,” said Lawson.
Founder, Jim Lawson, decided in the early days that he wanted to provide a superior level of service and surety to clients and from there the decision was made to start building his own fleet. In the mid ’90s the company acquired its first Mack: a Fleet-Liner CH Day-cab in a B-double configuration.
Over the years the fleet has grown organically with up to as many as 30 trucks at one time. At present, the business operates 18 Macks and two Volvos.
“Over the years we have considered setting up our own workshop and
doing our own maintenance but with the space and specialised equipment and staff this involves we have continued to decide to leave it to the experts,” said Lawson. “With Mack there’s no need to bang your fist on the table, they understand our business and they sort things out, so we can focus on what we do best.”
The new Anthems replace four Mack Granites the company acquired back in 2020, just before the onset of COVID-19.
“Like everyone else we didn’t see that coming and it was quite a trying time,” said Lawson. “International shipping schedules were severely disrupted, and with the restrictions that were applied, we often found ourselves running the fleet with just one person physically in the office, but we got through it and those Granites have done us proud since then,” he added, preferring to turn his trucks over every five years or so.
The reason is not, however, based on a huge number of kilometres, but because he wants top-quality gear
in good condition as it befits the company’s reputation and makes it easier to attract and keep drivers.
“A major benefit of having a fleet from one provider is that we can switch our drivers between trucks and they all know what to expect. Everything is familiar and no extra training is needed. It’s simple and the whole package works,” said Lawson.
With a 20,000m² transport depot in Chipping Norton, and operations now nationwide, Lawson has more things to worry about than trucks and just likes to be assured that with a modern and well-maintained fleet there is one less thing to worry about.
“We’ve built this business on a foundation of exceptional service, fairness and honesty and this approach has stood us in good stead for half a century now,” he said.
“Our business has grown organically over time. We are still very much a family business and encourage those family values with our staff and extend them to our clients.”
Mack Trucks Australia.
JJ Lawson Owner Greg Lawson with Mack Trucks Australia Vice President Tony O’Connell.
> South Australia streamlines oversize permits
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) in conjunction with the South Australian state and local governments have delivered on a set of heavy vehicle productivity initiatives to support safer and more efficient heavy vehicle movements in the state. Starting in January, the NHVR introduced three Oversize Overmass (OSOM) trial notices to replace the need for the heavy vehicle industry to apply for permits on key routes. South Australian Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said he was pleased to see the changes come into effect after making the request to the NHVR to reduce heavy vehicle access permits in South Australia.
“Streamlining heavy vehicle access by transitioning permits to notices will allow operators to travel more efficiently, and I thank the NHVR for their enthusiastic response to improve
access to routes subject to multiple heavy vehicle access permits,”
Koutsantonis said.
“[The] announcement is part one of a multi-stage plan to drastically reduce the need for thousands of heavy vehicle permits in South Australia.
“These outcomes show how the NHVR and state and local government are listening to industry about what needs to be done to continue to achieve improved heavy vehicle safety and productivity outcomes.”
NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the new OSOM trial notices would allow access to load carrying vehicles with greater mass and dimension limits than previously authorised.
“What this will mean is a more streamlined process for operators, with larger and heavier movements of indivisible loads now either requiring no permit, or consent from less road
managers than before,” Petroccitto said. “I’d like to thank Minister Koutsantonis for his continued support of the heavy vehicle industry, and his recognition of the important contribution it makes to the South Australian economy and the communities.”
Over the next 12 months the NHVR, the South Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) and other participating road managers will assess how effective the trial notices have been in supporting heavy vehicle productivity and safety.
Future stages of the multi-stage plan will focus on reviewing South Australia’s Performance-Based Standards (PBS) combinations, livestock transport mass exemptions, and tri-drive prime mover access arrangements.
The review will also address specialpurpose combinations, ensuring alignment with evolving industry needs.
An oversize vehicle in central Australia.
> Kenworth DAF Melbourne announces new General Manager
Kenworth DAF Melbourne has announced the appointment of Paul Wiffrie as General Manager, which was effective from 20 January, 2025.
Wiffrie will oversee the day-to-day operations of the dealership, including TRP Geelong.
Wiffrie brings extensive experience to his new role. He began his career with PACCAR Australia in 2007, where he excelled in various training positions, ultimately serving as the Learning & Development Manager.
Following this, he transitioned to PACCAR Parts as the Materials & Quality Manager, before taking on the role of Dealer Development Manager in 2019. His diverse work and academic background and extensive knowledge of the industry make him exceptionally qualified to lead Kenworth DAF Melbourne into its next chapter.
“I am thrilled to welcome Paul to this pivotal role at Kenworth DAF
Melbourne,” said Damian Smethurst, PACCAR Australia Managing Director.
“His expertise and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our service offerings and support our great customers.”
Wiffrie said he was honoured by
the opportunity to serve as General Manager at Kenworth DAF Melbourne.
“I am committed to excellence and continuous improvement, and I look forward to working closely with the team to focus on delivering quality service to our customers.”
> Penske Australia appoints new experienced executives
Penske Australia & New Zealand has made two new appointments to its executive leadership team to start the year. Gary Bone has joined the business as the General Manager of Eastern Operations.
Based in Brisbane, he oversees
Penske’s retail branch operations in Wacol, Lytton, and Yatala in Southeast Queensland and Sydney.
Derek Smits has recently commenced as General Manager of Truck Supply Chain.
Also based in Brisbane, he is leading
the engineering, technical, and sales operations teams as well as the vehicle processing centre.
“Gary and Derek bring extensive experience and depth to our executive leadership team,” said Hamish ChristieJohnston, Managing Director of Penske Australia & New Zealand.
“A highly esteemed business leader with a strong track record of achievement, Gary will utilise his comprehensive industry experience in managing our on- and off-highway operations.
“Having amassed significant manufacturing and transport industry experience, Derek has a proven innovative approach to leadership that will hold him in good stead as he brings a fresh approach to this newlycreated role.”
Most recently, Bone held senior leadership roles with Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks and Smits was with Diverseco and Hendrickson Asia Pacific.
Paul Wiffrie Kenworth DAF Melbourne GM.
Image: PACCAR Australia.
General Manager of Eastern Operations
Gary Bone with Derek Smits General Manager of Truck Supply Chain.
Image: Penske Australia.
> Linfox to roll out 26 new electric prime movers
Over the next three years Linfox will launch 26 new Volvo electric prime movers in Australia and New Zealand. The transport and logistics titan expects the new fleet, which was partially funded by the Federal Government’s Driving the Nation fund, will advance the development of a zeroemissions freight and logistics supply chain in Australia.
“This investment continues Linfox’s unwavering leadership of electric prime mover fleet adoption and integration within the industry,” said Linfox Manager Environmental Sustainability, Ruby Diaz. Linfox first pledged a commitment to reducing its carbon emissions in 2007. Since then the company has worked with industry and government to advocate for changes to support initiatives such as electric vehicles and also to support its customers meet sustainability goals.
“With 85 per cent of Linfox’s carbon footprint coming from
diesel fuel consumption, the most significant impact will be made in the decarbonisation of its transport operation,” said Diaz.
Compared to a standard diesel Volvo FM, the inclusion of one Volvo FM Electric truck can result in savings of approximately 65 tonnes of CO₂-e emissions per year using renewable energy according to estimates based on Volvo’s environmental footprint calculator from October 2024.
“When you multiply the CO₂-e emissions savings per year across the 26 brand-new electric prime movers, the environmental benefits are profound,” said Diaz.
“The Volvo electric prime movers mark a significant step up from the smaller-scale electric trucks. They will allow Linfox to service our customers across extended metropolitan locations, with larger loads and greater battery capacity.
“Linfox customers will still receive
safe, secure and on time deliveries. The electric prime movers offer the added benefit of reduced emissions which not only help the environment, but also help our customers meet their decarbonisation commitments.”
Linfox said it was committed to sharing knowledge and learnings gained about electric prime movers with partners.
“Working together, we can focus on decarbonisation within the industry,” added Diaz.
Critical to the new electric prime mover successful integration into the Linfox fleet, is the infrastructure to support its
Founder, Lindsay Fox and Executive Chairman, Peter Fox with Australia’s first Volvo electric prime mover.
> MBS boosts unique service model
Sydney-based Maroubra Building Supplies (MBS), delivers bulk materials using a variety of crane trucks rather than tipper-truck rigs to reduce congestion of building sites and surrounding roads. The fleet includes a range of Isuzu twin-steer FYJ 300350s Autos in 8×4 and 10×4 model configurations and varying wheelbase lengths to ensure the right vehicle is presented for the job.
“Being centrally based next to Port Botany, we deliver everywhere from brand new developments in Sydney’s West, the northern beaches, eastern suburbs, southern suburbs and areas established 200 years ago in the city — we have to deliver, no matter what the site,” said Managing Director Louie Papadakis.
“It’s a necessity for us to have the crane trucks come in with the material in one-tonne bags and off-load these directly to the site,” he says. “In the established city areas, we face some tricky locations, like loading up to the fourth floor of buildings or over the top of structures and tall trees into narrow spaces.
“In the newer areas, we are parking
roadside and delivering materials to the exact spot needed—not simply dropping kerbside and making the builders shovel it in.”
First established in 1983 by Sam Papadakis, MBS was once primarily a retail hardware shop that supplied building materials as part of its offering. By the late 1990s and the arrival of big box homeware chains, the business changed direction to focus on material supply.
The family business rebranded to MBS Building & Landscape, with a purpose-built facility constructed in Matraville in 2019. After working through a number of truck brands, MBS has struck up a relationship with Isuzu dealer Suttons Trucks Arncliffe, who recommended the twin-steer FYJ 300-350 for their heavy-weight application.
Isuzu’s FYJ 300-350 features a GVM of 30,000 kilograms (28,000-kg on-road legal limit), a GCM of 45,000 kg, and the all-important inclusion of a second Meritor steer axle, which supports stable load sharing.
For heavy loads and off-road, the FYJ’s driveline and gear ratios have
been specifically optimised for maximum stability and gradeability.
“As we retire some of our older tipper fleet, we will be looking to replace those with small and medium models from Isuzu, making the operational and maintenance side a whole lot more straightforward for us,” said Papadakis.
With their new FYJ crane trucks supporting the delivery side of the business, Papadakis feels confident that customers will receive the most efficient service, which doesn’t compromise on the health and safety of workers on-site.
“MBS has moved with the rapid expansion of the building industry,” said Papadakis. “We feel this is the now and the future for professional outfits like us.
“Mums and Dads can still order a tonne of soil and it’s easy to shovel away straight into garden beds or spread across lawns for top dressing.
“Builders who need a number of materials and a range of products can order bulk bags of soil, mulch, or pebbles and get it dropped exactly where they need it.”
Isuzu FYJ 300-350 near Bronte Beach.
Image: Arkajon.
> Fraser Coast Isuzu Trucks announces Grand Opening
Prime Truck Group, trading as Fraser Coast Isuzu Trucks, has announced the grand opening of its brand-new, purpose-built dealership in Bundaberg. Located at 16-22
Charlie Triggs Cresent, the state-of-the-art facility has been designed exclusively to serve the needs of current and future Isuzu Truck customers, offering an enhanced experience with industry leading service capabilities.
“This new location reflects our commitment to providing exceptional service, quality vehicles, and a customerfirst experience,” said Rod Cusack, Fraser Coast Isuzu Trucks Dealer Manager.
