Transport & Trucking Today issue 104 by Transport Publishing Australia

SHINE, SHINE, SHINE; WE LOOK AT THE LATEST IN LED LIGHTING FOR ROAD TRANSPORT & COMMERCIAL VEHICLE PROFESSIONALS

& TRUCKING TODAY www.truckandbus.net.au $8.95 incl. GST Issue 104 Aug /Sep 2015

BENZ’S NEW VITO VAN HITS OUR SHORES

FUELS GOLD VOLVO PUSHES THE EFFICIENCY ENVELOPE ISSN 1839-6399

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FUSO FIGHTER ROAD TEST

BYFORDS A-DOUBLE TANKERS REAPIING THE HARVEST

UD GOES AFTER A NEW NICHE

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CONTENTS

FOR ROAD TRANSPORT & COMMERCIAL VEHICLE PROFESSIONALS

& TRUCKING TODAY

20 CONTACT DETAILS PO Box 35 Lindfield, NSW, 2070 www.truckandbus.net.au admin@transportand truckingtoday.com.au Enquiries 02 9938 6408 Follow us on Twitter #truckandbusnews Follow us on Facebook at Truck and Bus Australia Editor in Chief Allan Whiting nofibspublishing@bigpond.com Features & Technical Editor David Meredith dvm@bigpond.com.au Art Director Luke Melbourne www.groeningdesigns.com.au Advertising Sales Jon Van Daal 0411 099 091 ads@transportandtruckingtoday.com.au

David Hosking Tel: 03 9857 3933 Mob: 0409 403 012 otadh@tpg.com.au Editorial Contributors Barry Flanagan, Mark Bean, Howard Shanks, Glenn Torrens

FEATURES

SHIFTING SOLUTIONS

FUELS GOLD

SAFETY DOESN’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT

STREET FIGHTER

PFD Food Services is switching to automatic Isuzus to help make driver recruitment and training a lot easier

The annual global search for the world’s most fuel-efficient Volvo truck driver - The Volvo Drivers’ Fuel Challenge comes down under

Tech editor David Meredith had the chance to catch up with Volvo Truck safety guru Carl Johan Almqvist when he was in Australia recently

Technical Editor David Meredith took Fuso’s medium duty Fghter for a test recently and came away impressed with its road performance.

BYFORDS - I THINK THEY’VE GOT IT!

SHINE, SHINE,SHINE...

6X2 = ANOTHER NEW NICHE FOR UD

DELIVER US FROM...

TOOL 0F TRADE

Specialist Victorian tanker builder Byford has come up with a radical trailer combination with increased payloads and manoeuvrability. Allan Whiting checked it out

LED replacement headlights are the latest way to light the path ahead. Editor in chief Allan Whiting takes a look at the latest offerings

UD has released two new 6x2 rigid models. Editor in chief Allan Whiting scored a drive in Brisbane recently.

The updated Mercedes Vito was launched recently into the tightly fought light van market, T&TT roving reporter Glenn Torrens climbed behind the wheel at the Australian media reveal.

We take a look at whether the tradies market might prove to be the launching point for acceptance of Chinese light duty trucks

Transport & Trucking Today is published under licence by Grayhaze Pty. Ltd. and is distributed to road transport professionals, fleets, business professionals and the industry throughout Australia. All material contained herein including text, photography, design elements and format are copyright and cannot be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Grayhaze Pty.Ltd. is a member of the Copyright Agency Limited (1800 066 844). Editorial contributions are welcome for consideration. Contact the Editor or Publisher for guidelines, fees and level of interest. All unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied by a stamp, addressed envelope for their return. We will not be held responsible for material supplied electronically. Proudly printed in Australia

Single copy price $8.95 incl. GST

38 DEPARTMENTS

BACK TRACKS Musings from the Editor

HIGHWAY 1

News and info from all over

MONEY

Paul’s latest advice on finances

BACK TRACKS ALLAN WHITING There’s confusion in this wide brown land of different combination vehicles and most of it centres on the letters ‘A’ and ‘B’.

I’ve just written in this issue about two revolutionary trailer developments pioneered by Byford Equipment and the configurations are known as ‘A-Doubles’. This description should immediately make you see an image of a prime mover pulling a semi-trailer, with a drawbar trailer behind that. However, most transport people I checked with didn’t get that instant picture. Why not? It’s because there’s confusion in this wide brown land of different combination vehicles and most of it centres on the letters ‘A’ and ‘B’. It’s not uncommon for an operator to say: “I just dropped the ‘B’ trailer and I’m going to deliver some stuff out of the ‘A’ trailer”. He’s talking about a B-Double, of course. We all know what he means, but his use of ‘A’ in referring to the lead trailer is wrong. It’s wrong because a B-Double can’t have an ‘A’ trailer! It’s an accepted worldwide convention among truck engineers and road rule legislators that an ‘A-type’ trailer is one with a drawbar coupling. It’s another convention that dollies don’t count as a separate trailer, being part of the A-trailer coupling system, despite the fact that they’re fitted with turntables or fifth wheels. A ‘B-type’ trailer is one with a fifth-wheel coupling, be it a turntable or a greased plate. A ‘B-Double’ gets its name from the fact that it has two trailers, both being B-types. (Originally, in Canada, where the B-Double concept began it’s known as a B-Train, but the name was changed in Australia out of

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possible confusion in the public mind with road trains, but that’s another story.) A double road train has a B-coupled trailer pulling an A-coupled trailer and triple road train has a B-coupled trailer pulling two A-coupled trailers. Getting confused? It gets worse. In Europe and the USA, where combination types are pretty limited the ‘A’ and ‘B’ types are well understood, but here, in the home of the road train, it’s becoming more confusing by the week, it seems. A B-Triple is easy enough to figure out, because it’s an ordinary B-Double with a second ‘lead’ trailer slotted in. Next is the AB-Triple that consists of a semi-trailer combination pulling a B-Double, via a drawbar-coupled dolly. Then there’s the ABB-Quad, where a semitrailer is pulling a drawbar-coupled dolly, with a B-Triple behind it. Another increasingly popular configuration is a pair of B-Doubles formed into a fourtrailer road train. No, it’s not a B-Quad or a Double B-Double: it’s a BAB-Quad. But what do you call a double road train that’s pulling a B-Double; a typical road train tanker rig in the NT and WA? It’s an AB-Quad. Does the use of the term ‘quad’ cause confusion in the minds of those who run ‘quad dogs’: four-axle dog trailers. Would these be better described as ‘four footers’ or ‘double enders’? Confusing isn’t it? Hopefully the rest of this issue will be not only straightforward but extremely

informative. Elsewhere we cover off on Volvo’s recent Fuel Challenge and the quest to extract greater fuel savings from more efficient driving and on the subject of the Big Swede David Meredith has a fascinating interview with safety guru Carl-John Almqvist. Without labouring the Volvo point too much we also spent an intertesting day with its Japanese subsidiary brand UD looking at its play for a new niche via a concerted 6x2 push. As mentioned above, trailers are a special feature in this issue with not only my look at Byfords A Doubles but also a really interesting yarn from our roving correspondent Howard Shanks who takes a look at how a South Australian farmer has employed a versatile Super B rig to improve efficiency and productivity. Along with all that David Meredith also gived us a road test of Fuso’s increasingingly popular Fighter. You will have noticed some inprovements to T&TT over the last few issues, more pages, heavier stock and a better finish. The feedback we have received so far has been very positive and thanbk you for that. Along with the cosmetic changes we have also been raising the bar in terms of content to give you a wide range of varied stories about the business of road transport and there is more to come. We look forward to continuing to give you a magazine that is interesting, compelling and a valuable read for everyone with an interest in trucks and transport. Enjoy!

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CAT AND NAVISTAR SPLIT IN THE US BUT STAY MARRIED DOWN UNDER Cat brand to stay on Aussie roads for long time to come CATERPILLAR HAS ANNOUNCED it will split with joint venture partner Navistar in the US and will start building its own on highway trucks from its plant in Victoria, Texas. The announcement may be see by some as vindication of the misguided view that Navistar’s Cat product channel will disappear in this country, especially given the announcement that the International product line is returning

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to the Australian market, however according to local Navistar Auspac, sales and marketing supremo Glen Sharman, nothing could be further from the truth. “Navistar certainly wouldn’t be investing in development new Cat models if it saw anything other than a long and strong future for Cat-branded trucks in our markets,” says Glen Sharman. “The Cat-branded trucks supplied to Australian, New Zealand and Pacific

markets are completely different models to the Cat vocational range which is a uniquely Caterpillar product Glen Sharman said. “The Cat trucks we offer here are developed specifically for Australian onhighway markets. “The Cat range has evolved immensely since the Australian launch in 2010 with models like the CT630S, the CT630SC and most recently the CT630HD rated for

roadtrain triples applications. The reality is that in Australia Navistar sells the Cat brand under what could be described as a licence, which it has from Caterpillar and this will continue to happen for a long time to come. The reality of the announcement is that in the US the trucks Navistar was building for Cat were an aged line of vocational vehicles that have never been exportable. While it is Cat’s intention to now build

STRATEGIC EYRE COMMAND MANAGEMENT CHANGES AT DAIMLER Eyre gets wider brief, Whitford to Fuso, May takes on Benz

its own dump and other vocational trucks for the North American market, ending the manufacturing agreement it had with Navistar, the fact is Navistar will continue to manufacture and develop Cat Trucks for the Australian market well into the future. Caterpillar’s Director of the Global On-Highway Truck Group, Chris Chadwick said the on-highway vocational truck product family is important to its product line in the US. “Customers like our trucks and want to include them in their fleets in a variety of heavy duty applications such as dump trucks, mixers, haulers or one of the other configurations we offer.” “To continue to provide the best solution for our customers, we will bring the design and manufacturing of this product into Caterpillar, and the production specifically to the Victoria, Texas plant. Our updated strategy reaffirms our commitment to grow and develop our presence in the vocational truck industry moving forward.” In the US Cat Trucks has a completely different range of trucks to those available in Australia where the Cat brand is used on what are basically Navistar trucks rebadged and restyled for the local market. The Caterpillar vocational truck, the CT660, was launched in the North American market in 2011 and are based on a much older design. These have until now been built by Navistar for Cat at its Escobedo plant in Mexico. The North American transition process will begin immediately, with production expected to begin in the first half of next year. Caterpillar Victoria will continue to produce excavators, and the addition of the vocational truck production is expected to add around 200 new jobs at the facility. US Cat dealers will continue to sell and support Cat vocational trucks.

Justin Whitford will become GM of Fuso role across Richard Eyre takes on a new strategic of GM as a Asi Australia and elopment partners and business dev

DAIMLER TRUCK AND Bus has announced a major shake-up in its management team at Clayton with the news that Richard Eyre will move out of the role of general manager of Fuso to a new position entitled general manager of strategic partners and business development in Australia and also regionally for Trucks Asia. The changes have been made by managing director of Daimler Truck and Bus Australia, Daniel Whitehead and become effective from the 1st November. Eyre, who has been in the GM role at Fuso for almost 15 years, will be replaced by Justin Whitford who has been in the role of the GM of Mercedes Benz Truck and Bus. When truckandbus.net.au spoke with Daniel Whitehead he made it clear that the management changes, specifically the move by Richard Eyre were about maximising management

effectiveness and in freeing Eyre to do what he does best and that is to sell trucks. “Richard is the best truck sales man in the country,” said Daniel Whitehead. “This move will allow Richard to concentrate on selling trucks and taking to customers without the burden of having to run Fuso,” he said. “We will share Richard with Fuso in Tokyo and he will spend half his time in Australia and half his time working in Asia, selling and mentoring,” he added. Importantly Justin Whitford’s move to Fuso will not see the brand move its office from Liverpool in Sydney to the Daimler HQ in Clayton however Whitford will not move to Sydney and will remain based at Clayton. “I believer in having my management team close to me and in reality Richard Eyre spent a huge amount of time on the road so not a lot will change

in that regard,” said Daniel Whitehead. “We have a great team at Fuso and moving it to Melbourne doesn’t make sense,” he added. Whitehead sang the praises of Justin Whitford saying he has impressed him with his performance in running Mercedes Benz truck and bus. “Justin is a real asset to this business and he will take his experience with Mercedes to Fuso,” he said. Whitford’s place as GM of Mercedes Benz truck and bus will be taken by Michael May who comes out of one of Daimler’s retail operations. “Michael May is also a really impressive guy, he has run one of our Select dealerships and also has engineering and product expertise that will be invaluable in his new role,” said Whitehead. A replacement for May’s current role is yet to be announced.

