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Coroner calls for crossing fix after truckie’s death
A Victorian coroner has called for urgent safety upgrades to a Geelong level crossing where truckie John “Johnny” Stubbs died after his trailer became stuck on the tracks and was hit by a train in December 2023.
In his recently-released report, Deputy State Coroner Paresa Spanos recommended that as “matter of u rgency” the City of Greater Geelong and/or the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) “collaboratively plan for and install additional road signage” on all approaches to the North Shore Road level crossing forewarning drivers of the problematic gradient ahead and allowing them to adjust their hydraulics or seek an alternative route.
According to the report, there were 37 incidents at the Station St, North Shore level crossing between November 2017 and March 2024, with the site ranked the 17th most dangerous of 1642 crossings in Victoria.
The City of Greater Geelong told Big Rigs t hat the roads intersecting with the level crossing are managed by the DTP which has also been approached for comment.
The department said it is currently reviewing all recommendations handed down in the report and plans to install new signage at the intersection of North
Shore Road and Station Road.
“Any loss of life on our roads is a tragedy and our thoughts and condolences remain with the family and friends of John Stubbs,” a DTP spokesperson said.
The coroner’s report said 30-year-old Stubbs, a young father and popular member of the Membrey’s Transport and Crane Hire team, had been transporting a re-entry hub bracing frame at the t ime on a low-loader trailer from Qube Energy in Lara to Corio.
He adjusted the height of the trailer by adjusting the hydraulics.
According to Leading Senior Constable Robert Nuske, Coronial Investigator, the North Shore Road level crossing has a 7.5 percent gradient (about 200 m illimetres) over a nine-metre width of road bitumen.
He concluded his investigation by noting that Stubbs had enough time to get out of the way of the oncoming train but unfortunately chose to re-enter the truck as the train approached, likely making a last-ditch effort to try to remove the stuck truck from the tracks and avert a collision.
“Most vehicles and semi-trailers that cross the intersection would clear this gradient easily. Low loader semi-trailers would need to make the necessary adjust-
ments,” Constable Nuske said in his report.
“If you are unfamiliar with this crossing, then it would be too late to turn around due to the sheer size of you truck and trailer.”
Constable Nuske also made a number of recommendations to improve safety at the site, including placing signage on the side of the road leading up to the crossing to make drivers aware of the gradient ahead so they can make the necessary adjustments before entering the crossing.
“If the truck driver or the pilot vehicle driver were aware of the gradient upon approach and made the necessary adjustments prior to t he crossing, this fatality could have been avoided,”
The coroner said one of the submissions about improvements that could be made to prevent similar incidents appears to have been implemented already – the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s Route Planner and Network Map now notifies users that the level crossing is not suitable for vehicles over 20 metres.
“However, this warning is due to the risk of short stacking rather than in reference to the gradient,” the c oroner noted.
“Installation of a warning system for train drivers and prohibiting trucks from using the rail crossing during c ertain times would require significant planning and stakeholder consultation
plemented in the near future, if at all.”
The c oroner, however, agreed that Constable Nuske’s suggestion that additional signage along the road leading up to the level crossing to alert drivers to the gradient ahead appears achievable in the short term and would not require significant redesign of the current infrastructure nor “extensive stakeholder consultation”.
“Adequate warning would allow truck drivers to pull over to adjust their hydraulics or seek an alternative route. This would appear to be a relatively simple strategy to help prevent similar incidents resulting in deaths or significant injury.”
ABN rorts threatening trucking’s future
BY JAMES GRAHAM
MELBOURNE-BASED
operator Andrew Gibson has lost count of the number of truckies he’s rejected for driving jobs because they refused to work on anything other than an Australian Business Number (ABN).
The boss of Gibson Austwide, a 14-truck coast-tocoast operation employing around 25 staff, believes the misuse of ABNs enables individuals to under-report their income while still accessing government benefits.
“They can pay themselves $100 or $200 a week and still claim the dole if they’re a permanent resident,” Gibson said.
“Others on a student visa disappear overseas after 12 months without paying any tax at all.”
Gibson said one of the classic examples he had recently was a driving job applicant from India who was on a student visa while also holding a n ABN.
“How can someone on a student visa apply and get an ABN?”
Gibson said his company has refused to go down that path, even when drivers have demanded ABN arrangements.
“We won’t do it because it’s illegal,” he said. “If they insist on being paid through an ABN, we just say no.”
But Gibson said the rort is now “worse than ever” and has become a major threat to operators who are doing the right thing.
“The whole industry is affected,” he said. “Politicians a re sticking their heads in the sand. All you have to do is look at Seek, social media or Gumtree – people are openly advertising driver jobs with ABNs.”
Ironically, Gibson said his business was investigated by the Australian Taxation Office for the same issue about 15 years ago.
“We weren’t doing that, so it wasn’t a problem, but I’m actually amazed that they’re still allowing this to happen.
“They’ve obviously stopped investigating and stopped looking for it.”
Today, Gibson said it’s becoming increasingly hard for operators to compete against those companies dodging the payment of employee entitlements by rorting the ABN system. He said many of these same companies are also cutting corners on maintenance, compliance systems and using service stations and city streets as makeshift depots.
“So, they’re doing everything on the cheap and getting inexperienced drivers, which is why most of the older Aussie drivers are leaving the industry.”
Gibson, who fears more companies will fold unless something is done about the rampant ABN misuse, spoke out as a trucking bosses, politicians and the ATO met for t he first time in Canberra for
a crisis meeting on the issue.
The ABN roundtable organiser and chair Senator Glenn Sterle said sham contracting, tax avoidance and the abuse of ABNs in road transport have been gaining momentum over the last few years.
“And decent, honest, legitimate employers will not survive if this illegal activity is a llowed to continue,” Sterle said soon after the meeting finished.
Sterle said he was pleased to see every state and national transport organisation from around Australia represented and there were “productive” discussions with ministers, regulators and government departments on ways to tackle the issue.
“What we take from today is that we were definitely heard and are committed as a group to work with the authorities to make these issues a priority so we can ensure the road transport industry remains and stays safe, viable, productive, efficient and profitable.”
Sterle also called for anyone
with examples of sham contracting in the road transport industry, or of companies engaging drivers on A BNs to get in touch directly via his Facebook page or by emailing him at senator. sterle@aph.gov.au.
Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon, who was among the Canberra delegation, said the widespread use of ABNs to halve labour costs creates an unbalanced market, jeopardising the sustainability of t he industry and suppressing wages and safety standards.
In a post roundtable media statement, Mahon also noted that while recent federal legislation aims to uphold Award protections, the use of ABNs remains a significant loophole and urged all f leets to take proactive steps to combat the illegal practice.
“Fleets can help eradicate sham contracting by undertaking thorough due diligence with the subcontractors they engage and by questioning how those subcontractors are engaging their workers,” he advised.
Mahon also underscored the illegality of businesses supplying trucks and equipment while using contractors for labour only.
“Fleets that survive will simply be those who can weather bad terms and un-
fair practices the longest,” Mahon cautioned.
He also criticised the reliance on TPAR (Taxable Payments Annual Report) to capture ABN labour abuses, calling it a “misguided hope” and urging the ATO to consider more effective solutions.
NatRoad CEO Warren Clark told the roundtable there were now increasingly sophisticated structures designed to disguise employment relationships. They included labour hire “agencies” set up solely to convert employees into ABN holders, with some managing 100-plus individuals who drive company trucks, follow company directions, and work set hours. Clark also revealed the increasing use of ABN sharing rings which involves individual drivers setting up as sole trader with an A BN then employing themselves, or sharing with multiple others, allowing them to avoid GST registration, skip tax returns, and evade superannuation obligations.
“They can set up and shut down in a moment. If you need immediate money, this is a great way to make a quick buck with no obligations to anyone,” Clark said.
NatRoad said the cost-cutting pressure is forcing drivers into dangerous situations.
“Drivers end up being pushed into ‘contracts’ on low pay, or businesses must drop their contract prices so low to win work, they end up breaking the rules to make up for the shortfall,” Clark said.
NatRoad said legitimate operators cannot compete against businesses operating with 20-30 per cent lower cost bases through illegal schemes: “Sham contracting is bringing the road freight transport industry into disrepute and results in legitimate hard-working people losing their livelihood, taking all their skill and experience out of the industry when we desperately need them,” Clark said.
Continued on page 4
Gibson Austwide boss Andrew Gibson fears more company closures unless there is government intervention. Image: Andrew Gibson
Industry heads met in Canberra for a roundtable on how to tackle the sham contracting issue. Image: Senator Glenn Sterle
Data matching key to ending ABN scams
From page 3
SA trucking boss Steve Shearer believes comprehensive inter-agency data matching is one way the widespread ABN rorts harming the industry can be stamped out.
Speaking to Big Rigs soon after the emergency roundtable on the ABN crisis in Canberra, the Executive Officer of the South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) said there are a range of sources available for authorities to take action.
“If one database shows that I’ve got 100 trucks registered and another database in shows that I’m paying levies to a WorkCover agency for 30 staff, who’s driving all the 100 trucks?” Shearer said.
“If they are on temporary contracts, you can look at the nature of those contracts, and
if it’s all above board, terrific. It’s not dead simple. You need to look at the nature of
the working relationship as to what’s actually happening.
“But the point kept being made by industry [in Canberra[ that it’s pretty clear in the
“The tools of trade of a truck driver, if you are a contractor, is you bring a truck with you, not just your arms and your
“But if that’s all you provide, and if you’re only working for one contractor, or even a couple, and you’re working for one f them a lot, then it’s going to be very difficult for you to establish that’s not a sham contract.”
Shearer said the biggest problem area, however, is around those companies paying drivers under ABNs who don’t turn up with their own truck.
“When super, work cover, and all those other things aren’t being paid for that individual, it gives that prime c ontractor a 30-40 per cent advantage and so they can undercut those who are doing the right thing.”
Shearer said industry bosses also relayed on to the ministers and agency reps in Canberra the safety shortcuts that invariably ensued.
“We all made a big point of the fact that this often results in adverse safety consequences out on the road because you don’t induct and train the contractor in the same way you might induct and train and manage a n employee.”
Following the roundtable,
participants also agreed that a national joint agency enforcement and intelligence program be set up to c ombat ABN abuse with a series of operations over a 12-month period.
Australian Border Force, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, authorised persons of the ATO and the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO), along with state or Australian Federal Police, would comprise the nucleus of the enforcement team, a media statement said.
“The industry’s had a gutful and people are getting to a point where they are going to be prepared to start reporting instances where this is happening,” Shearer added.
ATO commits to cracking down on shadow economy
SHAM Contracting is a contravention under the Fair Work Act and can be dealt with by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO), an ATO spokesperson said.
The maximum penalties for each contravention are
$19,800 for individuals, $99,000 for businesses with fewer than 15 employees and $495,000 for businesses with more than 15 employees.
For road freight transport,
there are specific reporting requirements through the Taxable Payment Reporting System (TPRS) that also help identify potential risks, including incorrect registration, omitted income and non-lodgment.
“We use this data to assist in identifying those who engage in shadow economy behaviours, including those that deliberately operate outside the tax system,” the spokesperson said.
During the 2024–25 financial year, the ATO issued over $5 million in penalties to 2760 businesses for 3338 outstanding TPAR.
In the road freight industry for the 2023 financial year, 7201 entities lodged a TPAR providing visibility of 78,596 contractors with gross payments totalling $11 billion.
The Canberra roundtable participants, however, a greed that the system is
not as effective as it could be.
“It was agreed the ATO would review how the TPAR is used to identify and action incorrect registration omitted income, labour expenses and non-lodgement to better ensure those who engage in shadow behaviour are detected,” the group said.
T he ATO said it is committed to tackling the shadow economy and cre-
ating a level playing field spearheaded by its Shadow Economy Program which has been extended to June 30, 2029.
You can confidentially provide a tip-off about a business that is incorrectly treating an employee as a n independent contractor by completing the tip-off form. Visit ato.gov.au and search ‘tip-off form’, or call 1800 060 062.
The ATO told Big Rigs
its compliance programs utilise a range of tools including data analysis, intelligence monitoring, risk model assessments and community referrals to inform its understanding of potential risk. There is also guidance on the ATO and FWO websites to assist businesses and workers understand whether the worker is an employee or independent contractor, and the d ifferent obligations.
SARTA boss Steve Shearer said industry has had a gutful of operators rorting the system with ABNs. Image: Fotograf/stock.adobe.com
Alarm sounds over proposed fatigue laws
CONSULTATION on four key areas of the updated Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) currently before the Queensland Parliament is now open for submissions.
The National Transport Commission (NTC) said the statutory instruments, covering accreditation guidelines, a safety management system standard, a national audit standard and fatigue alternative compliance hours, will underpin the updated law and ensure consistent, practical outcomes across HVNL-participating states and territories.
“These instruments will provide clarity to the NHVR about ministers’ expectations and requirements, and enable the NHVR to finalise operational detail that will provide clarity and certainty for heavy-vehicle businesses of all sizes,” said NTC’s Chief Executive Officer and Commissioner, Michael Hopkins.
NHVR Chief Executive Officer Nicole Rosie said this represents an important milestone for heavy vehicle safety as the industry moves away from a compliance focused approach to improved risk-based safety management outcomes.
“The National Audit Standard was identified by industry as a key outcome of the HVNL review that will deliver national consistency and provide the basis for fu-
ture streamlining of audits,” Rosie said.
South Australian Road Transport Association Executive Officer Steve Shearer, however, has already raised concerns to Big Rigs around the proposed new Safety Management System Standard.
“Big corporate operators will look at it and go, no big deal. Every single small operator will shit themselves before they’ve passed a couple of pages,” Shearer said.
“It won’t make any sense to them and they won’t understand what the hell they’re going to have to do. It comes across as really ominous.”
Shearer said it’s his understanding that there are around 30,000 operators currently using the Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) system who will have migrate to the new system.
“BFM will disappear and so will AFM. They’ll just be the standard hours and then the alternative compliance.
“If you want to keep your 14 hours, you’re going to have to get into this.”
Shearer said if the proposed new fatigue management system stays the way it is it’s going to be a “disaster” for the smaller operator, and even a lot of the medium-sized ones.
“They’re still saying it’ll have to be scalable, but you read this document and to make it scalable, you’d have
to throw half of it away
“My comment at the mo ment would be as presently drafted, it’s not workable or practical for probably 75 per cent of the industry.
“It’s too complicated and over-engineered to buggery, and seems to ignore the sim ple reality that in the bulk of businesses, there aren’t multi ple layers of management.
“There’s one, the people who own it, and then there’s drivers, and there’s a couple of clerks in the office, maybe doing accounts and checking work diaries.”
Shearer said the current draft system is written as if all operators have an HR department, a compliance department and compliance/ quality assurance depart ment.
“Who can come up with all these performance indicators and monitoring systems and measuring and do periodic reviews and reports and everything else.
“In the great majority of businesses, they don’t have that resource, and they’d be reporting to themselves.
“I really get my knickers in a knot over concepts like, ‘We’ve got to have continuous improvement’. I keep saying, ‘why’. What we need is improvement when the need for improvement’s identified because of something that’s happened or some change in circumstance.”
the time if it’s working and working well and effectively.”
Under the proposed new system, Shearer said most users simply won’t be able to give auditors the information they ask for.
