TONY Romano, a director of Pentland Concrete Pty Ltd, trading as Hi Mix Concrete in Adelaide, has been convicted and ned $42,000 for a Category 2 o ence under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) in the Elizabeth Magistrates’ Court in Adelaide last month.
e National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) said the company’s director failed to maintain and service a eet of heavy vehicles, resulting in the death of one of its drivers, Abraham Jabateh, in October 2020. Jabateh died at the scene after rolling his concrete truck and crashing into a tree on Spring Gully Road at Piccadilly just before 1pm on October 13.
Adelaide director fined $42,000 after driver’s death Issues at Grafton Memorial Wall continue
AN article published in Big Rigs about the state of the Truck Drivers’ Memorial Wall in Grafton, NSW, in June prompted the local council to tidy up the site.
A few months on, the same issues have resurfaced, with family members unable to pay their respects to loved ones,
e NHVR said an inspection of the vehicle later revealed the truck’s brakes were so de cient that ve of the eight wheel brakes, exhaust brake, service and emergency braking were not operational.
Acting Director of Prosecutions Iain Macdonald said that visual inspections were carried out on the company’s remaining eet following the incident.
“NHVR Safety and Compliance O cers, alongside South Australia Police, inspected the eet and discovered 21 of the 22 heavy vehicles were defective; 19 of those with major defects which posed a serious safety risk,” Macdonald said.
“As a result of this signif-
Hayley Kay are fed up. Her brother Justin Kay was an experienced road train operator.
At just 39, he lost his life on July 20, 2020, when his truck rolled on Leichardt Highway. His name was added to the wall last year. While Hayley’s parents live near Grafton, she resides in Queensland. And
icant number of defects, a formal investigation was launched and revealed that the company had no e ective policies or procedures in place for repairs, service or maintenance of their heavy vehicles.”
Macdonald said the company’s director failed to have appropriate maintenance and repair systems in place to operate safely, including to ensure the heavy vehicles were routinely serviced and reported faults repaired.
e NHVR is urging all operators to review the roadworthiness of their eets following the prosecution.
“Every operator has an obligation under the HVNL to ensure the safety of their transport activities, ensuring their eet receives regular maintenance inspections and repairs are completed as soon as a fault is detected,” Macdonald said.
Hayley’s most recent try was on September 26, when she went there with her children, aged 10, three and two.
“As I pulled up I could see there were tarps on the wall. Someone had literally set up camp on the wall. I was hesitant to go up to the wall like that with my kids as I know
“ is incident is a tragic reminder of what can occur when an operator does not
e Memorial Wall opened in 2005 and is on council managed land.
While Hayley, who has herself experienced homelessness, understands the issue is complex, she is calling on the council to “do more intensive work in moving these people somewhere safer.”
prioritise the safety of its employees, other road users and the community.”
In a separate charge, Pentland Concrete has entered a guilty plea for a Category 1 o ence, with sentencing to occur at a later date.
Romano’s lawyer declined Big Rigs’ request for comment.
camp at the Truck Driver’s Memorial Wall and has inspected the site.
“Our teams are working with the relevant agencies to explore options for this location, as well as the larger encampment within the park.
“In the meantime, we are addressing litter and maintenance issues to ensure the area remains safe, accessible and
The NHVR is urging all operators to review the roadworthiness of their fleets following the prosecution. Image: Vera/adobe. stock.com
Engineer slams costly freight roadblock
MELBOURNE engineer
Robert Smedley has warned that red tape and a lack of education about the bene ts of Performance Based Standards (PBS) vehicles are sti ing industry productivity and hurting regional communities.
e Managing Director of Smedley’s Engineers, whose client list includes several big names along the eastern seaboard, cited several examples of local councils he said are “getting in the way” of operators wanting to run more ecient, safer equipment.
One of the most glaring recent examples, Smedley said, is the decision by the Bundaberg Regional Council in Queensland to impose an additional route assessment charge of $400 for a new application, $250 for a renewal and $900 for an urgent assessment.
Smedley said he chose to speak out because that decision could have far-reaching consequences and he hopes authorities will step in to educate road managers on the bene ts of PBS vehicles before other regions follow suit.
“ ere is nowhere near enough education from the NHVR and state road managers getting down to the local government level,” Smedley said.
“ ere’s a disconnect in knowledge and when you end up having the decision-maker at the local council turnover, change hands or retire, the new guys who come along are not trained, not skilled enough to be making these decisions and they’re not seeking out training from the NHVR and just going about doing it their own way.”
While Section 159 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law allows road managers to charge for assessments, industry experts warn that applying these fees risks damaging the very industries councils rely on – and neighbouring regions that depend on Bundaberg as a freight gateway.
e council spokesperson told Big Rigs that the introduction of the fees has allowed it to “reassign resources” and improve e ciency in undertaking freight assessments for industry.
“ ese assessments are the
most common request type for council’s infrastructure team and account for just over 20 per cent of all road corridor requests received in the 2024/25 nancial year,” the spokesperson said.
“ e introduction of nominal fees assists council to recover costs based on the time spent assessing the requests without relying on ratepayer funds to undertake NHVR assessments.”
e spokesperson added that council is committed to supporting industry while “ensuring a fair and sustainable process”.
But Smedley said the council is missing the bigger picture.
“ e introduction of these fees will hit operators hard and, by extension, impact critical industries like agriculture, forestry, shing, manufacturing, and construction,” Smedley said.
Neighbouring regions also depend on operators having access through Bundaberg, meaning additional fees will not only raise costs locally but also ow on to communities further a eld.
“If they are making it more expensive for livestock, grain, wheat, fruit, veggies, or whatever to get out of that community to the markets, all they are doing is damaging the farmers.”
Smedley said PBS vehi-
cles are also independently proven to improve safety outcomes, reduce pavement wear, and deliver signicant environmental bene ts through lower fuel use and reduced emissions.
“Local governments should be working with operators to keep freight moving, not putting up nancial roadblocks that slow entire communities.
“I’ve got operators that have probably got half a dozen different combination types they want to run in and out of that council [Bundaberg], so you could be looking at thousands of dollars.”
By contrast, Smedley said other local governments have demonstrated strong support for the freight industry.
Moree Plains Shire Council (MPSC), for example, has a long history of investing in freight infrastructure and engaging with industry stakeholders through forums that include the Farmers Federation, NHVR, and police.
South Burnett Regional Council has also adopted a more collaborative approach, focusing on operator needs rather than imposing additional barriers, said Smedley.
An NHVR spokesperson said the regulator has recently discussed this topic of route assessments with the Bundaberg Council, with both the NHVR and government committed to ensuring the
communication of these fees to operators is clear and meets HVNL requirements.
rough the Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project, NHVR is assisting councils in participating jurisdictions to collect key bridge and culvert data to feed into the Australian Government’s National Automated Access System, the spokesperson added.
“ rough this same program, the NHVR has assisted councils in the assessment of more than 1000 bridges and culverts for common vehicles accessing Australian roads.
“ e NHVR has developed and published four training courses for local authority road managers to help them understand how heavy vehicles interact with bridges and culverts and allow them to
make more-informed access decisions for bridges and culverts.
e spokesperson also said the NHVR’s free online productivity tools, available through NHVR Go, are designed to empower road managers with more informed and data-driven insights that support safe, sustainable, and e cient decisions regarding heavy vehicle access.
“For example, over the past three years, the Historic Access Reporting Tool (HART) has identi ed more than a 90 per cent consent approval rate in Bundaberg from over 300 PBS permit cases, with an average permit turnaround time of approximately 15 days, demonstrating road managers’ support for PBS vehicles when suitable to the network.”
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Smedley said Lindsay Transport is one operator impacted by the new route assessment charges.
Graham shares roadmap for freight future
NSW Transport Minister
John Graham has pledged to work “hand-in-hand” with industry on freight reforms, toll relief and long-delayed rest area projects, telling operators their concerns are being heard.
Speaking at last month’s Road Freight NSW (RFNSW) conference in Sydney, Graham said the state’s freight review released in June had set out a pathway to grow the freight value-add in the state by $1.6 billion a year to 2061.
He said the review’s 95 recommendations lays out a “roadmap” to get the industry there, examining roads, rail, ports and intermodal facilities.
“It really did look particularly at intermodals and industrial lands. It called for better strategic planning for industrial land,” he said.
Graham stressed the need to keep intermodal hubs near ports, airports and population centres.
“We know if we don’t actively plan for freight depots, we risk seeing them pushed to the edge of the city far too often, and we know we’ve got to do better than that.”
e minister also backed e orts to shift more freight movements at o -peak times, particularly at night.
“I know there are constraints on that but the idea in Sydney that we’re moving
freight right at the same time as we’re moving key commuter tra c is one of the things that we can improve if we really do the work on it.”
Graham said Dr Kerry Schott, who led the state review panel, is now “back on the tools” to bring down some of the barriers right across the logistics chain that are stopping more freight from moving at night.
On long-running rest area shortages, Graham highlighted the $80 million joint federal-state investment in a Western Sydney facility at Eastern Creek.
Two years ago, he campaigned for o ce in the same room promising to x Sydney’s reputation as the least friendly city in Australia for truckies.
“We want to turn that round. is is one of the key ways we can do it, so that’s why we’re committed to it.”
Graham also said the focus remains squarely on toll reform, describing it as “a big issue” for the government.
“We want to make sure that as we’re xing our motorway network that it’s designed to work for trucks as well as cars.”
Graham said the review by Professor Allan Fels showed the exorbitant cost for drivers using the city’s toll network –an eye-watering $195 billion by 2060.
“A substantial proportion of
that $195 billion is coming out of the trucking industry,” Graham noted.
One of the current “interventions” launched for trucking operators is the two-year trial on the M5 East and the M8 – the one-third rebate of the ‘truck multiplier’.
“What we’re trying to do is see what that does to change behaviour, getting trucks o local roads and onto the motorways. at’s good for residents and, of course, cuts costs for those trucks. Last calendar year, approximately $16.6 million has been returned to drivers for around 2.3 million trips.
“And the rst six months of 2025 is tracking at a similar level. So far, we’ve returned $8 million for 1.1 million trips.
“ ey’re the early results. We’ll closely have a look at the trial. We’ll discuss that analysis with RFNSW as the trial comes to an end, and then settle on the next steps.
“We really want to know if it has worked or not, if it’s having the desired e ect, or whether there’s a better way to tackle this problem.”
On Port Botany, Graham con rmed the government had adopted a staged approach to reforms under the Ports and Maritime Administration Act and the Port Botany Landside Improvement Strategy (PBLIS). He acknowledged operator
concerns, saying the RFNSW leadership team had passed those on.
RFNSW had sought clarication on a number of the PBLIS recommendations, such as recommendation 6 ‘removing the power for regulating stevedore charges’.
“As a result of those concerns being expressed, I have committed to appointing an independent facilitator [NSW Small Business Commissioner’s mediation service] to assist with the reform process to make sure that this doesn’t back re,” Graham said.
“ eir role will be to invite all parties, including RFNSW and the trucking operators, as well as other parties in transport, to participate in the con-
sultation process, and I want to make sure all voices are heard.
“ e idea here is that all parties should feel able to use the independent facilitator to be able to reach a mutual agreement.”
Graham stressed that the facilitator would not have experience in port or logistics operations.
“We’re doing that deliberately, so they are independent, separate from the industry. eir expertise will be in listening to parties, e ectively communicating, resolving issues and facilitating an outcome.”
On the issue of stevedore charging, Graham said Australia’s infrastructure and
transport ministers had endorsed National Transport Commission guidelines for stevedore land-side charges.
“One of the things that update required was for annual price charges to be implemented on January 1.”
Ministers also agreed that the National Transport Commission will extend these guidelines to empty container park operators, and that will align with the guidelines that currently exist for the container stevedores.
“ ose changes have improved transparency in the land-side pricing and charging behavior. We hope that will maximise freight productivity and improve e ciency of the freight supply chains.”
NSW Transport Minister John Graham updates industry on the big issues at the RFNSW conference in Sydney. Image: Prime Creative Media
Top prosecutor reveals new approach
FOR Paul Alsbury, prosecutions are an essential part of the compliance toolbox – but only one part.
As the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) newest Executive Director of Statutory Compliance, Alsbury is clear that the regulator’s power to take operators and drivers to court must be exercised carefully, consistently, and as part of a broader strategy to improve safety.
“We know that we cannot prosecute ourselves out of a
NSW (RFNSW) Chair, Austin Vella, at the RFNSW annual conference in Sydney last month.
“ ere’s a lot of things involved in terms of managing risk and getting compliance.
Prosecuting is just a small part of it. So, I de nitely bring the philosophy that prosecutions are one tool in a compliance toolbox, and there’s a lot of other things there.” at philosophy has been shaped by Alsbury’s decades of work across criminal law,
the NHVR as Assistant Commissioner – General Counsel, Policy and Legal Command with Queensland Corrective Services.
Alsbury also said new NHVR CEO Nicole Rosie brings with her a philosophy of taking a “joined-up” approach when it comes to compliance and obligations on industry.
“It’s never just one agency that is involved in relation to an issue – there’s often a number of agencies.
ment authorities are involved, and, most importantly, with industry.”
Concerns were raised by Vella about the “pain and suffering” that prosecutions can cause when cases are pursued inappropriately.
“When the decision is made to prosecute someone, it should be made, and at the NHVR it is made, based on a very comprehensive assessment of the evidence,” added Alsbury, who oversees the prosecution and investigations unit.
“ e NHVR has a prosecution policy which is consistent with the prosecution policy of agencies in common law jurisdictions, including the New South Wales DPP [Director of Public Prosecutions].
“So, there must be su cient evidence to support a reasonable prospect of conviction, and that’s su cient admissible evidence. Possible defenses that may be available to a defendant need to be considered and prosecution needs to be in the public interest.”
Alsbury acknowledged that mistakes had been made in the past, but stressed the regulator’s commitment to continual improvement.
“Are mistakes made, or have mistakes been made? ere have been, but we’re committed to making sure a very disciplined approach to our
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We have learned from that.”
More than anything, Alsbury emphasised that enforcement must sit within a wider framework of prevention and collaboration. His experience in anti-corruption taught him that the best outcomes come from addressing risks before they become breaches.
“Prevention is really important in the anti-corruption space. It’s really, really important in terms of transport and the heavy vehicle industry,” he said.
at means working with other regulators and agencies, as well as industry itself, to avoid the situation where drivers or operators are forced into impossible choices between con icting laws, he said.
“You shouldn’t – as a citizen, as a truck driver, as an operator – have to make a decision about which law you obey and which law you break,” Alsbury said.
“So again, there has to be that joined-up approach between regulators and enforcement agencies and law enforcement agencies to make sure those situations just don’t exist within our legal frameworks.”
e session also canvassed the controversial proposal to increase nes, in some cases to double their current levels.
“Penalties and prosecutions
important in terms of deterrence, in relation to deterring people from committing offences.”
“Is everyone in uenced positively by an increase in nes? No. ere will be some people who will continue to o end regardless. And of course, we all know that when people commit acts that are not compliant with the law, they often don’t think about it with a clear head, and weigh up all the pros and cons.
“More often than not, there’s pressure acting on their mind, so not everyone will respond to increased penalties. It’s one part, perhaps a small part, but it’s one part, and it is signi cant.”
Session host Vella also raised the issue with Alsbury of whether driver assessors and authorities sit within the chain of responsibility (COR) if a newly-licensed driver is deemed to be lacking the required skills to safely drive a truck.
“ ey’re not caught up in the COR, as the de nitions are currently,” he said.
“Whether they should be is again, a policy question, but if people are being licensed and they don’t have the requisite skills, then that’s a regulatory issue that really has to be looked at.
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RFNSW Chair Austin Vella, left, asked the NHVR’s prosecution boss Paul Alsbury some tough questions at the state conference. Image: Prime Creative Media
The trucking industry’s carbon reduction roadmap
AUSTRALIA’S peak trucking body is calling on the federal government to adopt three proven solutions to reducing the industry’s carbon emissions.
In response to the recent release of the Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Roadmap and Action Plan, the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) said the options below will reduce emissions by 35.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over 25 years.
1. Address the up-front capital cost of electrification or alternative fuel options by establishing a voucher scheme covering half the price gap between comparable alternative
THE National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has laid out its direction for the next three years, with a strong focus on safety, productivity, sustainability and regulatory capability under its new Corporate Plan 2025–2028.
Prepared under the Heavy Vehicle National Law and the NHVR’s Statement of Expectations, the plan sets targets and deliverables to guide the regulator through to June 2028.
NHVR Chair Duncan Gay and Interim Chief Executive
fuel and conventional models.
2. Offer production incentives and put in place a low carbon fuel standard to support the domestic production and use of enough renewable diesel to meet 5 per cent of Australia’s diesel needs before the end of the 2030s, as well as increasing the provision of EV charging and green hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.
3. Implement a regtech solution, targeted infrastructure investment and road access upgrades to support the use of high productivity and low emission vehicles. The funding could also be used to make the road network
Officer Janelle van de Velde said the regulator aimed to deliver “safe, productive, and sustainable heavy vehicle movements that enhance community liveability, while driving Australia’s economy.”
They said the NHVR was becoming “a customer-centric, risk-based, data-driven regulator, with the aim to simplify, harmonise and modernise our data and technology solutions.”
Key measures include reducing heavy vehicle road trauma, increasing the uptake of PBS ve-
more resilient through flood proofing and the creation of alternative routes.
“Australia leads the world in using advanced truck and trailer combinations, and the transport roadmap locks in a key part of our plan: increasing the use of Australia’s unique high productivity freight vehicles,” said ATA CEO Mathew Munro.
“In fact, the ATA’s emissions modelling shows that increasing the use of high productivity vehicles and allowing heavier zero emission trucks on more of the road network would reduce emissions by 13.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2050.”
To deliver this, Munro said
hicles, and expanding networks for low and zero-emission trucks.
The regulator has committed to lifting the number of statutory pre-approvals for access from 3400 in 2025–26 to at least 3700 by 2027–28, and raising the share of freight carried by PBS vehicles by five per cent each year.
The plan said it also aims to process at least 80 per cent access permits within 14 days for the next three years and aims for at least 75 per cent “customer satisfaction” with the NHVR over
the industry needs targeted infrastructure investment, road access upgrades and a regtech solution, the National Automated Access Scheme, to reduce road permit requirements. Under the proposed low carbon fuel standard, Munro said fuel suppliers would have to reduce the life cycle emissions intensity of the fuel they sold against declining benchmarks.
Munro said the key barrier to the take up of electric trucks and other low carbon technologies was the up-front capital cost.
“That’s why we need a voucher scheme to cover half the price gap between comparable low carbon and conventional
the same period. It also plans to increase gazetted networks for low and no-emission vehicles from 88,000 kilometres to more than 97,000 kilometres over the same period.
Safety programs will focus on intelligence-led operations, a revised use of camera enforcement and telematics, and an enhanced Operator Regulatory Performance Program.
Productivity initiatives include digitising the PBS scheme, developing new access templates, and implementing reforms under the
technologies. It should be available for the purchase of battery electric and fuel cell hydrogen electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, power axles, ePTOs and vehicles with H2 combustion engines.”
“Our low carbon fuel standard and voucher scheme proposals are Australian versions of successful programs that are running right now in Califor-
Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan 2025–2030.
The NHVR acknowledges risks including regulatory failure, challenges in harmonising state and territory agendas, and the impact of natural disasters on road access certainty.
It also highlights the importance of building the skills and resilience of its workforce, which now totals more than 1030 employees across six jurisdictions.
The regulator expects rising regulatory income, from $202.4 million in 2025–26 to $231.7
nia, the world’s fourth largest economy. We know they would work.”
The federal government’s latest net zero roadmap announcement comes less than a week after its energy agency ARENA revealed a $12.3 million investment in a dedicated electric truck charging hub in Melbourne that’s due to open next year.
million in 2027–28, but also forecasts operating deficits across two of the next three years, with a combined shortfall of more than $6.8 million due to increased operating costs.
Project and capital investment will total $49.5 million across the three years, with additional support from Commonwealth grants linked to initiatives.
Gay and van de Velde said the regulator’s “inform, educate and enforce” approach would continue to underpin reforms.
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The Melbourne charging hub will consist of 14 dual plug electric vehicle chargers. Image: Mondo Power
Red tape
EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM
those restraints are threatening to tear through the fraying fabric holding it all together.
As margins tighten, there is mounting anecdotal evidence more operators are throwing caution to the wind and running the gauntlet, all in the name of undercutting rivals. Sadly, says engineer Robert Smedley in our page 3 story, the numbers are in their favour, with the chances of being intercepted so low, some operators are prepared to take the risk, comforted in the fact the fines are far cheaper than the many hoops to jump through for compliance.
Authorities say they’re doing all they can to help operators run more higher productivity PBS vehicles, and many are, in particular the NHVR, but that message still isn’t getting through to enough places.
Letters to the Editor
In response to: Major defect issued for trailer with missing wheel bearing and brake pads
I was for many years the State Manager and Service Engineer in Australia for the inventor of the tapered roller bearing, invented in 1898.
I cannot believe what I have read in this story: “During the inspection, SCOs found the semi-trailer’s outer wheel bearing on the rst axle and the left side brake pads on the third axle were missing”. Missing what? A lot of bull do-do. e bearing was still there, but about to fail, so it was a lucky inspection for the public.
en there is the next stupid statement on a driver’s pre-inspection: “If you suspect excessively worn wheel bearings, remove the trailer from service immediately and have the issue addressed by a quali ed mechanic or technician.” So,
a driver becomes an expert on tapered roller bearings by a visual inspection?” Who writes this garbage?
FYI a bearing does not wear out like a tyre. When a bearing fails, it basically burns up because of two things: poor setting/adjustmet and lubrication issue. A wheel bearing just does not wear out. It is steel with lubrication separating each element of the bearing.
A truck wheel bearing works in an environment where it carries a load. It is somewhat similar to a crank bearing and what a con rod bearing does; carries a load in both cases.
No lube engine blows up. In a truck wheel bearing, in this case, the bearing fails, not because of the bearing, its fails because of the same thing that causes the pre-mentioned examples, lubrication. Properly tted a truck wheel bearing
will last for years. However, most tters don’t have a clue how to correctly t a wheel bearing, whether it is a boat trailer, horse oat, automobile or a truck/trailer and I say that after 20 years in the eld.
FYI, I did see part of the outer bearing in the video. e inspection actually caught the bearing just before a failure. A failure brought about due to incorrect wheel bearing adjustment, etc.
I make one statement here now: Ask any workshop, marine, caravan, car or truck workshop to supply the speci cations on wheel bearings such as 1. Correct packing before tting. 2 Correct Fitting. 3. Correct adjustment. I would be surprised if any workshops would be able to supply such a thing.
I used to visit many truck workshops before I retired, and in the scrap bin were the
same “failed bearings” they were “failed” because of the same thing: POOR MAINTENANCE of the truck, not the fault of the bearing, particularly in the drives. en there was the BS statement I used to get in regards to the wheel bearings, it was: “they don’t make then like they used to from older companies”. Correct statement, the older bearings would never last these days, against the bearings now manufactured – the steel technology, manufacturing improvements, tolerances that you cannot see. Ask this question: Ever seen the wheel bearing tting instructions for a boat trailer, caravan, etc? e mine companies I worked with had wheel bearing settings written up, in collaboration with the company I worked for, that used a micrometer.
but it worked with 200-plus tonnes on the back, except as I found out from some failures on one Queensland mine site the micrometers had to be
So, your lube supplier will not x the problem, proper tting and adjustment will.