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PERTH TRUCK SHOW – SMALL BUT IMPRESSIVE WA truck industry showcases its wares THE WEST AUSTRALIAN truck industry gets its chance to showcase the latest and greatest in road transport when Perth Truck and Trailer Show comes around and this year was no exception. The city’s Convention and Exhibition Centre hosted the transport expo and while some manufacturers weren’t there, those that were put on a good show for a state that is hugely dependent on road transport. The show boasted 120 exhibitors filling the exhibition hall along with the foyer and an external display area outside the venue. Running from Friday 24 July till Sunday 26t July the three-day show was presented by the Commercial Vehicle Industry Association of WA.

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Many of the things that were displayed at the recent Brisbane Show were shipped across the Nullarbor for the Perth Show including the new improved cabin interior for the Kenworth K 200, soon to be released updated the Isuzu N Series, Scania’s Green and Euro 6 compliant range, Navistar’s show stopping heavy duty Cat and other models, the Iveco Powerstar 7800 road train prime mover and the all new Western Star 2800 medium duty truck. Most of the displays were run by dealers, with some exceptions including Scania which has a more factory focus to its retailing, particularly in WA where it has been pushing some interesting strategic alliances with the heavyweight

miners with impressive results. Volvo, Mack, Cat, Kenworth and Iveco were all dealer representations. At the Cat stand its new triples-rated CT630HD model spearheaded a hugely successful Show for West Australian Cat dealer WesTrac. “We knew there would be plenty of interest in the CT630HD but the level of enquiry for the full range of Cat trucks was beyond our best expectations,” said an emphatic Peter Calligaro, WesTrac Cat Trucks Business Unit Manager. “There were two HDs on our stand and both were sold even before the show doors opened.” Holding pride of place on the WesTrac stand was the first CT630HD sold in

Australia, bought by Sean Carren, founder and managing director of high profile Perth-based transport company Goldstar Transport. WA’s unique conditions and long distances along with its isolation from the rest of the country means suppliers have to offer variants not available in other parts of Australia. A large number of trailers in particular are unique to WA and were on show giving exhibitors the chance to showcase their wares to local buyers. Organisers claim that better than 10,000 people attended the show over the three days in Perth, which is impressive and certainly justifies holding a stand-alone show on the western side of the Continent.

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To find out more about this offer please contact your local authorised dealership by calling 1300 323 722 or visit www.mercedes-benz.com.au/trucks

*Savings based on manufacturer’s maximum recommended list price of new standard specification Actros V8 6x4 Prime Movers with F04 sleeper cab, including 2651LS, 2655LS, 2660LS with individual listed features. For vehicles purchased and delivered between 01/05/2015 and 31/12/2015. While stocks last. HEM1888

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TRUCK SALES UP IN JUNE - BUT ONLY JUST! Slow growth underlines market fragility says TIC THE TRUCK INDUSTRY Council (TIC) has again expressed its concern over heavy-duty truck market sales,despite a reasonably strong performance to finish off the financial year in June. TIC CEO Tony McMullan remains concerned at the segment’s continued weakness despite year-to-date sales to the end of June being up compared with same period in 2014. “It is encouraging to see a good result in June and overall year-to date sales for 2015, however as we have seen so far this year, this result is brought about by some very good light duty truck light-duty van

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sales, while heavy-truck sales continue to lag those of recent years,” McMullan said. “Heavy-truck sales showed a slight recovery in June and I can only hope that this is the turning point for better sales at the top end of the market for the rest of 2015. “However, I still remain concerned that there appears to be a general lack of business confidence in the Australian market at present and it appears that companies are continuing to delay their big dollar fleet replacement plans.” Sales for the first half of 2015 were up just 5.5 per cent on the same period

last year, which was down 4.7 per cent on 2013 making a minimal net market gain over the past two years. “To put the current half year result into perspective, sales lag the record pre-GFC 2008 half year result of 18,218 unit sales by 3,078 vehicles, a short fall of 17 per cent.” The medium-duty segment posted average sales in 2014 and this trend has continued. June saw total medium duty sales of just 657 units, down 3 per cent, or 20 units, on June 2014. Medium-duty sales are marginally ahead of the same period in 2014 with the year-to-date first-half sales of 3,067 units which is a slight 1.7 per cent improvement on the 2014 result, a

net sales gain of just 52 trucks. Light-duty sales have seen good growth this year and June was another strong month with 1,047 units delivered for the month up 29.4 per cent or 238 trucks on June last year. For the first six months light duty sales are ahead of 2014 by 14.4 per cent, or 577 trucks. It was also another great month for light-duty vans which posted sales of 672 unit sales, a “very healthy” 32.3 per cent or 164 unit gain on the same time in 2014. The half-year tally stands at 2,857 units a 29.9 per cent or 657 van gain on 2014. “This is the strongest first half year van result ever, easily eclipsing the previous best mark of 2,233 sales set in the first half of 2008,” TIC said.

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Agility

highway 1 ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND

CATAND NAVISTAR SPLIT STATESIDE / DAIMLER CHA NGE

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HINO GOES THE BOOT FOR 50TH CELEBRATIONS Footie legends coach the stars of the future MEANWHILE HINO’S 50TH anniversary celebrations in Australia have continued around the country with the help of a number of football legends and members of local football clubs. The Hino Train with a Legend competition, allowed Triple M and Mix FM listeners around Australia to help their local football club win a chance to train with a local football legend. The celebrations began in Queensland with ex Brisbane Bronco and Penrith

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Panther Petero Civoniceva coaching the North Ipswich Tigers under-11s. Former Adelaide Crow Mark Ricciuto and ex Port Adelaide Magpie Domenic Cassisi passed on their skills to the Edwardstown Football Club in Adelaide. In Sydney former Penrith Panther Mark Geyer coached the St Clair Comets in Erskine Park, while North Melbourne AFL great Wayne Carey mentored the East Keilor Cougars in Melbourne.

To finish the series, former AFL footballer and sports presenter Adrian Barich coached the South Fremantle Women’s Football Club in Perth. “I’m from a past generation, but now I’ve got kids playing sport and the kids here today are the next generation,” Geyer said. “The kids are obviously too young to know the full importance of what Hino is contributing, but for the administrators and coaches of these

junior clubs it makes the job of coming here every week to train a lot easier.” Hino Australia chairman and CEO Steve Lotter said helping the next generation of footballers around Australia was another great way for the brand to celebrate its heritage. “We saw a lot of young football players around the country get some great advice and new skills from some big NRL and AFL household names,” Mr Lotter said.

Hino chairman Steve Lotter

... AND SCOOPS THE POOL IN INTERNATIONAL AWARDS Australia judged best Hino Parts and Service in the world HINO AUSTRALIA HAS again won the prestigious Hino global ‘Double Victory’ award taking the honour for the fourth year in a row after being named the 2014 Parts Department of the Year and 2014 Service Department of the Year by Hino Motors in Japan. Judged by Hino Japan senior management, the awards are presented in recognition of worldwide distributor performance in parts and service for the Japanese financial year ending March 2015. Hino Australia chairman and CEO

Steve Lotter said the awards are based on a number of criteria. “We’re very pleased with this result, as the awards are a reflection of how well Hino franchises around the globe are meeting a number of criteria in service and parts sales,” Mr Lotter said. “These include vehicle throughput, retention and growth, customer management information and an evaluation of our workshops for service, as well as growth and supply rates for parts.” Mr Lotter said Hino Australia’s

repeated success is an indication of the effort that Hino Australia puts in to understanding its customers and meeting their needs. “Understanding the different types of customers and their parts and service needs - from fleet managers to single operators - and putting the right systems in place to meet those needs is the key to success in this business,” he said. “We’ve increased our field staff, we conduct regular surveys with customers and we follow up on their

feedback to make things better - it’s a part of what Hino refers to as ‘Total Support’. “For Australia to achieve Double Victory awards four years running shows that our effort is translating into a more effective parts and service network which is well and truly meeting our customers’ needs,” he said. The Hino network in Australia caters for all truck sales, customer parts and service needs with a total of 43 dealer sites, plus 22 service and parts outlets nationally.

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Operator

SHIFTING SOLUTIONS

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DRIVER RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING IS PROVING A TOUGH CHALLENGE FOR MANY COMPANIES BUT ONE MAJOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION ORGANISATION IS RESHAPING ITS FLEET IN A BID TO TACKLE THAT CHALLENGE BY ADDING AUTOMATICS TO THE MIX. T&TT TAKES A LOOK INSIDE PFD FOOD DISTRIBUTION.

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PFD’s fleet of more than 650 trucks Australia wide is largely Isuzu

“STEVE WRIGHT IS THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT HE IS A RECENT CONVERT TO HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK AUTOMATICS“ 1.

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1. Good drivers are hard to find so PFD tries hard to retain the best steerers and automatic transmissions make it easier and less stressful on the job 2. All PFD Isuzus are fitted with purposebuilt Van bodies with fridge/chiller manufactured by Therma Truck 3. PFDF likes to see its drivers with smiles on their dials. 4. Isuzu is the flavour of the PFD fleet, good service and strong performance have cemented that position

sk any major fleet operator about the biggest challenges they face in 2015 and almost certainly they will reply with driver recruitment and training near the top of the list. Up there in the mix would be fuel prices, maintenance and down time but as the freight task grows and the demand for drivers increases getting the right skills behind the wheel is a huge burden many distribution operators are finding difficult to shoulder. With more and more trucks required to meet the freight demand you don’t have to be Einstein to figure out you need more drivers to steer those trucks to make sure all the goods and services we are demanding are delivered. While autonomous trucks are a reality already in the US the fact is the expense and complications that come with them means that they are a few years away from fulfilling the prayers of Australian fleet operators. It is a simple numbers game more trucks need more drivers and the fact is there just aren’t enough trained steerers out there particularly for the less glamorous urban delivery runs in medium duty rigids. One such company that has found driver recruitment and training an increasingly difficult task is PFD Food Services, which operates a fleet of close to 650 trucks Australia wide, distributing to more than 40,000 outlets with an enormous array of food products. PFD can trace its roots back to the 1860s when J Hill and Son established the company as fresh fish merchants. These days PFD has one of the largest privately owned food service fleets in Australia and each day the trucks deliver fresh, frozen and dry goods to businesses across the country from a network of 61 branch offices. The company has aligned itself with many of the leaders in the food industry including Kraft, Nestle, and d’Oro, Peters, McCains and Inghams Chickens. On a day-to-day basis the PFD trucks transport between two and 10 tonnes with a maximum of 12 pallets for bulk transport depending on the size of the truck. PFD stands apart from many of its competitors because of its development and embrace of technology not only in using the latest automatics and truck specification but also in terms of the use of electronic trading systems for interface with food retailers and manufacturers. You can have the biggest fleet in the country and in PFD’s case it is the largest privately owned food distribution company in Australia,

but if you can’t recruit enough drivers to keep them on the road then you have problems. That was one of the challenges facing PFD’s national fleet manager Steve Wright. One of the strategies he has adopted for the fleet which is almost 100 per cent Isuzu was to switch to full automatics rather than manual or A/ MTs which he has been able to do thanks to Isuzu offering the Allison equipped FSD 850 medium duty rigid. Steve Wright is the first to admit that he is a recent convert to heavy-duty truck automatics and for years he was not an advocate for selfshifters in trucks. But his opinions changed when he attended a drive day at Victoria’s Angelsea Proving Ground where the latest generation autos proved to him that they could be a viable alternative at PFD. Steve Wright admits that his opinion on automatic trucks was coloured by experiences with older automatics more than a decade ago, but since driving the latest Allison equipped trucks this view has changed and he believes the latest generation of Allison automatics outperform manuals and AM/Ts. It was Steve Wright’s experience at that drive day that has led PFD to move from manual and AM/T AMT gearboxes to Allison automatic transmissions across its extremely large fleet of distribution trucks. For Steve Wright the primary reason has been to improve driver efficiency and to reduce the amount of driver training required even compared to the AMT transmissions. The realisation has been that fully automatics are easier to operate, while requiring less training, which potentially means less highly skilled drivers, can be recruited. Given that increasing demand for drivers by transport operators that is a real plus for the Auto Isuzus Steve reckons. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit skilled drivers so providing those we do recruit with a truck that is easier to drive and requires less training is important,” he reckons. The other trump card for full automatics in a distribution sense is the fact that they are ideal for the sort of stop start, city and metro work that this sort of vehicle faces every day and that it is only going to be amplified by more traffic and increasingly crowded roads in our cities. The autos accelerate faster with full power shifts, they are easy to manoeuver and the driver can devote full attention to steering and stopping the truck and not having to worry about shifting gears. The electronic controlled automatic also means optimal shifts,