“More importantly they don’t actually need to provide those details to be a safe operation,” Shearer believes.
“You need a lot of this if you’re a big business and the owners are that far removed from the people on the ground that you need all these systems in place to ensure that it’s working safely and properly.
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every day. You know what’s going on and you can deal with things in a very much more direct and hands-on manner, so you don’t need the over-engineered system.”
According to the NTC’s consultation overview on the NAS and alternative compliance hours, the NHVR will be able to approve alternative compliance accreditation within defined safety limits, allowing operators to tailor fatigue risk management systems to their specific operations and business models. Accreditation will not be limited to either BFM or
AFM schemes, as is currently
Key features of the pro posed new system are that in any period of 24 hours a driver must not work for more than 15.5 hours or rest for less than seven continuous hours. There are also provisions for drivers to be able to take a split rest break. To view the can read the draft standards and guidelines and have your say, visit ntc.gov.au and search ‘HVNL reform’.
Consultation closes on Monday, December 1, with the updated HVNL expected to be ready for commencement by mid-2026.
al Law is seemingly in sight. We’re promised less prescriptive and more proportionate enforcement and flexible compliance options.
But what do we have so far as the National Transport Commission calls its final rounds of industry consultation on key areas of proposed changes?
More confusion and a whole lot more anxiety from where we sit. The biggest trigger so far seems to be the new laws around the ‘fit to drive’ duty.
Supposedly this places a “proactive and shared responsibility” on both drivers and operators to ensure a driver’s health and fitness is up to scratch before starting a shift, with the NHVR and police given new powers to intervene if they deem a driver ‘unfit’.
Did WA and the NT have the right idea all along?
What’s hot online
Truckies seeing red over proposed new ‘fit to drive’ laws
ONE of the numerous proposed changes to the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) has been gaining widespread attention among Big Rigs readers.
Many truckies fear a proposed new ‘fit do drive’ duty within a revised HVNL, currently working its way through parliament, could have massive ramifications for the industry.
from $6000 to $20,000. When high-profile truckies’ advocate and long-time interstate driver, Rod Hannifey, shared his insights around the new fitness duty, other truck drivers weighed in, many sharing similar fears.
to 27.5m, more money spent on road infrastructure maintenance, ensuring NVHR officers have adequate qualifications or experience in the industry and reducing red tape when it comes to permits.
fit to drive. “Fairly certain no one in NHVR has a medical degree to draw to this assumption of fit or not fit to drive, nor a mechanical degree when it comes to inspecting gear.”
Those in the industry also spoke of the link between heavy handed regulation and current issues with driver shortages.
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Along with widening the scope of what being fit to drive entails, the maximum penalty for a breach of the current laws around driving while fatigued could increase
HOW STRONG IS YOUR BAR?
According to Josh Rigney, “Government overreach is killing off anything productive and profitable in this country under the guise of safety and let’s face it – there’s nothing safe about a piece of paper telling us when and where to drive.”
Andrew Wilson commented, “I have felt fine and could have driven 12 hours straight but because you have to have these rests when you’re not actually tired is the real problem. Let us manage our own fatigue.”
While Jilly Parrish questioned the ability of an officer to decide if a driver is indeed
STRONG
Peter Naggar agreed. “I love this industry but we are the most heavily regulated occupation in the country!” he said. “I understand that yes we drive heavy vehicles and I’ve driven ultra quads at 210t. We have to deal with cameras all over the truck and now you want to tell me that a person that is not a qualified doctor can tell me if I’m ‘unfit to drive’?”
Craig Payne.
Wayne Imlay agreed, “With policies like what they are proposing, more experienced drivers will say enough is enough and pull the pin… I understand we need rules but this is absolutely ridiculous.”
While experienced drivers such as David White shared why they’ve chosen to walk
away from the industry. “Who in their right mind would want to enter this ‘shitshow’ of an industry it has become?” he said. “Got out six months ago after 42 years in the industry, best move I ever made. I grew up around trucks and have always loved driving them but have seen the tragic decline over many years.
“Over zealous law enforcement, increased regulation and monitoring, less and less available parking, lack of suitable driver facilities along with drivers who not only lack competence but also consideration for any other road user.”
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IN BRIEF
Auction house acquisition
Ritchie Bros. has expanded its presence in Western Australia’s mining and construction sectors through its latest acquisition.
Ritchie Bros., part of RB Global, has signed an agreement to acquire Smith Broughton Auctioneers and its affiliated company, Allied Equipment Sales, pending satisfaction of closing conditions.
Ritchie Bros. says the move will further strengthen its national footprint and global reach.
“Our combined capabilities create a powerful platform for customers. From local businesses in Western Australia to multinational mining operators, sellers can now access the world’s largest marketplace for industrial assets –supported by local expertise and a shared commitment to excellence,” said Ghislaine Duijmelings, General Manager, International, Ritchie Bros.
Record-breaking EV delivery trumps ICE rival
MULTIQUIP has teamed with New Energy Transport (NET) and Chinese truck maker Windrose to complete what is being billed as the longest single-charge electric truck delivery ever conducted in Australia.
The 480km round-trip included a 36-tonne GCM delivery leg from Multiquip’s
Picton site (80km south of Sydney) to Beresfield, just outside Newcastle, and a return leg with an empty trailer.
In addition to completing the delivery with zero emissions, the stakeholders said the electric prime mover was able to reduce the total trip time by 20 minutes each way compared with the diesel equivalent.
$232m highway upgrade
After two-and-a-half-years of works, the $232 million Coxs River Road Upgrade at Little Hartley is fully complete.
The project features a new 2.4-kilometre four-lane alignment of the Great Western Highway at the foot of the Blue Mountains and 70-metre long road bridge to take local traffic, pedestrians and cyclists over the highway.
Traffic switched to the new highway alignment in April and since then crews have been completing finishing touches, including new landscaping, completing over two kilometres of shared path, and installing new signage.
The upgrade has also delivered a realignment of the old highway to create a service road for local businesses, upgraded intersections at Browns Gap Road, Coxs River Road, Ambermere Drive and Baaners Lane, and a U-turn bay on Baaners Lane.
Brisbane market crackdown
Brisbane Markets recently issued a road safety and compliance reminder to truckies and operators using the precinct.
In a safety bulletin alert sighted by Big Rigs, Brisbane Markets advised that National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s Safety and Compliance Officers (SCOs) will be monitoring vehicle movements in the surrounding areas on an ongoing basis, and Queensland Police may also be engaged in support.
During their recent onsite presentation, NHVR advised that the recent compliance activity in the local area has highlighted some key issues, along with steps to address them effectively,” the bulletin said.
NHVR has advised that they will maintain a presence until they identify an improvement in compliance.”
Correction
In a driver profile about Shannon Sando in the October 24 issue, titled ‘11 years with a great company’, we mistakenly said Paul Midwinter had also driven for SWF. This is incorrect. Midwinter has never worked for this company.
The Windrose electric truck was able to hold an average speed of around 98km/h versus 85km/h for a diesel truck over the same route because it was able to maintain the speed limit going up hills.
“Timing is a huge factor for any business, particularly a just-in-time business like ours,” said Multiquip’s National Compliance Manager David Muir.
“It was very surprising for us to see just how much time he was able to save with the vehicle being able to maintain that speed over distance.
“I was frankly quite shocked. Constantly being able to maintain that speed is amazing.”
The demonstration was part of a Memorandum of Understanding between NET and Multiquip to explore joint opportunities to deploy electric trucks into Multiquip’s supply chain and accelerate the transition to sustainable road freight.
NET said it plans to establish a pilot fleet of heavy electric trucks in Wilton,
south-west of Sydney, by the middle of 2026.
The company says it will be Australia’s largest electric trucking depot.
The site will initially house up to 50 heavy electric prime movers, with plans to grow the fleet to 200 vehicles by 2031.
“New Energy Transport is a new kind of trucking company,” said NET Co-CEO Daniel Bleakley.
“By combining low-cost renewable energy, high-speed charging and electric prime movers, New Energy Transport offers zero-emission road freight at diesel-based prices.”
NET Co-CEO Fredrik Pehrsson, a former head of innovation at the Swedish truck manufacturing giant Scania, said that electric heavy trucks can match and even exceed diesel truck productivity.
“The demonstration shows that it’s not only possible to cut away the greenhouse gases for Multiquip in this particular operation, we also
saw that we could actually reach their destination quicker than they normally do with a diesel truck.” Pehrsson said.
The Multiquip partnership follows closely on another NET collaboration with toilet paper brand Who Gives A Crap (WGAC).
NET and WGAC recently teamed up to conduct a full commercial demonstration, moving a container from Port Botany to WGAC’s warehouse in Yennora and back again, using a Volvo electric prime mover.
The round trip totalled 88 kilometres, 118 minutes of driving time, utilised 34 per cent of the truck’s charge and 120kWh of energy.
“We’ve proven that we’re able to operate heavy electric trucks for port cartage under the same conditions as diesel trucks, transporting the same payload in the same time across the same route –only we can do it with zero emissions, zero pollution and significantly reduced road noise,” Bleakley said.
Truckies sing praises of small town’s rest area
ALTHOUGH only open for a few days, word has quickly spread among WA truckies of the new dedicated rest area for heavy vehicles in the small north-eastern Wheatbelt town of Mukinbudin.
It’s strategically located on Strugnell Street, adjacent to the Men’s Shed, and just a short walk from there over the railway line to the IGA, pub and shops.
There’s a large open-plan ablution block with shower, toilet, sink and room to change – and ample room for parking, all for the relatively modest sum of $83,000. The federal government’s Heavy Vehicle Rest Area Initiative chipped in the lion’s share of $66,400, with the local Shire of Mukinbudin stumping up the balance.
“Muka isn’t a town that
shuns heavy vehicles to a poorly-signed back street town bypass,” said truckie Cam Deans, who also sent in the pictures for this story.
“Many rural towns across
this country should follow Muka’s initiative…..town bypasses, where possible, should be scrapped.
“Access to shopping facilities to buy healthier food than
what’s available on the road is probably our major concern. Most of us would rather support local businesses instead of giving it to the major supermarkets in the capital cities before we embark on our journeys.
“We are usually in your towns daily or weekly…….not once a year with a caravan on the back.”
Other truckies shared a similar positive sentiment on the Shire of Mukinbudin’s Facebook post announcing the recent opening.
“Thank you Shire of Mukinbudin,” wrote Matt Williams.
“That looks great. I wish more shires were proactive like this. I’m getting real tired of truck water tank ‘showers’.”
Jamie Groves also thanked the shire and its CEO Tanika McLennan.
“Facilities like these are very much appreciated by many truckies that live on the roads,” he said.
The Shire of Mukinbudin said the project aims to improve road safety by reducing driver fatigue and encouraging heavy vehicles to use the designated RAV route along Strugnell Street, rather than Shadbolt Street.
Upgrade work begins on Tycannah rest areas
WORK is now underway on $12 million of upgrades to the northbound and southbound rest areas either side of the Newell Highway at Tycannah, NSW.
The improvements will include toilets, a reconfiguration of the rest areas to better accommodate extra-long vehicles, and also deceleration lanes at the entry of the rest areas to improve safety.
The northbound rest area
will also be extended by 150 metres as part of the work, according to a media release announcing the start of the work.
Big Rigs has been told there will be parking provided for about 30 trucks, which includes 14 southbound and 16 northbound, and 20 light vehicle parking spaces (10 each side). There is also specific parking designated for caravans near the toilet block.
Based on feedback from the freight industry in 2022, design work at both rest areas has included a focus on retaining as much of the existing mature vegetation as possible.
Work on the rest area upgrades is expected to take six months to complete. Work will be carried out between 7am and 5pm on weekdays and from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays, with no work on Sundays or public holidays.
The upgrade work is receiving $2.4 million in funding from the NSW government, and $9.6 million in funding through the Australian Government’s Heavy Vehicle Rest Area initiative under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting Australia’s freight network, we’re improving critical rest areas like Tycannah to en-
sure our truck drivers have access to safe, modern and accessible facilities along key freight routes,” said WA Senator Glenn Sterle, Chair of the Heavy Vehicle Rest Area Steering Committee.
“This announcement comes off the back of the recent opening of the Spring Creek rest area, about 12km north of
Newell Highway which I had the pleasure of attending.
“These significant investments show our commitment to improving safety for truck drivers and the broader driving community.”
Changed traffic conditions including single lane closures and temporary rest area closures will be in place during the upgrades.
Narrabri on the
The electric prime mover was able to reduce the total trip time by 20 minutes each way compared with the diesel equivalent. Image: NET
Shed, and just a short walk to all the essentials. Image: Cam Deans
The new toilet block also boasts ample room for changing. Image: Shire of Mukinbudin There is also specific parking designated for caravans near the toilet block.
An artist’s impression of how the rest areas will look when finished next year. Images: TfNSW
BECAUSE HAULING DIRT, ROCK, AND RUBBLE NEEDS SERIOUS MUSCLE.
A 16L Detroit engine delivering low-end torque is exactly what you need to get those heavy loads rolling. Paired with an aerodynamic design, the Cascadia is built to maximise payload and minimise running costs.
UNDERESTIMATE AT YOUR OWN COST
Container operators brace for higher costs
CONTAINER transport operators are bracing for a sharp spike in transport costs due to the new heavy vehicle tolls on the M1 corridor west of Melbourne.
The new tolling point for heavy vehicles will be east of Millers Road on the M1, with heavy vehicles having to pay a toll (inbound and outbound) whether they use the new tunnel, the West Gate Bridge or the new ramps to/from Hyde Street.
This is the first time since November 1985 that vehicles – in this case heavy vehicles –have had to pay a toll to use the West Gate Bridge, warns peak sector body, Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA).
The Victorian Government will simultaneously implement no truck zones on inner west roads in Melbourne, including Francis Street and Somerville Road in Yarraville, Buckley Street and Moore Street in Footscray, Blackshaws Road in Altona North and Hudsons Road in Spotswood.
The C TAA said the truck ban will have the impact of funnelling heavy vehicles onto the M1 (as the only authorised east-west route), and onto the north-south arterial roads such as Williamstown Road and Millers Road for access to the Port of Melbourne from the inner west industrial precincts of Tottenham and Brooklyn.
Modelling undertaken by CTAA shows that the cost of container transport operations to/from the Port of Melbourne will increase by around 13 per cent to as much as 30 per cent, compared to typical current market-driven base container road cartage rates.
The cost impact depends on the location of the customer, the allowed heavy vehicle routes, time of day, heavy vehicle utilisation ratios, and variables outside of the direct
control of transport operators such as the location of the designated empty container park for import de-hire or export pick-up, said CTAA Director Neil Chambers.
“As around 60 per cent of the empty container park capacity servicing trade through the Port of Melbourne is in the western industrial suburbs of Melbourne, modelling suggests that on many occasions additional tolls will be incurred as transport operators undertake the empty container transport task on top of delivering full import and export containers,” Chambers said.
As an example, Chambers said one typical scenario applicable to a container transport operator located in the west might include up to eight different trip tolls (or more) to complete the total supply chain logistics cycle for one shipping container:
• Truck travel to the container terminal in the Port of Melbourne to pick up full import container: 1 toll
• Truck travel back to transport yard with full container for staging through yard: 1 toll
• Truck travel from yard to deliver full container to customer’s premises: 1 toll (or more depending on
• the customer’s location)
• Truck return to transport yard: 1 toll (or more)
• Truck travel back to customer’s premises to retrieve empty container: 1 toll (or more)
• Truck travel to transport yard with empty container for staging: 1 toll (or more)
• Truck travel to de-hire empty container at empty container park: 1 toll
• Truck return to transport yard: 1 toll
Initial Transurban tolling rates for a one-way trip of a Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) through the Millers Road Tolling Gantry will be $19.78 during the day.