Graham Keating
A little bit of education goes a long way on parking strife
In response to: ‘ ey’re using it as a depot’: Interstate truckie shut out at servo ey had this issue in Adelaide years ago and the interstate guys really got the shits on about it.
On a Friday late afternoon, they told the local greyhounds it wasn’t their depot and it’s for interstate drivers. ey
just ignored them and left. On Sunday I was back there and apparently there was action on the Saturday night and a lot of local trucks had at tyres, and the likes, throughout BP Wing eld. Seems the interstate guys wanted to educate the locals about parking. A few people sni ng around over the foll-
lowing days trying to gure out the culprit, or culprits, behind the damage but no one said a word.
One guy said they caused about 15k of damages to his local car carrier setups. Yes, he had multiple there using it as a depot.
BP said bad luck, it’s for interstate guys and wouldn’t give him security footage. Po-
lice said shouldn’t be parked there as BP have signs saying so, guess you better buy a yard or nd a new parking spot. I didn’t see any of his trucks there again after that. Now, I’m not saying GO damage people’s trucks BUT sometimes education is required; air out the tyres is a good education especially 16-18 of them.
Sends a message to go elsewhere or we are going to keep doing it, but damaging property isn’t a good idea. is story made this funny moment ood back in my memory and I’m sure a guy, or three reading this would remember back to when it happened.
BP needs every heavy wrecker in Melbourne on call
one Saturday afternoon to clear out the lot and impound them, all with massive towing fees on Monday morning before releasing the trucks. I guarantee they won’t return after missing half a day’s work, plus spending a few grand to fetch their wheels.
Allan Williams
This vehicle was intercepted by the NHVR recently on the Pacific Highway and issued a major defect. Image: NHVR
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Fears for driver safety at mine turnoff
BY JAMES GRAHAM
AN experienced road train driver fears that a crumbling section of the Stuart Highway south of Coober Pedy is an accident waiting to happen unless an urgent x is found.
Matthew Allpike, who drives triple road trains weekly along the busy freight route from Adelaide to Darwin, said he and his colleagues became worried as soon as they saw an increase in heavier combinations appearing from the nearby mine sites.
“About six weeks ago they started running ve-trailer road trains from the mine site to the rail-siding roughly
60km north along the Stuart Highway,” Allpike told Big Rigs
“When the mine trucks started, a lot of truck drivers who run north weekly were concerned that as these heavy long trucks were turning out of the mine’s access road onto the Stuart Highway, the screwing of trailers would rip up the road, and sure enough in less than a fortnight this has happened.
“I don’t know who engineered or approved this, but it would’ve been a better idea to put a sweeping bend in the access road with a long merging lane onto the highway to
ing on the highway.”
Allpike said the trucks, some of which he estimates could be as heavy as 210 tonnes when fully loaded, had unwittingly torn the top layers of bitumen clean o the northbound lane, leaving behind a 200-metre trail of ruts and potholes.
“Talking to a lot of other drivers that run up that way we have all said that the damage to the road concerns us enough to believe there could be a serious accident there if a less experienced driver or a motorcycle rider hit one of the holes in the road,” Allpike said.
“Even I received a cracked
a truck in the opposite direction failed to slow down and showered me with rocks, not to mention the time loss and extra fuel consumption that comes with slowing a road train down and then trying to get back to cruising speed on a section of highway that was perfectly ne two months ago.”
Allpike said most truckies are now aware of it in time to slow down and take evasive action, but he fears for other motorists’ safety.
“You know what caravan drivers are like, and they’d be unaware of it and I can just see one hitting that hole and ending up sideways, and o the road.”
tion.
Allpike said there is now a speed limit on the highway of 40km/h in the damaged area, but doubts that will have much safety bene ts.
For road train drivers like himself, the need to slow down in that area also takes a hefty toll on schedules and fuel bills, he added.
“By the time you slow right down and crawl through there, it takes me probably a good 10 minutes to get back up to 90km/h and get cruising again.
“Every time you slow a road train down and get going
“I know it might not be much, but you’re doing it all the time, and it adds up – you’ve got to try and save money everywhere you can nowadays.”
crete it. But I can’t imagine they’re going to do that, that’s expensive.
“All I know is that road is shocking and there’s going to be an accident there – I can see it coming.”
Meanwhile, the condition of the road continues to deteriorate.
“I’m just worried that the government will just go out and patch the hole up and it will last three or four days and it’ll be chopped out again,” Allpike said.
“It doesn’t matter how much you patch it, as long as these trucks are turning on it, it’s going to keep getting ripped up.
“ ey could cut that whole section of road out and con-
A spokesperson for the South Australia Department of Infrastructure and Transport told Big Rigs it has instructed mine operators and their contractors to temporarily reduce speeds in this location due to the current road hazard.
“We are working to review the road condition and establish a timeframe for repairs,” the spokesperson said.
“We will continue to work with mine operators throughout the works to ensure safety for road users.”
Safety star ratings identify high risk arterial roads
AUSTROADS,
ation of Australasian road transport and tra c agencies, has released safety star ratings for Australia’s major arterial roads.
ese star ratings are part of the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP), a nationally coordinated e ort to identify which roads pose the highest risks of death and serious injury, and where road upgrades will have the greatest life-saving impact.
“We know not all roads are
said Geo Allan, Austroads Chief Executive.
“ at’s why the focus of AusRAP is on the country’s most travelled roads – the highways and major arterial routes where millions of Australians drive every day, and where fatal and serious injury crashes are most likely to occur.
“By publishing star ratings and crash history data on a single, national dashboard, we’re giving governments and
sight to where upgrades will have the greatest impact.”
e Australian Automobile Association (AAA) introduced AusRAP in 2001. Austroads took over national leadership in 2021, coordinating assessments across state and territory road agencies.
Star ratings are based on the internationally recognised iRAP methodology, used in over 130 countries.
Australia has a vast road network, and while many region-
al and local roads also need safety improvements, this phase of AusRAP is intentionally focused on the busiest corridors – where the risk is highest because of the sheer volume of tra c and higher travelling speeds.
Future phases will expand coverage as new assessments and data become available.
Australia’s national AusRAP results are published through the interactive National AusRAP Dashboard, that shows AusRAP Star Ratings, crash
history metrics and tra c volumes.
AusRAP star ratings assess how safe a road is, from 1-star (least safe) to 5-star (most safe). ey re ect the level of safety “built into” the road, considering factors like road layout, speed limits, and tra c volumes – not driver behaviour. Each additional star halves the risk of death or serious injury. Roads rated 3 stars and above are recognised as safer roads. Alongside the star ratings,
the dashboard presents crash risk using at least ve years of data:
• Crash Density – the number of serious crashes per kilometre of road per year, and;
• Crash Rate – serious crashes per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT), indicating risk relative to how much a road is used. Tra c volumes (VKT) are also shown to help prioritise upgrades where the most trauma can be prevented.
Matthew Allpike has already had his windshield cracked after being showered in rocks from an oncoming truck.
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$1 billion highway project for WA IN BRIEF
‘Extreme’ non-compliance
The NHVR has defected a B-double, intercepted on the Pacific Highway.
The regulator said it was operating under extreme non-compliance conditions.
Among the major issues identified were the complete failure of the airbag suspension system, with the airbags dislodged from their saddle mounting points.
Several brake boosters had also exceeded their travel limits and the pushrod stroke indicators were fully exposed.
The NHVR says it is continuing enquiries into the matter.
Toll-free CBD bypass
A new non-tolled “city bypass” between West Melbourne and the CBD’s south is on track to open on October 27.
The Wurundjeri Way extension connects Dynon Road to the existing Wurundjeri Way via an elevated road that soars over Dudley St. The road won’t cost anything to use and is being built as part of West Gate Tunnel which opens later this year.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams said the bypass will have the capacity to carry more than 10,000 vehicles a day on opening, increasing to around 15,000 when the tunnels and elevated Footscray Road open – improving connections across Melbourne’s inner west, the CBD, Docklands, South Melbourne and beyond.
Reduced speed limit
Following a recent review, the speed limit for southbound traffic along the Newell Highway near the Dubbo Zoo Town Information Bay Rest Area, south of Dubbo, will be reduced to 80 km/h.
“The review recommended a speed limit reduction from 110 km/h to 80 km/h for all southbound traffic. The 80 km/h speed limit will be extended for 1.2 kilometres south of Obley Road and ending 70 metres south of Blackbutt Road,” said Transport for NSW’s Holly Davies.
“The speed limit for northbound traffic will not change.”
Enforcement mode
After an eight-month education and caution notice period, enforcement began on October 8 for offences detected by Western Australia’s new fixed and trailer mounted AI-enabled road safety cameras.
Six camera trailers operating in the Perth metropolitan area, Great Southern and Mid West, and fixed cameras on the Kwinana Freeway have detected over 300,000 mobile phone, seatbelt and speeding offences since February.
Of those seatbelt and mobile phone offences in that period, more than 65,000 caution notices have been issued to drivers caught doing the wrong thing.
The WA Government says that over the course of the caution notice period, there has been a decrease in offences detected by the safety cameras.
THE $1 billion Tonkin Highway Extension and omas Road Upgrade is one of the biggest road transport infrastructure investments ever delivered in Perth’s south-east corridor.
e project will feature a 14-kilometre extension of Tonkin Highway from omas Road to South Western Highway and duplicate 4.5 kilometres of omas Road.
ese upgrades aim to signi cantly improve road safe-
ty, reduce congestion and strengthen freight e ciency for one of the fastest-growing regions in the state.
e project, due for completion in late 2028, will provide more e cient journeys for over 60,000 vehicles that are expected to use the corridor daily.
Perth’s south-east corridor is home to fast-growing communities like Byford, Armadale, Kelmscott and Gosnells. It currently sees high volumes of heavy vehicles and
through-tra c travelling to and from the South West and Wheatbelt regions.
e Tonkin Highway Extension and omas Road Upgrade will provide safer, more e cient travel for road users and heavy vehicles, reduce congestion, and improve connectivity between current and future residential, commercial, and employment areas.
It will also prevent thousands of heavy vehicles from having to use local roads in
WA Transport Minister Rita Sa oti commented, “ is is a once-in-a-generation project that will transform Perth’s south-east, improve safety, and create thousands of critical jobs for Western Australians.
“Extending Tonkin Highway will be critical to getting the larger, heavy freight o local roads, making them safer for locals but also improving the e ciency of supply chains and the movement of goods
“Together with the METRONET Byford Rail Extension, this project will ensure Perth’s south-east corridor has the right mix of road,
rail, cycling and equestrian infrastructure to support its growth into the future.”
State Member for Darling Range Hugh Jones commented, “As our community continues to grow, this project will provide safer and more e cient connections to improve ease of movement and separate local tra c from heavy freight on our roads.”
State Member for Oakford Yaz Mubarakai added, “Our Oakford community has been waiting a long time for this project, and it’s fantastic to see work o cially underway.
“Local families, freight operators and businesses will
all bene t, from safer journeys and reduced congestion to better connections right across the region.”
e $1 billion Tonkin Highway Extension and omas Road Upgrade will feature new grade-separated interchanges, underpasses and roundabouts to improve tra c ow and safety. To add, it will feature new shared paths for cyclists and pedestrians along the entire extension, and equine crossings designed in consultation with local users. e project is jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments.
Singleton bypass continues to take shape
SINGLETON locals are already feeling the positive impacts of the $700 million bypass, months out from its completion next year.
Two new bypass bridges built across the Hunter River and the New England Highway at Gowrie are providing an alternate route for large haulage trucks working on the project, helping minimise heavy vehicle movements through the CBD.
Trucks moving fill from earthworks at the northern end of the project can now travel through the project alignment to Putty Road, removing around 250 trucks per day from the town centre, said Transport for NSW (TfNSW).
“Having these two newly constructed bridges open for use by haulage trucks minimises further disruptions to the community and town centre as work continues,” said
TfNSW Executive Director Partnerships and Integration
North Greg Collins.
“With traffic volumes predicted to rise over the coming years, the bypass will make a massive difference to safety and amenity in Singleton, benefitting residents, visitors and local businesses.”
The raised road across the Whittingham floodplains is also taking shape.
Overall, the Singleton bypass is about eight kilometres long and – when complete next year – will save truckies about six minutes in travel time, avoiding up to five sets of traffic lights.
The bypass also includes a full interchange at Putty Road, and connections with the New England Highway at the southern end, the northern end, and at Gowrie.
The New England Highway passes through the centre of Singleton and carries around
26,000 vehicles, including more than 3700 heavy vehicles, each day.
$976 million road- x blitz kicks o in Victoria
OVER the next nine months, the Victorian Government plans to spend $976 million on a road maintenance blitz to x potholes and upgrade
road surfaces across the state.
The blitz was announced back in May as part of the Victorian Budget 2025/26 and officially launched late
last month, by Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne, in Kyneton, where crews will begin work.
She said 70 per cent of the funding will go towards regional roads.
“We’re investing nearly a billion dollars to rebuild and repair the roads that Victorians depend on every single day – from the highways connecting our major centres to the local roads that keep our communities moving,” Horne explained.
“We’re getting on and delivering the biggest single-year investment in road maintenance in Victoria’s history.”
Member for Macedon MaryAnne Thomas added, “Whether it’s fixing potholes, resurfac-
ing roads or improving safety, this blitz will deliver better and smoother journeys for drivers right across regional Victoria – keeping our communities connected.”
The ‘Better Roads Blitz’ will involve thousands of projects to rebuild, repair and resurface roads, along with maintaining bridges, installing traffic lights and signage.
The blitz will target the state’s busiest travel and trade routes. Key roads across regional Victoria that will be targeted through this program of works include the Western Highway, Princes Highway East, Princes Highway West, Hume Highway and Calder Highway.
While in metropolitan areas,
the Mornington Peninsula Freeway, Leakes Road, Normanby Road, the Warburton Highway and Boronia Road will also receive upgrades. Roads were prioritised based on expert assessments and community feedback, in an effort to try and focus the funding to where it’s most needed.
As well as repairing some of the busiest roads, crews will also mow, slash and spray tens of thousands of kilometres of roadsides, and inspect and repair thousands of bridges and other structures. They’ll also fix hundreds of sets of traffic lights and electronic signs, clean up graffiti and deliver other maintenance works as needed.
The bypass is being funded thanks to a $560 million investment from the Austra-
lian Government and $140 million from the NSW Government.
Potholes will also be targeted as part of the maintenance blitz. Image: Gary Whitton/stock.adobe.com
The project aims to improve freight efficiency for Perth’s growing south-east corridor. Images: Main Roads WA
Opening the two bridges has already removed around 250 trucks per day from the town centre. Image: TfNSW
Works officially kicked off late last month, with the first sod turned.
Operators sound the alarm during transport summit
BY JAMES GRAHAM
OPERATORS shared their frustrations and challenges at an industry summit in Sydney last month, highlighting the increased costs and narrowing margins conspiring to send record numbers of transport companies to the wall.
Speaking on the Voice of the Operator panel at the Road Freight NSW (RFNSW) Conference last month, Sydney-based Scott Hannah, boss of national carrier Hannah’s Haulage, said established long-distance operators are especially feeling the pinch due to widespread undercutting.
“People are losing money on long-distance trips, particularly, and that comes through other companies undercutting,” Hannah told the packed room.
“Whether they’re desperate, or can’t work their gures out, I don’t know, but as we heard [RFNSW CEO] Simon [O’Hara] say earlier, people are working for $800 less than what they need.
“You don’t have to be a genius to work it out that you’re going to go broke in a couple of months doing that.”
Hannah said the issue is compounded by some operators using drivers working under their own Australian Business Numbers (ABNs) to avoid paying the usual employee entitlements.
“I also know a few companies who have cut their AdBlue o now to save costs.”
“Maintenance is also lacking. Some are dialling them up, running over speed, running over hours; it’s gone back to the 80s in certain areas.
“ ey’re working 20 hours a day – doing 12 hours around Sydney then going to Brisbane, like we used to, and that can’t happen, yet it still is.
“We all know that it’s quiet [in the industry] and a lot of people are walking away because of the cost.”
Hannah warned the losses
ow right through the supply chain.
“ ey are experienced people and that experience trains the new people. If you lose them, we can’t train new people quick enough.”
Hannah’s Haulage runs across a large chunk of the transport industry, from general freight to dangerous goods and recycling, but Hannah is still not immune to the many challenges facing operators today.
“A lot of my blokes are on $65 per hour and that’s the only way you can retain them.
“ e customers have to pay the right money to get the right people. ey’re on notice now because when it gets busy, they’re not going to get enough drivers.
“ ey might be getting it cheap now, but next year, if it picks up again, they’re going to be paying double.”
Bigger push needed in schools
Hannah also lamented the lack of recognition the industry gets in schools as a viable,
long-term career option.
Panel host Ann Lopez, a former school teacher who now runs Lopez Brothers Transport alongside husband Phil, agreed with Hannah on the need to do more on the education front.
“It’s important to bring along our kids, but we can’t rely on family businesses sustaining the industry,” Lopez said.
“ e task is too great. e choices are too broad, and we need to, in some way, enhance this industry’s reputation, because at the moment, the stereotype of what a truck driver is, is not what the industry is actually about.”
Je Fenech, Operations Manager at Plant Haul Heavy Haulage, said the biggest pinch-point for his sector was all around permit delays and lack of consultation with authorities and governments before they make rule changes.
He cited the example of a permit renewal his company had in with the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), an Australian Gov
ture manager covering railways in ve states, for Fair eld to Cessnock.
e day before the RFNSW Conference, some 76 days later, Fenech said he received an email advising him that because he wasn’t crossing any infrastructure, he did not actually need a permit.
“So, my permit renewal with the NHVR sat stagnant for that time. After multiple extension of time requests, they’ve cancelled it and it never got renewed. I didn’t need a ARTC permit in the rst place.
“ ere’s no connection between all the di erent independent bodies, or no maps in place, or anything at all where that issue just brought our industry to a halt.”
Lopez said that created “a signi cant challenge” for those doing the right thing, while others ignored compliance.
Debbie Joyce, speaking from the training sector, highlighted a fragmented system.
e Executive O cer at the Automotive Training Board, NSW, whose primary function is to provide information and advice on the training needs of the automotive industry, described the current system as “very clumpy”.
She urged operators to demand what they needed:
“You are the industry. You know what you want. If there’s something that you need in training and you’re looking at something that is nationally accredited under the Australian Quali cations Framework, which means recognised anywhere in Australia, when you talk to that person who’s o ering you the training, please don’t just let them tell you what it is that you can do. You tell them
Joyce said school-based traineeships were one way to bring young people in.
“So, they’re in years 11 and 12, so they’ve got some under-
standing of the world. ey still continue on at school.
ey do training, and they also come out to an industry placement, 20 days over two years. Not a huge ask, but they get a feel for what the industry can bring that’s really important to remember. So, if you get the opportunity, give a school-based trainee a go.
“ e Department of Education has specialised people who work between industry and schools and they solve all the problems. It doesn’t cost you anything to train them and the Department of Education pay for any insurance costs.
“You give a young person a chance, and you help promote the industry.”
Level-playing field for a vital service
When later asked in the session what his one wish for the industry would be, Hannah responded by saying he’d like to see the industry get the respect it deserves and nally be heard.
“We need a level playing eld, really, because, like I said before, with the issues we’ve got, for the people doing the right thing, it costs a lot of money, and then the ones that don’t, well, they get the work, to a certain point.”
Fenech agreed with Hannah on the need for a level playing eld – also calling for a streamlining of the various authorities the heavy haulage sector needs to deal with at any one time.
“I’d love to see some sort of governing body within Transport for New South Wales that can speak on our behalf and get all the authorities and multiple authorities that we have to deal with to be able to make the move possible.
“I think that would go a long way to help our industry.”
Joyce said she’d like to see
some of the many industry ‘silos’ disappear.
“ e industry, unfortunately, like many industries, has so many people, so many issues, so many things happening, and unfortunately, whether it’s human nature, or not, it’s just the way things work, it all becomes a silo.
“It’s only that person’s problem, or that organisation’s problem. Days like today, where everyone has an opportunity to have a conversation with others and nd out what’s going on, hearing from others about the issues that they’re facing and how they’re trying to solve it, I think that’s really important.”
Lopez agreed in her closing statements that it’s hard to get the left hand to talk to the right.
“It’s overlooked how integral we are to every other industry, whether it’s mining, whether it’s import-export, whether it’s manufacturing, whether it is fast-moving consumer goods, whatever sector you talk about, whatever product you talk about, at some stage it came on a truck, and I rmly believe that while rail may be part of the solution going forward in terms of handling that, expanding the volume of our industry, we still need trucks to do that last bit.
“ e trains are not going to back up to Woolworths. e trains are not going to back up to the warehouse so that someone can unpack their container of imported goods, or oversize, overmass things are not going to t on the train and can’t even let the truck cross the track, let alone carry the goods.
“So, it needs to be supported and sustained in a way that’s not going to discourage new entrants, but also to be able to keep the entrants that are here.”
Deb Joyce, Jeff Fenech, Scott Hannah and panel host Ann Lopez at the Road Freight NSW conference last month. Image: Prime Creative Media
Ann Lopez and husband Phil who run Lopez Bros. Transport, based in Sydney. Image: Prime Creative Media
Plant Haul Heavy Haulage spoke about the issues with permit delays. Image: Plant Haul
More than meets the eye in new C509s
Complete with a 100-inch stretched bunk – and a shower in the cab – QCrush’s newest C509 quad tippers don’t just look the part, they’re true workhorses too.
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
QCRUSH’S modern eet of Kenworths is complete with all the bells and whistles, but don’t be fooled, these trucks de nitely aren’t just show ponies. ey’re being put through their paces, tackling the red dirt and corrugations, with huge payloads, to get the job done.
Based in Mt Isa, Queensland, QCrush was started by Anthony Kuhn in 2008 – and as he explained the trucks came much later. “We started out solely doing crushing and screening on mine sites and then expanded that out into di erent things. We started some quarries in north Queensland and began buying our own trucks from 20192020. At rst it was a few oats and things like that, then we moved into road trains.”
Initially, Anthony purchased second-hand gear, however he’s since auctioned most of those trucks and trailers o to make way for modern new equipment.
rough QCrush’s replacement program, there will soon be nothing in the eet that’s more than ve years old. “I’ve bought four complete quad sets this year – all C509s with Mick Murray Welding quad tippers and another two prime movers, which we’ll use for a mine site contract at Eva Harmony copper gold project. I have another four sets of C509s and quads on order for next year too. e intention is that those new ones will replace the older equipment.”
Another three C509 and quad sets of tippers are due for delivery before the year’s end, bringing the eet of prime movers up to 16. One of those new C509s will also feature the stretched cabin.
e eet is comprised of 10 quad sets of side tippers –mostly built by Mick Murray Welding – along with four sets of water carts and two oats.
For the trucks, Kenworth is the preferred supplier, and the C509 the model of choice.
Apart from one K200 Big Cab and three T659s, the rest are all C509s, as are all the new trucks on order.
“ e C509 is the heaviest Kenworth built truck you can buy. It’s a real old school type of truck that stands up to the work really well. We work on pretty ordinary roads up here and we run AIR CTI central tyre in ation on all the trucks so we can adjust that on all the roads – we’re very big on that,” Anthony explained.
“Our trucks have 425 steer tyres instead of the 385s. On corrugations and bad roads, whether we’re loaded or empty, we can adjust our tyre pressure on the go, for the conditions.
