Big Rigs 10 December 2021 by Prime Creative Media

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

CONTACT US Address: 11-15 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Phone: 03 9690 8766 Email: editor@bigrigs.com.au Web: bigrigs.com.au Accounts: 03 9690 8766 Subscriptions: 03 9690 8766 Classifieds: 0403 626 353 Circulation and distribution queries: 03 9690 8766 info@bigrigs.com.au EDITOR James Graham: 0478 546 462 james.graham@primecreative.com.au REPORTERS Danielle Gullaci danielle.gullaci@primecreative.com.au Trent Price trent.price@primecreative.com.au GENERAL MANAGER Peter Hockings: 0410 334 371 peter.hockings@primecreative.com.au MEDIA SALES CONSULTANT Marie O’Reilly: 0403 626 353 marie.oreilly@primecreative.com.au CLIENT SUCCESS Katharine Causer: 0423 055 787 katharine.causer@primecreative. com.au CONTRIBUTORS Truckin in the Topics/Spy on the Road: Alf Wilson, 0408 009 301 Brent Davison; David Vile; David Meredith; Mike Williams; Jon Wallis Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper is published by Prime Creative Media. It is the largest circulated fortnightly truck publication in Australia with 26,023* copies per fortnight. *12 month average, publisher’s claim November 2018

Chaos at WA border for truckies

DOZENS of double-vaxxed truckies were stopped at the WA border and forced to make detours of up to 1000km for PCR tests under strict new orders from WA Health. The Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) and the Western Roads Federation (WRF) alerted Big Rigs to the escalating logistics nightmare. Their members were left facing costly delays as they scrambled to comply with new laws that say even fully vaccinated drivers who have travelled through supposed ‘high-risk states’ must front at the border with a negative PCR test within the last 72 hours. At the northern border that meant drivers who arrived at Kununurra were being marched back 500km for a PCR test in Katharine, now a Covid hotspot.

The peak WA body is asking WA Health to treat the nation’s truckies with more respect.

“Who in their right mind would regard that as common sense?” said a frustrated WRF CEO Cam Dumesny. “The police are not at fault; they’re just enforcing the rules they’ve been given.” QTA CEO Gary Mahon is equally flummoxed by the WA Health policies further south at the Eucla crossing.

Although more than a dozen of his members drivers arrived there today double-vaxxed and with clear RA tests, they were told to head back 490km to Ceduna to get a PCR test. “You have to ask the question, ‘To achieve what’?” said a puzzled Mahon. “They’re double-vaxxed and have got clear PCR tests inside

seven days: do they not want fresh produce in Perth? “You could set your clock by the routine these guys have been going through for the last two years. They’re not an unknown quantity. “When is it all going to stop?” Dumesny described WA Health’s border policies as a na-

tional embarrassment. “It is just chaos here at the borders – it’s a debacle.” Dumesny reiterated his call for federal backing for 24/7 testing centres for truckies at Port Augusta and Katharine, which he said would capture half the continent at two major freight choke points. Both Dumesny and Mahon said the current border issues have been exacerbated by testing centres being closed as truckies drive through on their way to WA. But Dumesny said the real problems lie with WA Health. “We’re very close to telling associations to prioritise other work, other than to come to Western Australia for the health and welfare of their drivers. “We’re treating drivers appallingly. WA has got to pick up its game.”

ATC coroner recommends tougher health screenings for truckies after 2018 tragedy TOUGHER health screenings for truckies, incentives for autonomous emergency braking and fatigue sensor systems in trucks. Those are the three main recommendations for the industry from the final coronial report released into the tragic death of four-year-old

Blake Corney in 2018. Blake died of catastrophic head injuries when a truck ploughed into his family’s car as they waited at the lights on the Monaro Highway. The truck driver, Akis Livas, pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death, and was sentenced to more than three years

in jail. Livas had been referred to a sleep laboratory, with suspected sleep apnoea at least twice in the years before the crash, but had not followed up the referrals. After the accident, he was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnoea. At the time, the doctor noted that he “should

not be operating a motor vehicle or heavy machinery until his severe obstructive sleep apnoea is adequately treated and he can demonstrate compliance to CPAP therapy”. Coroner Lorraine Walker said the the ACT government should make it mandatory for doctors to report health issues

likely to have an impact on a professional driver to licensing authorities, and also suggested better information sharing of health records. The inquest also considered autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and fatigue detection technologies. Coroner Walker urged

the ACT government to introduce incentives for truck owners to install the systems, which are widely used overseas, and recommended that the Australian Trucking Association deliver training and education on the issues raised. • Turn to page 53 for more from the ATA.

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Dandenong plant refocuses

IVECO Australia is to bring the curtain down on a long and proud history of manufacturing trucks at its Dandenong plant in Melbourne from mid2022. In a media statement late last month, IVECO announced that from next year it would fully import its heavy duty range from its manufacturing HQ in Madrid, Spain. IVECO currently imports

its light duty, medium duty, selected heavy duty, minibus and off-road models. As part of the transformation process, IVECO also announced the launch of the Customisation and Innovation Centre (CIC). The CIC is a business unit that IVECO said will further leverage its local engineering and manufacturing expertise, transforming the company’s

focus towards the customisation and innovation of its vehicles for local markets. Over the coming months IVECO said it will continue to engage with its employees who may be impacted by the announcement, and will provide appropriate support. “Our staff are our first consideration,” a spokesperson told Big Rigs. “While we won’t be con-

tinuing full scale vehicle production in Australia, the Customisation and Innovation Centre will leverage our engineering expertise. “As IVECO finalises decisions about the overall future of its manufacturing plant it will continue to follow best-practice procedures in managing the workforce as the transition is made. We will be working with employees and

IVECO said it will continue to engage with its employees who may be impacted by the announcement.

to keep them fully informed.” The decision to fully import its heavy-duty range will allow IVECO Trucks Australia to more closely align model year introduction timings with that of its parent company in Europe, the statement added. As an example, IVECO will be launching the new S-WAY model in Australia according to the global launch plan, with an anticipated arrival here toward the end of 2022. “The new S-WAY model for the Australian and New Zealand market will have undergone thousands of hours and kilometres of validation testing on local roads and highways and had input and development from IVECO’s local engineers and specifically selected customer partners, ensuring it is designed and then tested to meet the needs of our local ANZ market.” This will include a further iteration of the highly regarded dual control ACCO model for the local waste market, which is slated to land here in 2023. The last Euro 5 model rolled off the line in Dandenong line two years earlier, marking the end of an era. The ACCO has been a mainstay of the Australian trucking scene since its first appearance in the early 1960s. IVECO Australia and New Zealand managing director, Michael May, said that by fo-

IVECO Australia and New Zealand managing director Michael May.

cusing on the CIC, IVECO would strengthen one of its key selling points in this market. “Historically, our most unique value proposition has been our ability to customise and specialise vehicles for our market, leveraging the expertise of our local engineering team and the local facility,” he said. “By further enhancing this service, we believe there is considerable potential to provide additional value to existing and prospective customers, while growing the CIC’s capacity and scope of work.” The centre also helps IVECO stay agile and responsive to demanding regional requirements, added May.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Lindsay Transport commits to EU after driver fatality

LINDSAY Transport will spend up to $750,000 on safety education as part of an enforceable undertaking (EU) following the tragic death of one its drivers, John Bolton, at Loganlea, Queensland, in 2018. The EU stems from an investigation by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) into the company’s safety policies and procedures. According to reports at the time, a witness claimed her triple-0 call was ignored by police and the Logan Motorway crash site was unattended for almost 12 hours. It wasn’t until the following morning that the wreckage was found under a bridge. Lindsay Transport was charged with three Category 2 offences, for creating risk of illness, injury, or death contrary to the requirements of the primary safety duty provisions of the Heavy Vehicle National Law. After charges were laid in Coffs Harbour Local Court, Lindsay Transport applied to the NHVR to approve an EU as an alternative to the court proceedings.

The maximum penalty for a category 2 offence is a $1.5 million fine for a corporation. The EU requires Lindsay Transport to spend between $590,000-$750,000 across two years to implement safety strategies that will ensure all practical steps are taken to prevent any further loss of life, and future public risks are effectively mitigated. The NHVR will review evidence submitted by Lindsay Transport and monitor the company’s compliance of the agreed activities, to avoid further legal action. Approximately $400,000 of the EU will fund the development of a web-based driver education platform that will host training on safety topics such as drivers’ fitness for duty, returning to work after illnesses, and key risks relating to fatigue, speed, and vehicle mass. The platform will be made available to the transport industry without charge. The remaining funds will go towards a training program focused on fitness to drive, scheduling and fatigue for Lindsay Transport’s staff, a review the

The ASX-listed company has committed to spending up to $750,000 on safety measures following the tragic death of one of its truckies in 2018.

company’s safety policies, procedures, and practices. A $125,000 donation will be made to fund research into health issues facing long-haul drivers. A focus of the strategies will look at better identifying and helping drivers with sleep apnoea and fatigue-related medical conditions. NHVR director of prose-

cutions Belinda Hughes said the EU would achieve safety improvements for the heavy vehicle industry and wider supply chain, helping to reduce the chance of a similar tragedy occurring on our roads. “In this case if the risk of the driver’s fatigue and fitness for duty was adequately managed, this death could have been

avoided,” said Hughes. “We consulted with Mr Bolton’s family who expressed their support to accept Lindsay’s EU proposal, given it will deliver activities that directly address the risk that caused this incident, compared to a prosecution where the only penalty available was a fine.” Just months ago, Lindsay

Transport also released a new truck safety training tool as part of a long-standing $1.469m enforceable undertaking from SafeWork NSW. This move came after a staff member was killed in 2015 while engaged in the coupling and uncoupling of trailers using a tug truck at a western Sydney depot.

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Janus charges ahead in 2022

BY JAMES GRAHAM

WHILE the Morrison government spruiks its spend on hydrogen infrastructure post the UN climate change summit, a start-up on the Central Coast of NSW already has a jump on many of its zero emission rivals – without a cent of federal support. Since we first brought you the story in April of Janus Electric’s exchangeable batteries retrofitted into prime movers, the technology has electrified interest around the world. Closer to home, there are a number of projects also in the pipeline as operators catch on to the benefits of future-proofing fleets. By the time you read this, the prototype Kenworth doing road trials around the Central Coast will be heading up to Seaspray Haulage to run empty containers around the Port of Brisbane in a B-double configuration, said Janus general manager Lex Forsyth. A converted Freightliner Coronado is also scheduled to begin road trials this month, before going into a tipper application to cart glass for a Central Coast recycling plant. An electrified Kenworth T610 from Janus will also soon appear at Jim Pearson

Transport, which also has two Argosy trucks booked in for conversion. “The T610 will start doing trials between Brisbane and Sydney with loaded B-doubles and doing change and charge at Jim Pearson depots, just so we can cycle that truck up and down the Pacific Highway and collect data from it,” said Forsyth. Depending on the load, the converted prime movers can get anywhere between 400-600km on each battery, which can be swapped out in around three minutes. Other local projects on the horizon include a triple road train for Qube, and a T609 for Fennell Forestry which will be powered by a purpose-built charge and change station at the company’s Mt Gambier HQ. Forsyth said he’s excited about the recent growth of Janus Electrical, which also recently announced a partnership with Brisbane-based Li-S Energy to develop and test lithium sulphur and/or lithium metal battery cells, a move expected to vastly increase vehicle range and reduce the total weight of each battery pack. Janus is also expecting to hire 50 more staff in the first quarter of 2022 and go into full manufacture mode by

The team at Janus Electric has been putting a converted Kenworth through a series of tests from its base on the Central Coast.

March, despite a lack of state and federal government support, so far. “We’ve met with the federal and state governments, and sent ministerial briefs, but haven’t heard boo since,” said Forsyth. “The disappointing thing for me is that they went and gave the fuel industry $750m to build more tanks for diesel storage.

“But I look at that investment and say, ‘Why would you spend that amount of money on an industry that is dying?’. “If we had $750m invested into electric trucks in Australia, we’d have 1000 trucks electrified and we’d have the highway electrified between Brisbane and Melbourne now. “They’ve got to invest money into new technology

and new industry that’s going to evolve and keep going.” Forsyth believes the numbers on hydrogen-fuelled trucks simply don’t add up. “For you to produce hydrogen at $2 per kilogram, you’ve got to buy your electricity for sub 4 cents a kilowatt/hour. Where in Australia can you buy electricity for that? “It’s physically impossible, unless they’ve got some bril-

liant technology they haven’t released.” Using existing battery technology, a Janus converted prime mover can run between Sydney and Brisbane for just over $500, or about half the expense of using diesel. Converting a truck now costs about $85,000 but the subsequent savings could see users theoretically break even in about a year, said Forsyth.

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6 OPINION

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Workable law shared goal LIFE WITH KERMIE GRAHAM HARSANT contributors@bigrigs.com.au

REFORM LEADER SAL PETROCCITTO

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, CEO

IN my lifetime, the last 18 months have been the most challenging I have experienced in many ways due to the serious impacts and challenges that Covid-19 has had and continues to have on all aspects on our personal and work lives. It’s a huge credit to the road transport sector that it has played a vital and essential

WELCOME MESSAGE MARK BAILEY

INSURANCE GURU MARK BROWN

THE OZ TRUCKER MIKE WILLIAMS

role in assisting the Australian community to navigate this constantly changing environment. Importantly, our industry and supply chains continue to LEGAL CORNER be stoicMARINOVIC in their approach to SARAH Armstrong Legalthe best health and ensuring safety outcome are pursued for our drivers and others who have daily interactions with each other. During this time, the need for improved national consistency and communication was under the spotlight for governments, as our industry and communities adapted to the constantly changing and varied border travel and health requirements across states.

This hasn’t always been perfect but where possible, the NHVR has contributed on the sector’s behalf to make things as easy as possible. We have also continued to TELEMATICS EXPERT engage closely with our indusSHANNON KYLE Safetydespite solutions specialist, try not Teletrac beingNavman able to travel and have really enjoyed getting out on the road in the last few weeks to talk to our operators and drivers. Critically, the last year taught us important lessons about focusing on the issues that matter – like getting home safely to our families and looking out for one another. As we move into the new year, it is essential that these lessons are top of mind and influence our

decisions and actions. Below are some of my key priorities for 2022.

Qld Minister for Transport and Main Roads

Manager, TBI Insurance Services

The NHVR is building digital tools for road managers such as a rapid bridge assessment tool.

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

New workable law is our shared goal LOBBYIST There isSHEARER no doubt that getting a STEVE SA Roadheavy Transportvehicle Associationlaw in place new Executive Director that is simpler, targets the heart of problems and helps business improve is a priority for all of us and will continue to be in 2022. In practical terms, safety is the number one priority and this includes allowing drivers to get adequate and quality rest and that they are fit to drive. We are very much focused on a cultural shift away from “the book says I have to stop” to “I am tired and have the support behind me to stop and rest”. This includes adopting innovative approaches to safety, regulation, technology and data to meet the changing demands of our industry and environment and pursuing more practical approaches to opening up network access including better understanding and addressing infrastructure risks. Put simply, making better and easier regulation is why we have a national regulator. We can’t keep doing more of the same and expecting better results. While we work with industry and policymakers to influence outcomes to get our

TWU NEWS RICHARD OLSEN TWU NSW State Secretary

LEGAL EAGLE ROWAN KING

Principal Lawyer RK Law

We continue to reduce on-road interactions and individual incidents as much as possible to focus on operator fleet performance.

new law right, at the regulator we will continue to build on our flexible and risk-based approaches to help you run your business safely and efficiently. Education and enforcement working together Over the last year, we have been able to continue to deliver on our modern regulatory approach, that targets the greatest safety risks and uses innovative approaches to drive improved safety behaviours. This was a key feature of our heavy vehicle safety strategy and action plan released in October 2021. We are using

data and intelligence to ensure we better intercept companies where we need to intervene. We are starting to use a greater range of education and advice material to address minor and non-safety related offences. We will continue to build on this and reduce on-road interactions and individual incidents as much as possible to focus on operator fleet performance. This approach also includes utilising our Chain of Responsibility provisions where we see high risk and repeat safety issues. While enforcement is sometimes necessary – there are currently 19 CoR prose-

OPINION 7

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 cutions underway – in cases where court-imposed fines are issued for non-fatal related cases (i.e mass breaches) we try to use Enforceable Undertakings and Supervisory Intervention Orders. There have been nine Enforceable Undertakings and five Supervisory Intervention Orders issued to date. These tools enable us to enter into an agreement with the company to invest in improving safety practices or developing tools that will deliver a benefit to the entire industry and other road users. This partnership works where both parties are committed to achieving better outcomes and that is our goal. In 2022, I’m looking forward to sharing safety insights such as safety defect information, benchmarks and age and types of vehicles travelling on the network with individual operators through the NHVR Portal. This gives industry the ability to see where they sit on a national average and identify areas for improvement and where they are performing well. Consistency and certainty - important and builds confidence We continue to strive towards reducing operating barriers for industry as we transition frontline heavy vehicle regulatory services from NSW to the NHVR, with Queensland to follow in 2023, joining South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and ACT. This transition will enable the regulator to provide consistent borderless regulation right across the eastern part of the country.

mension Exemption Notice for example, has brought about significant efficiencies for operators by reducing the need to decouple to complete last mile journeys.

At the regulator we will continue to build on our flexible and risk-based approaches to help you run your business safely and efficiently.

Consistency and certainty are also the critical drivers in our approach to opening up network access for safer and more efficient vehicles. We have made good headway in starting to fill a critical gap in improving our understanding of the condition of local government infrastructure through our Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project. We have worked with road managers to assess more than 300 assets to date (which has resulted in improved access) and will kick off assessments of more than 1000 assets in January 2022. We are also building digital tools for road managers such as a rapid bridge assessment

tool to enable road managers to do their own automated assessments moving forward and ultimately reduce turnaround times and the need for permits. Complementing this work is our National Spatial Platform which will provide a new single map of the enforceable heavy vehicle network. It will provide more accurate mapping and better ‘snap’ vehicles to approved networks. Trials of the platform are underway for release in 2022. Our national notice program will continue to roll out to reduce inconsistent operating conditions across borders, as well as remove unnecessary and impractical conditions. The National Road Train Prime Mover Mass and Di-

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Safety technology and innovation improves performance We have some very exciting opportunities ahead of us with the introduction of life saving technology such as Fatigue and Distraction Detection Technology and in working together to reduce barriers and support the uptake of safer and cleaner vehicles and technology – such as Euro VI. We know this is going to be a major focus for our industry as we move into the new year. I also encourage you to apply for our seventh round of the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI), with applications open until February 2022. It is supported by the Federal Government and is focused on delivering projects that have been identified by our industry and the community. The HVSI program has provided more than $28m to fund close to 120 projects over the past six years. Thank you for your support throughout 2021. Merry Christmas and for those of you who are able to take a break, I hope you enjoy time spent with your loved ones. Stay safe on the roads, and I look forward to continuing to work together in the new year to deliver a safe and profitable heavy vehicle road transport task.

Move away from petty logbook fines: NatRoad

NATROAD is optimistic that the NHVR will move away from prescriptive offences, as signalled in its recently released Heavy Vehicle Safety Strategy 2021-2025. Part of the strategy’s action plan includes updating the National Compliance and Enforcement Strategy and focussing on “risk-targeted” enforcements rather than prescriptive fines. NatRoad CEO Warren Clark said he’s “quietly hopeful” the regulator’s words will translate into actions. “We’ve been long-time critics of the tendency to apply fines to minor and obviously accidental offences like not drawing a straight line in a work diary,” Clark said.

“The overriding principle should be that punishment is in proportion to risk. “We’re all for appropriate penalties for operators pushing the envelope on safety, but having poor handwriting or forgetting to sign a page should not be a hanging offence. “Getting fined for minor diary offences doesn’t add to safety and means that it’s even more difficult for the industry to retain drivers. “NatRoad would like to an immediate review of all Heavy Vehicle National Law prescriptive offences. “We also want the brakes to go on for CPI annual increases in prescriptive offence amounts.”

NatRoad hopes to see less penalties for minor work diary errors.

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8 OPINION

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Take a bow truckies

EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

I DON’T have to tell you what a challenging year this has been for us all. You have been asked to endure so much more than most in order to keep this country moving during the pandemic, and for that we at Big Rigs salute you. You guys are what drives us to dig deeper, to keep you informed, celebrated and entertained. It’s been an absolute honour to serve the hardest working bunch of blokes, and women, I’ve ever come across. All the issues we strike behind the keyboards pale in comparison to the hoops you’ve jumped through out on the roads in 2021. On behalf of all the team at Big Rigs, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I know the wheels don’t stop for everyone, but I do hope you all manage to get some time off. This is our last issue for 2021. Our first for 2022 is out on January 7 in what will be our 30th anniversary year.

