Transport & Trucking Issue 130

www.truckandbus.net.au Issue 130 2020

$9.50 incl. GST

DAF-FINING MOMENT NEW GEN DAF SPEARHEADS BIG PACCAR PUSH

ISSN 2206-1495

9 772206 149012 >

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HINO’S 700 SERIES DRIVE SCANIA XT TEST NEW HYUNDAI XCIENT HANSON AUTO CONCRETE TRUCKS

SELECTED ISUZU N SERIES

Great deals on Australia’s No.1 * light truck.

There’s a reason our N Series range is Australia’s best-selling light truck – you’ll find one that’s ideal for your needs and they all offer Isuzu’s legendary reliability. They’re available in short, medium and crew cab models and, best of all, you don’t need a truck licence to drive most of the range. And for a short time, you can score selected N series models at very special prices. So come and take a test drive soon because these deals won’t last.

Visit isuzu.com.au

NLS AWD 4.5 GVM

NLR 4.5 GVM

NNR 4.5 – 5.5 GVM

Promotion is only available on new selected N Series Isuzu Trucks from an Australian Isuzu Truck Dealerships between 1 January 2020 – 31 March 2020 (promotion period). This offer is not available in conjunction with any other offer, fleet and government purchasers are not eligible. Offer available only on selected new N series – NLR 45-150, NNR 45-150, NNR 45-150 CREW, NLS 45-150 AWD, NLS 45-150 AWD CREW. While stocks last. Visit isuzu.com.au for full terms and conditions. *According to T-Mark industry statistics. FSA/ISZ12670

CONTENTS CONTACT DETAILS

FEATURES

PO Box 7046 Warringah Mall NSW 2100

14 BRAND NEW DAI

www.truckandbus.net.au admin@truckandbus.net.au Enquiries 02 9938 6408 Follow us on Twitter #truckandbusnews Follow us on Facebook at Truck and Bus Australia

Publisher Jon Thomson admin@truckandbus.net.au Editor in Chief Jon Thomson

The opportunity to test a new Hyundai Xcient Heavy Duty prime mover was something T&TA chased hard to organise and a few days before Christmas all the planets aligned and we grabbed the new Korean contender for a one day try out to see if Hyundai has a truck that could help it attract a larger audience, and we think it just might.

20 DAF-FINING MOMENT

Paccar is finally getting serious about its DAF brand in Australia with the launch of its latest generation models Down Under. That is the message that the truck media got at the launch event for the New XF and CF models DAF in Queensland recently.

26 THE TOUGH GUY

Scania has certainly kicked some goals with its New Truck Generation, and now that the supply woes of 2018 are well behind it, the range is selling up a storm, particularly in vocational markets such those targeted by the XT ‘Xtra Tough’ variants, aimed at earthmoving, construction, mining, logging and the like.

We climbed aboard a G500 XT configured as a tipper dog for a run around Western Sydney and came away impressed.

32 SWEET 16

We don’t often get the chance to road test heavy rigids over longer test routes. Normally it is a day at the wheel doing, a loop around the metro areas, or a 100km down the road and back, so it was an attractive offer to do a longer road test of Hino’s recently upgraded 700 Series, now equipped with the ZF sourced 16-speed TraXon AMT. Our story follows the trip down the Pacific in the big Hino.

Art Director Fiona Meadows fiona@kududesign.com.au

38 REACH FOR THE SKY

Advertising Sales Jon Thomson Mobile 0418 641 959 admin@truckandbus.net.au

44 SAFE CHOICE

Editorial Contributors Barry Flanagan, Mark Bean, Glenn Torrens, Peter Barnwell

When leading Sydney Hire Company, Uphire Equipment Specialists, needed a new heavy duty rigid for delivering its lift and reach equipment, the company had a few criteria to meet, and found that Iveco’s new Stralis X-Way fitted the bill. We take a look at Uphire’s business and why it selected the new Iveco.

For many years in the automotive market they have said that ‘safety doesn’t sell’, but the world is changing, and it seems more and more companies are ticking the box for the latest safety systems and protection. it’s certainly boosted Hino sales thanks to the safety package it standardised across its latest 500 series Standard Cab range. Hanson Cement is a case in point, and we sat down with the company’s national procurement manager to find out why they chose safety over purchase price.

50 NOT JUST HORSING AROUND

Transport & Trucking Australia is published under licence by Transport Publishing Australia. and is distributed to road transport professionals, fleets, business professionals and the industry throughout Australia.

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Arguably one of Australia’s biggest horse transport companies, Sydney Horse Transport is a story spanning two decades. Having begun as a twotruck operation in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, owner Adam Maley then expanded the business further within the state and into other regions, such as Victoria and Queensland. We dropped by to see what makes it tick.

56 TIE ME TRANSIT VAN DOWN SPORT

Vans aren’t always known for racy looks and alloy wheels but Ford is trying to change that with its Transit Custom Sport. We swung behind the wheel of the latest Transit to see how the Sport model performs.

60 COMPANY CAR: A NEW BEGINNING

Some may think Genesis is the first book in the bible, others might remember it as the band Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel had back in the 1980s but there is a new Genesis and it is Hyundai’s luxury car channel.

We spent a week and found the Genesis G70 is a new beginning in many ways.

DEPARTMENTS 04 BACK TRACKS

Musings from the Editor

06 HIGHWAY 1

News and info from all over

64 MONEY

Paul’s latest advice on finances

SMARTER THAT’S ANOTHER HINO

THE SAFEST JAPANESE TRUCK IN ITS CLASS. The all-new street smart Hino 500 Series Standard Cab takes safety to a whole new level with vitally important safety features once considered XAVIER_HINO36738/F

options, now standard inclusions. Like Adaptive Cruise Control, which utilises smart technology to detect the vehicle in front and maintain a safe travelling distance by automatically reducing engine acceleration and activating the engine brake to slow the vehicle. The smarter, tougher & safer Hino 500 Series Standard Cab. To find out more visit hino.com.au

Adaptive Cruise Control

*The driver remains solely responsible for driving safely. This safety system is a secondary aid to assist the driver and has limitation in recognition and performance.

Please refer to our website videos for full details.

IT HAS BEEN ONE HELL OF A SUMMER AND I DO MEAN HELL! The bushfire crisis has touched all of us and particularly those who came under direct threat and those who lost houses, property, cars, trucks and machinery. Our heart goes out to all those affected, and it really is a time when we as a nation need to stand shoulder to shoulder and work to get everyone back on their feet again.

It’s not going to be easy, but we will recover in time.

The argument that rages about whether our activity as human beings is affecting the climate and changing the environment goes on and is difficult and sensitive for many. I know it is contentious to link the fire season we have just been through and the fires in particular to climate change, but the intensity of the drought, the early hot weather across August and September and so many other factors added to the awful Summer. Whatever is causing these shifts in how our world works then we need to do everything we can to ensure we can reduce the problem and hopefully make it better for our kids and their kids.

My personal feeling is one based around data and peer reviewed scientific knowledge and as such believe that our activities on this planet have affected the climate and that we should work to reduce our impact and hand a better world on to future generations.

As I say to people who don’t believe in climate change, even if you don’t believe that vehicle emissions are a part of the effect on climate, then do we really want to pump out dirty, smelly, emissions that are injurious to people’s health into the atmosphere, when there is the ability and technology to reduce or even eliminate emissions?

Some may look at it and say, ‘well we are just a small population down in the South Pacific and on a global basis our emissions hardly move the needle’. Well yes you can look at it that way, but it’s also dodging any responsibility and leaving it with others. It’s like dropping a piece of paper and telling yourself that your only one person and one piece of litter in a

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population of 24 million and it is a much bigger problem and everyone else needs to sort it out.

If the whole emission thing is wrong and not a factor in changing our environment then all of the major automotive companies in the world and a herd of start-up electric and hydrogen fuel cell producers have clearly gotten it wrong. Their engineers and scientists are all clearly loopy and in on the ‘conspiracy’ – or not!

Every, and I emphasise every automotive group is investing massively in alternative drive systems to either drastically reduce emissions or eliminate them and it is clear that 10 years from now, when we look back on 2020, that we will wonder why there was so much fuss and bother about switching to zero emission vehicles.

In terms of investment in R&D we are talking billions of dollars, massive sums that every board of every major automotive group is committing to. So is it all just cargo cult mentality, every one looking across at the opposition and saying, ‘well they’re doing it, so we should to’? Or is it based in hard facts and logical thinking.

The boards of all great companies make mistakes and back the wrong choice at times, don’t even get me started about General Motors and its Holden decisions, but the risk of every board of every automotive company getting it so wrong and investing so much in a bankrupt

concept is just not a reality.

The investments will pay off and we will have clean, efficient, quiet and safe trucks that will make a better world for us all, that is a guarantee. So, I for one look forward to the brave new world and the benefits that these new technology trucks will bring to our planet. Yes, they may not make up a huge dent in the world’s carbon emissions, but every little bit helps, and every journey starts with the first step.

Meantime in this issue we take a look at the renewed effort Paccar is making to make its DAF brand a sales winner in Australia with the new CF and XF models spearheading the push, we also drive new entrant Hyundai’s impressive Xcient heavy duty prime mover and road test Scania’s New Truck Gen XT as a tipper dog. In another road test we try Hino’s 700 series rigid, now equipped with the 16 speed TraXon AMT, on a run from Brisbane to Sydney.

In three interesting operator yarns we take a look at Uphire’s new Iveco Stralis XWay, Sydney Horse Transport’s Isuzu fleet and Hanson Cement’s uptake of new Hino 500 Standard Cabs, and how the standard safety package influenced that decision.

All that and a whole lot more this issue, so strap yourself in and enjoy the ride – a clean and green ride to a better future.

JON THOMSON

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DAIMLER NAMES

NEW INLAND DEALER DAIMLER TRUCKS has announced the appointment of a new dealer for its Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and Fuso ranges across the Riverina as well as Southern and inland NSW. The company says its inland New South Wales customers will experience a higher levels of service

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with the introduction of the new dealership operations.

The new entity will be headed up by industry veteran David Warren operating Daimler Trucks dealerships in Wagga Wagga and Albury as well as a new Daimler Trucks dealership in Dubbo which is set to open later

this year.

David Warren is well-known for a 25-year career across the region, having served as a service manager and star salesman at a rival dealer network, as well as being a standalone business owner.

Daimler Truck and Bus Australia

President and CEO, Daniel Whitehead, said Daimler Trucks customers in the area will benefit from the change.

“It is one thing to have the best trucks in each class, but Daimler Trucks also needs to back them with the best dealership support,” he said.

“Our customers in this vast area of rural New South Wales will now be able to expect a higher level of service than ever before from David’s high calibre team that is prepared to go out of its way to back our products and look after its customers.”

“We’d like to extend a warm welcome to David and his team and thank them for the commitment to Daimler Trucks and its investment in our customers,” Whitehead added.

The new operations in Wagga Wagga and Albury will operate out of the same locations as previous Daimler Trucks entities, while the Dubbo dealership will be all-new.

Mr Warren said he is excited to join the Daimler Trucks team and leverage the great potential of advanced new product including the Freightliner Cascadia, Fuso Shogun and MercedesBenz Actros.

“We are really looking forward to backing these fantastic new products and providing the kind of support our customers need to keep working and build their businesses,” he said.

“These are remarkable trucks that can save our customers money, keep them safe and comfortable and we are proud to be able to sell and support them as part of the Daimler Trucks family.”

HINO DOUBLES DOWN ON SUPERCARS ALREADY REAPING THE BENEFITS of its association with Supercars as a series sponsor as well as a team backer, Hino has announced it has expanded its backing for the enlarged Charlie Schwerkolt Team 18 operation for this year’s Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.

Hino has been a backer of Team 18’s single car operation in recent years but has expanded backing for the team supporting both Mark Winterbottom and new recruit Scott Pye full season ahead.

Hino sponsored the Schwerkolt run team for the past two seasons and backs up the truck makers position as the Official Light and Medium Duty Truck and Bus Sponsor for the Supercars Championship, which the brand has held since 2016.

As part of the expanded relationship, a Hino 700 Series prime mover will haul the team’s B-double trailers around Australiafor the first time.

For season 2020 Mark Winterbottom will steer the Irwin Tools-backed entry, while his new team mate Scott Pye will be in a second Holden with backing from DeWalt Tools.

“We couldn’t be prouder to grow our partnership with Team 18 as the squad expands to two cars for the 2020 season,” said Dimitri Andreatidis, Head of Customer and

Brand for Hino Australia.

“Supercars has proven to be a fantastic fit for Hino; the sport truly resonates with our customer base, making it an ideal platform to build further brand exposure, while at the same time providing us with incredible trackside experiences.

“Through the sport, not only have we been able to engage with both our dealer network and customers, but we have developed strong relationships with the other brands involved with the team.