Longer Heavy Commer-
cial Vehicles (LHCVs: i.e. 26 metres in length and above, including Higher Productivity Freight Vehicles such as 30m(+) A-doubles) will attract a higher toll of $29.67 per oneway trip during the day.
Taking the example container logistics scenario outlined above, and applying tolling costs associated with HCV operations during the day, shows that the total logistics cycle for that one shipping container could attract up to $158.24 in tolling costs.
Chambers said no formal notice has been given by the state government or Transurban as to the official opening date for the West Gate Tunnel and upgraded M1 network infrastructure, although the government has indicated that it will be in December.
CTAA has asked the government and Transurban to provide at least one month’s notice so that transport operators can indicate to their customers when toll cost recovery will commence.
“Irrespective of whether such formal notice can or will be given, our best guess is an opening date of Sunday, December 14,” Chambers said. Chambers said it seems highly likely that sometime after the opening of the new road and tunnel infrastructure and the coinciding enforcement of no truck zones in the inner west the government will also impose night and weekend truck curfews on Williamstown Road – anticipated before the state election in November 2026.
Strong opposition to the forecast increase in heavy vehicle traffic on Williamstown Road has now been voiced vigorously by the community, Footscray MP Katie Hall and by the Maribyrnong City Council.
“This will further reduce options for container transport to/from the Port of Melbourne and will concentrate even more heavy vehicles onto the remaining north-south arterial roads, notably Millers
Road,” Chambers said.
“If curfews are applied on Williamstown Road, CTAA questions whether the government has invested enough to upgrade alternative feeder arterial roads such as Millers Road to accommodate the increased influx of heavy vehicle traffic.
“We’d anticipate in that case significant heavy vehicle queuing on Millers Road between the M1 and Geelong Road, leading to transport delays and road user frustration.”
The infringement penalty for the owner of a heavy vehicle driving in a no-truck zone without an exemption is 3 penalty units and a $610.53 fine. These penalty units will be updated annually, said the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP).
Meanwhile, Chambers said CTAA has also raised with the government and the DTP the urgent need to undertake principal freight network investigations to identify road network deficiencies that
now prevent road transport operators from accessing the upgraded M1 and West Gate Tunnel infrastructure at heavy vehicle design gross weights. These network deficiencies include structures like the bridge on Grieve Parade over Kororoit Creek between the M1 and Doherty’s Road in Altona North (restricted to 68.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass (GVM)), bridge structures on the Princes Fwy west of the upgraded M1 (restricted to 69t GVM) and many bridge structures on the M80 Ring Road.
“CTAA urges the government and DTP to commence an in-depth study of the origins and destinations of the Victorian freight task, particularly the container import/ export task.
“Then, a solid plan of action can be implemented to further invest in the freight network to maximise the payload productivity gains that are currently held back due to network deficiencies.”
No truck zone cameras in operation
T RUCKIES have been warned that ‘smart’ roadside cameras will monitor trucks along the no-truck zones 24/7, collecting information to enable the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to enforce these zones. At deadline for this issue, there will be no-truck zones on sections of Moore Street,
Buckley Street, Somerville Road, Francis Street, Hudson Steet and Blackshaws Road when the West Gate Tunnel opens.
Big Rigs understands that a ban on the use of Williamstown Road is also being seriously considered after an outpouring of protest from residents and lobby groups.
The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) said the infringement penalty for the owner of a heavy vehicle driving in a no-truck zone without an exemption is 3 penalty units ($610.53). These penalty units will be updated annually.
“No-truck zones in the inner west will move trucks off resi-
dential streets to improve safety, reduce noise, and roadside air quality for locals,” a DTP spokesperson said.
“The West Gate Tunnel Project will transform the way people move across the west and will take 9000 trucks a day off local roads, having an overall net positive impact on air quality in Melbourne’s inner west.”
Speaking in state parliament on September 9, Footscray MP Katie Hall called on Road Safety Minister Melissa Horne to consider overnight and weekend truck curfews on Williamstown and Millers roads to prevent them being used by trucks drivers as alternative routes.
“While these roads remain important freight arterials, a curfew would help to address residents’ concerns around safety, as well as noise and other pollutants,” Hall said.
In a social media post on September 15, Hall said she’d had positive discussions with
the minister on the matter.
“Minister Horne has confirmed she is seeking urgent advice and modelling from her department on how a curfew could work and be enforced.
“I’m encouraged by this and grateful to Melissa for listening and acting.”
Horne is the MP for the neighbouring electorate of Williamstown which both roads run through.
Victorian Transport Association CEO Peter Anderson said the tunnel and no truck zones will definitely take most of the truck movements away from the inner-west community streets.
But the additional toll costs will be hard for some operators to pass on, particularly when Transurban hasn’t factored in trucks having multiple customers at any one time, A nderson said.
“How do they dissipate that toll amongst all those customers fairly?” Anderson asks.
“We would like to see an annual fee.”
Instead, Anderson said operators now only have access to six day passes each year, a set fee depending on the size of vehicle you’re driving.
“Why can’t we get one every day and multiply it by 365 for an annual fee?”
CTAA said the total logistics cycle for one shipping container could attract up to $158.24 in tolling costs. Graphic: Transurban
When West Gate Tunnel opens, it’s expected to take 9000 trucks a day off local roads. Image: Linkt
Sludge gets back in the saddle
It’s been a long road to recovery for Sludge, since a horrific motorcycle accident forced him off the road – now he’s back and ready to tick another item off the bucket list.
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
THROUGH his regular appearances on Outback Truckers over more than a decade, fan favourite Paul ‘Sludge’ Andrews and his eye-catching purple 2008 Peterbilt 379 have gained a legion of fans.
Originally from New Zealand, the veteran truckie had a lready spent a lifetime on the road, when a motorcycle accident in March 2023 left him unsure of his future.
He was left with significant injuries, including a bleed to the brain, fractured bones and torn ligaments. While the visible scars faded over time, Sludge revealed to Big Rigs that he is in fact still recovering from his head injury, nearly two and a half years on.
There were times when Sludge was unsure if he’d ever be able to drive trucks again –but thankfully, he’s slowly but surely returning to the job he loves, albeit in a very different capacity to previous years.
“I’m going alright at the moment, but I’m still a work in progress,” admitted Sludge.
“I have been doing a lot more driving, but I’m only driving in town now, mainly around Perth. Occasionally I’ll do a few of the longer runs, but as much as I like going away, I know I need to do more of the local stuff, so that’s what I’m doing.
“I usually spend about two or three days a week in the truck. And on the other days, I work with my mate Andre who builds boats and trailers.
“I have three customers at the moment and that works well, because they all understand where I’m at physically. They know about my accident and if I ever need a hand, they’re always happy to help.”
As Sludge explained, the effects of his head injury have meant he’s had to relearn some of the things that once came naturally.
“With the boats and trailers, I do the axles and wiring. I’ve had to relearn how to wire a trailer plug, whereas I used to be able to do that every day,” said Sludge.
“I’ve come a huge, long way, which is awesome, but it’s still hard to come from where I was to having to relearn so many things that I used to do all the time.”
recovery, Sludge revealed that he’s also had to learn when it’s time to take a break. “I know now when I have to take a step back and go home. When I overdo it and get tired, I start to limp on my left side. That’s where working with Andre is great too, because if he sees me hobbling, he knows I need to stop so he’ll send me home.”
Sludge has had his Peterbilt, the Phantom, since 2009. It had about 150,000 kilometres on it when he got it, and just recently ticked over 3 million kilometres. And although he still takes it out once or twice a week, Sludge has been spending more time in a much smaller Volvo FM 460 prime
cause it hasn’t got a bonnet, it’s automatic and it’s lower. I still love the Phantom though. I’m slowly starting to tidy it all up. It needs a bit of work. I’m hoping to sandblast it and start restoring it.”
Since the accident, Sludge also admits that his priorities have shifted. “I suppose I’ve done a spin on life. I still love driving, but I don’t want to be away anymore.
“I’ve missed all my kids growing up. I never got to go to the school things, and now we have our two young ones living at home with their partners. It’s nice to be able to have a beer with them by the fire at night. I’ve now got the chance to spend that time with them.
“I don’t think people realise how much time truck drivers spend away out on the road. I was away six days a week for 25 years. I suppose the motorcycle accident really rattled me. It brought home what’s most important.
“I have three kids, and my wife Wendy has four, so between us we have seven. We have a grandson in Melbourne, and two granddaughters and a grandson in New Zealand. My two eldest kids live in New Zealand.”
This year, Sludge has been back and forth to New Zealand several times, starting with a 10-day trip in March for filming for season 11 of Outback Truckers, airing on Tuesdays on 7Mate and available to stream on the 7plus app. His trip appeared in episodes 11, 12 and 13, all screened during November.
“It’s the first time I’ve driven over in New Zealand in about three years,” said Sludge.
The episodes see Sludge behind the wheel of a new Kenworth SAR Legend and an imported 1990s American Kenworth C510.
It was also an opportunity for Sludge to catch up with his kids and grandkids.
Outback Truckers then flew Sludge over a second time for Wheels at Wanaka, a vintage car, truck and tractor show held over Easter, on New Zealand’s South Island.
“I moved two big dozers with the C510 for the event. They were 3.5 metres wide so we had escorts front and rear. We were also able to keep stopping whenever I needed, so I didn’t get burnt out.
“I was only supposed to be over there for six days for that trip but ended up staying for
six weeks. When I got to New Zealand for the first trip, I wanted to go and see my sister but she had shingles so I couldn’t visit. The plan was to see her when I went back for Wheels at Wanaka, but she passed away about a week before I got there.
“After that, I flew home for a month or two, and mum got sick, so I jumped on a plane and went back to New Zealand for 10 days to spend some time with her, which was really good. About a week and a half after I got back to Perth, mum passed away and that was quite a big shock,” Sludge said.
After quite a big year for Sludge, both in his recovery
and on a personal level, he’s hoping to take it a little bit easier for the rest of the year. He’s also hoping to begin spreading more awareness about head and brain injuries. “Most people don’t really understand what goes on behind the scenes when someone is recovering from a head or brain injury.
“Yes, I look like I’m back to normal, but I’m not. People don’t see it when you’re not having a good day, because I don’t go out when I’m feeling that way.
“Doctors did tell me that I might never be able to drive again. I’ve broken bones dozens of times, and once they’re plastered up, you’re good to go. But the brain doesn’t recover like that.
“Sometimes I’ll still go and hide if I need to take a break. That’s gone from two to three hours of hiding to 5-10 minutes – and I need to remember that and remember where I’ve come from.”
For now, Sludge is grateful that he is continuing to progress in his recovery and back being able to do what he loves – even if it’s very different to the fast-paced, strenuous trucking he did for more most of his working life.
L ooking ahead, Sludge has a very exciting overseas trip coming up, which is being filmed for the upcoming season 12 of Outback Truckers. Though he has to stay tightlipped on where he’s headed, he did reveal it will be somewhere very, very cold!
“We are working on something for the new season, a nd it’s getting to be quite exciting. I’ve now got a letter saying I’m allowed to drive over there, because we were running into walls with that at first,” said Sludge.
“Filming will happen early in the new year. I’ve had four or five goes at trying to do this, as it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Covid buggered it, then the accident buggered it, so I’m not jinxing myself yet!”
Outback Truckers is still casting for its upcoming season 12. Those interested in applying can email c .falkiner@prospero.com. au or message the official
Sludge was thrilled to be behind the wheel of a brand new truck, for the first time in many years.
Sludge with wife Wendy.
With Paul Clark, who owns the Kenworth C510 Sludge got to drive in New Zealand.
He also had the opportunity to drive a 1990s American Kenworth C510 while in New Zealand.
Family legacy powers mighty Mack Titan
Colin Pakai celebrates the success of his family-run heavy haulage operation with a
“forever truck” – the first of its kind in his busy Brisbane yard.
BY JAMES GRAHAM
FOR more than two decades, Brisbane-based heavy haulage operator Colin “Col” Pakai has built his company Colpak Logistics on good old-fashioned hard graft, loyalty and a dogged drive to provide for his family.
Now, as he edges toward semi-retirement, the 56-yearold is treating himself to what he proudly calls his “forever truck” – a new, fully-customised Mack Titan, optimised for driver comfort.
The first bulldog in a yard traditionally dominated by Kenworths, Volvos and Freightliners, represents both a personal reward and a symbol of just how far he’s come, more recently standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the Brisbane-based business with sons Mason, 27, and Jacob, 29.
“It’s my very first brandnew truck that I’ve ever bought for myself,” said Col, who originally had a Volvo in his sights but was willing to compromise with a bonneted truck to keep his Kenworth-mad sons happy.
“My wife thinks I’ve gone mad when I’m supposed to be semi-retiring, but for me it’s like, I’m going to go and do that job to Mount Isa and see that customer I’ve been dealing with for the last 15 years and never actually met and have a beer with them. For a lot of years, I was just going hard all the time.
“I still enjoy working, I still enjoy driving, I still enjoy interacting with my customers and staff. I don’t think I could ever retire – I think I’d go loony.”
The 220-tonne rated, 780hp behemoth is a statement piece in every way – a blend of Volvo’s renowned driveline, American muscle styling and hand-built luxury. No detail has been overlooked – or expense spared – in the $200,000 refit.
“We’ve spent a lot of money on the inside making it feel like a luxury vehicle,” said Col, an unashamed fan of high-end cars, including the pride of his collection, a $250,000 Land Rover Defender.
“It’s been completely gutted and started again – diamond-stitch leather seats, soundproofed and heatproofed, upgraded sound system, and even a coffee machine so I don’t have to drive t wo hours to the next town to get myself a coffee to start the day.”
The extensive customisation was handled exclusively by Toowoomba Truck Specialist Centre, with the paintwork by Masterart Designs at Brendale.
The transformation took close to three months, and Col’s eldest son Jacob, who has been with the business for over a decade now, oversaw every stage.
er Mason] are Kenworth m Jacob said. “But we liked the Volvo driveline – it’s the ultimate driveline – and we like sitting in an American truck and being able to feel the road.
“So, that’s when we came up with the Mack – it seems to make sense.”
Jacob hopes Colpak’s new Titan, which was handed over in a special ceremony at Mack’s Wacol HQ in Brisbane earlier this month, will become a new benchmark for the badge.
He knows he’s never seen the old man so excited about a new truck arriving at the Meadowbrook HQ.
“If you want all those guys who are buying Kenworths to buy Macks, you’ve just got to go back to the old-style interior, that’s what these fellas want,” he said.
“You want it to feel like luxury. They have [Mack] got the driveline sorted. Their driveline is 10-times better than anyone else’s on the market. All Kenworth is doing better is the interiors.”
Jacob is also impressed by the versatility the Titan affords the Colpak operation.
“The best part of our business is that we do everything from 0-150 tonne and so having a truck that’s pretty versatile is the name of the game.