As an authorised customer service centre of Western Truck Group, Fraser Coast Isuzu trucks will also be able to support the transport needs of all Volvo, UD and Mack truck owners and operators. According to Russell Edwards, Prime Truck Group Dealer Principal, the investment in the new facility underlines a commitment to supporting the current and future needs of truck owners in the Bundaberg, Fraser Coast and wider regions.
“We are excited to be supporting the Isuzu truck brand and the team are thoroughly looking forward to welcoming the community into the new dealership,” he said.
Inside the purpose-built dealership in Bundaberg.
> Amazon orders 200 battery electric heavy trucks
Amazon has placed an order of more than 200 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 units. It also makes it the largest order of electric trucks in the history of the truck manufacturer.
The electric trucks will be deployed across high-mileage routes that make up Amazon’s middle-mile network, transporting cargo containers to and from Amazon’s fulfilment centres, sort centres, and delivery stations.
Just over 140 trucks in the order have been earmarked for deployment in the UK with more than 50 to go to Germany.
In total they will be responsible for transporting more than 350 million packages.
“The order of more than 200 eActros 600 underlines our commitment to being a leader in electrifying our transportation network in Europe,” said Andreas Marschner, Vice President of Worldwide Operations Sustainability at Amazon.
“It is the biggest electric heavy truck order by Amazon to date anywhere in the world and is an important step as we work to achieve our Climate Pledge
commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions across our operations by 2040.”
The order is preceded by the practical testing of a near-series prototype of the eActros 600 in one of Amazon’s logistics centres in Germany.
“We are very pleased that Amazon, a pioneer in the transformation towards alternative drives, has chosen the eActros 600, a gamechanger for sustainable transportation,” Karin Rådström, Chief Executive Officer of Daimler Truck AG.
A Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 navigates a steep embankment under test conditions in Untertürkheim.
> Isuzu brings UD into the fold in Africa
This year already marks an historic occasion for the UD Trucks brand internationally. Now part of the Isuzu Group, UD Trucks has entered into a distribution agreement with Isuzu East Africa in Kenya — a first for the two storied Japanese truckmakers.
It also makes Isuzu East Africa the first Group company to handle both Isuzu and UD Trucks branded vehicles.
Isuzu Group said it would leverage its technology and development capabilities, global sales and aftersales network, and brand presence to provide attractive products to a broader customer base, as its transformation into a commercial mobility solutions company would “addresses the challenges facing society”.
In November last year, Isuzu Motors commenced driving tests using heavyduty trucks, along with UD, Hino Motors and Fuso Truck & Bus Corporation, with automated driving technology on the
Shin-Tomei Expressway between Tokyo and Nagoya. To help solve the ongoing issues of driver shortages, the four companies, which are the contractors for the project, together with four manufacturers, logistics companies, and other related parties, are aiming for the implementation of autonomous driving trucks on the expressway from 2026 onward through a joint publicprivate effort.
To date, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism (MLIT) have conducted what is dubbed “Demonstrations for Social Implementation of Truck Platooning”, a demonstration of the technology used for truck platooning without drivers.
The ongoing initiative, which recommenced in 2021 and will be completed later this year, aims to achieve independent driverless truck movements between relay areas such
as logistics facilities, service areas, and parking areas around expressways and verifies support from external infrastructure equipment, operations such as monitoring and management, and vehicle functions necessary for such operations.
Based on the evaluation results of these demonstration tests, in fiscal 2025, the final year of the project, “we plan to verify the process from vehicle departure at a service area to merging and changing lanes on the main line and parking at the destination under conditions closer to those of actual driving,” Isuzu Motors said in a statement.
“In addition, we plan to conduct demonstration experiments utilising priority lanes for autonomous driving vehicles, which is one of the Early Harvest Projects ‘Setting up CAV (Connected Autonomous Vehicles) corridors’ under the ‘Digital Lifeline Development Plan’ led by METI.”
Members of Isuzu Motors and UD Trucks attend an opening ceremony in Nairobi.
MASS
CEVA Logistics is expanding its presence around the globe, including Australia, where it is re ning its extensive company-owned linehaul services with PBS-engineered B-doubles equipped with the latest in European truck technology.
MASS
Scania R 580 at CEVA’s depot in Truganina.
Last year CEVA Logistics opened its rst temperature controlled facility at Kemp’s Creek, near where the new Western Sydney Airport will soon be operational. The 34,000m2 site will handle an array of temperature-sensitive goods starting with pharmaceuticals and chocolate.
Part of a long-term strategic vision to acquire real estate in key business areas, Kemp’s Creek is just one facility in the expanding property portfolio of a business that operates over 200 sites nationally.
According to Michael Harich, CEVA Contract Logistics Vice President, the site has joined existing premises in Minchinbury, Erskine Park and Orchard Hills as the company actively increases its footprint in one of the nation’s major growth corridors.
“CEVA has been very active, adding more than 50,000m² in new facilities annually in recent years,” he says.
“That’s all been part of a long-term real estate strategy whereby we’ve invested in new sites, closed down some old facilities and upgraded existing facilities.”
The full scope of the investment in Western Sydney will be made apparent with the subsequent completion of two new warehouses in Erskine Park in early 2025. Logistics being a task inherently reliant on situational awareness, proximity to key transportation routes, namely, in the case of Kemp’s Creek the M4 and M7 motorways, is of crucial importance when planning years in advance.
“Kemp’s Creek helps expand the portfolio of customers that have traditionally been automotive and industrialised goods,” says Michael. “Our logistics cluster in the Western Sydney will better serve our customers in the region while providing our vehicles the best access to what is now a
considerable distribution network.”
As a specialist in fast-moving consumer goods logistics, CEVA commands a fully resourced network that enables it to service the entirety of the continent. With a eet of over 500 vehicles at its disposal in Australia, CEVA Logistics relies on a signi cant subcontractor network to actively handle the regional destinations while the company-owned eet of some 30 prime movers operate chie y on established freight routes between major cities.
“In the last ve years CEVA has made signi cant investments in linehaul vehicles, predominantly made up of Scania R 540s and the Mercedes-Benz Actros 2653,” says Ezzat Haddara, CEVA Ground Transport Vice President. The Scania prime movers are mostly used for point-to-point direct runs while the Mercedes-Benz Actros units are allocated for linehaul changeover in which the prime mover is double
A Vawdrey B-double enters the depot.
shifted at a localised level between movements.
Both the Actros and Scania prime movers can produce over 530 horsepower. These trucks are hauling B-doubles and, if the application suits, B-triples, mostly moving automotive spare parts, tyres or cable drums, cable reels — equipment of an industrial nature. The Mercedes-Benz vehicles, as Ezzat notes, rarely stop.
“We need a powerful unit and a reliable unit for that kind of requirement,” he says. “With the double shifting, that time off the road is absolutely minimal.”
Maximising use of the asset is one method to deliver increased ef ciencies.
Having a Euro 6 powertrain spec is another. That’s now a minimum requirement at CEVA.
“Having the latest spec is also standard for our subcontractor eet,” says Ezzat. “In this round of purchases, we were
focused on safety and performance, servicing and operating systems.”
The most recent eet replenishment involved the integration of 29 new prime movers. CEVA also complemented this order with a major investment in trailing equipment adding 21 B-double sets. These are 4 metres longer than a standard B-double increasing the capacity from 36 pallets to 42.
“Seeking permits from respective authorities for necessary routes has taken just as much effort as designing these new trailers,” says Ezzat. “All have been locally made, promoting local manufacture. CEVA maintains strong relationships with local manufacturing. We take pride in that especially in an era when manufacturing in Australia has almost come to a stop. To still rely on local manufacturing is important.” Given its size, CEVA doesn’t rely on only one trailer builder. While these
latest trailer sets were supplied by Vawdrey, the eet regularly enlists help from Freighter Group and Barker Trailers as well. CEVA will look to standardise trailers where possible.
“We always like to see what’s new happening in trailer innovation and we trade ideas back and forth with these parties,” notes Ezzat. “There’s usually a version 2.1 involving something we have required that’s different in comparison to the previous one.” Productivity gains are demonstrable. Ezzat says the 42-pallet units have improved capacity by close to 20 per cent.
“In theory, over time, we cull one truck off the road,” he says. “That 20 per cent extra capacity means for every ve trips you save yourself a trip. That’s de nitely a key. When it comes to fuel burn and heavy C02 emissions the biggest saver of the environment is removing a truck off the road.”
The new Scania prime movers are often carrying 42-pallet combinations interstate.
The Melbourne-Sydney overnight service starts at 5am. It’s the same for Adelaide. Brisbane is a two-day service. CEVA runs linehaul between Melbourne and Townsville with a connection in Brisbane. A three-day service runs Brisbane to Adelaide. For immediate or express DFOD (delivery fee on delivery) there are trucks that sprint one way.
The PBS B-doubles and B-triples, dependent on volume and timing, are allocated for the Sydney to Perth and Melbourne to Perth legs. Sydney to Perth runs via Mildura and Adelaide.
The east-west corridor is usually complemented by rail.
Regional intrastate services work on another model entirely. CEVA partners with carriers who dominate certain areas across Australia to limit over dependence on the eet. The property footprint will see subcontractors pick up at CEVA depots for consolidation and nal mile distribution. CEVA’s eet will also drop into their depots.
“Australia has a massive geography and in order to deliver to every postcode within Australia, we’ve adopted one of the most ef cient models where it suits,” says Ezzat. “Once the distance becomes pronounced, we will rely on our onforwarding regional eet.”
He adds, “It doesn’t make sense for us to have part loads all in the one bucket.”
Assessments of each asset and the job assigned it con rm for Ezzat whether the eet has the right truck in the right area.
“Having different powered vehicles on different lanes is a consideration of ours,” he says. “We’ve got sections that are not the easiest of terrain. We go off bitumen onto dirt roads to access some of these out of the way destinations. Our subcontractor eet needs to be agile with the ability to change with technology speci cally.”
In capital cities, it can be easier to get subcontractors on board with the newest technologies and process standards. But for those subcontractors in the network working in remote areas it can be more challenging according
to Ezzat. “For us, it’s about making sure standards in local areas are the same as those in regional areas,” he says. “With 250 subcontractors, most of whom have up to three trucks, it must be taken into consideration.”
Trucks in the linehaul eet are capped at 98 km/hr based on an odometer that is realistically set two or three km/ hr lower by OEMs. In zones where the speed limit is 100 km/hr, CEVA drivers are rarely exceeding 96 km/hr.
Factors of time are an essential concern in the industry; even more so for transporting automotive parts.
“When you’re governed by speed limits and rest breaks from a safety and compliance perspective the only variable left is have you got a machine that is not going to break down,” says Ezzat. “We have seen signi cant fuel savings using the Euro 6 spec.”
The Scania R 540 is its rst 13-litre truck in Australia generating maximum torque of 2700Nm between 1000 and 1300rpm. Lighter than the V8 16-litre and just as powerful, the Sania R 540 responds faster thanks to modi ed intake and exhaust manifolds that increase the available pulse energy a new ball-bearing, xed-geometry turbocharger offers.
CEVA’s eet management hinges on a ve-year cycle, where in theory, and on average, 200,000km per year equates to 1 million kilometres over the ve years.