“These partnerships will see Hino continue to promote our brand not only on the track, in the pits and around the event precincts, but also throughout the country, with numerous activations planned alongside our partners nationwide.

“Renowned brands such as Irwin and DeWalt are used by Hino customers every day, so it is a natural fit for all involved.

“Mark Winterbottom is a proven champion in the sport, while Scott Pye is a star on the rise.

“Together with their Triple 8-sourced machinery, they have the tools to take the fight right up to the competition,” concluded Mr Andreatidis.

Team Owner Charlie Schwerkolt welcomed the expanded involvement of Hino:

“I’m extremely proud to have Hino onboard for what will be the third year with Team 18 and an exciting time as we expand to two cars with Irwin Racing and DeWalt Racing in the 2020 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.

“Team 18’s partnership with Hino will jointly grow the brand together with Irwin and DeWalt, and we can’t wait to meet Hino dealers and customers at each and every event throughout the season,” he concluded.

Hino has a rich motorsport heritage,

which in 2019 saw its support of Team 18 and the Supercars Championship extended, with the brand becoming the Official Recovery Vehicle at Supercars promoted events, with a Hino 500 Series FE1424 tilt tray seen on track at various rounds.

Meanwhile, Hino also backs the exciting one-make Toyota 86 Series which supports the Supercars Championship, while in off-road circles, it recently claimed its 11th class victory in the gruelling Dakar Rally.

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VOLVO DREAMS ELECTRIC IN THE USA VOLVO HAS LAUNCHED its first step in marketing electric heavy-duty trucks in the U.S, unveiling a program that will put more than 50 electric trucks in service in America The company is working with California and regional air quality regulators, two commercial transport companies and a dealership group to grow interest in its VNR Electric regional haul truck.

Volvo has created with the group a program that it calls Low-Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions, or LIGHTS. The LIGHTS program is a $AUD 133million ($US 90 million) operation funded by 15 partners.

Volvo is contributing $AUD54.5 million ($US36.7 million) and the California Air Resources Board $AUD66.6 million ( $US44.8 million).

Another $AUD13.3 million ($US9 million) will come from the other partners and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which oversees air quality in Southern California, will manage the program.

“This project is unique in the sense of its scope, and that it takes into account the entire system from charging stations to yard haulers

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to solar panels to workforce development to heavy-duty trucks,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America.

Transportation and population density are both continuing to grow globally, he said. Climate change, regulation and consumer demand will force the trucking industry to slash carbon emissions, other pollution and its noise footprint, he said.

The project includes the 23 batteryelectric Volvo VNR heavy-duty trucks, along with 29 other electric vehicles including yard trucks and forklifts.

The Volvo trucks will run between the cities of Ontario, Chino and Fontana (in what is known as the Inland Empire in California) and the massive combined Long Beach and Los Angeles port complex with routes of between 120km to 280km.

“This is what it takes to transform this critical freight-hauling sector,” said California Air Resources Board chair Mary Nichols.

“This project will put more clean, zero-emission trucks on the roads and highways of communities like Fontana and Ontario that are heavily burdened with growing diesel truck traffic.”

The public/private partnership

includes 58 public and private charging stations, two colleges developing electric truck maintenance programs and 1.8 kWh of solar energy generation.

Additionally, both of the big ports are providing infrastructure planning.

TEC Equipment, while a private Volvo truck dealership group, will provide maintenance and leasing centers in Fontana and La Mirada.

Dependable Highway Express and NFI are the first customers. NFI also is participating in an early test of Daimler Freightliner eCascadia heavy-duty trucks.

Volvo says it is using the program to commercialise its electric trucks. It plans to launch sales of the vehicles in the USA later this year and ramp up production at its New River Valley plant in Virginia in 2021. The company is investing $AUD594 million in the factory, partly to allow production of electric trucks.

Volvo in the US is currently considering how to market electric trucks with a possibility being to offer VNR Electric with a single monthly lease payment that will include maintenance and insurance. However the company says it will also sell the vehicle if that’s

what the customer wants.

In an interesting foot note the Volvo electric truck is eligible for various California incentives that total up to $AUD223,000 ($150,000), with a lack of government incentives being cited locally for holding back the take up of electric vehicles in Australia.

Volvo is yet to reveal a price for the VNR electric, but a diesel VNR of similar spec to the electric version costs about $220,000 in the US, or the same as those incentives on offer.

Volvo says it also will provide consulting services to help customers manage an electric fleet and charging needs.

The Volvo electric VNR uses dual electric motors mated to a two-speed gearbox, with the motors being placed in the centre of the truck, Volvo says this will be more durable than putting a motor at each wheel, because of the high forces axles must endure Volvo has located the electronics and controls in a modular power box under the bonnet, where the diesel engine usually lives, allowing easy access and service, while battery packs slide into shelves on each side of the chassis, where technicians can remove and service them without taking the body off the truck.

When emotion meets logic

50 years of enduring power Back in 1969 when we first married our V8 engine with a Scania truck, 350 hp and 920 lb-ft made for the most powerful truck on the European market. But even legends need to evolve. Today’s V8 delivers up to 730 hp and 2580 lb-ft of torque and still meets the toughest emissions standards in the world. The new generation Scania V8 – where emotion meets logic.

For more information about our new generation trucks and services simply visit www.scania.com.au

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HOT ON THE HEALS OF DAF’s launch of its new gen MX13 diesel, Scania has launched a new version of its modular 13 litre six-cylinder Euro 6 engine the DC 166 boasting 540 hp, 10 more horsepower than the new MX13 engine Paccar revealed at the DAF event.

operators hauling B-doubles an excellent alternative to a higher displacement engine, and with our low rev, high torque technology, they will be able to run as efficiently as possible,” he said.

“The lower tare weight of the 13-litre engine also provides Scania with

“Our inline six range is industry leading when it comes to fuel performance,” said Alexander Vlaskamp, Senior Vice President, Head of Scania Trucks.

“Scania trucks with 13-litre engines have been crowned ‘Green Truck’ for three consecutive years in Germany,

performance, leading to strong total operating economy.

“The improved fuel figures and the power versus weight ratio will make this engine an attractive choice for many Scania customers,” Dean said.

“And when combined with the unbeatable 5-year/500,000 km

The revised Scania engine has 40 hp over the previous top-of-the-range sixcylinder, but crucially torque increases by 150 Nm to 2,700 Nm between 1,000-1,300 rpm, giving it a 100 Nm advantage over its nearest rival.

The 540 hp engine joins the existing 370 hp, 410 hp, 450 hp and 500 hp engines in the Scania 13-litre range.

“Scania has long offered the best torque in each horsepower segment, and the new 540 hp engine is no different and continues our push to standardise Euro 6,” said Dean Dal Santo, truck sales director for Scania Australia.

“The new 540 hp engine will give

the ability to reach customers with payload-critical applications.

Scania says the new 540 hp engine is more than just a software tweak, but is a technical update to the Scania six-cylinder SCR-only engine.

The company says it is based on improved combustion and gas exchange, lowered internal friction, updated turbos and smart auxiliaries and that fuel savings of 2 per cent are possible under the right conditions. Its new fixed geometry turbocharger uses ball bearings rather than journal bearings for greater longevity, and the smart auxiliary systems only power up when needed, reducing drag on the motor.

and that is a remarkable feat.

“The powerful 540 hp is mainly intended for customers and markets where legal aspects regarding front axle loads keep them from choosing a V8,” Mr. Vlaskamp said.

“The Scania 540 hp engine is perfect for anyone who needs extra power in their transport operation, or for overnight express runs where the focus is on consumption and average speeds.”

The company says that the inherent robustness of this engine, along with services like Scania Maintenance with Flexible Plans contribute to impressive cost per km and uptime

maintenance-included offer, the highest output Scania 13-litre makes even more business sense.

“When we launched NTG 13-litre range with the 500 hp Euro 6 engine in 2018, it immediately attracted a high level of demand both in G-series and also in R-series cab profiles. As a result, we are very confident the new 540 hp engine will prove to be a very successful and appealing solution for many customers,” Dean said.

The new 540 hp engine is available to be ordered now for delivery from June 2020. It can be ordered with the G, R or S-series cabs in the Scania New Truck Generation range.

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NHVR HOOKS UP WITH MOTOROLA COMMUNICATIONS company Motorola Solutions has announced that Australia’s industry heavy vehicles regulator the NHVR has decided to invest in a new mobile application from Motorola to increase safety, situational awareness and productivity for workers.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) administers a single set of laws for all heavy vehicles over 4.5 tonnes gross, enabling the sector to meet industry standards for safety, compliance and regulatory performance.

According to Motorola,the mobile application will deliver vital information to NHVR’s safety and compliance officers while they are on the move.

This includes heavy vehicle registration numbers, driver’s license details and other information from the regulator’s database.

NHVR Director of Information and Technology Mark Radovic described the new solution as a game changer, saying it would streamline, standardise and improve the way the organisation carries out on-road compliance nationally.

“Previously, complex daily tasks including calculating the weight of vehicles and issuing traffic infringement notices was quite a manual process,” Mark said.

“Now officers can complete these activities on-the-go via mobile devices and immediately send the information they capture in the field directly back to base.

“The application is helping our frontline personnel gain access to NHVR intelligence data. It allows them to work more efficiently which means they now have more time to target their engagements with heavy vehicle

drivers out on the road and promote national safety.”

A desktop version of the application also enables supervisors and system administrators to monitor information and intelligence as it is captured in the field.

The state-of-the-art mobile application also helps NHVR to meet a major goal of its Safety and Compliance Regulatory Platform program by integrating and centralising all key heavy vehicle operator information collected on-road, in the one place.

The holistic managed service will run for three years with the potential to extend to a total of seven years.

The mobile application was developed in partnership with NHVR by Gridstone, the application development firm that Motorola Solutions acquired in 2016.

Motorola Solutions Managing Director Con Balaskas, said the technology was designed to meet specific operational needs of NHVR’s officers while improving safety for all road users.

“By accessing key operational data whenever and wherever they need it, NHVR’s staff can manage their daily tasks more safely and efficiently,” Balaskas said.

“For example, the solution quickly alerts officers to potentially dangerous issues involving vehicles and drivers. This enables them to make timely, informed decisions while keeping themselves and community members safe.”

The solution has already been rolled out in Victoria and will be expanded to the ACT, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia throughout 2020.

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DEALER AWARD SEASON IN FULL SWING ITS THAT TIME of year again when the Dealer awards season is in full swing with just about every manufacturer announcing who has received the gongs for outstanding effort in 2019.

First cab off the rank was Hino, which announced that Melbourne’s Prestige Hino was its Metropolitan Dealer of the Year for the fifth year running, while West Orange Motors in the NSW Central West was the regional dealer of the year, for the second time in three years.

Prestige also added to its accolades winning the customer experience in the Metro sales category while its national fleet sales manager, Danny Timewell again won salesperson of the year, repeating his success from last year, with the manufacturer announcing a swag of other awards on the night.

Not exactly dealer of the year but Isuzu has revealed its latest Team Elite sales award, which it has run

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for more than 20 years, and which it says, ‘encourages, strengthens and showcases.

The Team Elite sales award for 2019 concluded with the National Champion Sales Consultant competition, which was recently held at the IAL head office at Truganina in Melbourne where three leading sales competitors are selected to participate, from across the 70 strong Isuzu dealer network.

This year, Jason Pinneri from North East Isuzu , Shane Hilder from Webster Trucks and Peter Wyer from Canberra Isuzu were picked to take part in the competition, with Shane Hilder yet again taking out the top award as Team Elite National Champion.

Shane has won the title four times in the past taking the gong in 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2014.

Daimler saw an emotional dealer of the year award with news that

Murwillumbah Truck Centre on the far north coast of NSW, named the 2019 Daimler Dealer of the Year.

The occasion was bitter sweet because the founder of Murwillimbah Truck Centre and patriarch of the Bedser family, that still owns the dealership, Bill Bedser passed away the day before the award was announced.

The dealership has been owned and operated by the Bedser family since 1981, and has become the ‘go-to location for Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and Fuso customers in Northern New South Wales and beyond’ according to Daimler Trucks.

Josh Bedser accepted the Daimler Dealer of the Year award at a ceremony in Melbourne last week on behalf of his father and current dealer principal, Steve Bedser.

Josh Bedser dedicated the award to his grandfather.

Volvo Group announced its 2019 Dealer of the Year Awards in late January in Brisbane and revealed that Truck Centre Western Australia (TCWA) in Perth took out the Australia Metropolitan Dealer of the Year, with industry icon Max Winkless, the man who started Volvo Australia back in the 1970s, on hand to receive the award.

Mackay based Crokers Truck Centre scooped both Regional Dealer of the Year and the National Customer Satisfaction Leader, capping off a big 2019 for the Crokers team.