AIR CTI is worth every single cent you spend on it. And on the trailers, we run all BPW airbag suspension.”
Most of the quad sets have names, with some of the most recent C509s to join the eet including ‘Run of the Jungle’,
‘Plain Jane’, ‘Born into Lockdown’ and ‘Double Shot of Whiskey’ – and it’s the latter of those which has been getting the most attention, with good reason.
Double Shot of Whiskey is like a home on wheels. e keys have been given to Charlie Kuhn, a driver who’s been by Anthony’s side for the past 22 years. Despite sharing the same surname, there is no relation between the two of them. at truck has a huge stretched 100-inch bunk and a shower inside the cab. e next C509 based on those same specs is due to arrive in November.
“All our other C509s have electric hot and cold shower set-ups too, but those ones have the showers on the outside of the truck. ese new ones have the shower inside.
All of our quad trucks also have induction cookers, microwaves, inverters and water tanks in the lead trailers,” explained Anthony.
“ e plan is for two of the four on order for 2026 to be stretched bunks as well.”
A glazier by trade, Anthony got involved with trucks when he was in his twenties, after completing his apprenticeship.
“I’ve always been around the truck industry and have done various bits and pieces. Before starting QCrush, I owned another transport business, doing bulk logistics and dangerous goods,” he said.
Headquartered in Mt Isa, where it owns and operates e Blu Quarry, QCrush also has
quarries in Winton, Gregory Downs and Burke Shire. e trucks typically travel within about a 200-kilometre radius of each quarry site.
Today the business employs 38 people.
At its quarries, QCrush produces various products for road infrastructure including road bases, sealing aggregates and concrete blends – with Transport and Main Roads Queensland (TMR) and Burke Shire Council being its biggest clients.
“We supply all the contractors that do the road maintenance performance contracts and ood damage work,” added Anthony.
He says the move to purchase his own trucks came out of necessity. “We were nding that
more people, more trucks and more red tape!”
QCrush currently employs 16 drivers. It’s one driver per truck, except for the water trucks, which operate 24/7 on a mine site and have three drivers working on di erent shifts. Due to the remoteness of the work, about 50 per cent of QCrush’s drivers are y-in y-out – and all of the drivers possess a great deal of experience.
we weren’t getting enough reliability with our sub-contractors, so we bought four or ve triples and quads and hired our own drivers.
“We deliver all of our own dirt. Around 95 per cent of our trucks’ usage is for what we produce in-house. ere’s only a very small amount of outside contracting.”
ough the transport division came along later in the piece, it’s now grown to be as big as the manufacturing side.
“ e trucks and the quarries are probably on par now because everything we manufacture, we cart. e business runs on about a 50/50 margin in terms of transport and quarr y sales.
“ e basics of the business are still the same, it’s just
“It can be di cult to nd good capable drivers, who can operate a quad and are willing to work out in the bush,” added Anthony.
“ ey need to have past experience because a lot of the roads here are pretty bad, especially with ood damage and everything. Generally speaking, road repairs for ood damage are about two years behind, because that’s how long it takes to go through the processes and get funding. It is frustrating when you’re having to drive over these really bad roads.”
Although Anthony doesn’t get the chance to get out in the truck anywhere near as much as he used to, he still gets back behind the wheel whenever the need arises.
“I’ve done a lot of driving
over the years – a lot of general freight and some cattle too. With QCrush, once we started employing more people and got more trucks, there was more to do on the management side. I do still get out a couple of times a month though, sometimes for a couple of weeks at a time. I was in the truck just yesterday actually,” he said when he spoke to Big Rigs Despite his drivers all getting about in modern new equipment, Anthony revealed that his old truck is from a completely di erent era.
“I have an old 1984 Mack Superliner of my own that I drive a bit. It’s the only non Kenworth I have. A good mate of mine restored it. at’s my little toy and it’s a really nice bit of gear.
“I still enjoy getting out there in the truck but there’s so much other stu to deal with on a daily basis when you’re running a business. e phone just doesn’t stop ringing.
“Even so, it’s always good going out for a run with the other drivers, when we’re all operating together. We have a really good crew of people here.”
‘Double Shot of Whiskey’ is the first “stretched” C509 to join the QCrush fleet. Images: Brown and Hurley.
QCrush’s quads are used to cart everything that comes out of its quarries.
stand up to the work really well.
While other Kenworths in the fleet have external showers, the new C509 is the first to have a shower inside the cabin. is equipped with all the creature comforts.
Unveiling the new Phoenix and Force
The all-new Tatra models marry rugged off-road power and sharp, modern styling with sector-leading performance features.
BY DAVID MEREDITH
THE release of Tatra’s Phoenix was the beginning of a surge of interest in a brand that had operated largely in the shadows of the big European manufacturers.
Distributed in Australia by O Road Trucks Australia (OTA), the company earned most of its stripes supplying European military forces and as a result, its general-purpose trucks carried the same extreme-duty driveline and were aimed squarely at the heavy-duty o -road market.
Styling-wise Tatra has never been known as a front runner. Indeed, its boxy cabs, generously described as ‘functional’ have all seemed to echo the 50s or earlier. But in 2011 Tatra enlisted DAF Trucks to supply the cab from its CF mid-range model, bringing with it contemporary styling and all the electronics that enabled Tatra to rise from the past into the current millennium. Hence, Phoenix.
e latest version shifts up another gear, with the cab from DAF’s XD range – bigger, quieter, packed with more digital driver aids, including a 100 per cent digital dash with current entertainment units, and endowed with vastly improved vision from a deeper windscreen cut. Air seats are standard for both driver and passenger.
Also included is DAF’s GSR radar package, which enables key safety features such as drive-o assist, side and turn assist, lane departure warning, speed limit recognition, adaptive cruise control and emergency brake assist.
e package complies with Europe’s mandatory safety program requirements for all heavy-duty trucks.
Admittedly, lane assist is not going to help much in the boondocks, where many Tatra’s live, but hey, you have to get there right?
e engine remains PACCAR’s Euro VI MX-13, but horsepower is bumped up from 480hp to 530hp. e engine still drives through either ZF’s 12-speed TraXon 2 AMT or the Allison 4500 full automatic.
e chassis remains the same, with the unique tubular
spine that fully encloses the drive shafts and locates each swing-axle set in modules.
protection and allows com binations of single or dual wheel set-ups, steers or xed, but importantly allows extensive customisation for speci c applications. OTA’s national sales manager, Lee Morley, is working with a customer on a couple of 16x16 chassis that will support cloud-scraping 104-metre aerial work platforms.
With the three axles at the front and rear steerable, the platform pivots on the central bogie to allow a steering circle that would otherwise take up half the MCG.
Driving a Tatra on highly irregular surfaces illustrates the remarkable suspension travel for each wheel and highlights the stability of the chassis no matter what the
terrain. Keeping each wheel face is key to Tatra’s o -road mechanical combo suspen sion depends on the application, as does the option for hub-reduction.
E ciencies in weight reduction has allowed the truck to retain the same tare weight while improving performance ratings. GVM on the base chassis is up from 41 to 43-tonnes, while the 8x8 is rated at 52-tonnes.
e con guration ranges from 4x4 through to the gargantuan 16x16 already mentioned. Dual front axles are also up 2-tonnes, from 18 to 20. A single steer is up 1-tonne.
Tatra’s bullet-proof 2-speed transfer case, on the scene for decades, remains in place, still as Lee Morley described, “oversized and over-engineered.”
All the bodies on the Phoenix are now locally built and include side underrun protection barriers.
Tatra’s Phoenix has been largely responsible for boosting OTA’s annual Tatra volume by a handy 300 per cent or so.
Although the ‘under-theskin’ engineering, which delivers unmatched o -road performance, especially when running rigs at maximum GVM, boosts tare weight to a level well beyond trucks aimed at metro and suburban freight applications, this new model will help make many more friends in eets that
need an unstoppable platform for bush work where even the dirt roads have disappeared. Dropping down the model range, the Tatra Force has also received a signi cant rework, once again particularly with the cab.
Available in both crew and single con guration, the new Force brings 2025 styling angularity to the emergency re and rescue crowd.
Admittedly the visual impact of the Force is purely business-like and designed with the likelihood that the truck will be required to keep humans alive in the most dangerous and drastic conditions.
So much so that the European Red Dot Awards singled out the Force for excellence in product design, referencing the truck’s intense focus on safety and functionality for an emergency crew and its equipment.
e new Force replaces the venerable T815-2 model. Rather than being DAF inspired, the all-new cab is designed and engineered by Tatra.
e crew version has an optional in-built cabin ROPS, whereas the standard has optional ROPS and FOPS. e engine is a Cummins L96, a nine-litre inline 6-cylinder with 400hp and EURO VI emissions standard.
e truck has all the current radar systems, but because of the emergency services requirements, the ABS and all the digital safety equipment is switchable. e driver can
disable features in conditions where those systems would compromise the absolute need to push through.
Additionally, if the DPF requires a regeneration, the driver will be alerted but the system will not derate the engine, which might put the truck in dangerous circumstances.
Same deal if the AdBlue runs out – it won’t stop or derate the engine either. In short, the crew will be able to maintain full power when they need it.
e cab has all power windows and air conditioning front and rear. Wiring is shielded against intense heat conditions. Transmission is a ZF TraXon AMT with the Allison auto as an option.
e Cummins-Allison combination is the combo-ofchoice by ries and mining customers.
e driveline includes the standard Tatra two-speed transfer case and the chassis in this model is the same as the previous. e 4x4 has a 20-ton GVM and there is a potential for 6x6 and 8x8 down the road, but that’s not con rmed yet.
ree wheelbases are available, 4090, 4500 and 4874mm. Suspension has three selectable levels, which can be managed by the driv er from the cabin. e lowest drops the truck down on the bump stops to ease servicing the extensive re equipment that is almost standard on these rigs.
work, and there’s a raised version for certain o -road work. Both two-wheel and all-wheel drive can be run on bitumen. As with all Tatras, all axle di s and the centre di are all lockable. So, on this truck, the driver does a bit more than just steer it and use their feet – safety systems, the ride height, and the traction control are all switchable at their ngertips. ere are discs all round and the chassis is speci cally designed for re modules with a lower pro le than the Phoenix. e chassis rails are a complete box section. With huge interest in this truck in Queensland, New South Wales, and WA’s DFES, OTA is expecting strong demand for emergency vehicles in both the re and mine site sectors.
e normal is for transit
The Force’s rear cab is separately air-conditioned.
The single Pheonix XD cab has clean lines and an improved approach angle.
The Phoenix’s digital cab goes with a design that minimises buttons, switches and dials.
The central chassis tube and Bellows suspension on Tatra’s Force model.
The business end of Tatra’s traction story.
The Force’s drive controls are simple and easily accessed.
The Legend is Back.
Getting the conversation started
Truckies have again stripped down for a good cause, with the launch of the 2026 Aussie Truck Drivers Calendar, in support of mental health.
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
WHEN third generation truck driver and transport operator Peter Shiells jokingly posted an image on Facebook back in 2019, he didn’t realise it would spark the beginning of a new journey.
“It was just a silly post of a bloke washing his truck in a pair of jocks and cowboy boots and I said, you won’t see me doing that,” he laughed.
“ en a friend named Lindy Annett came back with a comment saying we should do a calendar. I made some phone calls to a few mates about what we were thinking of doing and got a group of truck drivers together at the Dunkeld Racecourse for our rst shoot. And Barry Maney Group loaned us a T909 to use.”
When Peter and Lindy launched the calendar, they decided to do it to raise money for mental health, with all proceeds going to the Let’s Talk Foundation, which seeks to break the stigma around mental health.
For the truck drivers who carry our nation, the job can be lonely and isolated, often involving countless nights away from family and friends. Unfortunately, the industry also has a high rate of people struggling with mental health.
Completely run by volunteers, the Aussie Truck Drivers Calendar not only shines a light on mental health but has also raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Let’s Talk Foundation.
Both co-founders have close ties with the transport industry, so rallying the trucking troops for the inaugural calendar wasn’t too di cult –especially given the truckie models were getting involved in a great cause.
Based near Warrnambool, 54-year-old Peter says he was born and bred around trucks. “I was going with dad in the truck when I was a baby – and my grandfather had trucks too. I started steering trucks around the paddocks at around eight or nine years old.
“I’ve been in it full time since I was 20 and went out
on my own at 28, when I bought my rst truck. When Dad passed away, I took over his truck. I went back down to one truck for a while until I bought a second one again in February, which my future son-in-law drives.
“We mainly travel throughout Victoria, south-east South Australia and southern New South Wales. Most of our clients are farmers.”
While Lindy runs a transport business with her partner, with a eet of ve trucks. As well as her knowledge of the transport industry – she possesses another great skill which came in very handy for the Aussie Truck Drivers Calendar – she’s also a professional photographer.
However Peter admitted, “When we put together that rst 2020 calendar, we had no idea what we were doing!”
e rst calendar had about 14-15 truck driver models take part, with some fresh faces joining the mix for the 2021 calendar. Unfortunately when Covid hit, it made it di cult to get everyone together, so the Aussie Truck Drivers Calendar had a brief hiatus until its return for 2025, and now the newly released 2026 calendar.
“For the 2026 calendar, it’s all fresh faces – and it’s the rst time we’ve had some women involved as well.”
A model for the 2026 calendar, MJ Hayward shared her reason for getting involved.
“I’m a domestic violence survivor. Silence is not part of my world and it’s very important to me to speak up,” she said. “I worked hard to get my truck licence to do what I have always wanted to do with my life. e day of
the photo shoot for the cal endar was an amazing part of my healing. It reminded me that it’s okay to be myself and have fun.”
As Peter explained, “When we rst started the Aussie Truck Drivers Calendar, it was more focused around men’s health. We’ve grown that to include women’s mental health, as there are more and more women getting involved in transport.”
Other 2026 calendar models also shared why they put their hands up to strip down and take part.
Josh Uwland said, “I wanted to be in the calendar to prove to others that it’s okay to be vulnerable and take the mickey out of yourself from time to time. Laughter is the best medicine after all. I also mainly wanted to support the change in men’s mental
health to break the stigma that we have to be strong and silent.
Will Mcarthur agreed, “When I saw it [the ad] come up, I thought I’d put my hand up and do my bit to support the Let’s Talk Foundation and mental health. It was a great day, we had a crew of great people with plenty of laughs along the way.”
Will Snell added, “It was for a good cause that needs more attention than it gets.”
e 2025 calendar raised over $6000 for the Let’s Talk Foundation and Peter hopes to surpass that with the 2026 edition – aided by the launch of new caps, that are now for sale alongside the calendars.
e caps feature the Aussie Truck Drivers Calendar logo on the front and the words “Breaking the stigma” on the back.
e calendars are available for $20 each and caps are $35 each, plus postage and handling.
ey are available for purchase through the Aussie Truck Drivers Calendar Facebook page, along with being sold at these regional Victorian outlets:
- Mortlake Roadhouse
- Top Shop, Casterton
- Hip Pocket, Warrnambool and Hamilton
- South West Farmers Rural, Heywood
“Last year we were at the Koroit Truck Show as well and we’ll be going there again if it goes ahead. We’re also hoping to do a couple of other truck shows too.”
To nd out more or order your copy, visit the Aussie Truck Drivers Calendar Facebook page.
The 2026 calendar models stripped down to raise money for the Let’s Talk Foundation. Images: Lindy Annett
The 2026 calendar features all new faces, including both men and women.
Josh Uwland’s reason for taking part was to help break the stigma around men’s mental health.
Connor Telford was happy to take part in a great cause, with plenty of laughs along the way.
Will Mcarthur says he took part to show his support for mental health.
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Lost for words at the Kenworth Klassic
On his first trip to Sydney for the annual spectacular, our writer was blown away by the massive turnout of rigs – and the story of how it all started.
BY GRAHAM HARSANT
“YOU’VE not been here before,” Chappo said to me. “For us this is normal. What do you think of the show?” he asked.
“I’ve not seen anything like it,” I replied. “I have to sit down and write about this, and I honestly don’t know where to start. My job is to impart the feeling of the show and it’s gonna take me a day just to come up with an opening paragraph.”
I got home from the Clarendon Kenworth Klassic [in Sydney from September 2021] and I did indeed spend the best part of a day thinking: Astounding. Mind boggling. Huge. What the …? And many other adjectives crossed my mind before I decided that whatever I wrote would be inadequate.
Because while it may be normal to ‘them’, I’ve not experienced anything like it in 25 years of writing about truck shows.
Here are four normal blokes who came up with an idea that has exploded beyond anything any of them could’ve imagined.
Chappo (Dave Chapman), Turnout (John Turner) and Mick Mac (Mick McCormack) have known each other forever as mates and work colleagues in their business, North West Trucks, where they rebuild (mainly) Kenworths.
e Clarendon Classic is a large annual event in Clarendon, NSW, organised by the Sydney Antique Machinery Club featuring vintage machinery, tractors, and the like. Years ago Chappo approached them about bringing some trucks along to which they readily agreed.
“Dave spent two weeks ringing around to get some numbers there,” said Mick Mac.
Move forward to 2012 and it was the 50th anniversary of Kenworth being imported into Australia. Chappo thought it would be good to celebrate the event and the boys turned to “the only bloke we knew who could organise anything,” that being their great mate, Bruce Gunter.
“I thought, this guy is nuts,” said Bruce. “But of course he started ringing around and he pulled it o . It was something like 107 Kenworths from memory.”
at year they asked for S models to show up and managed to get Ed Cameron – the
original importer of the model – to turn up. is was in addition to other truck brands.
As Bruce continued: “So it was a really special event and then of course Chappo said, ‘I hate trucks and I don’t want anything to do with it’. A few years later after a few bourbons, he came up to me one night and said, ‘I think we need to do a Kenworth only show’. Now I knew he was raving mad!
“At the start I said to Chappo, look, to make it easy we don’t want to hire a ground, with insurance, council and all the rest of it, so let’s see if we can do it o the back of the machinery show, because they’re already established and we’ll just do it out the back where there was 40 acres doing nothing.”
e other thing the guys agreed upon was that awards were a no-go and there would be no charge for the trucks to get in.
“Keeping it laid back,” said Turn Out. “What it did do was bring out a lot of people who normally wouldn’t go to a show – precisely because there was no judging involved. at said, a good two-thirds of the people here prep these trucks as though they are going to a judged show.”
In addition to no entry fees, the truckies get a bag of goodies. “Kenworth and Gilbert & Roach got behind us and put these together – so we’ve become the really good blokes that give out a bag worth about 100 bucks to every entrant.
“A lot of the truckies pull up, ask how much and reach for their wallet. We say no, it’s free mate, here is a bag, have
a good day and don’t do anything stupid.”
e guys all do whatever is required over the event but special mention is made of Turn Out who takes control of the parking. “It was okay when we had 100 trucks. is year it was 853 Kenworths – and there’d be more who didn’t register,” he said.
“We had to supercharge the golf buggies,” added Mick Mac. “Barry Hunt from GRS donates buggies to us every year after seeing Turn Out crippled. A lot of people come out of the woodwork and ask what they can do to help. e
passion is there in spades.”
What do you do Mick Mac?
“I did disabled parking one year. Never again. Never been as abused in my whole life!”
“I’ll tell you what Mick does,” said Bruce. “ ese guys say we are going to build a truck for the Klassic and he will say, but it’s only four weeks away and they say, yes we know, so you better get into it.”
Sitting beside us is a truck that came out of the paint shop just last weekend. “Four weeks of 4am til 8pm without dinner,” said Mick.
ere are others who deserve a mention and without whom
the show couldn’t function.
ere are the boys’ wives who put up with them and muck in for the weekend. ere’s Phil ‘Smiley’ Spencer, an engineering tech from Kenworth at Bayswater who’s been coming since day dot and does whatever is asked of him. ere’s Kristie and Terrie who spent 16 hours on the Saturday alone, logging the trucks in.
ere’s Mick Camilleri who, in addition to bringing a couple of mint trucks, spent the Saturday on the smoker cooking beef, pork and chicken for all and sundry, for the price of a gold coin donation. ese good people are just the tip of the iceberg.
“We do it for our mental health,” said Bruce.
“Yep, we’re mentally healthy at the start and not so much by the end,” quipped Turn Out.
Each year the guys settle on a particular model to star at the show. is year, at Chappo’s urging, it was the ‘Anteaters’ (T600 and T601 models).
“Love ‘em,” said Chappo.
“Dave said let’s feature Anteaters and I said yeah that would be fantastic – not!” said Bruce. “I openly say I reckon they are butt ugly.”
Mick added, “Yeah, but their prices jumped $20,000 when we announced it!”
What these four mates have done is nothing short of a mir-
around like blue-assed ies to the point where it took me two days to get them together for this interview.
“ e best thing is seeing people out there enjoying themselves,” said Mick. “ e kids hopping in the trucks –and they can hop in any of them. No one locks them up. It’s just a happy atmosphere for everybody who comes in and that’s what makes it for us.”
Before you die, and no matter what brand of truck you love, you have to do the Kenworth Klassic. Entry for the public is a mere $10 for the whole weekend.
I rang Chappo afterwards for some clari cation on a point and he was insistent that I make mention of every truckie who turned up.
“Mate! Ten acres or more of trucks and you know how much rubbish we had to pick up after they’d all left? It didn’t ll two garbage bags.” Hats o to you all, and to those who’ve not been there –why the hell not! Now, nally I think I have that opening paragraph. What has made the Kenworth Klassic so spectacularly successful is not just the love of the marque. It is the love and respect these four blokes have for each other.
Turn to page 24 for more
Bruce Gunter, Dave ‘Chappo’ Chapman, John ‘Turn Out’ Turner and Mick ‘Mick Mac’ McCormack at the show.
There were trucks as far as the eye could see. Images: Graham Harsant
Brown & Hurley’s milestone 70,000th Kenworth.
Throughout the night, the big rigs rolled in.
The theme this year was the ‘Anteaters’ - the T600s and T601s. This T600 was the last to come off the production line.
A Kenworth show wouldn’t be the same without a Mack Muncher present. They were at Clerendon in droves.
Gerard Hicks’ vibrant red beauties. A month prior they were at Alice Springs, this time they were in Sydney.
Just one award is given - The Dane Ballinger Memorial Awardwhich this year went to Trent Schaeffer.
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A truck show for the bucket list
The line-up of Kenworths looked impressive, lit up under the night sky. Images: Graham Harsant
Trucks from the Bobbins fleet were there in force.
Yet another example of the Anteater. Obviously loved by more than a few.
Chappo’s Kenworth C500.
The K.Whopper definitely stood out from the crowd.
One of the Ballinger Kenworths looking sharp.
Cabovers were well represented.
There were Kenworths representing so many makes and models.
Max Keogh (centre), surrounded by family, in front of his old truck that’s now owned by Bruce Gunter.
product at the show.
The display showed the evolution of Kenworth over the decades.
As far as Anteaters go, this one is a ripper.
Muscat Haulage’s immaculate Legend SAR and T900.
Spring show keeps trucking history alive
Echuca turned on the sunshine and the stories, as old-school legends and classic trucks rolled in for the annual celebration.
BY GRAHAM HARSANT
WHEN spring is sprung, and the grass is green, Echuca is where all the big trucks is.
Forgive the poor parody, but after the winter months I look forward to getting out to a truck show where the weather is more likely to be good than bad. And it got me out of mowing that risen grass for another day.
e American Truck Historical Society knows how to run a show. It’s called turn up, nd a spot you like, talk with your mates, don’t worry about prizes – because there ain’t any, and just have a good time.