“You can only do so much with certain trucks to make them as versatile as possible, but one day this truck could be towing a side-loader with a 20 tonne container down to Sydney, and then two days later, towing a triple road train out in the bush and then a week later, a 10-line platform with a 100 tonne on the back.”
For Col his new toy is the
lso service the needs of Ja cob and Mason who run the “real big heavy stuff” side of the operation.
“The truck had to be able to do heavy haulage, because if the kids have a problem with their truck one night, they’ve got my truck available ready to go,” he said.
“That’s always been something that we’re very mindful of – a lot of our customers rely on us, and so if we have a breakdown, we need to make sure we can carry on with their job.”
Col, who started the business from scratch more than t wo decades ago, prides himself on his ability to always deliver for customers with an unflinching work ethic that’s clearly rubbed off on his sons.
Originally from South Auckland in New Zealand, Col’s first introduction to the trucking world was working as a tyre fitter in the North Island army town of Waiouru at just 16.
That led to a mechanical apprenticeship, which included driving tow trucks a long the often-treacherous Desert Road, before being lured to play rugby league in Christchurch in the South Island.
When partner Stacey –now his wife – got offered a nursing role in Brisbane, Col followed her across the ditch, quickly picking up a servicing role with Lube Mobile.
“I was doing a service on a car one day and I heard this V8 winding up going down Ipswich Road and I looked out and thought, ‘I wouldn’t mind doing that’, and that’s how it happened.
“That night I started ringing around all these towing
companies and one of them gave me a job – I started out chasing accidents for Economy Towing.”
After “bouncing around” a couple of other companies, Col found himself at Ready Towing where he fell under the mentorship of owner Matt Ready who was just starting to move into the heavy haulage sector with super-tilts and low-loaders.
“I started sort of helping him manage the trucks a little bit, and it grew from there.”
Inspired by Lindsay Fox’s decision to join his two names together to create Linfox, Colin Pakai registered his own portmanteau in 2004 – and Colpak was off and running.
After starting out as a freight forwarder, he used his contract with auction giant MainheimFowes – now known just as Mainheim – to supply drivers to drive trucks and machines over the auction pads to take the operation to the next level.
“Because I was at the auction, people would ask me if I knew anyone that could move a machine or truck, or whatever that they just purchased. After about a year of doing that, people were starting to expect me to turn up with my own trucks, so I thought, ‘Oh shit, I’m going to have to buy myself a truck’.
“I never actually chased any work – it just came to me. I grew the business on service.”
For years, Colpak specialised in tilt-tray work up to 22 tonnes, hauling everything from cars and rollers to boom lifts. The move into heavy haulage came later, driven by Jacob’s passion for the big gear.
Each of the Pakais now bring something unique to the table, said Jacob. He’s the truck-tech/spec’ing expert who has ordered all the trucks and trailers since 2018, Mason is the “people person” and “Dad’s
just dad”.
So, who has the final say if there is a disagreement on any issue?
“Dad normally always wins, but every now and then you can put him in his place. It’s very rare though,” laughs Jacob.
“If he’s going to argue over something, he’s normally done his research before he’s arguing with you.”
Col says having both sons in the business has made it stronger and more sustainable. He’s a lways known Jacob would join him: “At five years old he was telling his teachers he’s only at school long enough to
learn how to fill out the logbook”.
Mason was a late-bloomer in comparison, but has quickly proven to be one of the best operators tough-to-impress Col has seen.
“It gives you that confidence you’re not doing it on your own anymore,” Col said of the father-sons dynamic.
“Sometimes you doubt your abilities, but having my two sons with me makes you a little bit more bulletproof because whatever I’m missing, my kids have, or can add to the equation.”
Continued on page 18
[L-R] Mason, Col, Cohen and his dad Jacob were quick to give the stunning new addition to the fleet a big thumbs up at the official handover at the Mack HQ in Wacol. Image: Mack Trucks
Every last detail has been included in the fully customised cab, including diamond stich leather seats with the company logo.
Col is looking forward to getting behind the wheel and taking his time to enjoy his “forever truck” out on the road.
The first Mack in the Colpak operation impressed all the family when the covers finally came off.
2023 Kenworth T610SAR 6x4
2024 Kenworth T909 6x4
2022 Volvo FM500 6x4
2022 Volvo FMX540 8x4 Twin-Steer
2023 Volvo FH16 6x4
2023 Kenworth W900SAR 6x4
2023 Moffett M5 25.3P NX
2023 Volvo FH540 6x4
2023 Kenworth K200 Big Cab Aerodyne 6x4
2023 Kenworth T909 6x4
The boys are back in town
More than two decades after Lindsay Brothers evolved into an ASX-listed company, the bond between its early drivers and staff remains unbreakable.
BY GRAHAM HARSANT
WITH a £500 nest-egg Peter and Tom Lindsay bought three petrol engines Fords from their father, Victor and hauled fruit and veg from the Coffs Harbour area to markets in Newcastle and Sydney.
Lindsay Brothers was a pioneer in the refrigerated fruit and vegetable transport industry and was one of the first Australian transporters to use refrigerated trailers.
They diversified into timber and fuel transport and the petrol Fords were replaced by the venerable B-model Mack, and a fleet of Louisville’s, with Kenworth dominating in the later years. Interestingly, a driver got paid more for driving a Louisville than a B-model in the early days.
W hat made Lindsay Brothers so successful though were the drivers and other staff.
Lindsay Brothers motto was: Our Strength is our People. That strength and the bonds made show through more than 20 years since Lindsay Brothers ceased being a family-owned company.
A s more than one said to me, “We bleed red and white.”
Last year Big Rigs was invited to Sawtell, near Coffs Harbour, NSW, to join in and witness what turned out to be one of the great trucking company reunions, being that of Lindsay Brothers employees from 1953 to 2002.
Those dates are important because they represent the era that Lindsay Brothers was owned by Peter and Tom, before Peter’s untimely passing in 1988, which ultimately led to the company becoming a public entity – and when, as many at the reunion said, “We became a number, not a person.”
Peter’s daughter, Tracey organised that event with help from old drivers, Warren (Gimmy) Gim and Frankie Thorn, along with brother, Rodney, her children and others too numerous to mention.
Cognisant of the advancing age of many drivers and blown away by the success of last year’s event, Trace decided to do it all again, roping in those mentioned above and more.
The result? If last year was a roaring success, then this year went above and beyond.
Yet again the Sawtell RSL was packed for the Saturday night reunion, but the days (plural) either side were spent at BBQs, local cafés or in the Sawtell pub where 70 and 80-year-olds vied for the coveted title of ‘Last Man Standing’, putting to shame the younger pub regulars.
Friendships were rekindled and stories told from another era of road transport.
Lindsay siblings look back with fond memories
Tracey Lindsay started working in the office as “slave labour” from seven years of age.
“I did my apprenticeship at the depot there, which was also where we lived,” Tracey recalled.
“At 20 I moved to Sydney to work under my cousin, Paul (Tom’s son). In 1984 he took over the depot at Austinville and I managed the Sydney de
“I knew every driver in the company. To me they were family. It was a weird transition from being everyone’s ‘ little girl’ to one of the bosses, but it never changed our love for one another.
“If someone played up, I had methods of making them pay – often by putting them on a run they didn’t want. They soon pulled into line.”
Rod reflected on how he initially became the only mechanic in the family.
“Dad (Peter) said to me, ‘I’d put you on in the workshop, but I would either be too hard on you or too easy - and I wouldn’t be easy.’ So, he said, rather than make me hate him, to go work for someone else, so I did my time at Kenworth.
“I started my time at Kenwood in Coffs Harbour. They sold the franchise to Brown and Hurley’s who believe it or not, are the best company and best people that I have ever worked for – better than our
own family, the Brown and Hurley people. I spent 11 years with them at Coffs and Lansdale, working on our trucks at night.”
Rod said eventually he told Dad he was over this “mechanicing thing” and that he was going to go and drive an ice cream delivery truck, or something.
“He said, ‘I’m not having my son doing that. You better give notice because you start with us on Monday. You’re driving the tanker.’ So I went to Bob Brown and I only gave him two days notice instead of the customary two weeks. Twenty-five years later I apologised to Bobby for that.
Rod drove the tankers then went into the workshop and did 15 or 20 years there greasing trucks and the like - whatever you do to make them go.
“It was hard work. I did a bit of driving too, at night when the drivers were coming out of
ed a spell. “I’d do a changeover halfway to Sydney, come back and front up for work the next day. That’s just what you did.”
“The old man and Tom made sure that we were down-toearth and not act big-time. He and Tom used to have a run-in every now and then.
“Sometimes they would have an unholy blue and you’d think they wouldn’t talk for six months. The next morning they’re in the office having a cup of tea together. It was like that with the people who worked for them too. They would go off at a driver but once it was done you moved on.
“You never told them a lie. I can remember one of the drivers came in. He was standing outside of the office waiting to see Peter who was inside talking about the ‘dick head’ who’d crashed a truck. The old man walked out of the office and the driver stuck his hand out and said, sorry I crashed
your truck, mate. Dad says, ‘are you all right?’ Yeah, apart from hurting my shoulder.
“The old man said, ‘Come up the office son and have a cup of tea.’ Then he walked into the pay office and checked the driver’s holiday situation out. ‘Son,’ he said, ‘come back in two weeks, Rodney will have the truck ready and you’ll be right to go.’
“That’s how it was.”
Tom Jones’ cousin got sacked 11 times Johnny Woodward was 16 years of age when he started at Lindsay’s, doing parcel deliveries around Coffs Harbour
‘I was driving around doing local when Peter said to me he wanted me to get a truck license.
“I can’t, I said. I’m too young. So they arranged for me to go to Brisbane that night with one of the drivers and a load of spuds. ‘Find a Queensland address you can use, get a licence and tomorrow you can bring that truck back with general on it.’
“On the way up I passed a sign and wrote the address down. We got into Brisbane, unloaded the spuds, I used that address and got my licence.
“I went down there one day with Lindsay’s in broad daylight only to find that my residential address in Queensland was the Palen Creek prison farm. I’ve never been back to find out if there are any fines there.”
One of the first trucks he drove interstate was a Thames Trader.
“No one else would drive it so
Siblings Tracey and Rodney Lindsay were thrilled to host a second reunion.
Johnny Woodward was just 16 when he joined the company.
From small beginnings Lindsay Bros. grew into a road freight icon.
Without a lovely wife like Dawn, DJ could not have done the job.
I got it, carting general to Brisbane. Up every morning and back every night, over Mount Tamborine or Mount Lindsay.
“I had a load of Mobil Avgas on the tray and general stacked on top. Now Mobil Avgas is highly flammable. If we’d gone over we could have burnt Queensland out. We did that every night for years.
“One day I go to the office and they say there is your new truck. So I got out of a Thames Trader with a built-in ‘Hill Detector’ to a V8 petrol that didn’t give a shit about hills!
“In the 60s I got one of the new V6 petrol F Series Fords and three of us used to race them. The competition was to hang them around corners so the fuel tanks would drag on the ground with sparks flying everywhere. Peter found out and told us to go drive for someone else if we wanted to kill ourselves.
“It was good fun and the business good to me. I was with Lindsay’s until they sacked me. The truth of it is Peter and Tom, if Peter hired you, you were okay. But if he went away Tom would come in and sack you. I got sacked 11 times.
Johnny said the coppers were always trying to get their licences but never succeeded.
“So, you can imagine when I went in for a test and the woman tells me I’m too old and takes it from me. I was only 80. Bloody unfair!”
Johnny told me that he has a cousin in Wales called Tomas John Woodward, now known as Tom Jones.
“Put that in your paper,” said Johnny.
Wish granted, mate.
Hard work, long hauls, no regrets
Bob Cuthel recalls coming into Lindsay’s one Monday morning, seeing Chris Lindsay and asking if there was any chance of a job.
Nothing at the moment, he
said. This was on a Monday morning.
“That evening he rang me up and asked what I was doing,” remembered Bob.
“He needed a couple of loads delivered.
“So, I came in and did the deliveries, thinking that was it. He said I could come back tomorrow if I wanted. That started a 30-year association.
Bob recalls Tom and Peter as hard taskmasters but fair, and tougher on each other than the drivers.
“I remember them chasing each other around the yard with a piece of 4x2.
“The Bean Run, that’s how Lindsays started off, picking up produce all down the road to go to market in Newcastle and Sydney. The growers would ring in the morning and I would go out to see what we had and work out if we needed one or maybe two trucks.
There were two big growers at Valla Beach that could nearly fill one truck on their own.
“The growers would meet us on the side of the road, throw the 25kg bags to me and I would stack them on the truck.”
To start with it was all open trailers.
“We would set a trailer up in Coffs Harbour with six-foot gates, put a tarp over the top and leave a hole in the middle of the truck where we could get in and out. And you’d be jumping in and out all day.
“There was a bloke at Wauchope turn off. He may have said he had 150 bags to pick up and by the time I got there it could be 300. Other blokes on the side of the road would give you a hand, but not this guy. He would sit up on the side of the hill in his house watching you do all the work yourself. Sometimes the load was eight or nine bags higher than the gates.
One time Bob knew he was well overweight so they sent an eight-tonner up to take some of
the load off.
“We both got pulled up at a weighbridge where he was one ton over and I was two ton over. Peter Lindsay had to pay two fines instead of one.
“We’d do eggs back out of Newcastle, get to Coffs, have to unload the eggs to put bananas on and then stack the eggs back on top for Brisbane.
“Little wonder I’ve had two shoulder surgeries as well as twice on each knee. Wouldn’t change a thing though.”
The Lindsay name was gold, says subbie
Evan Jones was one of the company’s first subbies, carting a lot out of Bundaberg back in the mid-seventies.
“I don’t think there would be another company in Australia of any description that could hold a candle to Lindsays,” he told Big Rigs
“I’ve never had one person ever say to me that Lindsay Bros. ever owed them moneynever ever once in history. The Lindsay name was gold.
“There was a Servo, well known for, ‘No cash – no fuel’. They had bounced cheques pinned on their wall. A driver in bother pleaded for credit and the Servo owner asked who he drove for. “Lindsays.”
“Go fill ‘er up, son, they always pay.”
Evan said it was a company where everybody was part of the family and today he’s still great mates with some of the older drivers.
“There is no friendship out there today like we had. Here we are, almost 80 and we’ve got friendships that money could not buy.”
That’s how we did it back then
Danny Ralley (aka Bert) told us that back in the day it was all about road tax and what they called the Interstate Trade Tax.
To register your truck with IS plates – interstate plates – was
really cheap compared to state to state.
“But it had to be loaded in one state and delivered in another,” Danny said.
“If you loaded for Intrastate on IS plates, what was called Hot Loading, it came with a hefty fine.
“When you have a company of drivers it’s hard for them to all tell the same lie, so LB’s decided they would go somewhere around the Tugun area and find a spot where they could park the trucks to load them in Queensland.
“So, Friday you got your instructions to load out of Kirra on a Saturday morning. Everybody would be told what they were loading.
“Friday night was party night at Kirra then sleep. At 7am the growers would start turning up in their little utes and trailers. Some might have 20 cartons. Others like Ian Fraser would turn up with six tons of tomato hand-stacked at his farm. Then the growers and drivers would stack it by hand onto the truck trailers.”
Danny told us a copper pulled him up one day and wanted to see his licence and logbook.
“I got them out and he has a gander. ‘Listen mate,’ he says.