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10 NEWS

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Scania’s new V8-powered prime mover arrives early

SCANIA’S newest flagship, the V8-powered R-series prime mover has arrived in Australia, 12 months ahead of expectation. The initial arrival will be used as a company demonstrator, but the order books for the 770hp are now open, announced Scania. “We often say ‘You’re never late in a V8’, but this time we’ve outdone ourselves, bringing the 770hp variant to Australia

a good 12 months ahead of the rest of the revamped V8 family, and ahead of our target,” said Dean Dal Santo, Scania Australia’s director of truck sales. “We’re very excited to be able to open our order books for the 770 for delivery during the second half of 2022. “The 770 is the absolute pinnacle of Scania V8 performance and efficiency, together with low emissions and so it is easy to understand why we

Order books for the 770hp are now open, with the first demonstrator arriving here 12 months ahead of schedule.

are so pleased to have it here so early.” Dal Santo said the new 770hp 16.4-litre V8 resets the benchmark for on-road power output and its 3700Nm of torque, available from 10001450 rpm, makes it the ideal truck for drivers who need the ultimate performance for heavy loads. “The Scania V8 range was unveiled in updated and improved form late last year in Europe and this R 770 is the first of the new breed to arrive in Australia. We will bring other variants to the market during 2022, but we’re leading from the front with the 770,” he said. “We launched its predecessor, the R 730, in Australia in 2011, and it has been a very successful brand icon for Scania over the past decade, with many examples covering huge distances and pulling immense loads. “All of their drivers have one thing in common though, it’s the look on their face, especially while climbing the biggest hills.

Scania said the new 770hp 16.4-litre V8 resets the benchmark for on-road power output.

“Now we are raising the performance bar still higher, and have refined and improved the technology which allows the increases in outputs.” An added comfort factor for truckies after a good night’s rest is also an additional 27cm from the pedals to the rear wall, and a bed that extends from 800m to 1000m wide.

There is an even bigger cab coming next year which is another 270mm longer. Dal Santo anticipates an improvement of 2 per cent in fuel efficiency compared with the 730, despite the increase in output, assisted in part by a new 3.07 rear axle ratio, and also by a significant 75kg saving in weight, over the steer.

“For the 770 we have re-engineered the exhaust emissions process to be able to achieve Euro 6D without exhaust gas recirculation, relying solely on SCR.” • W atch out for a test drive review of the new 770 in our first issue for 2022, out January 7.

Special edition Canter in milestone year FUSO is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic Fuso Canter’s Australian introduction with a special edition model. The 50th Anniversary Canter is based on a 515, the best-selling model in Australia, and 150 are available now at Fuso dealers across the country. These are Built Ready Alloy Tray models and feature special factory silver paint, 50th Anniversary Edition badging and custom seat covers.

Fuso is also running a competition to celebrate the milestone. Three customers of the 50th Anniversary Canters, who buy a vehicle before December 31, 2021, will win back the value of their trucks. The standard specification of the Canter in 2021 is a world away from the original truck, which was quite bare apart the “flow-through ventilation” and “safety glass allround” that were promoted in the advertisements of the time.

These days, the Canter 515 comes standard with a radar-based Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS), Lane Departure Warning System, a 7-inch high-resolution touch screen display and a driver’s airbag. While the original truck was manual-only, the new Canter is also available with an optional fast-shifting fully automated dual-clutch transmission. Fuso has sold more than 73,000 Canters since the mod-

el was introduced in Australia after proving itself on the rough tracks of Papua New Guinea. The current Canter features best-in-class payload and a generous warranty (five years/200,000km, whichever comes first) as well as 30,000km service intervals, making it a sensible choice. Canter is available in a range of configurations from a 3.5 tonne car licence model to an 8.5 tonne version, along with City Cabs, Wide Cabs, Crew

Three customers who buy a Canter before December 31, 2021, will win back the value of their trucks.

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NEWS 11

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Bad behaviour at truck stop

BY JAMES GRAHAM

VETERAN truckie Chris Roe, 66, thought he’d seen all types of bad driver behaviour in more than 46 years behind the wheel. But an incident at the BP Marulan Southbound truck stop on the Hume Highway recently takes the cake, compelling him to speak out in defense of the industry. Roe had stopped for a shower and a meal in the designated drivers’ area when a truckie he didn’t know arrived and immediately became belligerent with staff. After bellowing instructions for how he wanted his

meal cooked, the irate driver disappeared to cool off in the shower. When he reemerged into the dining area, Roe said he became angry again when he couldn’t find the remote to change the TV channel. After a staff member politely asked him not to stand on a chair and change the channel manually, Roe said the truckie exploded, unleashing a tirade of abuse at the worker who quickly retreated to the safety of the staff-only area. “He then marched around to the other side [of the counter] and put up a performance for the ages,” said Roe. “I was so embarrassed by

the whole situation that I felt compelled to go and apologise on behalf of the rest of the industry to the girls behind the counter for what they had been subjected to.” Roe thought about following the truckie out to his truck so he could identify his employer and report his unseemly behaviour, but feared for his own safety. When he asked staff if they were okay, Roe said they dismissed the tantrum as water off a duck’s back, but the embarrassed truckie said no one deserves to be treated like that. “If we’re going to demand clean showers, toilets and the

right to sit down for a meal, we’re at least compelled to give a little bit back in return,” he said. “If you want to complain get on the phone and complain to BP [head office]. The girls there are doing nothing more than the job they’re required to do in a way they’ve been instructed to do it. “We haven’t got the right to be subjecting anyone to that sort of shit. “I’m that wild about what happened. I just don’t want it to happen again. “He simply shouldn’t be in anybody’s truck representing this industry in any shape, form or fashion.”

The busy BP Marulan Southbound truck stop on the Hume.

Truck and trailer defected on arrester bed in Adelaide

Blocks of wood had been used between the chassis and suspension.

A truckie and trucking company are being investigated after a truck and trailer pulled into an arrester bed on the South Eastern Freeway in Adelaide. Officers from the SA Police Heavy Vehicle Enforcement Unit received reports from motorists on November 21 advising that a heavy vehicle had entered the bailout zone at Leawood Gardens. When police arrived at the site they located a rigid truck and trailer combination on the arrester bed.

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Inspection of the truck identified that it had severely overheated brakes on all the axles. The temperatures reached were that high that they had started to burn and discolour the paint on the rims. The trailer was also inspected and found to have an inoperative braking system. The electronic brakes on the trailer had not been connected and blocks of wood had been used between the chassis and suspension. The driver, a 33-year-old

man from Victoria, and the company – both unnamed in the police media report – are being investigated for using an unsafe vehicle on the road, failing to keep and carry a work diary as required and whether or not the driver used an appropriate gear whilst descending the South Eastern Freeway. It is a requirement of heavy vehicles to be driven in a low enough gear to enable the vehicle to be driven safely on the South Eastern Freeway without the use of a primary brake,

said police. Both the truck and trailer were defected and towed from the scene. Inspector Angas Yates, from Traffic Services Branch said: “The arrester beds are strategically placed on the freeway to bring heavy vehicles to a safe stop in the event of brake failure or other emergency. “The failure by drivers and companies to not ensure the vehicles are complying with safety and vehicle maintenance could potentially result in injury or death.”

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12 COVER STORY

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Industry veteran retires after 60 years in trucking

As Robert Holmes, 76, steps into retirement, he reveals it’s the people and the challenges that he’ll miss most of all.

A young Robert Holmes with one of the trucks.

Robert Holmes and Allira Walsh at the Ritchie Bros. Dubbo yard, before the fleet went to auction.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

ing into transporting building products, steel and general freight from Sydney, and flour into Sydney. I had the Coca Cola route and linehaul work for 34 years too. I also built a 5000sqm warehouse in Glendenning which will remain operating under the management of my son Darren.” In all his years in transport, Holmes has remained very hands-on and was driving trucks throughout his entire career. Transporting wool has made up a large portion of business for RHT. In 2011, Holmes successfully campaigned to have the width limit for wool increased. He took a submission to then NSW Minister for Roads Duncan Gay

THE owner and founder of Robert Holmes Transport (RHT) built his Dubbo-based business from the ground up. Since being founded in 1971, it’s remained strong thanks to hard work, determination and a commitment to its customers. Holmes’ career started very early – he was just 12 when he ran both the local service station and a wood delivery business to support his father who was paraplegic. At 16, he purchased a Jail Bar Ford and a 20ft Steco trailer and began carting wheat at harvest time. Holmes then purchased a

Commer Knocker and won the contract for Mumbil Rail to Burrendong Dam at only 18 years of age. Holmes had to tender under his father’s name as he was too young. “My dream was to run my own transport business one day. After I finished the Mumbil Rail to Burrendong Dam contract, I moved to Dubbo and grew Robert Holmes Transport to the business it is today,” Holmes recalled. This included building a 5000sqm Dubbo warehouse. “After wheat I started carting sheep skins from the abattoirs, moved into grain cartage from Sydney to Newcastle, then cotton and wool for Colly Farms and built my business from there; eventually mov-

He has always taken great pride in his fleet of immaculate red Kenworths.

and after many discussions and board meetings, legislation was passed to allow a 2.7 metre width for wool bales, rather than 2.5 metres. At the time, Gay said, “This was one of the easiest decisions I have ever made… What I have done is taken the width of bales on trucks back to where it has been for 100 years.” It was hailed as a major win for farmers, and for transporters who had no control over how the wool bales were pressed on the farms. RHT’s immaculate and modern fleet, in its vibrant red livery, had grown to 20 Kenworth prime movers and 45 trailers by the time the business closed its doors. They were used to transport goods throughout Dubbo and the central west of NSW. From skels, flat tops and tautliners, running as singles, B-doubles and road trains, the company’s offering was wide and diverse. Holmes says the business would update its prime movers every four to five years, and its trailers from seven years. RHT also employed 20 staff, including long-time staffer Allira Walsh who started in office administration 16 years ago, at the age of 21. She progressed into finance, then office manager, then executive assistant and more recently was running the company as managing director and shareholder. At 76 years of age, Holmes knew the time was right to begin a new chapter. RHT officially closed its doors on

Holmes has been in the driver’s seat for his entire career.

November 12, with the entire fleet going under the hammer through Ritchie Bros.’ National Unreserved End-of-Year Auction in early December. “I decided that I would recommend other local transport businesses in Dubbo to my existing customers to ensure the transport work stayed locally within the community, rather than selling to an out of state or overseas business,” Holmes said. He’s remained a strong contributor to Dubbo through his involvement and support of various charitable groups and initiatives and says he was pleased to be able to give something back to the community. Through his 60 years in transport, Holmes has seen a lot of change. “Without trucks, Australia stops, but I believe the ever-changing industry puts

added pressure on the small to medium sized family-owned trucking companies – pressure that had not been there 5-10 years ago. Additional support for these companies by way of education and resources would be beneficial,” Holmes said. Now as the story of RHT comes to a close and gives Holmes the chance to enjoy more time to himself, it’s bittersweet. “I very much appreciate the continued support of our customers and suppliers, and value the hard work from all our employees over the years. I’m looking forward to my retirement and spending time with my family,” Holmes said. “I’m also looking forward to family holidays and more time spent with close friends, and my wife, who already has me busy in the garden.”

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16 FEATURE

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Labour of love resto takes shape for proud youngster

Dedicated Gippsland teen Kyle Geehman is devoting every spare minute to restoring a stunning 1974 S2 Kenworth. BY DAVID VILE REGULAR readers of Big Rigs with a good memory may recall a chat I had back in 2018 with the Geehman family from Gippsland, who had just undertaken the Crawling the Hume event with ‘Dusty Tracks’, their ex-Ascot NT 1979 model Kenworth K125. At the time, the youngest member of the Geehman clan, 13-year-old Kade reckoned his ambitions were to become a diesel mechanic and find an old, bonneted Kenworth to restore as a stablemate to their cab-over. Well, fast-forward threeand-a-half years and he has pretty much ticked both boxes: today working as an apprentice mechanic in Bairnsdale and also being the proud owner of a 1974 S2 Kenworth which he has begun restoring at home on the farm. Having bought the old Kenworth earlier this year, Kade is at the start of a project that will no doubt keep he and his father Alf tinkering in the shed for a while and add another chapter to the truck which ironically began its working life in the Gippsland region nearly 50 years ago. “It was bought brand new by Murray Goulburn in Leongatha to pull a milk tanker and a few years later as far as we know it was bought by BHP for carting steel in Brisbane,” explained Kade. “The chassis was extended, and it’s got double railed chassis for the heavy steel work. Some

time later it ended up back in Melbourne carting containers off the wharf. Kade’s Kenworth is actually the sister unit to another S2 which has survived the rigours of road transport and has been restored and today is a regular sight on the historic truck show circuit. “This one is a sister to Gordon McCracken’s; it is one chassis number different. They were both at Murray Goulburn at the same time, when they were sold by Murray Goulburn they were bought together by BHP,” he said. The Kenworth along the way had returned to the Gippsland area via a couple more owners and an overhaul had started and then stopped a few years previously. The truck had now been painted black and was showing a bit more wear and tear after spending a few years out in the elements. Through family contacts the deal was made earlier this year and Kade soon had the keys of the S2 in his pocket. “I was asked if I would like to buy it. I had been looking for a W Model or an S2 or a T600, basically anything with a bonnet - it was just down the road, and they are getting hard to find so I thought it would be a good project. “We talked about it for a bit and didn’t have to go far to find it! It hasn’t been registered for a few years now, but I have seen a few of these in a similar condition for a lot more money.”

Flashback to 2018: The Geehmans in Big Rigs after their Crawlin the Hume trip.

The Kenworth in its first role as a Murray Goulburn milk tanker in Leongatha.

The S2 still has the original engine and driveline, with a 903 Cummins married up to a 15-speed Roadranger driveline. With the chassis alterations being done for the BHP work the factory torsion bar suspension was swapped out for a Hendrickson rear end. “She runs alright!” Kade said with a smile. “I have run it up and down the driveway a few times - I have got the floor out of it at present but the interior otherwise is all there. There is a bit of rust in the firewall to tackle also so I am just making a start on cleaning up the chassis and go from there,” he said. Having picked up a lowline 36-inch sleeper for $1000 recently, he reckoned that it would sit behind the cab on the extended chassis fairly nicely. In terms of the overall project, Kade thinks he will try and keep the truck in line with its ‘old school’ styling and has plans to add an extra exhaust pipe and down the track add another air cleaner unit also. He also has some ideas in regard to a paint scheme but that is still down the track a with the cab and

The S2 headed north carting steel for BHP.

panels needing to be stripped back and overhauled. “The main thing is to get it all sanded back and painted to protect it a bit, Only the first coat had gone on in black and then it had sat out in the weather for a few years, so the paint has deteriorated a bit. “I’m still contemplating the final colour scheme. Dad had a few nice colours on his trucks back in the day.” With truck shows once again on the calendar, his plans

for 2022 are to take the S2 on a trailer behind the K125 to Lancefield in March. “We can get it off there for people to have a look at it - I reckon I will have it cleaned up a bit more by then.” Longer term aims include a trailer, possibly a fridge van, which will serve as somewhere to roll out the swag when the Geehman trucks are doing the show rounds. In the meantime, Kade (and Alf no doubt) are justifiably

Alf Geehman, left, and Kade Geehman, right, with their Kenworths on their Meerlieu farm.

proud of their Kenworths and the work planned on the S2 will no doubt be worthy of another check-in down the track as Kade turns his old truck into something special. For the time being he is happy to put in the time to see his efforts come to fruition and see the old Kenworth hit the road again. “I’ve always liked tinkering with stuff, so I like getting things and working them out. It’s a good little project to have.”

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18 TRIBUTE

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Fond farewell for great mate and mentor to many

The transport industry is mourning the loss of trucking legend Tom Lindsay OAM, who co-founded Lindsay Brothers Transport in 1953.

He and his brother Peter Lindsay co-founded Lindsay Brothers when they purchased three second-hand trucks from their father.

Tom Lindsay OAM made a huge contribution to the industry.

TOM Lindsay OAM passed away peacefully on November 16, aged 90. He was a much loved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and a great mate to many. His massive contribution to the industry has been widely recognised. Tom and his brother Peter Lindsay were inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs in 2003, he was honoured as a Kenworth Legend at the 2011 Australian Trucking Convention, was inducted into the Queensland Road Transport Legends Hall of Fame in 2013, and was named an Industry Icon at the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in 2019. Most recently he was awarded an OAM in January 2020 in recognition of his service to the industry. Tom was born on May 18, 1931. He left school when he was 13 to get a job and help support his family. During the early 1940s, he would pick peas and beans before and after school, then soon after began working on a banana and tomato farm. At 17, he was share farming. He went on to work for Unilever, in the Pears Soap division, where he worked 10 hour shifts on weekdays and 12 hour shifts each Saturday. By the age of 21, he had made enough money to return to his beloved Coffs Harbour and enter the world of trucking. His next step would mark the beginning of the Lindsay Brothers Transport story. From a young farmer, then a truck driver, Tom went on to become a legend of the industry. Tom started Lindsay Brothers Transport with his late brother Peter Lindsay (who passed away in 1999, aged 68), when they bought three second-hand Ford trucks from their father. Initially they carried bananas and other produce to the railway

in Coffs Harbour so they could be delivered to the Sydney markets; then they diversified into timber, then fuel and more. Little did they know at the time they had created the foundations of one of the country’s most widely recognisable fleets. Both Tom and Peter put in the hard yards to build their business from the ground up. They drove trucks for the first 10 years or so, then as the business grew, came off the road to manage their thriving company. Along with Lindsay Brothers, Tom was also involved in managing a 200-acre farm that grew bananas, beans, peas and tomatoes; as well as being involved in earthmoving, a garden centre, a crane company, brick wholesaling, four service stations, and the rebuild of Bonville Golf Resort which he managed for nine years. Tom’s lifelong ambition was to own 20 trucks and retire at age 55. By the early 1970s, he’d already achieved that – but he didn’t retire until 2010, aged 79. Although those who knew him

will tell you that he never completely retired and would often head into the depot. Operations expanded into Queensland and Lindsay Brothers moved into chilled freight, becoming one of Australia’s largest refrigerated road transport companies. Now publicly listed, Lindsay Australia operates a fleet of over 1000 trucks. Lindsay Australia paid tribute to Tom on its Facebook page: “Tom leaves a lasting legacy of a great organisation, family and friendships that he can be justifiably proud of and will be greatly missed.” The company wrote of his achievements through a life dedicated to the industry, “Tom and Peter Lindsay formed a unique partnership to guide their local Lindsay Brothers Transport venture to develop into the thriving national transport and logistics company that Lindsay Australia Limited is today. “Through hard work and the dedicated work ethic of their employees, Tom and Peter built

the Lindsay Brothers business through long-term associations and friendships with their customers and suppliers. “The Lindsay Brothers were known for their willingness to embrace technology and were pioneers in refrigerated produce transport in Australia as well as early adapters to B-double combinations and safety equipment on vehicles. “Tom was a major contributor to the Coffs Harbour region. Lindsay is the largest private employer in the Coffs Harbour area and Tom was prominent in many local organisations, notably Rotary. “In 2002, and following the death of Peter in 1999, Tom presided over the transition of the private Lindsay Brothers to the corporate Lindsay Australia Limited and stayed on as a director for several years. His experience was invaluable in helping to establish the new entity.” The industry joined Lindsay Australia in paying tribute to the industry legend. Australian Trucking Associ-

Tom Lindsay (centre) with Rodney Lindsay, Glen Lindsay, Chris Lindsay, Brian Baker, Tracey Lindsay, Peter Lindsay, Carmel Lindsay and Mark Lindsay.

ation (ATA) chair David Smith says Tom made a huge contribution during his career. “Tom demonstrated a lifelong passion and dedication to the trucking industry, and made a notable contribution to our industry’s professionalism,” he said. “Tom shared his huge knowledge through his involvement as a board member of the Long Distance Road Transport Association (now NatRoad), which he joined in 1964. Today, Lindsay Australia continues to be active in NatRoad and the Queensland Trucking Association.” NatRoad Chairman Scott Davidson says Tom’s involvement in NatRoad gave the industry a voice when it mattered. “As an early founding member, Tom was focused on continuous improvement and best practice, not just for his people, but for the advancement of the entire Australian transport industry. His legacy has helped NatRoad to support grassroots businesses, shape the agenda of transport policy and get our

members home safely to their families every night.” Lindsay Australia manager of safety, people and culture and NatRoad board member Melissa Strong added, “Tom did things because it was the right thing to do, whether it was giving someone a chance with a job, or helping a customer in hard times, or a local community,” she said. “Tom leaves a lasting legacy of a great organisation, family and friendships that he can be justifiably proud of.” Long-time Kenworth dealer at Brown and Hurley, Jim (JJ) Hurley, described his great mate Tom as a giant and pioneer of the transport industry. Hurley was asked by Tom’s family to give the eulogy at the funeral service, which took place at Bonville Golf Resort on November 26. “We had many dealings together. He was always reasonable to deal with, emphasising there had to be something in it for everyone – but also making sure there wasn’t too much in it for me,” he joked. Hurley described Tom as one of the most generous people he’s ever known, “Not only with the people he has helped financially but with his time, whether it be the role he played in Coffs Rotary club, visiting people in hospital, helping young people get a start in life doing his banana run drop-off, to many friends, organising regular fishing trips with his mates, taking a keen interest in his family, the list goes on,” he said. “But when he stepped onto the golf course this generosity left him. I have said many times it was easier to get an order for a dozen Kenworths than get a dollar off him in the golf course. “I would say the world is a better place because of Tom Lindsay’s life.” Today, as Lindsay Australia edges closer to its 70th year, the two men who started it all will be fondly remembered.