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without excessive engine speed, maximizing efficiencies and minimizing fuel consumption. PFD’s recent 20 truck order of new Isuzu FSD850s equipped with Allison 3000 series fully automatic transmissions have only just started to be delivered but the company will be ordering more in the future. The trucks, which have already entered service, have returned some impressive results with initial driver feedback being extremely positive. “I think automatics are the way of the future in distribution work not only because of the ease of use but also because of the efficiency and safety advantages they deliver, it is simply a smarter choice”. All the new trucks in the fleet have purpose-built Van bodies with fridge/chiller capabilities and are manufactured by Therma Truck body builders in Smithfield, New South Wales. The van bodies are fitted with sliding

divider walls, which can expand or minimise the refrigerated area for flexibility. PFD also installs racking to hold goods in place. PFD stands apart from many of its competitors through technology development. As major supermarkets move towards electronic trading requirements, PFD has introduced Radio Frequency (RF) scanning to generate real time transactions for its retail warehouse customers. The introduction of RF scanning requires all stock entering the warehouse to have two barcodes on each pallet, the first to identify our retail customer’s stock and the second provides the PFD item. Steve Wright says PFD has had a long and fruitful relationship with Isuzu and has no intention of changing that. “Isuzu’s customer service over the years has been faultless, they understand our business

and meet our requirements with minimal downtime,” Steve said. “Isuzus are ideal for the food distribution industry, they have a clean and presentable design which complements PFD’s corporate look and feel. “They are well equipped and help us get the job done with no issues. For PFD the automatic Isuzus look like the answer to that challenge which is at or near the top of most fleet operator’s lists, but it is going to take some time and natural attrition for the company to become a fully automatic fleet. With 650 trucks on the company’s books and the first 30 automatics coming on stream recently it may take up to a decade for all of the manuals and AM/Ts to be replaced but Steve Wright is adamant the time is right for autos and the days of manuals and AM/ Ts are numbered.

“I THINK AUTOMATICS ARE THE WAY OF THE FUTURE IN DISTRIBUTION WORK NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE EASE OF USE BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY ADVANTAGES THEY DELIVER.“

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hino.com.au

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With the introduction of the medium duty Hino FE Auto, Hino changes how you drive your business. The FE Auto features a full automatic transmission with true torque converter, adding to Hino’s already impressive range of automatics. Because whatever business you are in, Hino’s automatics are ahead of the game, so you are too.

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Fuel Economy

FUELS GOLD EVERY YEAR VOLVO TRUCKS HOSTS A GLOBAL SEARCH FOR THE WORLD’S MOST FUEL-EFFICIENT VOLVO DRIVER - THE VOLVO DRIVERS’ FUEL CHALLENGE AND T&TT ATTENDED THE AUSTRALIAN FINAL AT ANGLESEA RECENTLY WHERE THE EDITOR IN CHIEF TRIED HIS HAND AT EXTREME-ECONOMY DRIVING AS MR. WHITING REPORTS.

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olvo’s quest for the world’s most fuel–efficient drivers of its products is one the truck maker takes very seriously In each competing country the process involves nationwide economical driving contests and a national final, before a marketregional knock-out. Twenty or more winning drivers then soft-pedal their way around a two-lap 13.8-kilometre course in Gothenburg, Sweden, in search of fuel-sipping glory. Volvo held the local final at Victoria’s Australian Automotive Research Centre in Anglesea, in mid June. As part of the fourth estate, this writer was asked to be a part of the media contingent testing their fuel economy skills in what can only be described as extreme-economy driving. The Australian Drivers’ Fuel Challenge final was the culmination of a series of

1. Drivers were all smiles on the outside, but grim faced behind the wheel 2. A ‘do your best’ from Volvo’s truck boss. 3. The fuel message was all-pervasive.

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regional competitions which have ran across Australia since March, with more than 100 competitors. Michelin and Caltex assisted with backing and support, product along with driver prizes. Six finalists, plus four wildcard entries competed for the 2015 Australian title: Scott Chandler from Marcott Trading in Brisbane; Anthony Mansell from 217 Data in Newcastle, Scott Jose from Bagtrans in Sydney, Gordon Bellman, of Warrnambool Cheese & Butter in Melbourne, Kenneth O’Brien of Sanders Bulk Haulage in Adelaide, Terry Thompson from BCG in Perth, Glen Goldthorpe, Caltex, Brisbane, Dean Hoy from Hoy Haul in Newcastle, Matt Vella from Vellex in Sydney and Steve Wastell of Blu Logistics in Brisbane. The trucks were identical FH 540 prime movers, with I-Shift automated manual

transmissions, pulling identically loaded, maximum GCM tri-axle trailers. air conditioning and the lights were kept on. The rules were pretty simple: complete the circuit within the prescribed time limit, using the least amount of fuel in the process. The course involved a steep, twisting descent; a five-per cent gently-winding climb and one and a half laps of an oval, undulating circuit. A mandatory stop point at the entrance to the oval circuit added an extra challenge while the total distance of 11 kilometres had to be completed in 15 minutes. All of the trucks and trailers ran o Michelin tyres with optimised pressures while the tanks were filled with the same Caltex fuel ensuring everything was on an even playing field Each driver did one lap, with a Volvo Fuel and Safety Coach in the passenger’s seat and

Cone alley at the starting grid

after some valuable coaching they received a repeat lap with the average of both laps making up the driver’s official time. After the competition was complete and all the numbers were tallied was Scott Chandler from Connect Trading Transport emerged as the winner with an average of 42.53 litres per100 km. Anthony Mansell, from AJM Transport took a hard fought and close run second with a fuel return of 44.15L/100km just beating Glen Goldthorpe from Caltex with 44.42L/100km. Obviously, the need to give all competitors identical test conditions meant that none of the real-world influences such as deadlines, roadwork lollipop people, traffic lights, pedestrians and caravans were involved. It’s also clear that a contest involving relatively slow-moving trucks using asthmatic

acceleration and maximum coasting time is never going to be a spectator sport! However that was not the point of the contest. Volvo’s aim was to show drivers what’s possible under ideal conditions, so that they can then understand what uses fuel so that they can then employ the practices they’ve learnt back in the real world. Several Volvo fleets with drivers who competed in previous elimination events say that they’re achieving greatly improved fuel consumption results as a consequence of the Volvo Fuel Challenge. Some companies have implemented incentive schemes, to encourage drivers to operate more economically. Scott Harvey, of SRH Milk Haulage, who came home in fourth at the 2014 grand final, after taking out the Asia-Pacific title reckons the Fuel Challenge has been a valuable learning tool for him and his company.

“The Volvo Drivers’ Fuel Challenge is really a great way to focus attention on fuel-efficient driving,” said Scott. “If just 10-percent of drivers save fuel it has a direct impact on the company’s bottom line, not to mention being easier on the truck. “I’m now training my drivers to be conscious of the fuel they’re using,” he said. Volvo Australia’s vice president, Mitch Peden, is convinced of the value of the fuel challenge to Volvo’s customers on a number of fronts “Driving style has a major effect on fuel efficiency and this event proves that every drop counts,’ he said. “Our customers who’ve applied fuel-saving driving techniques from the Challenge have seen fuel savings ranging from 10-percent to a massive 30-percent. “Multiply that across a large fleet and

“DRIVING STYLE HAS A MAJOR EFFECT ON FUEL EFFICIENCY AND THIS EVENT PROVES THAT EVERY DROP COUNTS.“ The trucks were identical FH540s pulling identical trailers.

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1. you can see how it has a major impact, on profitability and emissions. “We see ourselves as business partners with our customers, so anything we can do to help them improve their business is a win for both of us,” said Peden.

The drive Australia’s truck journalists competed first, before the real battle got underway. From a personnel point of view my first lap was a relative disaster, with a figure of 53.89 litres per 100km. This was because I tried to maintain 45-60km/h up the climb and 85km/h around the oval. As a consequence I completed the course with two minutes to spare – in the real world the fleet manager would have been singing my praises but in this competition I may as well have been pouring raw diesel down the exhaust . However, after some coaching, which revealed how the contest really worked I managed a much slower, but more fuel

competitive 45.41L/100km on the second drive, but my average was already blown. Two laps at the latter figure would have put me just behind the top professional drivers but I was now a mile away from that. Any chance of repeating my real world competitive performance in the Isuzu Telematics driving efficiency test earlier this year was long gone. The main technique with this contest, as one of Volvo’s most experienced Fuel and Safety Coaches, Paul Munro, explained is to employ the truck’s momentum to the maximum, by reading the terrain and letting the vehicle run in I-Roll mode as much as possible. (The I-Roll transmission function slips the box into neutral and lets engine revs drop to idle when no accelerator is being used.) Another technique is to override progressive downshifting on the descent, by selecting the lowest required gear initially. (Every downshift has a small accelerator ‘blip’ and that’s fuel burnt.)

An important factor is choosing speeds that use up the full 15-minute time allowance. On my second circuit I still finished with a minute to spare. Having completed the Volvo Drivers’ Fuel Challenge drive I can now see how the fuel and safety coaches are able to show fleet drivers where they can save on fuel. On my first lap I simply ‘feathered’ the accelerator, rather than lifting off completely, so I didn’t exploit the I-Roll feature and its proven fuelsaving benefits. However, I have an issue with what I think is an over-generous time allowance for this contest. All fleets have deadlines and drivers couldn’t ‘make market’ averaging 48km/h over relatively easy terrain in a 540hp truck. That criticism apart, I think the Volvo Drivers’ Fuel Challenge is an excellent initiative by a company that prides itself on making fuel-efficient trucks. The Challenge’s aim is to encourage drivers to use that technology and it seems to be working for many Volvo fleets.

“THE MAIN TECHNIQUE IS TO EMPLOY THE TRUCK’S MOMENTUM TO THE MAXIMUM BY READING THE TERRAIN”

1. Truck journos were on test as well 2. Beauties at sunset - and fuel efficient, too

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YoU

sCania

HaVe FUel, PoWer, reliaBilitY.

Matt WilliaMson Fleet Manager - MilkFloW

“Our R 730s are pulling 67-tonnes, at higher average speeds, using less fuel, and covering 300,000km a year.”

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Safety

SAFETY DOESN’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT SAFETY AND VOLVO ARE INTRINSICALLY LINKED IN THE MINDS OF TRUCK AND CAR BUYERS AROUND THE WORLD. THE SWEDISH MAKER HAS MADE SAFETY ITS MAJOR ETHOS FOR MORE THAN FIVE DECADES AND THE DRIVE TO IMPROVE VEHICLE AND ROAD SAFETY IS STILL THE COMPANY’S PRIME MOTIVATOR. TECH EDITOR DAVID MEREDITH HAD THE CHANCE TO CATCH UP WITH VOLVO TRUCK SAFETY GURU CARL JOHAN ALMQVIST RECENTLY FOR A CHAT COMING AWAY WITH SOME INSIGHTS ON TRUCK SAFETY. 026 www.truckandbus.net.au

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1. Volvo’s current FH is engineered from the ground up with safety at the forefront - design, materials, function and form. 2 & 3. FUPs system testing left a trail of bent Volvo’s to make the point. 4. Carl Johan is the chief of the global truck industry’s safety leader. Chart - On the scale of crash risks, it’s obvious which device, and which function is the most dangerous.