Among the old guard –most of whom I’ve interviewed – there’s always someone I’ve not touched base with before and such was the case again this year.
One of the rst trucks I spotted was Terry Mumford’s 1974 C-line International with its distinctive green trailer. I was glad to see it, rstly because Terry had obviously made it back home from Alice Springs and also because we’d not met before.
From Yarragon in Victoria’s Gippsland, Terry’s father began Mumford’s Furniture Removals when Terry was just a wee lad, with this very trailer behind a petrol powered Bedford.
Originally an Ansett Air
Freight Express trailer on a bogey drive, his father converted it to a single axle and travelled the country with it – so much so that a young Terry sometimes cried when this ‘stranger’ walked back into the family home. “He did the hard yards; it was a nature of that era.” Terry worked in the family business for a period before moving into logging, but kept the trailer when the business closed, re-sheeting it and painting it back in the company’s original colours
with signwriting done by Grant Fowler.
e trailer now acts as a home away from home for Terry and ancée Sheree Richer, when on the road.
e Inter is another ode to Terry’s past, being the model he gained his licence in. Pressured into buying it as the owner “had another buyer interested”, he grabbed it, only to nd out the 160 Cummins was cactus.
He bought another donk, guring that he’d be able to make one decent engine
from the two, but it had suffered the same problems.
“You can’t get parts for them. e only place you can get a rebuild kit is in America and that’s $16,000. I had to spend $5000 on the block and the head was cracked –an unrepairable leak.
“So, then I started thinking I would have to put something else in, so decided on a 3208 V8 Cat. I put a 13-speed overdrive Roadranger on it and it’s got a pretty high speed dif, so it’s now a pretty quick bit of old
gear, if you want it to be.”
e chassis rails were also bent resulting in a ground up restoration, and here Terry relied on help from his good friend and “resto magician”, Tim Dawson.
“He is an awesome mechanic and craftsman. He works for a company called Mountain Logging. e boss of that company is Andrew Mahnken and I wouldn’t have this truck without them.”
Terry has their names on the back of the cab as an acknowledgement of their input. “I’ve tried to keep the history alive.”
And that you’ve certainly done, Terry.
An invite too good to refuse
“Have you seen the Vatican Mack,” someone asks me at the show.
ere’s an invite too good to refuse, so I’m guided over to a pristine 1976 Fiat R684T. e truck is owned by Beamsy who’s had it for 10 years.
“It is known by a lot of truck drivers as the poor man’s Mack so they call it the Vatican Mack, being Italian. To my knowledge there are only about four of them left on the road in Australia, although they say that thousands upon thousands were brought into the country.
“ e 684T is a naturally aspirated Fiat engine with 200 hp. It is certainly a challenge to keep it on the road. Parts are very hard to come by and I have to chase overseas for a
“ e braking system has been done by Air Brake Systems in Sydney who have helped me endlessly to keep
“She was pretty scrappy when I rst got it. It is originally out of Tasmania where it carted logs. I cleaned it up and repainted it from its original yucky red. Other than that she is my girl and Beamsy leads the good life, spending ve months in his
town
just travelling.
“I don’t like the cold,” said the diesel mechanic. “I drove coaches for 17 years as a tour driver all over Australia. at’s how I discovered Kununurra. I also drove trucks professionally as well.
“I drove explosive trucks for GNR explosives for nearly a year, then I drove for GML carting toilet paper – that was an easier and a safer job; the load there was lighter than the trailer. en I went back to my trade which is what I enjoy.”
Being Italian we had to ask about rust. “ ey were bad around the guttering which has been done. Other than that it’s pretty good in the oor area. e cabin doesn’t tilt so you have to pull the seat out, fold up the bunk bed and then lift the engine covers to work on it. It’s a bit like working on a Hi Ace.
“ e front grill opens but of course the radiator’s in the way. Overall it’s been very reliable. It has had its little issues and of course getting the parts for those jobs was very hard.”
In typical Italian confusion – or should we say style – the interior light comes on only when you open the right-hand door. at interior light is above the door on the left.
Now, given these trucks would have been originally left-hand steer, does that mean that in Italy you would have had to open the passenger door for the light to come on? We may never know.
“ e truck runs a 13-speed Roadranger, deep reduction with no overdrive so she is very, very slow. e nal drive is original. e only thing not original is the ‘box, put in before I got the truck. Originally it would have had a ve-speed Italian Job. For a 1976 truck and the work it has done, it is surprising how good the interior is.
Like Terry Mumford, Beamsy is keeping trucking history on the road.
Continued on page 28
home
of Ballarat, another ve in Kununurra and two
Terry Mumford and Sheree Richer, with the 1974 C-line International. Images: Graham Harsant Beamsy has had his 1976 Fiat R684T for 10 years.
George Mumford ran Mumford’s Furniture Removals years ago.
The International was restored with help from Andrew Mahnken and Tim Dawson.
The Fiat was given its name due to its Italian heritage.
Most people’s first view inside ‘the Vatican’ Fiat.
Flashiest yard truck you’ll see
From page 26
BIG Al Linnett owns Bulldog Haulage and hails from Bal ranald. He, surprise, surprise, turned up with one of those classic V8 Mack Super-Liners that every man and his (bull) dog is currently lusting after.
Talking of dogs, Al’s truck is adorned with sayings, from the name ‘Doggy Style’ on the bonnet, to a cartoon of two bulldogs hard at it with the moniker underneath, ‘Keeping the breed alive’.
“I’ve had the truck 18 years and am the fourth owner. It was a Forest Commission truck originally and had a oat on it. I worked it up until around three years ago, and now she’s the ashiest yard truck you will ever get.
“I’ve had plenty of o ers to buy it but I keep telling them I’m not that broke yet. ese trucks are very, very popular at the moment.
“ e price seems to be going up and up, but it would be hard to part with one of the best looking trucks that ever came in the market. I keep saying that the Missus will be gone before it.”
Big Al changed the origi nal Peterbilt bunk to a bigger Coonabarabran bunk which is 54 inches. Given that he is no longer ‘big’, having dropped 70kg thanks to a stomach bypass, he could probably have kept the old one.
e motor has done about 1.5 million kilometres. “I ha ven’t touched it apart from a couple of heads and a turbo and replaced the fuel pump, all of which is normal wear and tear. e driver is more worn out than the truck.”
I suggest that she would have a few stories to tell, which prompts the response, “Yep, but what happens in the bunk stays in the bunk.”
Which leads me to ask about the name ‘Alison’ above the passenger door. “A sheila I picked up along the way who stuck with me.” I point out that this story might get him into a lot of s**t. e response? “Only the shovels vary.” Al also brought along a 2023 Super-Liner but that’s a story for another day.
Frozen produce pioneers
A famous trucking company now passed into history was Cold Storage with its famous penguin logo. Tony Niven’s company was one of the pioneers transporting frozen produce from Melbourne to Darwin.
Russell Ricardo drove for the company back in the day. ose years were enough for him to seek out and buy a truck and trailer combo and recreate them into Cold Storage colours.
Russell was one of the famed South Road Runners that included legends of the road such as Ron ‘Ru y’ Doyle and his brother, John, Paul Witte, Des White, Timmy Mac, Muzza, Wombat and many others. is was in the days when
roads were often just mud and you could be bogged for days. “We were fairly popular with other truckies, given the goods we carried,” said Russell.
We asked what drew him to the job. “I was just curious about where these trucks went, coming back covered in mud and I used to go past the front gate every day on my way to the quarry, so I thought I’ll go and see if I can get a job. I was a mud carter at the time.
“I was in the workshop for a year, then Tony eventually popped me behind the wheel. I was driving a 1972 cab over Kenworth which I picked up, brand new from Kenworth at Preston.
“I hooked up with one of the old drivers, Bob Ward (Wombat) and we went up to Darwin. He stayed there and I was on my own after that. I’d done a bit of two-up in the 12 months so I had had some previous experience of what it was like – well, I knew which way to go anyway.”
Russell’s homage to Cold Storage is a 1969 Seattle cabover and he bought the trailer from the same bloke. In a twist of fate they had both originally belonged to Cold Storage opposition,
Bruce McDonald Transport who ran out of Adelaide.
With the trailer painted by well-known trucking iden tity, Gordon ‘Crackers’ Mc Cracken, the combine took Russell six years to put on the road.
“ e engine is a Cummins 335 instead of the original 250 and a 13 speed has replaced the 15 it came with. It also now has airbag suspension to make it a bit more comfortable.”
After Cold Storage, Russell started running general freight to Perth and to Mount Isa, with his own truck and trailer, bought from Tony Nivens.
“I used to sub for All States Freighters running to Mount Isa and MS transport running to Perth. So, I still travelled the length and the breadth of the land. I like to be out of the tra c.”
It is obvious though that Cold Storage is close to Russell’s heart and there’s no doubt that his recreation will pull a few heartstrings for many old truckies associated with the famous company. As always, Echuca didn’t disappoint. Rather, it makes one just anticipate their next event at Ma ra on November 22-23 all the more.
Al Linnett with his V8 Mack Super-Liner. Images: Graham Harsant
Al has owned this Super-Liner for 18 years.
Inside Russell’s Cold Storage truck is as good as the outer.
The famous Cold Storage penguin.
Russell Ricardo (right) with good mate Leon Waddington.
The Old Blue Commer, a real crowd pleaser
From hauling grain to hauling trophies, Ian ‘Woody’ Woodward’s beautifully restored Commer is turning heads at truck shows across Queensland.
BY DAVID VILE
“A lot of people I speak to at shows, their father, uncle or grandfather drove one – this one has done its work, and it can now just be appreciated.”
For Ian Woodward, his 1970 Commer harks back to the days when Commer was a player on the Australian transport scene, with the brand a common sight on Australin roads in a variety of applications.
Ian, better known to all and sundry as ‘Woody’, along with daughter Emma, had brought along the Commer to the Rocklea Heritage Truck Show at Rocklea earlier this year, just a short drive from their home base at Forest Lake.
Over its 55-year life, which began at the Chrysler plant in Adelaide, Woody is only the third owner, with the Commer having had a full working life prior to its retirement and restoration.
“It was built in South Australia, and it is plated as August 1970 - it made its way up to Breakfast Creek and we think it was a demo unit as it got moved around the Chrysler dealer yards a bit and it was bought in 1971 by John and Betty Potter,” Woody explained.
Based at Glad eld and tted with a tipper body, the Potter family worked the truck hauling grain, sand and gravel around the Allora region up until 2010 when John Potter passed away.
e truck then stayed in a shed for a decade before its restoration began.
“A fellow by the name of Barry Bruce found it and did the restoration. He painted it blue and white which were his colours,” explained Woody.
“He had it for two years and wanted another project so put it up for sale. I went and had a look at it as I was looking for a truck to show and I got it on Australia Day in 2021.”
Back in the 1960s and 1970s the Commer brand was made famous for the TS3 ‘Knocker’ motor, but with Perkins also an option for motive power, it is a Perkins 6/354 which powers Woody’s Commer, which is married up to an Eaton 5 speed/2 speed driveline.
“ e Knocker was a brilliant motor, and a lot of people assume it’s a Knocker, but this is a Perkins – as far as we can tell everything in this is original – engine, di and gearbox,” Woody said.
“ e Perkins is a very slow old motor – she likes a drink of oil and makes a bit of smoke, but she res up well though.
“ ey weren’t built for speed, but she pulls pretty well. You can hook a van on and wouldn’t know it was there. It’s pretty basic inside – no power steering, no aircon , not even a radio, so she
keeps you on your toes!”
Since taking on the Commer, Woody has done a few modi cations and put his own stamp on the truck changing the guards on the body and putting a gantry up with the exhaust and air cleaners. e Commer has also been named ‘Jessie Margaret’ in honour of his mother who passed away in 2021.
While the Commer is usually parked in Woody’s front yard at Forest Lake, the Perkins is red up fairly regularly for a bit of a spin around the neighbourhood.
With the truck purely a show vehicle, it is a regular sight at a number of events around south-east Queensland, including a trip ‘home’ to the Commer’s old stomping ground over the dividing range at the Allora Heritage Weekend.
“We took it out to Allora which was a nice steady run which took about two hours out through Gatton. I would take it up the range over the Cunninghams Gap, but I wouldn’t bring it back down there,” Woody said with a grin. is year has been a successful one for the Woodward team, bringing home trophies including Best Old Rig at the Scenic Rim Truck Show and multiple awards including Big Rig of the Show and Best Rig of Yesteryear at the Mt Gravatt Show.
Emma has also started a Facebook page, ‘ e Old Blue Commer’ which doc uments the truck’s activities and event schedules.
Running on club registra tion, Woody is a member of the Heritage Truck Associ ation and reckons that it is a great way to connect with other like-minded people and share their knowledge.
“ ere’s a TS3 here today –it has 10-stud wheels whereas mine has 8-stud wheels, so if you bought one of each you wouldn’t be able to swap be tween the two; I never real ised they were di erent across the two models.”
He continued: “I also learnt from a bloke at one of these shows about the meaning behind the Perkins badge with the square and four circles – it means ‘a square deal all round’.
“ at’s why I like coming to these shows, you pick up little things like that and being part of the association gives us places to take the truck,
and they are all a great bunch of people.”
With the Commer a popular member of the historic truck show community, it would be fair to say that Woody will be tinkering away and keeping the old truck ticking along for the foreseeable future with his own retirement on the horizon.
“I have a couple of years left until I retire and I will have something to play with – I won’t be stuck at home driving the wife crazy, I can be down in the shed!” he laughed.
The team was “beyond proud” to take home the Best Old Rig award at this year’s Scenic Rim Truck Show.
Emma and Ian Woodward with ‘The old Blue Commer’.
‘Jessie Margaret’ polished up and on show at Rocklea.
The Old Blue Commer cleaned up at the Mt Gravatt Show, winning Big Rig of the Show 2025, Best Truck Over 21 Years and Best Rig of Yesteryear.
Woody at the 2023 Heritage Truck Show at Rocklea.
The Allora Heritage Weekend 2023, the “old girl’s” first trip to a truck show.
‘A square deal all round’ - the meaning behind the Perkins badge on Woody’s trusty old Commer.
win with Shell Rimula
SHELL Rimula has partnered with Big Rigs in a big way – so there are even more reasons to send in your best truck shots.
Each month, the Big Rigs team will choose a #PicOfTheMonth, with the lucky winner receiving a $500 Shell Coles Express Gift Card.
Keep an eye out for our regular posts on the Big Rigs Facebook page, calling for your best truck photos and add yours in
the comments, or email them direct to danielle.gullaci@ primecreative.com.au for your chance to win the main prize.
Don’t forget to include a brief note about the truck and where the photo was taken. We’ll feature some of the best photos in each print edition of Big Rigs, with one winner announced each month.
Keep those amazing truck pics coming!
Corey Hillcoat snapped this great shot during a quick stop on the way to Cairns.
Duncan Peter delivers malt barley in this Kenworth tipper setup in Melbourne.
Pete Hills shared this pic from his maiden voyage in the new T909 for Rod Pilon Transport, taken at Torrens Creek.
A great pic from Adrian Wynne of the 2017 Kenworth K200, snapped during sunset while waiting to load in Bowen, Queensland.
Raymond Oppermann’s 1990 LTL Kentucky, loaded with bales of cattle feed.
Luke Curtis shared this great pic of the Lawrence Transport T904 “sitting pretty on top of the hill in the afternoon sun”.
Keeping you and your business unstoppable
This red Kenworth set-up pops against the dirt roads and clear blue sky. Thanks for sharing Chantelle Lee McArdle.
Matt Langley shared this great aerial shot, taken at Austral Downs Rd, Barkly, NT.
Dale Auhl loads liquid fertiliser with the 2014 Kenworth T609, in
Bruce ‘Buffy’ Castle shared this stunner of the new T610 from Craig Arthur Transport.
Bradley Nolan snapped this great shot, as the sun set on the Barkly in the NT.
Dennis Mckenna captured the Iveco with this glorious sunset as a backdrop.
Gab Ayre took this ripper shot of the farm 909 carting livestock at sunset, at Westmar, Queensland.
Mark these trucking events in your diary
FROM epic truck convoys and show ‘n’ shines to heritage displays and major industry conferences, there’s something for every road transport enthusiast in coming months.
Whether you’re chasing trophies, connecting with industry leaders, or simply soaking up the chrome and camaraderie, check out what’s coming up across the country.
OCTOBER
Boort Truck Show
October 11
Boort Park, VIC Truckies from all over the state, and beyond, are expected to descend on the shores of Lake Boort for one of the highlights of the regional trucking calendar.
e event also includes a reworks display and a shearing competition, with free camping. For more event information, search Boort Truck Show on Facebook.
Camp Quality Convoy Perth
October 12
Perth Hockey Stadium, Bentley Camp Quality’s Convoy Perth is a fun way for anyone who drives a truck to show their support for kids facing cancer and their families.
Supporters will cheer on our Convoy, as we travel a 53km route around Perth City and Osborne Park, starting and nishing at Perth Hockey Stadium. e event venue will host a free Family Festival packed with entertainment for all ages.
Technology and Maintenance Conference
October 14-15
Victoria Pavilion, Melbourne Showgrounds, VIC new.truck.net.au/tmc
e TMC Conference brings together technical professionals, eet and workshop managers, technical regulators, mechanics and service technicians.
For 2025, the event moves to a new venue – delivering bigger exhibition spaces and a larger workshop area.
With more than 400 attendees, 40 speakers and 150 companies, the event will share the latest in truck maintenance and technology. Attendees will learn how they can minimise breakdowns and save thousands of dollars through smart purchasing decisions and better maintenance.
SARTA Conference
October 18
Adelaide Convention Centre, SA sartaevents.com/sarta-conference
e South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) Conference will cover a range of industry issues including renewable diesel and alternative fuels, employing and developing sta , driver wellbeing and more.
Tasmanian Transport Industry Gala Dinner and Awards Night
October 18
Wrest Point, Hobart tta.org.au
Bookings are now open for Tasmania’s night of nights and nominations are also open for the 2025 awards which shine a light on those who go above and beyond. For more information and to access the nomination forms, visit tta.org.au.
Sydney Convoy for Kids
October 26
Sydney Dragway to Hawkesbury Showground, NSW convoyforkids.com.au
Convoy For Kids Sydney Inc. was started in 1992 by a small group of dedicated people from the transport and associated industries who had a desire to help sick children. Today, 31 years later, it’s still a volunteer committee which spends time to put together one special day, not only as a fundraiser but a family day for all.
Drivers and owner drivers, travel from all parts of NSW with their families to participate in this great event each year. Taking part means you are helping raise funds for the NETS Ambulance Service and Kidz x.
NOVEMBER
Brisbane Convoy for Kids
November 1
Brisbane, QLD brisbaneconvoyforkids. com.au
e Brisbane Convoy for Kids is back on November 1, travelling from Larapinta to the Redcli e Showgrounds. Once it arrives, a family fun day will take place, with a wide range of activ-
face painting, animal petting, magic shows, and night lights display. Convoy participants will also compete in a range of categories, with awards handed out on the day.
Ulverstone Truck Show
November 1
Ulverstone Showgrounds, Tasmania
Held as part of the ank You Day Show, a fundraising event to raise money for Beyond Blue and New Mornings, this year’s truck show component will feature a Kenworth focused show alongside the usual truck show. ere will be prizes for both shows and lots of giveaways. e event starts at 9am.
Convoy for Kids
Goulburn
November 8
Goulburn, NSW convoyforkidsgoulburn. com.au
e Convoy is held on the second Saturday in November each year. e day begins with a truck convoy through town and concludes with a day-long carnival at the Recreation Area with many novelty activities and attractions.
Over the past 25 years, tens of thousands of dollars have been distributed to local families and organisations. With the continued support of the community Convoy for Kids Goulburn will be able to carry on supporting local children in need.
Mullumbimby Truck Show
November 8
Mullumbimby, NSW mullumbimbyshow.org.au
Held in conjunction with the annual Mullumbimby Agricultural Show on the second Saturday of November each year, you won’t want to miss this year’s Mullumbimby Truck Show.
is event will feature a truck parade through the town, sideshow alley, kids’ rides, food vans, full bar facilities and live music.
Other features will include horse and cattle events including trotting. For further truck show info see the registration form at mullumbimbyshow.org.au.
e Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show is back, with plenty to see and do for the whole family.
ere will be a huge range of trucks on display, from old classics to custom rigs from all over the state.
It’s a fun day out for all ages and also supports a great cause.
East Gippsland Heritage Truck Display
November 15-16
Ma ra Recreation Ground Ma ra, VIC
e Ma ra Recreation Ground will transform into a vibrant showcase of trucks from all decades, coming together to celebrate the rich history of transport in Australia.
Free camping on site for exhibitors, otherwise it’s $10 per adult.
For further information, contact John Burley (ph 0413 516 233), or Terry Whelan (ph 0408 516 144).
Illawarra Convoy
November 16
Illawarra, NSW illawarraconvoy.com.au
Touted as the largest truck and motorbike convoy in the southern hemisphere, the Illawarra Convoy raises funds for individuals and families a ected by potentially life-threatening medical conditions, and the charities that work with these people, and local hospitals.
Held at Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve and organised by the Castlemaine Rotary Club, this year’s truck show is gearing up to be bigger and better than ever before.
Attendees can expect plenty of well-presented trucks on display, as well as food, a licensed bar, kids’ rides, free health checks and live music.
DECEMBER
HVIA Awards Gala Dinner
December 4
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, QLD
At the Plaza Ballroom, HVIA will celebrate the industry with the 10th Anniversary National Awards Gala Dinner. e awards program will feature an expanded suite of categories celebrating excellence, leadership and innovation across all sectors of the industry, including suppliers, operators and employees.
Tassie Convoy 4 Kids
December 13
Kempton, Hobart Trucks, utes, and Christmas spirit – e Tassie Convoy 4 Kids is back!
A spectacular display of chrome, colour and community generosity at Christmas time, all in support of sick children and their families.
Each year, hundreds of trucks and vehicles roll through Hobart adorned in festive decorations, spreading joy and raising funds for children’s healthcare at the Royal Hobart Hospital.
To stay up to date, search for their Facebook page, ‘Tassie
JANUARY
Twin City’s Show N Shine Convoy for Kids
January 18 Albury Showgrounds, NSW e Convoy starts at the Barnawartha BP and nishes at the Albury Showgrounds. Almost 300 trucks took part in the convoy at the last event, travelling the Hume in support of Country Hope, which raises money for kids with cancer and other life threatening illnesses.
Following the Convoy, there will be a Show ‘n’ Shine where trucks, cars and bikes go head to head across a range of categories.
Organisers are hoping to make the convoy even bigger and better in 2026 by getting more trucks involved, with a goal of raising $100,000 for Country Hope.
Have you got an event you’d like included in the next Save the Date? Email all the details to danielle.gullaci@
Last year’s Albury Wodonga event attracted 300 trucks. Image: Twin City’s National Show N Shine and Convoy for Kids
All American Custom Chrome’s stunning Peterbilt is confirmed as a star attraction at this year’s Tassie Convoy 4 Kids Kempton Truck Show.
Ben Gierisch’s Kenworth T909 was a popular winner of the Best in Show prize at the 2022 Boort Truck Show.
OEM or aftermarket replacement radiator?
FOR those looking to restore their truck’s cooling to brand-new condition, the factory-spec OEM radiator is an obvious choice.