Tom Lindsay and Neil Mansell, pictured with JJ Hurley, were inducted as Industry Icons at the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in 2019.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

More power, connectivity and packed with Euro style Big Rigs was thrown the keys to the new Hino 700-series FR 2632 for a 220km test drive on the south side of Sydney.

BY WARREN CAVES THE recent release of the allnew Hino 700-series range sees the brand treat the 700-series model to broader levels of power, connectivity and business telematics, while offering upgraded driver comfort and features. To evaluate the latest version of the Hino 700-series, Big Rigs was thrown the keys to a Hino 700-series FR 2632 6X2, Euro6 compliant model to test under real world conditions. In a first for Hino, the 700-series range and our test FR 2632 are now available with the proven, AO9C engine rated at 320hp/235kw, which until now was previously found in the 500-series model range. This engine fitment is said by Hino, to increase versatility for the 700-series range in the heavy-duty sector by offering a smaller displacement option to further enhancing choice and operating efficiencies. Our test vehicle was fitted with a fully automatic Allison six-speed transmission, which is standard fitment for all A09

equipped 700-series models. Loaded to a gross weight of around 19-tonnes, my chosen test circuit would take me from Hino’s Sydney headquarters in Caringbah, south along the Princes Highway through Waterfall then onto Picton Road, then westward to the Hume Highway, before heading south to the Southern Highlands before returning to Caringbah via the Hume Highway, M5 and King Georges Road, a total test drive distance of 220km. Immediately noticeable with the new 700-series is the ease of entry to the cabin. The doors open all the way to sit basically on the same plane as the grille. This combined with the three-step staircase entry aided by two sensibly positioned grab handles, provide secure and sure-footed entry and exit. Once onboard, the ISRI NTS2 drivers seat provides welcome comfort with a raft of adjustment options to get that “Just right” seating position. The tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment also aided functionality in this area. The new wrap-around dash

Adaptive cruise control settings and system diagnostics are easily accessed vis the steering wheel control buttons on the go.

In a first for Hino, the 700-series range and our test FR 2632 are now available with the proven, AO9C engine rated at 320hp/235kw.

layout, trimmed in a mix of carbon fibre and earthy tones provides practical visibility and ergonomics to the central dash area while the dash-mounted park brake control lever gives off a distinctive Euro feel. The jewel in the new 700 series crown is the Hino Connect system, offering integrated operational and business telematics provided by Melbourne based automotive and consumer electronics specialist, Directed Electronics. The Hino Connect system and what it can offer business operators is worthy of a story in itself, so I won’t dive too deep into that here, other than to say from the driver’s seat the 6.5-inch, multi-media unit and the 7.1-inch multi-information display (MID) are integral in the systems operation, providing real time service and operational information, remote

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Immediately noticeable with the new 700-series is the ease of entry to the cabin.

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diagnosis and warning alerts direct to drivers. The MID provides the driver monitorable information in relation to fuel and AdBlue levels, as well as critical engine operating temperatures. Adaptive cruise control settings and system diagnostics are also displayed, all of which are easily accessed vis the steering wheel control buttons on the go. Vision from the driver’s seat is superb; a large windscreen, minimalist A-pillars and a total of six large mirrors provide good all-round vision. This unfettered vision is enhanced by a standard reverse camera and complimented by side mounted cameras which providing video monitoring via the multi-media unit screen (which supports up to four cameras) when the turn indicators are applied. Continued on page 22

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22 TEST DRIVE

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Smoother ride on the open road

From page 20 Leaving the Hino headquarters during Sydney’s afternoon peak period, immediately imparted the sense of effortlessness that is required to operate the Allison transmission. The stopping and starting was no real chore as the transmission took care of all the thinking and shifting decisions, allowing myself to get a feel for the cabin environment. Gear changes from the auto transmission were barely noticeable, the smooth yet timely shifts were for the most part only referenced by the tacho needle movement. The six-speed transmission offers two driving modes. The default ECO mode which is aimed at fuel economy and the power mode. The power mode seemed most fitting for the loaded truck negotiating heavy traffic, as the eco mode left me languishing a little and at times missing traffic light phases. Once the traffic abated and the traffic lights disappeared the 700-series felt comfortable on the open road, the ride and handling are no doubt influenced by the four-point, air suspended cab which imparts a ride quality of Euro truck standard.

At 100km/h the NVH levels were quite respectable with only a small amount of wind noise evident, however as it seemed to be coming from behind me, I suspect that it may have been coming from the top of the tautliner body. The 320 horsepower AO9 yielded capable performance derived from the engine’s available 1275nm of torque. The torque line holds a peak plateau from 1100-1600 before tapering off above that point. Peak power is achieved at just short of 1800rpm. These figures seemed to culminate in an optimal operating range between 1400-1700rpm, offering best bang for your buck, as far as performance goes. One aspect I did find annoying was the MID regularly notifying me that I was applying excessive acceleration. The visual criticism was accompanied by a gentle yet passively annoying chime. This electronic berating was a little distracting, being relayed even under moderate throttle while trying to get the vehicle up to the speed of the prevailing limit and traffic flow. However, at the end the test drive while scrolling through the menus, I noted

Side-mounted cameras provide video monitoring via the multi-media unit screen.

that this function could fortunately be switched off, (I wish I’d found that earlier). The AO9 engine is fitted with a “Jacobs” engine brake which provided admirable speed retardation while minimizing service brake reliance and subsequent wear. A Sync button is located on the dash which when activated, applies the engine brake with just a light touch of the brake pedal. I was not impressed during this test, by the way the engine brake communicated with the

The 320 horsepower AO9 yielded capable performance derived from the engine’s available 1275nm of torque.

engine and transmission management system. During the test drive if I was coasting down a slight gradient and the vehicle speed looked as though it would breach the 100km/h limit, applying the engine brake to wash of a few km/h and remain compliant, induced a downshift sending the tacho to as high as 2100rpm, this shift protocol would certainly have a negative affect on fuel efficiency. With most companies

To return back to the Hino dealership, I punched the address in to the I-Go, sat nav system which had been inputted with the trucks weight, height and configuration to direct me back without any routing issues. At the test runs end, which for those not geographically familiar was quite an arduous one, I had travelled 220km (if you include the Maccas run) returning a figure of 2.6km/L of fuel at an average speed of 63km/h.

Our test vehicle was fitted with a fully automatic Allison six-speed transmission.

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now issuing driver warnings for speed breaches in excess of 100km/h using the engine brake to remain compliant is commonplace and a downshifting of gears is in my mind not necessary at this speed. (Please note, on my return of the vehicle and raising this issue with Barry Noble, Homologation and Engineering support Manager of HMSA, Noble said that this can be reprogrammed at an Allison dealership level to not downshift at high speed.)

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24 OPINION

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Why WA refuses to sign on to the national truck law

With the national truck law review underway, popular podcast host Mike Williams tackles the biggest elephant in the room. THE Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) is supposed to be national. The clue should be in the name. It’s not. The HVNL does not exist in Western Australia, or the Northern Territory. In recent times the question has been asked why WA

and the NT decline to be a part of it? Why don’t they join the eastern states? We talk about what states do wrong all the time. What those faults are and how wrong they are is a matter of opinion. It’s fairly universally agreed though, that WA pretty much gets road transport right.

They have a well-deserved reputation for taking pragmatic decisions to transport issues. Whether people like it or not, WA pays the greatest share of Australia’s bills by generating about 60 per cent of Australia’s total export income. Road transport plays a significant role in generating that income.

A fact recognised by government. The variety and capacity of useable combinations speaks to a willingness to listen to transport operators and employ the public road network to the benefit of the state and therefore the public. They look at the needs

The Trojan fuel truck combination shows the contrast between east and west. Photo: Mike Williams

and then work towards those. Many believe this is a lesson that could be well learned from WA. Roads are a public asset. Fair wear and tear on that asset should be expected and managed. However, it seems eastern state road managers have a different view on this. On the useable combination point, twin steer prime movers are far more common in the west, there’s a financial benefit to using them. There’s also a clear safety benefit. A blown steer tyre on a twin steer is a very different proposition. An example of pragmatic, timely decision-making: there was bumper harvest in 2017. It was obvious there were going to be serious issues getting the harvest off and into silos. Growers, transport industry and regulator sat down and worked out what needed to be done. Practical solutions were put in place, including expanding the RAV network

across the 1000km of the wheat belt. The whole problem was discussed, agreed and implemented in about 10 days before the problems asserted themselves when the harvest commenced. It’s not perfect but when the need arises decision-makers get together and make it work. Can the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator do that? Most would say no. The big innovation that separates WA from the eastern states is AMMS (accredited mass management scheme) and the network of roads covered by the scheme. Simply put, there are three levels in the network. Trucks and trailers are registered and accredited to level 1,2 or 3. There are road network maps that show where vehicles at different levels can be run and there are no more permit issues. It’s a level playing field. Once a route is accredited it becomes accessible to every-

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OPINION 25

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Many in WA fear that the state’s practical approach to moving freight would be lost if they signed up.

one. No individual applications are required. Another key difference is the way transport law is enforced in WA. Unlike eastern states, fatigue management is viewed and dealt with as an OH&S issue and therefore regulations are not enforced by police. General road laws obviously remain in the police domain but law specific to road transport is only enforced by Main Roads. There is a fiction that anything goes in WA. That simply isn’t true. The rules are slightly different. There is more flexibility, legal work records are kept and are required to be produced at times. Certainly not in the same way as in eastern states, however. Individual driver fatigue management is also taken care of by main roads. On the main roads web site driv-

ers are required to log on and work through the fatigue management modules and issued a certificate on completion. This is a free service. No training provider to stick their hand in your pocket! There have been calls to remove police from some areas of enforcement in the eastern states and adopt a model akin to WA. National Road Freighters Association president Rod Hannifey is among the those making that call. He is not alone. Many (me included) believe he has a solid point. Mining is the lifeblood of WA. There are monster loads moved to support mining. Permits are managed by Main Roads and usually issued in a couple of days. Critically, Main Roads does not have to go to local government and ask permission to use roads. The road network has been

assessed and permits issued in line with those pre-existing assessments. WA has also given escort pilots authorised powers to close bridges etc to help keep loads moving. For the really big loads Main Roads has its own escort wardens who have the red and blue lights with authority to make instant on the spot decisions on traffic management around the load. Police escorts are not required. In contrast the NHVR has to ask each local government and toll road owner for permission. They get caught up in a mire of competing interests and that creates problems and therefore delays. In any business idle assets and lost time costs money. It’s as simple as that. It’s all about keeping the freight, no matter what it is, moving. Yes, WA pays more for permits, but that mon-

ey is used to help fund under-grounding low power lines or other OSOM (oversize, over-mass) restrictions. The fear in WA is if they did join the HVNL, then WA’s practical approach would be lost. Things that may work on the east coast may not work in WA. There is concern that transport in WA would be dictated to and lose its voice. It’s also hard to argue your case when you’re separated by three time zones. Add to that the general lack of understanding or perhaps don’t care attitude of some and then the whole ‘how do you appeal?’, or even, ‘who do you appeal to?’, issue.

It seems obvious that these are problems that do exist for member states on the east coast. Cam Dumesny, the CEO of Western Roads Federation, told me that five or six years ago, one of the old guard ATA directors on meeting him for the first time demanded to know, “When would WA grow up and join the HVNL?” Now he has interstate counterparts routinely saying they wish they’d chosen a different path. Again, it’s not perfect, it could be better, but it’s about being practical. • Y ou can contact me on twitter via @theoztrucker,

Truckie Mike Williams.

On The Road podcast (@ otrpodcastaus) on Facebook or go to ontheroadpodcast. com.au to leave a comment, email me directly mike@ ontheroadpodcast.com.au or call me on 0418722488.

It’s all about keeping the freight, no matter what it is, moving. Photo: Mike Williams

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26 NEWS

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Industry resilience hailed at HVIA awards

THE winners of Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia’s (HVIA) awards for leadership and innovation in the heavy vehicle sector were presented at a gala event in Brisbane last month. The November 19 presentation, sponsored by National Transport Insurance and Truck Assist, was streamed around the country as Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz recognised the heavy vehicle industry’s contribution to the nation’s resilience. “We really, really appreciate everything the transport industry does for our great country,” Buchholz said. “Now we’ve got some supply chain issues globally, that are coupled up with Covid. Those are the next challenges, the next

frontier of issues that we are going to have to deal with, but collectively we will do it.” Award recipients in all categories included the Community Leadership Award, won by Scania Australia for Sustainable products and operations and the Product Innovation Award, awarded to SEA Electric, for the first Australian produced all-electric truck. “This is a proud day for SEA Electric, and acknowledges the pioneering efforts by the team to develop world-leading technology that is genuinely making a positive impact on the environment,” said Bill Gillespie, SEA Electric president Asia – Pacific. “The transport industry is the second highest producer of carbon dioxide emissions across

Scania’s Anna Maree Taylor accepted the Community Leadership Award.

the country outside of traditional power generation, and this is clearly a subject that will continue to be under the microscope as the industry investigates future options. “Here at SEA Electric, we are at the forefront of providing cutting edge products that have been extensively tested in the field, and have been warmly embraced by companies looking to take environmental leadership.” Parish Engineering took out the Highly Commended Safety Innovation Award and Driverisk Australia was the MV + AI risk detection Winner for their Drivecam SF300, which combines machine learning and artificial intelligence to monitor risk detection. The Highly Commended Award went to Mass Products

Former HVIA president Bob Martin receives the Industry Recognition Award.

for their Road Pod truck-loading system. The highly sort-after Nation-

Bill Gillespie, SEA Electric president Asia – Pacific with the Product Innovation Award.

al Apprentice of the Year Award went to Daniel Steuten of Royans Melbourne, who appeared in our November 26 issue. “I look forward to continuing to advance my skills in our trade as well as assisting future apprentices, and maybe one day having an apprentice who I assist winning this award themselves,” said Steuten. Jayden Breuker of Daimler Trucks Mt Gambier, who also featured in our last issue, took out the High Achievement Award while the Certificate of Merit recipient was Wayne Taradel of Drake Trailers in Queensland. Further individual achievements awards were also highlights, with former HVIA president Bob Martin recognised for the Industry Recognition Award. Currently celebrating 20 years at Jost Australia, Martin was the CVIAQ president when the organisation transitioned to become a national member advocacy body as HVIA. He also oversaw the relocation of the Brisbane Truck Show to its current home at the

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, and the construction of HVIA’s headquarters in Brisbane. Matthew Longridge of MaxiTRANS in Brisbane won the Peter Langworthy Future Leader Award. Matt had recently stepped up as Production Manager at MaxiTRANS’ newly opened manufacturing facility in Carole Park, Queensland. Scania’s Anna Maree Taylor accepted the Community Leadership Award on behalf of Scania Australia for the ongoing sustainability project undertaken by its Prestons dealership in NSW. Four HVIA member companies were honoured with 50-year membership awards, having joined what was then the Commercial Vehicle Industry Association of Queensland (CVIAQ) at its first Annual General Meeting in 1971: The Brown & Hurley Group, Eaton Vehicle Group, MaxiTRANS, and Rogers Axles and Springworks. Full details of each award can be found at hvia.asn.au.

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28 EVENTS

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Tassie Convoy 4 Kids a huge success

BY JONATHAN WALLIS THE second successive Convoy 4 Kids was held in Southern Tasmania late last month, with all funds raised again going to the children’s ward at

the Royal Hobart Hospital. Emma Bygrave from the South East Sun’s Women’s Football Club, who together with Rick Sutcliffe had been instrumental in getting the successful Annual Truck Show at Sorrell up and running,

came on board once again to help ensure the event’s success. On a cool and sunny Saturday evening, 48 trucks arrived at the industrial hub in Brighton in support of a very worthy cause. Craig Walker’s eye-catching T909, nicknamed The Ghost led the convoy with the top 10 trucks leading the way to the city along the Brooker Highway. They passed the paediatric ward at the Royal Hobart Hospital, returning via the Tasman Bridge, Lindisfarne and Old Beach, to the Pontville Oval. Once again, occasional trucks joined the convoy en-

BUT MOSTLY TO ALL THE TRUCK DRIVERS, OWNERS, AND PEOPLE WHO DONATED, AND ALL THOSE FOLKS WHO TURNED OUT ALONG THE ROADS TO WAVE AND CHEER US ON, IT WAS A GREAT FEELING FOR US ALL.” The convoy approaches Bridgewater Bridge.

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Craig Walker’s T909 leads the pack as the trucks make their way to Pontville Oval.

route while others left to go about their work prior to the final assembly at Pontville, where there was a barbecue and meet and greet for the returning drivers and their families. Bygrave says in excess of $15,000 was raised through the event – with $12,500 raised through the auction of places in the convoy. The first 10 trucks of the convoy were: 1. C raig Walker’s T909, driver Brad Mollineaux 2. B atchelor’s Construction W. Star Constellation, driver Mark Birchmore 3. A ndrew Barker’s T658, driver Andrew Barker 4. William Oakley’s T508 Brute, driver David Oakley 5. Top Form Excavations

Craig Walker’s T909, driven by Brad Mollineaux, was given ‘Lead Truck’ honours.

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THE DECISION TO MOVE TO AN EVENING CONVOY ALSO PROVED SUCCESSFUL, AS THERE WAS LESS TRAFFIC TO INTERFERE WITH THE CONVOY, AND HEAPS MORE SUPPORT ALONG THE WAY.”

Daniel White, Josh Stephens, Alex Rothwell and friends spread the Christmas cheer after the convoy.

T480, diver Scott Triffett 6. T as Road Express T610, driver Daniel ‘Sleeves’ White 7. S utcliffe Contracting Scania, driver Tony Large 8. P. Bennett & Sons Mack Superliner, driver Rick “Grinch” Sutcliffe 9. T.S. T659, driver Robert Sutton 10. Tas Trans T904, driver Brad Leach The decision to move to an evening convoy also proved successful, as there was less traffic to interfere with the convoy, and heaps more support along the way, with an estimated crowd of 200 at the Old Beach round-about alone. Sutcliffe thanked those who helped to make the event happen, “Firstly thanks to Daniel

White who had the original idea, with his great ‘never give up’ attitude, then of course Emma Bygrave for all her efforts and hard work, to Jacqui Juvakka for all the printing of shirts and the banner, and for liaising with the children’s reactions in the ward as we went past. “To the good people who arranged and manned the barbecue at the site, to Quinton Turner for making the excellent videos, and to Linda and Chris Poulton for their support on their excellent T.I.T. web page, and finally to Lee and Bridget Bygrave for their loyalty and assistance. Oh, and to those who dressed as the Grinch, Santa and the Elf – the kids had a great time with them.

Rick Sutcliffe’s Mack Superliner was the Grinch’s ride.

“But mostly to all the truck drivers, owners, and people who donated, and all those folks who turned out along the roads to wave and cheer us on, it was a great feeling for us all.” Organisers thanked all those who polished, buffed and detailed their trucks and then got out there to make the day a great success.

Robert Sutton and his T659 get into the Christmas spirit.

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30 WHAT’S ON

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Show calendar fills up fast

come out and get involved in the day and raise money for a cure to Cancer. Entry is $10 for adults, and kids under 16 are free.

There will be food stalls, live entertainment and kids’ rides at the Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show on December 11.