‘’I’ve just started my shift and I’m not in the mood for confusion, but can you match
these up for me?’ I’d given him a Victoria licence and a Queensland logbook.
‘Don’t suppose you’ve got a matching NSW pair?’ he says.
“’Hang on’, says me…’here, check these out’. He looks at them and says, ‘Perfect mate. Nothing wrong with that one.’ That’s how we did it back then.”
More memories from the road
Ray Dory: “I started around 1971 until two years ago when I retired. I nearly learnt something.”
R ay Thorne: “The women were a big part of what we did and without them we couldn’t have done it properly. Mother and father to your kids while you were away, she made sure the bills were paid, and on it goes. Sometimes you only got home for one night every three weeks.”
Peter Street: “I was carting bricks when Peter Lindsay rang. He’d broken down at Cudgen and asked if I could help out. I hooked up to his van – and unhooked it two years later, at which time he said, ‘Sell your truck and come drive for me.’ So I did. It was great to work for them and every Thursday night your money was in the bank without fail!”
Warren Gim (Gimmy):
“When I started there were 24 trucks in the fleet - all Louisville’s and one Aerodyne. I had a VT with no bed. When you’d done your penance, loading spuds out of Dorrigo or whatever you graduated to a bunk.”
Pat Anthony: “I started driving for them in the 80s. I turned up there at lunchtime on a Wednesday in a pair of shorts, thongs and a singlet asking for a job. Mark Lindsay said have you got a pair of boots? I said, in the car and he started me on the spot. ‘Get your boots on, get in that old International over there and get into town and do some deliveries. I think it was an old C 1800.
“The first time I ever saw that old thing I was only a kid hitchhiking. Lisle I think his name was, pulled up and I jumped up on a heap of old tarps and ropes and here he sitting on an old tin drum with a cushion on it. I thought this is different. And that’s the truck I started in.”
Paul Muller (aka Mullamatic): “The first truck I drove was No 89 out of Sydney. Tracey comes out of the office, tells me to get in her car, go to the supermarket and buy every ‘bomb’ I could think of – Flea Bombs, Flower Bombs, Fire Bombs –and bomb the hell out of it! The previous driver had a bit of a reputation.
“Then they gave me No 99. I loved that truck. When they tried to give me 105 I refused point-blank. Then they tried to give me 109 and said if I didn’t get into it I was sacked. I said, bring my ute over here, I quit! I finally bowed and went into 109. Took them a couple of years to get me into it.”
Danny ‘Bert’ Ralley, left, and Warren ‘Gimmy’ Gim. Images: Graham Harsant
Former staff drivers Pat Anthony and Paul Muller.
Bob Cuthel had a memorable 30-year association.
Ray Thorne praised the women for the role they played.
Peter Street has fond memories of his time at Lindsay’s.
Argosy is all the buzz for Anthony
From his base at Murrami, NSW, this honey producer and his family rely on a 620hp Freightliner workhorse to haul 1200 hives across the country.
BY DAVID VILE
LIVESTOCK haulage by its
very nature is one of the mores specialised fields in road transport which has its own set of unique challenges and requirements for operators.
Within that, the movement of live bees is definitely a niche area and one that has to be carried out with a great deal of care and attention.
For honey producer Anthony Pullen, his Freightliner Argosy is the workhorse of his business, shifting his 1200 hives and bees around following the blossom and generating ‘golden goodness’.
Based at Murrami between Leeton and Griffith in New South Wales, the Pullen’s Honey operation works right across New South Wales and down into Victoria, with Anthony’s rigid Argosy having plenty of get-up and go available to shift his hives safely and quickly from place to place.
Anthony, along with partner Louise and son Thomas had the Argosy polished up for its annual ‘day out’ at the recent Weetalle Truck Show where it had been a category winner in past years.
“She’s a farm truck – not a show pony by any stretch,” said Anthony with a smile.
“I found it on Facebook up at Barradine up in northern New South Wales and bought her home - initially it was a prime mover, but Nixons in Wagga did all the modifications to stretch it and fit the 7.5 metre tray,” he explained.
Having got the 2005-model truck on the road and put to work, disaster struck with the motor detonating itself with Anthony having only clocked
Family
From page 14
WHILE Col Pakai still makes the final call on big decisions at Colpak, he’s increasingly happy to let his sons take the lead.
“There have been some decisions I didn’t agree on that I’ve let the boys follow through with,” he said.
13,000 kilometres with his new rig.
“It was a bit of a rough start; I had the whole thing on the road for 50 grand and then it cost me another 50 for the new motor.
“I have only done around 30,000 kilometres on the new motor; everything is brand new. It’s got a Cummins Signature Gen 2 rated at 620hp – it’s the biggest rigid known around the place, 620 horses for a 12-tonne truck - it’s a bit of overkill.
“I came up the Clyde Mountain fully loaded and was passing cars, so I had to back it off a bit,” he said with a grin.
Having had a 6-tonne UD
“As long as no one’s going to get hurt and the ethics are right, I’m okay with that. It just means I didn’t get the co
previously, the step up to the Freightliner was a big one and one that made a significant difference Anthony in getting his hives and bees where they need to be, with a lot of driving off the blacktop.
“You can’t buy any rigids with decent horsepower - you have a bigger rigid with 300 horsepower, and you put a trailer running behind it through the hills you’re back to first gear.
“With this we are 22.5 tonne loaded so it’s obviously a bit of a step-up from the UD.
“We can cart 120 hives at a time, and I have an articulated loader as well, we just drop the bags and run a couple of ramps, and it sits on the back
down from a pre-Covid high of 35.
“We’ve got a great crew, great drivers, the right number of trucks, and the work to atch,” Col said. “It’s a very strong, profitable business, and the stress levels are good.
to the tray pretty well.”
“Length is also a factor, so we went with the cab-over - it has the big bunk so we both sleep in it when we go away and it’s really comfortable,” said Anthony.
Clocking up around 50,000 kilometres annually the Freightliner would not be considered a linehaul truck, but the work it does cannot be understated, with the Argosy having prior to the Weethalle Truck Show just done trips to Casino in northern New South Wales and south to Kyalite on the Victorian border.
“It can be a hard gig…getting stung is just part of the job! it is a bit of a speciality thing, and you have to travel through the night. It’s a matter of following the seasons and the flowering of crops at various times.
We have 1200 hives – 10 truckloads to cart about. Generally, they are on-site for a couple of weeks, we are on almond pollination at the minute so they will be there for four weeks and then the seed canola pollination for another four to six weeks,” he explained.
With Weethalle rolling around again, the Freightliner had received a bit of TLC in the week before its annual journey to take its place in the truck show lineup.
“Thomas isn’t keen on the bees as he hates getting stung but he likes working on the truck so all the kids polish her up and put it in - we won second best rigid with it last year, so we will see if there is any glory here for it this year,” Anthnoy said.
Perhaps one of the most telling statements was written on the mudflaps fitted to the front of the Freightliner which stated: “No Bees = No Food…buy
Australian Honey,” highlighting the importance of bees and role they play in primary production, and the fact that Australian beekeepers and their livelihoods are under threat from imported honey ending up on the supermarket shelf. It’s a fact not lost on Anthony: “Everyone goes and buys the cheapest honey from China, and they are not reading the label…it’s very important that everyone buys Australian honey – it’s a dying industry. “I don’t really care who’s honey it is just buy Australian - it helps everyone.”
Jacob agrees that the focus on quality over quantity is what keeps Colpak strong.
“I’d love to grow bigger, but it goes back to quality or quantity,” he said. “It’s getting hard to find good operators, so if you just focus on your core operators, the best ones get the best work.
“You can go as big as you want, but you start getting average operators and you lose track of it. I just don’t want to tarnish the name.”
While providing for his family was a primary motivator for building the business in the beginning, having his two sons take senior roles now allows Col to take the foot off the pedal slightly and enjoy some of the fruits.
With Jacob now stepping off the road more and into the office, it’s also freeing up Col to allow him to focus more on building his industrial property portfolio, and to spend more time with his eldest grandchild, Jacob’s truck-mad, four-year-old son Cohen. Jacob also celebrated the arrival of new son Chase in October.
“I take Mondays off now and hang out with Cohen –my priority is me and him and it’s non-negotiable,” said Col, who was looking forward to a long weekend at his beach house in Kingscliff when Big Rigs called.
“I hang out with my little mate, and we do whatever he wants to do.
“Ideally, I’d like my sons to run the transport, and I start to concentrate a little bit more on our property.
“I don’t need to work anymore. I haven’t needed to for a long time. It’s about building a legacy for my kids and
grandkids now.”
Jacob, however, doubts his dad will ever fully retire from the trucking business.
“He’s been talking about retiring for 10 years, it’ll never happen,” Jacob laughs.
“When your name is the company and you eat, sleep and breathe it for the last 20 years, I don’t think he’s ready to let go that quick.
“But even if he just pops in and wants to go for a drive [in the new Titan] or I want to go for a drive and he sits in the office for a couple of days, we’ll be able to make it work between the three of us.”
With 620 horses on tap, the Freightliner is not short of motive power.
With an articulated loader on the back, the Freightliner is ready
Cohen Pakai, 4, is already a chip off the old block.
Jacob wasted no time in putting the new Mack to work.
Put the future to work
Kenworth stands by its history of design of trucks that are easy to operate and maintain. The new generation Kenworths integrate the latest technology while upholding this philosophy, making our newest models smarter than ever. Put the future to work for your business.
Big-hearted truckies rally for convoy
For 26 years, the Goulburn Convoy for Kids has united truckies and the community to help children and their families.
BY GRAHAM HARSANT
COUNTLESS committee
meetings, going to business after business to ask for do nations, bringing council and police on board, to spend most of the year putting it all together. And all for an event that lasts no more than seven hours.
That is what the good peo ple of Goulburn, NSW, and surrounds have done for the past 26 years to stage the Goulburn Convoy for Kids.
And of course, none of it could happen if not for the involvement of the truck in dustry – the men and women who expend time and effort to make sure their rigs look the part for the five kilome tre run from The Gateway Service Station to the Show ground.
Peter Caldow is the current president of the convoy and can’t be missed as he ‘scoots’ around in his Suzuki Mighty Boy Ute, replete with convoy stickers, twin stacks and air horns. “That thing alone ensures year-round publicity,” he grins.
“The Goulburn Convoy for Kids goes beyond just kids who have cancer. Obviously they are an integral group
that you support, but it is more than that. Our convoy committee is committed to helping any children with special needs.
“Being located in Goulburn, we are central with Wollongong, Bowral, Sydney and Canberra specialists, so if a child gets a diagnosis and they need to get help
quickly, instead of having to wait on help from government departments, we give them the fuel money, we give them the accommodation money – we give them everything because the last thing they need to worry about is what they are going to do to get help for their child. We try to make up the shortfall
in those situations.
Peter said more people are reaching out for other types of specialised help such as chemist bills.
“We have clients that have to go for regular check-ups, special fittings of items and so forth and we pay for their fuel to go to Sydney.
into our local hospital which last year was $15,000. That went into the paediatric ward.
“We also helped some children from our local community that went on a Terry ampese Foundation trip to Tonga. They built a library and a computer room in a village over there. This year we are in negotiations to give them a bit more help so they can take some underprivileged children across to Samoa.
This is stuff that people don’t see or hear of, and if you don’t get in and give them a hand and give that little bit of help, those kids may miss out or may never get that opportunity.
“What is wonderful to see is that the next generations are getting involved in our convoy. For example, past president Brian Webb’s son and grandsons are all involved, which bodes well for the future.”
Upon arrival at the showgrounds, the participants –and the public – were greeted with food stands, face painting, a lolly shop (of course), and a carnival with nine different rides.
the child gets a stamp coming through the gate,” said Peter. “If they want to write the dodgem cars 50 times it’s all good, jump on. There is no charge for the rides. This is about the kids and giving back to the community. $10 is not a lot of money and it goes to a good cause.”
To have the opportunity to be the lead truck, participants pay $40 on top of the $60 entry fee and the winner is drawn out of a hat. This year the honour went to Karsten Gebhardt and his 1987 W-model Kenworth.
“I’ve never even won a meat raffle,” said Karsten, who held his young daughter, Indy in his arms as we talked. “She is the best reason in the world to come and support this event.”
K arsten has been a stayat-home-dad for the past 18 months. “It’s a challenge. It teaches you a bit about patience and how hard the job is. Sometimes I think it’s easier to deal with the NHVR. W hen she’s sleeping for a couple of hours I go down to the shed and the polish some chrome.”
The ‘shed’ contains some 9 or 10 trucks including this W-model that Karsten
Ready to rock ‘n’ roll for a great cause.
Goulburn Convoy for Kids President, Peter Caldow.
Karsten Gebhardt’s 1987 W-Model leading the convoy. Images: Graham Harsant
This is what it’s all about. The Lead Truck’s Karsten Gebhardt and daughter, Indy.
The mighty Suzuki Mighty Boy. A rolling advertisement for the event.
bought from Neal’s at Colac eight years ago.
With a 3406 CAT, 18-speed double overdrive, eight bag and Rockwell diff, Karsten pulled it apart and repainted the old girl. “I’ve spent a lot of money on it and I’m still spending a lot of money on it.”
There are half a dozen awards given out and this writer was privileged to be asked to be a judge, along with CJ of Trucking with CJ fame. We were unanimous in our choice of Best Truck – a superb example of an R600 Flintstone Mack belonging to Matt Webb.
Matt has owned the truck for nine years, having bought it from a cocky at Mirrool
and undertaking a chassis-up rebuild.
A 237 Mack engine replaced the original 711, taller diffs to reduce the revs and just about everything else including a top-quality white paint job with tasteful blue pin striping and scrolling done by Harold McCracken from Albury-Wodonga.
“Dad said we should learn to drive a quad box,” said Matt who’s a Kenworth fan and has been driving for many years.
“You have to learn to drive the way they used to, he said to me, so I got this.”
And how long did it take Matt to master the skill?
“I haven’t. I can get there, but it is definitely an art. For the blokes that used to do it,
good on them; I struggle a bit. You learn pretty quickly to not change gears through corners and that sort of stuff.”
Two hundred and thirty-nine trucks registered for the Goulbourn Convoy, with some late ring-ins pushing that number to 250.
With their support the committee was able to raise $108,000 to add to the near $1 million raised over the past 25 years.
I would suggest this is a sterling effort from a town of 30,000. Ladies and gentlemen, take a bow – you all deserve it!
Please continue to support this and the other Convoy events that take place around the country.
Best Truck winner, Matt Web with his R600 Mack.
The team from Leader Removals & Storage in Canberra were out in force showing support.
John Wellington won the Best Truck, 30 years and over prize, with his stunning Louisville LTL.
The big show still goes on
Despite storms threatening to completely derail plans for this year’s Brisbane Convoy For Kids, trucks showed up in force to raise money for a great cause.
THE Brisbane Convoy for Kids took place on Saturday November 1, with 778 trucks participating in the convoy.
Taking pole position as this year’s Lead Truck was Polytec’s Brisbane Convoy for Kids billboard truck, raising a whopping $100,025.
Brisbane Convoy for Kids has once again selected Hummingbird House Foundation to be its 2025 fundraising beneficiary, for the 10th year running – with all proceeds going to the charity, that provides short break stays, family support services, creative therapies, and care at the end of life, for children with life-limiting conditions and their families.