“That’s the target. The changeover of that truck means less downtime,” says Ezzat. “What I’ve seen in the past prime movers at ten, 12 and 15 years they all cost. A ve-year milestone threshold is where we want to be.”
Along with installing MyFleet telematics to consolidate all vehicle data on one platform, CEVA has invested heavily in the Guardian driver monitoring technology by Seeing Machines. It even runs its own dedicated team 24 hours a day as an extension of the linehaul eet. “Our team connects with drivers in the middle of the night to ensure they’re doing well and that everything is going OK,” says Ezzat. That’s an enhancement which keeps our drivers a little bit
safer. It has de nitely become a critical initiative for us.”
Initially, the plan was to outsource the fatigue monitoring team when Guardian was introduced across the eet. Outsourcing, however, would also reduce CEVA’s accountability, something they intuited would be problematic.
“Having the team operated by ourselves makes it our problem, our issue, our management system, our eet and our responsibility,” says Ezzat. “Whereas giving it away to the likes of Seeing Machines you can become distant, and everything becomes their problem. Having our own team reiterates accountability. Their system is a great system, but we prefer that accountability sits with us.”
The team is split between Melbourne and Sydney. Drivers receive compulsory welfare checks every night, without fail, in the middle of the shift.
To ensure competitiveness, company depots must be well connected to key freight corridors connecting metro areas, ports and airports. These assets leave behind a footprint and the requirement to minimise it means sustainability remains a primary focus.
All sites are equipped with LED lights.
Solar panels help to reduce the carbon footprint; batteries are storing energy that is not immediately consumed.
“Storing energy for the night when the grid hits peak usage signi cantly lowers our costs and helps with initiatives like converting our whole eet of forklifts to lithium-ION batteries,” says Michael.
“In Queensland, CEVA is exploring an EV charging project with a customer in the B2C and B2B space so that there will be charging points for commercial vehicles while they are being loaded.”
CEVA retains a large portfolio of global customers including those in telecommunications. With one mobile phone customer, CEVA helps it to plan retail stock. The onus in the partnership becomes about speed and activation of phones. Internal tools with real-time displays, contrasting other company sites, have been developed to optimise freight movements. Naturally, there is an ongoing requirement for these in the last mile, especially for smaller trucks.
“We are growing, expanding, and tapping into new areas,” says Michael.
“It’s all part of the continuous
improvement initiatives.”
CEVA in Australia is leading an AI initiative for the global organisation by trialling a forecasting tool. It was introduced just prior to last year’s recent peak period across its Paci c business cluster. In an area of operations that is typically reactive, the tool helped plan labour and eet movements.
“The AI system performed to service levels during peak season, working up to Boxing Day as part of an evaluation run across multiple sites,” says Michael.
“It has allowed CEVA to forecast more accurately. Historic data can be inaccurate. We have since done a deep dive on the technology and we are looking to use it to enhance the business.”
Mercedes-Benz Actros 2653 used commonly for linehaul changeover within the CEVA fleet.
SKY IS THE LIMIT
Wymap o ers bespoke airside and landside logistics functions for its multinational customers. Its services include express freight handling, last mile and interstate transports across all major ports within Australia and New Zealand.
Between 2022-23 some 300 million tonne kilometres of air freight was moved in Australia. According to the Australian Infrastructure and Transport Statistics Yearbook 2023 the domestic freight moved by air during the same period equated to 0.03 per cent of the total transported nationally. But with one signi cant differentiator: low-density air freight usually has a premium value, such as mail, small
parcels and high value perishables. Projections for the segment suggest air freight volume between now and 2050 will increase by 103 per cent. The sky really is the only limit.
For the past 30 years, Wymap has provided specialised road transport services moving cargo onto and off passenger planes and freighter aircraft. Its presence at most major airports in Australia is now complemented by operations across the ditch in Auckland
and Christchurch, where it most recently expanded these services. Like any business involved or adjacent to last mile logistics the past three months have been busy.
“Everyone in manufacturing and transport – two industries which we are immersed – recognises it as the peak time for us all,” says Habib Francis, Wymap Group Chief Executive Of cer. “Silly season they call it for good reason.”
New Isuzu FVY 240-300 trucks in Sydney.
The composition of the mixed eet is quite varied. It uses single trailer, bogie axle rigids, vans, utes and prime movers on interstate express runs. Perhaps the most common purpose application, especially for loading and unloading cargo from cargo terminal operations and aircraft, is the heavy-duty hydraroll oor system. The latest six additions to the eet all use this system and have been purchased from long-time supply partner Isuzu.
Five of the six Isuzu FVY 240-300 6x4s have gone into Sydney with the other one based in Perth where Wymap inaugurated its Western Australian operational footprint as recently as 2022. The roller trucks, as they are sometimes colloquially referred, are ideal for this type of work according to Habib.
“We’re converting a atbed trailer to a roller bed trailer and that helps us to roll on and roll off the aircraft containers onto aircraft loading equipment,” he explains. “We have pushed for roller trucks that have powered rollers and ended up buying a number of units from the company that provides it.”
Joloda Hydraroll is the said supplier. Wymap has deployed four new roller oors into the eet with another two currently in build. Additional trailers have also been sought and ordered. While the Wymap eet is composed of several brands, Isuzu has become a predominant partner as the most represented brand on both sides of the Tasman. The new 6-speed automatic Isuzu FVY 240-300s entering the eet’s Sydney operations come with anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, anti-skid regulators, and adaptive cruise control. Delivered by the Suttons Trucks Arncliffe dealership, it has a 24-tonne GVM and the latest OEM suite of safety systems which Habib says are a mandatory requirement when Wymap purchases new trucks. “We do have our speci cation that includes the Wymap standard colours,” he says. “High level safety features including reversing cameras are now
non-negotiable. In and around airports there is a lot of slow movement and reversing required of drivers when they approach docks. It’s important to assist the driver with reversing cameras. It forms part of our safety pack.”
In addition to the low light-capable reversing camera are Active Safety, Passive Safety and Cabin Occupant Safety Systems among others.
The engine, a direct injection high pressure common rail system, offers 221kW at 2,400rpm. At 1,450rpm the operator will be capable of 981Nm of maximum torque achieved thanks to an electronically controlled variable nozzle turbocharger with air-to air intercooler. Meritor MT44-144GP drive
axles come as standard.
Habib con rms 24 per cent of the near 160-strong Wymap eet is currently represented by Isuzu.
“Future growth will see us using very similar types of vehicles,” he says. “We’ve commenced a number of special projects. These include anything from engine moves through to supporting zoos and relocating live animals.”
So far, the eet has transported giraffes, an elephant and some pandas. Zoo wild life is proving a growth area for the business. In fact, any project special or otherwise that requires a dedicated team to support and manage this evolving revenue stream will likely
Hydraroll floor system close up.
A temperature controlled air cargo container is loaded onto the roller truck.
encounter an exotic animal.
Wymap is also upping its presence in New Zealand. While output in Auckland grows, operations in Christchurch have commenced to support an existing customer based there.
“Our customers we tend to work with are all multinational organisations from freight forwarders to end points,” says Habib. “What we do in Sydney we tend
to duplicate in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and across in New Zealand as well.”
He adds. “Sydney is de nitely our largest site but we’re looking at duplicating and growing in the other states as well.”
Wymap is a 24/7 operation. However, not every vehicle works around the clock.
“The simple way to put it is planes
don’t stop landing and there’s always freight movements,” says Habib. “We handle the freight not only around airports, but we take the freight out to some of the local suburbs where our customers might have depots, and they will organise last mile delivery to their customers and retailers.”
Drivers naturally prefer to drive the same truck all the time. In
Wymap’s Sydney site is its biggest in Australia and New Zealand.
order to make this happen without underutilising the eet they are allocated vehicles according to shifts.
“We can’t allocate one vehicle per driver so having a driver allocated to the same vehicle and running a couple of shifts on it is the way that we try to do it,” says Habib. “This way drivers are given as much continuity as possible with the one vehicle.”
One evident outcome of this philosophy is that drivers also tend to take better care of a vehicle when they use it more often.
“They’re familiar with the full function,” Habib notes. “What we also tend to do is allocate repeatable work to that vehicle and the same drivers, so having drivers that are familiar with the equipment and familiar with the
task helps us provide the exceptional customer service that we pride ourselves on.”
The drivers in Sydney, who have been allocated the newest Isuzu delivered last December, have validated Habib’s theory. They are looking after it really well he says.
The new airport set to open in Western Sydney next year is considered another growth opportunity for Wymap. As the massive infrastructure project nears completion, Habib said the business is having discussions with partners expected to take up a residence at the airport.
“We’re keeping our ears to the ground,” he says. “We will be out there to support some of our customers who are going out there. Where the freight goes is where we’re going to go. Some of the airlines are looking at it. Our business is all about supporting and being able to add a complimentary service to our customer base. We’re geared up and ready to operate out of there when needed. When and how soon that opportunity comes is another question.”
Disruptions caused in the Red Sea which have forced some global shipping companies to relocate sea cargo to the air haven’t caused any noticeable volume spikes outside of the annual rush typical of Q4 operations.
“It’s been relatively stable in the last couple of years. We’re not seeing a massive in ux,” says Habib. “It seems to have settled down and stabilised since the COVID years.”
Last year Isuzu sold 13,402 units across all weight segments, for a total market share of 26.1 per cent. The t-for-purpose, reliable road transport solutions that have resulted in the brand achieving sales dominance 36 years consecutively in Australia are being felt, where it counts, on the ground.
“The type of vehicle and type of application we use align well with Isuzu and we will stick with that,” says Habib. “Isuzu has been a really important brand for the business.”
BOX OUT OF THE
The first A-double in the Newcastle Sideloaders fleet.
A new A-double, the rst in the Newcastle Sideloaders eet, is delivering signi cant gains for the family business and signals a bold change in direction.
The advent of the 40foot container has had a seismic effect on port cartage operations. It’s now commonplace for many of the more enterprising transport out ts in the segment to adopt A-doubles without which no list of high productivity units is ever complete. Just as Performance-Based Solutions (PBS) can help achieve better outcomes in ef ciency, productivity and emissions, an A-double can deliver, in some cases, all three at once. Relocating 40-foot shipping containers is considered a specialty task and one Newcastle Sideloaders excels at. Situated in the eponymous New South Wales city, the company is a family operation begun by Peter Cross back in 2011. His son Dylan Cross is the Operations Manager. The business operates six prime movers, one of which is a Kenworth T408 that Peter purchased new during its startup phase. That truck, after well over a decade of dedicated service, received a refurbished Caterpillar C15 engine last year. Previous to reaching 1 million kilometres it was powered by a much smaller Cat C12 450hp engine. The truck is single trailer-rated only pulling
a maximum of 45 tonnes. With the extra power to spare the driver loves it. Because a much bigger engine block replaced it, new engine mounts were required along with a series of complex modi cations. The brackets were replaced. Nick Lean at Tefol who specialises in C15 builds and installations, took on the involved project, a process that lasted two months. Graham’s Express Transport supplied the Caterpillar C15. It’s now capable of 600hp. That’s fast becoming an ideal horsepower range for landside operators. Driveline specs of 550hp and upwards have become the new norm across the eet aside from an International which is considered a yard tug and rarely ventures outside the depot. “That truck was picked up eight years ago,” says Dylan. “It’s worth noting it’s an old driver training truck from Melbourne with ve seats. Instead of a bunk in the back it has got an extra three seats with two in the front.”