However, if you’re replacing the radiator because it won’t cool su ciently when the engine’s working hard, or because vibration has caused the old one to crack – then it’s time to consider alternatives that will deliver improved performance (potentially saving a few dollars as well).
Kenworth OE
replacement
Original equipment radiators for Kenworth Trucks are
sourced from Air Radiators (AR), who have a proud history spanning over 50 years of developing and manufacturing heat exchangers. By choosing the OE product, you’ll get the same product design and construction that was originally tted –ensuring direct- tment with no modi cations or adapting required. is is the product that has been approved by Kenworth Australia themselves.
Ultra-T enhanced cooling
For applications that need extra cooling performance, Adrad aftermarket Ultra-T
radiator cores can deliver. e innovative and compact design of Ultra-T packs signi cantly more tubes into the same thickness radiator core, allowing more coolant to ow for enhanced cooling performance.
is extra cooling capacity means you can maintain correct engine temperatures at those times when the engine is working extra hard
Additionally, Adrad Ultra-T cores use wind tunnel tested n technology which utilises eight-window split louvre ns for superior strength, heat dissipation and structural stability. is helps ensure correct shape is maintained throughout the radiator’s lifetime.
ADFUSE strength and durability
Adrad aftermarket ADFUSE radiator cores provide superior strength and durability compared to many OE products.
Typically, industrial radiator cores are manufactured by soldering tubes and headers together. While satisfactory for most applications, soldered joints can fail over time, especially when subjected to extreme heat and/or high stress. at’s why ADFUSE uses sophisticated welding robot technology to individually fuse each tube to the header, forming much stronger bonds than solder. Some radiator
cores can have around 500 tubes (necessitating welding on both ends) – meaning a single ADFUSE core can contain over 1000 individual welds.
For even more strength, each ADFUSE weld is additionally back lled with solder, providing extra support to each individual tube.
e result is a radiator core designed to withstand the high temperatures and constant vibrations found in demanding environments, granting extended service life.
Ultra-T + ADFUSE for high performance and strength
e improved cooling of Ultra-T, combined with the superior strength of the advanced ADFUSE welded tube-to-header joint, delivers an unbeatable combination of performance and durability (part numbers are designated TAF).
Available to suit a variety of trucks and equipment, Adrad TAF radiator cores are often referred to as “road train spec” as this is a common application. ey are also available to suit applications such as earthmoving, power generation and mining.
Upgrade with Natrad HDC
Natrad Heavy Duty Cooling (HDC) are Australia’s biggest national group of
specialists for large heat exchangers. ey have decades of experience and access to an extensive range of Air Radiators OE and Adrad enhanced aftermarket engine cooling products.
For more information, please visit the website natrad.com.au/heavy-du ty-specialists/heavy-haul age-vehicle or call 1800 437 723 for an OE replacement/ upgrade today.
ADFUSE radiator cores provide superior strength and durability.
Ultra-T radiator cores allow more coolant to flow for enhanced cooling performance. Images: Adrad
Adrad TAF radiator cores are often referred to as road train spec.
Coolant confusion: The truth about colour
IF you’ve ever stood in front of a shelf of coolants scratching your head, you’re not alone. One’s green, another’s red, the label says “premix” and the bloke at the parts counter says “concentrate”. Which is right for your truck, and does colour even matter?
At Fleetguard, we hear these questions every week from workshops across Australia. So let’s break it down.
Premix vs concentrate
– What’s the difference?
• Premix is ready to use straight from the package. It is a coolant concentrate already blended with de-ionised water at the correct ratio. Quick, convenient, and safe for topping up in the workshop or roadside.
• Concentrate is highly concentrated coolant that must be mixed with good-qualit y water (ideally de-ionised or distilled). e ratio matters: too much water and you lose corrosion and freeze protection; too much concentrate and heat transfer su ers.
e choice often comes down to how much control you want. Premix is simple and removes the possibility of over-dilution and contamination when topping up. Concentrate gives exibility if you need bulk volumes or operate in extreme conditions where ratios can be ne-tuned.
Colour vs performance – Don’t be fooled
One of the biggest myths in the trade is that coolant colour tells you everything. Green, red, blue, yellow – the truth is, colour is just a dye. What matters is the additive technology inside: OAT, HOAT, or hybrid chemistry designed to protect metals like aluminium, copper, and cast iron. Mixing di erent chemistries can cancel out protection and shorten coolant life.
The risks of mixing coolants
It’s tempting to top up with “whatever’s on hand,” but mixing the wrong coolants can create sludge, clog radiators, and eat away at water pumps and liners. It’s a small mistake that can cost a eet big money.
Fleetguard’s hybrid coolant, PGPlus, is available as premix and concentrate, while our OAT coolant, PG Platinum, is available as a premix only. Fleetguard
heavy duty coolant is approved by Cummins engineering standards. Whether you need the convenience of premix or the exibility of concentrate, you can trust Fleetguard to take the guesswork out of coolant selection – so your trucks stay on the road, not on the hoist.
Run cleaner, longer with Filtration Science. Visit eetguard.com for more information.
Mechanic’s checklist for coolant clarity
✔ Always check your engine OEM’s specification first.
✔ Use premix for safe top-ups and everyday servicing.
✔ Use concentrate when you need bulk supply or control of water quality.
✔ Never rely on colour alone – match chemistry, not dye.
✔ Don’t mix brands or types unless you’re certain they’re compatible.
✔ Invest in quality deionised water if you’re using a coolant concentrate.
A mechanic using Fleetguard coolant.
Fleetguard’s hybrid coolant, PGPlus, is available as a premix and concentrate.
Fleetguard’s PG Platinum is a propylene glycol based premixed coolant.
Penrite’s range of OEM approved coolants
FOR almost a century, Penrite has remained proudly Australian-owned and family-operated, delivering premium coolants, lubricants, additives, and cleaners trusted across industries.
Our reputation for quality, service, and performance is unmatched – and our OEM-approved coolant range is a clear example.
ese are the very coolants used by leading heavy vehicle manufacturers as factory ll, protecting engines from day one.
Performance without compromise
Penrite OEM approved coolants are engineered for light and heavy commercial vehicles, mining eets, and agricultural equipment. In many cases, they are warranty-approved for service, not just “suitable for use.”
By choosing Penrite OEM approved coolants, operators eliminate compatibility concerns, meet manufacturer speci cations, maintain ser-
vice intervals, and protect warranties. e advanced inhibitor packages deliver extended long-life protection against rust, corrosion, cavitation, and cooling system degradation.
The range
• Penrite EC01 Coolant: Available in both concentrate and premix, EC01 is purpose-built for heavy-duty applications. Its low depletion rate inhibitor system supports extended drain intervals – 8 years/1.25 million kilometres for on-road vehicles and 15,000 hours for oroad equipment.
• Penrite RED OEM Coolant: Approved by Cummins, MTU, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, and Scania, this Si-OAT coolant is identical to the factory- ll speci cation used in their vehicles. It provides robust protection in severe heavy-duty conditions.
• Penrite PGXL Coolant: A propylene glycol-based
antifreeze/anti boil coolant, PGXL o ers superior high-temperature stability and long-term corrosion resistance across aluminium, cast iron, brass, copper, steel, and solder. It’s speci cally formulated for
New career in heavy machinery beckons Tom
TOM Gordon was a qualied light vehicle mechanic who had worked on the Gold Coast for a decade when he left the industry, feeling bored of the everyday vehicles and services he was completing.
heavy-duty engines, including wet sleeve liners, and is trusted by Caterpillar, Cummins, DAF, Detroit, Fuso, Hino, Isuzu, MTU, Iveco, Mack, Kenworth (PACCAR) and Volvo.
Beyond these, Penrite’s
OEM-approved coolant portfolio covers nearly every heavy-duty application. e Penrite Product Selector, available online and as a free mobile app for iPhone and Android, ensures the right solution is always at your ngertips.
THESE ARE THE VERY COOLANTS USED BY LEADING HEAVY VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS AS FACTORY FILL, PROTECTING ENGINES FROM DAY ONE.”
100 per cent Australian owned and made
Since 1926, Penrite has been solving problems, developing solutions, and delivering products that support Australian industry.
We remain a 100 per cent Australian-owned and operated family business, manufacturing locally, employing Australians, and investing in the future of Australian manufacturing.
Discover more about Penrite OEM coolants and our full Australian-made range at penriteoil.com.au.
TRP opens new store in Bendigo
A brand new truck and trailer parts store, operating under the globally recognised TRP brand, has opened in the town of Bendigo, situated in the Central Victoria region.
e new store is owned and operated by the Leake Group, and it is the rst TRP store the group has opened.
e TRP brand, positioned as an a ordable all makes supplier of high-quality parts for prime mover, rigid trucks, and all types of heavy trailers, now has 359 outlets worldwide, including 19 in Australia.
and all TRP branded parts come with a minimum 12-month warranty.
Anthony Conte, General Manager Graham omson Motors, said “Graham omson Motors (GTM) is proud to bring our award-winning Spare Parts team to Bendigo, with a new TRP store.
e range includes ltration, lubricant, and electrical products, through to brakes, suspensions, steering, wheel ends, trailer parts and accessories.
As Anthony added, “We look forward to strengthening our partnership with existing stakeholders and forging new relationships to support the growth of the Bendigo area.”
e TRP Bendigo store is located at 1/18 Rohs Road, East Bendigo. It is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 5pm, and Saturdays from 8am to 12pm.
“I had left the workshop I was at for 10 years because it got boring just working on the same regular cars, and I wasn’t working in automotive at all. en I saw this program and I thought it would be cool working on big machinery and heading out to the mines, so I signed up,” Tom said.
“When I got to TAFE Queensland, I was upfront with the teachers and told
It was some time after this that he saw a promotion for the Mader Trade Upgrade Program at TAFE Queensland and felt a career in heavy machinery beckoning him. e bespoke program sees quali ed automotive tradespeople undertake a fast-tracked second trade in Mobile Plant Technology with Mader Group and begin a career in the mining industry.
them I had always struggled at school and they never judged me, instead they went above and beyond to help me succeed.
“ e knowledge, patience, and encouragement they provided me were second to none, and thanks to them I now feel con dent and ready for the mines.
“All the teachers I had in this second trade – Joe, Shan non, Reubn, Warren, and Craig – are seriously the best teachers I’ve ever had, hands down. I genuinely wish I had them back in school, their depth of knowledge is incred ible,” he said.
TAFE Queensland’s trade teachers are industry experts with a passion for passing on skills crucial to their in dustries’ futures, and Tom’s teachers are a key example of the outstanding impact great teachers can have on appren tices.
For more information about apprenticeship careers, visit tafeqld.edu.au/apprentice ships or call 1300 308 233 today.
e store stocks wellknown brand consumables for all major truck brands
“Bendigo has been a cornerstone to GTM’s success for many years, with valued customers and stakeholders in Central Victoria. TRP Bendigo will allow us to service our customers in Bendigo and surrounding areas through a range of quality, warranty-backed parts for all makes of trucks and trailers.”
For more information, call 03 4432 8901.
Penrite EC01 Coolant has been purpose-built for heavyduty applications. Images: Penrite
Penrite RED OEM Coolant is identical to the factoryfill specification used in numerous vehicle makes.
Penrite PGXL Coolant offers superior high-temperature stability and long-term corrosion resistance.
The new store is owned and operated by the Leake Group. Image: PACCAR Tom says TAFE Queensland teachers went above and beyond to help him succeed.
Tom Gordon went from being a qualified light vehicle mechanic to working in heavy mining machinery. Images: TAFE Queensland
Icepack – proudly Australian-made
IN 2025, Icepack proudly marks three decades of building premium sleeper cab air-conditioning units, with more than 23,500 units keeping drivers cool across Australia’s highways. From the beginning, the company’s mission has been to pursue perfection. Working hand in hand with longtime customers, Icepack’s dedicated R&D team continues to re ne every aspect of its products. Today’s Icepack systems are generations ahead of their 1990s counterparts in quality, appearance, functionality, reliability, and ease of service.
Founders and directors Charles and Sam have always believed that the best way to ensure excellence is to manufacture as much as possible in-house.
At the Wacol head o ce and manufacturing facility, skilled technicians handle everything from fabricating frames and lids to producing rubber mounting bushes, electrical wiring looms, and control boards. ey also CNC machine oil and fuel ttings and drive pulleys before moving to assembly, testing, and rigorous quality checks. Nearly every component of an Icepack unit is designed, manufactured, and assembled on site, allowing the team to assess and implement upgrades in real time. Working closely with cus-
tomers, drivers, service technicians, and component suppliers, Icepack ensures the use of the most durable and reliable parts in their air conditioner units.
e original Icepack 2000 was a straightforward and robust diesel-powered sleeper cab air conditioner, featuring key start, a 100-hour service interval, and a wiring harness that could be repaired on the roadside with just a pair of side cutters. No need to worry if you prefer the classic Icepack 2000; we’ll always continue manufacturing this unit as there’s still a demand for it out there!
In contrast, the latest generation Icepack ES can cool, heat, and automatically start to maintain truck battery voltage. It can be remotely started and is con gured with a basic primary wiring harness, 1000-hour service interval, and no electric fans. It boasts a 40 per cent increased cooling capacity while using 40 per cent less fuel.
Given modern operating conditions where many operators experience 2000 to 3000 hours of runtime each year, the long service interval and low fuel consumption of the Icepack ES make it the preferred choice for eet operators and owner-drivers alike. e cost savings from reduced servicing and lower fuel consumption have made
the Icepack ES comprise nearly 70 per cent of Icepack’s sales.
Finding an Icepack unit or spare part is straightforward thanks to a streamlined national distribution network, covering Australia through Icepack’s o ces in Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne, along with Toowoomba Truck Specialist Centre in Toowoomba. ese locations are supported by a nationwide network of authorised agents and service centres for all your Icepack sales, service, and installation needs.
Whether serving owner-drivers or large eets, Icepack delivers comfort, reliability, and value built for Australian conditions.
Visit icepack.com.au or call 1800 625 746.
Installation of an Icepack ES unit.
Sam and Charles with one of the first Icepacks in 1996. Images: Icepack
Radiators that are built to last
IN the vast terrain of Australia, truck drivers face daily challenges that go well beyond steering their trucks and trailers across thousands of kilometres.
Among the most critical component, which is often overlooked, is what keeps these mechanical beasts on the move: the humble radiator. With engine tempera-
tures soaring under the bonnet, a dependable radiator can mean the di erence between a smooth delivery and a costly breakdown.
Ask any truckie and they’ll tell you: when the radiator fails, the hassles pile up fast. Not only is sourcing a new radiator expensive, but downtime means lost income and mounting stress. “Your engine can’t run too hot or too cold – either way, you’re risking catastrophic damage,” explained Jamie Atkins, the founder of VIOWAM Industries. “For drivers, it’s their livelihood on the line.”
Vibration and other common faults are notorious for shortening the life of a truck’s cooling system. Spotting issues early, Jamie says, is crucial. “Radiators last ve to eight years if you’re lucky, but without regular checks, you’re rolling the dice with your engine.”
Determined to make a difference and with years of experience himself as a truck
driver, Jamie has built VIOWAM Industries around a simple goal: to give Aussie truckies access to reliable, a ordable radiators without the mark-up of the big brands. “We specialise in original equipment manufacturer (OEM) radiators. at doesn’t mean you’re missing out on performance or reliability. In fact, OEM options can deliver exactly what you need to keep your truck on the road.”
VIOWAM’s commitment to quality led to a close partnership with Siyam Radiators, a reputable company based in Jordan. Established in 1992, Siyam is renowned for producing cooling components to OEM standards, using high-grade raw materials and running each product through a battery of tests –vibration, heat, and more.
It’s this combination of engineering expertise and rigorous quality assurance that has earned Siyam a global reputation.
ese radiators aren’t just built for show. ey’re designed to tackle the harshest Australian conditions: blistering heat, choking dust, and relentless vibration. With robust cores, strong welds, larger tanks, and corrosion-resistant components, these radiators go the distance.
Packaging is another priority, ensuring units arrive in top shape and are easy to install – with clear instructions to boot.
“When you’re out in the bush or hauling between cities, you can’t a ord a radiator that gives up at the rst sign of trouble,” Jamie said.
“We’ve had less expensive options fail on us before. at’s why we’re so particular about what we o er now.”
Price remains front of mind for most operators, and VIOWAM is determined to keep things fair. “From running our own trucks, we know rsthand how stressful and costly breakdowns can be.
Our aim is to help drivers avoid spending thousands just to get back on the road,” Jamie explained. “It’s all about reducing downtime, cutting failures, and keeping warranty claims to a minimum.”
Customer service is another cornerstone of the VIOWAM model. Truckies and eet managers can expect support with product selection, reliable delivery across Australia, and advice tailored to their speci c needs. e company also listens to customer feedback, regularly tweaking their range to improve model compatibility, durability, and ease of installation.
For those hauling freight from the city to the outback, knowing their radiator is built to last means one less worry on the long road ahead – and that’s something every truckie can appreciate.
To view VIOWAM’s full range of products, please visit viowam.com.au.
Our mission is to provide hardworking Australians withaccess to affordable, durable radiators and automotive technology from around the
Veteran truck driver Jamie Atkins spent nearly 40 years on the road before launching his own parts business.
Images: VIOWAM
VIOWAM gives truckies access to reliable, affordable radiators without the mark-up of the big brands.
A product of listening and understanding
TRT’s team works closely with customers to understand the unique challenges and demands of their operations. That’s how TRT designs fit-for-purpose solutions that perform in the real world.
BUILT to tackle the toughest dredging projects with ease, TRT’s new Hybrid ESS Platform Trailer is not your average trailer.
e new trailer was purchased by Maritime Constructions. Operating across South Australia and Western Australia, the company specialises in marine infrastructure, including capital and maintenance dredging.
As Jeremy Carden, Trailer Sales at TRT, explained, “Maritime Constructions has multiple contracts with regional and town councils to dredge harbours & headwaters on a yearly basis. ey have been using an older, inherited trailer but were looking for a custom transport solution that would help improve e ciency, cut down on the number of personnel required every time they do a dredge, and vastly improve safety.”
TRT worked closely with Maritime Constructions to develop a highly innovative one-of-a-kind trailer that best suits their needs.
Among the most notable features is TRT’s patented Electronic Steering System (ESS), providing all-axle electronic steering at up to 45 degrees, with six individual steering modes.
“TRT has multiple trailer types that ESS has been developed for – our house and platform trailers, and now our dedicated ESS low loaders. ESS provides all wheel remote controlled steering and the ability to crab steer, where it gets every axle to lock so you can walk the trailer sideways,” said Jeremy.
“You can do that with the truck on a 45-degree angle and walk the truck and trailer together parallel, in auto crab mode, or you can do that in manual mode via the remote control.”
e Hybrid ESS Platform Trailer is equipped with the same type of gooseneck that’s used for house trailers, with over 2 metres of vertical
stroke. is enables dredging machines to be launched o the trailer, at any boat ramp with ease. It’s been beefed up to handle upwards of 50 tonne of downforce through the gooseneck ram during launch and recovery operations.
“In this application, the whole point of having this type of gooseneck is so the operator can go to the boat ramp and lift the trailer to create the same slope angle as the boat ramp – so the front of the trailer hydraulically raises to match the incline of the ramp,” said Jeremy.
e gooseneck is also detachable, using TRT’s patented Quick Connect system. movable inserts. With the
don’t need the extra length,” Jeremy said.
For controlled dredge machine launch and recovery, the trailer has been tted with two 25 tonne capacity winches. e addition of 7-metre long, rear stingers and custom designed 10-tonne rated drum rollers allow the dredge machine to be launched into the water with ease. And to stand up to the environment the trailer will be used in, a marine grade paint system has been used throughout.
“Saltwater is an incredibly harsh environment for any trailer, that’s why the 7-metre stingers have been developed
inserts, the trailer has a deck length of 24.2 metres. However the 10-metre deck inserts can be removed to transform it into a 14.2-metre long, 6x8 Platform.
“Maritime Constructions will use those inserts for all the dredging work, but if they have other work, like moving their machines or cranes, they can remove the inserts and use it as a standard 6x8 platform, so it’s all about versatility. e bene t of having removable inserts rather than having an extendable trailer is that you’re not carrying that extra weight when you
dle the moist salt air along with residual seawater o the dredge when recovered,” added Jeremy.
To nish o the package, the Hybrid ESS Platform Trailer is controlled via a fully proportional AUTEC remote, used to control all hydraulic and steer functions.
TRT has also developed their own “remote in” system for diagnostics, fault nding and parameter changes. “As long as someone is with the trailer to create a hotspot, our technicians in Australia or New Zealans can remotely access the system to conduct
fault nding, adjust pivot points, etc,” Jeremy said.
For servicing and maintenance, QR codes have been added onto the trailer for easy access of manuals.
With such a high degree of functionality, TRT invited Maritime Constructions sta to the TRT factory in New Zealand, where they underwent three days of hands-on training with their innovative new piece of equipment.
“ ey sent two people from their operations team, who are involved in launching the dredge and maintenance.
With major trailer projects
like this one, we’ve always found this type of practical training to be particularly bene cial,” added Jeremy.
“It can seem like there’s a bit to get your head around at rst with these sorts of trailers, but once operators start using them, they quickly get to see the bene ts.”
e new trailer is due to be delivered to Maritime Constructions by mid-October 2025.
If you are interested in talking to someone about TRT Trailers call Jeremy Carden on +64 27 354 0329 or email jeremyc@trt.co.nz.
The 7m stingers at the rear are submerged into the water during dredge machine launch and recovery.
TRT WORKS WITH CUSTOMERS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR CHALLENGES AND DESIGNS PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS THAT DELIVER IN THE REAL WORLD.
A PRODUCT OF LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING
Built to tackle the toughest dredging projects with ease, Maritime Constructions new TRT Hybrid ESS Platform Trailer is not your average trailer.
What Makes This Trailer a Standout:
GOOSENECK STROKE – 2m+ vertical lift for dredge launch at any boat ramp
SUSPENSION – TIDD double-acting, lift any axle when required
REMOTE CONTROL – AUTEC fully proportional, all hydraulic & steering functions
MADE POSSIBLE
TRT has been backing industries since 1967, doing what others can’t and going where others won’t. Wherever business takes you, TRT has got you covered.
If you are interested in talking to someone about TRT Trailers call Jeremy Carden on +64 27 354 0329 or email jeremyc@trt.co.nz
The ‘weight’ is over: Smarter loads with iMass
IN an industry where maximising every load is crucial, balancing compliance and e ciency can be a daily challenge. Operators need to make the most of payload capacity without risking overload nes or compromising safety. at’s where KnorrBremse’s iMass Smart OnBoard Mass (OBM) system is making a real di erence:
delivering highly accurate, real-time load data straight to the cab.
iMass Smart On-Board Mass (OBM) has been helping drivers and eet operators improve compliance and e ciency for years. e award-winning system provides highly accurate vehicle and combination mass data in real time, allowing operators
to maximise payload, reduce trips, and enhance safety on Australian roads.
At its core, iMass is designed to give operators clarity and con dence. With its user-friendly in-cab Driver Interface Unit (DIU), operators can instantly check axle group and total combination mass, detect trailer lift axle status, and identify errors or
i MASS® SMART OBM SYSTEM
Knorr-Bremse’s iMass® On-Board Mass (OBM) system provides drivers with highly accurate, real-time load data and delivers messages to telematics providers – helping you maximise payload while staying compliant with mass regulations.
warnings for each axle group. “From the driver’s seat, it’s about having a clear picture of what’s happening across the combination,” explained Andrea Limmer, Product and Marketing Manager at KnorrBremse. “ e DIU shows mass data in real time, and it’s a powerful tool for both compliance and operational e ciency.”