For the convoy, trucks entered from Logan Motorway at Paradise Road, travelling
through Larapinta, onto the Gateway Motorway, then down the Deagon Deviation, across Hornibrook Bridge, down Oxley Avenue, and into the Redcliffe Showgrounds.
Unfortunately, due to the weather, the truck show awards were postponed. All of the judging was completed at the event, with winners announced during a special presentation following the big day.
The huge auction – tipped to be the biggest in the event’s history, with around $80,000 worth of items going under the hammer – was also postponed, although part of the auction took place on the day.
The truck show award presentation and remainder of the auction was held on Saturday November 15 – as this issue
of Big Rigs went to print – at Yatala Truck Wash and also streamed online for those unable to attend in-person.
Dana Browne, from Brisbane Convoy for Kids, told Big Rigs, “The weather made things a little hectic, but we were able to turn something that had the potential of being a complete failure into something incredible.
“All the drivers who were involved in the convoy were stoked to be a part of it. They set off at 7.30 in the morning and were already rolling into the showgrounds from 9am. The convoy itself ran so smoothly and the feedback was all positive.
“The storm definitely deterred people from attending the showgrounds, but all the stall holders and sponsors still showed up and gave their absolute best.”
A s the storm really set in by late afternoon, organisers had to come up with a quick solution for the scheduled live entertainment. “We still had the live entertainment but that was hosted in our bar instead of the main stage,” said Dana.
“Liam Maihi did a killer set with his band, followed by Travis Sinclair who also did an incredible set. Then we had our fireworks behind the Trailer of Hope.”
Trucks roll through Brisbane’s streets for the convoy. Images: Ray Lawrence Photography
Ted hitches a ride on the back of a Smallie’s Towing truck.
D&M Lucas & Sons Transport’s colourful fleet of DAFs.
This Kenworth T408 SAR gave some pandas a lift at the convoy.
HYVA Hooks and Skip systems are a masterpiece in design and functionality. HYVA offer an unparalleled standard of robustness in waste handling, recycling and construction, making the task faster, safer and more efficient than ever.
Marcus Post’s 1985 Ford Louisville LTL, with his father John Post’s 1989 Louisville LTS following behind.
Despite the inclement weather, another huge turnout of trucks turned up to show support for the big fundraiser.
The team from Mackay and Sons House Removals was out in force for a great cause.
Now there’s a tipper that definitely catches the eye: Debret’s 1985 Kenworth L700.
Brisbane Pump Action’s Mercedes-Benz is adorned with photos from across the company’s 25 years in business.
Woodeson Excavations had its 2010 Western Star 4864 Series in mint condition for the big day.
Irwins Scania gets into the spirit of the day displaying a sponsor banner.
The Knight’s Heavy Towing fleet of Kenworths.
Harvey’s Towing had a number of trucks in the convoy… as well as a number of teddy bears.
Packing a powerful punch
For this second generation family business, two new 660hp DAF XGs are delivering on power, grunt and exceptional fuel efficiency.
STARTED in Port Kembla, New South Wales, in 1980 with just one truck, Unanderra Tanker Hire (UTH) now operates a fleet of 52 prime movers across a number of facilities throughout the country.
The company was started by Oskar and Wendy Wiedl, who continue as shareholders, with their son JJ Wiedl serving as director and continuing to drive the business forward.
Along with its primary Port Kembla facility, UTH has a secondary depot in Minto, New South Wales, and sub-depots in Newcastle, Melbourne, country Victoria, Brisbane, and a presence in Adelaide.
More recently Perth was added into the mix, with this site opened in July 2025 as part of UTH’s expansion into Western Australia, to cater to customer demand.
U TH specialises in dangerous goods and liquid transport, including both local and interstate work.
Like many kids growing up in a family transport business, JJ recalled many trips in the truck with his father. “I was in the truck all the time as a kid, that’s how it was back then. I was only very young but re member a bloke at work asking m
me here – and I know Dad felt bad about it but that’s where I wanted to be.
“Sometimes it was just the little things like stopping for a strawberry milkshake, and getting to see and do things while travelling with him in the truck. We only had a few trucks back then, so it was very different to how it is now.”
JJ, 49, officially started working at UTH back in 1997.
W hile dangerous goods has been the company’s mainstay since the beginning, there has also been a great deal of change and diversification over the years.
As JJ explained, “Up until the mid 1990s, it was mainly liquid waste haulage. Then we saw an opportunity for chemical transport.
“We cart a lot of raw ingredients to the companies that manufacture chemicals and now cart a lot of their finished products too.
“Although it is predominantly chemical transport, we still do a little bit of liquid waste haulage because it complements what we do.”
The truck fleet is predominantly Kenworth and DAF.
said JJ, adding that there are now 11 DAFs in the fleet. “We started with the DAF XF, then bought the DAF CF, and now we’ve purchased our first two DAF XGs, which were delivered about five months ago.”
With more power and grunt than its predecessors, the DAF XG is powered by the lightweight 15-litre PACCAR PX15 engine, which delivers an impressive 660 horsepower and 3200Nm of torque. The Euro-6 platform enables higher cylinder pressures for enhanced performance and fuel efficiency.
That’s compared to the smaller XF, with its 530hp MX-13 PACCAR engine.
“For the long distance work, drivers are looking for bigger sleeper cabins – these new XGs are a totally different truck to the previous models we’ve had. So far, so good,” added JJ.
out the most for UTH is their exceptional fuel efficiency.
“One of the XGs spent a few months doing B-double work out of Melbourne. Comparing it to another truck doing similar work to Brisbane, the XG runs rings around it in terms of fuel economy,” JJ said
“The fuel economy is amazing – I am just absolutely wrapped in that with the new DAF XGs. We’re actually thinking about selling some of the older trucks because we’re not happy with the fuel economy, so we can replace them with DAFs.”
Between the larger DAF XG and the XF and CF, JJ says that each model has its place in the fleet for different types of runs. “The DAF XG is a higher truck, so it’s not necessarily your best metro truck – that’s where the other DAF models come in. What the DAF XG can do out on the highway is great.”
We started moving towards the Kenworths about 2005 and began with the DAFs in 2013,”
“One of the reasons we initially started going with the DAFs was because we were finding that some of the sites we had to load at had poor access. We used to be able to get to some of these sites with the bigger trucks, but with more and more developments going on, some sites were getting much tighter so we recognised the need for a cabover.
“The DAFs were quite well priced so we bought our first one as a trial, and quickly shifted away from any brand other than PACCAR. Although we do a lot of the maintenance ourselves internally, parts are easy to come by and they’re well priced. They’re great on fuel, and not much goes wrong with them, so you’re not having to spend heaps on parts. PACCAR also offers great aftersales service too.
“I want to maintain a balance of Euro and American chassis trucks in the fleet. I’ve also just ordered a new T909 for the run to Darwin, so we’ll still buy the Kenworths for those sorts of runs.”
Since putting the new XGs to work – both currently based in Sydney, with one in Picton and one in Minto – what’s stood
JJ added that the DAF XG is also packed with plenty of grunt. “These trucks are just animals out on the road, they are so powerful and the drivers absolutely love them. While we’d love to have more of these big powerful 660hp trucks in the fleet, you don’t need that sort of power when you’re just towing a single trailer – so the XGs work well with the multi trailer or long distance work.”
UTH has just received NHVR approval to run the DAF XG as part of a 27-metre AB-triple set-up, and following customer approval, the hope is to use one of these trucks to cart waste material out of the Appin Mine in north-west New South Wales.
“During peak periods, that job would see us do 16 trips a day to and from the mine using our existing equipment. With the DAF XG AB-triples, we’re hoping to reduce that down to 12 trips a day,” ex
UTH took delivery of its first DAF XGs about five months ago. Images: UTH
Proudly supporting Reader Rigs
Share your truck pics to 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!
Steve Ayton loads freshly pressed vetch hay at Warracknabeal, Victoria.
Chris Pearson took this early morning shot in Roma, Queensland, after hooking up a quad bound for Mt Isa.
Livestock truckie Kate Yonge makes a quick stop at Mt Hope, Victoria.
Andrew Maifredi shared this great shot, snapped at Middleton, on the way to Bedourie, Queensland.
Luke Curtis shared this great photo of Ballinger’s ‘This One’s For You’ T909 and Lawrence Transport’s T904 and T409SAR.
Dennis Mckenna snapped this awesome shot travelling the lonely Newell Highway.
Steve Grant shared this great shot of the Hardy’s Haulage T610 A-double driven by his driver Kelvin Booth, delivering another load of malt to CUB Breweries at Yatala.
A great shot from Brent Pagee of S & J McMahon Transport’s ‘The Patriot’, loading at Roma, Queensland.
Gary Morton enjoys an incredible Kimberley sunset while stopped at Willare in WA, bound for Darwin.
David Watts in the T659 twin steer log truck he drives in the Mid North Coast, NSW.
Matthew Donk McCallum snapped this cool pic, after loading at Beachport, South Australia.
Cam Deans snapped this great pic while loading malt barley at Mukinbudin, WA.
Tom Charlton snapped this great photo, with the grain silos at Yelarbon, Queensland as a backdrop.
Lazer Lamps: Spreading the light
LAZER Lamps’ flagship LED spotlight is now more accessible than ever thanks to a sharper new RRP on the Sentinel 9” Standard model.
When the sun goes down, visibility becomes everything. For truckies, lamps and lighting form a critical part of a truck. It can be the difference between life and death or running early or late.
That’s where Lazer Lamps comes in. Since their founding in 2010, the UK manufacturer has led the way in LED technology. Every Lazer product is designed, engineered, and manufactured in-house at their UK headquarters, giving them full control over the entire build process, meaning they can ensure the highest levels of quality, performance, and reliability.
At the core of Lazer’s success with the truck sector is the Sentinel range. A premium series of round high-performance LED spotlights.
A pair of Sentinel 9” Standard lights emit a whopping 19,058 raw lumens and deliver 1 lux of light to 1 kilometre away. Not only do you get distance, but an expansive 52-degree horizontal left-to-right spread of light that fully illuminates the sides of the road too. The 5000k colour temperature of the lights is also as close to natural daylight as possible, reducing eye fatigue during
long overnight hauls, whilst also minimising hash reflections from road signs.
“As an ex-driver with over 20 years of full-time driving under my belt, I can easily say that the Sentinel range from Lazer are the best driving lights I’ve ever sat behind. Simply brilliant lights! Great wide spread of light and extremely powerful. For us they tick all the boxes,” said Matthew Manning, Sales Manager at Johnsons Trucks in Mildura – and a former truckie with two decades on the road.
While lighting perfor-
mance is key, the other consideration for truckies is durability. The Australian outback is notorious for its heat, dust, salt and water.
With this in mind, the Sentinel range is engineered with durability at its core.
Each light has features such as an ‘unbreakable’ polycarbonate lens with a lifetime guarantee and a corrosion-resistant automotive grade power-coated housing. Furthermore, each product is put through rigorous testing, from thermal cycling and salt spray to vibration and solar load. This level
of build quality ensures the Sentinel products perform in the harshest conditions, lighting the way for drivers from the arctic circle, all the way to the Australian Outback.
With this level of engineering expertise in mind, Lazers products do sit at the higher end of the market in terms of price. However, Lazer Lamps Australia has now announced the new and reduced RRP of its Sentinel 9” Standard model – from $645 down to just $495.
The price cut opens the door to premium lighting
for a broader range of users, particularly fleets outfitting several vehicles or owner-drivers with multi-light set ups.
The new RRP of the Sentinel 9” makes it a true high-performance upgrade over entry-level alternatives, and is now accessible to buyers who may have previously viewed both the Standard and Elite models as out of reach.
Jason Pridham, Lazer’s National Sales Manager for Australia & NZ gave us his insights on the Sentinel range: “After 25 years in the
Introducing next-gen ArmourBrite
BUILT to shine, ArmourBrite features the ultimate easyclean finish.
Every truck looks good the day it leaves the yard. But trying to keep it that way, that’s t
At Armoury, we’re all about building products that make the trucking industry shine.
We elevate trucks and the people who drive them – by providing quality, reliability and
We understand that constant polishing isn’t just time-consuming, it also means time off the road. That’s why we have developed ArmourBrite – our proprietary wheel finish that gives drivers the mirror-like shine they want without the upkeep that they don’t. And now, ArmourBrite has evolved once again.
From innovation to evolution
Since its launch, ArmourBrite has become one of Australia’s most trusted wheel finishes –giving drivers the bright, reflective look they love, without the hours of polishing that polished wheels demand
or the constant cleaning that chrome requires.
The next generation of ArmourBrite takes that further, bringing an even brighter, tougher surface that has been designed and built for today’s conditions.
Every stage of the process, from surface prep all the way through to finishing, has been refined for a deeper, more consistent shine across every wheel. The end result is a finish that looks freshly detailed after every wash and stays cleaner for longer.
It’s an evolving industry, and we’re evolving with it. When you’ve already set the industry standard, the only way forward is better.
Built for the real world
Wheels cop it all – road grime, heat, dust, and countless washdowns. ArmourBrite is designed to handle anything that’s thrown its way.
Compared to traditional polished wheels, ArmourBrite keeps its shine through more wash cycles, resists pitting and dulling, and requires up to 80 per cent less cleaning time.
Just wash, rinse, and roll out – no compounds, no elbow grease, and no fuss.
You can see it the moment sunlight hits the wheel, that deep reflection that keeps its edge wash after wash.
It’s the perfect blend of performance and presentation for
lighting game, I’ve seen a lot of change, from Halogen to HID, and now the latest generation of high-output LEDs.
The Lazer Lamps Sentinel range stands out as the best wide-angle light output I’ve ever used in a 9” round light. Time and time again I hear from new Lazer Lamps owners: ‘Wow, your lights are amazing!’
“If you rely on your truck, trust lighting that’s built for professionals, made to perform when it matters most, night after night, job after job, year after year.”
the drivers who take pride in their rigs but don’t have hours to spare.
The Armoury standard At Armoury, we don’t just build products, we build progress. Every wheel represents our commitment to innovation, quality, and continuous improvement. Because making the trucking industry shine isn’t just what we do, it’s who we are. ArmourBrite. Built to shine. The ultimate easyclean finish.
To learn more, call Armoury Group on 1300 005 576 or visit armourygroup. com.au.
A striking Kenworth with ArmourBrite Offsets. Images: Armoury Group
The perfect balance of performance and aesthetics.
ArmourBrite wheels deliver mirror-like shine without the upkeep.
E44482907)80(T
The lubricant edge you can’t afford to miss
IN today’s competitive freight environment, uptime is non-negotiable. Trailer operators and haulage fleets know that every minute a trailer is off the road is revenue lost.
That’s why lubrication strategy is just as critical for trailers and their ancillary systems as it is for prime movers.
At Penrite, with a heritage dating back to 1926, the approach is simple: deliver heavy-duty lubricant solutions that stand the test of demanding applications, so you stay ahead of the maintenance curve.
For trailer wheel-ends, bearing assemblies and suspension
linkages, the use of a dedicated grease pays dividends.
Penrite’s Heavy-Duty Bearing Grease is designed specifically for harsh conditions and heavy loads. It’s an NLGI 2, lithium-complex base grease with extreme-pressure (EP) additives, and outstanding resistance to water washout and corrosion, even in salt-water or marine-adjacent operations. In practical terms, this means your trailer’s bearings, bushes and pivot points
of moisture and wear, important when you’re hitting dusty regional roads, wet load-yards or coastal freight routes.