There’s a relatively new Kenworth T610 which was initially put on PBS approval before a revised strategy was embraced this time last year with a more detailed view to navigating metropolitan traf c conditions and site accessibility. A high
Images: Newcastle Sideloaders.
Scania R 660 in Hexham about to depart on its maiden voyage to Sydney.
productivity combination was ordered from Vawdrey to be hauled in concert with a new Scania prime mover, making for a series of rsts for the eet.
“We wanted to nd a truck with an automatic transmission,” recalls Dylan.
“After taking a look around Scania came to the fore. I test drove it and it was clearly a good truck.”
Knowing that the vehicle would be carrying a heavy load from its inception, the Newcastle Sideloaders team opted for investment in a brand new truck. The prime mover was available without delay. The A-double skel was ordered and delivered inside eight months when a slot in the production line became available fortunately ahead of time. Besides, having a longer drawbar was a high priority and the Scania helped accommodate this consideration by ensuring the A-double came in no longer than 30 metres.
“The original plan had been to use a Kenworth T610 but the drawbar would
have to be shortened and none of us had tackled an A-double before so we thought we better make it as easy as we possibly can for ourselves,” says Dylan referring to the expediency it would afford manoeuvring the vehicle in and out of destinations.
“The longer the drawbar is on the dolly the easier it is to reverse the unit when you’re backing it in. I know people who had a T610 who had to shorten their drawbar which made it really hard in reversing,” he adds.
Purpose-built for the approved network, the A-double was speci cally bought for high tempo linehaul use between Sydney and Newcastle. Rated to 110 tonnes, the V8 Scania R 660 is running on an HML route at 85 tonnes, the maximum payload permitted under the current set-up.
“Most of our loaded 40-footers weigh up to about 30 tonnes and no heavier so that means we can take two of them at the same time,” says Dylan. “It’s essentially
doing the job of two trucks. Instead of sending two semis down to Sydney, which we were doing all the time previously, we have one going down with the A-double taking two loads.”
In sum, the A-double cumulatively replaces having to run an existing prime mover unit for the trek long-term. At present it is responsible for one trip ve days of the week. It dehires and is loaded back and forth. A dehire, more commonly used to describe when an empty import container is returned to a designated location, usually lands the new PBS combination at Port Botany.
“As things pick up my plan is to have it double shifting,” adds Dylan. “Since it started hauling the A-double the truck hasn’t missed a beat.”
The Scania began life, at least on the rst two occasions, as a B-double in anticipation of the eventual arrival of trailers for the A-double set.
When delivered in mid-September, the
Profile of the 30-metre combination loaded with car parts at Port Botany.
new 30-metre high productivity unit, made an immediate impression.
“The fuel savings with the Scania is phenomenal. It uses almost the same amount as sending an older truck down with a single trailer,” says Dylan. “We’ve never had a European truck prior to this
but the fuel savings have been crazy.”
The Scania R 660 in the A-double con guration is, according to the latest fuel burn data, using an average of 29.3 litres per 100km in comparison to the previous truck with a single trailer at 41.9l per 100km.
Last year proved one of the busiest on record for Newcastle Sideloaders. Having diversi ed its primary offering of container relocations, the bread and butter of the business during the early years, to import and export markets has enabled the client base to grow by considerable margin. That balance for the moment, under a persisting consumer economy, is skewed naturally in favour of imported goods.
“It used to be the other way round for us,” says Dylan. “Now local suppliers are importing a lot more than usual. We do a lot of export scrap steel and car parts. That is now a huge part of what we do. It’s our biggest export.”
Said scrap steel and automotive parts originate mainly in the Hunter region before it is exported to Dubai where it is auctioned off and repurposed. Newcastle Sideloaders helps move over 120 tonnes of car parts every week routinely on six 40-foot containers.
“With our line of work, it’s mostly 40 footers and if there are 20s a lot of them are too heavy for a B-double ‘A’ trailer as bulk content,” says Dylan. “We had been running singles all the time to and from Botany which eventually became less
ef cient. After seeing a few companies getting around with A-doubles, especially in Sydney where there’s an upswing of eets going down that path it made more sense to us but it’s not so widespread a sight on the road in Newcastle.”
The Kenworth drivers, as is customary, prefer the feel of shifting the vehicle through the gears. That function of driving the vehicle retains valued self-regard. The Scania driver, in contrast, loves the automated manual transmission. In Dylan’s experience he nds it appreciably smoother and responsive. That said the Scania is not suited to the common offroad “paddock bashing” sideloader work often asked of the Kenworths. It will remain strictly a highway truck.
“You can tell the Kenworths are not as fragile,” he points out.
Dylan is ever mindful that Kenworth parts are readily available across the country. The level of support the product receives is a dependable part of the investment. Operations after all thrive on reliability. Adding clientele in an uncertain economy is going to be consequent upon shrewd eet management.
“So far I’m very pleased with the Scania,” says Dylan. “The A-double is measuring up to the initial task being asked of it but I’m excited to expand upon that and have it running two shifts a day and look at doing some other legs with it with a view of adding another one.”
At Spring Farm completing transfers for Royal Wolf with an unladen Vawdrey skel.
GUIDING
Having a premier partner in JOST has compelled Adaptalift Truck Rentals to trial the LocLight sensor technology on its fth wheels for noticeable and immediate safety optimisation.
Australian family owned and operated business Adaptalift Group offers sales and hire options across its full range of equipment. The sum total of which now approaches 10,500 units in over 30 different branches and service centres. Its truck rental division Adaptalift Truck Rentals (ATR) has in recent years consolidated a growth arc in lockstep with the burgeoning rental and leasing sector. Under this banner it offers a complement of short- and long-term rental truck and trailing equipment for linehaul, local delivery and more specialised applications such as roadtrain and Performance-Based Standards (PBS). Operationally, the business footprint is especially strong on the east coast with equipment available from Adelaide all the way up to Townsville in far north Queensland.
Being attuned to the technological shifts now de ning commercial road transport is crucial to the business’ relevance and
mission. There are product solutions on offer for eets big or small and include the most advanced eet management technologies. Because it offers short- and long-term rentals, ATR must have a safe and reliable eet. An ongoing alignment with Daimler Truck Australia Paci c yields, among other bene ts, the latest prime movers in the Mercedes-Benz Actros, Fuso and Freightliner ranges locally. There’s also a variety of trailer options available to rent including roadtrain dollies, triaxle attops and drop deck trailers, B-double curtainsiders, tandem axles and skels. These are provided by Haulmark.
Adaptalift Truck Rentals recently began a trial with another of its premium partners in JOST. The equipment specialist already supplies fth wheels for the entire prime mover eet. In this instance the popular JSKCWS series fth wheel technology has been installed on the eets’ 130 trucks. Now ten of these prime movers are testing JOST’s new Loc-Light sensor technology.
“We have undertaken a recent review of the eet and following that review we made a decision to standardise the tment of the Loc-Light technology to our prime mover eet,” says Fraser Moore, Adaptalift Truck Rentals Executive General Manager. “The product has initially been tted on ten vehicles into service for a trial and is set to become standard going forward.”
The modern era of transport and logistics brings with it heightened expectations when it comes to the wellbeing and safety of truck drivers and other road users. Maybe more so for truck eets that operate under a rental model given the urgency of how equipment deployments are often required by their customers. Fleet assets, in keeping with demand, are taken out by a wide variety of drivers of differing skills and experience, so having an extra layer of security when it comes to managing coupling and mitigating against dropped trailers is a major advantage.
“First of all, the Loc-Light product is a really great safety feature,” says Fraser. “An important and crucial part of transport safety is successful coupling. We had seen evidence of trailers that have been dropped in the past and nobody wants that. If we can do anything to enhance the safety and ef ciency of our customers, then that’s at the forefront of what we do.”
The JOST Loc-Light sensor will ensure trailer coupling is completed correctly every time. Should a driver fail to check the kingpin in the jaw, the trailer can separate from the fth wheel during the tug test or when manoeuvring in the yard, leading to, in most cases, damage to the truck or trailer and a costly delay
Adaptalift Group Executive GM Fraser Moore with Shane Harbridge, JOST National Fleet Manager.
LIGHT
in the consignment. Hasty tug tests, such as when the weight of a loaded trailer delivers oftentimes force enough onto the fth wheel can give the driver a false impression the trailer is securely coupled to the prime mover. The Loc-Light sensor dispenses with much of this uncertainty. Drivers during their pre-trip inspections can ascertain if the safety mechanism for the kingpin is in place via an LED light that indicates ‘Go/No-Go’. A red light, which includes an audible alert, will con rm if the coupling has failed while a green light will verify the coupling is successful leaving the vehicle safe to proceed. The LED light also makes it possible to look up into the throat of the jaws in a dark area.
Adaptalift Truck Rentals is reaping the bene ts from this streamlined process according to Fraser.
“That light remains visible at all times,” he says. “If the driver at a rest stop is walking past the vehicle, they can give it
a quick look and see the light and know they are good to go or not. It’s really simple and intuitive for drivers as well.”
Conveniences in the digital world can sometimes lead to greater complacency instead of vigilance. Automated processes, especially when it comes to checks and compliance, can reduce drivers to autopilot says Fraser.
“It’s advantageous to have the light at the turntable just because it really does encourage people to do those physical walk-round inspections as well,” he says. “They should still be doing that rather than just sitting in the cab and looking at lights.”
Having a modern eet with these latest technological advances enables operators to enjoy the advantages of improved productivity, safety and lower damage costs that these combinations can offer.
In the post-COVID environment there is less certainty in the market. For many transport operators it is critical that they
avoid commitments to large capital outlays for new equipment.
“Operators have the ability to ex their eet up or down to meet demand in partnering with Adaptalift Truck Rentals,” says Fraser. “We view rental as offering a lot of advantages to transport operators in a volatile and uncertain market.”
As Adaptalift Truck Rentals looks to reproduce the safest and most optimised commercial vehicle product broadly across its eet, the JOST JSKCWS fth wheel with Loc-Light sensor remains rst choice.
As a well-known product that industry and operators alike are familiar with, JOST, what’s more, have been extremely supportive in providing training on the product and resolving any product queries according to Fraser.
“We want a consistent and standardised eet spec that customers can rely on,” he says. “It’s so much easier for us to manage it if we’ve got that consistency and it makes it much easier for our customers as well.”
Images: Adaptalift
Loc-Light sensor indicates the JOST JSKCWS fifth wheel is securely coupled.
TWIN PEAKS
The nal weeks of 2024 promised to bring a hectic end to the year. It didn’t disappoint. Nor did cold chain logistics provider Scully RSV, who had been readying its transport capabilities in preparation for this very moment.
Since its founding in 1993 as a family business, Scully RSV has worked tirelessly to ll a perceived gap in the market of cold chain logistics. Having long ago broken through a myriad of barriers to provide an essential service to customers around Australia, the company, through quality service and an enduring vision, has expanded its presence over a formidable distribution network with large-scale manufacturing facilities across many states, to possess a eet of reliable refrigerated transport vehicles for hire. Last year was another year of critical success for the company, as it set the
scene for testing its operational capacity after a period of sustained growth. The Christmas holiday period, according to Scully RSV National Sales and Business Development Manager, Glenn Smith, was the year’s peak for logistical demand, and saw the company service a massive undertaking.