“SAFETY IS EMBEDDED IN THE WALLS AT ALL OF VOLVO’S FACILITIES. CABS, DRIVELINES, CHASSIS, MATERIALS, AND MANUFACTURING“

he Volvo Group is one of the biggest commercial vehicle enterprises on the planet, and isn’t shy of claiming to be the leader in safety and technology innovation. The company introduced seat belts in trucks in 1979, developed terrain-conscious cruise control and engine mapping, as well as the Dynamic Steering system that is a long way ahead of every other truck frontend anywhere in the world. It was with this background that an interview with the company’s boss of safety is what I would call a peak appointment. Carl Johan Almqvist, who is the Global Director of Safety for the Volvo Group, is the Apex safety executive in the global heavy transport field. Mr Almqviste has a say in every aspect of the group’s safety consciousness. As he likes tosay, “Safety is embedded in the walls,” at all of Volvo’s facilities. cabs, drivelines, chassis, materials, and manufacturing

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processes, all come under the watchful gaze and technical review of his team. Everything is signed off. The safety work doesn’t get introduced at a set point in the imagining, design, or engineering process. At every point, whether the concept was born from customer feedback, or an internally sourced wild idea, safety is an integral part of the design phase and the influence and interconnection it has on drivers and other road users is top of the agenda at every meeting. Even the most hidden or benign elements are considered. For instance type of plastics is carefully specified, so that in the event of a decent sized crash, the plastics will shatter with no sharp edges that could lacerate skin tissue. They think of every aspect That’s actually how the Dynamic Steering system evolved. The chief engineer for the system revealed that the Dynamic Steering started at a round table in the lunch-room. The engineers were arguing the merits of

driver fatigue measures, and somebody asked what would happen if the steering system brought input from the road to the steering box instead of just the steering wheel and the concept snowballed from there. One of the group’s major strengths is the emphasis on analysis when things go wrong. Carl’s safety group has a quick-reaction team that draws senior personnel from all departments, and they’re kept on call for attending serious accidents involving Volvo trucks. Recently it has focused on the latest FH model as the real-world performance of the FH’s impressive suite of safety features have been put to the ultimate test. Volvo has taken the time to engage with emergency services providers across Europe and the company is contacted as soon as it is clear a Volvo has been involved in an accident. The team arrives at the site with a host of technical equipment designed to measure the effectiveness of the truck’s

design and engineering. A laser scanner takes a three-dimensional picture of the truck and compares it digitally with the outline and shape of the truck as designed. The process identifies components and/or panels that have moved or been deformed, as well as points of weakness beyond estimated tolerances. The analysis highlights where the stresses of the accident have appeared on the chassis and body skin. In cooperation with local authorities, the team downloads data from the truck’s on-board register, which shows the last 30 seconds of operating, along with tachograph information if available. Finally, a drone is employed to photograph

the entire accident site, mapping out points of impact, brake points and locations of debris. It’s a comprehensive way to understand what happened and the time sequence of events. A critical part of the analysis is to see if the cab structure has been able to guard against loss of steering or brakes from accident damage. With all that assurance of close analysis, I had to ask Mr Almqvist the inevitable question. “Have these crash assessments identified any design issues that needed to be redeveloped or improved.” “None,” he stated emphatically. Then with typically Swedish understatement he added, “The engineering process we have employed

2. 3.

NATURALISTIC DATA - REAL CRASHES IN TRUCKS (OLSON ET AL., 2009) 25 20 CRASH RISK (OR)

TEXT MESSAGE ON CELL PHONE TALK OR LISTEN TO HAND-HELD PHONE

15 DIAL CELL PHONE

10 TALK OR LISTEN TO HANDS-FREE PHONE

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appears to have been effective.” It’s worth asking the question, how many other manufacturers go this far to ensure their products perform in crisis as well as they perform otherwise? The design phase of the FH was a good example of the company’s commitment to safety. No less than 25 trucks were destroyed in crash tests, including several of the rare and very expensive prototypes. The underrun test standard in Europe is 56kmh into a VW Golf. Volvo did the test at 90kmh and the truck still complied. During the development of materials for the FH, fire and smoke entry was a critical

part of the cab’s safety packaging, as well as the toxicity of burning materials. Drivers need time to get themselves and their critical stuff out of range from secondary damage from fumes and toxic soot. Nearing the end of my interview we discussed the topical issue of driver distractions, a problem not unique to Australia. Not only that the almost universal uptake of the mobile phone continues to be a primary factor in accidents due to inattention. Volvo has assembled data that indicates the level of distraction caused by the various activities a driver can get involved in while driving. Using phones

features strongly on the list and at the very top and uncontested, is texting while driving. It presents nearly three times the risk of writing on a notepad while on the road. Carl ended our interview by reminding me that all the testing done by the group is done with seat belts fastened. When we headed out to one of the new FH’s for a photograph, he wouldn’t let us take the photo until he was seated with the belt clearly fastened. I asked him about people who still don’t believe in wearing seat belts, and his answer was blunt. “If you don’t wear seat belts,” he said, “don’t buy our truck.”

“NO LESS THAN 25 TRUCKS WERE DESTROYED IN CRASH TESTS, INCLUDING SEVERAL OF THE RARE AND VERY EXPENSIVE PROTOTYPES.”

One of the 25 Volvo FH prototypes and test rigs written off the ensure the engineering worked.

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RO 500 B

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Voted Europe’s “Best Brand” 10 years in a row! • With the latest one piece release lever for single handed operaaon • Closed system design prevents the ingress of dust and dirt • Suitable for Pigs, Dogs, Quads, PBS and Roadtrain applicaaons • Easier to repair thanks to the improved ROCKINGER component system • Rotatable pin for improved component performance • Simple and trouble-free hitching and release • Can be upgraded retroacavely with the various remote controls and remote displays • Future-proof: prepared for the new sensor technology • ADR 62/02 compliant

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Road Test

STREET FIGHTER

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FUSO’S FIGHTER IS PROVING INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN THE UPPER MEDIUM SECTOR AND ITS SALES PERFORMANCE CONTINUES TO REFLECT THIS. TECHNICAL EDITOR DAVID MEREDITH TOOK ONE FOR A TEST RECENTLY AND RECKONS THAT ON A CITY DRIVE CYCLE ITS ROAD PERFORMANCE IS EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE.

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1. 1. The door openings and large steps allow the driver to get in and out comfortably and safely. 2. This is the bread and butter spec for the Fuso Fighter and is ideal for the distribution sector

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s we road tested the current Fuso Fighter recently, two words repeatedly came front of mind as we changed gear, zipped through roundabouts and worked ourway through traffic. The first was ‘Easy.’ The clutch was light and precise, the gearbox spring loading near-perfect and steering vibration-free and precise. You could see everything around, behind and in front, the engine was quiet and rattle-free (except at around 2,100rpm with the boot in), and you didn’t need to take my eyes off the road to work the controls. In short, nothing was hard work. The other, was ‘Complete.’ The seat was an ISRI air unit and smoothed everything out. The air con had a big capacity fan and, most importantly moved a large volume of air on the windscreen on de-mist setting. The audio unit offered every conceivable option for music, live or recorded. Climbing in and out was via big, chunky non-slip steps with the 90-degree door opened wide. In short, there was nothing to add. These are probably some of the reasons why Fighter has a such a strong sales record for the three years to the end of 2014. It is not widely known but Fighter has increased its sales volume nationally in its sector for each

of those years despite a shrinking overall market volume. Clearly operators who drive the truck also find the driving easy, and the spec complete. The detail of the Fuso is an important part of its success. In this instance we tested a 1627 curtainsider with a folding tailgate lift, six-speed manual transmission, 199kW and 784Nm 6-cylinder 7.5-litre turbo diesel engine and enough standard features and equipment to keep anyone happy. It’s the bread and butter spec for this truck and the dealer we borrowed it from said they always have one built up ready for sale because they simply march out the door. As already mentioned, each section of the drive was easy in the Fighter. Acceleration, braking, gear-changing, cruising, steering none of it caused difficulty or required effort of any kind. The air-assist flicked the gears through the box and the clutch engaged predictably and with minimal foot pressure. Initially we thought that there was a problem with the spring loading grabbing fifth instead of third but it turned out it was the road tester and not the truck. Finally, apart from needing a distinctive paint job to replace the washing machine white, this medium duty Fuso was indeed complete.

3. Apart from needing a distinctive paint job to replace the washing machine white, this medium duty Fighter is complete and ready to go 4. The six-speed box has a good spread of ratios, but top gear is direct and not an overdrive, 5. The window in the lower part of the passenger door is not only cyclist-friendly, it means safer manoeuvering.

“FIGHTER HAS INCREASED ITS SALES VOLUME NATIONALLY IN ITS SECTOR FOR EACH OF THE LAST THREE YEARS“ 4. There’s another thing as well, even though it probably isn’t popular or logical to say it, however of all the medium duty trucks on the market, in this writer’s personal view the Fighter cab’s exterior is the most attractive. Certainly it will date less than its competition, all of which have harder lines. However in getting back to the facts, the 1627model code indicated its GVM of 16-tonnes and its engine power at 270hp. The test rig was a 4x2 long wheelbase version with air suspension and a 25-tonne GCM rating. It featured a driver’s airbag, hill-start assist, ABS brakes with anti-slip regulator and an exhaust brake made in Japan, which meant it huffed and puffed but did little else. Its vehicle entertainment system (once called a radio) features the all important with Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port and a 6.1 inch LCD screen. The Fuso’s Satnav has maps with heavy vehicle weight, length, height and hazardous material restrictions data, and includes three years worth of map updates, so there is no question it was well equipped.

Fuso designers have likely spent a fair bit of time on the road before developing the cab and door openings with the driver in mind. The door openings and large steps allow the driver to get in and out comfortably and safely. There are two grab handles on the driver’s side to help them climb up and get their bums in the air suspension ISRI seat. However the passenger’s side only has one handle. Perhaps Fuso figures passengers are rarely carried, or that the off sider only has one hand free. The steering column is tilt and telescopic and it’s a good range too, so if you’re the foreman you don’t always have to pick the little guy to do the driving. Anyone can get comfortable and the instruments and controls are all within arm’s length. The windscreen is panoramic, and the door-sills slope downwards for outstanding vision. Our test drive was around metropolitan precincts and a section of busy suburban highway which was appropriate because the Fighter supplied this instance was a city specced truck.

The six-speed box has a good spread of ratios, but top gear is direct and not an overdrive, so it’s not a long distance cruiser. However if you’re used to pulling a plant trailer, running heavy or perhaps using a pantech body plus a dog and lots of aero drag, the six-speed will be a good match. The ninespeed all-synchro option wouldn’t necessarily be a good fit in this instance. It just gives you a better spread and deep crawler ratios in low and reverse, so it’s even better for maximum GCM payloads with dog trailers. However If your application involves some longer distances, you should spec your

“FLEET OPERATORS WITH THEIR KEENEST EYE ON THE BUDGETS WILL ALSO LIKE THE FIGHTER’S 30,000KLM SERVICE INTERVALS.” 1. The large steps allow easy, safe and comfortable access to the cab 2. The Fighter’s In-line OHC 4-Valve Turbocharged Common Rail sixcylinder uses SCR after-treatment system which Fuso calls BlueTec 7545cc 3. The vehicle entertainment system features the all important with Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port and a 6.1 inch LCD screen. as well as Fuso’s Satnav

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Fighter with the six-speed Allison option. It locks up early, is direct drive in fourth and the next two gears are overdrives, plus you get maximum uptime and no clutch replacements - ever. Unfortunately, the auto option means you have to compromise with wheelbase and suspension changes. It’s not as simple as just ticking the box for the auto. One unique feature in this medium duty sector is Fighter’s transom window. The window in the lower part of the passenger door is not only cyclist-friendly, it means safer manoeuvering. After our first run in a Fuso with it, we felt almost blind in the next

medium duty truck we drove. Once you’ve used it, you’ll feel the same way, particularly if you demo the truck and wheel it around your depot. Fleet operators with their keenest eye on the budgets will also like the Fighter’s 30,000klm service intervals. Less time messing about with getting it into a dealer, then waiting or picking it up after is a big plus from a convenience point of view as well as gaining extra time on the road. No wonder Fighter has increased sales each year despite the market shrinking. This short drive showed me why.

\ Paul Jukes Victorian State Manager, Hertz Truck Rental

Efficiency for hire Australian Truck and 4WD Rentals, the Hertz Truck Rental franchisee for South Australia, NSW and Victoria, has decided to replace all of the manual trucks in its fleet with Allison fully automatic equipped trucks. Paul Jukes, Victorian State Manager, Hertz Truck Rentals, reckons that since adding Allison equipped UD Trucks to the Hertz fleet they have delivered lower maintenance and repair costs as well as saving money when it comes to operating costs. “Our Allison automatic trucks are easier on clutches and brakes and that means we save money, not to mention the reduced down time,” says Paul Jukes. Hertz customers can now enjoy improved productivity through full powershifts, with faster acceleration and increase fuel efficiency in city, and suburban applications thanks to Allison. Fully integrated, sophisticated electronic controls enable precise, smooth shifts and provide expanded prognostics and diagnostic capabilities which reduce driver fatigue, enhance safety and make the truck more reliable and efficient to operate. Make the smart choice…. Allison automatics

Operator

Words and Photography: Howard Shanks

REAPING

THE HARVEST

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A TOUGH ECONOMY, INCREASED REGULATION ALONG WITH A NATIONAL DRIVER SHORTAGE HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL ON TRANSPORT COMPANIES. FOR FARMERS IT MEANS GOOD TRANSPORT OPERATORS ARE CHARGING MORE AND ARE GETTING HARDER TO FIND SO ONE PRIMARY PRODUCER HAS TAKEN THINGS INTO HIS OWN HANDS AS HOWARD SHANKS DISCOVERED.