Seamless integration, smarter fleets
iMass can be easily retro tted and is fully integrated with Knorr-Bremse’s Trailer Electronic Braking System (TEBS). After an initial calibration, the system leverages the existing truck/trailer CAN network, by simply connecting the existing EBS socket between truck and trailer. iMass then automatically detects trailer VINs and mass data through this connection, without the need for extra cabling. at simplicity translates to real-world exibility. Whether it’s a European combination, a North American setup, or a seven-trailer road train, iMass works seamlessly across eets with existing Knorr-Bremse TEBS. It’s a smart upgrade for operators who want a reliable OBM solution without having to modify their trailers.
With its user-friendly in-cab display, operators can monitor loads at a glance, check trailer lift axle status, and view fault codes or error messages instantly. The system integrates seamlessly into existing truck and trailer CAN architecture, with full TEBS G2.2 compatibility and automatic trailer VIN recognition.
Designed as a robust, hardwired solution, it requires no additional cables between truck and trailers, supports road trains of up to seven trailers, and can be easily retro tted to both European and North American vehicles.
The result: lower operational costs, improved safety, and complete con dence in every load.
Contact your local Knorr-Bremse representative or a member of our Expert Network for more information. | truck.knorr-bremse.com/en/au/ |
“Operators don’t want added complexity. ey want solutions that t into the vehicles they already run,” said Darren Hillson, Technical Sales and Business Development Manager at Knorr-Bremse. “iMass is hardwired, robust, and designed to be reliable over the long haul.”
Beyond compliance
Importantly, iMass is Transport Certi cation Australia (TCA) Smart OBM Category B approved. is means operators can meet the strict requirements for High Productivity Freight Vehicle (HPFV) schemes and various local permits. At the same time, the system’s ability to share data with compatible telematics providers, adds another layer of value, giving eet managers visibility over loads across their operations.
“Accuracy is critical – but so is communication,” noted Andrea. “With iMass,
THE DIU SHOWS MASS DATA IN REAL TIME, AND IT’S A POWERFUL TOOL FOR BOTH COMPLIANCE AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY.”
ANDREA LIMMER
the driver can see exactly what’s happening in the cab, and eet managers can tap into the same data through telematics.”
Confidence in every journey
From reducing the risk of costly overload nes to improving road safety, iMass delivers more than just numbers on a screen. It’s about empowering operators with the information they need – when they need it – to run leaner, safer, and more pro table.
Combination Mass shown on the iMass Driver Interface Unit.
Fitment of the iMass Driver Interface Unit in the truck cab. Images: Knorr-Bremse
It’s the fuel provider with a difference
AS a private Australian family owned company, successfully operating for over 40 years, Woodham Petroleum prides itself on being small enough to personally deal with each company across the transport sector, yet large enough to o er a comprehensive network, exible credit terms, and competitive pricing.
Started by Jim Woodham in 1981, with his son Matt Woodham taking over the family business in the mid 2000s, Woodham Petroleum currently has 45 unmanned diesel stops operating 24/7 across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory.
Woodham Petroleum understands that every transport operation, whether it’s a single truck or a eet of 50, has unique challenges when it comes to fuel management, cost control, and operational e ciency. at’s why our focus is on supporting transport companies with practical solutions that save time, streamline processes, and reduce costs across the board.
e team is led by Head of National Sales, Shane Baker. As he explained, “At Woodham Petroleum, we’re really focussed on those small to medium sized transport operators, working along the east coast. A lot of major fuel providers have been in
that space too, but our main point of di erence is the level of support we can provide.
“With many other fuel providers, transport operators simply get their account, their pricing, their credit terms – and you get what you get.
“At Woodham’s we don’t
operate that way. When someone makes an enquiry, what we try to do is get to understand what their business does, where they’re operating, and what’s important to them from a credit point of view.”
From new account submission through to approval, it’s
usually completed within 48 hours, making it simple and fast to get started.
Woodham Petroleum encourages transport companies of all sizes to reach out. Shane and the team are happy to answer any questions about the network, pricing, credit terms, or any other fuel solutions.
“Another point of di erence is that if a customer calls me at 7am on a Saturday morning, I’ll answer that call and try to nd a solution,” added Shane.
“Our phones don’t go o at 5pm on a Friday because our customers businesses don’t stop working at 5pm on a Friday.
“We are a smaller private company, with the same sort of culture as the small to medium transport operators. at’s our point of di erence, we are 100 per cent private, family owned and we’re an Australian company.
“I encourage transport operators to give me a call directly, so I can come up with a solution that will save them money. All I need is 10 minutes on the phone so we can work through any queries, build that relationship and get an account established.”
Because at the end of the day, it’s all about building partnerships that make a real di erence. If you’re looking to improve e ciency, cut costs, and join a network designed to support your success, Woodham Petroleum would love to hear from you. e company is also continuing to invest in and expand its current network. Among the most recent developments is the opening of a brand new site at Cloncurry, that’s easily accessible to triple road trains and will soon have toilet and shower facilities. A new site at Barcaldine, Queensland, is also coming up, complete with toilets and showers. For more information, visit woodhampetroleum.com. au or call Shane Baker on 0499 281 356.
Woodham Petroleum’s newest truck.
The brand new site at Cloncurry is accessible to triple road trains. Images: Woodham Petroleum
Sakura’s cooling system advantage
COOLANT is a vital part of an engine’s operation, preventing it from overheating by maintaining an optimal temperature. Without a proper ltration system, contaminants can build up in the coolant, leading to damage in critical areas of the engine such as the radiator, water pump, and thermostat. erefore, clean coolant is crucial to maintain optimal engine temperatures and protect against corrosion, scale build-up, and blockages. Also, the chemicals in coolant can slowly degrade over time – reducing their ability to protect the engine.
Coolant lters are used in automotive, industrial, and agricultural applications to ensure that an engine’s cooling system remains free from debris and impurities. Most of Sakura’s coolant lters also contain supplemental coolant additives (SCAs) to ensure the coolant remains chemically balanced throughout its service interval.
By capturing harmful particles, the lters help prevent engine overheating and improve heat dissipation. With the use of SCAs, engines are further protected by minimising corrosion and scale build-up.
Sakura coolant lters are engineered to work e ciently within the engine’s cooling system, providing reliable ltration without obstructing the ow of coolant.
Whilst still on the topic of cooling, the radiator is a critical component of an engine’s cooling system; dissipating heat generated by the engine. Radiators are lled with coolant which circulates throughout the engine, absorbing heat and then releasing it as it passes through the radiator core. is heat exchange process helps keep the engine operating at a safe temperature, preventing overheating and potential damage.
Sakura radiators are engineered to meet the highest standards of quality and performance, ensuring that your vehicle stays cool under pressure. Without an e cient radiator, an engine is at risk
of overheating, which can lead to severe engine damage. Sakura radiators o er an e ective solution by ensuring consistent and e cient heat management, allowing engines to operate within safe temperature ranges. is is
particularly important in high-use vehicles such as trucks which are often operated in demanding conditions for extended periods.
For more information, visit sakura lters.com.au.
Sakura coolant filters key features
High filtration efficiency: Sakura coolant filters are manufactured to capture and hold contaminants, including fine particulates, which may harm the engine. This ensures that the coolant remains clean, and engine/cooling components can operate smoothly.
Durability: The materials used in Sakura coolant filters are chosen for their strength and longevity. These filters are designed to withstand high pressure, temperature fluctuations, and prolonged exposure to engine coolant, all while continuing to deliver highperformance filtration.
Improved engine protection: Supplemental Coolant Additives (SCAs) ensure the coolant remains chemically stable throughout the entire service interval; further protecting engines from scale and buildup.
Sakura radiator key features
Efficient heat dissipation: Sakura radiators are designed with advanced materials and manufacturing processes to maximise heat dissipation. They lower the temperature of the engine coolant very effectively, preventing the engine from overheating even under demanding conditions.
Quality construction: Built with a combination of durable metals and high-quality core designs, Sakura radiators are known for their robustness. They are resistant to corrosion and wear, even in challenging environments, ensuring that they provide reliable service over long periods.
Precision engineering: Every Sakura radiator is designed with precision to ensure optimal airflow and coolant distribution. This efficient design helps keep engines at their optimal operating temperature.
Compatibility: Sakura has a wide range of vehiclespecific radiators suited to passenger cars and trucks which are found all over the world, i.e. Toyota, Holden, Ford, Hino, Isuzu and Fuso applications. Sakura offers a diverse range of products that meet specific requirements.
Sakura’s coolant filters help prevent engine overheating and improve heat dissipation. Images: Sakura
Sakura radiators prevent the engine from overheating, even under demanding conditions.
Lighting the way to improved safety
STARTING with just one truck in 1996, Morgan Transport Group has grown to own and operate a eet of 78 trucks.
Based in Townsville, the business was started by David Morgan, who’s spent a lifetime in the industry. From transporting produce to supermarkets in a 1990 Ford LTS 9000, the company has diversi ed, and can now be found carting produce, meat, refrigerated goods and groceries; along with dangerous goods, cement and underground support materials for the mines.
David says his passion for trucks was inherited from his father, who owned a number of truck dealerships. “I’m a mechanic by trade. I did my apprenticeship for my father – and then I had the drive to get into transport. All I wanted to do was to have my own trucks,” he said.
His trucks travel across Queensland, as well as into Sydney and Darwin – running from semis through to triple road trains. All but two of his trucks are prime movers, mostly from Kenworth and DAF and his eet of 130 trailers includes refrigerated trailers, at tops and drop decks. David seeks out quality products and equipment for every aspect of his eet.
For fth wheels and landing legs, JOST has been the long-time supplier of choice. “JOST is used across the eet. Everything that comes in new is tted with JOST components,” David said.
More recently, Morgan Transport Group began using the Loc-Light Fifth Wheel system – with around 40 trucks already tted with the technology.
Another seven Kenworth prime movers (T420s and
T909s) that are due for delivery in November will also have JOST’s Loc-Light system tted to the fth wheels.
Featuring a dual-sensor monitoring set-up and an LED throat illumination, the Loc-Light system is designed to ensure a secure and reliable coupling, reducing the risk of errors, saving valuable time during pre-trip inspections and providing added peace of mind.
“We started using the LocLight system for added safety. If we can eliminate any error in trailer connection, then we eliminate any risk of dropped trailers,” said David.
e Loc-Light fth wheel light dual-sensor system is integrated with the Go/No-Go indicator light near the handle. When the handle and kingpin are properly locked, the fth wheel light turns green, signalling a “Go light.” If the handle or kingpin is not correctly locked, the fth wheel light ashes red, indicating a “No-Go light.”
“It’s really easy to use. If the light is green, our drivers are good to go and if it remains red, they know that they need to see what’s wrong,” added David, who’s a strong advocate for implementing safety technology into the eet.
“ is sort of equipment helps our drivers to ensure that the coupling of the truck and trailer is done correctly.”
For landing legs across the Morgan Transport Group trailer eet, JOST Modul is the preferred choice. “ ey are far superior to other landing gear on the market –they’re easy to t, last longer and we don’t have our drivers complaining about sore shoulders,” David explained.
“I’m an avid user of JOST products – being from a mechanical eld and as a transport operator, from my perspective, I believe they manufacture a better product than anything else on the market.”
Trucking, Transporting… The
The Loc-Light system is designed to ensure a secure and reliable coupling.
The company operates a fleet of 78 trucks, with over half already fitted with JOST’s Loc-Light Fifth Wheel system.
Morgan Transport Group was started by David Morgan in 1996. Images: JOST
Move My Wheels deploys new Ategos
LEADING vehicle automotive logistics service provider PrixCar Services is expanding its eet of enclosed vehicle carriers with new Mercedes-Benz Atego trucks.
ese new vehicles will be used for highly-specialised vehicle movements and nal mile deliveries, moving one vehicle at a time for Move My Wheels, the retail arm of PrixCar Services.
e new Ategos will often be used for the last leg of the transport journey, delivering vehicles to locations with limited access, or where larg er trucks simply cannot go.
bodies ensure protection from the elements, as well as allowing customers to protect the vehicle from prying eyes.
“We chose the Atego for our new enclosed carriers as the design of the chassis requires very little modi cation to be able to build our bespoke body on,” said PrixCar National Fleet Manager, Goran Koviloski.
“ e new Atego allows us to increase the size of vehicle that we can carry in our onecar enclosed service o ering but keep the compact nature
PrixCar also values the advanced safety features that come as standard with the new Atego.
All Mercedes-Benz Ategos are tted with the Active Brake Assist Advanced Emergency Braking System, which can automatically brake the vehicle even if the driver fails to respond to a potential impact.
e new Atego is also tted with Active Sideguard Assist and Front Guard Assist, systems that monitor all angles and blind spots around the truck on the road to assist the
Delivered by Daimler
Trucks Laverton, PrixCar is no stranger to Mercedes-Benz trucks, taking delivery of Actros prime movers last year.
“We have established a great relationship with Mercedes-Benz as we also make use of the Actros in our eet. With the reviews we have had on the road from our drivers of the latest Actros, it was an easy decision to open the conversation and explore
the new Atego for other areas of our eet,” Koviloski said.
Daimler Truck Australia Paci c Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Andrew Assimo, said the Atego trucks are perfect for the Move My Wheels eet.
“ e Atego is perfectly suited to provide a premium vehicle delivery service with its clever design and advanced safety technology,” he said.
“Move My Wheels helps customers move their vehicles safely and reliably, so it only makes sense they do use a Mercedes-Benz truck.” e Atego features the OM936 8-litre six-cylinder with 240hp and 1000Nm of torque, which meets Euro 6 emissions standards. It is paired with the Powershift 3 six-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT).
FedEx welcomes 55 electric vehicles
FEDEX has announced the introduction of 55 electric vehicles (EVs) to its parcel pickup and delivery eet in Australia.
e vehicles comprise of Fuso eCanter trucks and Mercedes-Benz eSprinter vans, which will operate in pickup and delivery services across metropolitan areas.
FedEx said the initial rollout will start in Adelaide with the introduction of 15 Fuso eCanter trucks hitting the road.
e remaining EVs are to be deployed in major cities including Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. e company plans to expand into additional regional and metropolitan areas as new charging infrastructure is installed.
FedEx said the newly deployed electric vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, making them ideal for daily parcel pickup and delivery.
e Fuso eCanter trucks are estimated to avoid up to
13.2 tons of CO2 tailpipe emissions per vehicle annually when travelling 30,000 kilometres compared to diesel models, with an estimated range of up to 200 kilometres on a single charge.
Daimler Truck Australia Paci c President and CEO, Daniel Whitehead, said the eCanter order represents a huge step forward for sustainable transport.
“FedEx is setting the sustainability benchmark globally and we are thrilled to support this amazing leadership in Australia with the Fuso eCanter, the most advanced electric small truck in the market,” Whitehead said.
“We know FedEx will provide a great example of how companies and their customers can bene t from high-quality electric trucks.”
Daimler Truck Sales, Marketing and Operations Vice President, Andrew Assimo, said the Fuso eCanter is the perfect t for FedEx.
“ e Fuso eCanter features unmatched technology, from its clever e-axle to its next-level active emergency braking capabilities, and we know they will help FedEx deliver the kind of service that it is famous for,” he said.
“We are excited to see the FedEx Fuso eCanters out on the road, delivering for customers while producing zero exhaust pipe emissions.”
Each eSprinter van is projected to avoid up to 8.5 tonnes of CO2 tailpipe emissions per year based on estimated distance travelled, compared to a diesel-powered equivalent, ese vans feature a 1.5-tonne load capacity and a 264-kilometre range on a full charge.
“ e introduction of these electric vehicles to our pickup and delivery eet in Australia marks a pivotal moment in our operations,” said Peter Langley, Regional Vice President, FedEx Australasia.
“It is an important initial
step we have taken to help reduce the environmental impact of our pickup and delivery operations while continuing to provide the efcient and reliable service our customers expect.”
Langley said that as e-com merce continues to grow and consumers become more en
vironmentally conscious, FedEx believes that embracing electric vehicles is a strategic imperative for a cleaner and more sustainable future.
“We are not just delivering parcels and freight; we are taking tangible steps to help
serve,” Langley added. FedEx Australasia’s parent company, FedEx Corporation, aims to electrify the entire FedEx global parcel pickup and delivery (PUD) eet by 2040 and achieve carbon-neutral operations by
Fleet expansion includes five Fuso Shogun prime movers
XPRESS Fleet Management (XFM) has added ve new Fuso Shoguns to its busy eet as part of its continued expansion across its 11 depots.
e national logistics company, which was established in 2020 by Les Sharp, recently introduced the new Shogun 400 prime movers as well as nine new Vawdrey trailers.
XFM selected Shogun 400 models, which feature the Daimler Truck sourced 11-litre six-cylinder engine paired
with a 12-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT).
Tuned for ultimate e ciency, the Euro 6-rated engine produces 400hp, which is enough for short or long-haul work. e company opted for the 4×2 Shogun 400 con guration.
ese trucks also come standard with Advanced Emergency Braking System technology, which enables the truck to automatically
carry out full brake application in response to stationary and moving objects and even brake in response to moving or halted pedestrians.
Managing Director Sharp said the company’s recent eet upgrade is in-line with its commitment to operate modern high-quality equipment and rst-class depots across major Australian cities.
“Our customers can attest that we are 100 per cent committed to providing the
highest level of service and that means we operate modern quality trucks and trailers that are safe, e cient and well maintained,” Sharp said.
“Safety for our drivers and other road users is important, so we are also pleased the Fuso Shogun comes with a really high level of safety as standard.
“ e overall business case for the Shoguns, including the low operating costs, also makes it something that is
hard to say no to.”
Sharp also appreciated the help of Daimler Truck Australia Paci c Director of Strategic Partners and Business Development, Richard Eyre, who was able to help him get the right trucks for the job in a timely fashion.
e Fuso Shogun 400 bene ts from lengthy 50,000km service intervals that ensure the truck spends more time out on the road getting the job done.
It also features a manufacturer warranty that lasts for ve years or 500,000km, whichever occurs rst.
In addition, Shogun customers can choose from three di erent engine sizes, various power ratings and a raft of wheelbase and drive con gurations. e engine line up starts with the 8-litre, moves up to 11-litre and tops out with the muscular 510hp 13-litre powerplant in the Shogun 510.
PrixCar also values the advanced safety features that come as standard with the new Atego.
Images: Daimler Truck
The new Ategos will often be used for the last leg of the transport journey, delivering vehicles to locations with limited access.
The eCanter has an estimated range of up to 200 kilometres on a single charge.
Image: Daimler Truck
From humble beginnings to 15-truck fleet
With a new premises and services now on offer, this family-operated business has come a long way since it kicked off with a second-hand Scania in 2011.
STARTING out as a single truck furniture removalist, diversi cation has seen this Melbourne business grow its eet to 15 trucks.
Family owned and operated, Chugh Transport is based in Dandenong South. It was started in 2011 by Peter and Kirsty Chugh, with a second-hand Scania prime mover.
Today, the business has evolved from its original removals work and into container cartage – recently adding warehousing and container unpacking services at its new, larger premises.
e new facility on busy Remington Drive has beneted from exposure to passing tra c, and in turn luring new clients.
“It’s a big opportunity for us to expose ourselves more in the market,” Kirsty said.
“Moving to Remington Drive in March 2025, we expanded our footprint from 5000 square metres to 12,000 square metres, boosting our onsite capacity from 100 to 500 containers, but already we’re getting full.
“We will be looking at securing additional holding space for the trailers in the short term.
“For us to move into this building was very exciting. It was a massive achievement for us to get a place on a main road and know that we’ve got the capacity to bring 15 trucks in here. At our previous location in Fowler Road there was no through tra c.
Much of the business is focused on carting containers on A-doubles and B-doubles o the wharf in Melbourne and delivering to the yard, as well as using the company’s six side-loaders to deliver to customers’ premises.
Staying true to where they began, the eet has increased from one to 15 Scanias.
Peter and Kirsty have around 40 years of transport industry experience between them, initially starting in Queensland.
As the Operations Manager for a transport company there, Kirsty was transferred to Melbourne, so the couple moved down south.
He had worked with Wridgways Removals prior to their demise and managed to secure one of their Scania trucks, a 4x2 P 360, and used this in Melbourne to start Chugh Transport. at truck now has more than a million kilometres on the clock and was recently overhauled, so it is still able to earn its keep when required.
While Peter started o driving for Chugh Transport, Kirsty managed the business.
Peter has now stepped out of the driver’s seat and is focused on building sales, while their daughter Georgia helps out on the front desk in between her nursing studies.
With 20 employees on the books, mostly truck drivers and the all-important reach stacker drivers, the business has grown organically from the early days of the two directors doing everything themselves.
Initially, the work was removals and then carting to and from the wharf for freight forwarders but now delivering directly for customers is becoming a growing component of the daily schedule, as well as warehousing.
After a couple of years, the business purchased its second truck, a second-hand R 480 prime mover from the Scania Used Truck team in Campbell eld.
“ at truck cost $125,000, which was a great deal of money for us,” Kirsty said.
“Recently we put down $1.2 million on three new Scania trucks, so the times have changed. Early on we bought
three or four second-hand Scanias, and then we started buying them new.”
Peter says the company’s purchasing needs have increased. “I am looking forward to the day when I can order 10 in one go,” he said.
Kirsty says Peter’s love of Scanias started long ago.
“He had driven Scanias in previous jobs and just liked the way they drove. So, he wanted to keep buying them. We formed a good working relationship with Tev k Onguc, and then latterly with Mat Staddon, Scania Account Managers at the Dandenong Branch and it just went from there.
“Last year we bought three brand newies, and this year we have bought three as well; G 560 six-cylinder prime movers
and R 590 V8s. e V8s pull the A-doubles and the G 560s pull the side loaders,” she explained.
e eet also includes a G 440, 130-tonne rated R 590 V8, an R 620 V8, 460 P Supers and an R 540.
Chugh Transport has also taken advantage of Scania’s total transport solution.
“All our new trucks are on Scania repair and maintenance contracts, and we have used Scania Finance Australia since the very rst used truck we bought in 2013,” Kirsty added.
“We have had the Scania Driver Trainers in, and we also use Scania Fleet Monitoring.
“We can’t speak highly enough about Jade Saddler at Scania Finance and Aman
da Buckley before her. We have nanced all the trucks through them and Scania Finance has always come up with a solution that works for us. We know they work hard for us and to keep us. We’ve never had a call to go elsewhere. We do have a nance company that will look after us for trailers and forklifts, but Scania looks after all our nancing for our new vehicles.
“We were very excited when we took delivery of our rst brand new Scania, and in ve years it has never missed a beat. We’ll be looking at trading it in maybe next year, it has only around 350,000 kilometres on the clock. We work our trucks hard, and they deliver.”
Peter said the company is starting to log bigger annual kilometres now that its expanding its customer base and services.
“But probably not more than 85,000 kilometres per year on average across the eet,” Peter said.
“We are really pleased that the new Scania Supers that we have had on the eet have been delivering what we were promised in terms of fuel efciency improvements. We do monitor the fuel use, and we have a 60,000-litre tank on site, which is another way of keeping our fuel bills down,” Kirsty said.
“ e combination of buying bulk fuel and the fuel economy of the new Scanias is making a big impact on our fuel costs, given we use around 25,000 litres each month.”