“We service some of the nation’s largest logistics providers, particularly during the Christmas peak season,” he says.
“During this time, the volume being moved in the industry increases. These logistics customers come to us for a solution to give them the equipment they need so that they can move highly
Scully RSV offers a broad range of refrigerated units.
Toyota HiLux freezer ute with a Carrier cooling unit on a Scully RSV box.
Images: Scully RSV.
demanded products. We play an integral role in enabling these deliveries of refrigerated goods that people want over Christmas time.”
Scully RSV’s refrigerated truck eet mainly carries fresh produce such as meat and poultry, seafood, certain fruits and vegetables and a variety of dairy products according to the needs of its customers. While this surge in demand for logistical services and deliveries might prove overwhelming for some providers, Scully RSV has worked meticulously to re ne and prepare its offering while rapidly growing as a company. Combining its operational capabilities and past experiences, the business has developed an ironclad process of rolling out its eet to ensure the smooth navigation of the holiday season’s logistical frenzy.
Glenn believes this diligent planning and invaluable experience sets Scully RSV apart from its competitors, acting as a vital ingredient to the company’s successful Christmas period, which ostensibly proved busier than usual last year.
“We undertake a number of processes in advance of peak periods like Christmas,” he says. “Our eet team thoroughly checks that everything is in order, because we know that almost everything we’ve got will need to go out for these customers in order to deliver the volumes that come through.”
It’s not their rst rodeo. Scully RSV have been at it for many years now that the team anticipates when the delivery volumes will likely increase “We get ahead of the curve and prepare ourselves so we can service demand ef ciently,” says Glenn. “During last year’s Christmas period, the volumes being transported were probably larger than we’ve seen over the last couple of years. The utilisation of our eet was the highest it’s ever been.”
Because of this extensive experience in dealing with periods of high logistical demand, Scully RSV is able to effectively anticipate the physical hotspots that the demand can be connected to. According to Glenn, areas with higher populations typically require a strong logistical
presence, as a greater concentration of people want more refrigerated goods. In addition to this focus on metropolitan areas, Scully RSV is equally committed to servicing more regional areas of the country, many of which do not have as much infrastructure to hold refrigerated goods, like supermarkets, compared to more urban areas.
As part of servicing these more regional areas with cold chain logistics solutions, Scully RSV is heavily involved in a swathe of community partnerships which focus on delivering food rescue to these areas. Partnering with organisations like OzHarvest and SecondBite, to name a couple, Scully RSV assists in supplying food and other goods to these communities. The company’s relationships with these initiatives are particularly strengthened over the Christmas period, when a greater number of people in these communities tend to need food assistance.
Scully RSV’s commitment to community partnerships is an extension of the company’s family values, which have remained tenets that guide the company’s business operations and mission despite its corporate scale.
“We’re very keen on making sure we participate on the ground in the communities that we service,” Glenn says. “Having commenced as a family business and having carried those family values
through to our management structure today, it is extremely important to us to employ local people and to engage with charities and community organisations in the places we operate. This is an essential investment that Scully RSV will continue to make.”
Coming off that recent intense peak period, Scully RSV is looking to expand its outreach further across Australia. Last year saw the company open its newest branch in Adelaide. The expectant addition of another branch will be determined by where the demand manifests itself.
“We follow our customers where they take us,” Glenn says. “We built a customer base in Perth, which is rapidly expanding, and the same thing happened in Melbourne and Sydney in Scully RSV’s early days. Now our customers have most recently taken us to Adelaide, so we put a branch there to support that.”
He adds, “We go where the demand is, and we ll that gap by putting operations on the ground to service our customers right.”
The 2024 Christmas period demanded a large, organised and capable cold chain logistics provider to connect customers with their desired refrigerated goods.
As a champion of the sector, Scully RSV wasted no time or resources to provide a consolidated service, ensuring these essential goods got to the right people in time for the holidays.
A Scully RSV rigid outside The Grant hotel in Warrandyte during the holiday period.
COMPLETE OFFERING
Cummins powertrain integration has been hailed as big win for truck operators and represents a watershed moment for the brand at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show.
The remarkable transformation of Cummins in recent years to become a genuine powertrain supplier – from engine to transmission to axles and brakes – will be in evidence for the rst time in Australia at the Brisbane Truck Show in May. A world- rst display showing the integration of Cummins X15 engine, Eaton Cummins 18-speed Endurant speed transmission, and Meritor driveline and axles – will be in the spotlight at Brisbane. Cummins’ acquisition of Meritor in 2022 was the critical piece for Cummins in being able to rollout a completely integrated powertrain. In fact, the Brisbane show will be the rst time the combined forces of
Cummins and Meritor are displayed together at a truck show in Australia. While the Meritor business now operates under the banner of Cummins Drivetrain and Braking Systems (CDBS), the Meritor brand is retained for axles and brakes.
“The Brisbane show will be a great opportunity to see the result of the Cummins-Meritor integration and the bene ts it offers customers as we bring together complementary power technologies to seamlessly enhance ef ciency, performance and lower emissions across the powertrain system,” says David Cole, Managing Director of CDBS Australia. “For customers this means lower total cost of ownership and having con dence
in system dependability, backed by comprehensive Cummins support across the powertrain.”
HELM innovation
Cummins’ fuel agnostic HELM capability with its X15 engine platform will also be showcased at the Brisbane Truck Show.
“HELM – higher ef ciency, lower emissions, multiple fuels – highlights the innovation that is powering us forward,” says Sean McLean, Director and General Manager of On-Highway Business for Cummins Asia Paci c.
The HELM engines are an important element of Cummins’ Destination Zero strategy to go further, faster to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) and
Cummins’ new HELM X10 engine.
air quality impacts of its products. The industry- rst HELM platform basically comprises one block and three-cylinder head options — a compression ignition head for diesel, and spark ignition heads for natural gas and hydrogen (a zero-carbon fuel at the tailpipe).
This will be the 15-litre platform for future diesel development and will be released in OEM (original equipment manufacturer) applications for the Australian market in coming years.
The natural gas version of the X15 –the X15N – is now in full production at Cummins’ Jamestown engine plant in the US, while the hydrogen version – the X15H – is expected to become available later in the decade.
The X15N, the rst natural gas engine to be designed speci cally for heavyduty truck applications, is offered with maximum outputs of 500hp and 1850lb/ft of torque. The X15H will have higher peak outputs of 530hp and 1900lb/ft of torque.
New X10 engine
Cummins’ new HELM X10 engine will also be displayed at the show. The X10 is a brand new 10-litre platform to be launched in North America
Cummins integrated drivetrain featuring Cummins X15 engine, Eaton Cummins 18-speed Endurant speed transmission, and Meritor driveline and axles
and Europe in 2026 and other global markets at a later stage. While the X10 has fuel agnostic capability and can run on hydrogen and natural gas, the diesel version will be available rst, compliant with the ultra-low US EPA 2027 and Euro 7 emission regulations. Diesel will remain a critical technology for the on-highway market for years to come, and Cummins will continue to
support it.
“We are committed to advancing diesel technology while our markets and our customers need it to run their businesses,” says Sean.
The diesel X10 will be available with ratings up to 450hp and peak torque of 1650 lb/ft, outputs that will suit short haul and regional trucking operations as well as bus and coach applications.
Images:
Cummins Asia
Pacifi c.
Cummins’ fuel agnostic HELM platform with the X1 engine.
FORTU WHEELS OF
NE
There’s been no better time to bank on Scania Finance.
Money is always too tight to mention, but Scania Finance Australia has devised a successful series of products to ease the path to acquiring new trucks and trailers.
Wrapping 2024 as another record year for sales performance, and continuing year-on-year growth of 20 per cent, Scania Finance Australia is gearing up to reveal even more customer-friendly, ef ciency and productivity-focused services as it enters its 10th year operating in Australia.
“As a captive nance provider to Scania Australia customers, we have built a solid reputation as a lender who gets customers rolling,” says Scania Finance Country Manager, Wayne Thomason. “We believe our performance rate with new Scania truck deliveries would be the highest among captive nance businesses in the Australian truck market.”
Trust, capability, consistency and competitive rates are keystones behind Scania Finance’s reputation according to Wayne including time in business and overall nancial competence, all while being backed by a major international funding powerhouse.
“When we talk to Scania customers who want to investigate alternatives to their traditional funding model, we are not only willing and able to help them, but we can draw on plenty of in-market success stories with which to give them con dence — we know what we’re talking about,” he says. “Our products have been proven to be t for Australia’s operating environment.”
Through 2024 Scania Finance have broadened its strategy to extend offers to more national eets and mining, having secured a meaningful share of the retail and SME eet business generated by the truck sales team at Scania Australia.
“Within the mining industry we are working with Scania customers who are venturing into autonomous trucks, and
we are funding our rst battery electric truck [the rst one for Scania in Asia Paci c], so we’re at the cutting edge of the transformation of the industry, but within the parameters of our tailored solution concept that delivers individual results for each customer,” adds Wayne.
Recently, Scania Finance Australia attracted highly experienced heavy and light vehicle nance expert Tori Caton to the team in the role of National Sales Manager.
“I’m leveraging my senior sales, operations, and relationship experience gathered over more than 20 years in automotive nancial services in both corporate and retail environments, and I can see many opportunities for eet operators at all levels throughout the industry to bene t from Scania Finance’s products and services,” Tori says. “Scania Finance Australia has achieved good penetration across general freight operators of all sizes, vocational businesses as well as highly specialised segments such as jetvacs, but there is still further scope for us to advance our tailored solutions into this market.
“Lately we have been offering nancial assistance to customers buying new trailers to coincide with their new trucks, and our insurance product is also successful.”
Because its nationwide team of nance sales experts works hand-in-hand with truck account managers, Tori says the business can offer a complete and synchronised product.
A key advantage and differentiator for the customer, according to Wayne, is Scania Finance providing customers with the con dence that the approved funding will still be in place when the new vehicle is ready for delivery; a major consideration where there may be long-lead times, or macro-economic volatility factors at play.
“We won’t let our customers down and that’s the bottom line,” Wayne says.
Image: Scania Australia.
Scania R 770 V8 long cab prime mover.
ANIMAL WHOLE DIFFERENT
Livestock carrier, Gerard Johnson Transport has taken delivery of a new Mack Titan rated to 140-tonnes.
Livestock carriers often share a deep lineage to the product they carry and sometimes the product they carry it with. Commonly there are pastoral family roots, but sometimes it’s trucking that proves heritable. In the case of Gerard Johnson Transport it is both at once. Mack trucks don’t only run between feedlots for the respected livestock eet, they run in the bloodline.
Gerard’s father Brendan also ran a eet of Macks, mainly during the 1970s, with the Johnson Brothers Transport company he founded in 1967 along with his siblings Adrian and Ashley. That operation involved carting their own cattle from family grazing properties before transitioning to road transport full time.
The family, after all, has had a
longstanding account with the Toowoomba-based Western Truck Group whose current Regional Area Sales Manager, Ben Dare took over a few years back.
“He’s good to deal with,” says Gerard. “Very down to earth.”
It was Ben who delivered to spec the newest addition to the Gerard Johnson Transport eet, a 140-tonne-rated 685hp Mack Titan, built to tow triple roadtrains.