Volvo GroupAustralia President and CEO Martin Merrick and Volvo Trucks International Senior Vice President Per-Erik Lindström were present to personally congratulate each winner.

“It’s a great honour to receive the award for Metropolitan Dealer of the Year,” said Dealer Principal TCWA Phil Winkless.

NEW TRANSPORTER ON THE WAY VOLKSWAGEN says its Transporter and people mover is one of the brand’s longest-running model ranges and has been a favourite with Australian businesses and families across generations when it arrives here late this year With the sixth generation Transporter arriving down under in 2014 the updated T6.1 line up will be a boost to the popular models.

VW says the T6.1 will offer a range of body styles, engines and transmissions across vans and people movers along with the previously mentioned camper variant.

The company says the camper van will be offered in the ‘Beach’ model grade and will be customisable through a customer pre-production order.

The T6.1 will have a range of updates including a new front exterior design, a new interior with the latest infotainment technology and a suite of driver assistance technology including Front Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), blind spot monitoring, rear traffic alert and Crosswind Assist.

The T6.1 will also get a new engine and transmission combination with the

TDI340 110kW turbocharged diesel paired with a DSG transmission and 4MOTION all-wheel drive.

Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia, Ryan Davies says he is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the T6.1 range, and to giving Australian Kombi Camper fans what they’ve been asking for.

“For our customers, the Transporter is more than just a van, it’s an office, a troupe carrier and a workhorse. The T6.1 range is more than just a facelift. With the T6.1 update of our popular van and people mover variants, our Transporter range gives customers even greater access to our latest tech, design and safety systems,” Mr Davies said.

“Best of all, with the introduction of the T6.1 California Beach, we are finally answering fan and customer demand for a factory-backed, turn-key weekender – we’re ecstatic to be bringing the Kombi Van back to Oz,” Mr. Davies continued.

Volkswagen Australia says it will offer further details of local specification and pricing in the coming months, prior to local introduction in the third quarter.

NEW PRODUCT

NEW INTERIOR TRANSPORT LIGHTS FROM NARVA LIGHTING BRAND NARVA HAS LAUNCHED AN NEW RANGE OF TOUGH TRANSPORT LIGHTS, DESIGNED TO BE USED ON THE INSIDE OF TRUCK BODIES IN APPLICATIONS AS DIVERSE AS REFRIGERATED TRANSPORT, THROUGH TO EMERGENCY SERVICES WORK. WITH THREE MODELS, the lamps are claimed to feature fully-sealed construction with cast alloy housing that protect them from any direct impact and depending on the model, they can also withstand extreme operating temperatures ranging from -30°C to +70°C. The new lamps can be used in conjunction with Narva’s 9-33V Passive Infrared (PIR) Motion Sensor, providing added versatility and function.

The motion sensor features a 100° detection angle at a distance of up to three metres, and also benefits from an in-built four minute timer with 30 second warning pulse, alerting the user that the light will turn-off shortly.

If movement is continuous, the light will remain on.

With a low profile of only 16mm, the PIR Motion Sensor is unobtrusive yet features the same tough die cast alloy housing as the lamps, while a low switching current of 3.0A and standby current draw of 12mA at 12V means minimal strain on batteries.

Narva’s High-Powered L.E.D Transport Lamp range is available from leading transport and automotive outlets throughout Australia.

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Road Test

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THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEST A NEW HYUNDAI XCIENT HEAVY DUTY PRIME MOVER WAS SOMETHING T&TA CHASED HARD TO ORGANISE AND A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS ALL THE PLANETS ALIGNED AND WE GRABBED THE NEW KOREAN CONTENDER FOR A ONE DAY TRY OUT TO SEE IF HYUNDAI HAS A TRUCK THAT COULD HELP IT ATTRACT A LARGER AUDIENCE, AND WE THINK IT JUST MIGHT.

H

yundai has been one of the under performers in the Australian truck market since the first light medium trucks were brought here by Hyundai Australia way back in 2012. The company brought in a handful of trucks back then but the concept lost appeal to the factory owned distributor and the notion of selling trucks was discarded.

Almost four years later businessman Dilip Kumar with, former Hyundai Australia employee Anthony Hulme working for him, picked up the rights to distribute Hyundai trucks and buses in Australia and the company launched the light and medium Hyundai Mighty.

Three years on and despite some bold sales predictions at launch, Hyundai Commercial Vehicles Australia has only sold around 300 trucks. That is a meagre total no matter which way you cut it.

The reason for the low sales numbers is rooted in a number of things, including a small but developing dealer network, a lack of an automatic option and virtually no market visibility and marketing efforts.

So any way you cut it Hyundai has been a sales disappointment in this country, particularly given the strong brand recognition for Hyundai in the car and van market and its increasing reputation for

quality and innovation.

So, when we heard that Hyundai had its new heavy-duty model, the Xcient in the country we grabbed the phone and chased the Hyundai people for a test drive.

If there was ever an example of a company hiding its light under a bushel, then here it is. From our way of thinking if we were trying to sell a truck, and more importantly a truck that appears to be as good as the Xcient, then we would be chasing every truck journo in the country to come and have a drive.

Naturally, given we chased them for the drive, we were a little bit sceptical that the Xcient would measure up. Our journalistic suspicion meter was reading high. What are they trying to hide? Why haven’t they launched the truck and given us a spiel on the new machine?

Such was the lack of urge from Hyundai Commercial Vehicles Australia, it even fell to us to organise a trailer. No problem we thought, we can do that. A quick call to Glenn Sharman, the NSW manager for MaxiTrans and we had a single trailer ready to pick up for a day’s test of the Xcient.

When we turned up at HCVA headquarters at Bankstown we were handed the keys to a handsome looking Xcient prime mover. The truck was

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finished in a smart silver-grey colour, with a high roof sleeper cab, in fact our impression was that here was a cab that would not look out of place wearing a Scania or Volvo badge. Looks aren’t everything, but you only get one chance to make a first impression, and quite frankly our first impression was this is a pretty good-looking cab over.

A quick run over the truck’s features and we climbed into the cab to be met by an even more impressive interior. The interior design and layout is the best we’ve encountered in an Asian truck, better than any Isuzu F series, Hino 700 or even the new Fuso Shogun and quite frankly close to European trucks in terms of ergonomics and overall design.

The high roof version with a centre ‘skylight’ is a $4800 option which means it had a recommended retail price of $224,390, so the standard low roof cab version is priced from $219,590. Its strong

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pricing and if Hyundai can maintain it that will be a strong attractor.

The design and fit and finish of the dash is nothing short of car like, and unlike a lot of trucks that have complex banks of buttons and dials, which are often largely superfluous and could be simplified, this truck is simple, clean and very well made.

The Koreans have done a superb job with the dash, the seating, the stand-up cab and the double height bunks.

There is an amazing amount of welldesigned stowage, including a standard built in fridge or warmer drawer underneath the bunk along with more drawers, plenty of overhead lockers and quite a few pockets and nooks that would all come in handy.

Looking at the dash there’s a big speedo and tacho on either side of a 5-inch electronic LCD screen, which can be toggled through a range of info displaying truck performance, efficiency and

a range of other parameters.

The gear selection is handled on the right-hand side of the steering column with the right-hand wand controlling the retarder and the switch from manual to auto while below this is the lever to select drive, reverse and neutral. There is also two manoeuvring options for both forward and reverse enabling the driver to inch forward and back at slow speed when hooking up or positioning.

Looking around the cab there is some disbelief that this truck has not emanated from Stuttgart, Gothenburg or Trollhaten, is this really a Korean truck?

From the driver’s seat there is excellent all-round visibility with well-designed and positioned mirrors, ans long deep side window with a big windscreen giving excellent vision out of and around the cab.

Underneath the cab sits a 13 litre ‘Hyundai’ overhead cam common rail turbo diesel six cylinder rated at 520

“ LOOKS AREN’T EVERYTHING, BUT YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION, AND QUITE FRANKLY OUR FIRST IMPRESSION WAS THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD-LOOKING CAB OVER”

horsepower. Closer inspection and some discreet digging suggests that the engine may have had its origins in Cummins technology with Hyundai collaborating with the US diesel engine specialist. While this hasn’t been confirmed there is enough evidence to suggest that this may well be the case.

The engine produces a claimed maximum power of 520 horsepower and a healthy 2550 Nm of torque and is Euro 5 compliant. But more of that later.

Bolted to the back of that 13 litre is a ZF sourced 12-speed AMT, which is an accomplished and very usable transmission that has proven credentials across the commercial vehicle spectrum. It works well at speed while a slow manoeuvring function comes in handy when inching around a yard, backing or hooking up.

Start the Hyundai up and the assuring thrum of the 13 litre bursts into life. Twist the control on the stalk to D for drive and

we move off manoeuvring out of Hyundai HQ at Bankstown for a bobtail run to MaxiTrans near Narellan in Sydney’s far South West to pick up a single trailer.

While most prime movers with this spec would normally be B Double compatible, this particular truck is only rated up to 60 tonnes GCM and at this stage is only rated for singles. This situation was down to an error apparently and is being rectified we are told.

With the trailer hooked up we headed out for a drive that a truck with similar specs to the Xcient might be asked to tackle in a typical day of work.

We headed back up Sydney’s Hume/ M4 Motorway and onto the M7 and with the combination grossing a little under 30 tonnes the truck was performing very solidly indeed. While some manufacturer quoted power figures may at times seem to have lost some horses in the top paddock, the Hyundai certainly didn’t seem to

lack any grunt. Torque was also healthy, and the engine seemed well mated to the 12 speed ASTronic which was always plucking the right gear to keep us rolling along nicely.

At 30 tonnes this may have seemed well under the truck’s stated capabilities, but for intra state and urban supply chain operations, (supermarket stocking if you like) this would be the sweet spot for a truck like the Hyundai.

Bottom line is that the Xcient drivetrain does not lack anything in comparison to its opponents in the market, there are no glaring issues and the performance is on par with any other 13 litre, and all things being equal would not disappoint an operator.

Another area where the Xcient is well specced is in terms of safety and dynamic technology. Disc brakes are fitted all round and these are mated to ABS The truck uses disc brakes all round and includes ABS, and something Hyundai calls ASR,

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“

or Anti Slip Regulator as well as vehicle dynamic control. Thankfully we did not have the need to test these firsthand, so we will have to take Hyundai ‘s word for their efficacy, but we don’t doubt they do work, systems like this are well developed and a feature on most similar spec trucks.

Just like its well respected opponents from the likes of Volvo, Scania, and Daimler, the Hyundai is equipped with E-roll, which will, when switched on, automatically disengage the transmission at cruising speed when it calculates the truck is capable of maintaining its speed while coasting with the engine sitting at idle. It’s an important fuel saving mechanism and a big tick to Hyundai for including it, underlining the fact that this truck lacks little, if anything in comparison to its opposition.

The ride and handling of the Xcient was very good with its ECAS automatic four bag rear air bag suspension delivering a smooth and controlled ride even over the most severe bumps encountered on Western Sydney’s minor roads. Similarly steering is direct well weighted an precise, again delivering a drive experience that would ensure many fatigue free hours at the wheel.

The driver’s air seat is extremely comfortable and well damped and even after three or four hours at the wheel we felt fresh and fatigue free. We could

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THE INTERIOR DESIGN AND LAYOUT IS THE BEST WE’VE ENCOUNTERED IN AN ASIAN TRUCK

imagine easily doing a long interstate run in the Hyundai without suffering discomfort.

On an extremely hot summer day in Sydney’s west the Xcient’s standard air conditioning worked very well indeed and kept the cabin comfortable and at an even temp throughout our test. The audio system worked well although in terms of sound equality we have experienced better.

All too soon our time with the Hyundai was drawing to a close. We dropped the MaxiTrans trailer back and completed our bob tail run to HCVA HQ in comfort and quiet. Running a truck bobtail can be a challenge at times but with Airbag suspension it adapted well and the steering and brakes worked just fine.

So, would you buy a Hyundai Xcient?

Good question and on face value the almost immediate answer would be yes! However, buying a truck is about much more than just performance and appearance. This is a business tool, a machine for making money and while the Hyundai people tell us this truck is very price competitive, the fact is brand loyalty is very strong in this game and most operators need a reason to try something new. Evidence of this can be seen in the fact that our number one truck brand overall, Isuzu has held that slot for 31 consecutive years, while leading heavy brand Kenworth has ruled for an equally

long time. That says give me a reason to change and price is not a good enough reason alone.

Hyundai Trucks currently has 16 dealers with at least one in each mainland state capital (two in Sydney) four in regional NSW (Wollongong, Singleton, Central Coast and Queanbeyan), two in regional Queensland (Warwick and Rockhampton), three in regional WA (Bunbury, Albany and Geraldton), and one in regional Victoria at Wodonga.