WE’RE pleased to report that the events calendar is filling up again, but please double-check these dates on the official site and/or Facebook page as they can often change at short notice due to Covid. If you have a date change, or an event you’d like included in this calendar, email editor@bigrigs.com.au with all the details. DECEMBER Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show December 11 Bathurst Showground, NSW Visit: bathursttruckshow. com.au Sponsored by Gilbert & Roach, Huntingwood and Vawdrey Trailers. Gates open 9am to 4pm. Featuring over 200 market stalls, food stalls, live entertainment and kids’ rides. Registration $40. Public entry $5, children under 12 free. Held in conjunction with the annual Bathurst Swap Meet Car & Bike Show on November 17. Supporting 2BS Lions Christmas Miracle Appeal. For registration and further details email info@bathursttruckshow. com.au or phone Debbie on 0407 489 634, Haylie on 0438 316 150. JANUARY Tooradin Truck Show & Tractor Pull

January 15 Rutter Reserve, Tooradin, Vic Visit: tooradintractorpull. com.au An annual event since 1998 and has grown into a fabulous family day. It is a non-profit event run by a committee of local community people putting all proceeds back into local clubs, schools and various charities. Truck show runs from 10am to 6pm. No BYO. Adults $35, kids $10, family $85. Strictly no dogs. For Truck Show inquiries phone Ashley Gorton on 0408 191 626 or for general enquiries email Allyn Reeve at Tallyn@reevetransport. com.au.

Visit: convoy.riseabovecbr. org.au The Rise Above Convoy for Cancer Families is an annual event to raise money and awareness for Rise Above – Capital Region Cancer Relief. Convoy starts at 10am, bound for Exhibition Park In Canberra (EPIC). Live music, kids’ entertainment and more. For further info see the Facebook page at www. facebook.com/riseabovecancerconvoy the website convoy. riseabovecbr.org.au, or phone 02 6297 1261, email convoy@riseabovecbr.org.au. FEBRUARY Boyup Brook Ute and Truck

A new music line-up is set for the Boyup Brook Festival on February 19-20.

Muster February 19 Boyup Brook, WA Visit: countrymusicwa.com. au/ute-truck-muster Held together with the Boyup Brook Country Music Festival, this muster aims to celebrate Aussie vehicles with an impressive display. MARCH Convoy for Kids Sydney March 20 Sydney, NSW Visit: convoyforkids.com. au Since the first Convoy for Kids Sydney in 1992, truckies have raised nearly $3 million for kids’ charities and hos-

pitals in NSW. The upcoming convoy will start from Huntingwood and arrive at Hawkesbury Showground in Clarendon for a fun-filled family day with rides, entertainment, food and stalls. MAY WA Mack Muster May 22 Whitby, WA Visit: mackmuster.com.au All proceeds and fundraising will be donated to the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research for Cancer. The aim is to encourage all Mack, and other truck make owners, suppliers, sponsors of the WA transport industry to

JUNE Alexandra Truck Ute and Rod Show June 12 Alexandra, Victoria Visit: alexandratruckshow. com.au With the September 2021 event now cancelled, the Alexandra Truck, Ute & Rod Show will return to its usual date on the Queens Birthday long weekend in June, 2022. Sunday Show ‘n Shine on Alexandra’s main street, includes live music, Victorian woodchop tournament, exhibitions and trade displays, kids amusements and Truck Show Day raffle draw. Be early on Saturday for the local markets, convoy and truck driver’s memorial service at 2pm and sponsors’ dinner at 6pm. AUGUST MEGATRANS August 24-26 (date change from February 16-18) Melbourne Exhibition Centre Visit: megatrans.com.au MEGATRANS is an integrated trade exhibition and conference showcasing the full freight and logistics supply chain, spanning warehousing and logistics, through to multimodal freight and final mile delivery.

Sydney Truck and Trailer Expo January 28-30 Hawkesbury Showgrounds, Clarendon The inaugural event will be run by the Australian Ex-Military Vehicle Collectors Society with assistance from Haulin’ the Hume and Kenworth Klassic organisers. The event will also incorporate the Kenworth Klassic. See the Facebook page for more details. Canberra Rise Above Convoy January 30 Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), ACT

The popular Convoy for Kids in Sydney returns in March.

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32 READER RIGS

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Paul Freeth stops for this stunning shot while heading past Uluru.

Jack Barry snapped a great shot of this Kenworth road train while in downtown Noondoo, Queensland.

Share your truck pics THE trucking game is as diverse as the terrain on which our truckies travel. If there’s one thing we know many of you love, it’s a good looking rig – and sometimes life on the open road brings some golden photo opportunities. The Big Rigs #PicOfTheDay competition is a chance

to share your best snaps through our Facebook page (@BigRigs). We’ll choose a weekly winning shot to feature as our Facebook cover photo and a selection of the best pics will be featured in the next edition of Big Rigs Newspaper. So get snapping and keep those great pics coming!

This Kenworth T909 gets the job done during harvest in Dalby. Thanks for sharing Scott Trace.

Bromley Nitschke works the harvest in the Mallee region.

Nobby Smith and this Kenworth T900 Legend get an early start as the sun rises in the distance.

Damo Barto shared this snap of the Kenworth C509 he steers for Scholz Bulk Haulage.

Shannon Gregory snapped a shot of this Mack road train while stopped near Rankins Springs, NSW.

Lee Hayter waits to load wheat in Rankins Springs, NSW, at sunset.

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Cameron Gaskell snapped a shot of this impressive 2012 T909, owned by P3 Transport, at his farm in Atherton, Queensland.

Mat Lambert heads to a farm in North Queensland to load up with mangoes.

Pete Carling and this Kenworth road train cruise down the Buntine Highway.

Jake Vawser and this Mack work the harvest with a triple road train set.

Tony Griffin shared this ripper shot working the harvest in a Kenworth K104 and pocket road train set of grain tippers in Mullewa, WA.

Tom Charlton snapped a quick photo before the storm hit in Carmila, Queensland.

RobTrans driver Filip Schubert shared this snap, doing local work around Melbourne.

Brett Knight used some downtime to get his Kenworth T909 all shined up and looking its best.

Damian Langworthy and this 2018 Scania R620 V8 brave the Tassie snow – in November.

Kevin Bemrose enjoys the clear night-sky while loading canola for Hawkins Haulage.

34 SCHOOL FORMALS

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Blake steals show at year 12 formal in Queensland

Blake Graham makes a grand entrance at his year 12 formal. Photo: Niell Graham

BY TRENT PRICE NOT everyone arrives in a custom truck for their year 12 formal, but with a little help from his father and KS Easter Transport, Blake Graham was the envy of his year group at Burnside State High School near Nambour in Queensland. Blake’s father, Niell Graham, who works at KS Easter Transport where the truck is housed, said Blake needed little convincing when he put the idea to him. “Blake wanted a car to make a statement like a Mustang or a Camaro, but I said everyone goes for that thing. I said I know of this truck. Do you want me to ask if I can have it?” said Niell.

“Blake said to go for it, so the boss just asked when I needed it so they could drag it out and give it a wash and a polish.” Owned by KS Easter Transport in Wacol, Queensland, the 2015 Volvo FH16 XL Globetrotter has a unique airbrush design, which features a fire-breathing Pegasus and dragon motif that is usually only wheeled out for special events. “I started with KS Easter about 18 months ago now and I saw it sitting in the shed. They were very careful about who they put in it because of the paint job, but I got to drive it for a night,” said Niell. Blake sent a message to his school mates prior to arriving at the formal and was literal-

ly inundated with questions about when he would arrive to ensure that nobody would miss his big entrance. As they were nearing the formal venue the crowd began cheering, so Niell let his wife, Tammy out so she could film Neill and Blake arriving. “Everyone was clapping and cheering and going off,” said Blake. “On the way heaps of people were looking at it, doing double takes.” Whilst the big night was privy to a handful of Toranas and a stretched limo, it was the truck that stole the show while everyone else simply got dropped off in their cars and headed off. “It was a really cool vehicle to take to a formal,” said Blake.

Connor Sloss and partner Shauna Dowers add some old school glamour at Movie World Gold Coast. Photo: Andrew Sloss

Touch of Hollywood

Connor Sloss and partner Shauna Dowers made a big entrance at the Helensvale State High School after being driven into the big occasion by his father Andrew. The formal was a star-studded occasion by virtue of being held at Movie World Gold Coast. Connor and Andrew want to give a big thanks to Daryl Dickenson Transport for letting them use their truck for the big event!

What an entrance

Everyone was on hand when Brian Archer was delivered to the Thuringowa State High School formal at the Townsville Casino in a 2000 Volvo NH12 prime mover. Brian was driven into the big event by Tonia (Mozzie) Archer of Archer’s Trading, who supplied the truck for the occasion. Thanks to Brian’s father Paul for sending through the image.

Hannah Cockerell makes everyone green with envy with her entrance at Hope Island Golf Club. Photos: Jade Cockerell

Coronado coronation

Brian Archer sets the scene at Townsville Casino. Photo: Paul Archer

Stacey Cockerell made heads turn with the Western Star in Surfers Paradise.

Shane Cockerell delivers daughter Hannah in a Coronado to the Hope Island Golf Club, Surfers Paradise in 2019 and was named the best arrival of the night. Not to be outdone, Shane’s second daughter Stacey had her formal at the Mantra on View in Surfers Paradise last September. Shane was again driving, but this time his truck was a two-week-old Western Star. Shane had worked for Nightingale Transport for nearly three years and was thankful to Glenn Nightingale for letting the family use their trucks.

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36 SPY ON THE ROAD

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Houdini dog spoils holiday SPY ON THE ROAD WITH ALF WILSON

Scaly blitz Several truckies from South Australia have complained to Spy about a blitz in South Australia which is also resulting in lots of infringement notices. “Every person who has a badge seems to be out there trying to breach truckies. These include police, scalies and Task Force members,” he said. One of the lads said he had nothing against authorities breaching drivers for genuine offences. “But a lot of these tickets are being given for the most minor breaches which would normally result in a warning. This is revenue raising at its worst,” he said. Masks at $1100 a pop Interstate drivers who leave the cabin of their trucks in WA faced a heavy fine of $1100 if they fail to wear a mask. One NSW driver said the crackdown was adding big

dollars to consolidated revenue in WA. This bloke was on the Norseman to Perth run and said the cops were everywhere and showing zero tolerance. “If you are an interstate truckie and leave your truck at a roadhouse to fuel up, have a meal or a shower make sure you have a mask on. If you don’t, they are pouncing on you with these on-thespot fines,” he said. Fuel hunters Good to see some truckies around Oz are working together to let others know where the cheapest fuel is in different regions. A Victorian driver was delivering express goods to a particular area and knew an owner-operator from around there. “I contacted him and was told the cheapest place and when I filled-up, I ended up saving six cents per litre. Multiply that by 1400 litres and it was an $84 saving. Better in my pocket than some rich fuel company,” he said. Hitchhiker infestation Reports finding their way to Spy from numerous drivers indicate there seems to be more hitchhikers thumbing rides beside highways.

She lives a block away and locked Houdini up until she dropped him off to the neighbour who was his temporary carer. The neighbour did an inspection of Houdini’s home and found the mischievous mutt had knocked a panel off a wooden fence to make his escape. On his return from Airlie Beach Houdini’s owner said that a lot of thunder and lightning the night before was the reason for the two escapes. “He is scared when that occurs,” he said.

A hitchhiker on Captain Cook Highway near Port Douglas turnoff.

My informants can’t offer any reason for the increase other than that money is tight around the country. Most are reluctant to give a hitchhiker a lift because of obvious potential security concerns. But there is the odd truckie who will offer one a ride just for a bit of company. Houdini dog spoils romantic holiday When a middle-aged truck-

ie was rostered to have four days-off he took his partner on what was to be a romantic holiday to Airlie Beach. They hooked up their caravan behind the wife’s 4WD and took without a care in the world with the knowledge their much -loved pet dog Houdini was being fed and walked by a neighbour. Now Houdini has earned that name for obvious reasons but the truckie was sure that he would not escape in

their absence, as the fence around his house had been secured. However, a policeman mate phoned home to say he saw Houdini not far from his home and had returned him there. But escape number two was soon to occur. The next morning the neighbour saw a post on Facebook, with a picture of Houdini advising a young lady had found him.

Inspection protection Just because we are heading into the festive season, truck drivers shouldn’t think there will be fewer heavy vehicle inspection stations operating. In fact, Spy is told that in many cases some of them will be open for more hours. What irks truckies is that often scalies will infringe them for very minor breaches. In NSW authorities describe as “heavy vehicle safety stations”. One of the nine HVSS in NSW that is particularly loathed by drivers is at Marulan on the Hume Highway, which intercepts vehicles over 8 tonne GVM.

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SPY ON THE ROAD 37

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Marulan Heavy Vehicle Safety Station.

It is located 161km southwest of Sydney and 28km north of Goulburn and it has separate safety stations for north and sound bound traffic. Light on appeal It was raining heavily, the wind was blowing and visibility was poor as a Victorian truckie negotiated the highway across the Nullarbor. This usually quietly spoken driver contacts Spy from time to time when he comes across a safety issue. He was outspoken on this occasion about other vehicles on the highway that never had their headlights on in the poor conditions. “There were cars, van drivers and some truckies which didn’t have lights on as they should to increase visibility. That is common sense normally, but sense is not so common these days. There was howling wind, vehicles were spraying water and it was a bloody safety issue. It the middle of the day but it was still dark,” he said. He was travelling between Kimba in SA and Balladonia in WA in a Western Star along the Eyre Highway. “Drivers could experience these types of conditions anywhere in coming months so turn your lights on… Please,” he said. On one occasion the driver of a Landcruiser who was behind him attempted to overtake as a truck was coming from the opposite direction.

“Luckily he saw the danger and managed to get back in and the other truckie called me on the UHF and said he could have had a head on collision. Merry Xmas and thanks The year had gone so quickly and this is our last edition of 2021. I want to thank everybody who has provided input for this column and there has been many from around the country. Hopefully Spy has provided readers with some news from a different angle and a sprinkling of humour along the way. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, good health and safe driving. And hope you all get to enjoy some quality family time over the festive season break. Santa pics please In the lead up to the festive season Spy spoke to a lot of truckies who were sporting white beards. Some of these chin hairs were mature whilst others looked like they wanted them to be full length by mid-December. Perhaps they were being recruited to be a Santa Claus at a coming Christmas party. If this was the case Spy sends out an SOS to any truckie who becomes a Santa before or on December 25 to forward on a few pics. Let’s get into the Christmas spirit.

Upgrades taking place on the Murchison Highway in Tasmania.

Murchison Highway upgrade Work is ongoing on Tasmania’s Murchison Highway to upgrade it to ensure it is safer for heavy vehicles to travel on. The 147km Murchison Highway runs generally north–south, with Somerset, near Burnie, as its northern terminus and Zeehan as its southern terminus. The highway was opened in 1963 and authorities have continually upgraded it under the Roads of Strategic Importance program. The latest upgrades started in January but stopped during winter and started again in September. When completed, the highway will better accommodate heavy vehicles, and improve safety for road users by installing road safety barriers and improving the visibility of oncoming traffic in specific areas. The roadworks will improve transport efficiency and make the road safer for all road users. The Murchison Highway has been progressively upgraded from Belvoir Road south to Sterling River Bridge to support future increased demand from mining and tourism traffic. It is a key freight and passenger route connecting the west and north regions of Tasmania. It is critical for the movement of freight to Burnie Port for export and to other locations within Tasmania.

Rubber rebate Spy was amused when the owner of a tyre company told me about clients who try and negotiate the biggest savings. His company provides new tyres for many road transport companies, owner operators and small fleet businesses. Some are wealthy companies and others are strugglers who live from month to month. “I find that the richest operators come here and do everything they can to get the biggest discount. That is probably why they are so well off,” he said.

A town called friendly A lack of respect shown to truckies around the country is often the topic of conversation between drivers. Many members of the public only seem to have a kind word for truckies when they make deliveries to stock supermarket shelves after natural disasters like floods or bushfires. However, in recent months, some truckies have told Spy that they are generally being treated with respect at the town of Coolgardie in WA. Coolgardie is 558km east of the state capital, Perth,

The sign at the entrance to Coolgardie.

and has a population of less than 1000. “Every time I deliver at Coolgardie members of the public are courteous and really seem to treat us well,” one driver told me. He reckons that people in smaller country towns usually recognise the contributions that truck drivers make. “Coolgardie has a wide main street and I am told that is because it needed to be in its early history so the bullock drays could turn around. The people who run the IGA store there also look after truckies,” he said.

38 DRIVER PROFILES

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Truckin’ In The Tropics

with Alf Wilson

Danny Noonan

Danny Noonan was ready to transport a wide load from Townsville to the Adani Mine.

GLADSTONE based owner-operator Danny Noonan was preparing to transport a massive wide load from Townsville to the Adani Mine in central Queensland when he spoke with Big Rigs. The 49-year-old’s company is DK Noonan Transport and he was driving a Western Star 4900 powered by a 600hp Cummins motor. Noonan had loaded the heavy tank with a big capacity onto his trailer at Townsville Port after it had been shipped from China. With him were two pilot escort drivers who would be accompanying it on the long journey. It was about 1.30pm and they were at the new truck staging area on Benwell Road just outside the busy port gates. The temperature was a scorching 36 degrees and after a few minutes in the open the sun was burning your skin, but they could expect conditions to be much more comfortable when they started their marathon

journey 14 hours later. Adani coal mine is in the north of the Galilee Basin in Central Queensland and approximately 160km NorthWest of Clermont which is a long way from pick up point. “We won’t be leaving until 3am and will have two police vehicles with us as well as the pilots,” Noonan said.

The tank was a genuine huge load at 9.6m wide and 5.1m high but didn’t need Ergon Energy staff to travel with it to get under power lines. “We will be heading from here to Charters Towers along the Flinders Highway and just past there will detour towards Clermont

The tank was 9.6m wide and 5.1m high.

along the Belyando Highway,” he said. From Townsville to Charters Towers is 130km along the Flinders Highway before another 350km from there to Clermont and then the final 160km to Adani. Many truckies refer to the Clermont to Charters Towers section as the Belyando

Highway and it is official known as Gregory Development Road. Noonan has been a truckie for 20 years and an owner-operator for the past decade. The partner in his business is his wife Kylie, who he said he ‘couldn’t do without.’ The first truck Noonan purchased was an International Eagle which he when he started his business in 2010. Since then, his other trucks have been Western Stars. Noonan has two sons and Rory Noonan, the oldest, is training as an operator hoping to get his truck licence and drive for his father one day. The youngest at age 17 is Aidan Noonan, who is doing a mechanical apprenticeship and is hoping to work for the business in the future. “Danny and I have always hoped that we could bring the boys into the business one day which would be a huge help to us as it is hard to find younger truck drivers in this day and age because a lot of young ones go to the mines,” said Kylie. “It’s been hard for myself and the boys having Danny on the road a lot but it has always been a passion of his which he is extremely good at and he has earned a lot of the industry’s peeps and

business respect over the last 10 years. As his family we are extremely proud of what we have both built from nothing to a successful company over the 10 hard years with fuel prices and a tough economy.” On his travels Noonan likes stopping at the Carmila Roadhouse which is beside the Bruce Highway 235km north of Rockhampton and about 100km south of Mackay. Noonan nominated the Belyando Highway as amongst the worst he travels on. Regarding rest areas, he feels there is enough but he feels toilets and shade are required at a majority. Which is a sentiment expressed to by many drivers around this vast country. When he does get time off Noonan enjoys fishing at the creeks around Gladstone and on the reef out from the city. ”I have caught coral trout on the reef which are good eating,” he said. Superfit Noonan is one of the friendliest drivers I have met this year and has been in the tropics for many years. Lanky Noonan also used to a quality Australian Rules footballer who played for Inglewood in Victoria before heading to the sunshine state. Not surprisingly he was a ruckman.

Noonan drives this Western Star 4900 powered by a 600hp Cummins motor.

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Truckin’ In The Tropics Gavin Milburn

Matthias Fehrenbacher

70-year-old truckie Gavin Milburn is still going strong.

LONG time truckie Gavin Milburn is still going strong at the age of 70 and hopes to continue in the job he loves for several more years. Milburn drives a 2010 Mack powered by a 600hp Cummins and with an 18-speed gearbox for LK Drain Transport which is based at Brandon located 10km from Ayr. Big Rigs saw Milburn at the Townsville Port Access Road checking the trailers on his triple road train. “I have gear picked up from the Bohle here for a mining company adjacent to the Ta-

nami Desert in the Northern Territory,” he said. Milburn has been a driver for more than 50 years and with his current employer for the past 25. “I like the freedom on the road and reckon I can continue doing this for a lot more years.” The worst roads he has to travel on are the Flinders Highway between Hughenden and Julia Creek and the Tanami Track in the NT and his favourite roadhouse is the Lights on the Hill just past Hughenden. Outside work the super fit Octogenarian enjoys riding on

with Alf Wilson

Matthias Fehrenbacher drives a Fuso to sell fruit grown at the family farm.

his high-powered jet ski on the waters of Cleveland Bay. He reckons there are enough rest areas and barracks for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL. Milburn said he had just recently had another Covid-19 test, which was negative. “I had the vaccination jabs months ago,” he said. I asked Milburn how his Mack became known as “Give Me Room” after seeing that written on the front. “I named it that 10 years ago after a Slim Dusty song,” he said.