The new truck arrived just prior to Christmas and is already working across the state carrying livestock to feedlots in the Darling Downs or frequently taking nished cattle further north to Rockhampton.
The vehicle is expected to cover up to 5,000 kilometres a week. It joins four other Macks in the eet — all Titans.
“It’s been going pretty well so far,” Gerard says. “There’s been no dramas since it started running and the comfort [it affords] makes it great to sit in and drive.”
The new Mack rides on an airbag suspension with award-winning Base Air to assist on the steer.
“The driver is very happy with it. He nds it really comfortable to drive,” says Gerard, who often still gets behind the wheel himself when required.
Queensland is a big state. Gerard, from rst-hand experience, understands the time that can be spent on the road, away from home.
Inside, the 64-inch Bradley Sleeper cab lacks for nothing having been tted with an Icepack, microwave, fridge and converter. Capable of delivering up to 2,300lb of torque, the MP10 engine is
getting a bit more consistent each year.” Some of that consistency he puts down to the advent of feedlots.
“The feedlots are always looking for cattle going throughout the year, so it has made the job more consistent,” says Gerard. “Where we are, many of the producers are turning cattle off all year round.”
government taking of ce in the state, he is hopeful that some regional roads frequented by livestock eets like his own will receive the desperate attention they deserve.
“A recent change of government in Queensland will hopefully help upgrade some neglected regional roads and last mile access that presents a challenge to livestock carriers across the state,” he says. “Driver safety also remains an ongoing area of concern. Especially when crossloading cattle at breakdown points for roadtrains.”
While transferring cattle between roadtrains is considered one of the most dangerous tasks across the cattle transport supply chain, the LRTAQ is looking to upgrade access to crossloaders and other mechanisms that can make this activity easier and safer outside a yard or meatworks — whatever it is.
paired with a 12-speed gearbox with two additional crawler gears. The fuel tank has a capacity of 2,500 litres.
“No question, it’s got good power,” Gerard says. “The MP10 does the job fairly easily.”
Based in the historic and picturesque town of Tambo — cattle country to city slickers — in southwest Queensland, Gerard Johnson Transport is into its third decade as a respected livestock carrier. The business predominantly tows double and triple roadtrains with the occasional B-double.
“You’ve got to be exible these days,” says Gerard. “The industry is still seasonal but much more consistent these days than when I rst started out. Last year was very busy and this year has started well.”
He adds, “Everything seems to be
Beef production for the September 2024 quarter increased 4.6 per cent to 658,473 tonnes according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That certainly doesn’t retrench demand for livestock movements.
“They’re probably turning off more cattle as they’re not growing as big as they used to previously when they were growing them out to work size,” says Gerard. “That’s made our job as carriers a lot more consistent where in previous years there might have been quieter periods especially over that summer and Christmas period.”
The busiest time of year is more commonly associated with the middle of the calendar. With northern areas getting rained out, Rockhampton is currently taking on extra cattle and seeing an increase in truck movements. Gerard, who is the President of the Livestock Rural Transporters Association of Queensland (LRTAQ), acknowledges that each year brings with it new challenges. But with a new
“Some places you just can’t avoid it, and you have to break down from a Type Two to a Type One area,” says Gerard. “We’re looking to put cross ows in to make that process much safer.”
These topics, among others, were a focus at the recent LRTAQ annual conference, the state’s peak networking event where transporters, regulators and suppliers to industry gathered together in February at the Gold Coast Turf Club & Event Centre.
In Gerard’s years of experience in the sector, the Mack Titan is a product built-for-purpose, making it the ideal vehicle for the rugged challenges asked of his operation.
That’s primarily the reason behind standardising the entire eet.
He was also instrumental in recommending the brand to fellow and renowned livestock carrier Martin’s Stock Haulage, who have, with some industry fanfare, recently begun purchasing Mack product.
“They asked me about it at the time when they were considering another brand in the eet,” says Gerard, with typical modesty. “No doubt they asked a few people about it.”
One of the Mack Titan roadtrains in the Gerard Johnson Transport fleet.
Gerard Johnson LRTAQ President.
Two-step entry for high frequency access during the day.
TORQUE TOUGH
In the roomy new interior the steering wheel and column can be averted to make movements in the cab easier.
Ideal for urban and short haul applications, the Scania P-cab range is now available with a very torquey 500hp Euro VI engine.
There was a time not so long ago when 500 horsepower trucks ruled the Australian inter-capital routes and today many operators consider at least 600hp from a 15-litre or larger engine is required to perform that type of task. Rated at 500 horsepower at 1,800rpm, the crucial advantage of the 12.7-litre double overhead cam Scania SUPER engine is its class-leading maximum torque of 2,650Nm being delivered from as low as 900rpm, then right through to 1,320rpm before it even begins to taper off. On the highway the Scania cruises at 100km/hr right in the middle of the green zone at 1,200rpm and delivers excellent driveability in both single and B-double con gurations. The 13-litre 500hp engine can be operated on biofuels, up to B100 biodiesel. All of the Scania SUPER engines can also be run on hydrogenated vegetable oils (HVO), contributing to an even smaller carbon footprint.
“The torque curve is actually a torque straight,” says Scania Sales Director Ben Nye who is riding shotgun for parts of this road test experience as we drive a couple of prime movers, each with mostly the same speci cations, pulling a single trailer and a B-double set.
Scania declares this is the most advanced internal combustion engine it has yet built, and it shows on the road with the engine’s smooth power seamlessly delivered by the Opticruise automated transmission attening out any hills needing to be climbed and easily maintaining appropriate speeds when descending them.
The “P” has the lowest cab height version of the Scania range other than the ultralow forwarded-mounted L-Series. The P-Series requires only two steps for access which will be appreciated by drivers in urban operations where they exit and enter multiple times during each shift. The compromise for this improvement in OH&S is the intrusion of the engine tunnel, but with this high roof sleeper version it still has a very roomy feel to
it, enhanced due to the low level of the bottom of the windscreen. The steering wheel and column swings away to make access and moving around the cab easier. The xed 800mm bunk in the sleeper will be more than adequate for the occasional overnighter but for drivers who ‘live’ in their trucks an R or G model Scania may be the preference. Despite the proximity of the engine being close to the driver’s left side, the internal noise levels are kept low which is a testament to the engineering of the driveline as well as the cab’s insulation properties.
One very noticeable difference between the two prime movers provided for this exercise is the truck connected to the single trailer has the Scania Electric Active Steering (EAS) electro-hydraulic power steering system. It delivers very precise control when manoeuvring at low speed in tight situations and an increase in stability at highway speeds. The reduced driver effort required also contributes to a lower level of fatigue.
Scania safety features include a driver’s airbag, as well as driver and passenger side curtain airbags. There’s a very long list of electronic safety and driver support systems including Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, using the forward-facing camera, plus there’s side mounted
short range radar which monitors the blind spots and alerts the driver of any vulnerable people or objects with a combination of audible warnings and bright yellow lights on the inside of the A pillars.
The wrap around dash includes lots of switches, including an array on the driver’s door armrest and there is plenty of room for more to-suit applications such as agitators. Twist switches are employed for the diff locks and power divider, and there is a control for the electro- pneumatic parking brake. The at-bottomed steering wheel is also a location of numerous controlling switches ranging from the audio system to the adaptive cruise control.
The airbag rear suspension provides an exceptional ride on the sections of bad surfaces we encounter, which looks after the occupants and the freight. The rear axles are relatively tall at 2.92:1, with even lower numerical ratios to be available in the future as the downspeeding of the engines keeps them within that broad and at torque band, which lowers emissions due to the reduction in fuel used to move a load from point-to-point.
The engine’s torque characteristics are enhanced by the latest generation 14-speed overdrive Scania Opticruise transmission which can have either
With weights up to 70 tonnes the Scania 500 P is a good fit for urban single and B-double application.
standard or economy modes selected. Shifting up or down the gears is very slick and manually over-riding downshifts enhances the effects of the engine and exhaust brakes without risking engine damage due to over-revving as the engine management system protects the components regardless of what the driver is trying to demand of it. The transmission itself makes a modest contribution to improving fuel ef ciency by around one per cent. This new G33CM Opticruise transmission is 75kg lighter than previous models due to all-aluminium housings and smaller overall dimensions. There are 14 forward gears, including a super crawler and the overdrive gear, and up to eight reverse ratios. A pumped oil spray lubrication system contributes to markedly less internal friction and consequential component wear. Internal drag losses are reduced by 50 per cent, while the overall design has lowered the sound levels of the transmission by 3.5 decibels.
The new generation six-cylinder 13-litre double overhead camshaft SUPER engine range was launched here a couple of years ago and has quickly built a reputation for fuel ef ciency without sacri cing power. Initially, the factory claimed an improvement of 8.0 per cent reduction in comparative
fuel consumption, and a number of operators are said to be achieving double-digit improvements over older Scania vehicles in their eet. The engine features a single xed-geometry turbocharger and meets the stringent Euro VI emission standards through a combination of EGR, SCR and a DPF. At Prime Mover, we make it clear that during ‘shorter’ road tests such as this one, we are not attempting to achieve any fuel ef ciency records yet we are impressed by the B-double achieving 34.4 litres per 100km at a GVM of 56,160kg. Weighing 36,560kg, the single trailer rig delivers fuel results of 31.1 litres per 100km. With these sorts of gures the 355-litre and 285-litre (total 640 litres plus 105-litre AdBlue) fuel tanks will be adequate considering the regional short haul or mostly urban applications these trucks are intended for. Scania offers the 500 P SUPER engine in a variety of axle con gurations for both prime mover and rigid applications including 4x2, 6x2, 6x4 and 8x4. A 10x4 with lazy or steerable tag axles is also available. In addition to the electronically enabled disc brakes, there is a 200kW engine exhaust brake and a 350kW engine compression release brake. The optional Scania R4700 D Retarder is
tted to the test trucks and is able to take care of much of the slowing down even without the engine brake systems.
The Scania P Series is available in day cab and several sleeper con gurations presenting a very exible solution which can be tailored to an operator’s particular application.
“It’s the ultimate in exibility, with a big tick for OH&S-friendly access, especially with its low entry point, essential for delivery drivers entering and exiting the vehicle multiple times per day,” Ben Nye says. “We anticipate the 500 P will appeal strongly to operators who are involved in urban and regional delivery, and we expect it to be a hit with single or B-double trailer combinations with weights up to 70-tonnes.”
This is a very practical working truck which may not have the imposing on-highway presence of some of its competitors or its Scania V8 bigger brothers. Based on our own brief yet comprehensive encounter with the 500 P SUPER, Ben Nye’s enthusiasm for the product is well supported. The engine’s high torque, fuel ef ciency and the trucks’ overall driver-friendliness combined with the exibility of speci cations will appeal to operators across a broad range of applications.
Scania 500 P SUPER prime mover.
ben.coleman@primecreative.com.au
DEEP STATE
As the Chief Executive O cer of the Queensland Trucking Association, Gary Mahon works within a massive scope.
Gary Mahon is the CEO of the Queensland Trucking Association and has been a tireless campaigner for improved roads in the state. He welcomes the bipartisan commitment of $9 billion to rebuild the Bruce Highway.
Prime Mover: Both major parties have committed the funding but is the timeline reasonable?