Peter continued: “Reliability is a strong point and that’s come from the Scanias as well. We have had two side of the road breakdowns in 11 years, and that’s down to the reliability of the trucks, and the servicing that’s carried out by Scania Dandenong. If we do
THE DRIVERS LOVE THE SCANIAS. WE TRY TO KEEP THE SAME DRIVER IN THE SAME TRUCK, AND THEY REALLY LOOK AFTER THEM, THEY’RE SPOTLESS INSIDE.”
PETER CHUGH, CHUGH TRANSPORT
have a truck o the road for an extended period Anna Marie Taylor from Scania Truck Rental gets us moving again with a rental unit.
“But we have a back-up truck in the eet especially because we wouldn’t want to use a smaller truck for the bigger loads if one of those goes down. Our rule is we have designated trucks for designated work.”
e biggest cost after fuel is drivers, but Peter and Kirsty are proud that they have a stable driving crew, many of whom have been with the business many years.
“ e drivers love the Scanias. We try to keep the same driver in the same truck, and they really look after them, they’re spotless inside,” Peter said.
“We try to make this part of our culture, and they see that the bosses are neat and tidy, and they follow that example.
“We’ve kitted the drivers out with company clothing, and they have their name on their shirts, and they feel proud to represent us. e trucks are kept as clean as possible outside as well, and we have devised a new bold livery that really stands out on the road.
“We have employed many drivers. ey have to have
[L-R] Kirsty, Georgia and Peter Chugh. Images: Scania
Most of the work involves carting containers on A-doubles and B-doubles off the wharf in Melbourne and delivering to the yard.
good English and be able to pass a driving assessment before they get the job, and that includes reversing. You have to be able to back onto docks at some places, and everyone is always watching. It’s not just about safety but professionalism,” Peter said.
“Operationally, we only have company drivers, no subbies, and they are proud and loyal workers.”
As Kirsty explained: “We
have AI cameras in the trucks, watching the driver and the road, and they’ll trigger an alarm in the o ce if they detect the driver is fatigued or distracted, or braking or accelerating harshly. We get very few alarms.”
e heavyweight wharf work has necessitated running the trucks under mass management to bene t from the extra weight concession.
“We’re coming o the wharf
between 54-58-tonnes all up,” Peter said.
Box-carting around Melbourne is highly competitive, and there are six heavy-hitting competitors plus a gaggle of smaller operators not far from Chugh’s premises.
Kirsty says Chugh’s competitive edge lies in its service.
“Our customers know that they can talk to the boss at any time, especially if there’s an issue. With the bigger
players you wouldn’t get to speak to the guy who owns the business. We don’t operate a call centre. Customers can get through straight to the directors. at’s a feature many of our clients appreciate. We’re hustlers. We go hard. Whether it’s a big player or small players, we take on the challenge,” she said.
“It’s a very competitive market and I think the di erence with us is we’re a family busi-
ness. We give that one-to-one customer service. We know every single customer. We know their directors too.
“We know who’s moving containers with us today, who’s moving containers with us tomorrow, who’s got containers booked with us next week.”
Kirsty believes part of their success is due to not being reliant on freight forwarders.
“We have a lot of direct cus-
tomers, and they can see the bene t in using us. Our business is probably about 60 per cent direct to customer. e rest is with freight forwarders.
“Now we’re expanding into warehousing, because previously we didn’t have a warehouse, so we’re doing some container unpacks as well.
“We’d never done it before, but it is looking good because you’re o ering a much more rounded service.”
UNLEASH FURY
Why operators continue to embrace Isuzu’s FX Series
Seventeen years after its debut, Isuzu’s hardworking range has grown into a heavy-duty leader, blending power, payload and industry-leading safety.
WHEN Isuzu’s FX Series rst squared-up for a heavy-duty battle in 2008, it arrived as a formidable proposition.
e range provided Australian truck buyers with the opportunity to choose Isuzu’s famed reliability as a strong alternative to the many brands already competing in this weight segment.
Initially made available in ve model variants, the FX was positioned in the market between the popular Isuzu FV models and the now retired Giga (C & E Series) heavy-duty range.
e FXR and FXD models were well received by intrastate operators, in applications such as furniture vans or in urban operations, where towing a two-axle pig trailer was required. e FXZ became ideally suited to council and quarry-based tippers.
e original FX was powered by the then top-of-the-range Isuzu 6UZ1 “SiTEC SERIES
II 325” engine.
is 9.8 litre 6-cylinder powerplant featured high pressure common rail fuel injection, four valves per cylinder overhead camshaft (OHC) design, twin exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and a variable geometry system (VGS) turbocharger, providing operators with a high torque output powerplant, ideally suited to the targeted applications.
Today, the FX has evolved from a powerful apprentice into a sophisticated industry pillar, where power and payload are seamlessly matched by intelligent, industry-leading safety.
Seventeen years later, the FX’s legacy of performance endures, but its de ning character has been radically enhanced.
At the heart of the modern FX is a comprehensive, industry-leading safety suite, positioning it among the safest heavy-duty vehicles Isuzu Trucks says it has ever developed.
Enabled by a second-generation twin camera and radar combination – a key compo-
nent of Isuzu’s Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) – this comprehensive technology integrates both active and passive features as standard.
e FX now boasts critical functions including Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, and Full-Speed Adaptive Cruise Control, actively working to prevent incidents and protect drivers, assets, and other road users.
e Lane Keep Assist function also brings an excellent dynamic steering assistance function to the heavy range, which must be driven to be appreciated, says Isuzu. is safety evolution complements a continued commitment to environmental performance.
Today’s FX range bene ts from advanced engine and emissions technology that meets stringent modern standards, a signi cant evolution from the landscape of 2008. Now comprising of eight model variations up to 26,000kg GVM and sharing Isuzu’s highly capable and aptly powered six-cylinder, 259 kilowatt 6UZ1-TCC powerplant, the line-up has been re ned for a host of Australian applications and operational environments.
Exclusively mated with Gen 6 Allison transmissions, operators enjoy uid shifting with surprising fuel e ciency, suitable for various applications like agriculture, heavy construction, and long-range general freight transportation. Power is delivered to the ground through higher capacity Cummins-Meritor axles with standard di erential locks, and the new axles now feature air disc brakes at every position.
From livestock cartage to materials movement, the FX continues to y the ag for a range of applications and end-users across the country, delivering a carefully balanced combination of power, e ciency, safety and drivability.
Below three operators share why they made the transition to the new FX and how it’s been performing for them.
M&B McKimmie
Livestock Transport, Alpine Victoria
M&B McKimmie Livestock Transport is an essential service operating in the rugged high country of Victoria, a stone’s throw from Mount Kosciuszko. e family-run business transports livestock for local farmers, navigating tough terrain and long distances to market.
Challenge: e extreme environment, featuring steep mountain roads and rapidly changing weather, demands a supremely capable and reliable truck. is need was critically highlighted during the devastating summer bush res of 2019, where the ability to swiftly rescue and transport injured livestock became a matter of urgent community support.
Solution: e McKimmies invested in an Isuzu FXY 240-
350 6x4, selected for its powerful 257kW engine, high torque (1422 Nm), and exceptional stability from its bogie axles, which are vital for balancing heavy perishable loads on winding tracks. It’s straightforward, robust design and proven reliability in harsh conditions made it the ideal choice.
Outcome: e FXY has proven utterly dependable, with zero downtime in six years of hard work. Its capability and added features like Agri-matting for animal welfare have strengthened the McKimmie’s reputation, ensuring repeat business. e truck’s outstanding visibility and safety features provide con dence on some of the country’s most dangerous roads, making it an indispensable asset to both their business and their local community.
Clay Excavations, Pakenham, Victoria
Clay Excavations is a long-standing local excavation company servicing the Pakenham region, special-
ising in earthworks, driveways, and dam builds for farmers and neighbours. eir operations require versatile and reliable trucks to continuously cart heavy loads of crushed rock and transport machinery.
Challenge: e business needed a truck capable of handling high-volume tipper work while also serving as a powerful transport solution for moving heavy excavators and rollers. ey required a vehicle that could improve driver comfort for long days and boost on-site professionalism.
Solution: Owner, Dino Peacock, invested in a heavy-duty Isuzu FXY 240-350 6x4 Auto tipper. Key features that directly met their needs included a powerful 350hp engine producing 1,422 Nm of torque, a robust 24,000kg GVM, and a durable Hardox steel tipper body. e comfortable cab and popular Allison automatic transmission reduced driver fatigue.
Outcome: e FXY has become an indispensable asset for
Dino, e ortlessly handling full days of carting crushed rock and simultaneously transporting heavy machinery on its tray and a tag-along oat. Its reliability and impressive presence have boosted the company’s professional image and the truck’s performance and comfort have been so impressive that Dino plans to standardise his growing eet, with another Isuzu purchase already planned.
Tequa Plumbing & Civil, Gippsland, Victoria
Tequa Plumbing & Civil is a Gippsland-based contractor providing essential services for major infrastructure projects. eir operations demand a eet of reliable heavy-duty trucks to transport excavators, skid steers, and other machinery across challenging job sites.
Challenge: e company’s previous trucks were a constant source of nancial drain and operational risk. ey su ered from frequent breakdowns, high maintenance and triggered signi cant downtime. is unreliability threatened project timelines and pro tability, hampering the business’s growth and reputation. Solution: Tequa implemented a strategic eet standardisation around Isuzu’s heavy-duty FX range. ey introduced two FXY 240-350 6x4 models, selected for their renowned Japanese reliability, impressive payload capacity and powerful 350hp engines designed for demanding civil applications.
Outcome: e move to the Isuzu FX series has been transformative. e trucks have delivered exceptional reliability, drastically reducing maintenance costs and eliminating the downtime associated with the previous eet. e strategic investment has provided a clear return on investment through reduced operating costs and has become the foundation for the company’s continued growth and success.
The all-new FXY 260-355. Images: Isuzu Trucks M&B McKimmie Livestock
Townsville truckie enjoying the role
BRAD Wright, 47, drives a trusty 2004 Freightliner Argosy for Metalrig in Townsville and had just pulled into the BP Cluden parking area early one recent morning.
Metalrig specialises in structural steel erection, pre-cast/tilt panel and general lifting services. “We have cranes and lots of my work is locally at job sites,” Brad said.
Brad used to work for another company at Greenvale and likes the roadhouse there.
“It is good there for truck drivers,” he said.
e highway he dislikes travelling on is the Belyando between Clermont and Charters Towers. “It is very rough in places and the shoulders are dangerous.”
When asked about rest areas, Brad said he believes there are enough in his area.
“ e Pentland Pub along the Flinders Highway is good for us,” he added.
Outside of work, Brad enjoys shing and hunting at di erent locations in the vast expanses of the land and waters of the tropics. I asked Brad what he hunts for and he said feral pigs, which are in huge numbers.
“I mainly get the pigs in the Normanton area and sh
at the Great Barrier Reef and also creeks. I have had some luck catching barramundi, coral trout and nannygai,” he said.
Brad barracks for the Cowboys in the NRL but they failed to qualify for the nals series in the 2025 season.
Hitting the road after health scare
AFTER surviving several heart attacks and being diagnosed as clinically dead for several minutes, Ray Alexander purchased a new Isuzu light truck.
Ray had his rst heart attack on September 9, 2022. “ ey put stents in and ve days later I had another heart attack and had no pulse for minutes. ey got me back but told me I was clinically dead for that time,” he said.
ree years on, 66-year-old Ray is in good health and the Isuzu is going great guns for his business Gaysha in South Townsville.
It is one of the better recognised trucks in the city, so I asked Ray about it.
“I carry vintage furniture and other goods for my business and it has also been to Byron Bay in NSW where I took a load for a friend.
Another person borrowed it from me to go up to Port Douglas via Mareeba and it now has 13,000km on the clock,” Ray said.
He added that the Isuzu was comfortable and perfect for his requirement.
“It is more comfortable to drive in than my wife’s Mercedes car and does a far better job compared to a 4WD,” Ray said.
I had to ask Ray what was the most unusual load he had carried in the NNR 45-150 Isuzu.
“It would have to be a 130-year-old banquet mir-
ror which was 2.4 metres tall and came from a historical house,” he said. When he gets time, Ray enjoys socialising at the Commonwealth and Bellevue Hotels which are near his shop and are both popular haunts for o -duty truckies. “I like a beer but doctors told me to restrict that to a couple a few times a week. My health now seems good, touch wood,” he said.
Brad Wright works for Metalrig in Townsville.
Images: Alf Wilson
Ray Alexander purchased his Isuzu light truck, following a major health scare.
YOUNG truckie Baiden Behl-Whyman, 24, was polishing the exterior of the Kenworth T659 that he drives for Dawson’s Haulage when Big Rigs spotted him.
Baiden had loaded his road train home with “luggage for the Sunshine Coast airport on one trailer and the other loaded with dog food for Clermont then onto Toowoomba,” he said.
A driver for the past ve years, Baiden is based in Wodonga on the Victorian
In the blood for young driver
side of the NSW border.
Baiden is a lover of a classic steak, eggs and chips and highly rates Wimpys Roadhouse in Wodonga, which is close to home.
He also mentioned the Ross Island Hotel in Townsville which does a good feed.
When o duty Baiden enjoys a cold XXXX Gold amongst good company.
As for young people wanting to get into the industry, considering the age of your average truckie is in the
high fties, Baiden had this to say.
“A lot of young people don’t want to work hard anymore but I love my job. My father is a truck driver and my late grandfather who sadly passed away and that’s where my love and interest for trucks stemmed from.
“If you’re willing to work hard, you can expect to enjoy the rewards. I highly recommend getting into driving but it isn’t for the faint hearted.”
Not enough rest areas for truckies
DUSTY Gillies, 54, rst gained his interest in trucks while driving one o -road on a farm near Euroa in Victoria as a 14-year-old.
Today, he drives a 2013 Mack Trident for Yatala company Project Haulage and travels with his pet dog Sophie.
Like many other drivers Dusty reckons there are not near enough rest areas with facilities for drivers.
“At many you pull up and they are over owing with caravans,” he said.
When travelling to Mount Isa I stopped at one for a fatigue break and it was full so I had to drive on. I travel all around Australia.”
Dusty rates some highways in NSW as di cult to travel on and has several preferences for good roadhouses.
“ e BP Cluden at Townsville and some along the Nullarbor Highway are great,” he said.
With so much attempted
theft from trucks and trailers prevalent these days, Dusty says he has an ideal deterrent.
His beloved mutt may be small in size, but when anybody appears near Dusty’s truck it barks loudly to warn him.
I can attest to that after pulling up near Dusty deep in the tropics, as he sat in the cabin at a quiet section of the parking area at a huge north Queensland roadhouse.
“Sophie is a French bulldog cross and is a great companion to be with,” Dusty said. “Will the dog bite me?” I asked Dusty. e answer was no, but the bark was enough for anybody nearby to hear. Dusty barracks for the Richmond Tigers in the national AFL and even though they missed the nals series this season he had this to say. “ ey did win a lot a short time ago,” he said.
Baiden Behl-Whyman followed in the footsteps of his truck driving father and grandfather.
Dusty Gillies with his French bulldog cross, Sophie, who also serves as his truck’s guard dog.
No room for trucks at full rest areas
DRIVERS around the country continue to tell Spy that often they pull up at a rest area for a required fatigue break only to nd there is no parking space because of the number of caravans.
ey’re given no alternative than to drive on to nd the nearest rest area or pull o zone.
So how do they stand legally if they nd themselves with such a dilemma?
If they got stopped by trafc police or NHVR o cers during that time heading to another stop, would they be shown any latitude?
e truckies Spy spoke to replied with a de nitive “No”.
is is a circumstance which is not an intentional action by a truck driver.
But they would still face a heavy ne and possible loss of vital demerit points through no fault of their own.
Some o cers may be sympathetic to the dilemma, but many wouldn’t.
Spy thinks there should be a law which ensures such drivers are not penalised.
New Tasmanian rest area
A new Heavy Vehicle Driver Rest Area (HVDRA) will be built at Detention River in Tasmania as part of upgrades to the Bass Highway between Wynyard and Marrawah.
at was the news Spy has heard from numerous Apple Isle drivers who applaud the decision.
So Spy contacted State Growth in Tasmania for con rmation.
“ e rest area at Detention River will feature a dedicated left-turn lane into it, four truck parking bays and a rest stop shelter,” a State Growth
spokesperson said.
State Growth said rest area construction went out for tender on September 13, 2025 along with a number of other projects under the Bass Highway – Wynyard to Marrawah program.
Construction on the rest area is expected to start in late-2025 or early-2026.
e distance between Wynyard and Marrawah is around 115 kilometres.
Several drivers who frequent the stretch of highway have told Spy that a rest area here is long overdue.
Detention River is in the Circular Head region of the Apple Isle, 35km from Smithton town and 200km from Launceston in the opposite direction.
e entire route is very busy with trucks and parking near the roadhouse there is limited.
Girl’s tribute to Toots
When eight-year-old Alice Homewood from remote Wondinong Station in WA had to pick a theme for Book Week, she chose to do a trib-
ute to legendary female truck driver Toots Holzheimer. Toots died on February 29, 1992 in a tragic accident at Evans Landing, Weipa, at the age of 57 after more than 30 years driving across Cape York Peninsula.
Wondinong Station has 700 head of cattle and is located 80km north-east of Mount Magnet and 700km
from the capital Perth.
Young Alice is a School of the Air Kalgoorlie student and Book Week is a highlight of the year for parents and children.
Her mother Lara Jensen told Big Rigs the family loves Australian history and honouring legendary people including pioneers.
“We are all Slim Dusty fans
and when Alice said she wanted to do a tribute to Toots we were delighted. We had purchased a book about her.
Alice got a wig to put on her head and stood in front of an old International we have on the station holding the book,” Lara said.
e International Acco 1810A model is used as a station truck mainly for carting troughs, tanks and the like.
Alice has three brothers Shae (25), Jack (23) and Gordon (nine), and sisters Matilda (six) and her youngest sibling Polly Homewood – a twoyear-old toddler.
Alice loves horse riding, building bush cubbies and has a particular interest in bush Australian heroes and heroines.
“All six children are avid Slim Dusty fans and rst learnt the story of Toots ‘ e Lady is a Truckie’ from the Slim Dusty song. I then bought the outstanding book ‘Toots: Woman in a Man’s World’ by Donna Vawdrey as part of the Australian book collection we have. I believe it’s so important for all our children to
know and appreciate the lives of the outstanding Australians who built this country. Toots was a woman of true grit and Alice has always been fascinated by her life and her story as an iconic pioneer in the Australian trucking industry, which is why she chose her for her book week character,” Lara said. e Livestock & Rural Transport Association of Western Australia (LRTAWA) was glowing in its praise of Alice’s e orts. “ is e ort is hard to beat. Alice from Wondinong Station certainly got into the spirit with this tribute to legendary truck driver ‘Toots’ Holzheimer. Outstanding work Alice,” they said in a social media post.
Welcome wave from scalies
Old Spy enjoys the odd sprinkling of humour and almost choked on his corn akes when a NSW driver contacted me about a positive experience with scalies. It was near the entrance to a heavy vehicle inspection station near Gundagai.
Trucks parked beside limited space next to Detention River Roadhouse. Image: Alf Wilson
A truck leaves Tasmania’s Detention River Roadhouse where a new rest area is planned. Image: Alf Wilson
Young Alice Homewood stands in front of the old International with the book on Toots. Image: Alf Wilson
Legendary female truck driver Toots Holzheimer.
was full of trucks and there was even four waiting to be called in. But much to my delight, an o cer appeared and waved me on,” he said.
I asked him how it felt to be saved from a delay whilst ofcers went over his truck and trailers, and his logbook.
“I really felt like I had slipped away from them. It was north of the Wagga Wagga exit,” he said.
Pothole paradise
From my informants in WA came heaps of complaints about giant potholes in sections of two major highways.
ese are the Great Northern Highway between Perth and Mount Magnet and the Great Eastern connecting the capital to Kalgoorlie.
“ ere had been heaps of rain during August over here and the big potholes are starting to appear. Some are causing tyre damage and we don’t see many crews out xing them,” one disgruntled owner-operator told Spy.
NT highway horror
Spy had just nished talking to the WA driver about potholes there when several emails arrived showing a terrible NT highway.
“And they’ve got the cheek to call it a highway,” were the
e “dirt” in question is the Tablelands Highway in the NT which many drivers have told Spy is a challenge to get along.
e Tablelands Highway is a 375km single lane sealed road and runs from Barkly Homestead on the Barkly Highway to Cape Crawford near Borroloola on the Carpentaria Highway.
Whilst it is sealed, it is very narrow with wider dirt shoulders on each side.
It is unfenced and roaming stock are also a problem.
ere is an unwritten rule for users. If there is a vehicle coming the other way, particularly a road train, slow right down and get completely o the road.
For those who have never been on the route, check out the pic above sent to me by a driver who frequently has to use the road.
Driver and chef to the rescue
A truck driver and a chef ended up being heroes after an unsavoury incident at an establishment popular with o -duty drivers.
ere had been a birthday party there and an angry man aged in his late twenties started screaming abuse at patrons.
Even more concerning is that the culprit threw beer
glasses and a couple of chairs around.
e super t chef emerged from the kitchen and tackled the unruly fellow who managed to get up and start abuse again.
en a well known truck driver got in on the act and helped hold the villain until the cops arrived.
Over the next few days the incident was discussed at length there and some melodrama was even added.
But Spy did speak to the manager who con rmed that it had occurred.
Scalies active
e breakdown pad along the Townsville Port Access Road is a regular location for scalies to set up and check out trucks.
Every day hundreds of heavy vehicles use the road heading to and from the busy harbour.
Recently I saw an operation taking place as trucks were pulled over.
Spy contacted the NHVR media team to glean how the operation went and if any major breaches were detected.
“I spoke with our operations team in Townsville and this was not part of a National Operation, it was part of standard NHVR Safety and Compliance O cer rostered duties,” a spokesperson said. Further investigations revealed that the drivers and trucks stopped were mainly cleared.
However on a negative note, a day after the operation concluded there was a head on collision near the breakdown pad which resulted in a fatality.
But no truck was involved.
More snake reports
Since mentioning that snakes have been aggressive at some rest areas, more reports have been received about further incidences.
An NT driver said he stopped at a pull o area beside the Tablelands Highway and saw a snake on the ground as he left his driver’s seat.
“I thought it was dead but being a poisonous species I was wary. But it was alive and started slithering towards me and I got back into the truck.
It took o into the scrub,” he said.
A driver who travels the Flinders Highway said he has often seen aggressive snakes at a rest area about 55km from Cloncurry and another 48km from Richmond.
“ ey have been near the seats so I give them a wide berth,” he said.
Road repair work
Regular contributor Graham Hunt is enthusiastic about anything to do with trucks and being a keen photogra pher is always on the lookout for pictures to send to Spy. His latest o ering was snaps of some roadworks along Paci c Parade at Bilinga on the Gold Coast.
Aged 80, Graham remains active, riding a pushbike around the streets and he’s always on the lookout for picture opportunities.
Fruit drives health
From four states, reports continue to be received by Spy about truck drivers looking to improve their health and stopping beside highways to purchase fruit from either stalls or small trailers.
One NSW driver said he has been purchasing Valencia oranges near Mildura in Victoria and beside parts of the Sturt Highway in South Australia.
“ ey are very cheap at $4 a bag and I just purchased ve and will give some to the people I deliver to over in WA,” he said.
Near Barooga in NSW, drivers have been buying fruit from small trailers under an honesty system where they place money in a box,” another driver said.