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A STEADY stream of traffic pulled up near an old Fuso parked at Lou Litster Park beside busy Boundary Street in Townsville. Fuso driver, Matthias Fehrenbacher was selling fruit such as mangoes, pineapples, lychees and watermelons, which had been grown at the family farm located at Crystal Creek north of the city. “Each November and December I bring the fruit down from the farm which is about 60km away and set up some shade at the back of the Fuso and display it,”

Fehrenbacher said. The 33-year-old self-employed owner-operator said despite having more than 300,000km on the clock the Fuso was a reliable vehicle. “It used to do a bread run in Townsville before I got it and on the farm. We also have an Isuzu which had been a military truck,” he said. Fehrenbacher has a permit from the local Council to set up usually from Wednesday to Saturday. The Fuso was in a prime spot just across from the gi-

SELLING A BUSINESS

ant Officeworks headquarters, next to the Causeway section of Ross Creek, and not far from the Townsville Civic Theatre. “I have been doing this at this spot for about five years,’’ he said. Of German descent, Fehrenbacher was born in Townsville and the farm is situated in a beautiful part of far north Queensland. Crystal Creek is about 60km north of Townsville and 50km south of Ingham and is renowned for its fertile soil and clear water.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Truckin’ In The Outback Anthony Griggs WORKING for NIX Freight, Townsville-based truckie Anthony Griggs, 38, runs triple road trains between Townsville and Darwin – and all the cattle stations in between. He got his truck licence at 22 and his MC licence at 23, but had the trucking bug long before that. His late grandfather used to cart sugar cane from the paddocks to the railway line,

and Griggs would often ride with him as a kid. “I was driving my grandfather’s truck before I was even a teenager, probably by the age of 12, around the cane paddocks,” he said. Griggs joined NIX Freight in June this year and drives a 2007 Western Star 4900, carting stock supplements and general freight to cattle stations throughout the Northern Territory, usually

with a triple road train. “It’s an absolutely beautiful truck to drive. It’s just very well built and they’re very well suited to the work – they aren’t overly plastic, so can handle that sort of work. At least 30 per cent of my work is on the dirt. He rates Western Creek Road and Dry River Road as some of the toughest he gets along. “And the Tablelands Highway, for a bitumen road

Griggs drives a 2007 Western Star 4900, delivering to cattle stations between Townsville and Darwin.

Anthony Griggs at the Majors Creek depot, while being loaded.

is quite ridiculous. But you just drive to the conditions and take it steady where you need to.” The challenges of the job are actually one of the things Griggs says he enjoys most. “No two days or two runs are the same. You might go to three different stations in a trip or just one, and on the runs home, you might have a load all the way or several stops. “I love stopping at the stations. You get to meet some really genuine people and you do develop friendships. You help them out, they help you out, it’s the old school outback way. I spent my early days on a cattle station in the Burdekin before becoming a truckie. I’ve always enjoyed being out in the bush.” Tarping and untarping is one aspect that can be quite physically challenging, especially in extreme heat.

“It’s a very physical and demanding task, you have to manage your own heat and workload. But a smart person works smarter, you don’t just keep going until you fall over. Load placement is the other important one, working your weights out to make sure you’re legal.” With Covid restrictions, Griggs says the biggest issue he’s had is the ever-changing rules. “You could be in the middle of nowhere when the rules change, so you get to the border not knowing, then get turned away at the border. They’ll make you drive nearly 500km back to get a test done. “If I’m busy working and then have to have a test done, I have to try and stop somewhere with a road train, which some days is impossible. There’s just not enough warning before rule changes come in. “The old school informa-

I LOVE STOPPING AT THE STATIONS. YOU GET TO MEET SOME REALLY GENUINE PEOPLE AND YOU DO DEVELOP FRIENDSHIPS. YOU HELP THEM OUT, THEY HELP YOU OUT, IT’S THE OLD SCHOOL OUTBACK WAY. I SPENT MY EARLY DAYS ON A CATTLE STATION IN THE BURDEKIN BEFORE BECOMING A TRUCKIE. I’VE ALWAYS ENJOYED BEING OUT IN THE BUSH.” ANTHONY GRIGGS

tion highway is slowly but surely dwindling away which is sad. Too many in it for the money, not the passion. For me, I’ve always loved driving trucks and aim to continue doing it until I retire.”

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Truckin’ In The Outback Boe Vella AT just 25 years of age, outback truckie Boe Vella is already making a name for himself in the trucking world, dividing his time between working for Fred NT and running his own small transport business. Now based in Howard Springs, he grew up in a remote outback community about 150km from Darwin. “My second home is Ramingining – that’s where I am now, it’s about 600km out of Darwin. I bring a lot of building and concrete products out that way,” Vella said. He was shown the ropes by his father, who taught him how to drive a truck when he was 10. “Dad had trucks since I was a baby, so I’ve always been around them. I like the big trucks, the sound of them, the life of the bush. I also love a good mission and it’s a bit of a mission doing outback trucking,” he added. Vella is on the dirt about 70 per cent of the time. “All

my usual routes are remote NT communities. I could be doing 1200km of dirt in a week,” he said. “I love going remote – the creek crossings, there’s always a lot of challenges, you don’t know what’s around the corner. And it’s a good-looking country-side too.” He drives a 1999 Western Star 4900 for Fred NT, which specialises in plumbing infrastructure; and also has his own 1993 International Transtar as well as some other smaller trucks for his own business. “I’ve had the International for two years. There’s a 525hp Cummins N14 in that one. It probably needs a restore in the next couple of years, but I need to make some more money first,” he joked. “I do a lot of transporting to remote communities. I have a concrete batching business too, so cart my own concrete products. I’m a bit of a jack of all trades. It keeps me busy. “I love going remote and

ALL MY USUAL ROUTES ARE REMOTE NT COMMUNITIES. I COULD BE DOING 1200KM OF DIRT IN A WEEK... I LOVE GOING REMOTE – THE CREEK CROSSINGS, THERE’S ALWAYS A LOT OF CHALLENGES.” BOE VELLA

being away from society. There’s no phone reception. Out there, you can just be you.” The Blythe River Crossing, Cahill’s Crossing (watch out for the crocs) and the Goat Track are notoriously difficult – and Vella wouldn’t have it any other way. “Blythe River has a big jump-up coming out of the river, and the river flows about 1m deep all year round. I got stuck there once and it took about six

hours to get out of it. I cross Blythe River very regularly – at least every 2-3 weeks. Next year I’ll be crossing it about three times a week. “Cahill Crossing is another tidal river. It comes up very easily with storms. I’ve had it come up on me before, so I’ve had to go all the way around to get back to Ramingining. I had a triple with a boat on one of the trailers and the boat actually caught fire,” he recalled. “The most challenging part of the job would be trying to get stuff done before the wet season. You know you can get in with the truck but it’s a two-day journey to get there. If the rivers come up, it can cause big delays in coming back.” Vella caught the eye of Outback Truckers producers too and appeared on three episodes in Season 9. “Everyone was stirring me up about going on the show, so I applied and got on,” he said. “They did one big trip with me for two weeks, then did one more.”

Vella loves going remote – and enjoys the challenge of a creek crossing too.

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Truckin’ In The Outback Drew Swift

Drew Swift says he has “one of the best jobs going around.”

‘Phatt Boii’ goes everywhere, and anywhere, with Swift behind the wheel of the hard-working Kenworth T604.

BASED out of Perth, Drew Swift has worked with Dantranz Logistics for just over two years and is currently working in the Pilbara driving a Kenworth T604 affectionately known as ‘Phatt Boii’. “We go everywhere and anywhere throughout the country. At the moment we’re supporting a goldmine out in Nullagine, but we can and will go anywhere,” said Swift.

rather found his way into the industry through a series of events. “I was a bit of a delinquent in school actually,” said Swift. “It was actually my now boss, who lived across the road, who found out I was in a bit of trouble at school and told me if I wasn’t going to go to school then I’d better go with him and learn something.

“We do some pick-ups out of Melbourne and Queensland fairly regularly.” Swift has had his MC licence for 11 years now and started off his career in the yard learning to load, tiedown and sweep floors – gradually working his way through the industry from the ground up. Unlike a lot of truckies, Swift didn’t harbour a desire to be a truckie early on, but

“I have a lot to thank him for in that regard.” Swift’s road into transport and logistics might have taken an unconventional path, but he now can’t see himself doing anything else. He said the solitude that the job brings is one of the most attractive elements of being on the road. “Not dealing with people all day, every day, but the best thing about it is being

able to go remote and work independently. “I proved to myself that I don’t need someone looking over my shoulder to make sure I’m doing what I’ve gotta do.” Whilst Swift admits he has one of the best jobs going around, he says breaking down in the middle of nowhere can be a drag. “Standing around in the middle of nowhere, waiting

Swift works for Dantranz Logistics and drives a Kenworth T604 affectionately known as ‘Phatt Boii’.

for assistance kind of sucks, but our boss has prepared us with all the tools we need to get ourselves out of a jam,” he said. Swift has seen some of the stranger corners of Australia and says you can be alone for hours before anyone comes along, but on one occasion he got more than he bargained for. “The weirdest thing I’ve seen isn’t a short story. “I was driving for a mining company a few years ago and I came around a bend on a dirt road and saw a set of headlights coming at me, so I dropped my high beams. “I saw one headlight disappear and come back. Then all the lights disappeared completely, so I put my headlights back up and there was absolutely nothing there. I’ll admit it freaked me out a bit. “I’d only been at work five hours, so I definitely can’t put it down to fatigue.” Odd occurrences aside, Swift has since travelled the same stretch of road with no dramas, but if anyone out there has seen anything out of the ordinary, then let us know. • If you, or someone you know, would like to be profiled in our Truckin in the Outback section, email all the contact details to editor@bigrigs.com.au.

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A greener option with an extended service life The Enveero fluid is unique as it is made from renewable feed stocks such as sugar cane.

POWERDOWN Australia has been at the forefront of innovation in the suspension industry for over 38 years – with an understanding of the importance of performance, safety and value. Driver safety and keeping vehicles on the road comes from regular maintenance and servicing, where replacement parts, such as shock absorbers, can become costly, especially if they are having to be replaced frequently. Powerdown has designed and developed Australia’s first ultra-high performance, biodegradable shock absorber fluid, specifically with Australian conditions in mind, and for fleets and companies who refuse to compromise on performance and reliability. Enveero provides a longer lifespan in comparison to those shock absorbers with semi-synthetic oils, with the benefit of being biodegradable

and environmentally friendly, and is backed by a twoyear/250,000km warranty. The Enveero fluid is unique as it is made from renewable feed stocks such as sugar cane and replaces traditional crude based oils used in shock absorbers to date. Tyre wear is a factor that can increase the cost of maintenance and is often the outcome of worn-out shock absorbers, which allow the tyres to bounce on the road’s surface. However, Enveero with its high flash point, exceeding 185°C (higher than that of traditional shock absorber fluids), along with anti-foaming properties, reduces fade or loss of damping of the shock absorber; maintaining vehicle control even on the warmest Australian summer days and harshest roads; increasing safety and minimising damper related tyre wear. These optimal features

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that come from Enveero have been tried and tested by Powerdown’s rigorous in-house and independent testing; and a seven-month on-road trial, through one of Australia’s hottest summers on record to date. There are multiple aspects of the Supershock with Enveero inside that sets it apart in the market, especially when considering longer service intervals and life span, such as: • A large bore size, of 45mm diameter; • E nveero inside, providing leading benefits with its ultra-high performing elements, whilst being environmentally friendly and biodegradable; • Low pressure gas to keep the unit operating at high temperatures; • Advanced low friction seals, to keep the dust out, providing longer shock absorber life; • Increased body size for extra fluid capacity to aid in cooling; • An exclusive on-vehicle ride height indicator (available on select applications); • H igh tensile strength; • H ydraulic stop/recoil cutoff, to help increase longevity and reduce fatigue on the shock absorber; and • DU bush in rod guide, which helps to reduce friction and wear when side loading occurs. The Powerdown Supershock with Enveero inside highlights the years of experience in the design and development of shock absorb-

THE POWERDOWN SUPERSHOCK WITH ENVEERO INSIDE HIGHLIGHTS THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SHOCK ABSORBERS SPECIFICALLY FOR AUSTRALIA’S HARSHEST OPERATING CONDITIONS.” ers specifically for Australia’s harshest operating conditions, with the advantage of the Enveero’s innovative technology; a cost effective servicing solution and environmentally conscious alternative. Helping to reduce the negative impacts on the environment, the ingredients in Enveero are highly biodegradable, which is measured by its ability to decompose by naturally occurring bacteria or other living organisms in the environment. The quicker it decomposes, the lower the environmental impact, resulting in less pollution. Testing has shown that Enveero reaches biodegradation greater than 60 per cent in 28 days. Supershock with Enveero inside will be available at Powerdown in December 2021; suitable for fitment to Kenworth, BPW, Hendrickson, Neway, ROR and York applications. To find out more, visit powerdown.com.au/products/enveero-shock-absorber-range/ or call the sales office on 02 4949 0000.

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One-stop shop for Detroit engines

A NEW business opened this year has been established with the aim of keeping your Detroit engine running in optimal condition. The team at Doctor Detroit are specialists in servicing and repairing Detroit engines. It’s their aim to keep you and your Detroit engine on the road, because in this business, down-time costs you money. The young, vibrant and

energetic team is always willing to go the extra mile to keep your engine running smoothly and reliably – because a healthy engine means there’s less chance of a breakdown. Doctor Detroit technicians are factory trained Detroit Diesel mechanics, bringing over 15 years of experience to the business, so you know your engine is in good hands. Doctor Detroit is your

After a low power complaint and sluggishness, this Freightliner Coronado was good as new after just one day in the Doctor Detroit workshop.

This Western Star 4900 carries its first load after a cylinder head replacement.

Three Western Stars at the Doctor Detroit workshop.

one-stop shop to repair anything with a Detroit Diesel engine at a fair price. The team services all types of Detroit Diesel engines, specialising in: • Series 60 12l • Series 60 14l • Series 60 EGR • DD15 • DD13 In only a short time in business, Doctor Detroit already has many happy customers. A case in point was a Freightliner Coronado owner who contacted the business after experiencing low power, difficulty getting into gear and

Speak to Doctor Detroit for all your Detroit engine needs including engine services, valve adjustments, electrical diagnostics, Detroit engine rebuilds, fleet maintenance and service plans, oil and coolant leaks, engine electronic tuning, on site services, engine removal and replacement, and batteries. For a free quote, call the ‘Doctor’ on 0416 511 722 or email drdet313@gmail.com. You can also book a service or repair by heading online at detroitdieselmechanic.com. au. Doctor Detroit is located in Kemps Creek, NSW.

sluggishness during take-offs. The team of technicians got the issue resolved in just one day, with the customer reporting improved throttle performance. “It’s like a new truck to drive,” said the customer. “Very happy with the service.” An immaculate and well looked after Western Star was also good to go with very little downtime. The truck needed a cylinder head replacement due to valve recession. That, combined with a few other Detroit repairs, means this Western Star is ready for another 500,000km before an engine rebuild.

IN ONLY A SHORT TIME IN BUSINESS, DOCTOR DETROIT ALREADY HAS MANY HAPPY CUSTOMERS. A CASE IN POINT WAS A FREIGHTLINER CORONADO OWNER WHO CONTACTED THE BUSINESS AFTER EXPERIENCING LOW POWER, DIFFICULTY GETTING INTO GEAR AND SLUGGISHNESS DURING TAKE-OFFS.”

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Joyall Tyres drive for lowcarbon freight transport

DURING November at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, nations from around the globe were united to deliberate a carbon neutral roadmap and accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement. Trucks currently emit over 65 per cent of all freight CO2 globally and will remain the dominant mode of freight transport in Australia. As a mark of Joyall Tyres’ committment to producing products in the most environmentally responsible and sustainable ways, the Joyall (Weihai) factory has been awarded

with an ISO 14001:2015 certification for its effective environmental management systems during product design, development and production. According to GB294492012 (Energy Consumption Standards for Tyre Production), China’s required energy consumption quota is 390kgce per ton of tyres. Joyall has successfully managed to achieve only 188kgce per ton in 2020, which is less than half of the national standard, making Joyall a leading manufacturer in low energy usage during the tyre production process.

Joyall truck tyres are proving to be a cost-effective solution for Waldie Transport.

Joyall is proudly supported by local Aussie businesses, such as Waldie Transport in Melbourne; a family owned and operated transport company specialising in local, regional and interstate haulage. Since owner-operators Murray and Glenda Waldie started operations in 1987, Waldie Transport has grown its fleet and services to become a trusted, efficient and cost-effective provider of logistics for over 30 years. Waldie Transport has depots in Epping, Somerton and Derrimut and operates a fleet of refrigerated, controlled environment, dry transport and GPS tracked vehicles, that enables Waldie Transport to provide real-time information regarding supply chain deliveries. Waldie Transport has partnered with Tyreriffic Australia (R K Wholesale Tyres) to provide all their tyre needs for their fleet. The introduction of Joyall truck tyres has enabled Waldie Transport to provide a cost-effective solution for their tyre needs and excellent CPK returns for their diverse fleet.

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Gas emissions treatment system at Joyall’s Weihai factory.

Workshop foreman Dale Salvatore and tyre technician Jeff, congratulated Joyall Tyres on producing extremely high quality and reliable products. “Waldie Transport will continue to reduce its operating costs and downtime by continuing to use Joyall Tyres in our fleet,” they said. Low-carbon freight transport matters to everyone at Waldie Transport, Tyreriffic Australia and Joyall Tyres. Through the use of longer lasting tyres that demand less fuel consumption during both tyre production

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The Truckie’s Top Tips for Sharing the Road by NRFA President Rod Hannifey 1. Please don’t cut in front of trucks appr The ‘DO NOT OVERTAKE TURNING VEHICLE’ sign PLEASE REMEMBER: IF YOU CAN’T SEE THE TRUCK DRIVER, HE CAN’T SEE YOU.

If being passed by a truck don’t allow your speed to increase, this only increases the time involved.

Speed limiting means no engine power above 100 km/hr, though gravity can push us faster downhill.

Road courtesy and a bit of patience may save your life;

Road positioning.

High beam glare contributes to night driving fatigue.

Caravans – When being overtaken, maintain speed and position, only slow when the truck has moved out to pass.

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port from Caterpillar shows that worst drivers can have 25 per cent higher fuel consumption than the best drivers. To advocate efficient driving, Joyall Tyres Australia has started a campaign to promote ‘The Best Aussie Truck Drivers’. Please visit www.joyalltyre. com.au/contact.html and leave your contact details and your experience with lowering your fuel consumption to win a free-of-charge Promata brand Mata T2-2 TPMS valued at $299 for the first five truck drivers to respond.

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and running, they collectively strengthen their competitive advantage. The Earth is our common home and sustainable, premium and long-lasting tyres help meet their shared goal as we move into the future with greener and more efficient transport. With sustainability in mind, influencing truck driver behaviour is also important with significant differences in fuel consumption through vehicle speed, acceleration, brake usage, shifting technique, trailer gap setting, idle time and tyre inflation pressure among drivers. A re-

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Where is the industry’s roadmap out of Covid? BY THE BORED NEUROTIC HOUSEWIFE

We can all see the GENERAL Roadmap out of Covid-19, but where is the freight and logistics roadmap out?