Gary Mahon: We’re pleased but the spending over eight years doesn’t really measure up. It should be more like three to ve years to see a material difference in a timely fashion. We strongly advocate the condition of roads is fundamental to many other elements of our industry including safe operations, safe interactions with other road users, ef ciency, and even fuel burn.
PM: What other key factors should be taken into consideration?
GM: Decision makers need to consider the make-up of today’s eet when planning and designing infrastructure to ensure roads are built t-for-purpose for multi combinations. The unique characteristics of multi combinations in the Australian market and the signi cant nancial investment made by eets to increase productivity and ef ciency needs to be recognised. The roads need to be designed to cater for these trucks. Another factor often missed in the debate for access for high-productivity multicombinations is the argument they lower carbon emissions in terms of fuel burn ef ciency. The journey to low carbon for the heavy vehicle industry will be long and is not just about electric trucks or hydrogen.
PM: Do governments currently have a vision for the future road networks?
GM: Both Federal and State Governments need to start shifting their priorities back towards the fundamental underpinning of our road system. In the USA President Dwight Eisenhower implemented the Highways Act of 1956 that set America on a path where they built the entire interstate network over 50 years. There are hard numbers which demonstrate the economic return of genuine road building programs to communities, the states and the nation. We need to exercise that sort of progressive vision in this country to get ourselves on a genuine competitive level with the rest of the world. To be able to get our goods to market or bring our imports in, distribute to and replenish our communities, rather than a continuing deterioration of our road system.
PM: Why have successive governments seemed to have been unwilling to do just that?
GM: They divert money to other initiatives such as Olympics, Cross River Rail, and duplicating roads around cities where the populations and voters are, and over time the regions are reprioritised. Why do communities in northern Queensland have to accept that a couple of times every year they’ll be cut off from the rest of the state for up to two weeks at a time due to oods and cyclones? How is that acceptable in 2025?
PM: Did the reconstruction work on the highway at Cunningham’s Gap demonstrate what can be achieved?
GM: I have publicly acknowledged the excellent work that has been undertaken by the Project team working on the Cunningham’s Gap reconstruction. The way the QTA has been engaged with this project was exemplary. When that road is nished there’ll be a six-kilometre section which, in my view, is an absolute stand-out example of a road nally being built in this country with the needs of trucks being the priority. One of the legacy problems we have in this
country is we design roads for cars and we let trucks use them. The new section has genuinely and openly embraced the progressive vision we need. They’ve listened to industry and understood why and what trucks need to ascend and descend the range. Through vehicle drive testing the Project team has veri ed industry evidence to have the Austroads guidelines varied in a number of ways to make it a much more amenable road to heavy freight. We’ve had drivers and employers and a variety of industry people at engagement sessions discussing the program of works to ensure that the industry is genuinely consulted. While it is only six kilometres of road, it is a complex range to navigate and now there is a whole raft of truck-focused features in the design and construction which will make it safer to navigate and caters for trucks with the latest engine technology.
PM: Is there a signi cant additional cost factor to include the freightfocused changes?
GM: We know any changes in infrastructure projects, including design and delays, increase the cost of any build. However, due to the progressive thinking of the Project Lead Engineer an argument was put forward to support the bene ts of the changes included in the reconstruction project. The key was gathering information to support the argument. It was the engagement work undertaken between the Project Team and the QTA to gather knowledge from different sectors of transport, including refrigerated, livestock, general and OSOM. By understanding the intricacies of traversing the range with a truck, the Project Team had to re-think the entire road design. It’s been an 18-month process, and we’re just delighted with the outcome.
PM: What were some of the best outcomes to come from the process?
GM: With Queensland Transport and Main Roads overseeing the project, the intelligence gathered from industry essentially tipped upside down the whole
approach to potential closures, work program timing and traf c management for the duration of the project. When it is nished there are subtle but important differences due to the road actually being designed with the primary consideration being what it means for a truck, not what it means for a car. For example, at the top of the Gap was a notorious little pinch which over the years has caught out a lot of drivers causing breakdowns. It’s now gone because they shaved some off to change the gradient of the road to make it more suitable for trucks.
PM: Do you expect organisations such as the QTA to be more involved in the future planning of roads?
GM: This project demonstrates there can be an important and valuable shift in outlook about road design to prioritise truck usage. The QTA and other associations have the access to the customers who use these roads and government should be utilising them in a more proactive way. One of the good things an association like the QTA can do is provide a trusted environment where transport eets and drivers feel more comfortable and are more willing to be in the same room and engage with Government. This helps the government build trust with the road transport industry which then has a higher level of con dence about how the whole process is being managed.
PM: Is there more work to be done?
GM: We are pushing hard in the infrastructure space, and it’s not just about the money to get the right initiatives up. It’s also trying to in uence the shape and form of how those roads are then built and ensure a more visionary approach to rest areas and a variety of other factors which come into the equation. We think we’ve got the basis of a freight system that is a lot more contemporary and will meet the needs of the State for the foreseeable future. We also have much better-established foundations of best-practice industry engagement on infrastructure projects as a model to use in the future.
TRUE STORY
True Ross-Sawrey says it wasn’t in her plan to join the family transport business, but more than a decade on she is an integral player in the industry.
True commenced at Ross Transport, the company her grandfather founded in 1975, performing data entry tasks while studying full time at university, and moved on to learning other functions including payroll, compliance, accounts, and even greasing trucks in the workshop.
True graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in human resources and minoring in business law.
“Originally my plans were for a corporate job and travelling the world, but I liked what I was doing here, and one thing led to another, and I’m still here,” she says.
True and her husband Jason welcomed twins four years ago and that hasn’t held her back from tackling her current role of Business Manager overseeing the entire operation, working closely with the
company’s transport managers in various areas including HR, payroll, compliance, permits, and customer relations.
True also has her own eet of ve trucks operating under her TR Business Services operation alongside the 65 Ross Transport trucks. The Ross operation has grown to have a diverse business portfolio including interstate tautliners carrying general freight often involving a large amount of steel, and a growing eet of tippers and even some asphalt trucks.
“We believe it’s important to have a mix of work. Demand for tippers can be seasonal and weather dependent,” True says. “We nd it better to still have a local eet, a at top eet, a tautliner eet, and a tipper eet and have drivers interchangeable so when things get quiet in one division, they can move into another. That way they’re still
working and we’re still working.”
Despite the current diversity of the Ross eet, the company keeps away from specialised freight such as OSOM, Dangerous Goods, and refrigerated transport.
“We can’t maintain a diversi ed eet and have the skills in those other much specialised areas as well. With the work we do with our tippers the truck and dog combos work perfectly for us because we can send them anywhere and anything goes in them such as glass, bulk commodities, shredded scrap metal, road base,” True says. “We’ll go anywhere, be it Newcastle, Queensland, Melbourne but A-double roadtrains access is a lot more restricted. The payload tonnage is fantastic but it’s no good if you can’t get the permits for it.”
Images: True Ross-Sawrey.
True Ross-Sawrey with twins Chris and Charlie and husband Jason Sawrey.
In September this year, Ross Transport will be celebrating 50 years in business, quite a milestone in the road transport industry.
“My Nan [Frances Ross] still comes in so we’re three generations in the business. Four generations if you count my fouryear old twins Charlie and Chris — they’re not in the business yet!”
True is aware that the family transport dynasty could have been interrupted early. “Dad never put any expectation on me to be in the business and I’ll do the same with the twins,” she says. “If they end up here that’s their choice. Dad always said to me don’t do anything you don’t want to do. He actually discouraged me working here when I rst started because the joys of owning or running a business are good, but it can also be very stressful. I love my life and I wouldn’t change it for the world but it is stressful at times managing a family business. I enjoy talking to people and I think I would have done HR somewhere in the corporate world, maybe internationally.”
Wherever possible Ross Transport makes it purchases locally and is an integral part of its local community. True’s father Alan Ross got the company involved with the now famous Illawarra Convoy for Kids.
“It was Dad who came up with the idea that everyone who pledges donates, even if they don’t win lead truck, not like in an auction,” she recalls. “We sponsor other events as well but we’re mostly involved with the Illawarra Convoy and have been for 20 years.”
True remains closely involved with Transport Women Australia Limited (TWAL) and was on the Board for a number of years.
“It’s important to recognise that we are in a predominately male industry but there are other minority groups, not just women, including other cultures that are important to tap into,” she says. “I was only 22 when I joined the Board, and it was a good mentoring place for me and I picked up different things I can apply back into our own business. It was good for me to learn from people, especially women, who had been in the industry for years and I can apply that to what I do now.” She adds, “We started hiring
not just women, but younger people who had just got their HC licences. A lot of people would not give them a go, but we were happy to train them and we’re still doing that.”
Ross Transport isn’t immune from the challenges facing most operators in the industry and True saw it was important to build relationships with her staff.
“We’ve got an ageing workforce and a lot of our employees are older. It didn’t take long for me to earn their respect, but it was something I had to do because a younger female directing older men is not always a great combo. We need the young ones to learn from them otherwise the next lot of drivers or staff are potentially useless.”
True continues to attend multiple networking events and conferences to both support the industry and learn
aspects which she can apply back to the family business. The road transport industry is constantly evolving and it will be key people like True Ross-Sawrey who will continue to drive it forward for the next few decades.
“Although technically I’m still quite young, nobody looks at my age or the fact that I’m female. I don’t have any issues anymore. You come across arrogant people, but chances are they’d be arrogant with a man as well,” she explains. “I try to present myself professionally, dress appropriately, and speak appropriately when I’m out. I think that does help gain respect. You shouldn’t have to dress a certain way, but at the end of the day it does matter, especially when you’re young and female like I was, and it was important for me to gain the respect of many people.”
Transport Hall of Fame L to R -True Ross-Sawry, Frances Ross, Jason Sawry, Alan Ross In front of Alan’s restored Kenworth.
True presenting at the CeMat Logistics and Materials Handling event at Sydney Olympic Park 2023.
All businesses should control the risk to workers and bystanders of getting hurt in the workplace. If something does go wrong, a regulator or a prosecutor is likely to ask what you did to control the speci c risk. Here are some simple suggestions about how to control risk, whether it is in your workshop, when operating a truck, or when you design a modi cation to a heavy vehicle.
Firstly, a heavy road vehicle is an item of plant equipment under state and national Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Regulations. The road vehicle was originally designed and manufactured to comply with the
Keeping out of trouble
Australian Design Rules (ADRs), but they are not an all-encompassing set of safety standards. Compliance with them is necessary but not suf cient.
A heavy vehicle is both a workplace and an item of plant equipment. OH&S Regulations require that the hazards that can arise in a workplace be identi ed and the risk that the hazard will occur be controlled. To do that the supplier and owner of the workplace should periodically conduct a hazard and risk assessment, document the ndings and act to keep all risks Low or preferably Very Low. Here is some guidance about how to conduct a useful Hazard and Risk Assessment.
There are six questions that guide the assessment:
• Realistically, what could go wrong? This is the hazard.
• Under what circumstances could the hazard occur?
• Is the exposure to the hazard conditions continuous or occasional?
• What is stopping the hazard from occurring and how reliable are these controls?
• How many independent, reliable controls exist to stop the hazard from occurring?
• If the hazard arises when something
breaks, why would it break?
The result that comes from answering these questions is called the Risk. Most assessment tools classify Risk as either High, Moderate or Low. My approach also has Extreme and Very Low.