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he situation has inspired more farmers like Darren Longmire from Spalding South Australia to look into buying his own truck and grain trailer and it’s encouraging trailer makers to increasingly look at farmers as potential customers. The rural town of Spalding is a leisurely two-hour drive north west of Adelaide and is at the center of the largest water catchment area in South Australia. Its here that a network of streams, creeks and rivers meet four kilometers south of the town to form the Broughton River, which was mapped and named in 1839 by explorer Edward John Eyre. Not only does the river system help sustain productive grain farms along with sheep and beef cattle runs, but the Broughton attracts anglers from far and wide to challenge its wily trout. The Longmires have been cropping in the area for a several generations. Today David Longmire heads the family business

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that grows approximately 1300 hectares of mixed grains annually. “We mainly grow, wheat barley and canola along with export oats and hay,” David smiled as he introduced himself. “I initially went looking at trailers and trucks to improve our productivity”, he revealed. “I wanted something that was multipurpose, something I could utilise all year round.” “The Wilson Pacesetter Super-B ‘bottom dump’ was ideal for our cropping operation. It has an excellent tare weight so we can get exceptional payloads at harvest time. It has compartments in each trailer so we can use it at seeding time to fill our air-seeder which is an added bonus.” “We have a pair of Michels augurs that we fit to our Wilson trailers during seeding time. We fill the front compartment with fertiliser and the middle compartment with seed in addition we use the rear compartment to store different varieties of

seed when needed,” David added. “It was a big step integrating the transport aspect into our farming operation, but a necessary one,” David conceded. “Initially we looked a various options and weighed up the pros and cons of new verses second hand. We also investigated various financial scenarios for instance whether to pay cash for used equipment or finance new. “In the end we believed the productivity and efficiency gains of the new Wilson Super-B would provide the most economical solution for us. Then of course there were the safety features of the new trailer, which are also a big plus around the farm and because it is a bottom discharge and not a tipper there is almost a $10K insurance saving”, David added. Sadly, most farmers who go out to buy their first grain trailer aren’t in search of the ultimate in features. Many do just fine picking up a used trailer. But with more than 20 different companies building new trailers

1. The versatility and reliability of the 4800 Western Star has seen it a make its way into many agri-business fleets. 2. Unloading with both 8-inch augurs has an unloading rate of 2.7 ton or 80 bushels per minute and will keep up with a 10-inch swing auger.

and more used trailers hitting the market, the field of choices is getting larger. It often comes down to deciding between two or three equally good trailers at a competitive price. In addition to finding a trailer that’s in good condition, you’ll also want to look at some of the unique features of different trailers that can make your life easier when it’s time to take your grain to the silos. Flick through any truck classified magazine at the roadhouse or log on to a truck sales website then type “Grain “ in the keyword search and you’ll find contact information for most new trailer manufacturers and at any given time scores of used and new trailers for sale will be listed. Prices vary from as low as $5,000 for a corroded, banged-up 25-year-old trailer that needs plenty of work, to a 12-month old unit for $60,000 to $70,000 or a new B-Double set for $120,000. Buying used might save you a bit of money initially. But corrosion, hundreds of

“THESE ‘HOPPER AUGER SYSTEMS’ ARE EASILY ATTACHED WITH FIVE TO TEN BOLTS DEPENDING ON THE MODEL.” seam-stressing loading and unloading cycles, getting in and out of uneven paddocks and the occasional too-sharp turn mean that many grain trailers have taken a beating over time. Consequently repair, maintenance and inevitably a major rebuild too often escalate into many thousands of dollars. Lets not forget either the critical downtime cost while the trailer is being repaired. On the other hand, if you’re in the market for a new grain trailer now, or on the lookout for the type of trailer you might want to buy used in a year or two, it makes sense to pay attention to maintenance issues on old units as well as the new features on the current models. Jason King, national sales manager with Barker Trailers says you shouldn’t forget that used trailers mean you start with used components. It’s not always obvious how quickly repair costs can add up on a used unit. “When you factor in the purchase cost of the used trailer and then add in the

estimated cost of parts, replacements, and repairs, you may be extremely close to the cost of a new trailer,” Jason reveals. He says that if you do buy used, you should inspect the tyres, brakes, suspension, grain doors, axle sub-frame, lighting system and tarp fasteners. “With a new trailer, you not only start with new equipment, you also start with a full factory warranty and get the latest and best features,” he adds. Having said that Jason is quick to add that Barker do provide a trailer refurbishment service at their Woodend factory.

NEW FEATURES High on Jason’s list of features are those that improve operator safety. “View windows in the sidewalls reduce the need to climb the ladder to check on the load. Sloped ends make standing on ladders safer and easier and an electric tarp means

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“BECAUSE THE TRAP DOORS ON THE WILSON PACESETTER SUPER-B ARE MECHANICAL THERE IS NO RISK OF CONTAMINATION TO THE PRODUCT DUE TO A HYDRAULIC HOSE FAILURE.” no more fighting with the wind to open and close the covers,” he says. No list of modern safety features would be complete without an anti-lock brake system (ABS) to minimising jack-knifing and rollover. However Jason points out that an ABS system also saves money. “ABS keeps the wheels from locking up, thus minimising flat spotting of tyres,” he explains. New trailers tend to have more lights to increase safety and make manoeuvring at night easier. This is possible because light emitting diodes (LEDs) are replacing standard incandescent bulbs. LEDs draw one-tenth the power of the old bulbs, and that keeps the amperage manageable when up to 60 lights are burning on one trailer.

DESIGN MATTERS Jason agrees that safety is a big factor in new trailer design. “Simple things like easy-tooperate tarps and a fold-down ladder can make a big difference, especially to an older driver,” he says. If you want a trailer that’s easy to operate, Jason suggests you pay special attention to the doors, since they are the moving part you’ll deal with most often. If you’ve operated an older trailer with door slides, you know that they can be difficult to open even when empty. Add a load of grain on a frosty morning and the doors can freeze up completely. Gear ratio doors and electric motor openers can be time and sanity savers. Jason suggests that, at the very least, you should consider upgrading from a sticky slide door to some kind of roller door, like the selfcleaning rack and pinion door, which is swept clean as it glides past the trap frame that are standard on a Wilson trailer, which are

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remotely controlled by the Shur-co ProTrap wireless electric door opener. The trailer’s design plays a big role in how efficiently it carries its load and how cleanly it unloads. There are as many different philosophies on sheet metal angles as there are trailer manufacturers. Just about all of the newly designed trailers unload better than the old ones. Look for designs that will be structurally strong and easy to repair. Small sections of sheet metal, for instance, are easier to replace if the side of the trailer gets damaged. Also look for a smooth interior and a steeper angle on the sides of the hopper. A design in which the metal bends around the corner and rivets down the center helps to keep grain from getting hung up on the rivets. No design is perfect though. If you need your trailer to empty out really clean, you may want to add an air-operated vibrator. Another design improvement in most new trailers is more clearance between the doors and augers.

DELUXE FEATURES WORTH IT? Trailer weight is crucial for transport operators who want to carry the maximum tonnes per kilometre while still staying legal. Meantime farmers who haul on short runs from paddock to town might not feel weight is important enough to spend the extra money on aluminium. But the aluminium does last longer and improves resale value. Plus you get some deluxe features on the new aluminium models. The Wilson Pacesetter uses the ProTrap Electric Trap opener, which features all-metal gears and housing, to handle the hard stops. Each trailer is self-sufficient and comes with a Shur-Co solar panel battery kit to run

the trap opener and optional electric tarps. This compact 30-watt solar panel, is just 20 millimeters deep and charges the battery that is rated for over 5,000 cycles. To enhance the flexibility of the Pacesetter Super-B at unloading time, Wilson also offers optional ‘Ag Hoppers’ such as the side cutes with a ‘true’ high ground clearance of 530 millimeters that are easy to operate and stow while in transit.

LEASE OR OWN? Darryl Johnston from the Peter May Group suggests that many farmers could learn a thing or two about financing equipment by looking at how agribusiness managers treat their capital expenditures. “Too many farmers tend to think of equipment in terms of absolute cost and/ or ongoing payments,” Darryl explained. “Agribusinesses, on the other hand, rely on a much more margin-oriented thought process. They determine the revenue gained (increased income or decreased operating cost). Then they calculate the cost of each unit purchased and compare the revenue gained per unit against the cost per unit. This process is called margin management.” For most farm equipment, margin management requires that you figure cost per hectare against additional profit gained per hectare. In the case of a grain trailer, you might instead figure cost per tonne moved versus additional profit per tonne.

WESTERN STAR 4800 A vital part of maintaining top-notch service to customers involves using vehicles specified for the application and maintaining them in top condition to keep downtime to a

1. Unloading seed into field bins with twin augers. 2. Seed runs easily into the trailer 3. The Wilson Pacesetter Super-B has five separate compartments capable of carry five different products which is great advantage at planting time. 4. The versatile 4800 Western Star is ideal for this farming operation. 5. Loading the air-seeder with seed is done safely with the Wilson Pacesetter.

3. 4.

The lightweight and secured aluminum roof bow binder bars enhance the trailer’s already present brute strength, as well as reduce premature tarp wear.

minimum. Moving back to the topic of the Western Stars, Darren reiterated his belief that reliability is the number one must-have with equipment. “It’s part of our philosophy of moulding things into the business that we can set and forget. Of course, price is always going to be an issue as well as the ongoing cost of maintenance.” “I know how reliable Western Star trucks are because our older 4800 is still going strong and its over six years old now,” he admitted. “And, it looks and goes like a new truck. In fact, many people have trouble telling the difference between the two, that’s well Western Star last”. Under the hood of this Western Star is Cummins ISX EGR engine rated at 500hp that develops 1850lbft torque. Transmission is Eatons’ 18-speed coupled to Meritor RT46160 rear axles with cross-locks in both axles, and a ratio of 4.3:1 riding on Western Star’s Airliner suspension. “The versatility of this 4800 Western Star is another big advantage to us, that’s because it is rated up from 70,000kg in single trailer configuration through to 90,500 kg road train if we were that keen to tow one,” Darren revealed. “Also the visibility and manoeuvrability around tight farm laneways of the 4800 is exceptional when you consider it is really quite a big heavy duty specked truck.” “I really love the look of these 4800 Western Stars but from a business point of view, I have to leave my emotions behind and focus on the productivity gains to stay ahead of the game when it comes to specking our trucks,” Darren concluded. “The fact that the 4800 Western Star turned out to be the ideal model for our application is just a bonus.”