That is not a bad spread for trucks that will, at least for now, mostly be used in more populated areas, however we think it is going to take a concerted push to get the Hyundai name out there and to win acceptance, it’s an incredibly competitive market with lots of very good product so it will take commitment on pricing, quality, dealer incentives and marketing, a lot more than HCVA has committed to up to now.

On the horizon is an Allison automatic equipped Mighty in light and the lower end of medium and an all new medium duty model called the Pavise which Hyundai says will launch later this year.

All of that will help. Time will only tell if Hyundai becomes as big a name in trucks as it is in the car sector in Australia.

If the Xcient is an indicator then it has a chance, but as we say it is more than just the product alone.

Setting a new benchmark for excellence in safety, fuel efficiency, driver comfort and exterior styling.

Curious? Book your test drive now.

Visit daf.com.au/pureexcellence

THE NEW XF AND CF PURE EXCELLENCE

New Product

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PACCAR IS FINALLY GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT ITS DAF BRAND IN AUSTRALIA WITH THE LAUNCH OF ITS LATEST GENERATION MODELS DOWN UNDER. THAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT THE TRUCK MEDIA GOT AT THE LAUNCH EVENT FOR THE NEW XF AND CF MODELS DAF IN QUEENSLAND RECENTLY.

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t’s fair to say the DAF brand has lived in the shadow of its market leading sibling Kenworth and that the huge success of its US style trucks has meant that the Dutch brand has probably not received the focus and push needed to put it on an equal footing with the likes of fellow Europeans, Volvo, Mercedes and Scania.

But with Paccar now assembling DAFs alongside its Kenworth products at Bayswater the gloves are off, and Paccar says it is finally getting serious about making its Euro products the main cab over offering, complimenting its Kenworth conventional models.

Paccar management hasn’t come out and said it but clearly the boost for DAF will probably see the end of the Kenworth cabover K model in time, but there is no confirmation of that actually happening yet.

However, Volvo has been breathing down Kenworth’s neck in the heavy-duty sales race in the past few years, and in particular last year, where the Swede got a little too close for comfort. The Paccar management team knows that not every truck buyer wants an iconic Kenworth and that a lot more Australian customers are choosing European trucks than ever before, so it is logical that DAF should be promoted and aimed at the likes of Volvo, Scania and Benz.

The increase in commitment clearly started when the company added a limited number of DAFs to the Bayswater assembly lines in late 2018, and that commitment is only going to increase as the extensive investment in the expanded manufacturing facilities continues over the next 18 months, with more models, greater local content and engineering input into the DAFs built and assembled here.

“It will be much more than just a CKD operation in time, and Bayswater will become the fourth global DAF plant along with Eindhoven (Netherlands) Leyland (UK) and in Brazil,” Paccar Australia’s director of sales and marketing, Brad May told us.

“We are going to have a crack and take advantage of the potential that DAF has for us here, “ May added.

For an outsider,the biggest hurdle for Paccar management it seems, will be changing the culture at the Australian operation from one focussed almost entirely on Kenworth and making employees, dealers and customers aware of the opportunity DAF can deliver, because it has a huge upside if the company can cash in on it.

Make no mistake, these are very good trucks, from a company in Paccar that has a reputation for getting things right and

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which has remained profitable on a global basis every year for more than 80 years, so they should be good trucks. They are every bit as good as anything the other Europeans sell here in Australia in terms of dynamics, quietness, driveability and handling.

It’s taken almost two years for local Paccar product planning and engineering staff, headed up by chief engineer Noelle Parlier and product planning manager Ross Curaton to make the new generation DAF CF and XF models right for local conditions. As well as this they had to make them compliant with Australian rules, adapting the normally 2.55metre wide truck for local 2.50 metre limits. Despite the frustration of the wait and the spend required to adapt the 2019 International Truck of the Year, Paccar says it is committed to building DAF volume, at the expense of its Euro rivals and not its own Kenworth brand.

That wait for the new DAFs again says more about the tardiness and closed minds of our legislators than about the speed of Paccar. Our government agencies seemingly are unwilling to give road users the benefit of the latest safety and efficiency improvements from European developed trucks, simply because of a 50mm or two inch width difference in rules. This is despite Austroads recommending more than 27 years ago and again last year, to increase the width

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of trucks and buses on Australian roads.

One day sanity may prevail.

The new DAFs certainly put the brand on an equal footing with its Euro rivals, with clean ergonomic cabins, extremely low noise levels in and outside, the latest Euro 6 drivelines with Paccar’s own MX 11 and 13 engines and ZF’s TraXon 12 speed and 16 speed AMT (ZF’s AsTronic 12 speed is fitted to the MX11) as well as better aerodynamics and fuel efficiency.

The top of the line XF with its twin sleeper bunk and 530hp rated MX13 and the 16-speed TraXon impressed in a preview drive around the Mt Cotton Diver Training Centre near Brisbane in February, with Paccar giving the media, its dealers and customers a preview of the new trucks on consecutive days at the track.

It was a huge exercise and underlines the new commitment to the DAF brand.

The trucks feature an all new grille and frontal appearance that set them apart from the other Euro cab overs and gives them distinctive appearance. You certainly won’t mistake a new DAF on the highway for one of the other cab overs.

Paccar is claiming the new DAFs will deliver a significantly lower fuel consumption on average thanks to a range of innovations including the new MX-11 ( replacing the old 9 -litre engine ) and the redesigned MX-13 engine. As mentioned

the 13 litre is mated to the new TraXon 12 speed AMT (with the 16 speed as an option). New high efficiency rear axles with new faster ratios and advanced powertrain software also help the fuel usage, along with a range of aero improvements.

Paccar says the MX engines have been improved with new, more efficient turbochargers, a new EGR system and new valve actuation design.

Paccar claims thermal efficiency has been enhanced with an improved combustion system, with new pistons, injectors and injection strategies including increasing common rail pressure up to 2500Bar for better fuel atomisation, while the engines now have higher compression ratios.

There are also new high efficiency variable speed cooling, steering and oil pumps which reduce the load on the engine to achieve lower fuel consumption. Cooling capacity has also been increased and enabling fan engagement to be reduced by 50 per cent lessening engine load.

Like many manufacturers DAF has targeted engine ‘downspeeding’ as a key effort to improve fuel efficiency and lower consumption. In other words taller diff ratios with more flexible torque delivery and better spaced gear ratios, (something the new 16 speed TraXon delivers) to achieve consistently lower engine revs, particularly at highway cruise speeds.

Maximum torque with the MX-13 litre has been significantly increased with 2600Nm available from 1000rpm along with its improved 530hp output up from 510 hp on the old engine.

An example of how the downspeeding works is that with the new XF and its 530 hp MX13 the truck we drove was fitted with a 3.09:1 final drive. By comparison the previous truck featured a 3.40: 1 final drive. The difference means a drop of about 150rpm at 100km/h. The new engine produces maximum torque at a lower rpm and that is part of the key to achieving the downspeeding.

“An important part of fuel economy comes down to how the driver operates the vehicle; the best possible driving delivers the best efficiency. The Driver Performance Assistance (DPA) feature offers constant feedback to the driver of his/her driving style and is effectively positioned so the driver can easily see the driving effects on fuel consumption,” May said.

The latest gen TraXon AMTs is standard on the MX13 in both XF and CF series (the 12 speed is standard and the 16 speed is optional) , the older ASTronic 12 speed is standard on the MX 11 engines.

The new MX-11 can be specified in 370, 410 and 450hp versions on the CF and the MX 13 can be specified in either 480 or the range topping 530 hp. Both

versions are up 20 hp on the old MX13.

Paccar claims, and our all too brief drive confirmed, that the new TraXon transmission features faster upshifts, quieter and smoother operation and more precise clutch operation. It is certainly a lot quieter and totally fuss free in operation.

Again we are looking forward to a longer highway drive to see how it works out in the real world rather than in Mt Cotton’s tight confines.

DAF also says the TraXon delivers lower friction losses and combined with the faster upshifts helps contribute to the reduced fuel consumption.

DAF engineers have also developed an entirely new electronic architecture for the XF and CF models with a new vehicle control unit for better driveline integration.

Indications from our drive, including virtually all the variants, was that the driveline integration, its smooth operation and overall quietness has a lot to do with that new electronic control managing every aspect of the driveline.

While the test track didn’t offer up much of an opportunity to really test the enhanced Paccar Engine brake, it showed enough to us to indicate it is very good.

Paccar is claiming the MX-11 delivers maximum engine braking of 340kW, which is a 50 per cent improvement on the engine it replaces, while the MX13 delivers 360kW

of braking power in the important 1,200 to 1,500 rpm range, an increase of 100 per cent on the old MX-13.

Aerodynamics, have been dramatically improved with general manager for DAF Trucks Australia, Felipe Rubio pointing to a number of cab improvements including more rounded cab edges with corner deflectors that reduce the gap closures between the headlight and the deflector, and new grille closures to further reduce drag, along with a new sub visor design.

Out of sight and a little less obvious are new flow guides behind the grille on the XF to optimise aerodynamics around the truck and through the engine bay.

Just like its Euro competitors the new DAF has been loaded up with the latest active safety suite with standard fitment of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Forward Collison Warning (FCW), Advanced Emergency Braking, Lane Departure warning and Vehicle Stability Control all as standard.

They used to say in the automotive business that safety doesn’t sell, but indications in recent times are that, when safety packages are bundled in as standard rather than being optional, that fleets are willing to pay a premium for a truck loaded with safety features.

Chain of Responsibility, corporate responsibility and OH&S obligations

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all feed into the attractiveness of safety packages, its being proven with Hino’s 500, as well as with Volvo, Scania and other truck makers bundling safety as a no choice standard.

An interesting passive feature is a new cab mounting system DAF has introduced called Protective Cab Suspension Construction. It’s a proprietary technology that helps to absorb a significant part of energy in case of a collision. The mounting system allows the cab to move back on the mount absorbing frontal impact so the driver and occupants don’t. It also preserves the cab integrity enabling easy access for emergency services following an accident.

Inside that cab is a haven of quiet and that is the first thing that is apparent when driving the new DAFs. Fatigue has been proved to be accelerated in a noisy environment so lowering noise is a key factor in reducing driver fatigue and DAF has certainly tackled that in the new trucks.

The interior is very comfortable and well designed, with the XF having a full flat floor and stand up cab, the CF a small step up over the engine tunnel, but still offering plenty of comfort and roominess. Warm and tasteful colours on the dash, seats, curtains, mattresses, and walls make the interior an attractive place with a modern contemporary feel.

We had plenty of opportunity to test the DAF’s new air conditioning and ventilation system, the warm and steamy February weather in SE Queensland proving a stern test for any cooling system. The DAF passed with flying colours and is both easy to use and very effective.

DAF says the new system also contributes to improved fuel efficiency with the ‘smart controlled’ air-conditioning system consuming less energy as it only cools the air down as much as is needed, to reach the desired temperature. Intelligent control of the evaporator is also used to avoid unnecessary air cooling and it uses residual heat from the engine for heating the cab during shorts breaks, further adding to fuel efficiency. There is also a controller on the rear wall so the driver can control temp while lying in the bunk.

Design of the dash and instrument panel is very good, neat, well thought out and easy to use. DAF has included what it calls a ‘Driver Information Panel’ which features, apart from all the other info, a tachograph countdown, which shows remaining driving and resting times, very useful indeed. All speed-related functions,

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including cruise control, and adaptive cruise control are intuitively grouped on the steering wheel for easy use.

The dash also features modular, configurable switches which means that if you want a particular switch closer or in a different spot, it can be removed from its slot and swapped with one of the other switch units. The electronic signal in the switches and multiplex architecture means they can be moved where you need them.

There is also a great new lighting system that is intuitive and easy to use and this is positioned in the middle of the dash. The system delivers the possibility of variable dimming for ‘night drive’ and ‘relax’ modes as well as a full on flood of light when you need to find something small and hard to see in the middle of the night.

There is also very good storage, a great new sliding table and large sliding stowage including an onboard fridge under the bottom bunk in the XF It’s clear that DAF and Paccar Australia are serious about making the new CF and XF a much bigger part of the corporation’s sales volumes in Australia. DAF sold just 461 trucks in Australia last year (380 heavy duty) , fewer than any European brand on the market. In fact even MAN outsold it 2 to 1, Mercedes 2 to 1, Scania by almost 3 to 1 and Volvo by 5 to 1. If Paccar can deliver on the promise and take sales away from Volvo in particular, then it will not only earn Paccar more, but it will give Kenworth some clear air.

One area where the current DAF lacks compared to the likes of Scania, Volvo, Benz and MAN, is in engine capacity and horsepower. DAF’s 530 hp 13 litre pales by comparison to Volvo’s 16 litre 700hp big banger for instance.