THE states and territories have been announcing their general road maps out of Covid-19 over the past month once they reach the vaccination percentages they are chasing. As essential service/essential workers, the freight and logistics industry has been running on its own government protocol (with states/ territories tweaking them for their own jurisdiction) in parallel to the public protocols. We can all see the GENERAL Roadmap out of Covid-19, but where is the freight and logistics roadmap out? October, November, December last year, the threat of Covid seemed to dissipate, or so we thought. Enforcement, testing, etc just seemed to up stumps and go home without commentary. Freight and Logistics was left languishing then too. Until Aunty Delta arrived. Once Delta turned up to stay there was no continuity. Each state/territory ran its

own race creating a total head squeeze for the interstate truck drivers and businesses. Common sense seemed to disappear too. A Bored Neurotic Housewife was skimming through an industry magazine during the morning coffee break and noticed a story about a driver who got stuck in Hotel Quarantine. It looks like the freight protocol is not just confusing the drivers and police at the road borders, but at the airports too. The driver needed to fly to Queensland to pick up their loaded vehicle, then leave again. The authorised officers (i.e., the police) told the driver they can’t fly in on a freight pass. The now confused driver became distraught. They hadn’t budgeted for a stint in what must be a luxurious hotel for quarantine at a cost of $230 a day PLUS meals at $65 a day. I reckon I could make a pretty good meal plan up for that kind of money, including plenty of fish! The driver tried to explain about the Queensland Freight Protocol but was told they

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couldn’t fly in on a freight pass and they had never seen anyone try. They said the driver would need to be taken to hotel quarantine until they provided a couple of documents to prove they were meeting the requirements of the freight protocol. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, this is where the lunacy really kicks in Got your coffee ready? After being told “she’ll be right when you just provide your papers” the driver just goes along with the police to hotel quarantine to sort it out. Expecting maybe an hour or so to find and supply the evidence, the driver calmed down and set themself to the task of meeting the requirements that were written in the Quarantine Direction. A little while later (less than half an hour), the driver and business owner have located the requested documents and sent it to the people in charge at the facility. Fantastic, should be out pretty quickly and the load will still be delivered in an okay timeframe. After a little while, the driver decides to

COLUMN 49

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Once, a long time ago when the NHVR first came into being, they had a 24/7 confidential hotline.

speak to those on the premises as they still hadn’t heard anything after an hour or two. Oopsie, that paperwork isn’t the right stuff. Now they have to provide more info apparently! Grrr! okay, but if that paperwork is filled in, it might change the driver’s status for entry. Thinking, thinking, thinking... Well, if that’s what you’re told to do by those holding you captive, that’s what you do. New paperwork submitted, so now you just wait. After being scurried away from the airport like a leper, despite having Covid-19 negative test result and adhering to all the legal requirements you’d been meeting through the pandemic, you’d think you’d be safe. Just to be sure, you call

the Covid hotline, and your fears are put to rest when you’re assured, not just once but multiple times by different people from the help line, you’ve been doing everything right. Phew, so now it’s just a matter of time and all will be good with the world. After not hearing anything, like any normal person you’d be starting to get anxious and ask those that have told you to supply the information what was going on and when will you be released, right? Simple question with a not so simple answer when you deal with government bodies. The driver is now told they need additional information and to settle in while they send your paperwork to those that can make a decision. Wait, what? Can’t those ask-

ing for the paperwork make the decision? No, they’re just doing their job but don’t have the authority to make a decision to spring you from the clink, only the authority to put you in! It’s a Saturday and your boss is doing everything they can to help you get everything they ask for in the hope of getting you out. More people are asked for help and guidance, and then more people, but it’s a weekend and many of the regular associations and other bodies that would normally be called upon are having their BBQ’s or doing whatever it is they do on the weekend and aren’t readily available. You’re not allowed to talk with anyone that is able to make the decision and you are

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told you just must wait until your paperwork is assessed – maybe a day or two! Is there any wonder why the person being told they JUST need to provide two documents and they’d be good to go in an hour or two gets angry and anxious when they’re told it now may be a day or two? But wait, there’s more! After much flip-flopping, like the fish I’ll be preparing for dinner was when it was caught, about who has the authority to release the driver, the police or Queenslanld Health, a chat with the wardens the following day identified a possible new hiccup. MAYBE the driver had said to the police at the airport they have family in the area they might visit if the load wasn’t ready. This wasn’t documented in the Quarantine Direction given to the driver, so where did this rumour start and WHY? And the exemption the driver was told to submit – well it was sent to the wrong government department because the driver was already in Queensland, so it needed to be sent to another department who will get to it, whenever that may be! At the time of writing this, nearly four days after the driver was taken to hotel quarantine, they are still sitting in their cell waiting for the pardon to come. The wheels of justice are extremely slow, especially if you’re languishing in a cell unnecessarily, that you can’t afford but must pay for regardless of the outcome.

Once, a long time ago when the NHVR first come into being, and they had a 24/7 confidential hotline, the driver could have phoned that service. But no one utilised it, drivers didn’t trust it and its opening hours were reduced to office hours. Drivers didn’t trust that what they said would be confidential, that it wouldn’t be used against them and ultimately that something would be done. They also felt that the boys’ club would sweep it under the carpet. Now, more drivers are finally seeing the benefits of

using the hotline, they’ve seen, or have heard the results. But still many complain ‘what’s the use, nothing gets done?’, ‘no one answers’, ‘it’s out of office hours’, etc. Maybe it’s time to revisit, reinstate the 24/7 service, and show drivers how it’s used, how the process works and what results have come from it. Also, drivers need to understand that they need to utilise it and when reporting on it, be serious and supply proof, it’s not the UHF. Time for a double shot – BNH style.

The driver tried to explain about the Queensland Freight Protocol but was told they couldn’t fly in to Cairns from Victoria on a freight pass.

50 COLUMN

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Questions raised over hydrogen

BY ROBIN SMIT, ENOCH ZHAO AND HUSSEIN DIA

DECARBONISING transport is crucial in the fight to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius this century. But as independent researchers in transport emissions and energy, we believe the focus on hydrogen in road transport is misplaced. Hydrogen may play a larger role in the long-haul truck market, as its stated benefits include a long drive range and short refuelling times, which are important for this sector. But hydrogen competes with a dynamic and fast-moving electric truck market, which shows significant and continuous annual improvements in battery energy density, and prices. What’s more, truck makers – such as Daimler, MAN, Renault, Scania and Volvo – have indicated they see an all-electric future. The often-stated benefits of hydrogen dissipate when compared with alternative electric truck technology. This includes battery swapping, which allows

for short refuelling times, and the development of e-highways (roads that automatically recharge vehicles when they drive along it). While it’s true these systems are still being tested in, for instance, Europe and the US, they have a promising outlook. For example, in July the UK government announced £2 million (A$3.66 million) to design overhead charging cables that would power electric lorries on a motorway. Likewise, the battery swapping network in China already dwarfs the hydrogen refuelling network, although the system is still in its infancy. An overlooked but fundamental issue with using hydrogen in transport is its low energy efficiency. Hydrogen is not an energy source, it is an energy carrier. This means it needs to be generated, compressed or liquefied, transported and converted back into useful energy – and each step of the process incurs a substantial energy loss. There are three other, perhaps less well known, issues with hydrogen we believe should be seriously considered. First, the potential for sig-

nificant leakage of hydrogen during production, transport and use. Hydrogen is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, and any loss of hydrogen reduces the overall energy efficiency. Second, hydrogen emissions from leakage may add to local and regional air pollution, and may even deplete the ozone layer in the stratosphere, but further research is needed in this space. And finally, hydrogen needs clean fresh water, and lots of it. A single hydrogen fuel cell car requires about 9 litres of clean, demineralized water for every 100km driven. For a large truck, this would be over 50 litres per kilometre. If sea water and desalination plants were used to produce the water, another energy loss would be added to the production process, penalising overall energy efficiency even further. Decarbonising road transport needs to be rapid, deployed at scale, and requires a holistic strategy that promotes shifts in everyday travel behaviour. Betting on the future large-scale availability of hydrogen for this sector won’t

Truck makers, such as Daimler, have indicated they see an all-electric future with several national fleets here, including Australia Post, quick to come on board.

see this happen fast enough. It also risks locking in fossil-fuel dependency, and its additional greenhouse gas emissions, if upscaling clean hydrogen falls short of expectations. We need to minimise energy demand and improve energy efficiency in transport as much as possible and as fast as possible. The available evidence suggests battery electric vehicles are the only feasible technology that can achieve

this in the near future. For a rapid reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, we should electrify transport where we can, and use other options like green hydrogen where we genuinely can’t, such as long-range shipping and aviation. And depending on how truck electrification efforts develop, hydrogen may still have a role in long-haul trucking, but it will use a lot of extra renewable energy.

• T his is an extract from a story originally published at The Conversation. About the authors: Robin Smit is an Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney founder of and a director at Transport Energy/Emission Research (TER), Enoch Zhao is a PhD Candidate, University of Technology Sydney, and Hussein Dia is Professor of Future Urban Mobility, Swinburne University of Technology.

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AT THE WHEEL DAVID MEREDITH contributors@bigrigs.com.au

TRUCKIN’ ON THE BORDER DAVID VILE

COLUMN 51

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Removal of signs puts NSW revenue over safety EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

james.graham@bigrigs.com.au

TWU NEWS

TWU NEWS RICHARDOLSEN OLSEN RICHARD TWU NSW State Secretary TWU NSW/QLD State Secretary

IT was 2019 and the TWU was amongst the voices who protested the removal of warning signs for mobile speed cameras. We recognised the move for what it was, a revenue raising process for the NSW Government. I want to make it clear that the TWU acknowledges the

TASSIE TRUCKIN’ JON WALLIS contributors@bigrigs.com.au

role that mobile speed cameras play as one of many tools to reduce speeding and improve road safety. We do have serious concerns about the way they currently LEGAL EAGLE operate. It is KING as clear as daylight, ROWAN removal ofRK the Principal Lawyer Law warning signs has served as a massive revenue raiser for the NSW Government. The revenue from mobile speed cameras for offences less than 10km/h has increased from $2.3m in 2019/2020 to $23.3m in the last financial year. A jump in revenue like that can only mean one thing. Speed cameras are playing a game of catch all, rather than

The union wants to see speed camera signs return to NSW roads.

acting as the deterrent they were originally supposed to be. The TWU have seen the evidence available from the first six months of 2021 and it shows that the changes to the mobile speed camera program announced in November 2020 have not had a significant effect in terms of reducing rates of speeding, but we can see the cash for the NSW Government rolling in. The financial hit on drivers must be tremendous, already suffering at the hands of the other revenue raisers like Transurban Linkt and their ongoing increase in toll road costs and the fuel companies, whose prices for diesel continue to increase. We have safety concerns that need to heard as well, for example, some car drivers panic when they recognise at the last minute, an unmarked speed camera, they then slam on the brakes. What safety assurances does a heavy vehicle operator travelling behind that car have? If the NSW Government are serious about their safety claims for removing the sig-

TWU is calling on the state government to publicly provide the detailed data about mobile speed camera fines, including the number of fines issued to heavy vehicles.

nage, then they can help us out with the following recommendations the TWU made to the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry. Let’s look at the truth of what is happening. The TWU is calling on the NSW Government to publicly provide the detailed data about mobile speed camera fines, including the number of fines issued to heavy vehicles. Get the locations right. The

NSW Government should consider factors such as population distribution, traffic volumes, the mix of vehicle types and historical road safety data at particular locations when apportioning additional operation hours for mobile speed cameras. Such factors must be considered when considering new locations for mobile speed cameras to operate in. Bring back the signage. The NSW Government should

introduce permanent mobile speed camera warning signs for both directions of travel, at every approved mobile speed camera location. This includes installing signage at any new locations that are added to the list of approved locations in the future. Safety in the transport industry is a shared responsibility, to bring drivers back home at the end of each shift, not an opportunity to raise revenue.

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Plenty to celebrate in the most challenging of years

COST CUTTER CHET CLINE AIR CTI founder/owner

AT THE WHEEL DAVID MEREDITH

TRUCKIN’ ON THE BORDER DAVID VILE

tinue to seek more benefits for members. We nominated several members for various awards this year, Merry Manton in the Women in Industry awards, EDITOR she is aGRAHAM finalist in the Safety JAMES Advocacy and the Excellence james.graham@bigrigs.com.au in Transport Awards; Annastasia Denigan who won the Queensland Trucking Association Woman of the Year. Unfortunately, the ATA awards, the Women in Industry awards and the AFIA awards were postponed until next year. The Trish Pickering Memorial TWUAward NEWSwas awarded at the end of yearOLSEN Melbourne dinner RICHARD to Hazel Whitmore, the recipiTWU NSW State Secretary ent is chosen by the board and is confirmed by the sponsor. This year we took the Father’s Day raffle online as many of our members especially corporate members were working from home. This worked really well and were able to run the raffle at minimal cost to the organisation, we will continue to use this option in the future. The Driving the Difference scholarships were offered once again this year and we were able to offer six scholarships, as always to very deserving winners.

We hope to offer the scholarships again in 2022. We had some changes to the board during this year with Jodie Broadbent resigning in FebruaryTRUCKIN’ and Cinzia Chu in TASSIE June. We also JON WALLIS lost life member, Steve Post, who passed away in contributors@bigrigs.com.au June this year. We held events for International Women’s Day in Melbourne and Sydney and joined the QTA in Brisbane. Also in March, we were part of the NTI Lunch and Learn which focussed on the Creating Connections Mentoring programme. Jacquelene LEGAL EAGLE also presented at the ARTIO, ROWAN KING Women inRKTransport Breakfast Principal Lawyer Law in Sydney. In April, I was invited to present at the Snowy Monaro Regional Heavy Vehicle Freight Forum, the Senate RRAT Reference Committee and become a member of the Victorian DoT Women in Transport Steering Committee. In May True Ross took part in the LOGEX Career Expo at Prairiewood High School and in June I attended a careers day at Campbelltown Performing Arts High School. This was

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

WOMEN IN TRANSPORT TRANSPORT WOMEN IN JACQUELENE BROTHERTON JACQUELENE BROTHERTON Chair of Transport WomenWomen Australia Chair of Transport

Australia

IT has been another year of unprecedented unrest and turmoil, not only for our industry but our country and the world. TWAL has not managed to emerge unscathed as two of our initiatives had to be set aside during Covid-19 pandemTHE OZthe TRUCKER ic, Women Driving Transport MIKE WILLIAMS Careers which is now being recontributors@bigrigs.com.au newed and the first programme will take place in February 2022 and the Learning Initiatives Breakfast series. Although we did plan three of these in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, they were ultimately cancelled. We will set plans for, and a theme for these early in the new year. The Creating Connections Mentoring LOBBYIST programme continued SHEARER with the commitment STEVE from thoseAssociation involved; and SA Road Transport Executive Director membership also continued to build, and we were able to con-

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

Chair Jacquelene Brotherton, far left, attended Campbelltown Performing Arts High School’s careers day in June. Photo: Facebook

part of a Inspire Australia Programme. We also had our usual stunningly successful Brisbane Truck Show breakfast with Coralie Chapman, Elizabeth McGrath and the Manton Family. In August, none of the board was able to attend a pared back function at the Alice Springs Road Transport Hall of Fame but we did hold the opening breakfast and provide the lucky door prize and other information.

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In September, the Women Driving Transport Careers Programme was a finalist at the Victorian Training Awards in the Industry Collaboration Category. In October, we commenced our new research – Women Working in Transport – A Snapshot! Revisited. From January to June, we hosted the successful Driving the Difference Show on IETV but the board decided not to continue with the show into the new financial year. We have

grown our social media presence substantially; launched an Instagram account and a YouTube channel. This adds to our Facebook group, Facebook page and our LinkedIn Page. We also had meetings with Young Professional Women Australia and Women in Marine, and had an article in Trading Places Magazine. Unfortunately, our Driving the Difference conference which was to be held in May has been postponed until June 3-5, 2022.

COLUMN 53

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

We need better truck driver medical standards ATA CHAIR DAVID SMITH Australian Trucking Association

WHEN they meet on December 15, Australia’s transport ministers will have the opportunity to fix the medical standards for truck drivers. The medical standards are not fit for purpose. They are not good enough for deciding if someone is up to the demanding task of driving a truck safely. The medical standards are set out in a document called Assessing Fitness to Drive, or AFTD. It includes two sets of standards: one for private drivers and one for commercial drivers. The commercial standards are used for both licensing and accreditation medicals, such as for NHVAS, TruckSafe and Western Australian Heavy Vehicle Accreditation. The National Trans-

All heavy vehicle drivers should be required as a licensing condition to have regular medicals.

port Commission reviewed AFTD this year, but they completely missed the key problems with the commercial standards. Most importantly, the standards do not deal properly with sleep apnoea, a condition that can cause people to fall asleep while driving.

The current approach checks for sleep apnoea through the list of questions that you fill in before you see the doctor. The questions ask you to think about eight situations and mark down your chance of dozing off on a scale from zero to three. The situations

range from sitting and reading, to lying down to rest in the afternoon, to being stopped in a car for a few minutes in traffic. I’m sure you can see the problem. Some drivers will understate their chance of drowsing off. I know of two fatal crash-

es since 2010 that could have been prevented if AFTD had better sleep apnoea screening. I am sure that better screening would have also prevented an untold number of crashes involving injuries or vehicle damage. When the ATA raised our concerns in the review, the NTC told us that amending the medical standards to include stronger screening was legally a matter for each state and territory. We provided the NTC with legal advice showing this was incorrect. They then switched to a different objection and claimed they had never raised the legal argument in the first place. The NTC’s own approach is to develop a separate driver health standard as part of the review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law. There are two disastrous problems with this idea. It would, most likely, only apply to drivers working for businesses in the new version of NHVAS. That’s not good enough. It would also involve extra cost and confusion.

Drivers might have to get two separate medicals (one for the NHVR and one, if required, for their state driver licensing authority). Doctors would be unsure about what standard they should use. In the ATA’s view, Australia’s transport ministers should use their December 15 meeting to reject the 2021 AFTD review. Ministers should require the NTC to do the review again and amend the AFTD commercial standards to include objective screening tests for sleep apnoea, diabetes and cardiac risk level. They should also agree to take the proposed driver health standard out of the national law. Instead, all heavy vehicle drivers should be required as a licensing condition to have regular medicals against the improved version of the standards. This approach would increase the chances that drivers with health problems could get them found and treated – so they could continue working safely and continue with their lives.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Compliance and vaccine mandates cripple operators are wreaking havoc on road transport operators, according to a survey we recently conducted. The VTA queried more than 75 small, medium and large operators carrying freight on a range of issues that have emerged during the pandemic to understand how regulatory adjustments might assist the industry. The survey offered a timely insight into the sentiments of the road freight industry. Among the key findings, 84 per cent of operators said Covid restrictions had negatively impacted their business, 62 per cent have lost an average of 4 per cent of their drivers because of mandatory vaccinations, with one operator surveyed losing half his drivers, 95 per cent of operators are experiencing a shortage of drivers, with nearly 1800 vacancies in the responding companies alone, and 90 per cent said they would support regulatory changes enabling 18-yearolds to be trained to attain a heavy vehicle licence. The findings echo what we’ve been expressing for

VTA COMMENT PETER ANDERSON CEO, Victorian Transport Association

THE Australian road freight industry is one of the most regulated sectors in the world, with three tiers of government applying various levels of oversight to how operators go about their business. Regulation is for the most part well-intentioned, with the industry understanding some degree of oversight is required to maintain high standards in areas such as safety, emissions, and community amenity. The Covid pandemic has introduced new levels of compliance to transport in the interests of containing its spread. The VTA has advocated for sensible and uniform measures to minimise supply chain disruptions. However, onerous compliance measures and vaccine mandates for freight workers

BRING

The VTA queried more than 75 small, medium and large operators carrying freight on a range of issues.

months and unless action is taken to help industry attract new drivers, supply chains would continue to be vulnerable. When 95 per cent of operators say they can’t find enough drivers, it confirms more needs to be done by governments in partnership with industry to recruit people. Victoria’s heavy vehicle

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licencing system is broken and we need urgent action to attract young people to our rapidly aging profession. Nine in 10 operators said they would support a licencing regime that would professionally train and employ 18-year-old school leavers to drive a heavy vehicle. The government must act on this information, or the shortage will get worse as older drivers retire, with the inevitable consequences being higher consumer prices. I’ve long said that if you can pilot a plane at 16 and fight in the armed forces overseas at 18, there’s no reason an 18-year-old couldn’t be trusted behind the wheel of a heavy vehicle after extensive training and instruction. Losing an average 4 per cent of drivers is the last thing an operator needs in the middle of a labour shortage crisis. Vaccine mandates that have driven some out of

the profession underscores our industry’s urgent need for licencing reform to attract young, new people to freight and logistics. The survey also queried respondents about their environmental policies at a time when the national conversation about emissions reductions is fever-pitched. Three-quarters (76 per cent) of operators have an environmental policy in their business and 82% would support regulatory changes to encourage low emission heavy vehicles. The quickest way to reduce heavy vehicle emissions is to incentivise operators to replace their fleets with vehicles that have lower emitting Euro 5 and 6 engines. Respondents were also asked about the three biggest issues they would face next year with labour availability (96 per cent), costs and rates management (62 per cent)

and fuel pricing (50 per cent) the most pressing for freight operators. As we come to the end of another challenging year, it is certainly encouraging that jurisdictions are opening, restaurants and shops are trading again, and people are enjoying their freedoms. However, as the emergence of the Omicron strain of the virus has demonstrated, Covid will be with us for some time, and it’s important measured regulation is applied as we live with the virus so that supply chains don’t collapse. It has been a privilege have this platform to communicate the views of the VTA with drivers and operators that are at the coalface of our industry every day over the past year. I wish you a very safe and happy Christmas and look forward to continuing the important conversation about the road transport industry with you next year.