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Trailer Innovation

Photography and story Allan Whiting

BYFORDS – I THINK THEY’VE GOT IT!

ustralia has the most efficient road transport system on the planet, boasting the highest payloads with the quickest trip times and it’s also one of the most innovative in the world. We invented the road train and although we didn’t invent the B-Double combination, we’ve certainly exploited its efficiencies. Blessed with wide open spaces and post WWII property development that accepted the need for road transport, we’ve had the advantage of being able to implement large-vehicle access in most situations. We operate multi-combination vehicles in areas that would have to be serviced by rigids or

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compact semi-trailers in most countries. In contrast to the strict regulations that exist in most countries Australian road transport authorities have allowed mass and dimension changes where their benefits and safety can be demonstrated. There’s also the Performance Based Standards (PBS) system that encourages productivity innovations. Probably the most radical PBS development we’ve yet seen is the A-Double concept that Byford Equipment launched at the Melbourne Truck Show, held at Melbourne Show Grounds in 2014. Gary Byford and Hans Prem put their heads together and came up with tanker designs that rewrote the axle-group book. PBS Certifier, Ken Cowell,

liaised with Hans and certified the final Byford-patented designs. These tankers take advantage of wider axle-group spacing rules that permit higher axle masses than tightly-grouped tandem and tri-axles. A key component for improved manoeuvrability is BPW’s self-steering trailer axle. Byfords has long been one of the principal suppliers of road tanker trailers and a significant number of those units were used by dairy companies for farm milk collection. Anyone who’s driven a farm collection vehicle knows what some of the pick-up areas are like. ‘Tight’ hardly describes the common situation, but it’s not all the farmer’s

WITH SO MUCH BAD NEWS SURROUNDING AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY LATELY IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO HEAR OF NICHE MANUFACTURERS WHO ARE NOT ONLY THRIVING BUT DOING CLEVER THINGS. ONE SUCH EXAMPLE IS MOAMA-BASED TANKER SPECIALIST DESIGNER AND BUILDER, BYFORD EQUIPMENT, WHICH HAS COME UP WITH A RADICAL PAIR OF COMBINATION VEHICLES THAT OFFER INCREASED PAYLOADS AND MANOEUVRABILITY, WITH REDUCED OPERATING COSTS. ALLAN WHITING CHECKED OUT THE NEW VEHICLES AT THE IMPRESSIVE BYFORD FACILITY IN NORTHERN VICTORIA.

fault, because many dairies were set up when rigid trucks did the collection job. Obviously, milk collectors want to use the largest vehicles they can, to maximise payload, but manoeuvering a B-Double in the space that’s constricted for a semi-trailer causes damage to the farm yard. Another issue is the fact that a large combination vehicle can’t access property tracks without the need to cross onto the wrong side of the road when entering or leaving properties. Byfords has resolved these issues with its 20-metre and 26-metre A-Doubles. With a 6x4 prime mover the 20-metre unit is a seven-axle combination and the 26-metre has nine. Permitted gross mass varies from around

63.5 tonnes for the 20-metre to 74.5 tonnes for the 26. These figures are more than those for equivalent B-Double units, so what’s the trick? Wider, tandem-axle and single-axle spacing is the key and, to avoid the tyre scrub and wide turning radius that come with such designs, both combinations incorporate selfsteering axles. The 20-metre combination has a B-coupled single-axle semi-trailer pulling an A-coupled, spread-tandem, two-axle dolly with a singleaxle trailer. The second axle on the spreadtandem dolly is a self-steerer. The 26-metre combination has a B-coupled, spread-tandem-axle semi-trailer pulling an A-coupled, normal-spaced, tandem dolly,

with a spread-tandem trailer. The second axles on both trailers and on the spreadtandem dolly are self-steerers.

DRIVING IS BELIEVING It’s quite amazing what a difference the wider axle spacing and self-steering axles make to what are familiar-length combinations. I climbed behind the wheel of a Volvo FH 540, connected to a 26-metre Maxless A-Double and drove it in ever tighter manoeuvres around the back of Byford’s world-class production facility in Moama. No conventional B-Double could have followed this track. In addition, it made tight direction changes

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with no obvious axle drag. I expected to need some oomph when cornering tightly, but the Volvo just idled around the course. Even more impressive was watching the Maxless from outside the truck cab: no scrubbing tyres, other than some minor side movement from the drive tandem. That’s why dairy farmers love the Byford’s tankers visiting their properties. The Maxless design also reduces measurable kingpin and turntable forces to around one-fifth those of a conventional combination. That not only reduces mechanical stress, but contributes to improved tyre wear and reduced fuel consumption.

MILKING THE BENEFITS

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Well-known dairy processor Murray Goulburn was the first company to embrace the new Byford concept and now runs 17 of the 20-meter units and 20 of the 26s. These vehicles are operating at less than theoretical GCM, but are still offer advantages over conventional combination vehicles. According to Murray Goulburn’s Glen Fulton the Byford vehicles have proved their worth over the past few months: “Our tyre life has improved by around 2.3 times,” he told T&TT Magazine. “And farmers love the greatly reduced damage to

their properties. “We’re impressed with the additional safety of the Byford units, letting our drivers enter and leave narrow-access properties without having to endanger themselves or other road users, by crossing to the wrong side of the road. “The only downside is that they’re not easy to reverse, but their improved manoeuvrability means that’s not a critical issue; however, we’re testing a dolly turntable lock at the moment.” Another happy user is Blu Logistics. This company collects milk in the area between Brisbane and Toowoomba and Queensland Transport allows the unit to operate the 26-metre unit at 74.27 tonnes on a steadily increasing approved-route network. According to Blu Logistics’ Steve Wastell the new combination can haul nearly 47,000 litres of milk and deliver around 1.9km/L, with around one-third better productivity than a conventional B-Double. “It’s a no-brainer,” said Steve Wastell. Although the first customers of the Byford A-Double system are milk companies, there’s interest from other tanker users, including fuel companies, who have to deliver product into difficult locations. It’s possible many of them can use a Byford unit instead of having to specify shorter, less efficient, conventional tanker configurations.

“THESE VEHICLES ARE OPERATING AT LESS THAN THEORETICAL GCM, BUT STILL OFFER ADVANTAGES OVER CONVENTIONAL COMBINATION VEHICLES.“

1. The new combination can haul nearly 47,000 litres of milk and deliver around 1.9km/L, with around one-third better productivity than a conventional B-Double. 2. There’s interest from other tanker users, including fuel companies, who have to deliver product into difficult locations

3. The design of the Byford A Double allows amazing versatility and manoeuvrability for tanker units in particular 4. Byford has long been one of the principal suppliers of road tanker trailers and a significant number of those units were used by dairy companies for farm milk collection.

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Lighting Innovation

SHINE, SHINE, SHINE… LED REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHTS ARE THE LATEST WAY TO LIGHT THE PATH AHEAD. EDITOR IN CHIEF ALLAN WHITING TOOK A LOOK AT THE LATEST OFFERINGS

ruck-Lite has teamed up with Narva to produce a secondgeneration LED replacement headlight for vehicles using seveninch round lights. Truck-Lite/ Narva LED headlights are direct swaps for existing halogen or sealed beam seven-inch (178mm) headlights. Many new and older trucks have these fitments. The supplied connector clicks directly to the existing halogen-bulb headlight loom plug and, being LED-based, the truck-Lite units can connect to 12V and 24V systems without any adaptation. LED technology provides a whiter, cleaner colour temperature, representative of daylight conditions and displaying truer colour tones. Due to the instant-start-up nature of LED, there is no warm up time before full beam power is delivered. The long-life nature of LED means that the lamp lasts significantly longer than halogen equivalents and the quality of light output does not diminish significantly over time. The LED lamp has heat-handling properties that allow it to operate in open or closed headlamp recesses. It is also EMC-R10 / CISPR 25/ADR approved, as required for

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original equipment headlamp applications. Inside, the solid-state LED design has no filaments or bulb tubes, making it highly shock and vibration resistant. The electronics feature over-voltage protection up to 600V and are sealed in epoxy, to resist corrosion or moisture damage. Low beam (1.8A, 12V or 1.0A, 24V)) and high beam (3.6A, 12V or 1.8A, 24V) power draw is around half that of halogen systems, saving alternator output for other vehicle applications. The first generation of this lamp was manufactured for US military vehicles, including the iconic Humvee. Narva is backing the Truck Lite LED product with a three-year warranty.

LED HEADLIGHT TEST We fitted a pair of the Truck-Lite LED headlights to our LandCruiser 75 Series ute. The job was straightforward enough, because the lights come standard with a three-pin plug that connects with standard seven-inch headlight sockets. However, the plug is a tight fit in the socket and the standard rubber gaiter doesn’t shield the connection, so it needed a few wraps of insulation tape. The only additional precaution we took was a careful check of the mounting ring tangs and small attachment screws, because the LED units are heavier than sealed beams or halogen-type headlight units. We didn’t want them to shake loose through vibration. The LED lights come with additional wiring to illuminate small parking light LEDs inside the housing. When lit-up the LEDs were obviously much brighter and whiter than the halogens they replaced. We tested them against halogens, using an identical stretch of road and found that the LED light intensity was much greater.

HEADLIGHT HISTORY

LOW VOLTAGE LIGHTING

First up, if you’ve been to a trivia night you’ll probably know already that Thomas Edison didn’t invent the incandescent light globe: what he and his ‘muckers’ did in 1879 was make reliable ones. However, until Osram in 1906 came up with a globe using a tungsten filament that could withstand vibration, the motor vehicle relied on acetylene-gas headlamps. Once electric globes were available, the ignition magneto supplied current to them and you could see for miles – well, metres, anyway. Incandescent (from the Latin verb incandescere: to glow white) globes rely on the simple principle that virtually all substances glow when they get hot. When an electric current is run through a thin wire, the resistance to electron flow causes the wire to get hot: whitehot, actually and emit light. From the early days, incandescent globe development concentrated on

There is no doubt that break through LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology has changed the face of automotive lighting. A combination of low voltage and multiple polycarbonate lenses has made it easier than ever to manufacture a high quality, low cost lighting products. Trucks obviously undertake very high mileage and are susceptible receiving stone chips and other damage to their auxiliary lights. If may have noticed that the LED torch you may have can run with a number of their lenses broken and in the old days if your light took a direct hit then that was it – LEDs are much more flexible. Low

increasing the brightness and extending the life of the filament. It was realised at the outset that it was necessary to exclude oxygen from inside the globe, because the white-hot filament oxidised and literally burnt-out very quickly. Even in a so-called vacuum-globe the filament gradually vaporised, coating the inside of the globe with a black layer. The impossibility of creating a perfect vacuum led to experiments with inert gas filling that was found to decrease blackening, while limiting oxidising. That’s pretty much where things stayed until the 1960s, when the halogen-quartz globe was released. Halogen gas inside the globe performed a neat trick: as the filament surface vaporised, tungsten atoms combined with the halogen gas and then re-deposited on the hot filament. The globe needed a higher operating temperature for the ‘halide’ cycle to work, but the result was far less loss of

filament and a brighter light. To tolerate the higher temperature a quartz globe material was used and, because that material reacts adversely with many common substances, required gloved hands to install a halogen-quartz globe. Incidentally, halogen-light development occurred in Europe, because the USA had legislated in 1940 for one type of standard, seven-inch sealed-beam headlamp that was the only permitted fitment on all USregistered vehicles: cars and trucks. The Yanks didn’t get a halogen sealed-beam until 1978, but it was still restricted to the same size and shape until 1984, when the US joined the modern automotive world and allowed variable-shape headlights with replaceable globes. However, the US truck world has stayed largely with the seven-inch round headlight, for its low cost and ease of replacement.

Voltage Lighting products have taken advantage of all of the above design improvements As an example their Outback Series of auxiliary lights sees a combination of light bars, HID lights, bull bar lights and headlight conversion products. Their 120 Watt LED Light Bar uses 10 Watt Cree LED’s in a Polycarbonate lens inside a die cast aluminium housing with a powder coated finish. Mounted to a bottom rail this gives a great looking compact light throwing product. For more information contact Low Voltage Lighting on (03) 9335 7100 or surf their website at www.lowvoltage.com.au

“LED TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES A WHITER, CLEANER COLOUR TEMPERATURE, REPRESENTATIVE OF DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS” Low beam from the LEDs had a very sharp cut-off point; no doubt to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers, so correct adjustment was critical to provide enough distance vision before that cutoff zone. The beam was much wider than the halogen beam, giving an improved view of the road edges LED high-beam performance was far better than that of the halogen headlights and rivalled the beam distance of some driving lights. The high-beam setting retained the low-beam pattern, but added a longer-distance beam on top of it. We noticed that the more complex reflector shape for a low-high-beam LED light added some uneveness to the light pattern, when compared with the blotchfree beams from most LED driving lights, but we feel that it’s a price worth paying. Speaking of price, the lights are selling in the $400-$495 bracket - each - so they’re not cheap. However, with virtually shatterproof lenses and longlife LED bulbs they’re a long-term investment.

Fitting the lights is easy, they come standard with a three-pin plug that connects with standard seven-inch headlight sockets and they bolt straight in.

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6X2 = New model

ANOTHER NEW NICHE FOR UD

ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL AS A NICHE MARKETER, UD TRUCKS HAS LED THE WAY FOR THE OTHER JAPANESE MAKERS IN RECENT YEARS WITH SUCH THINGS AS AUTOMATICS IN ITS MEDIUM DUTY MODELS AND NOW IT HAS AGAIN ZIGGED WHILE THE OTHERS ARE SAGGING BY RELEASING TWO NEW 6X2 RIGID MODELS. EDITOR IN CHIEF ALLAN WHITING SCORED A RIVE OF BOTH VEHICLES IN BRISBANE RECEBNTLY.