Quizzed about this, Brad May acknowledges it, and says that it may not stay that way forever, hinting that higher power and capacity may be a part of the future. He also points out that the big banger engines only make up a small proportion of their opponent’s sales volume, and that most of the trucks are sold with comparative power/capacity engines to the DAF offering.

Can they do it? Of course they can, however, as we said its going to take a change of culture and a new mindset within the Bayswater ‘Bunker’. Brad May and his team are determined and should not be underestimated. Only time will tell if DAF can tackle the Swedes and Germans head on, these new trucks leave no doubt they have the weaponry to do it.

“THE INTERIOR IS A VERY COMFORTABLE AND WELL DESIGNED, WITH THE XF HAVING A FULL FLAT FLOOR AND STAND UP CAB”

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Road Test

THE TOUGH GUY

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SCANIA HAS CERTAINLY KICKED SOME GOALS WITH ITS NEW TRUCK GENERATION AND NOW THAT ITS SUPPLY WOES OF 2018 ARE WELL BEHIND IT THE RANGE IS SELLING UP A STORM PARTICULARLY IN VOCATIONAL MARKETS SUCH THOSE TARGETED BY THE XT ‘XTRA TOUGH’ VARIANTS, AIMED AT EARTHMOVING, CONSTRUCTION, MINING, LOGGING AND THE LIKE. WE CLIMBED ABOARD A G500 XT CONFIGURED AS A TIPPER DOG FOR A RUN AROUND WESTERN SYDNEY AND CAME AWAY IMPRESSED.

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ipper dogs aren’t exactly the glamor end of the truck market, but they are the get down and get dirty working dogs of the transport business and given all the infrastructure projects and spending going on in Sydney and Melbourne particularly, this is probably the sector of the economy that is really bringing home the bacon.

It’s also probably one of the reasons why Scania lifted its sales figures an amazing 28 per cent in 2019, and chalked up a new record volume in Australia, a feat made all the more commendable given the market was down 10.2 per cent on the previous year.

While the tipper dog market is often dominated by big conventionals, often older American trucks that find favour with the ‘mud carters’, there is a

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significant part of the market that has lifted its game and is looking for safety, efficiency and a better image.

Scania has always had a presence in the ‘tough end of town’ with a reputation for trucks that can get down and dirty when it really matters and the XT variants of the NTG range are no exceptions.

The chance to have a steer of the G500 variant was a good opportunity to see how a tipper dog based around the XT with a 500 hp version of Scania’s modular sixcylinder worked.

What sets the XT apart from other Scania NTG models is a high-riding chassis, which incorporates a 150 mm protruding steel bumper with an integrated 40-tonne tow point and Front Under-run Protection System, extra protection for head and tail lights, XT pattern woven fabric seat covers, stronger

and sturdier mirror protectors and a black front grille.

As one would expect from a safetyoriented Swede like Scania, there is a raft of standard safety and driver aids on board. These include electronic stability system and traction control, hill hold, a differential lock, lane departure warning and a forward-looking camera, LED tail, position and daytime running lights and H7 Halogen headlights. Driver and passenger seat belt pretensioner, a driver’s Airbag and driver’s and passenger side airbags are also all standard, delivering an added degree of peace of mind.

Not surprisingly brakes are discs all round, with ABS, EBS and autonomous emergency braking to add to the safety credentials.

When we met up with Scania driver trainer, Andy Nicholls at Scania’s Sydney

factory dealership outlet in Prestons, just off the M7 Motorway we were presented with a smart looking XT G500 with a huge, bright orange stylised XT decal on either side of the cab. Behind that was a polished aluminium tipper body with a large Scania XT photo mural and a Muscat dog trailer hitched behind. The rig was laden to about 80per cent of its legal GCM tipping the scales at 48.5 tonnes.

Andy showed us around the truck and to familiarise with all of the XT features, despite having driven the Scania NTG models extensively, this was a new variant.

Under the cab sat the Scania overhead cam 12.7 litre inline six cylinder, which is good for a claimed 500hp at 1900 rpm while pumping out max torque of 2550 Nm between 1000 and 1300 rpm and mated to it, naturally enough, was Scania’s excellent Opticruise 14 speed

(12 normal gears plus two crawlers).

From the minute we pulled out of the front gates at Prestons, the XT was keen to impress. It was quiet, responsive, easy to drive and made short work of the heavy morning traffic. Plenty of traffic lights and plenty of red ones, meant we got to test the Scania’s start-ability and every time, whether on the flat or on a hill, the truck just galloped away with ease.

Braking, as expected, was a highlight and was put to the several times by car drivers keen to test their own immortality. It was no problem, the Scania’s braking capability probably helped saved their lives!

Many of the roads in the South Western region of Sydney are not in good shape, but the Scania’s ride was superlative and never caused us an issue. It was clear we were in this truck’s heartland as we

cruised through many new industrial estates, surrounded by new housing developments and buildings under construction, and in fact we got our share of waves from tipper dog operators clearly taken with the handsome Swede.

On second class and second-rate rural roads the XT was in its element with Andy Nicholls directing us down some narrow, rutted and potholed tarmac, taking the climb from Wallacia to near Warragamba without missing a beat.

Despite a substantial load the Scania climbed the steepest hills with relative ease, the Opticruse skipping down a couple of gears but digging in and grinding away at the hills, while still maintaining strong fuel efficiency.

The inbuilt retarder worked a treat for the return descent back down to Wallacia, selecting down a few gears and holding

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the descent on the retarder/ engine brake with ease.

The number of operators piloting tipper dog rigs that we passed is testament to our notion that this is really Sydney heartland for the configuration.

Again low cabin noise levels and a comfortable ride enabled Andy and I to converse easily at normal levels, without the need to raise the voice or strain the hearing, in fact such was the ongoing chat that we did not really get to test the Scania audio system. Past experience however would suggest that it is close to symphonic in its ability to fill the cab with clear and crisp audio. As part of that whole set up the XT has USB slots in the dash and on the rear wall, for keeping your devices charged and also to feed

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music etc into the audio system. Of course there is also, Bluetooth connectivity to stream audio and for phone conversations.

There is also a full digital display instrument panel, with nav system including GPS mapping and connection with the Scania Communicator C 300 telematics system.

We concluded our day at the wheel of the XT by negotiating the Northern Road to Penrith and on to what some might consider is the Tipper Dog’s natural home, the M4 Motorway, where a plethora of similar rigs pound the road, day in day out, servicing the infrastructure projects that are part of Western Sydney these days. We mingled with the cars safe in the knowledge that the Scania’s suite of safety features would help us stay out of their way.

With the adaptive cruise control selected it was an easy amble down to the M7 spaghetti junction and on back to Scania at Prestons.

Tipper Dog operators face lots of pressures on our roads each day but with a truck like this Scania XT you could be assured of a more stress free and easier workday no matter what the conditions.

The XT G500 is a very good truck and one worth a look by anyone operating in the earthmoving and civil sectors. We came away very impressed with its overall feel, dynamics and efficiency. If you are more interested in safety, efficiency and true performance then a Scania XT might be a better alternative to the traditional conventional US style trucks that populate the sector.

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Road Test

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WE DON’T OFTEN GET THE CHANCE TO ROAD TEST RIGIDS, EITHER MEDIUM OR HEAVY DUTY, OVER LONGER TEST ROUTES. NORMALLY IT IS A DAY AT THE WHEEL DOING A LOOP AROUND THE METRO AREAS OR A 100KM DOWN THE ROAD AND BACK, SO IT WAS AN ATTRACTIVE OFFER TO DO A LONGER ROAD TEST OF HINO’S RECENTLY UPGRADED 700 SERIES, NOW EQUIPPED WITH THE ZF SOURCED 16-SPEED TRAXON AMT, REPLACING THE EARLIER 12 SPEED AMT. HERE ARE OUR THOUGHTS.

T

he offer to fly to Brisbane and drive the 700 back down the Pacific Highway to our base in Sydney was one too good to pass up. Here was a chance to spend an intensive time at the wheel of a workhorse and get to know it a bit better. The drive would mean tackling the road works as the Pacific Motorway edges inexorably towards completion and the delays in areas hit by bushfires in recent days and weeks, so there would be plenty to test the truck and our patience.

While most truck traffic down the Pacific is primarily B Double or single trailer prime movers there are still plenty of rigids tackling Highway 1, so it was a valid test. However, in a twist Hino reckons this particular spec the 2848 6x4 rigid is ideally suited to rural applications such as stock crates and carting hay – as we were in this particular test. In some states, particularly Queensland, discretionary loading will allow operators to load right up to the maximum GVM. The test 700, as we say was a 2848, which along with the 28 tonne GVM indicates it is powered by the 480 hp version of Hino’s 12.9 litre in line sixcylinder turbo diesel. The truck also had an extra-long chassis with Hendrickson HAS 460 air bag/leaf spring suspension on the rear axles with conventional shocks and taper leaf springs on the front axle.

The test Hino 700 boasted a 10.9-metre chassis with a 9.18 metre load tray on a 6267mm wheelbase. Plenty of room for

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a full load of hay that Hino says will go to farmers somewhere in our droughtstricken country.

While having a long chassis and load tray it would still be possible for the Hino to haul a short trailer pig trailer while remaining within the 19-metre length limit, and staying with in the maximum 72 tonne GCM, which it shares with its prime mover sibling.

Once we flew into Brisbane and made our way out to Hino’s Brisbane dealer, Scifleet at Coopers Plains it was late morning so by the time we completed handover, some checks and a bit of photography it was almost lunchtime when we hit the road south. It was going to be a long day, but the strategy was to drive as far as we could in daylight and find a motel for the night. As tempting as the narrow bunk in the Hino 700 may have been for some, a proper bed and a shower would be more attractive for this driver.

The newly added 16 speed AMT was well appreciated as we battled the many traffic lights on route to the M1 Motorway

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south through the Gold Coast, all of which had plenty of pre-Christmas traffic just two weeks out from Santa’s arrival.

Things only got worse from here with road works along the Gold Coast sections of the motorway having us down to a crawling pace at times and edging along in frustrating and annoying bumper to bumper tailbacks. Inside the Hino however, with the air conditioning cutting through the high outside temps, the audio system dialled into some good music via Bluetooth and the extremely comfortable ISRI seat keeping the driver cosseted from the outside bumps, the traffic frustrations melted away.

As is the way with trucks, model runs are long and span many years, and the Hino is no exception with this current flagship model now approaching 12 years since it was launched. Word is that a new model 700 is due sometime in the next 12 months. Despite this the Hino is still comfortable, functional and eminently usable. However, if you’ve driven the newish Hino 500 standard cab, launched

last year, and then jumped into the 700, the contrast would be stark. Nevertheless the 700 works well and as we finally arrived at Chinderah around 2pm, we were well overdue for a sandwich and a coffee.

The Hino cab has a reasonable amount of storage space with a large flat tray sitting atop the engine hump, alongside the driver’s seat, capable of retaining a variety of necessary items close at hand various cubby holes and drink holders around the cockpit and some overhead lockers capable of taking things like the mandatory work diary etc.

The dash is well laid out and functional, with the instrument panel boasting a large speedo and tacho flanking four minor gauges in the middle with volts, oil pressure, fuel gauge and water temp and a range of warning lights which light up when needed.

Move further to the left in the cockpit and there is the a 6.1-inch high definition touch screen multimedia unit, which boasts AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio,

THE REAL BENEFIT OF THE NEW 16-SPEED AMT IS FELT ON THE HILLS AND UNDULATIONS OF THE PACIFIC DELIVERING MORE FLEXIBILITY AND BETTER PERFORMANCE CD and DVD as well as featuring USB and SD card slots. It all works and does the job well. The big multi-media screen can be coupled with the reversing camera and delivers three different views so you can see cars directly behind that you might not see in your mirrors. There is also the ability to hear what is behind you with the addition of a mike, picking up ambient noise.

The GPS nav system also displays on the screen and can deliver warnings for such things as roads that might be weight restricted or low bridges and tunnels as well as speed limits and speed cameras.

These can be delivered on screen and also via an audio warning if necessary.

Ride in the Hino is excellent with the loaded truck rolling over the Pacific bumps with ease thanks largely to the air bag suspension and the ISRI 6860 air suspended seat which is equipped with an integrated seatbelt and pretensioner, which means that belt isn’t rubbing against your neck as it might if it is fixed to the cab body as it is in some trucks. The seat

is multi adjustable and very comfortable, which was underlined as the afternoon dragged on. Seat and steering wheel adjustment is extensive, so it is easy for most drivers to quickly and easily find a comfortable driving position.

With the cruise control set, we ambled down the highway until we hit the extensive road works between Ballina and Grafton.