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FEATURE 55

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Milestone moment for Aussie truck parts giant

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Burson Auto Parts in 2021, we brought together two icons of the aftermarket industry. two icons of the Australian automotive aftermarket industry to discuss where it all started and how this company co-founder’s legacy has contributed to the creation of the largest automotive aftermarket specialised company in the Asia Pacific region.

Garry, how was Burson Auto Parts born? GJ - It all started from an idea that I and my friend Ron Burgoine had about Burson Auto Parts co-founder going into business together. Garry Johnson. I was the accounting and finance person and he was the GARRY Johnson (the “son” sales person. The only probIn Burson), together with lem was that we had no monpartner Ron Burgoine (the ey. We were looking at busi“Bur” in Burson) set out on nesses that were for sale and I an exciting automotive busi- visited a business agent who ness venture more than 50 advised of the re-launch of an years ago. oil additives and chemicals Their determination to business to the local market. succeed along with the efAfter looking at their forts of the hard-working business plan and their estabpeople who joined them lished sales to date through along the journey went on to service stations interstate, we establish Australia’s leading thought it had potential. So I trade supplier of automotive took out a second mortgage parts, tools, accessories and on my house and together equipment. with an equal contribution This was achieved from from Ron, we found ourthe very humble beginnings selves selling oil additives and of selling accessories and car other chemical products to parts to service stations and service stations and other aumechanics from the boot of tomotive outlets. So the fact a car and the back of a van. that we were now in the autoIn 1985, Garry Johnson motive business was by sheer acquired Ron Burgoine’s 50 fluke, we hadn’t planned it per cent share to become the that way at all. This business sole owner of Burson Auto opportunity came along and Parts. After taking the com- it fitted into our financial capany as far as Johnson and pacity at the time. his talented management We placed a great deal of team could in the years to product into service stations follow, it was Darryl Aboto- on consignment, so our cusmey and his executive man- tomers only bought what agement team who carried they sold and we regularly the Burson Auto Parts (and replenished stock on a stand subsequently Bapcor Limit- that we provided using a stathe latestuneNews tion 3 timeswagon a week straight yourThen inbox on ed) baton toReceive previously and a to van. your computer, laptop, tablet Stay up to dateproducts, with the latest imaginable heights. weor phone. got into other industry news and get access to some exclusive subscriber offers. We bring together these initially with car mats, street

From left, Bapcor Limited CEO Darryl Abotomey and Burson Auto Parts co-founder Garry Johnson.

directories and other allied automotive products that we could sell when visiting our service station customers, which included some replacement auto parts. This was how we got started in the automotive parts business. We then established some cash vans to drive around Melbourne and regional Victoria, selling parts to mechanics who could just step into the back of the van and source whatever parts they needed on a regular basis. We ended up with nine cash

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vans which were received well by our service station and workshop customers. At around the same time our aftermarket car mat business continued to grow and we were packaging and selling our carpet mats to K-Mart, Target and other retail stores, along with our service station customers. This became a source of solid and reliable income for us through those early years, which helped us to grow the auto parts business. We were on a weekly call

cycle to our trade customers with our cash vans but we quickly identified that our customers needed hourly or bi-hourly service for parts. An opportunity came for us to take over the lease a former Lapco warehouse in Braybrook in 1971. While we didn’t take on the existing Lapco parts business as we didn’t have a lot of money back then, we did want the lease deal and the established shelving which came cheap. We then had our first Burson Auto Parts store, support-

ed by a warehouse in West Heidelberg, offering faster deliveries to mechanics in the area and serving as a base for our cash vans to service other areas of Melbourne. We then took on a second store in South Melbourne and gradually acquired existing spare parts businesses to expand our store and parts delivery footprint across Melbourne and Victoria. Soon enough we had reps out on the road as well, working hard to grow our trade business. Continued on page 56

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56 FEATURE From page 55 Ron and I worked very hard in those early days, he was in sales and I was more on the financial and operational side. By 1985 and with a network of 13 Burson Auto Parts stores, I bought out Ron and the journey of growth continued for the company focussing on parts and service. I went from being a mild-mannered accountant to becoming an entrepreneur seeking to strongly grow the business. I planned to float the company on the ASX in 1987, to grow it through equity rather than always being in debt, but just as I was entering into the process, there was a major stock market crash and while all the preparations and the debt that goes with the process had been committed, I took some advice from my broker and unfortunately had to pull the float. Garry, tell us about reaching the point of deciding that it was time to hand over the reins. GJ: I had almost reached 70 years of age, I was trying to be a part time CEO and the owner, always trying to grow the company, but not wanting to take on too much debt. Certain areas of the business were getting away from our skill-set like IT and HR. As the majority shareholder I had to assess my commitment to Burson, including my own life goals. After an emotional discussion with my fellow directors and shareholders, on September 7, 2011 I wrote a memo to our team saying that my time was up and that I would be selling the business after 40 years at the helm. It was the saddest memo that I had ever written. The company was in a strong financial position with good systems and procedures, dedicated and hard working staff - all was in place for the right new owners to drive the company into a bigger and better future. While this was the right decision, it was still a very tough and highly emotional

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU one for me. I absolutely loved the entire Burson Auto Parts journey, I loved the phones ringing with new and exciting opportunities, opening new stores and working with such a great team of dedicated people. Having reached a total of 92 stores, I then went through the sale process with KPMG and discussed the likely buyers, there was a New Zealand group, Private Equity, Repco and Supercheap. I didn’t like the idea of selling the company to the opposition because I cared about my staff and the hard work they had put into this company, so I wanted a buyer who would continue the Burson Auto Parts culture and journey that we had started and built from the ground up. DA: I’d like to quote you on what you said to me at the time about selling Burson Auto Parts to a competitor. You said that you wouldn’t be able to sleep straight in bed at night if you had done that to your people - turned them over to the enemy. Even though you could have earned a substantial amount more by doing that. GJ: So after reviewing the potential buyers I had a few coffees with Darryl as we had been friends through family connections for several years and I was impressed by his industry experience and knowledge. I told him that I was really struggling with the sale process. I didn’t like the proposals that I had received to that point and Darryl suggested that he could organise a management buy-out and would like the opportunity to present this to us. I thought about it and called my 2IC, Andrew Schram, to have a talk to Darryl and see if he liked his proposal. I bounced everything off Andrew for the four decades that we worked together so of course I strongly trusted his judgement. They met up and Andrew gave the thumbs-up to Darryl and his plans for the company, endorsing the belief that I also had.

So I pressed the Darryl button to move forward with his proposal and it has resulted in a fantastic journey for Burson Auto Parts with him and his talented management team at the helm over the past decade. I would never have thought that they would have achieved the growth that has been made and reach a market capitalisation of just under three billion dollars within ten years. It has been truly extraordinary, and Darryl is the rock star of it all Garry, did you ever think that the company you co-founded would ever become this big? GJ: No I didn’t and I am sure that Darryl didn’t either! Not within ten years for sure. Darryl grasped the opportunity to consolidate a major automotive aftermarket company with the Metcash acquisition, to become the biggest in the country and this was an excellent strategic move, the opportunity presented itself at the right time. DA: In the early days we set a target of having 175 Burson Auto Parts stores, it was never anything beyond that. Then as things transpired it changed our thinking somewhat, but the one thing that we have and will never lose sight of is that Burson Auto Parts is a trade business and won’t ever become anything but that. We have expanded our product ranges and so forth but there will always be a definite lineation between the retail businesses that we acquired and Burson Auto Parts. This works very well because our businesses are not competing with each other and they are not trying to be dual retail and trade businesses. We also know what each business is all about and we respect that there are distinct differences between retail customers and trade customers. Trade is all about service and working closely with mechanics, it requires a far more intrinsic knowledge set to best service our customers.

Burson Auto Parts Co-founder Garry Johnson and Bapcor Limited CEO Darryl Abotomey.

The other important change was our move into Specialist Wholesale businesses, we bought into the bearings and auto electrical sides of the business and in 2017 we acquired Hellaby’s auto parts businesses in New Zealand. We also had the ability to get involved in the truck and heavy-duty side of the business because no one was doing it the Burson way, using the synergies of the entire group. We have now become the only group in Australia that supplies parts for all types of vehicles – cars, light and heavy commercial and trailers. Darryl, what sets the Burson Auto Parts style of doing business so special? There are three core things that Burson Auto Parts has done extremely well. We have ensured that all the people in our stores, including those who deliver the parts are Burson team members and not contractors. Our people build strong relationships with customers and are in fact the face of our business. They make our

customers feel important and valued. Secondly, we have set a target of each store making deliveries to its workshop customer base within 30 minutes or at the most within the hour, this customer service focus is imperative to our continued success. The third and biggest Burson difference is that our team members will do whatever they need to do to get the part to the customer, even if they have to buy it from a competitor. While we carry the broadest range of parts in store compared to any competitor, our team members are authorised to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the customer always gets what they need promptly. Garry, how do you best summarise what has taken place since you stepped away from running the business? GJ: Darryl didn’t try to reinvent the wheel, he identified that this was a great company that needed improvements, growing the existing company culture and building on

it. He has taken the time to get to know the people well and it is a huge credit to Darryl and his team with how it has all progressed. I couldn’t be prouder of what has taken place and I have to make special mention of all the hard-working Burson team members who went that extra yard to make Burson Auto Parts a great Australian company from the very start. DA: This could have been a very different story though - an interesting thing came up when we were preparing for the Burson Initial Public Offer (IPO). A number of the larger American auto parts companies were looking at acquiring our business at that time. Two were very keen and we received an unconditional offer from one of them the morning after we had been told that we were underwritten and all was set for the IPO. It was for virtually the same amount that we had been valued. If it had happened the night before, we may have been having a completely different conversation today.

Western Roads Federation CEO

COST CUTTER CHET CLINE

AT THE WHEEL DAVID MEREDITH

AIR CTI founder/owner

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

TRUCKIN’ ON THE BORDER DAVID VILE contributors@bigrigs.com.au

EXPERT ADVICE 57

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

What the hell is vicarious liability? I SPY ON THE ROAD ISPY@BIGRIGS.COM.AU

WOMEN IN TRANSPORT JACQUELENE BROTHERTON

EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

TASSIE TRUCKIN’ JON WALLIS

INSURANCE GURU MARK BROWN

THE OZ TRUCKER MIKE WILLIAMS

TWU NEWS RICHARD OLSEN

LEGAL EAGLE ROWAN KING

Manager, TBI Insurance Services

VICARIOUS liability is a legal term of which all employers and business owners should be very aware of and your vicarious liability should always be taken into consideration when making any business decision that involves having others conduct an activity on your or your business’ behalf. Vicarious liability has two TELEMATICS EXPERT essential characteristics. SHANNON KYLE 1)solutions It is liability for theNavman negSafety specialist, Teletrac ligence of another person or entity. 2) It is strict liability — (liability without need of proof of fault) A person can be vicariously liable for the negligence of another no matter how careful the person was in all relevant matters, such as choosing and supervising the other. The basic rule of vicarious liability is that an employer is vicariously liable for the negligence of an employee provided the employee was acting ‘in the course of employment’. The law about the meaning of the concepts of ‘employee’ and ‘course of employment’ is complex. It is important to note that the vicarious liability of the employer is additional to the ‘primary’ liability of the employee for negligence. In other words, both the employer and employee can be held — ‘jointly and severally’ liable. The common law implies in the contract

Chair of Transport Women Australia

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

james.graham@bigrigs.com.au

TWU NSW State Secretary

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

Principal Lawyer RK Law

LOBBYIST STEVE SHEARER

SA Road Transport Association Executive Director

The law about the meaning of the concepts of ‘employee’ and ‘course of employment’ is complex.

of employment a term to the effect that the employee will perform the contract with reasonable care. On the basis of this term, the employer is entitled to recover from the employee a contribution to any damages which the employer is liable to pay to the person injured or killed. If the employer was not negligent at all, it will be entitled to be fully indemnified by the employee. In some Australian jurisdictions, there is legislation that provides (in certain law of negligence) that only the employer is liable, not the employee. In some jurisdictions there are also statutory pro-

visions that remove the right of the employer (in certain types of case) to recover contribution or an indemnity from the employee. The most widely accepted justification for vicarious liability is that, because the employer receives the benefit of the business being conducted, the employer should also be required to bear risks attendant on the business. However, this justification is hard to reconcile with the employer’s right to contribution or an indemnity. For this reason, many view vicarious liability simply as a form of liability insurance, intended primarily for the protection of plaintiffs, and

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not based on principles of personal responsibility. Apart from the relationship of employer and employee, vicarious liability can also arise out of the relationship between ‘principal’ and ‘agent’. The concept of ‘agency’ is a vague one, but it rests on the idea that a person who does something at the request, and for the benefit, of another does it as agent for that person. So how does this all relate to me as I use sub-contractors not employees you may say. Simple. If you have engaged the sub-contractor to conduct business on your behalf, then you also retain

liability as they are conducting the business for you. Vicarious liability has the potential to affect any business and or individual. We would urge every business owner to have a discussion with regards to their liabilities and how their current insurance policies would respond to vicarious liability. Please call us TBI Insurance or your own broker to discuss some ways in which you can better prepare yourself and your business for a potential vicarious liability claim. Extract Source; https:// treasury.gov.au/sites/default/ files/2019-03/R2002-001_ NonDelegable.pdf. Important:

All answers and information contained within this article should be considered as General Advice Only. This advice should only be considered as General in Nature and its intent is only to prompt the readers to investigate their own individual insurances. It has been prepared without taking into account the readers own individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of that, before acting on the above advice, the client or any persons should consider its appropriateness (having regard to their objectives, needs and financial situation) and seek further independent advice from their own financial advisor.

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Good technology follows needs of users

The yellow OLED display tells the driver which pressures have been selected and where their tyre pressures are now.

BY IAN JACKSON, ALIAN ELECTRONICS BACK in 2013 I was contacted by Chet Cline, the principal of the Air CTI company, which specialises in tyre inflation technology for the Australian trucking industry. Chet’s plan was to update the operator controls for the AIR CTI product. Since 1990 my company had been doing electronic design and engineering work for a wide range of industries, but tyre inflation technology was new to us The CTI company had already resolved the hard issues around moving air into tyres at highway speeds and had plenty of trucks in the field with working systems. However, at that time they used a basic analogue control method that required a fair amount of customisation between trucks. This made it tougher to support vehicles at remote locations. We were given a brief to see what improvements could be made to the system. We looked at several trucks, examined how they were being used and noted common problems experienced by installers. This is the usual process. Clients can have an approximate idea of what they want, but don’t always know what is possible.

The challenge for any new design is that it must be implemented without risking the reputation of the company. This is the eternal paradox of product design. Nobody can learn how to swim by staring at a pool. Sooner or later, you have to get into the water. The next step involved some imagination. What would an alternate CTI control system look like? How would it feel for the operator? How readily can it be supported from the far side of the country over a scratchy phone line? The list of essential requirements grew longer. We would need a bright display screen that is easy for the driver to read, day or night. Earlier systems used rotating knob controls to select pressures. However, pressure settings can be hard to fine-tune on a bumpy road. It’s easier for the driver to select a pressure preference with single button press. The electronics need to be smart enough to self-diagnose a wide range of problems under harsh operating conditions. Good design does not occur in isolation. An outsider can’t just enter a specialised industry and create the perfect product. It requires collaboration with people who understand that industry. The trick is to bring it all together. An early step was to develop

a circuit board that would support the new concept. Circuit board design is complex. It is an art form where the necessary components and the available space must come together. In the middle of this must be a microprocessor with enough capability to meet current and future

needs. The operator console needed a customised label. This would have raised button areas to make it easier for drivers to feel their way around the controls under low-light conditions. Yet it must be tough enough to endure extreme UV light and high dashboard temperatures. Cheap materials will never last long under the Australian sun. Any intelligent system requires software to make it go. The two yellow lines of information that appear on the display don’t reflect the nine thousand lines of program code written to define the internal workings of the product. The new design was first introduced to the field in 2013. The transition away from a rotating knob for a pressure setting was controversial, but rapidly accepted. Drivers could now press a single button to choose between a pre-selected high, medium or low tyre pressure. The yellow OLED display

tells the driver which pressures have been selected and where their tyre pressures are now. Background features constantly look for anything out of the ordinary. Is it taking too long to inflate? Is there a slow leak somewhere? If something unusual is detected, the driver will be informed. There are about 70 different settings that allow the installer to fine-tune any new installation. Some fleet owners don’t want their drivers to make adjustments, whereas owner-drivers may be keen to dive in and make changes on the fly. Selectable levels of access in the CTI controls support all of these situations. An early release of the new AIR CTI controls was fitted to my classic 1985 4WD Mitsubishi van. It let the dynamics of a live CTI system to be exercised and studied in real time. While this van gets a few odd looks on the road, it has made a vast difference to the boggy places it can go and to the hills it can

climb. Whenever a gravel road is encountered, dropping the tyre pressures improves stability of the van and smoothes out the ride. Now in late 2021, the 3000 controller threshold is about to be passed. The AIR CTI team, now in Morwell, East of Melbourne, have created a bold new enterprise where none existed, that is delivering valuable driver safety and vehicle efficiency to our trucking industry. The rest of the world has shown a lot of interest in this mature technology: if it will survive our conditions, it will work anywhere. It has been a privilege to work with Chet Cline and the entire AIR CTI team. From basic principles, they have created amazing advances that have reshaped how our transport industry regards its most precious and yet most abused asset, the tyres that link Australia’s trucks to Australia’s roads. For more information, visit aircti.com.

An early release of the new AIR CTI controls was fitted to my classic 1985 4WD Mitsubishi van.

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Sad day for all in transport GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

10 11

12 13

Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.

SUDOKU

THIS article is the ending of an era for the transport industry with the demise of this magazine the restruc16 17 under 18 ture and rationalisation of News Corp. It is a sad day for all of us in the 22 industry as Big Rigs maga23 zine has been a part of our lives for almost 30 years. For some, their entire careers so far. 25 It will leave huge gap as the editors and staff have supported the industry, provided fair and rational debate and given everyone a fair say in industry doings to all, as well as stories, pictures and news of our peoEASY ple, our trucks and our unsung heroes. Our lives will be the poorer for its demise; being a columnist for Big Rigs for the past year and half has allowed me to fulfil yet another childhood dream, to write, and it has given me great pleasure and I hope it has at least been enjoyed by some. While so many are focused on the negatives of the industry, I have tried to focus on the

Across

positives aspects or those issues about which I am most passionate and have a chance of making a contribution to change. I began writing column when I was returned as Transport Women Australia Limited chair in 14 November 2017. 15 In the interim, TWAL has had many successes and achievements. It has expanded the relationship with Girl Guides Australia 19 and been involved with 20 21 several successful projects with them, the Victorian Snoozefest in April 2018, the “Great Bag Migration” for the Interna24 tional Jamboree in Sydney in October 2018 and other interactions that are expanding the knowledge of the transport in26 dustry. We launched the Women Driving Transport Careers initiative with our partners Wodonga TAFE and Volvo Group at the 2018 TWAL Creating Connections conference. This initiative has been in hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic but all partners are excited to move forward to expand the program as soon as possible. We held a well attended and exciting conference in May 2018 and we have plans in place with the date saved and venue booked for our Driving the Difference 2021 conference

1 Name a renowned US evangelist, Billy ... (6) 8 What is one’s progenitor called (8) 9 What is an adage (6) 10 To sicken, is to do what (8) 11 To withdraw one’s labour, is to do what (6) 13 What do we call those who compete in a race (8) 16 Which term describes that which is difficult to understand (8) 19 What are additional things called (6) 22 Which seat has supports for the elbows (8) 24 To cast a spell, is to do what (6) 25 What are units of sound intensity (8) 26 Name the young of a rabbit (6)

7 Name a horse not expected to win (6) 12 What are numbers of persons arranged in lines (4) 14 Which figure is used in writing, as a reference mark (8) 15 What is a pitcher with a wide spout (4) 17 Name the tube of a gun (6) 18 What is a plan for achieving a desired end (6) 20 To be silent, is to be what (5) 21 Who was told to “get her gun” (5) 23 Which term is used after a prayer (4)

Down

2 To respond, is to do what (5) 3 Port-au-Prince is the capital of which West Indies republic (5) 4 What is the ancient name of Manisa in western Turkey (8) 5 What is the Australian Council of Trade Unions (init) (4) 6 To state as true, is to do what (6)

A N C T A U

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE Across: 1 Graham, 8 Ancestor, 9 Saying, 10 Nauseate, 11 Strike, 13 Starters, 16 Abstract, 19 Extras, 22 Armchair, 24 Incant, 25 Decibels, 26 Kitten.