But trailers aren’t just about rolling, they’re about articulation, coupling points, universal joints and kingpins too.
For those critical grease points where exposure and squeeze-out are common, Penrite’s Molygrease EP 3 per cent steps up. This product features a premium lithium soap base and 3 per cent molybdenum disulphide, a pro tective film layer that remains
behind even when base grease is forced out of the interface. Whether you’re navigating coupling manoeuvres, trailer jack points, landing-gear pivots or universal joints on dolly units, the added moly-disulphide means extended service intervals, fewer downtime greasing events, and ultimately lower total cost of ownership for your trailer fleet.
Hydraulics are equally mission critical. Trailers quipped with lift decks, ramp systems, pneumatic or
hydraulic landing-gear, and even remote tilt or tip functions demand fluid systems that can perform under load, resist oxidation, and maintain seal integrity, especially in mobile freight environments.
Penrite’s PRO Hydraulic 46 and PRO Hydraulic 68 provide two strong foundations. They utilise a zinc anti-wear additive with a premium mineral base oil developed for all types of hydraulic systems. It’s formulated to combat all types of rust, oxidation, wear and foaming. The ISO 68 grade delivers similar robust protection but with
the higher viscosity suited to heavier duty, high-temperature or high-load applications. Deploying these fluids ensures that hydraulic trailer systems remain responsive, reliable and less prone to breakdown, especially in double-deck, heavy-payload or remote sliding-floor trailer configurations.
Putting this all together, a trailer-specific lubrication strategy from Penrite means you’re not simply applying generic product across the fleet. You’re applying engineered solutions, a heavy-duty EP grease for wheel bearings and chassis joints, a specialised moly-fortified grease for high-wear articulation points and tailored hydraulic fluids for lift and tip systems. With that kind of chemistry and engineering backbone, you’re reducing unplanned downtime, extending service intervals and better protecting critical assets in your trailer operations.
In short, if your trailer fleet is the backbone of your logistics business, don’t leave its lubrication to chance. Use Penrite’s century-strong expertise to build a maintenance strategy that’s as rugged and reliable as the road itself.
For more information visit penriteoil.com.au or call us on 1300 PENRITE (736 7483).
Penrite’s Heavy-Duty Bearing Grease is designed specifically for harsh conditions and heavy loads.
Penrite’s Molygrease EP 3% features a premium lithium soap base and 3 per cent molybdenum disulphide.
Penrite’s PRO Hydraulic 46 and PRO Hydraulic 68 feature a zinc anti-wear additive with a premium mineral base oil, and suit all types of hydraulic systems. Images: Penrite
Unlocking potential for high productivity vehicles
AS Queensland’s economy is heavily reliant on its transport sector, it is crucial that our roads and bridges are designed and maintained to support high productivity vehicles (HPVs). Building purpose-built infrastructure for trucks, streamlining permit systems, and enabling better collaboration between authorities and industry are essential steps to unlock Queensland’s true freight potential.
Creating infrastructure for high productivity vehicles
High productivity vehicles are essential for maximising efficiency and safety on our roads – they reduce the number of truck trips, lower emissions, and improve road safety by minimising congestion. However, for these benefits to be realised, Queensland must invest in roads and bridges that are fit for purpose for the largest vehicles on the road. Existing infrastructure often falls short of accommodating HPVs, which leads to restrictions, detours, and delays for transport operators. Upgrading infrastructure to include wider lanes, stronger bridges, and targeted extensions at key bottlenecks will allow for safer and more efficient freight movements. This targeted investment will support economic growth, reduce operational costs, and improve the reliability of supply chains.
Enhancing access and increasing port volumes
Ensuring high productivity vehicles can access ports directly and efficiently is vital to reduce the risk of losing exports to other states that have better infrastructure. Without direct access, operators are forced to use less efficient routes or less capable combi-
nations, which can increase costs and environmental impact.
By opening up access through dedicated, fit-forpurpose roads, the state can increase freight volumes to ports, support local industries, and enhance economic resilience. Increased port throughput also means fewer delays, lower logistics costs, and stronger global competitiveness for Queensland’s exports.
Streamlining permit systems and improving communications
One of the most significant barriers to the adoption of high productivity vehicles has been the complex, outdated permit system. Vehicles requiring permits often face lengthy approval processes, inconsistent issuance, and sudden refusal notices that dissuade investment in safer and more productive combinations. Simplifying and clarifying permit procedures, along with issuing notices for roads already requiring permits, would provide clarity
and investment predictability for industry.
Furthermore, improved communication between road managers and the transport industry is essential. When industry stakeholders understand decision-making processes, traffic impacts, and future plans, they can better plan and adapt. Instant permit refusals and a lack of transparency erode confidence in the system. Collaborative engagement, including regular discussions, consultations, feedback mechanisms and modern decision making, will help industry and authorities work collectively to identify workable solutions.
Moving beyond outdated constraints
The industry is increasingly constrained by outdated safety and weight formulas, such as the SWEP (Standard Weight Effectiveness Policy) path formulas, which do not incorporate the capabilities of today’s purpose-built vehicles (PBVs). These formulas often inhibit the deployment of the latest and safest high productivity
configurations, limiting the industry’s ability to operate at optimal productivity levels. Without updating these formulas to reflect the latest vehicle data, transport operators are forced to operate under restrictive parameters that do not align with current vehicle technology. This disconnect impacts safety, efficiency and profitability. The cost of doing business will continue to rise unless reforms are made to enable the use of the safest, most productive vehicle combinations.
Call for a collaborative approach
To realise these goals, Queensland must adopt a more collaborative approach with the transport industry. Industry input should be valued and integrated into planning and decision-making processes. This includes rethinking permit refusals, streamlining approval processes, and investing in infrastructure upgrades.
Building a future-ready freight network will give transport businesses confi-
dence to invest in the safest and most productive combinations, supporting their growth and sustainability. It will also position Queensland as a leader in freight efficiency, safety, and innovation. The industry cannot be held back by outdated policies and infrastructure. Instead, a new path must be forged – one of collaboration, innovation, and strategic investment that ensures Queensland’s economy remains strong and productive for years to come.
Emerald Carrying Company’s BAB quad. Images: QTA
Blenners Transport quad quad steerable B-double.
TRAILER FEATURE
Celebrating 50 years of innovation
STARTED in the Adelaide suburb of Dry Creek in 1976, Southern Cross Transport Equipment Group (SCTEG) is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary of designing and engineering a range of high quality trailers.
Since then, SCTEG has continued to grow its offering, becoming a true one stop shop for all your trailer equipment and repair needs.
The business was founded by cousins Colin and Barry Deverson and Brian McMeekan, who had all previously worked together at another trailer manufacturer in South Australia.
under the directorship of Col
in, together with Barry’s wife Maggie Deverson. They are supported by an ex ceptional workforce, many of whom have been with the busi ness for many years. Across all divisions, there are numerous staff members who have been with SCTEG anywhere from five to 40 years.
The trailer division manu factures drop decks, flat tops, extendables, dollies, along with high productivity vehicles that are built to customer specifica tions.
W hile Southern Cross Vans produces chiller, freezer and dry freight vans, in a variety of configurations.
Southern Cross Trailers
T (08) 8405 7600
E sales@trailers.scteg.com.au
boxes, EBS or ABS brake systems, and more.
Jason Doig was recently appointed to the role of SCTEG Trailer Sales Manager. “I’ve worked in the transport industry for the past 25 years, selling new trucks and bodies for the past 10. I’ve always had an interest in the trailer industry and am looking forward to meeting new customers and providing solutions to their needs,” he said.
Over the years, SCTEG has expanded its offering well beyond trailer manufacturing,
o cater to the various needs of the Australian commercial
ers, SCTEG Repairs at Dry Creek, South Australia, is a specialised trailer repair centre – offering servicing, repairs and modifications. Whether it be a full semi trailer refurbishment, common day to day repairs and servicing, SCTEG Repairs has you covered.
SCTEG Repairs is managed by Ben Watson, and together with his expert team, they can lengthen, straighten or bend your existing trailer to suit your customer requirements. SCTEG Repairs offers welding repairs, adding twist locks,
brake relines, fitting landing legs, sorting electrical problems and general repairs, all subject to engineering approval and conforming to ADR specifications.
SCTEG Repairs also boasts the largest fibreglass repair centre in South Australia.
To add, the Southern Cross Industries division, headed up by Brad Carpenter, has become renowned for its high quality refurbishments of semi trailers and refrigerated vans.
While on the parts side,
tralia and Tasmania, it’s led by Bret Dolder, as SCTEG Parts Group General Manager.
“At SCTEG Parts, we’re committed to delivering good old fashioned customer service, offering the choice of genuine and aftermarket parts, catering to all needs and budgets,” Bret said.
In exciting news for SCTEG, Colin Deverson has recently announced the creation of an SCTEG Board, that will steer the group as he looks to slow down.
His daughter Kelly Windsor has been welcomed as CEO of the group and will support Col and other members of the
Kelly has worked by her father Colin’s side for many years, making her a perfect fit
highest quality materials.
TRAILER FEATURE
Steering Hendrickson into the future
IT’S been 30 years since Hendrickson’s Vice President of International Operations, Andrew Martin, first joined the business. Leaning on his extensive engineering, military and fleet management experience, Andrew has helped to grow the Hendrickson suspension brand in Australia and beyond.
Back in 1995 when Andrew first walked through the doors of Hendrickson’s Dandenong headquarters, it employed around 20-25 people.
Fast forward to today, and Hendrickson has around 145 members of staff here in Australia. As Andrew told Big Rigs, he’s seen a lot of change throughout his long career with the well-known brand.
“Before coming on board with Hendrickson, I was running a commercial fleet of trucks in the waste industry.
Some of the vehicles used the Hendrickson product, and they just happened to be the most productive vehicles in the fleet,” Andrew explained.
“That was my initial exposure to Hendrickson, on the customer side of the equation – and I thought very highly of what the product was able to do.” Andrew had spent much of
his early career in the military.
Using his training as a mechanical engineer, he was responsible for the maintenance and technical support of heavy armoured vehicles.
That background served Andrew well when he initially joined Hendrickson in a technical support role. “That role was a good fit for my commercial vehicle and maintenance experience,” he said.
“I already had a pretty good understanding of the whole of life costs that a fleet has – and that there is a balancing act between a product being lighter in weight and what I call reliability, maintainability and availability.
“Those three things are the key drivers of uptime and whole of life costs – and if I
put myself back into a military environment, they are also really important to keep vehicles moving – life and death.”
The 1990s brought a greater degree of focus on quality control processes. With this Andrew soon took on the role as Hendrickson’s Quality Manager, where he took the lead in introducing quality control systems during manufacture and obtaining all the necessary certifications for the products.
“I grew with the business and eventually became the Engineering Manager. With that, I moved into a more technical role, and that’s where we started to introduce more science into what we do – moving from opinion-based decision making to science-based decision making. That has continued to evolve and has become an important part of Hendrickson’s DNA,” explained Andrew.
Then in 2002, when Andrew was marched into the boardroom, he admits he initially thought the worst. Instead, he was asked to take on the role of Managing Director – Asia Pacific, a role he continues to hold to this day.
The role of Vice President of International Operations was added to Andrew’s responsibil-
ities in 2013, and more recently, about 12 months ago, he a lso took on the role of General Manager Oceania.
In his time with Hendrickson, Andrew says the single biggest development has been the launch of Hendrickson’s INTRAAX product in 1996, which has evolved into becoming an industry leader ever since.
“INTRAAX was the first integration of our suspension, axles and braking products –as one system. Prior to that, we did the suspension, someone else did the axles and someone else did the brakes,” said Andrew.
“INTRAAX brought that all together, allowing us to develop design synergies, that has led to weight savings and improved performance.”
The introduction of Hendrickson’s PRIMAAX heavy-duty suspension to the Australian market about 15 years ago was another important milestone for the business here.
“In other countries, PRIMAAX is known as a heavy-duty suspension because of the weights it can carry and the harsh environments it can operate in.
“In Australia, it’s also known for its ability to pull longer multi combinations, like road trains, in some of the harshest outback environments.”
While those two develop ments represented a major step forward for Hendrickson, An drew believes at an industry level, the biggest change he’s seen over the last few decades is the introduction of Performance Based Standards (PBS) and the legislative framework around that.
“There have been many smaller incremental changes, but PBS has really helped to drive greater productivity for the industry,” he said.
Along with developing a trusted and reliable product, Andrew added that Hendrickson’s strength also lies its ability to work with its customers.
“Every fleet has a clear but complex vision or formula for what makes them money and how they embody that in their product specifications when they buy a truck or trailer,” said Andrew.
“Customers have a lot of choice in terms of speccing their Hendrickson equipment. Our business development team can sit down with customers to understand their
business, and put together an axle, suspension and brake package that optimises that.” As a result of working successfully and closely with its customers, Hendrickson’s Dandenong team has won several prestigious awards, including from Kenworth (2023) and Isuzu (2025).
“Our team can help turn a customer’s vision into a hardware solution that best suits their needs in order for them to make money,” added Andrew. “Commercial vehicles are business tools and there is always that temptation for customers to consider cheaper options, but when your livelihood depends on the performance of that tool, the smart fleets understand that it is not a cost but an investment.”
Reduces Maintenance
Hendrickson’s Andrew Martin (left) proudly receives Isuzu Australia’s ‘Supplier of the Year’ award from Isuzu’s Chief Engineer Simon Humphries.
Hendrickson’s Dandenong facility was expanded in 2023, including the addition of a state-of-the-art customer engagement centre.
TRAILER FEATURE
TRT trailer makes light work of huge moves
PTS Logistics was recently tasked with transporting 12 bridge beams, each measuring 26 metres long, as part of the Gillingham Road bridge replacement project in New Zealand.
Operating from eight locations across New Zealand, PTS Logistics has a sizeable fleet of over 300 trucks, used across various divisions of the business.
Just over a year ago, the business took delivery of a state-of-the-art ESS Modular Platform Trailer from TRT. Its exceptional manoeuvrability has since unlocked new opportunities, enabling access to areas that were previously unreachable.
P TS Logistics Project Co-ordinator Jarvis Miller, who is a lso a mechanical engineer by trade, organises many of the company’s biggest moves, including wind farm and infrastructure projects. The son of a truckie, he also likes to get back behind the wheel any chance he gets.
For the Gillingham Road project, the beams were transported around 40 kilometres from Marsden Point to Whangarei. While all measuring 26-metres long, the beams varied in weight, with the heaviest being 42.7 tonne.
While PTS has other TRT heavy haulage trailers in the fleet, this is the first to incorporate TRT’s patented Electronic Steering System – or
ESS – which provides all-axle electronic steering at up to 45 degrees, with six individual steering modes.
“We choose to go with the TRT ESS Modular Platform trailer because of its steering capabilities and its ability to handle the weight,” said Jarvis.
“With this trailer, we can lift any axle, and we can remote steer every axle individually. Quite often with tight manoeuvring, we’ll have a trailer operator at the rear with the remote, and he takes control of the trailer, so the driver can just concentrate on what they’re doing. This allows the operator to crab steer, pitch steer or individually steer each axle.