We’d be stating the bleeding obvious to say the completion of this mammoth road upgrade can’t come soon enough, but it will be a glorious day when it does. The Hino was flexible and comfortable, pushing on with the driver feeling fresh and alert throughout the afternoon.

The common rail turbo diesel delivers max power of 480hp at 1,800rpm and boasts peak torque of,157Nm between 1,100 and 1300 rpm. It is a very flat and consistent torque curve, with the engine holding on strongly and still delivers almost 2000 Nm near the upper rev limit The Hino engine is only Euro 5 rated but you can bet any upgrade in the next 12 months will be at the Japanese equivalent

to Euro 6 standard, known as post Post New Long Term or pPNLT, just as Hino’s Standard Cab 500 does.

The current Euro 5 engine uses SCR and is equipped with a variable nozzle turbo, again maximising the flexibility.

Other features that help this Euro-5 rated engine perform well include high pressure common-rail injection, a variable nozzle turbo and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to control emissions.

The real benefit of the new 16-speed AMT is felt on the hills and undulations of the Pacific, delivering more flexibility and better performance from the Hino 13-litre six-cylinder engine. The ratios are will matched and the engine hangs in well and breasted most hills still in the upper part of the box usually hanging on to 12th.

The truck was specced with the midrange 3.9:1 final drive giving excellent gradeability of around 32.4 per cent at the maximum GCM. It also means the engine revs are at a very acceptable 1650rpm at the highway cruise speed of 100km/h.

As we headed into the late afternoon

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our goal was to reach Port Macquarie and once we were south of the new motorway construction and the Coffs Harbour traffic congestion, the newly completed sections of the motorway enabled us to motor along efficiently and easily eating up the kilometres. The new ZF TraXon 16 speed worked in every condition whether at highway cruising speed or tackling the Pacific highway hills, in traffic at crawling pace or manoeuvring into a loading dock or farmyard.

One of the most impressive and appreciated aspects of the 700 and its new ZF is the retarder/engine brake. Activated via a stalk on the steering column with five levels of retardation the system works incredibly well. It works well on steep descents and in urban traffic where it can slow the truck to a near complete halt with the service brakes only required in the last few metres. It is very well engineered indeed.

The AMT will also downshift automatically in collaboration with the

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retarder, shifting the box down as the truck descends hills or slows and holding the level selected with the retarder. It all works seamlessly, safely and fuss free.

One could imagine it would be a massive boost to brake longevity thanks to the retardation the system delivers.

Rising early the next morning we were back on the road and headed for Sydney with the panoramic windscreen giving us a great view of the road ahead, while big door windows and the great, electronically controlled side mirrors, give great side and rear view. The mirrors, with both a wide angle and the spotter are easily adjustable and give, clear rear vision, which when mated with the reversing/rear view camera gives the driver plenty of information to manage the truck.

We were also impressed with the triple gang wipers which give great coverage across the screen and came in use as we drove through some rare but consistent rain on our way into Newcastle

When we arrived back at Hino HQ, we had covered 998.9 kms, just 1.1 kms short of an even 1000 and Hino’s HinoTraq telemetry revealed we had averaged 3.05km/litre, using 331 litres across the 16 hours we were driving.

The best fuel result was on day one when there was plenty of on highway running and we averaged 3.155km/ litre over 560km and used 178.825 litres, results we were pretty happy with.

After spending 16 hours at the wheel of Hino’s 700 2848 heading down the Pacific we came away impressed with a solid, comfortable and flexible big rigid that would fit well in many a rural or city application. The introduction of the new 16 speed TraXon AMT from ZF has really lifted the driveline performance and this alone makes the 700 a must consider on any shopping list in this sector. If this 12-year-old truck is still so good we can’t wait to sample the new 700 and what it might hold when it arrives here some time in 2021.

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Operator

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WHEN LEADING SYDNEY HIRE COMPANY, UPHIRE EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS, NEEDED A NEW HEAVYDUTY RIGID FOR DELIVERING ITS LIFT AND REACH EQUIPMENT THE COMPANY HAD A FEW CRITERIA TO MEET AND FOUND THAT IVECO’S NEW STRALIS X-WAY FITTED THE BILL. WE TAKE A LOOK AT UPHIRE’S BUSINESS AND WHY IT SELECTED THE NEW IVECO.

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U

phire wanted a truck that fitted its philosophy of safety, innovation and compliance and it also wanted a truck it could depend on, while ensuring deliveries of its fleet of equipment including vertical lifts, scissor lifts, knuckle boom lifts, telescopic boom lifts, spider lifts, forklifts, telehandlers and traffic equipment including solar light towers VMS boards and traffic vehicles, arrived on sites on time, to ensure its customers work schedules weren’t held up.

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In choosing a new 8x4 rigid, Uphire looked to its sister company INNOV8 Equipment for some advice. INNOV8 Equipment, a highly regarded manufacturer and supplier of traffic management products, widely uses Iveco Daily and Eurocargo models, particularly as platforms for its truck-mounted attenuator systems.

The result was that Uphire decided to order and has since taken delivery of a new Iveco Stralis X-Way 8x4, to transport its range of materials handling equipment

to customers in both metropolitan Sydney and further afield in NSW. Managing director of Uphire, Nigel McKinley, says that given the Iveco models’ strong performance with INNOV8 over the last two years and his solid relationship with the brand, meant purchasing the new X-Way was an easy decision.

“From a product perspective, our experience with Iveco has been very good, and furthermore, we’ve found that the service and support that’s provided

by Iveco as a company, has also been excellent,” Nigel said.

“When we were looking for a larger vehicle to add to the Uphire fleet, we therefore turned to Iveco again.”

Based in Jamisontown in Western Sydney, Uphire provides hire and sales of that wide range of equipment we mentioned earlier. With that in mind the company’s new Stralis is fitted with tilt slide tray allowing operators to pick up and drop off machinery with relative ease.

The company is also a training provider, delivering a variety or recognised courses so that the users can safely and legally operate the machines on site.

Aside from vehicle-mounted traffic equipment such as attenuators, the X-Way is being used to deliver the remainder of this equipment around greater Sydney up to six days per week.

Uphire’s new X-Way features a Cursor 11 engine producing 460hp and 2150Nm of torque, producing ample output while still meeting Euro 6 (Step C) emissions levels.

To meet these stringent requirements, Iveco uses a unique ‘Hi-SCR’ system, a single after-treatment system with passive Diesel Particulate Filter that doesn’t require driver intervention.

Compared to earlier Euro 5 Cursor engines, the new variants deliver a 50 per cent reduction in particulate matter and an 80 per cent reduction in nitrogen oxides.

The engine is matched to the new HiTroniX, 12-speed automated manual transmission which provides intuitive gear selection and seamless power delivery.

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Nigel said that the X-Way’s environmental performance was another motivating factor in selecting this model.

“Our companies are driven by safety, innovation and compliance, so purchasing a vehicle with strong emissions credentials was also important for us,” he said.

“Similarly, safety is a key consideration both for the welfare of our own employees as well as other road users – the level of safety technology in the X-Way is impressive.”

Among its long list of safety benefits, the X-Way boasts an Electronic Braking System with Brake Assistance System, an Advanced Emergency Braking System, Electronic Stability Program, Adaptive Cruise Control and Hill Holder as standard, with additional equipment such as a Lane Departure Warning System, Hydraulic Retarder and Driver Attention Support available as options.

To make full use of the X-Way 8x4’s 45 tonne GVM, Uphire’s new truck is fitted

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with a high quality 9.6 metre Custom Transport Equipment tilt-tray, with 30,000 lb winch for easy loading and unloading of equipment.

The size of the tray also allows the Uphire team to more easily coordinate multiple drop-offs or pick-ups, minimising the need for the vehicle to return back to the depot once out on the road.

Although still new to the fleet, Nigel said that the X-Way was so far performing well.

“We’re receiving good feedback from our driver Steve, and the arrival of this larger truck on fleet is certainly making the delivery and collection task a lot more efficient for us,” Nigel said.

“Given the performance of the previous Iveco models we’ve used, I have every confidence that the new X-Way will also be a success.”

Uphire says it is not just about the equipment it hires. The company says it is focused on the safety, wellbeing and achievement of its people and

operates the business according to a set of business principles developed to ensure its continued success.

“We have a can-do approach, and we follow through. We will always go the extra mile to meet our customer expectations.

If we say we will do it, we will make it happen,” said Nigel McKinley.

“From the foundation of our organisation we have set high standards for ourselves.

Our aim is to work according to industry best practices so that we can meet or exceed our obligations,” he added.

Nigel says that the future is important to Uphire.

“We have developed our operation with a view to ongoing growth and development and we pride ourselves on operating with the professionalism and efficiency normally expected of much larger organisations,” he said.

Its clear that Uphire has high hopes and aspirations and clearly they are reaching for the sky.

“ FROM THE FOUNDATION OF OUR ORGANISATION WE HAVE SET HIGH STANDARDS FOR OURSELVES”

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Operator

FOR MANY YEARS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE MARKET THEY HAVE SAID THAT ‘SAFETY DOESN’T SELL’, BUT THE WORLD IS CHANGING, AND IT SEEMS MORE AND MORE COMPANIES ARE TICKING THE BOX FOR THE LATEST SAFETY SYSTEMS AND PROTECTION. IT’S CERTAINLY BOOSTED HINO SALES THANKS TO THE SAFETY PACKAGE IT STANDARDISED ACROSS ITS LATEST 500 SERIES STANDARD CAB RANGE. HANSON CEMENT IS A CASE IN POINT, AND WE SAT DOWN WITH THE COMPANY’S NATIONAL PROCUREMENT MANAGER TO FIND OUT WHY THEY CHOSE SAFETY OVER PURCHASE PRICE.

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W

e have written in these pages before about the safety issues inherent in concrete trucks and how the major cement companies of all colours have been working hard to ‘agitate’ for safer trucks. Bad puns aside, the fact is the push for safer and more user-friendly trucks in the cement industry is an ongoing one and Hanson Cement has moved to make its ‘mini agitators safer and more user friendly.

Regular readers may remember our feature story on the work Boral has done to reduce the risks with its large Mack cement trucks, employing the suite of electronic safety aids and also developing lighter weight agitator bowls that are

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mounted lower in the chassis delivering a more stable and lower centre of gravity.

Hanson has moved to not only make its big trucks safer but also its growing fleet of mini agitators. Mini agitators equipped with a 2.6 cubic metre bowl are a growing niche in the market for Hanson, offering an alternative to builders and home renovators who need a smaller amount of concrete. Hanson’s full-size trucks usually are equipped with a 7.5cubic metre bowl or almost three times the size of the mini agitators.

Hino’s move in early 2019 to make a full suite of electronic safety aids available as part of the specification on its 500 series standard cab models, has proved to be a move that has appealed greatly to many

corporate fleets around the country, as an increasing desire to satisfy chain of responsibility and OH& S requirements drive the demand.

This was one of the reasons Hanson made the move to add Hinos to its fleet of mini agitators.

Hanson’s national procurement manager, Neil McDermott, says that apart from safety aspects the Hino’s deliver through the safety package, the severe shortage of skilled drivers has meant the company has had to look to a wider pool of drivers and some with lower skill levels. ”The most important aspect for us was that the Hino’s came equipped with stability control as standard and they stood out in the marketplace,” said Neil.

“Until now we haven’t had stability control in our mini agitator fleet, but it has been a standard requirement on our larger trucks for some time,” he added.

The Hanson fleet numbers about 1500 concrete trucks of various sizes with about 1100 of those being company owned with the other 400 operated by contractors.

The company also has another 400 tippers and tipper dog units servicing the organisation’s batching plants.

So far it has added 20 new Hinos to its mini agitator fleet which has another 50 trucks of various brands, but indications are the company will add more Hinos in coming months.

The purchase of the Hino fleet marks a shift in Hanson operations in the mini

agitator sector. Until now all of the mini agitators have been contractor owned but the initial buy of the new trucks will be Hanson owned and run.

The decision to purchase Hino came after a major safety review of Hanson’s transport fleet with a decision from that to make stability control a mandatory feature on all its new trucks.

The safety review not only saw stability control and other electronic aids introduced but it also has seen other features such as side underrun protection added to prevent cars ploughing under the chassis of the truck in side on collisions.

Interestingly Neil McDermott says the Hinos weren’t as attractive commercially and the company could have sourced

cheaper trucks from other manufacturers.

“The Hinos weren’t as commercially competitive but we were willing to overlook that and pay extra for the safety,” he said.

“In terms of tare weight all the Japanese trucks are about the same, they’re all about the same as far as mechanical spec but the safety and having the auto fitted on the line set the Hinos apart,” he added.

“We have had mostly Isuzu in the small end of our fleet for the past 20 years or so, we’ve had around 300 of them and we had a great run with them but again the safety aspect was the main reason for the shift”.