A B E S T O R S L S E A T E R E R T E R S W E X T R A S A N N C A N T I I I T T E N

T A S C T E I R I L S K

G R A H A M E A A S A Y I N G C T N S T R I K E O S W I A B S T R A A A A R M C H A R T M D E C I B E L C N

Down: 2 React, 3 Haiti, 4 Magnesia, 5 Actu, 6 Assert, 7 Bolter, 12 Rows, 14 Asterisk, 15 Ewer, 17 Barrel, 18 Tactic, 20 Tacit, 21 Annie, 23 Amen.

CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENTS: Jacquelene Brotherton (far right) enjoys a night of celebration at a Transport Women Limited event with (from left) Rachel Hesse, Paul Fleiszig and Coralie Chapman. Picture: Contributed

in Melbourne. 1 2 In November 2019 we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the organisation (TWAL) with a fabulous gala dinner at The Windsor Melbourne where we also presented our first four winners 8 of the Driving the Difference scholarships with our amazing sponsor, Daimler Truck and Bus Asia Pacific.12 We also presented the inaugural Trish Pickering Mem-

orial Award, sponsored by the 3 wonderful Wes Pickering. This was awarded for longterm outstanding contribution by a female to the road transport industry, the inaugural winner was Pam McMillan the 11 9 10 director and longest serving chair of Transport Women Australia Limited. This is an annual award and the recipient of the 2020 Trish Pickering Memorial Award

will 4 be announced later 5 6 this year at an event still to be determined. We have also launched our 7 Initiatives Breakfast Learning Series with several partners so far, including NTI, MOVE BANK and rt health. In early 2020 the Creating Connections Mentoring program was finally ready to commence with both mentors and mentees signing up to the pro-

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gram. 1 Self-satisfied I would like to thank the 3 Decorative plant fantastic team at Big Rigs 7 Golf mound newspaper for their incredible 8 Leaves support and out wish them on11 Preservative going success. that I get the oppor12I hope Instruct tunity to continue to work with 13 Happening some of them file and so work to15 Coarse wards making the trucking in18 Be carried dustry a better appreciated, 19 Expresses sorrow and a safer place for our peo20 Strong thread ple.

21 23 24 25 26

Planet Relating to punishment Self Digits Speaker’s platform

Fighting to end the inequality: Big Rigs and TWU played their parts 19 18 HARD

F E R T E S A L S A C H I T R A S S I G H W I N E P E N A D D A I

P S A L M S N E T

HARD

20 23

industry as dry as they can. They want operators to meet their unrealistic deadlines and take on more freight for less or they face the risk of

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losing their contracts and the ability to support their families. It appears the government does not care. There are unsafe vehicles, dodgy licences, poor payment times, wage and superannuation theft – just a few of the many things we have called for to be stopped. A reminder to governments and the transport industry clients: the industry that has kept Australia moving during the pandemic is facing an uphill battle. Employer groups should be standing alongside transport workers to unite for a safer and fairer industry.

QUICK CROSSWORD Across: 1 Smug, 3 Fern, 7 Tee, 8 Omits, 11 Salt, 12 Teach, 13 Event, 15 Rasp, 18 Ride, 19 Sighs, 20 Twine, 21 Mars, 23 Penal, 24 Ego, 25 Toes, 26 Dais.

S M U G N H O M I T T E W E V E N R I D E R T M A R S E G O T O E S

EASY

policy that should be keeping safe one of the most dangerous industries in Australia. To quote one truck driver turned Australian senator, 21 “a death at work 22 Glenn Sterle, or on the road should not be the price of doing business”. The TWU 24 puts it to governments that we must stop the inequality that exists between truck drivers and clients. 25must be paid proper Drivers rates, owner-drivers must be able to trust they will be paid properly for the work they do and on time. Families depend on this. Many of the ongoing problems that occur are down to the big clients squeezing our

Down: 1 Shower, 2 United, 4 Eta, 5 Relish, 6 Net, 9 Tenets, 10 Sat, 11 Shrine, 14 Virago, 16 Agenda, 17 Psalms, 19 Sip, 21 Met, 22 Roe.

THIS is the end of an era, the last TWU column in the trusted transport industry publication Big Rigs. Over the years the TWU and Big Rigs have played their parts in the role of keeping the top end of town accountable and doing our bit to look out for the rights of the little guy. It’s still about the voice that speaks out for the truck driver,

the owner and the employee. It’s been the voice that calls out for fair pay for the work you do, for safety in the drivers’ cab and on the road, the voice that seeks to relieve the pressure on the driver pushed by clients’ incessant cries for increased productivity for the same rates and conditions. It is obvious we still have a long way to go – we have been through countless road, freight and transport ministers and nothing changes. Truck drivers are still dying at work. It’s a pretty safe bet to say this is due to the lack of strong government policy in place,

A final reminder to all Big Down Rigs now is the time to 1 readers: Light rainfall unite, now is the 2 Combinedtime to ensure equality in this industry. 4 Together Greek letter we can stand on 5 Enjoyground working to common 6 Meshed fabric continensure the government 9 toHeld principles ues support transport work10 and Was the seated ers industry they support. 11 Hallowed place TWU will continue to 14The Ill-tempered voice scolding woman the needs of transport workers to tothe employers, 16 Things be done their industry bodies and the 17 Book of the Bible clients. 19Better Drinkstandards slowly mean job 21 Encountered security and ultimately a safer 22 fairer Fish industry eggs for all. and We can lift the standards we need together – our lives depend on it.

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60 CAREERS AND TRAINING

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Golden opportunity for star student

HAVING just completed his heavy vehicle mechanic apprenticeship and scored a gold medal win at the WorldSkills National Championships, the future is looking very bright for Campbell Garson. He completed his apprenticeship with RoadTek, the arm of the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads that handles infrastructure solutions, including building and maintaining the state’s roads. Though Garson was based at the Bundaberg location

throughout his entire apprenticeship, which he finished in October, he has now secured a position at RoadTek in Cairns – some 1400km away. “They were advertising a position up there and they have some machines that we don’t have here in Bundaberg, so it was that variety that attracted me,” he said. “I like a lot of variety and the amount of plant RoadTek has gives me that. There’s a lot of variety to be had, from cars to heavy trucks to all sorts of earthmoving equipment and

He recently won a gold medal at the WorldSkills National Championships.

Campbell Garson enjoys the variety of his work, from cars to heavy trucks, earthmoving equipment and cranes.

cranes. There’s a really good amount of different machinery, so can wrap your head around many different systems if you apply yourself.” When asked what attracted him to the job, he explained, “I’ve been doing it since I was about 13 or 14-years-old. I was always working on tractors at the family farm. My father has an earthmoving bus, so I would work on all of that equipment as well. In 2015, we did a big restoration on his 1981 Road Boss. We extended the chassis by nearly two metres, put airbag

suspension on it and added a big sleeper. Doing all the work on that made me figure out that this is what I wanted to do – to be a mechanic.” Now fully qualified, Garson says there’s one part of the job that gives him the most satisfaction. “Being able to look at a piece of plant when I’m done, and say yeah, I’ve fixed that, and being able to keep everyone happy and keeping the whole unit running as it should. If the machines aren’t running, then everyone is pretty cranky, but if it’s in good working order,

that keeps everyone happy.” Of the opportunity to compete on the national stage at WorldSkills, Garson saw it as another learning opportunity. “My TAFE teacher Brendon Anderson got me into it. He asked me to compete and I told him I was happy to. One thing I really like is learning something new all the time, I like to improve my skillsets. “Brendon is over the moon because both of his east coast students got first and second – so myself and then Guthrie Maynard got silver.” Big Rigs asked Garson if

he’d recommend the job to others considering taking up an apprenticeship in the field. “The way things are going, the world is always going to need more mechanics, so long as you’re willing to learn and willing to change with the times, there’s no reason you can’t become a great mechanic and make money while doing it,” he said. “You’ve got to be ready to work in order to get the big rewards. You need to put in the effort to become a good mechanic. It’s about a willingness to learn and have a go.”

We have fantastic opportunities Australia-wide for MC Drivers, Diesel Mechanics and Operations Team Members.

WE’RE HIRING!

Real opportunities for career development and upskilling, a new and improved fleet, set trips and full time ongoing work is all on offer. Contact us now on 0429 900 608 or sx@cahilltransport.com.au for further details or to register your interest.

Wishing You a Safe & Happy Christmas from the Cahill Family

CAREERS AND TRAINING 61

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY DECEMBER 10 2021

Rookie truckie, 49, grabs her chance to learn ropes

BY TRENT PRICE

BIG RIGS readers may remember our story in a recent edition about Corrina Riley and Kerri Avern’s 3400km trip from Brisbane to Cairns in which Avern gained some much-needed hands-on industry experience. Avern’s story gained huge traction via the Women in Trucking Australia Ltd (WiTA) Facebook page, prompting another eager candidate, Joanne Boland to reach out for an opportunity. Boland, 49, currently works in a barber shop near Noosa Heads, Queensland and dreamt of driving trucks for the bulk of her life after getting hooked at an early age. “My dad drove trucks and at 19. My sister even did a trip from WA on a triple and the driver let her have a little run,” said Boland. “I thought if she can do it, I can too!” Despite obtaining her heavy licence 12 months ago, Boland’s enthusiasm to get a break in the industry hasn’t been enough to land her a job. Boland cites the often

Rookie truckie Joanne Boland (inset) jumped at her chance for a trip from Gladstone to Brisbane alongside Corinna Riley in her 2012 Peterbilt 388 – otherwise known as ‘Pete’.

trod out ‘lack of experience’ excuse as the main roadblock when applying for gigs, but admits that fear of rejection itself can be just as taxing. “Once you get your licence, you apply for jobs, but you tend to talk yourself out of (applying) because you don’t think you’ll be given a fair crack as a woman. But you have to put yourself out

there to step into the unknown,” she said. Boland was duly assisted with her leap into the unknown when Riley (with the assistance of WiTA CEO Lyndal Denny), invited her on a trip from Gladstone to Brisbane hauling a heavy load of timber in her 2012 Peterbilt 388 – otherwise known as ‘Pete’. Big Rigs spoke to

MC + HC DRIVERS Booth transport is a family owned business established in 1936. The business is based on sound family ethics: we value our people and we invest in safety, equipment and technology.

them on route to Gladstone. “I feel like Pete now has two lovers,” laughs Boland. “But Corinna and Lyndel are like my guardian angels. I just wish other women could experience this – I feel like my chest is about to explode.” Riley was equally praiseworthy of Boland, saying that there should be plenty of work opportunities for her.

“She’s (Joanne) been absolutely brilliant,” said Riley. “Even my boss said she might get a job working with him”. There was no dialling in period for Boland on this trip, with Riley insisting she jump into the driver’s seat from the get-go, a challenge that Boland accepted with no hesitation. “I’ve had a few two four-

hour stints, with the first four hours straight. There was absolutely no dictatorship from Corinna or a feeling that I was in training. She more or less said I could do it,” said Boland. I really felt like I had done it before though and I suppose asking my dad as a child helped a lot. It’s almost like research. I was quite proud of myself.” Now that she has plenty of miles under her belt, Boland says she’s prepared to turn her life around in 24 hours if it means getting work. “I now have an opportunity, but travel is an issue as well. A lot of the jobs are seasonal work so lifestyle is a factor. The happiness factor is also important, so I guess it’s all about rolling with it,” she said. And what advice would Boland give to other women wanting to take the leap? “It’s all about courage and not being your own worst enemy,” she said. “One day we’ll all be in a rocking chair so it’s all about sucking the nectar out of life.”

Drivers Required (HR, HC & MC)

Rocky’s Own are currently recruiting for a variety of drivers with different licence types in the following locations: • Rockhampton • Yarwun • Wacol • Helidon

• Dubbo • Newcastle • Kalgoorlie

What’s in it for you • Work for an established company with a strong safety record • Permanent employment, profit share and bonus after a qualifying period • Subsidised Private Health after a qualifying period Some of these positions will require – DG Licence and Security Clearances. If you do not possess the requirements we would still be interested in talking to you as we are willing to provide training and assistance to suitable applicants. Short-listed applicants will be required to undergo pre-employment checks.

To apply email jobs@boothtransport.com

How to Apply: Contact our recruitment team on (07) 4937 4700 or email recruitment@rockysown.com.au

QUALIFIED & APPRENTICE DIESEL MECHANIC

LOCAL & INTERSTATE REFRIGERATED MC TRANSPORT OPERATOR

ABOUT DRT Damorange Refrigerated Transport (DRT) is a family owned and operated Transport Company with its head office located in Werribee South, and depots located throughout Australia. We specialise in the transportation and storage of cold produce. Due to business growth we now have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Diesel Mechanic and an Apprentice to join our team working from our Werribee South Depot.

ABOUT DRT Damorange Refrigerated Transport (DRT) is a family owned and operated Transport Company with its head office located in Werribee South, and depots located throughout Australia. We specialise in the transportation and storage of cold produce. Due to business growth we now have an exciting opportunity for experienced local & interstate MC transport operators to join our team.

WHY DRT? DRT maintains some of the latest trucks and equipment, and prides itself on providing and maintaining a supportive, friendly and safe working environment to all its employees.

ABOUT THE ROLE As a Diesel Mechanic at DRT, you will maintain and carry out all necessary repairs/services on our modern fleet of trucks and trailers.

YOUR DUTIES WILL INCLUDE (BUT NOT LIMITED TO): • Transportation of fresh cold produce throughout Victoria & other states • Participate in the loading and unloading of your vehicle • Daily Prestart checks on vehicles and equipment • Restraining loads correctly and safely • Correctly Managing fatigue on each journey • Completing and ensuring all required paperwork is collected, completed and handed in on time • Develop and maintain good relationships with all staff and stakeholders • Complying with all other DRT policies and procedures • Help DRT in achieving their safety & compliance goals in areas you have direct responsibility and adhering to all relevant WH&S legislation, policy and procedural requirements.

YOUR DUTIES WILL INCLUDE (BUT NOT LIMITED TO): • Repair and maintenance of trucks and trailers; • Scheduled servicing and inspections; • Fault finding and troubleshooting; • Completing service sheets and other documentation neatly and tidy; • General workshop duties as required; • Complying with all other DRT policies and procedures; • Help DRT in achieving their safety & compliance goals in areas you have direct responsibility and adhering to all relevant WH&S legislation, policy and procedural requirements. TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL HAVE: • Current Trade Qualification (Diesel Mechanic); • Valid Forklift Licence (an advantage); • Valid HR/HC/MC Truck Licence (an advantage); • Previous experience in Road Transport & Fleet Maintenance (an advantage) • Experience with Cummins & Volvo engines (an advantage) • Availability to work overtime and Saturdays (an advantage) • An attractive salary will be on offer for the right person. • Immediate start available to the right person.

You will be required to meet DRT’s pre-employment criteria which will include, but not be limited to a full medical with a drug and alcohol test. APPLYING FOR THIS ROLE: If you have an “Eye for Detail”, can work in a Team Environment and can work unsupervised this could be the position for you. To apply, please send through a copy of your resume, licence point extract and three contactable references to: workshop@damorange.com.au

TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL HAVE: • A current MC licence • A minimum of 2 years B-Double driving experience • Interstate experience (essential for the interstate roles) • Must undergo a pre-employment medical and provide VicRoads licence printout (Must not be older than two weeks from date of issue) • Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) Certificate (an advantage) • Experience in refrigerated produce transportation (market experience an advantage) • Forklift licence (Desirable) • Minimum 3 contactable references

You will be required to meet DRT’s pre-employment criteria which will include, but not be limited to a full medical with a drug and alcohol test. APPLYING FOR THIS ROLE: To apply, please send through a copy of your resume, licence point extract and three contactable references to: s.splatt@damorange.com.au Please keep in mind that due to the amount of applications we receive, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

WE’RE HIRING Relief MC Interstate Drivers to join our team. The GTS Group is a privately-owned business & market leader specialising in freight movement & warehousing. Based in Mildura & employing nationally, we run a fleet of modern

Due to ongoing expansion in freight movements we have the following positions available for experienced & diligent applicants with an immediate start.

A current unrestricted MC Licence is essential. An Apply Fatigue Management Strategies accreditation would be an advantage, although not essential.

Fatigue compliant.

Successful applicants are required to complete a Company Induction which also includes a Driver’s medical with drug & alcohol screen.

Weekly pay cycle under Modern Drivers Award.

5 weeks leave. Modern equipment & facilities.

Large client base nationally. Full-time position may be available.

Call Col Weeding on 03 5051 0152 Web applications: gtsfreight.com.au and click on the employment tab. dmt@gtsfreight.com.au

POSITIONS AVAILABLE AVAILABLE POSITIONS Wehave haveaanumber number of of driving We driving positions positions availablefor for HC HC & & MC MC LINEHAUL available LINEHAUL DRIVERS to be based at our depots DRIVERS to be based at our depots in the following areas: in the following areas: Depots: Brisbane, Sydney, Grafton, Port Macquarie and Taree Depots: Brisbane, Sydney, Grafton, Port Macquarie and Taree

Benefits include:

• Fulltime employment Benefits include: • Aboveemployment Award klm rates • Fulltime – paid weekly • Above Award klm rates • Paid Pickups – paid weekly & Drops

• Modern & well maintained fleet safe&working environment •• Drug Modern well maintained fleet • On going training • Drug safe working environment •• Uniforms On goingsupplied training

• Paid Pickups & Drops

• Uniforms supplied

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE ROSS ON 0402 014 939. IFPHONE YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE

PHONE ROSS ON 0402 014 939.

OWD-QV-5168668-TS-344

servicing a range of blue-chip customers.

OWD-QV-5168668-TS-344

Prime Movers & B-double Taut-liner trailers

Easter Group Pty Ltd 73 Formation St, Wacol

Positions Available

Easter Group, located in Wacol, provides time sensitive road transporting solutions to many companies throughout Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. . We are a family owned business, operating since 1976. We currently have the following positions available:

OPERATIONS ALLOCATORS (Brisbane based only)

You will be required to work on a rotating roster including Days-Nights-Weekends Previous Operations experience preferred.

MC LOCAL & LINEHAUL DRIVERS WANTED

(Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Based) Come and work for us as we are committed to: • Training and further education • Your safety • Maintaining an impressive Fleet On offer are permanent full time and roster positions including paid leave entitlements and public holidays. Drivers will need to be available to be scheduled for work falling across the 7 days of the week. The successful Applicant will: • Hold a current MC licence (minimum two years) • Have knowledge of the HVNL and Load Restraint • Be professional • Be reliable

To apply for the Operations/Driver positions please contact Operations Manager or by emailing your resume to

Exodas Pty Ltd is a well-established Transport and Warehousing company that operates Australia wide. We predominately provide transport services to the east coast of Australia, from North Queensland through to Melbourne. Exodas Pty Ltd, Head Office is located in Yatala (QLD). Additionally we also have three sub depots located in Warnervale (NSW), Townsville (QLD) and Mareeba (QLD). We are now seeking candidates for the following vacancies: • Heavy Vehicle Mechanics (Yatala) • Linehaul Drivers (Various Locations) • Local MC Drivers (Various Locations) • Tug Drivers (Yatala) • Forklift Operators (Yatala) The successful candidates will join a fast growing Company, access great working conditions and be offered a competitive pay rate!

WORKSHOP MECHANICS & TYRE FITTERS WANTED (Brisbane based only)

To apply for Mechanic positions please forward your resume to Workshop Manager via email to employment@kseaster.com.au

Join the next generation logistics company

If you could see yourself working for a Leader in Road Transport, email your resume to employment@exodas.com.au or contact our Recruitment Officer on 0459 922 550.

TOW OPERATOR POSITION AVAILABLE

Calling out to Linehaul drivers – we have immediate start positions available

We are a family owned and operated company who carry bulk commodities mainly throughout Queensland and Northern New South Wales.

Join a global leader offering:

We are looking to sell our 2018 T659 Kenworth with work towing company trailers. We are willing to provide finance to the operator.

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Multiple positions available in VIC, NSW, QLD and SA

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Secure, stable full-time employment

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Competitive pay rates

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Supportive team culture, with a key focus on safety

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Well maintained modern fleet

At Visy, our people make us stand out from the crowd. We’re always seeking solutions, opportunities and possibilities. If you can help us, you’ll fit right in. There’s never been a better time to join Visy.

This position would suit an enthusiastic, self-motivated person looking to get into truck ownership. Our business was established in 1996 and over that time we have built up a large client base over which we can source our work.

If you would like to discuss this great opportunity to become an owner operator: Call Sherie 0438 271 603 Email youngcountry@youngcountry.com.au

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

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

* **

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