Up in Queensland there are scores of little green trailers which have bananas in them and most days every one is sold out.
At $2.50kg that is good value when compared to prices at supermarkets. Doctors told me that bananas are a great source of potassium, which is vital for the body.
Revenge on joker
Workmates of a driver at a big road transport company, who is renowned for playing practical jokes, was the victim of one himself. is fellow enjoys putting
rubber snakes in his colleague’s bags which has been one of his favourite antics.
ere are other tricks which had his mates desiring payback but this lad has a high IQ and was always on the lookout.
ey knew his favourite drink was lemon, lime and bitters which he purchased in small bottles and placed in the work fridge.
So one colleague bought a bottle of sweet chilli sauce which is a similar in colour to lemon, lime and bitters and in the same size bottle. e label on the chilli sauce was replaced by another from the bitters drink.
Old mate swallowed it hook line and sinker and he took a huge swig before spitting it out as others laughed.
Sweet revenge was gained and in doing so they knew the chilli sauce would not harm him.
Thieves on fire
After my pars in a recent edition about rampant fuel theft and straps which hold down loads comes reports about another prized target for these grubs.
e re extinguishers that are usually in place at the back of a prime mover.
A veteran who does extensive interstate trips said his re extinguishers have been targeted many times.
“ ey cost a fair bit of money and now at night I remove the extinguisher and place it in my cabin,’’ he said.
Roadworks along Pacific Parade at Bilinga on the Gold Coast. Image: Graham Hunt
The dreadful NT highway which drivers hate going along. Image: Supplied
10-point test all new drivers should pass
I have 10 questions and skill tests that will keep drivers and others alive that are not tick-a-box answers.
is is advice I have given to drivers I employed over the years based on my experience.
ese also incorporate some of the requirements drivers need to be schooled on before gaining a multi-combination heavy vehicle license and some should also apply to a HC licence too.
1. What is the most important driver’s aid in the cab of a heavy vehicle that has
the potential to save your life? How do you use it, and when, and where do you nd it?
2. Drivers must be taught and able by using mental arithmetic without the aid of electronics within ve seconds before committing to overtake another heavy vehicle. ey must understand time, distances and speed.
• For example, a 26-me-
tre B-double travelling at 100km/h overtaking a 36.5-metre road train at 90km/h will need approximately 2km and 2 minutes 20 seconds to complete the pass safely.
• How far can the overtaking driver see? Once a driver crosses the white line to commit the pass, he/she is liable for what happens next, and he can’t abrogate his responsibility to the other driver.
A test for people: If a 19-metre heavy vehicle at 100km/h is overtaking another 19-metre vehicle doing 97km/h, which is a common scenario, what time and distance does he/ she need to pass safely? Unsafe passing kills many drivers each year including innocent drivers. Dashcams show us many examples of stupid habits some drivers
A learner should know what the four di erent types of fatigue are, and how to understand and respond to each of them. All of them can kill: driving stress fatigue, comfort fatigue, physical fatigue and start-back-from-time-away
A driver of a multi-trailer combination should never swerve or brake to avoid animals or objects on a highway, unless he/she is prepared for the reaction of
the combination and using the driver’s aid in the cabin to counter the reaction of the vehicle in doing so.
• By using the in-cabin drivers aid as mentioned when a driver needs to respond to an emergency, a reaction should take 0.5 of a second with practice, every action or nonaction has the potential to have lifesaving results.
6. ere is a driver’s aid in heavy vehicles that should not be used when driving in fog, wet weather, and most country roads. Mistakes kill – they need to be instructed why.
7. Drivers should be instructed never to rely on statutory drivers’ aids built into trucks and to use their own common sense and override them when necessary.
8. Drivers need to be instructed to never rely solely on a tug test when hooking up trailers and be taught what else that needs to be done by them.
9. Drivers must be made to do their equipment checks and do their own coupling up of combinations before leaving depots, including checking that all fth wheels are lubricated with grease or powder as required. Dry fth wheels can kill, especially on B-doubles, so it’s in their own best interests. Mistakes kill.
• It’s a driver’s duty of care and
they need to be instructed to protect trailers from catching re and do regular trailer hub checks using hands or electronic temp gauges and to note temperatures of hubs when checking tyres, usually every 2-3 hours.
10. Drivers need to be instructed when not to use webbing straps on particular freight and use dogs and chains, why canter lever dogs are better than wind up dogs on some freight, what load restraint equipment they should use on timber, steel, machinery, and how to restrain loads of steel mesh. Webbing has limits, contrary to the restraint guide’s instructions And if you fail a test, come back again.
1. The use of the trailer hand piece is a forgotten aid, first explained to me by express drivers back in the fifties. It’s a potential lifesaver, such as during a blown steer tyre. Using it in driving emergencies has saved me from certain death and injuries.
Answers:
6. Cruise control.
Promised roads – How do we determine the progress?
HERE’S a look at how state, territory, and federal governments are performing on their commitments to road and infrastructure investment.
What was committed?
In the past 12 months, both federal and state governments have made major announcements, promising billions of dollars in road funding – often targeting safety, regional freight e ciency, bridge renewal, and heavy vehicle productivity.
At the federal level, the government pledged:
• $45 million for 19 high-priority road and bridge upgrades across regional Australia, split between the Bridges Renewal Program (BRP) and the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program (HVSPP). From July 2024, these transitioned to the new Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP).
• $4.4 billion through the Roads to Recovery program (2024-29), managed by local governments.
• Ongoing investment in Black Spot Programs and Land Transport Infrastructure Agreements with states to deliver major freight corridor upgrades.
• A record $7.2 billion commitment to Queensland’s Bruce Highway, with several segments now in early works.
At the state level:
• South Australia committed to the Truro Bypass and upgrades along the High Productivity Vehicle Network.
• Victoria began bridge upgrades along the Green Triangle and Western Freeway freight corridors.
• New South Wales allocated over $500 million for road safety projects under the Federal Road Safety Program.
• Western Australia announced record spending through the Safer Roads and Black Spot programs, targeting over 100 regional sites.
• e Northern Territory awarded contracts to upgrade
the Carpentaria Highway, including a new ood-resilient bridge at October Creek.
What’s actually happened?
Here’s where things get murky. Some projects have clearly progressed:
• e Deep Creek and Spring Gully bridge replacements in northern NSW are under construction.
• Wedge eld Road upgrades in WA and the Malbon-Selwyn Road causeway works in Qld were con rmed under the $45M regional package.
• Green Triangle bridge upgrades are listed as under construction.
But beyond these examples, most projects lack clear public reporting on:
• Scope and timeframes.
• Whether they’ve even started construction.
• Whether bridge upgrades will genuinely support HPVs or just replace failing timber.
• Whether freight corridors
are being improved or simply patched.
• Whether new announcements are actually fresh investment – or rehashed old promises.
For instance, of the 14 bridges funded under BRP before its merger with SLRIP, there’s no consolidated public update. Roads to Recovery projects are equally hard to track unless you trawl through council documents.
Why can’t we track this? at’s the issue: we can’t. At least not easily. Road infrastructure delivery is fragmented across programs, governments, and jurisdictions. While the money is real and the announcements bold, the public has no consolidated view of:
• Which projects have progressed beyond the media release.
• Which regions are bene ting.
• Where taxpayer dollars are actually being spent. is lack of transparency makes it di cult for rural operators and communities to plan with con dence, and it erodes trust in government accountability.
We know it’s possible, so why not do it? ere are signs of progress:
• e National Road Safety Data Hub now hosts an interactive map of federally funded safety initiatives by
location and delivery status. It’s a good start, but limited in scope, missing state projects and detailed milestones.
• AusRAP, launched by Austroads this month, is a signi cant step forward. It benchmarks national road conditions on a 1-5 star scale. A scan of the platform shows many key rural freight routes rated Level 2 or 3 – with the only Level 5 roads in Sydney. Importantly, state and territory ministers have endorsed AusRAP, recognising you can’t invest strategically without knowing where investment is needed most.
Imagine one public platform combining project announcements and timelines (from funded to completed), AusRAP condition ratings, freight relevance (e.g. B-double or PBS access), funding sources and budget spend, and links to local delivery partners. It’s absolutely possible, we just need the will to do it.
Accountability:
We do what we say –Governments should too Transport operators don’t operate on goodwill and headlines. We back our commitments with accreditation, documented policies and procedures, internal audits, fatigue and risk management systems, and, increasingly, Safety Management Systems (SMS).
ese aren’t box-ticking exercises. ey protect our people,
meet legal obligations, and uphold trust with our customers. And we’re expected to have them available for inspection at any time. So why is there no equivalent accountability for governments?
e heavy vehicle sector contributes close to $6.5 billion annually in road user charges and registration fees. e National Transport Commission itself describes these as cost-recovery mechanisms for road wear and access. And yet, we have no clear public reporting of how or where this money is spent. We’ve seen repeated reviews (like Heavy Vehicle Road Reform) calling for greater transparency, user-led investment decisions, and data-driven planning. But the system still hasn’t caught up.
Can we ask for accountability?
Billions in road funding have been committed – and the freight industry welcomes every cent. But we don’t just need investment, we need visibility. Because without transparency, we don’t know whether the work is happening, whether it’s being done right, or whether rural freight corridors – the lifeblood of our industry – are being left behind.
If operators are expected to walk the talk, governments should too. Because roads that are promised must also be delivered.
The Deep Creek and Spring Gully bridges are due for completion in early 2026. Image: Richmond Valley Council
Why celebrating industry achievements matters
Crown Palladium, was no exception.
It was a night of pride, recognition, and re ection – a moment to honour those who go above and beyond to keep Australia moving.
EACH year, the Australian Freight Industry Awards (AFIAs) o er a powerful reminder of the extraordinary people and organisations that make our freight and logistics sector one of the most dynamic and essential in the country.
is year’s 35th annual celebration, held at Melbourne’s
As I stood before hundreds of industry professionals, I was struck by the sheer scale of talent, innovation, and commitment in the room. From ports to paddocks, our sector is the engine room of the economy. Every day, freight and logistics professionals deliver goods, connect businesses, and support livelihoods. Yet, too often, their work goes unseen.
e AFIAs bring that work front and centre, celebrating
not just success, but the spirit of resilience and ingenuity that de nes our industry. is year’s winners exemplify that spirit. e Hon. Duncan Gay AM was named Personality of the Year, a tting tribute to his enduring in uence and leadership.
Mariella Teuira of Peter Sadler Removals and Logistics received the Women’s Leadership Award, highlighting the growing strength and visibility of female leaders in our sector.
Jack Di Losa from Cold Xpress was honoured as Emerging Leader, representing the next generation of freight professionals who are already making their mark.
Safety, technology, and sustainability were also key themes. DHL Supply Chain Australia took home the Best Practice Safety Award, reinforcing the importance of protecting our people and operations.
Wettenhalls earned the Application of Technology Award for their forward-thinking approach to digital transformation. Brooklyn Recycling Group was recognised with the Greenstart Sustainability Award, while TOMRA Cleanaway was named Waste and Recycling Business of the Year – both demonstrating how environmental responsibility is becoming central to freight operations.
ment in People category was particularly meaningful. It re ects a broader trend across the industry: organisations are investing in their teams, nurturing talent, and building cultures of excellence.
is year saw a record number of entries across all categories, a testament to the pride and ambition driving our sector forward.
ese awards are not just about trophies. ey are about fostering a culture of recognition and progress.
When we celebrate excellence, we inspire others to innovate, collaborate, and lead. We create role models and raise
and the broader community –that freight and logistics are not just vital, but visionary.
AFIA Chair Dennis Ryan captured this sentiment perfectly when he said, “Recognising achievement inspires progress.”
I couldn’t agree more. Strong industry associations like the VTA provide a trusted platform for collaboration, where operators, suppliers, and regulators come together to solve shared challenges and in uence meaningful change. e
AFIAs are a cornerstone of that mission.
I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all our nalists
ments re ect the best of what our industry has to o er. I also thank our major event supporters – Team Super and Viva Energy Australia – for their continued commitment to making this celebration possible. As we look ahead to 2026 and beyond, let us continue to honour excellence – not just once a year, but every day. Let us champion innovation, invest in our people, and lead with purpose. Because when we celebrate our industry’s best, we strengthen the entire freight and logistics community – and that bene ts all Australians.
Mounting pressures impacting our health
“LIFE’S a dance you learn as you go,” so the song by John
Life’s a struggle we battle as we go, I think that is the case for many of us at the moment. ere is a lot of emphasis lately, especially with RUOK day, on our mental health, a lot of talk and awareness and discussion about mental health; encouraging us to speak up and seek help and talk to professionals and talk to our mates.
I think we need to concentrate some of that emphasis on an awareness of services
that may be driving people to that place of desperation. e nancial pressure that owner operators, and drivers with families and most young families are under right now with the cost of living and the cost to live on the road, and the cost to live at home.
Trucking companies are disappearing every week, putting ever more people in nancial stress. is can cause physical
health issues as well as mental, as we all tend to neglect our health in times of crisis. Simple lack of attention can mean that we don’t make time for healthy eating, exercise and a much more healthy lifestyle.
Where we used to spend more time with our families and friends, today we spend much more time with our electronics and this only exacerbates our other issues.
We need to start raising awareness of what other options are out there, where people need to go to get good nancial advice for free, legitimate and basic advice for ordinary people.
We have so many wonderful organisations now for mental health and I think everybody
knows where they can go and what’s available to them.
Fabulous organisations like Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds and TradeMutts are doing amazing work but I think we also need to make sure there are other options available out there for the underlying root causes that can drive people to have the mental health problems in the rst place.
Many people don’t know where they can go to get free nancial advice, good solidnancial advice, someone who can set them up for the future. I have been to some nancial advisors and they are not living on the same wavelength as ordinary people who live paycheck to paycheck.
Skills like how to budget, save and invest and similar subjects should be in school curriculums so that they reect life better.
If we taught life and business skills instead of algebra, people would come into the world knowing how to look after themselves, how to be independent and set up to face life. And how they can set themselves up so as that when they reach middle age in later life, they can look after themselves into their retirement.
As our population ages, especially our trucking population, I think we need to see this as a real problem. Maybe we need to lookout for ways to take care of them in all aspects of their life or our lives.
ANDERSON
Victorian Transport Association
award with [L-R] Peter Anderson, Ross Greig of CMV Truck & Bus, and Dennis Ryan.
Women’s Leadership Award winner Mariella Teuira of Peter Sadler Removals & Logistics accepting her award.
Michael Montgomery says.
WOMEN IN TRANSPORT
JACQUELENE BROTHERTON Chair of Transport Women Australia Limited
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
associated with a fork (5) 9 When one changes something, one does what (6)
What does soap do (7)
When one has washed something lightly, one has done what (6)
To make esteemed, is to do what (6)
Which word means from one side to another (6)
18 To percolate, as water, is to do what (5)
19 What holds a blackboard up (5) 21 What is a tax, tribute, or duty (4) 22 Name the 15th March (4)
RFNSW announces 2025 Freight Industry Award Winners
ONE of the highlights of the Road Freight NSW (RFNSW) Conference in Sydney last month was the announcement of the winners of the NSW Freight Industry Awards for 2025.
RFNSW CEO Simon O’Hara said the awards recognise those who have made invaluable contributions to the industry, and have been nominated by their peers for their exceptional work.
is year’s winners included the CEO Award which was presented to Cameron Taylor from Linde.
Taylor was honoured for his quick-thinking in saving the day when he came upon a truck re on March 3 this year.
Drawing on his extensive experience as a dangerous goods manager, he assessed the scene, prioritised safety, and worked to contain the blaze.
“Cameron’s swift and sel ess actions prevented tragedy and safeguarded lives. He exemplies the highest standards of our industry and is a truly deserving recipient of this year’s CEO Award,” O’Hara said during the presentation.
In his acceptance speech Taylor said he was very humbled and honoured to receive the award.
“All of us here in the room have a great passion for this industry,” he said.
“ ere are challenges and trials, but also great rewards. On days like this, we are reminded
why we do what we do – and why we keep on keeping on.”
O’Hara added that the awards showcase the very best of the industry.
“ ey’re the hard-working professionals who go above and beyond every day, to keep NSW moving,” he said.
“At a time of ongoing economic pressure, rising operational costs and regulatory challenges, these are the men and women who continue to set the highest standards for our industry.
“RFNSW is proud to support and celebrate their excellence and achievements.”
Transport Woman of the Year Kate Beck, of Beck’s Transport Training, said that she was excited to share the
news with her social media followers.
“I love the work I do alongside the relationships I have built with our clients,” she wrote.
“Being able to try and get better recognition for the ACT, working in the road safety space and getting things updated for the local industry is work I love doing.
Two Australian teams to do battle at global nal
“ is is personally an amazing achievement and one I am extremely proud of.”
The full list of winners are:
• CEO Award – Cameron Taylor, Linde
• Contribution to Industry –Max Lu , Border Express (accepted by son Mark)
• Professional Driver of the Year – Damien Sopone, Lopez Bros. Transport
• Emerging Leader – Ainsleigh omas, Australia Post
• Industry Newcomer – Jy Bailey, Wymap Group
• Best Safety Culture – Formula Chemicals
• Transport Woman of the Year – Kate Beck, Beck’s Transport Training
tralian teams and one New Zealand team earning their
place at the Global Championship Finals in Allentown and New York in November. is year’s competition proved ercer than ever, with 23 teams achieving perfect scores at the conclusion of Round 3. To determine the nalists, a high-pressure sudden death round was introduced, where both accuracy and response time determined the ultimate nalists. Designed to sharpen aftersales expertise, foster teamwork, and enhance customer satisfaction, Mack Masters brings together dealership
service, warranty, and parts professionals in a series of rigorous knowledge-based challenges. e competition culminates in the global nals, where the top teams from around the world face o in demanding, hands-on workshop tasks.
After weeks of intense competition, Australian teams, VMAC_IV+ from VCV Sydney Prestons and Night Riders from VCV Brisbane North emerged victorious and will represent the nation on the global stage.
ey will be joined by Bark-
ing Mack, the inaugural New Zealand champions from Truckstops, Whangarei, who will make their debut at the nals.
is year also marks the launch of Mack Masters in New Zealand, extending the competition’s reach across the Tasman for the very rst time.
“It’s a privilege to have a New Zealand team included in this global competition,” said Scott Holt, General Manager for Mack Trucks in New Zealand.
“Our service network
through Truckstops has embraced Mack Masters, to not only showcase their passion for the brand and to compete on the world stage, but to improve knowledge and skills to better support our customers. us, a rming the strength of the brand and the depth of aftermarket support in New Zealand.”
e Global Championship Finals will take place in Allentown and New York in November 2025, bringing together the best aftersales professionals from across the globe.
Trucks’ global aftersales com petition, Mack Masters, has
Beck (Beck’s Transport Training), RFNSW CEO Simon O’Hara, ATA CEO Mathew Munro, Jy Bailey (Wymap Group), Ainsleigh Thomas (Australia Post) and Damien Sapone (Lopez Bros. Transport). Image: Monique Perera
Tony O’Connell, Vice President, Mack Trucks Australia, centre, with the two Australian teams that will represent their nation at the global Mack Masters finals. Image: Mack Trucks Australia
Young truckie says she’s living her dream
In just 18 months, this go-getting young truckie has already clocked up almost half a million kilometres – and her professionalism hasn’t gone unnoticed.
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
PORCHA Sta ord, 22, says she had wanted to get into trucks for as long as she can remember. Not only has she achieved that dream, she’s also been formally recognised in the process – being named the National Young Driver of the Year at the 2025 NatRoad Awards last month.
Based in Devonport, Tasmania, her path into truck driving began in February 2024, when she started working at De Bruyn’s Transport as a forklift driver, alongside her twin sister Piper Sta ord. Together, they’ve worked their way up into their current roles as HC drivers.
As Porcha told Big Rigs, “My sister started working at De Bruyn’s Transport rst, on the forklift, and had told me how much she was loving it there.
I applied too and got a job on the forklift. When I started on the forklift, I was hoping they’d o er me the opportunity to go for my truck licence.”
ough she never imagined it would happen so quickly.
“After a few months on the forklift, one of the company’s medium rigid drivers left and
De Bruyn’s o ered me that run. My sister Piper had also moved across to driving a me dium rigid about six months before me,” explained Porcha.
HC and I followed about two months later. I was in the rigid for about eight or nine months before upgrading my licence. ey had an opening and asked if I’d like to go for my HC.” Without hesitation, she replied, “Absolutely!
“De Bruyn’s has been amazing. I can’t fault them at all. If you’re willing to have a crack, they’re willing to help you and push you along to go further.”
Porcha has so far driven
tres, driving various trucks.
Her work is wide and varied, and includes carrying complex loads like dangerous goods
Her positivity and can-do ticed by De Bruyn’s, which says she’s a standout in the Devonport team – leading them to nominate her for the NatRoad Young Driver of the
Interestingly, the twins’ grandfather was also a truck driver, though they never got the chance to ride in the truck with him as they were too little.
Easter Group Pty Ltd Easter Group Pty Ltd
73 Formation St,Wacol
Asked about her path into her current HC role, Porcha said the training o ered by De Bruyn’s has been second to none. “I started out in the passenger seat with an experienced driver showing me around, then I drove with them in the truck until I got my licence. I’ve had my HC for about a month.
“I’ve already done nearly half a million kilometres across both the rigid and the semi, but I absolutely love working here so it makes the work so much easier.”
Porcha is currently driving a 540hp Volvo FM. “I do general freight around Tasmania, as well as a bit of container work and dangerous goods. I usually travel to Burnie (about 40 minutes from the Devonport depot) and Launceston (about an hour from the depot).”
She added that her recent award nomination and subsequent win was completely unexpected.
“Our safety o cer called
speech,” Porcha admitted. She travelled to Shepparton, Victoria, for the awards night, together with her branch manager Scott Sharp, and was shocked to hear her name called out.
“I thought what the hell – we’re only from little old Tassie!”
And her family is rightfully proud.
Tassie while I’m so young, but if there was an opportunity in the future, who knows.”
Porcha also encouraged other young people to “give the industry a crack”.
“If you want to get into truck driving, just go for it. I can’t fault my experience at all. It also helps when you have such great mentors who can help you. If I don’t know something, I can just ask,” Porcha said.
“It was also a great opportunity to be able to learn o a few di erent experienced drivers because they’re all so full of knowledge and all do things in their own di erent ways.”
Easter Group,located inWacol,providestimesensitiveroad transporting solutions to many companies throughout Queensland, NewSouthWales, South Australia andVictoria.
We are a family owned business,operatingsince 1976. We currently have the following positions available:
MC LOCAL, LINEHAUL & 2-UP DRIVERS WANTED (Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Based)
Come and work for us as we are committed to:
• Training and further education
• Your safety
• Maintaining an impressive Fleet
On offer are permanent full time, part time, casualand roster positions including weekend work, paid leave entitlements and public holidays.Drivers need to be available for weekend work as scheduled for work falling across the 7 days of the week.
The successful Applicant will:
• Hold a current MC licence (minimum two years)
• Be professional
• Be reliable
GTS Freight management are currently recruiting for experienced MC interstate drivers based around Adelaide, Brisbane and Mildura.
• Have knowledge of the HVNL and Load Restraint
To apply for the Driver positions please contact Operations Manager by emailing your resume to
WORKSHOP MECHANICS & TYRE FITTERSWANTED (Brisbane based only)
To apply for Mechanic positions please forward your resume to otliameaivreganaMpohskroW employment@kseaster.com.au