Hanson has had a small number of Hino tippers on the fleet and found the parts

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and service back up was strong and the overall reliability was impressive.

“We try to with the same suppliers for a good period of time to establish operating efficiencies and to build the relationship,” McDermott said.

The company still has a lot of Isuzus and Macks in the heavy end of the fleet along with Iveco Accos, which have long been the staple of concrete agitator fleets across Australia. However, McDermott says that the long-time love affair with the Acco may be waning, with the new Acco launched recently having a tare weight challenge that may prove problematic.

“The tare of the new Acco is about one tonne heavier than the previous one which is a problem for concrete because that will impinge on how much concrete we can cart,” said McDermott.

A global leader in building and construction materials, Hanson has an extensive production and logistics network across Australia. The company is part of the Heidelberg Cement Group, which employs more than 59,000 people across five continents with leading

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positions in cement, concrete and heavy building products.

Another aspect that attracted Hanson to Hino was the fact that a factory fitted Allison automatic was available, rather than retro fitted auto.

“The fact that the auto was fitted down the assembly line was definitely attractive to us because of the integrity and reliability that offered,” he added.

“The Allison automatic was a vital point in choosing the spec for the Hinos because many drivers now can’t drive a manual car, let alone a manual truck,” said McDermott.

“Allison has been the standard in our larger heavy-duty agitator trucks for many years. In the past, not all of our smaller mini agitators have been automatics because they have not always been available in the smaller end of the market,” said McDermott.

The autos are another part of the overall safety package according to Neil McDermott.

“An automatic allows drivers to concentrate on driving the truck without having to worry about selecting the

correct gear or being distracted in dangerous situations,” he said.

“Concrete agitators have one of the highest accident rates of any truck type because of the inherent compromises with high centre of gravity and a shifting cargo,” said McDermott. “Anything we can do to minimize the tasks a driver has to complete in the truck, such as changing gears, means they can concentrate on driving the truck.”

The Hanson Cement Hino mini agitators are equipped with 2.6 metre agitator bowls which are around one third the size of the company’s large heavy-duty agitators, which normally are equipped with 7.5-meter bowls.

The Hanson Hino 500s are all 1124 FCs using the 240hp four-cylinder turbo diesel with an 11tonne GVM. A full 2.6 metre load of concrete weighs in at around six tonnes, however with small batches tailored to specific customer needs the mini agitators Early indications are that the Hino 500 mini agitators are a hit for Hanson and there will be more of them joining the fleet in the future.

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Operator

ARGUABLY ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST HORSE TRANSPORT COMPANIES, SYDNEY HORSE TRANSPORT IS A STORY SPANNING TWO DECADES. HAVING BEGUN AS A TWO-TRUCK OPERATION IN COFFS HARBOUR, NEW SOUTH WALES, OWNER ADAM MALEY THEN EXPANDED THE BUSINESS INTO OTHER REGIONS AND STATES, SUCH AS VICTORIA AND QUEENSLAND. WE DROPPED

BY TO SEE WHAT MAKES IT TICK.

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S

pecialising in transporting horses on a daily basis is no easy task and something SHT takes very seriously as is witnessed by the caliber and number of many VIHs ( Very Important Horses) the company has and continues to transport around the country.

The task of transporting precious racehorses is more than just taking them from stables to the track, it involves moving the feisty beasts to and from spelling paddocks, to the races and to barrier trials, and often between different states.

Sydney Horse Transport’s dedication to the work they do is evident, and their reliability has resulted in being trusted by the best trainers in the world, including Chris Waller, Gai Waterhouse, Gerald Ryan and Gary Moore.

Its not surprising then that when the world famous champion sprinter Winx made her way onto the racing scene and started to have some success, trainer Chris Waller knew he could trust his star performer to Adam Maley and his fleet of Isuzu trucks.

On the working relationship between Chris Waller and Sydney Horse Transport, Adam mused, “It’s pretty routine, if it’s working there was no reason to fix it.”

With transporting cherished, prizewinning racehorses such as Winx, Adam Maley had all the answers to accommodate Chris Waller’s needs.

“He would request the same driver, the same Isuzu truck and same procedure, and we were there to supply and meet his expectations,” Adam Maley explained.

“There was a lot of welcome pressure during those days, analysing traffic reports and keeping our eyes on the live cameras so there are no accidents or hold-ups and to ensure that Winx wasn’t spending more time on the road than she needed to.

“Being a part of that process and watching her continue to win was extremely satisfying,” Adam said.

However it is not just race horses that Adam and his team have to transport.

They aren’t strangers to handling other animals and interesting requests as well, such as a client who requested the transport of 30 miniature cows from Queensland to Tasmania, and the company has also been tasked with moving radio personality Kyle Sandilands’s camel.

“We also had the opportunity to move Kyle’s camel from Victoria up to NSW for him, that was a pleasure,” Adam said.

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“SYDNEY HORSE TRANSPORT’S DEDICATION TO THE WORK THEY DO IS EVIDENT, AND THEIR RELIABILITY HAS RESULTED IN BEING TRUSTED

BY THE BEST TRAINERS IN THE WORLD”

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“ THE ISUZUS HAVE BEEN SUPERB, ULTRA RELIABLE AND WE SIMPLY DON’T HAVE ISSUES WITH DOWNTIME” We hope they didn’t have any problems with speed humps!

However as many will tell you, with big names comes big responsibility, and that’s why Adam has chosen Isuzu as his brand of choice.

“We were with a different brand of truck 12 or so years ago and we had a lot of mechanical trouble with that brand,” said Adam.

“I went away and did a lot of research.

We also looked at what the councils and other larger companies were purchasing— as they also clearly did a lot of research— and we saw that many of them were also buying Isuzu as well.

“So we made the call to switch to Isuzu and we’ve bought Isuzu ever since,” Adam said.

The stars of Adam’s Isuzu fleet include the Isuzu FXD 165-350, the FXD 165-350 and the FRR 110-260.

“The Isuzus have been superb, ultra reliable and we simply don’t have issues with downtime now,” Adam said.

“Reliability is paramount in this industry, you can’t afford to have horses sitting on the side of the road with trucks breaking down

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and not being up to standard” he said.

Adam says he is very satisfied the power of his Isuzu fleet with the FRR rated at 191 kW with 761 Nm of torque @ 1400–2400 rpm, while the FXD is rated at 257 kW 1422 Nm of torque @ 1400 rpm.

“The power of our Isuzu trucks is more than ample—it’s really good compared to other brands in the same size, which we found to be lacking in power,” Adam said.

Both trucks run Allison automatics transmission featuring fifth-generation electronic controls with adaptive shift, resulting in the smooth drive the racehorses require.

“Both trucks are automatic and they’re good in and out of traffic.

“They’re very smooth vehicles to drive, which is important because the horses need to be comfortable,” Adam said.

Both trucks are fitted with horse-carrying bodies, the FRR sporting a six-horse loading body and the FXD boasting a nine-horse side-loading body—all fitted with airbags and other features necessary to keep the horses safe.

Adam said that he has found that Isuzu

has offered increased value in multiple facets of his business as compared to other truck brands.

“Compared to others, the Isuzu’s reliability, payload, and smoothness and comfort of the drive are all better, and Isuzus are very cost-effective,” Adam said.

“The trucks have a great turning circle and they’re very comfortable to drive.

“The drivers can be in them for quite a number of hours and they’re not returning sore, tired or stressed, and instead returning quite fresh.”

Additionally, Adam says the biggest benefit Isuzu gives his business is convenience.

“Convenience and service, those are key.

“Gold Coast Isuzu’s very quick, when you get a vehicle serviced and maintained they have it ready to go quite promptly.

“And if there are any potential problems looming, Gold Coast Isuzu has them resolved before they can start.

“We stand out in our industry due to the size of our business, which is achievable through the quality of the trucks and the continual service with limited downtime that we are able to offer,” Adam said.

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LCV

TIE ME TRANSIT VAN DOWN SPORT! VANS AREN’T ALWAYS KNOWN FOR RACY LOOKS AND ALLOY WHEELS BUT FORD IS TRYING TO CHANGE THAT WITH ITS TRANSIT CUSTOM SPORT. WE SWUNG BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE LATEST TRANSIT TO SEE HOW THE SPORT MODEL PERFORMS.

T

his writer is old enough to remember when utes were just workhorses and were the last things anyone customised or hotted up. That of course has all changed and utes are the new sports cars of the21st century.

They’re often workhorses but just as often they are the personal transport of enthusiasts and customisers.

The same hasn’t generally been seen in the van market, with a few minor exceptions. So we were really interested when Ford introduced a sporty version of its Transit, the Transit Custom Sport.

The Transit Custom Sport is really a styling exercise and far from being a ‘hotted up’ van the van, the main

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additions over the normal Transit Custom are styled ‘GT’ stripes and decals, added skirts and wheel arch flares, a special black trimmed grille, black 17 inch alloy rims fitted with Michelins, bi-xenon HID headlights and LED daytime running lights. The Custom Sport package will cost you a $3550 premium over the normal $44,990 SWB Custom van. So the Transit Custom Sport will set you back $48,990 or $53,990 for the LWB Custom Sport.

However its not just external trim changes, there are also some significant interior additions including a leather trimmed and heated ten-way adjustable driver’s seat, a leather steering wheel and some extra trim pieces as well as LED lighting in the load area.

At the risk of sounding like Tim the

Demtel guy, but wait there is more! Under the front seats is a ‘tuned’ version of the Ford turbo diesel two-litre which delivers another 11kW and an added 15 Nm of torque over the standard version.

We have to confess we have liked the current gen Transit from the very first time we drove it. It has car like dynamics and handles more like a car than most vans and with the extra power and torque the great alloy wheels and those Michelin tyres it is an even more impressive package with the Custom Sport.

Like any van the ride when unladen can be a bit firm but put 100kgs or so in the back and it sits very nicely on the road indeed. But even without a load in the back the Transit steers, goes and stops with great aplomb. The thing is it feels like

it has very good balance, with the engine set well back in its short bonnet and with the passenger compartment behind that ,it feels more precise and better handling than most vans. The steering is also very precise, light and has pretty good feel. Its sharp and nippy and is really great in city traffic conditions, while the 11.8 metre turning circle is pretty impressive.

Safety has often been an after-thought in vans, not so the Transit Custom Sport.

It gets a full suite of safety systems and boasts a five-star ANCAP rating thanks partly to the six airbags it is fitted with, but also because of those safety systems.

As part of that bag of safety systems the Transit has autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward-collision alert, lane-departure

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alert, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control and trailer-sway control integrated into the vehicles trailer-sway control.

Another interesting addition is called Sync Emergency Assist system which is part of the Ford Synch Infotainment system that automatically sends your GPS position to emergency services if the airbags are deployed and your phone is paired with the Bluetooth, that is unless you are conscious and able to turn it off.

That extra 11kW gives the turbo diesel maximum power of 136kW at 3500 rpm and the extra 15kw of torque mean it now has 405 Nm which is delivered down low.

It gives the Transit Sport just that extra bit of agility and nippiness, an ideal quality for a van, most of which are used around crowded city roads The Transit Sport is only available as an

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automatic with the six-speed full auto the only option. The normal Transit is also available with a six-speed manual but this is not available on the Sport Given most buyers want an auto these days and also because it does have a button shift manual mode, the Transit auto is perfectly suited and well mated to the two litre turbo diesel.

The diesel is quiet and efficient both in terms of performance and fuel consumption and we had a best average consumption across our week with the van of 8.1litres per 100km, which we think is pretty reasonable given it is a van with its weight and lack of aero profile. Thanks to a 72litre fuel capacity that means the van has a range of around 900km, so you can spend more time driving and less time refuelling. The Transit is Euro 6 compliant so it uses SCR with a reservoir of AdBlue to ensure the emissions are clean and free of NOx.

The cab is particularly quiet, thanks partly to the metal cabin divider that is fitted the passenger compartment. Apart from giving added safety and peace of mind, knowing something won’t come flying into the cabin and clock you on the head in a crash stop, the metal divider also reduces the drumming noise that often makes vans loud and near intolerable to travel in for long periods.

The cabin is comfortable and easy to access and both the driver’s seat and the steering wheel have a range of adjustment to make virtually any driver comfortable.

Vision is also excellent with large side windows a panoramic view forward through the windscreen and the narrow A-pillars don’t greatly inhibit the view of the driver making it even easier to see out of.

The dash design is easy to use and well laid out with a large speedo to the right

and a tacho to the left with and a digital display showing trip computer details and other relevant info that can be cycled through various screens using the toggles on the steering wheel.