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The Heritage of UD has always been to offer advance levels of engineering especially compared with its Japanese opponents

“ELECTRONIC TRACTION CONTROL WITH ANTI-SPIN HAS GIVEN THE 6X2 MUCH MORE TRACTIVE ABILITY“

lthough it’s the three-axle-truck standard in many countries, the 6x2 configuration has never been a huge success Down Under. Despite proved benefits, including better tyre life, lower fuel consumption, less maintenance and increased payload, the 6x2 has never looked like displacing the traditional 6x4 rigid. Our road and weather conditions have been the principal factors blocking the 6x2’s growth, because everyone has heard the horror stories about 6x2s stranded with one drive wheel spinning futilely. However, electronic traction control with anti-spin has given the 6x2 much more tractive ability. Other issues are the tare weight of overseas-market 6x2s that are designed for heavier legal axle loadings and the fact that many of them have unequal load sharing. The Australian market requires a lighter, 50:50 load sharing 6x2 tandem.

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UD Trucks Australia developed a locally-designed lazy-axle kit in late 2011, incorporating a UD factory tag-axle and did all the ADR testing. This kit was designed for dealer fitment, using the PK17280 4x2 as a base vehicle and about 80 per year were sold. In 2013 a party of UD production engineers spent a week in Sydney at the then R&D workshop and actually built a 6x2, using the Australian-designed kit components. They returned to Japan with drawings and some of the kit parts. The fruit of this exercise was a commitment to build the PD23280 on the factory line in Japan. It’s quite possible this 2011-born Aussie initiative will expand to other UD markets. The first factory-built example was shown at the 2015 Brisbane truck show and is the truck I drove in July this year. The factory-built PD23280 preserves nearly all of the Australian design, with the

only visible change being a revised bracket holding the additional air tank. T&TT also believes that the original ADR test results were used for UD’s ADR submission. Parallel with the PD program is a 6x2 based on the 11-litre 4x2 CK17380. This new CD24380, hauling a three-axle, curtainside dog trailer was the second 6x2 truck I drove.

DISTRIBUTION 6X2S The Condor PD24280 had an optional Allison Gen 5 3000 series six-speed automatic transmission with shift optimisation, in lieu of the stock Eaton nine-speed synchro box. The rigid truck was fitted with a Mini Bodies 14-pallet curtain side body, with load-restraint gate channels and Eagle load-restraint curtains. This truck model has GVM rating of 23.5 tonnes, but the brand new test vehicle was loaded to 18 tonnes. Claimed empty weight

Parent company Volvo’s influence is becoming increasingly obvious in every aspect of he UD DNA

Mt Cotton provided a perfect place to test the new 6x2 UDs

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1. The Quon CD24380 6x2 had a 45-tonnes GCM rating and was fitted with a 14-pallett curtain-side body towing a 10-pallett Sheppard three-axle dog 2. Air bag suspension on the rear made the UDs pleasant to drive as well as providing the road friendly advantages and the other added versatility that comes from non spring suspension 3. The three axle 6x2 niche has some major advantages in delivery and distributin work 4. The Condor PD24280 had an optional Allison Gen 5 3000 series six-speed automatic and was fitted with a Mini Bodies 14-pallet curtain side body loaded to 18 tonnes

was eight tonnes. My brief drive at the Mount Cotton Training Facility showed that the truck was very pleasant to operate. Cab access was easy and seat and steering column adjustment should suit every shape of driver. The Allison made light work of lift off and shifting was seamless. The engine’s 280hp and 883Nm combined to give impressive performance A touch pad allowed simple override of the shift program and downshifting worked well with the exhaust brake to control downhill speed. The PD’s big brother, the Quon CD24380 6x2, with a 45-tonnes GCM rating, is an alternative to a traditional prime mover and semi-trailer combination. The evaluation prototype was based on 4x2 Quon, according to UD’s Application Engineer, Neil Carey.

As tested, it was fitted with a 14-pallett curtain-side body and coupled to a 10-pallett Sheppard Transport Equipment three-axle dog trailer. Claimed empty weight was 14 tonnes, allowing excellent payload at rated GCM. Our test load was 31 tonnes GCM. Rigid trucks with dog trailers are much more manoeuvrable than semis, which is why many tipping combinations are rigids and dogs. UD Trucks sees some possibilities in the freight distribution market for the CD24380 6x2 with dog trailer; particularly where there are access issues. In extreme situations the dog trailer can be uncoupled quickly, allowing the truck to operate as a rigid. The Quon range is now fully Volvo-Group powertrain integrated, since the recent demise of the UD 13-litre 470hp engine. At this stage there are no plans to either

introduce the 13-litre Volvo-Group engine, or to uprate the existing 11-litre that tops out the UD power offering at 420hp. Perhaps future Euro 6 adoption will change that situation. The test CD 24380 was powered by the 11-litre at 380hp, driving through an Escot V 12-speed automated transmission. Like the engine, the box was a Volvo-Group transmission, similar to the Volvo iShift and Mack mDrive. Automated shifting took the work out of driving the part-loaded CD and to some extent masked the modest outputs in what was a 45-tonnes GCM vehicle. Operators who accept the 6x2 and dog trailer principle may want a tad more grunt. However, for distribution work in flat or mildly undulating country the CD24380 should work just fine.

“THE ENGINE’S 280HP AND 883NM COMBINED TO GIVE IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE” UD’s line up down through years showcasing the changing face of the well engineered Japanese brand

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DELIVER US FROM…

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THE UPDATED VITO IS MERCEDES’ NEW $38K DELIVERY KING WHICH WAS LAUNCHED RECENTLY INTO THE INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE AND TIGHTLY FOUGHT LIGHT VAN MARKET, T&TT ROVING REPORTER GLENN TORRENS PULLED ON THE HI-VIZ AND CLAMBERED BEHIND THE WHEEL AT THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW VITO AND ITS PASSENGER CARRYING SIBLING THE VALENTE TO GIVE US HIS TAKE ON THE NEW GERMAN VANS.

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AFETY WITH ABILITY is the message from Mercedes about its new Vito van range. All-new, the VS20 series has very similar styling to the outgoing model and is available in two wheelbases and three lengths and with frontor rear-drive. The entry level 111 model is front-drive with a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel Euro 5 four-cylinder with six-speed manual, while the next step up is the rear-drive Euro 6 2.2-litre bi-turbo four with three power levels of 100, 120 and 140kW badged 114, 116 and 119. A sevenspeed auto is optional on the 100kW, 114 model in place of the Vito’s manual only rear-drive, while the seven-speed self shifter is standard with the 116 and 119. The standard wheel and tyre package on most models is a good–looking steely with 205/65R16 tyres; the 119 (140kW) models score a 17-inch alloy. The new series employs Mercedes’s latest ESP9 chassis safety tech and incorporates Crosswind Assist, Trailer Stability Assist (for vehicles fitted with a factory towbar) and – probably most important – Attention Assist that yells at the driver if various sensors in the vehicle detect possible tiredness.

There’s also a plethora of safety options too, such as collision avoidance assist, active parking assist, blind spot assist and lanekeeping assist. In fact there’s more ‘assists’ than in a good AFL team! All are clever techs that have been seen and available, variably, in the passenger car marketplace and are now included by Mercedes for its light commercials. Somewhat controversially, front curtain and pelvis airbags are on the options list for the Vito: Yes, stability control and attention devices help a driver keep control, but surely side impact protection is essential when someone else can’t? They’re an extra $350 each side. Of course, that’s all background to the loadcarrying ability of these vans: up to 1285kg for the entry-level front-driver on a low load floor with sliding doors both sides and a lift-up tailgate. Barn rear doors are an option. Interior capacity is 5.8 and 6.9 for shortand long-wheelbase with 3.6 in the five- or six-seat Crew Cab model, which rolls on the shorter 3200mm wheelbase but has a longer rear overhang with under slung spare. The panel vans have a choice of two or three front seats, too, and a partition is an option in all.

THE VALENTE Fill a Vito with comfy seats and carpet and you have the Valente. Off the record, Mercedes staffers seem almost surprised at the Valente’s success (it’s obviously popular with hotels) but there’s scope for a few more sales; in many regards it’s far more comfortable – and cooler - for carrying kids and clutter than the usual Prado/Pajero/CX9 clone cars. Productionwise, the Valente uses the Crew Cab body but with the mid-power 120kW/7G-Tronic driveline. All outer seating positions have airbags and there are climate control outlets to the rear of the cabin. The Valente offers features (such as the electric sliding doors) and options (such as electric seats) not available in Vito. Although it’s not a one-person task, the seats are relatively easily removed, too. Opening at less than $60K (but with an addictive options list!) it’s not bad on the budget, either, and in a dark colour crouched over big aftermarket alloys (16s are standard – 17s optional), they look effing sharp!

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Leather trim and plenty of luxury inclusions and options makes the Valente an attractive proposition for, hotels, airport shuttles, limo and luxury transfer services as well as for families

T&TT’s first drive was from Sydney’s CBD to – a drumroll, please – Sydney Motorsport Park in a short-wheelbase 114 Panel Van. It’s $41,940(inc GST) with the optional auto ($2875). The seven-speed auto has steering wheel paddles – but who uses those after the salesman has demonstrated them? It’s one engine size up from the entry-level six-speed, shorty-only front-driver 111 (at $37,140) that we reckon will be a smart choice for tradies who are sick of the security risks associated with single- or dual-cab utes. The intended drive route was either along Sydney’s Parramatta Rd to the M5 Motorway and then to SMP, or over the Harbour Bridge and more freeway travel on Sydney’s M2 and then M7 Motorways… But you know what? After mis-understanding MB’s very first drive-route instruction (in Sydney peakhour CBD traffic, no less!) I chose to just ‘get lost’ and instead spent my allocated drivetime simply following my nose; much of it cutting my way through Epping, Carlingford and North Parramatta, running the Vito over typical courier and delivery-driver type terrain of suburban back streets, roundabouts and stop signs.

Benz let the media loose on the driver training skidpan in Vitos equipped with low-grip caps on the rear to allow a relatively low-speed demonstration of the ESP9 stability controls.

“MERCEDES TAKES THE LEAD WITH SAFETY TECH. IT’S NOT A BAD DRIVE, EITHER” It was ‘terrain’ the Vito rear-drive auto relished… So, Mercedes takes the lead with safety tech and it’s not a bad drive, either. Earlier, I’d taken just seconds to get comfortable, feeling at-home almost immediately behind the chunky, comfy threespoke steering wheel with adjustment for reach and height. The seat is adjustable for height, too, and the park brake is left-foot operated for engagement, with right hand operation for off: it’s classic Mercedes, but possibly not the most intuitive of systems for newbies. However, there’s no reaching down deep between the seats for the handbrake lever, and it frees the space between the seats for relatively easy walk-through access to the rear, especially as an auto with the gears’ engagement via a wand to the right of the steering column (the manuals’ selector is to the right of the centre stack). A bulkhead is an option. The off-idle pull was terrific (however, the vans were empty) and the steering surprisingly feelsome. Electric assist steering, such as that fitted to the Vito, has a reputation for synthetic/dead feel but MB’s placement of the electric assist mechanism at the rack end of the system, rather than the driver’s end (said very simply) allows more communication to

the steering wheel. Sure, that’s not such a big issue in a van compared to a sports car, but anything that makes a day in the office more bearable is a good thing. Speaking of office, there’s not much in the way of hidey-holes around the dash, but maybe that’s not an issue in this era of on-line, back-to-base everything. Overall, the Vito scores a thumbs-up for comfort, but a back-hander for the speedo; the needle obscures the actual speed you’re doing, making at-a-glance, subliminal recognition difficult – but hey, MB is not the only one guilty of this. One thing that stood out from my rat-run driving time in the open-backed, un-lined, plain and simple big white box was the lack of noise. It’s quiet. The only intrusion comes from coarse-chip bitumen (and of course pot-holed gravel) but typical empty-van booming is just about non-existent. A closer look at the body construction reveals good attention to sound-proofing; MB’s 96 percent automation in vehicle assembly (the Vito is built in Spain) will also, no doubt, add to the structural integrity of the shell and therefore its impressively low noise levels. Equipment installers will have to match the Benz’s relative hush with a squeak and rattle-free fit-out. The

shell is fully galvanised. And then we got to racetrack. Two thumbs up for MB for having the guts to let us drive vans at a race track, but we weren’t really there to cut quick lap times. The intention was to highlight the safety of the new Vito and with Mercedes driver trainers calling the shots, we were encourages to give the brakes the bejeezus. Later, we were let loose on a SMS’s driver training skidpan with Vitos equipped with special, hard, low-grip caps on the rear wheels to allow easy – and relatively low-speed – demonstration of the ESP9 stability control’s ability to rein-in a vehicle bordering on the edge of control and grip. Later, I snuck off onto a gravel access road within Sydney Motorsport Park and had a play; this road perfectly replicated a typical rural road, complete with the potholes and off-camber corners. Running the plain, manual front-driver and the larger-engined rear-drive auto models back-to-back at 80km/h confirmed the good ride and handling characteristics of the new Vito’s strut front/semi-trailing arm rear independent suspension (even when unladen) and the effectiveness of its stability control and braking systems in real-world conditions.