I put answers to these questions into a spreadsheet. Figure 1 shows an example applicable to the ‘working conditions and posture hazards’ in a mechanical workshop. This spreadsheet version requires numerical answers, and it then calculates a risk number and makes the Risk Assessment according to a scale that is based upon the numerical answers. Hazards are relatively easy to identify. They follow from classi cations such as ‘working with electricity’, ‘working with cutting machines’, ‘working with ladders’ etc. Figuring out what is stopping the hazard occurring takes some thought but is an essential consideration. These considerations should be documented in the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet should also document ‘near misses’ to inform later risk assessments.
The spreadsheet record has the advantage that the considerations that the assessments are based upon can be recorded. The assessments can be dated and then revised periodically to ensure that the assessments are fresh. The best way to do this is to have regular toolbox
PETER HART
Figure 1: Example of hazard and risk assessment spreadsheet layout.
meetings involving operational staff, with a facilitator to lead the assessment. This is engagement.
The only Risk Assessment Level that should be tolerated is Very Low. All other levels require action. If the risk is Extreme than the process must be stopped immediately. If the risk is High, then the process must be controlled and then not restarted. If the risk is Moderate, the process must be controlled and changed urgently. If the risk is Low, changes should be implemented over time to make the risk Very Low.
There is a preferred hierarchy of control actions that is called the ‘Hierarchy of Control’. It is illustrated in Figure 2. The higher up the response the better. Elimination or Substitution should always be considered, but may not be possible, so Engineering Controls should be used. It is unacceptable to rely upon an Administrative Control, such as a work rule, when an engineering control such as an interlock, could be installed. Because controls sometimes fail, the reliability of each control should be considered. For example, if an interlock, which is an Engineering Control, can be easily defeated, then it is unreliable and must be replaced. As a guide, when a hazard could result in a serious injury or fatality, and Elimination or Substitution is impractical, at least two and desirably three, independent Engineering Controls should exist. The ways in which these controls can fail should be considered in making the assessment. The classi cation of the controls that were installed, as named in Figure 2, should be recorded in the spreadsheet. So far, I have considered a workshop or warehouse workplaces. The same principles should be applied to the design and manufacture of machines. In this case, I mean trucks and trailers that have plant equipment on board. Compliance with the ADRs provides necessary protection against road driving hazards. The ADRs do not require protections, for example, against falls off the cabin steps, or falls from the top of a trailer, or long-term injury from
Elimination
Substitution
Engineering Controls
Administrative Controls
Protection PPE
poor ride quality or noise; or crush hazards when repositioning tray gates. These hazards should be controlled. The responsibility for the control of these hazards may originally be with the supplier of the vehicle, but the employer inherits the responsibility.
State and national OH&S Regulations all require the designer, manufacturer and supplier of plant equipment to ensure that it is safe. That means that all the hazards must be identi ed, their risks classi ed (assessed) and those risks controlled. Usually, the manufacturer’s assessment is not publicly available. Consider for example, a modi er who installs a concrete pump body, or a tow truck body onto a truck. According to the National Heavy Vehicle Law, this is a modi cation, and it must be approved by an Approved Vehicle Examiner. The modi cation standards are in National Vehicle Standards Bulletin
No. 6. Heavy Vehicle Modi cations.
VSB No 6 provides guidance about good engineering practice. It does not explicitly require that a Hazard and Risk Assessment be conducted, and the AVE is not responsible for it. But the AVE should look out for hazards and insist on adequate risk controls.
The National Heavy Vehicle Law speci es that all parties in the chain of responsibility have a safety duty. While it is unclear to me whether the supplier of a modi ed vehicle is in this chain, an authorised of cer has the power to defect a vehicle that he/she assesses to
Remove the HazardDesirable but often impossible.
Replace the Hazard –Desirable but often impractical.
Isolate people from the HazardAlways possible at a cost.
Change the work practicesSecondary protection
Protection of people – Important secondary protection.
be unsafe. That is, when the risk of an identi ed hazard is uncontrolled. Such a hazard is unacceptable according to OH&S regulations.
Hazards arise from normal vehicle operation. Consider for example, the hazard that a trailer can separate from the truck. It is not possible to Eliminate or Substitute this hazard. Engineering Controls and Administrative Controls are used. The risk is controlled by adequate strength, secondary locks and the automatic application of the brakes should the trailer separate. The driver should conduct a tug test (Administrative Control). There are other engineering controls that can be used. For example, safety chains might be installed, or a ‘catch bar’ can be put at the rear of the truck. Operators may argue that these two additional protections are dif cult to install, or maybe impractical. They may also cause other hazards that must be assessed. So, this example indicates that conducting a hazard and risk assessment can be dif cult.
‘Thinking about safety’ should lead to conducting and documenting a Hazard and Risk Assessment, and then acting promptly to make all the risks Very Low, according to safety priorities. If this discipline is adopted by managers, designers, modi ers and engineers, we can all keep out of trouble.
Chairman, ARTSA-i
Peter Hart,
Figure 2: The hierarchy of risk controls.
Figure 2 The hierarchy of risk controls
Most e6ective
Least e6ective
TONY MCMULLAN
Australia versus the world: how do our crash rates compare?
In my column last month, I discussed Australia’s high road toll and detailed this is partly to do with the fact that the older trucks in our nation’s truck eet do not feature the advanced safety systems found in newer trucks. I detailed that by global standards the Australian truck eet is very old when compared to other global markets. For example, Norway’s truck eet has an average age of 6.2 years, Germany 7.6, Sweden 7.7 years, United Kingdom 7.8 years, Japan 8.1 years and Finland 8.2 years. According to the Road Vehicles Australia Report that is released annually by the Australian Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE), in 2024 the average age of vehicles in the Australian truck eet was 14.8 years.
Australia has a relatively old light vehicle (car) eet too. Also not good for road safety outcomes. Given our old vehicle eet, how do we compare against the rest of the world in regard to road safety outcomes?
BITRE have analysed this in terms of road deaths versus differing levels of population, motorisation and distances travelled, in 31 OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) nations. The latest BITRE report was published in late 2023 and uses the latest available international data. In terms of the fatality rate per 100,000 population, Australia’s rate of 4.54 deaths was ranked 18th out of the 31 nations. The countries with the ve lowest fatality rates were Norway (2.14), Sweden (2.17), Iceland (2.39), Japan (2.57) and the UK (2.61). Including Germany (3.35) who ranked 9th, all have much newer truck eets that offer more advanced vehicle safety systems. Please refer to the below gure.
Further, between 2013 and 2022 Australia’s road fatality rate declined by 11.4 per cent. Over the same period, the OECD median rate declined by 20.8 per cent. Almost twice the improvement that was seen in Australia. Looking at the data in terms of the fatality rate per 10,000 registered vehicles in 2022, Australia’s rate of 0.57 was ranked 13th out of the 24 OEDC nations with available data. The nations with the ve lowest rates were Iceland (0.25), Norway (0.27), Sweden (0.35), Japan (0.35) and Switzerland (0.36). Between 2013 and 2022 Australia’s fatality rate
declined by 17.2 per cent. Over the same period, the OECD median rate declined by 25.6 per cent.
Finally, in terms of the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled in 2022, Australia’s rate of 0.49 was ranked 6th out of 11 nations with available data. Ahead of us were, Norway (0.26), Sweden (0.28), Finland (0.40), Germany (0.40) and Slovenia (0.41). Between 2013 and 2022 Australia’s fatality rate declined by only 0.6 per cent. Over the same period, the OECD median rate declined by a signi cant 8.1 per cent.
The three metrics, population, vehicles-registered and vehicle kilometres travelled all show a high level of correlation and it is not dif cult to draw parallels with an older vehicle eet, as we have in Australia, and poor road safety outcomes.
TIC calls upon Australian governments at all levels, to develop policies that will lead to a positive reduction in our nation’s truck eet age.
Tony McMullan CEO, Truck Industry Council
Australia’s transport industry is the lynchpin of our national economy, moving goods ef ciently across the country and keeping supply chains intact. However, we face increasing productivity challenges that threaten sustainability, pro tability, and our ability to meet the demands of a growing economy.
While safety must always remain paramount, it is critical that industry leaders and policymakers strike the right balance between regulation and ef ciency. The ability of transport operators to meet delivery schedules, manage costs, and remain competitive depends on ensuring productivity is a national priority.
Transport operators are contending with growing regulatory burdens, compliance costs, and workforce shortages, all of which add pressure to their bottom line. While safety regulations are essential to protecting workers and the public, they must be implemented in a way that does not unduly sti e operational ef ciency. A streamlined, outcomes-focused regulatory framework is needed — one that allows businesses to operate safely while also fostering innovation and improved productivity. Overly prescriptive compliance requirements can result in inef ciencies that increase costs, delay freight movements, and hinder competitiveness. The right policy mix must consider both safety and the practicalities of running an ef cient
Addressing Productivity Challenges in the Transport Industry
freight operation, ensuring transport businesses can continue to deliver essential services without unnecessary impediments.
To truly support the transport industry, Victorian and Commonwealth policymakers must put productivity at the forefront of their transport strategies. This means investing in road infrastructure, reducing red tape, and supporting technology adoption to optimise logistic operations.
Road congestion remains a signi cant productivity barrier, particularly in major metropolitan areas. Bottlenecks, outdated infrastructure, and inadequate freight corridors slow down deliveries, increase fuel consumption, and drive up costs. Governments must prioritise investment in road upgrades, better traf c management systems, and new freight routes that allow goods to move ef ciently. Increased funding for road maintenance, particularly in regional areas, is also essential to ensuring the reliability and safety of transport networks.
Furthermore, governments should recognise that transport businesses operate on tight margins. Policy settings must ensure that operators remain viable by addressing cost pressures such as fuel, insurance, and wages. Sustainable businesses are crucial for a resilient supply chain that bene ts all Australians. The rising cost of doing business in the transport sector cannot simply be absorbed inde nitely—there must be an ongoing commitment to policies that promote fair competition, provide certainty, and allow operators to invest in new technology and eet modernisation. One of the greatest opportunities to improve productivity in the transport sector lies in the adoption of new technologies. Telematics, automation, and arti cial intelligence-driven
logistics systems have the potential to increase ef ciency, optimise route planning, and enhance safety outcomes. Governments should play a proactive role in incentivising the uptake of these innovations through grants, subsidies, and regulatory frameworks that encourage technological advancement rather than hinder it.
The transport industry itself must also take proactive steps to drive ef ciency. This includes embracing new technologies, streamlining operations, and advocating for reforms that promote both safety and productivity. Collaboration between industry and government will be key to achieving these objectives. Training and upskilling initiatives are also vital ensuring that the workforce is equipped to handle emerging challenges and make the most of new systems and processes. Transport productivity is not just an industry issue — it is a national economic imperative. Ensuring that freight and logistics businesses can operate ef ciently is critical to keeping supply chains moving, businesses successful, and consumers supplied with essential goods. Without a well-functioning transport sector, the broader economy suffers through increased costs, supply shortages, and lost competitiveness.
We call on policymakers to make increasing productivity a key policy goal. A strong, competitive transport industry is in the national interest, and urgent action is needed to ensure its long-term viability. Now is the time for government and industry to work together to deliver the reforms, investments, and innovations needed to secure a more productive future for transport and logistics in Australia.
Peter Anderson CEO, VTA
STUART ST CLAIR
PETER ANDERSON
*According to T-Mark
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