There is plenty of storage space around the cab which is appropriate in a work van with various nooks and cubby holes to stow things along the dash and in the doors. There is also a storage bin below the passenger seats, while there is a panel that folds down from the back of the middle seat to provide a work desk for the driver. The Transit features plenty of auxiliary power as well including a handy 240 volt general power outlet as well as two USB slots and a normal 12 volt socket In the middle of the dash you get an 8.0-inch touchscreen LED displays, which delivers sat nav info, an array of tuning info for the AM/FM/DAB radio as well

as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with the screen showing images from the standard reversing camera.

Ford’s infotainment system is one of the better interfaces and it is easy to use and intuitive.

Back in the cargo area there are plenty of tie downs, eight in fact and access is via a left-hand side sliding door, while at the back you get a pair of wide opening doors that can be released to swing all the way back on themselves. The floor is fitted with a hard-wearing plastic floor cover while the side walls a lined with a ply wood, which didn’t look that hard wearing at all. Of course there is that rear bulkhead which stops cargo invading the cabin. The bulkhead has a small window that the driver can glance back through to see that all is right in the cargo area.

The bulkhead has a fold up door that

allows longer ladders and pipes to be safely pushed forward under the passenger seats enabling longer loads to fit into the without having to use the standard fit pop-up/fold down roof bars.

With an effective payload of just over one tonne (1046 kg) the very usable cargo space measures 2354mm long by 1406 mm high and is 1392 wide between the wheel arches. All that adds up to a 6 cubic metre load space. Towing capacity for the auto Custom Sport is only 1800 kg compared with 2600kg for the Custom manual version, which may be a disappointment for many.

We enjoyed our time with the Transit Custom Sport and if you are looking for a van with a bit of attitude it certainly fits the bill, although there are less expensive and better value vans out there in the market.

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Company Car

SOME MAY THINK GENESIS IS THE FIRST BOOK IN THE BIBLE, OTHERS MIGHT REMEMBER IT AS THE BAND PHIL COLLINS AND PETER GABRIEL HAD BACK IN THE 1980S BUT THERE IS A NEW GENESIS AND IT IS HYUNDAI’S LUXURY CAR CHANNEL. WE SPENT A WEEK AND FOUND THE GENESIS G70 IS A NEW BEGINNING IN MANY WAYS. 060 www.truckandbus.net.au

W

hile it seems that a lot of people are buying SUVs instead of sedans these days there seems to be no shortage of car makers still dishing up mid-size sedans, despite the fact that some companies like Holden appear not to be able to make sedans viable.

As we said to a colleague just the other day how come GM can’t make it work and corporations like Hyundai can? In the case of our Company Car subject this issue Hyundai’s new offshoot brand Genesis has dished up a terrific mid-size sport sedan with a range of engines and sells it around the globe in left and right hand drive markets. The clever Koreans must know something the self styled ‘masters of the universe’ in Detroit clearly don’t.

The new Genesis G70 2.0T Ultimate is an affordable luxury, sport sedan that has tremendous dynamics, plenty of performance and heaps of luxury.

You may have never heard of Genesis, but it is Hyundai’s new luxury brand.

Just as Toyota created Lexus and Nissan created Infiniti as luxury channels that gave loyal brand devotees a way of climbing into a higher level of prestige without leaving to buy a BMW or a Benz.

Genesis has been around for a few years, you may have noticed a handful of the bigger G80 limos running around as luxury chauffeur driven hire cars, but Hyundai now has some added weaponry in the G70 and a range of SUVs and other models due to arrive in the near future.

The arrival of the G70 has filled us with

excitement as its shares underpinnings with the marvellous Stinger from sister company Kia, but bundles all of it into its own sleek and stylish four door sedan package and on a smaller overall package.

The Ultimate edition is the pinnacle model in the three tier 2.0T range (there is a 3.3T variant as well), so in essence comes with all the goodness that can be had from Genesis, with very few optional add-ons. It, like all Genesis vehicles, is also sold at a fixed price.

It’s powered by an inline 4-cylinder petrol engine, fitted with a single twin scroll turbocharger and intercooler. That combination generates 179kW of power and 353Nm of torque, with a claimed fuel economy of 9.0-litres/100km.

That’s pretty much bang on, a unique

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thing in itself, as we managed between 8.9 and 9.4-litres/100km in time in the car. It’s rear-wheel drive and that power plant is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

It scores five driving modes; Smart, Eco, Comfort, Sport and Custom, with Sport mode, or Smart mode (where the car chooses the best mode for how you’re driving), offering the best feel.

There’s quality safety inclusions too, including a 360-degree surround view camera, forward collision assistance for cars and humans, lane keep with steering assist, blind spot collision warning and rear cross traffic alert.

Awarded a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, the 2019 Genesis G70 2.0T Ultimate also comes loaded with seven airbags, front and rear parking sensors, smart cruise control, smart entry and push button start.

Inside you’ll find dual zone climate control, a smart boot opener and heated and vented front seats (with the driver’s seat adjustable some 16 ways). The entire interior features quilted Nappa leather appointments, including door quilting.

It’s an incredible look and feel, especially with the addition of the panoramic glass sun roof that’s standard at this spec, that makes the car feel significantly more expensive than its $76,900 drive away price tag, for the most part. More on that shortly.

Where the G70 fails is in rear passenger

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space. Comfort wise, the right ingredients are there, nice seats, padding in the right places, beautiful quilted style leather padded doors – but that’s where it stops.

If your driver or front seat passenger are tall, and have the seat back, there’s no rear leg room, at all. It feels very claustrophobic.

A low roof line thanks to the almost coupe styling also means if you’re tall, and stuck in the back, you’re pretty much done for.

The infotainment system is great, but seems a little out of place given it’s identical to what you might find in your base model i30. Sure there’s more functionality there, but from a physical look, pretty much the same.

It does have SatNav though, with SUNA live traffic updates, a thumping Lexicon 15-speaker premium sound system, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also a full colour head-up display and wireless phone charging.

Where the Genesis G70 brings itself back is in the drive. Ride and handling are exceptional, thanks to an Australian tune from Hyundai’s gurus. It’s refined.

Comfortable. Soft without being sloppy. If that makes sense. Even the feedback is great.

More importantly, especially for what’s geared as a luxury car, it’s quiet. It puts some of its major rivals to shame from that perspective, quite frankly. It’s great on the open road too, offering an exceptional cruising experience.

Throw it at corners and it handles those too. With it’s performance driving ability in sports mode certainly impressive.

There’s even some added steering control when switching to ‘fun’ mode.

Its rivals, which include the BMW 3 Series , Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4, bring plenty to the table, that’s for sure, but the Genesis offers a unique alternative to the Japanese and European challengers.

There are nine exterior colours to choose from, including Adriatic Blue, Black Forest Green, Serengeti Brown, Vik and Victoria Black, Savile Silver, Santiago Silver (our test vehicle), and Uyuni and Casablanca White.

The interior is Obsidian Black by default, but depending on your exterior colour, you can also choose Vanilla Beige, Walnut Brown and Velvet Burgundy. There is one wheel choice, as the 2019 Genesis G70 2.0T Ultimate rides on model specific 19inch wheels.

The only factory optional extras are a carpet cargo mat for the 330-litre boot, a tow bar, and roof racks. It comes with a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty, five years roadside assistance, and complimentary map updates for the warranty period.

We had a marvellous time in the Genesis G70 2.0T and we are now looking forward to trying the 3.0T at some time in the not to distant future.

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MONEY MATTERS PAUL CLITHROE SO, WHAT ARE THE NEOBANKS? EACH YEAR A NEW BUZZWORD ENTERS OUR CONVERSATIONS. THIS YEAR’S HOT CONTENDER IS ‘NEOBANK’.

N

eobanks let customers do all their banking via smartphone apps. No bank branch, no paperwork, no internet banking.

That may be uncomfortable for some of us. But for millennials it can makes sense.

Six out of ten 20-somethings already do their banking via a smartphone.

So what do neobanks offer?

Common features include a super quick sign-up process, the ability to bank straight from your smartphone – and at this stage at least, a limited product range.

In January, Australia’s first independent neobank Xinja, launched its ‘Stash’ savings account. Linked to Xinja’s everyday bank account, it pays 2.25% interest with no minimum deposits or payments.

Another neobank, 86 400 (pronounced ‘eighty-six four hundred’) is backed by Cuscal, which supports Australia’s mutual banking sector. 86 400 has an everyday account called ‘Pay’, and a savings account called ‘Save’. The savings account pays a base rate of 0.4%, or a total of 2.25% when you deposit at least $1,000 each month into the Pay or Save accounts.

Another new kid on the block is Up Bank (backed by Bendigo Bank), which has fee-free everyday banking options, plus a savings account paying a base rate of 0.50% plus bonus interest of 1.75% on savings up to $50,000 for each month you make five debit card or digital wallet purchases using the Up Everyday Account.

More neobanks are expected to launch in Australia. But what do they have that traditional banks don’t?

As you’d expect, their apps can be impressive, often with a variety of useful features.

86 400’s app lets customers view all their bank accounts in one place so you get a complete picture of your finances. Up Bank offers free international transfers. Other neobanks have automatic round-up features that send small change on purchases straight

to your linked savings account.

At some stage, neobanks will likely offer products like home loans. It will be interesting to see how the savings of having no branch network will flow through to a better deal for consumers.

Already 86,400 has a home loan with a variable rate of 3.09% – it’s a low rate but it’s not the cheapest on the market.

For all their points of difference, neobanks essentially do much the same as regular banks. They are a tool to manage your money, and the old rules apply. Don’t be blindsided by a whizz-bang app. Be realistic about whether you can meet the conditions required to earn the top deposit rate, and look for any unexpected fees.

If you feel more comfortable with a traditional bank, then stick with it. Good money management is about what works for you – not following a hot new trend.

Meantime on a totally different topic, If Cupid’s arrow missed you on Valentine’s Day, be wary of strangers declaring their love online.

Last year, Australians reported 4,000 dating and romance scams to consumer watchdog, the ACCC. A total of $29 million was lost to these scams, with victims being cheated out of an average of $19,000 – figures that are believed to be the tip of the iceberg.

It’s easy to wonder how people get caught up in these scams. But the ACCC say a growing number of victims weren’t even looking for a relationship. Plenty were just engaging in social media or, surprisingly, online games.

Beyond traditional online dating websites, the highest losses from romance scams originated on Instagram and Facebook. Conventional dating platforms like Tinder or Match.com also had high losses in 2019.

However, a new trend is that scammers are turning to online games such as Words with Friends and Scrabble to con their victims.

There are some classic warning signs to look for that you could be dealing with a scammer. The ACCC says they try to make their target fall in love with the persona they have created, while quickly professing their love for the victim.

That’s normally followed by complicated stories about why the scammer can’t meet in person. It’s when the scammer starts to ask for money – for whatever reason, that the warning bells should really start ringing.

The requests for money don’t always involve hard cash. Scammers are open to other options. Close to $9 million was lost by payment methods like iTunes, Steam and Google Play gift cards.

The main point is that if you send money, the scammer asks for more, often using guilt to get you to dip further into your wallet.

These scams are not new. Yet people continue to fall for them, and are left worse off financially, with a few emotional scars to show for the experience.

That’s why a healthy dose of skepticism goes a long way when you’re online.

Never lose sight of the possibility that your new online buddy could be a crook.

Some simple steps can help protect you, and your money.

Don’t give out personal information – especially your financial details – to someone you haven’t met in person no matter who they say they are. If the conversation swings to requests for money, the solution is easy: Stop communicating with them.

Discovering that your new heartthrob is a fake can be demoralising. But that may be a lot less damaging than being fleeced thousands of dollars – money you will never see again.

Paul Clitheroe is Chairman of InvestSMART, Chairman of the Australian Government Financial Literacy Board and chief commentator for Money Magazine..

Visit: paulsmoney.com.au for more information.

ALL IT TAKES At Kumho, we deliver a smoother, safer ride for you and your cargo – on tyres designed to perform in all Australian conditions. Whether it’s a light load or heavy highway haulage, our commitment to quality will deliver you great value and a safer tomorrow.

And like a circle, it never ends. We’ll continue to look for new ways to make your experience better. It’s just what we do.

KUMHO TYRE. BETTER, ALL-WAYS.

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SMARTER THAT’S ANOTHER HINO

THE SAFEST JAPANESE TRUCK IN ITS CLASS. The all-new street smart Hino 500 Series Standard Cab takes safety to a whole new level with vitally important safety features once considered XAVIER_HINO36738/F

options, now standard inclusions. Like Adaptive Cruise Control, which utilises smart technology to detect the vehicle in front and maintain a safe travelling distance by automatically reducing engine acceleration and activating the engine brake to slow the vehicle. The smarter, tougher & safer Hino 500 Series Standard Cab. To find out more visit hino.com.au

Adaptive Cruise Control

*The driver remains solely responsible for driving safely. This safety system is a secondary aid to assist the driver and has limitation in recognition and performance.

Please refer to our website videos for full details.