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TOOL OF TRADE

1. MW Builders’ Foton on site at a building project in suburban Newcastle 2. The Foton is able to take all of MW Builders tools as well as building supplies and a whole lot more. 3. Distinctive Floor Coverings is able to pack its Foton with more rolls of carpet as well as other equipment than the utes it used to use 4. New Growth Landscape has purchased two Foton steel tray trucks for its Perth operations

CAN CHINESE LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS CUT THE MUSTARD IN THE HARD WORLD THAT IS THE AUSTRALIAN VEHICLE MARKET? T&TT DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHETHER THE TRADIES MARKET MIGHT PROVE TO BE THE LAUNCHING POINT FOR ACCEPTANCE OF CHINESE LIGHT TRUCKS Perth Landscaper Rob Trinder of New Growth Landscapes with one of his two Foton light trucks

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tradesman never blames his tools for a bad job, or so the maxim of artisans through the ages goes and it still applies today. However for a lot of tradies today the pressure of time and money means you have to look at the cost of your tools as well as materials and all of the other ‘expensive’ costs of being a small businessman. Here at T&TT we know a few tradies who work their butts off trying to stay ahead of the game. With typical dual cab utes costing around the $50k mark the tradies vehicle is possibly the biggest expenditure item to pay for and service. It was over a cold beverage or two that a couple of them asked us what we thought about the latest crop of Chinese commercial vehicles and if we had any recommendations. It was a timely chat as only the day before press material had come across our desk from Foton pushing the fact that Tradies were one of the specific targets for the cheap and

So will our successors be sitting here in 40 years analysing whether the latest utes from the African vehicle manufacturers can take on the might of the Chinese makers? Hard to say and in forty years we may not even be driving utes and light trucks, this crystal ball doesn’t work that well. Whether happens in the future, the here and now demands a look at whether today’s tradies should take the risk on Chinese light trucks like the Foton. So we decided to take a look at why a couple of typical tradies have taken the plunge and dived into the Foton pool. Foton Trucks has provided an economical and practical alternative to a standard one tonne Ute for a builder based on the NSW Central Coast. For Michael Whittaker who operates MW Building Group at Norah Head on the NSW Central Coast the standard in the past has always been to buy used one tonne utes for his foreman and builders. That was what made economic sense for Michael. The cost of new

1. 2.

“FOTON TRUCKS HAS PROVIDED AN ECONOMICAL AND PRACTICAL ALTERNATIVE TO A STANDARD ONE TONNE UTE” cheerful light duty product that comes to us from its Beijing manufacturing plant. Our view here is the risk equation for a tradie today is probably not too different to say a brickie or chippy of the late 1960s buying a Toyota Light Stout or a Datsun Ute. They too were fairly unknown, they were from a country that was still developing its manufacturing and there was a question mark over their reliability and ability to stand up to Australian conditions. Looking back now it is almost hard to believe that we ever views Japanese product in that light. Today it is know for its quality, precision, reliability and bullet proof engineering, but back then the catch cry was ‘Jap Crap’ The likes of Toyota and Nissan gained their foothold in this market with excellent value for money which tempted buyers to take the risk and shift away from the established brands from GM, Ford, Chrysler and Leyland. Once people had them and lived with them, they quickly became their biggest advocates. The rest is history; today the Japanese brands provide the standard by which all others are judged.

utes is not insignificant and given the hard life they live in the hands of builders who use them as mobile toolboxes as well as a sort of shopping trolley for building supplies. That raised another situation confronting tradies, which is overloading. Who hasn’t seen the builder’s ute loaded to the gunwales with tools, timber, bags of cement and sand dragging its bum along the road as it struggles to the building site? That being the case does a light truck make more sense than a one tonne ute for a builder? According to Michael Whittaker it does and is the thing that swayed his decision on buying a light truck was the better carrying capacity they provided. However it’s a matter of cost and what a business can afford and in Mike’s instance the fact that the Foton was about the same price as a second hand Japanese one tonne ute really cemented the deal, if you’ll pardon the building pun. “As I say I have always bought used one tonne utes in the past but when I went to price them I found that the Foton was better priced and offered greater legal load capacity and space,” said Michael Whittaker.

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“I did look at Japanese light duty trucks of a similar size but found that I could get the Foton for around the same price as a used Japanese truck or a ute,” he added. “The light truck is far more practical than a ute because it allows us to carry six metre lengths of timber, more equipment and supplies as well as doing it more safely, “ he said. “ A Japanese truck would have cost a lot more than this, I mean at least $10,000 more for an equivalent spec and to me that $10,000 could be better spent in other parts of my business,” said Michael. “In terms of the added space, capacity and the pricing the Foton was definitely the right choice and we’d look to buy more in the future,” he added. Another factor he reckons was the Cummins power used in the Foton along with the ZF gearbox. “Look it drives really well and the Cummins engine was a definite factor, it was a proven quantity and inspired confidence,” said Michael Whittaker. So would he buy another? “Yes definitely,” said Whittaker.” It works well does the job and I’d happily buy another.” It is a similar story for Melbourne’s Wayn Bickestaff who runs Distinctive Floor Coverings. Like builders, carpet layers have to cope with heavy materials, carting lots of carpet rolls and like Mike Whittaker, Wayn Bickerstaff decided a cheap Chinese truck was an alternative to a new one tonne ute. Wayn’s company is a major supplier to government contracts and has been operating for more than a quarter of a century. Until

New Growth loads up its Fotons with tools, soil, sand, cement and timber and can still drive them safely and legally

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now it has always used car based and one tonne utes along with the occasional light van for its operations. However Wayn Bickerstaff saw the Foton truck as an economical way to increase load capacity and efficiency with a new truck for around the same price as a Ute. The company purchased its Foton SWB steel tray in September last year and since then has covered close to 35,000km travelling all across the Melbourne metropolitan area and into various regional areas as well. “The Foton has been a real revelation and I have to be honest, we bought it because of its price, however it has proven itself as a real boost for our business,” said Wayn Bickerstaff. “The Foton can carry more than the utes we have previously used meaning we have to do less trips between our office and job sites, allowing our guys to get more done in a day and all for about what we have been paying for a normal ute,” he said. “We have had no problems at all with the Foton, it has performed faultlessly and we are totally happy with it,” he added. ‘Our guys love driving the Foton and we have had no complaints from them at all.” “We specialise in big public works contracts and the added capacity and load capability of the Foton is the real bonus and I will certainly be looking to add more Foton’s to the fleet in the future,” Wayn concluded. So too for Perth landscaper, Rob Trinder, who owns New Growth Landscapes and now runs two steel tray Fotons in his business in and around Perth. He bought the first Foton around 18 months ago and again it was a

way of getting something more versatile and practical than the utes he had traditionally used. “Mate I was at Bunnings one day and I saw a bloke in one of these Fotons, he was from an engineering company and I asked him about them and the story sounded pretty interesting,” said Rob. “He was impressed and had been running his truck for a couple of years, so it certainly got my attention, then when I looked a bit further the Cummins engine, the pricing and the load carrying capacity all struck a chord,” he added. “We load them up with tools, soil, sand, cement, timber, the whole lot and you can still drive it safely and legally, which you can’t do with a ute, and more importantly you can drive it on a car licence which is important for my guys, who are landscapers not truck drivers,” said Rob. “Replacing utes with trailers with trucks has helped our business grow it has made us more efficient and given us a more professional image, it has been a big step forward for us and the Foton was priced right and allowed us to make that move with ease,” he added. It will be interesting at the very least to look back on the arrival of Chinese light commercials in five or ten years and see how they are viewed at in hindsight. Certainly they have had their teething problems but it seems like at least some tradies reckon they are the right fit and a better proposition than the Japanese opposition and the smaller one tonne utes.

MONEY MATTERS PAUL CLITHEROE WHERE TO INVEST FOR HEALTHY RETURNS

e all want to earn decent returns on investments, and taking a long term view can be the key to maximising portfolio gains. It always pays to bear in mind that returns are directly related to risk. Cash-based assets for example, are among the lowest risk investments - partly because of the government guarantee that applies to deposits of up to $250,000 per person per financial institution. Reflecting this, you could earn a top rate of about 3.50% with an online savings account at present, though this assumes you meet the conditions needed to earn bonus interest. It turns out that low return on cash isn’t out of the ordinary. The latest ASX/Russell Long Term Investing Report shows that over the 10 years to the end of 2014, cash delivered gross annual returns averaging

across the nation). If we go back 20 years, residential property scoops the pool with gross returns averaging 9.8% annually compared to 9.5% for Australian shares. Clearly there’s not much in it. The nearest contender from here is global hedged shares, which returned an average of 8.6% annually. Now that’s not to say one investment is better than the other. And past returns are no guide for the future. What this analysis does confirm is that it pays to look beyond cash if you want to earn healthy returns. Choosing the investments that are right for you doesn’t just involve focusing on returns. There are other factors to consider like the frequency of income and how that income is impacted by tax, and of course the level of underlying risk. Your financial adviser can recommend a portfolio of investments suitable to your life stage and personal goals.

CMC Markets, the cost can be as little as $11 per trade. To get started, you’ll need a bank account linked to your share trading account, and in some cases the broker will specify which financial institution this account should be held with. With nabtrade for instance you’ll need to have a National Australia Bank account. Once you have set up a share trading account, you can begin trading virtually straight away. To place an order simply quote the unique three-letter ASX ticker code that applies to each stock and note the quantity you’d like to buy (or sell). Online trading is remarkably quick, and your buy/sell order can reach the ASX in less than a second so it pays to double check your order before clicking the ‘send’ button. The nuts and bolts of investing in shares

“From all the media attention it gets, it would be easy to assume residential property is the nation’s favourite investment. ” 3.4%. Inflation was 2.7% per annum over the same 10-year period, meaning cash investments would have earned just 0.7% annually in real (after inflation) returns. Over the 10 years to the end of 2014 the highest performing asset class was hedged international shares, which earned gross returns averaging 7.8% annually (compared to 5.4% for unhedged international shares). Hedging provides protection against currency variations and for an ordinary investor this sort of protection is easily achieved through investing in a hedged global share fund. It’s not something to try to arrange yourself. When it comes to returns on assets that you can easily hold as a direct investor, over the past ten years it’s pretty much been a neck-and-neck contest between Australian shares and residential investment property. Over the 10 years to the end of 2014, Australian shares delivered annual gross returns averaging 7.1% compared to 7.0% for a residential investment property (from

From all the media attention it gets, it would be easy to assume residential property is the nation’s favourite investment. But that’s not the case. Almost 6.5 million Australians own shares either directly or indirectly via a managed fund, making us one of the great share-loving nations of the world. According to the latest Share Ownership Survey by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), shares are the preferred asset class for personal investments. Around one in three (31%) of us invest in shares compared to 21% who own an investment property. The same research found 2.5 million non-investors are keen to get started in the sharemarket but are unsure about what’s involved. If that sounds like you, the good news is that sharemarket investing isn’t just easier than it used to be, it’s also a lot cheaper. There’s a wide choice of online brokers providing low cost ways for investors to build a share portfolio. Brokerage averages about $19 per trade but with some brokers, like

is simple enough. It’s the question of which shares to choose that stumps many people. There’s no single answer to this. It’s a matter of researching the companies involved and making a decision based on your personal goals. Investing in a managed share fund is an alternative to direct share ownership. It offers the benefits of diversity as your money is spread across a broad number of shares, as well as professional investment expertise, and you can normally get started with as little as $1,000. For more on sharemarket investing visit the government’s MoneySmart website, speak with your financial adviser or take a look at my book Making Money.

Paul Clitheroe is a founding director of financial planning firm ipac, chairman of the Australian Government Financial Literacy Board and chief commentator for Money magazine. Visit www. paulsmoney.com.au for more information.

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