“There is also a screen in the cab that allows you to control all the axles too. It tells you all of the wheel positions. It’s pret-
ty clever technology.”
The ESS Modular Platform trailer can be broken down into modules to suit the load being carried. “It’s just like a Meccano set,” said Jarvis,” adding that the trailer can also widen from 3.5 to 4.5 metres.
To transport the bridge beams, the trailer was broken down into two modules, with one on either end supporting
the weight of the load, and a lattice in the middle for additional support of the beams.
“We had a two-axle lead trailer with a 10-metre beam section in the centre, and then a four-axle rear section. These modular trailers can clip and play in any position,” said Jarvis.
For the bridge beam moves, around 40 per cent of the travel was on residential streets.
“In terms of access, if it wasn’t a steerable trailer, we wouldn’t be able to get in there,” Jarvis added.
“We’ve had steerable trailers before but not full remote control electronic steering, so they are nowhere near as manoeuvrable as this trailer. That also creates less resistance on the wheels when taking tight corners. You’re not damaging your t yres or risking damage to the road, and it isn’t as hard on the gear either.”
Along with the ESS capabilities, TRT’s Quick Connect feature is another big advan-
“Generally, when you’re setting trailers up for particular jobs, it can take between one to two days to assemble and prepare the gear; whereas with the Quick Connect coupling, it means we can put the trailer together in about half an hour.
It’s a huge time saving.”
Jarvis pointed to a recent move as an example. “We recently had a move from Palmerston North, which is about 550 kilometres out of Auckland, to Wellington. So, we went down there with the trailer disassembled and stacked, saving us on pilots and manpower. This meant we only needed one pilot vehicle instead of three,” he said.
“Then when we got there, we put the trailer together in the configuration required in about 45 minutes – so the travel time, assembly and the move took about 9 hours all up. If we were using a conventional trailer, it would have taken up to two days.”
its own doing jobs for the forestry industry. “We do a lot of forestry moves that require transporting equipment into some of the most difficult places – which often, we can’t access with the truck and trailer. So, they’d have to walk the equipment into position for hours and hours. But with the steering capabilities of the ESS, we can go right up to the skid, saving our customers up to a day of manual labor,” explained Jarvis. Though he admits that he was a little sceptical before he tried the ESS and Quick Connect coupling features, now that he’s used them and seen the benefits, Jarvis told Big Rigs, “I don’t know why we didn’t go down this path a long time ago!”
For enquiries about TRT’s ESS Modular Platform Trailers, contact Jeremy Carden at +64 27 354 0329 or email jeremyc@trt.
Should have done it from the start!
ATLAS Balance Rings met up with Few Transport outside of Shepparton in a paddock by their green Kenworth T904. They spent a smart $4K with the fitting of Atlas Balance Rings to steers and drive wheels. This made a dramatic difference, so they asked us –what about the trailers? So, we thought of a fitting analogy – it’s a bit like pulling on your work boots after you’ve stopped for a meal, if you don’t pull them up, and then don’t do up the laces you won’t get the full support. Or for the women drivers, the analogy may be to put on a bra, but not do it up?
So, the Few Transport trailers are all fully balanced too, with a smoother ride, no matter whether on the road, or in the paddock, and they are sav-
has now received the same Atlas Balance Ring treatment all the way through. Last contact with Few Transport, we heard the original trailer tyres have just got past 300,000 kilometres!
Sloanebuilt is another 100 per cent Australian family-owned business. Sloanebuilt’s stateof-the-art trailer manufacturing facility spans across an impressive 9 acres in Smeaton Grange in NSW. We noticed some orders popping up from Sloanebuilt, so we went to see Freddy Marano there, to find out what was happening. At 215,830 kilometres we noticed the tyres on the trailers looked great. “I’ve never seen such flat, even wear,” Freddy said. So, in addition to fixing their clients’ trucks, Sloanebuilt began to fit Atlas Balance Rings
Don’t you love it when
things just make sense? We know the greatest amount of friction comes out of the driveline and the diff, so when you are on a dodgy country road, Atlas Balance Rings take the friction out, before it goes into the axles, the diff and up through the chassis and components and then to you, the driver. Is the tyre material used to make a steer or trailer tyre any different than for a steer tyre? No, absolutely not! It’s the same rubber, same truck, same changing conditions, same need for balance rings. Farming related stories are coming thick and fast over harvest. In the early days, Dazz, our good mate Darren
Powell, was only prepared to fit the steers. A year later, he said he’d try the drives. He called from Roma to apologise only 4 hours later: “These are going fantastic, please send me two sets of trailer rings, I should have done it from the start!” Now, four rigs in, and every axle of the prime mover and trailers are fully balanced. Recently, when talking to the Harrold Services Group, as they fitted out their 28th trailer with Atlas Balance Rings, they reported saving an extra 80,000 kilometres per tyre, and that in the grain and fertiliser industry, this 3 to 4 per cent cost saving makes all the difference with
vehicle maintenance, and less downtime costs due to constant tyre rotation. Marty, Emma and Dan Murphy have fitted balance rings to the whole fleet, so they feel the same. With their Robuk trailer tyres now wearing flat and even, despite the road surface, and travelling one way full and one way empty, on their tippers they are averaging 400,000 kilometres on Bridgestone R168, also using Air CTI strategies.
We absolutely get the rising costs of transport, from our own family business experience. That’s why we got into balance rings to begin with.
Fuel and tyres are big overheads. But you can’t purchase
a bull bar or battery (or boots or a bra!) and give them back after a year if you’re not happy, but that’s what Atlas Balance Company offers with our products made right here in Australia. You can halve your expenditure on tyre waste, and reduce up to 7 per cent on fuel, or take us up on our 365day money back guarantee.
Take advantage of the big HARVEST SALE – Purchase a full set of trailer rings (six sets) and you will only pay for five sets – that’s a set free, to thank you for feeding Australia. More information is available at atlasbalance.com.au or call 1300 228 527.
TRT’s ESS Modular Platform Trailer offers exceptional manoeuvrability. Images: TRT
Few Transport’s fully balanced T909. Images: Atlas Balance Rings
Few Transport’s fully balanced Sloanebuilt trailer, with flat even wear at 215,000km.
Murphy’s bulk tippers are fully fitted with Atlas Balance Rings.
A total of 12 bridge beams were moved for the project.
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
TRAILER FEATURE
The hidden SAMPA strength beneath every journey
AIR springs rarely get the spotlight. They are silent workhorses, carrying tonnes of weight, absorbing shock, and keeping every ride stable, from long-haul trucks crossing Europe to buses navigating tight city streets. But when one fails, the entire suspension feels it.
Most failures, however, don’t come out of nowhere.
They tell a story, of poor material quality, extreme loads or overlooked maintenance.
Why air springs can fail
Most failures aren’t sudden, they are gradual. Low-quality rubber hardens and cracks over time.
Dust, oil and road debris wear away the surface. Metal plates rust, and pressure leaks through tiny cracks or weak fittings.
In many cases, the real culprit is overload or uneven air pressure, which puts extra stress on one side of the suspension.
Add in constant temperature swings, freezing winters, hot asphalt in summer, and the fatigue accelerates.
Eventually, a small defect turns into a breakdown that takes an entire vehicle off the road.
How SAMPA solves the problem
SAMPA’s air springs are designed to last where condi-
tions are toughest. Each unit is manufactured from reinforced rubber compounds developed to resist cracking and deformation even under extreme loads.
The piston assemblies are engineered for balance and stability, keeping vehicles level and smooth across long distances. Corrosion-resistant mounting plates extend the life of the spring, while integrated bumpers protect against sudden
impacts. And before anything leaves the factory, every air spring goes through automated vulcanisation and full leak testing, ensuring consistent quality down to the smallest detail.
Built for the real world Lithuanian fleets operate across tough and changing terrain, from icy Baltic highways to industrial routes that never rest. SAMPA builds for exactly those realities. For operators,
the difference is easy to spot: fewer breakdowns, smoother journeys, and lower main tenance bills. In transport, those aren’t small wins, they are what keep trucks moving, schedules on time, and busi nesses profitable.
That’s why SAMPA doesn’t chase minimum requirements. It builds air springs that keep performing long after others give up, engineering you might not see, but performance you can always feel.
Tackling the busy harvest season
GROWING up on a Queensland farm, Paul Gleich said he always had a fascination with machinery. Starting out in farm contracting in 1997, his business Gleich Contracting eventually progressed from tractors to trucks.
“I started out on my own, with tractors and other farm equipment. I needed a truck to cart lime, gypsum and manure so I bought a 1978 model International 3070. Then someone needed a load of grain carted and the business has grown from there,” explained Paul, who runs his transport operation together with wife Gina Gleich, who manages the administration side.
Paul was only in business for about 12 months before the need arose for another truck, this time a second-hand 1988-model Kenworth T650,
which he still has to this day.
Gleich Contracting now operates a fleet of 14 prime movers – all Kenworths, mainly T659s, as well as a T908, a T609 and the old T650.
“When I get in the truck, it’s usually the T650, I prefer to drive the older trucks,” Paul added.
With the company’s growth also came the need for a larger depot. Around 15 years ago, Gleich Contracting moved to its current site in Queensland’s South Burnett region.
About 75 per cent of the trailer fleet is now made up of tippers, used to transport bulk commodities, while the remainder are drop decks, used to transport hay.
For the tippers, almost all have been manufactured by Moore Trailers, with around 40 of Gleich Contracting’s trailers bearing the Moore name.
“I bought my first new trailers from Moore in 2004. I thought they looked like a good product, so gave them a go and I’ve been buying them ever since,” said Paul.
“All our tippers have a pretty standard spec now. They all have electric tarps and marine doors, so the drivers aren’t having to climb up on top of them. We also stick to Hendrickson suspension, as we’ve had a really great run with them.
“I’ve been more than im-
pressed with the quality of trailers from Moore. I have a great run out of all our Moore trailers. And if there ever is an issue, the guys over there are great to deal with. I can just call them up and they say as soon as you can get it here, we can fix it straight away.”
Paul says his trucks travel right across the east coast, to anywhere they’re needed – namely throughout Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
“With our tippers, they’re used as A-doubles and AB-triples for the majority of the work,” said Paul.”
The most recent delivery from Moore Trailers came just last month, in the form of a new AB-triple, capable of carrying a payload of up to 77 tonne. “That one is being used predominantly for grain, mainly between the Saint George to Dalby area. Then after harvest, we can break it down and use it as an A-double.”
W hile the Gleich Contracting fleet is kept busy all year around, Paul says at the moment it’s even busier, as work ramps up with harvest. “At this time of year, I do get out in the truck quite a bit to give the drivers a hand, when harvest kicks in,” he said.
“I do like being able to get out there in the truck, especially during harvest time. During the rest of the year, we do a lot of work into the
ports. I don’t tend to do as much of that, but at harvest time I really enjoy getting to out to the farms,” said Paul.
“We get out on the dirt a fair bit during harvest too. At this time of year, it’s mainly farm pick-ups but for the other nine months of the year, there’s a lot of loading out of depots.
“We work with the same farmers each year and have a lot of long-term customers, some we’ve been working with since 2010. It’s great being able to get out there and see them.”
Air springs being manufactured at the SAMPA factory. Images: SAMPA
SAMPA’s air springs undergoing testing.
Every SAMPA air spring goes through automated vulcanisation and full leak testing.
tonne. Image: Moore Trailers
Paul and Gina Gleich started in farm contracting before moving into trucks. Image: Gleich Contracting
Gleich Contracting has around 40 tippers manufactured by Moore Trailers. Image: Moore Trailers
The Fifth Wheel That Holds It All Together
Between truck and trailer lies a single point of trust, the fifth wheel…
Forged in solid cast steel, SAMPA Fifth Wheels carry the weight of countless journeys, binding power and precision in one seamless connection.
Its wear-resistant collar withstands time.
Its adjustable locking system ensures perfect coupling, time after time.
Its high stiffness tames the vibration of the roughest roads. Every kilometer begins with this connection, strong, tested, and made to endure.
TRAILER FEATURE
KEITH unveils RX technology
KEITH Manufacturing Co. has announced the launch of its latest innovation – RX Technology, the next-generation advancement in the company’s proven WALKING FLOOR material handling systems.
Designed for superior reliability, effortless operation, and intelligent control, RX Technology represents a major leap forward for bulk transport and unloading efficiency across industries.
The debut of RX Technology marks another milestone in KEITH’s 70-year legacy of engineering excellence. The system delivers what every operator values most – dependable performance, simplified maintenance, and total operational confidence – all backed by the trusted WALKING FLOOR name.
And the innovation doesn’t stop there. The first public look at the new RX Tech
This next-generation system not only enhances safety and efficiency but also underscores KEITH’s ongoing commitment to innovation in bulk material handling. With its patent-pending design, RX Technology builds on KEITH Manufacturing’s global reputation for delivering systems that keep operations moving – whether in agriculture, transport, recycling, waste management or construction.
A legacy of innovation Founded more than seven decades ago, KEITH Manufacturing Co. revolutionised the transport industry in 1973 with the introduction of the first commercial moving floor system. Today, KEITH’s WALKING FLOOR technology continues to set the global benchmark for safe, efficient, and non-tipping unloading
RX Technology builds on KEITH Manufacturing’s global reputation for delivering systems that keep operations moving. Images: KEITH
Quality trailers with service to match
IT’S been around six months since Haulmark Trailers first launched its live bottom trailers, developed in conjunction with Canadian company Gincor, into the Australian market.
They made their debut at the Brisbane Truck Show in May and since then, 12 of these live bottom trailers have hit the road – ranging from rigids through to road train configuration.
Currently, they’re in use across South Australia, as well as Sydney, Melbourne and Townsville.
From its network of branches in Brisbane, Darwin, Townsville and Adelaide, Haulmark designs and manufactures a range of specialised products, including cattle trailers, roadtrain dollies, low loaders, drop deck trailers, skeletals, side tippers, prairie wagons and dangerous goods tankers.
Haulmark’s partnership with Gincor marks the company’s first move into live bottom trailers.
Haulmark Trailers was established in Brisbane in 1963 and Gincor has also been producing trailers for many decades, having spent over 40 years in the trailer space.
As National Sales and Marketing Manager at Haulmark Trailers, Mark Crossling explained, “We have about a dozen live bottom trailers out in the field at the moment and another 24 soon coming into the country from Gincor, Canada.
“The bodies are imported and then we fit them out with our axles, suspensions and other components, to build them up into an Australian trailer that suits our unique needs.”
These live bottom floor trailers are ideal for asphalt/ hot mix due to their excellent thermal retention, however can also be used for a wide variety of other bulk products.
As Mark reiterated, “The live bottom trailers we have out there are all being used for asphalt road construction. That’s predominantly what they’re designed for – hot mix and asphalt – because of their ability to insulate and retain heat.
“What we’re hearing from our customers is that these trailers are able to retain heat better than many of the other trailers out there.”
The live bottom floor trailers feature Gincor’s unique
anti-binding fork on the roller chain assembly drives, aimed at reducing downtime and costly repairs. The anti-binding fork is strategically positioned in proximity to the roller chain sprocket to prevent the chain from doubling backwards and binding during operation.
Another major advantage of these trailers, says Mark, is their ease of operation. “They are fully remote controlled but can be taken back to manual control if someone prefers to use the manual override.”
In terms of capacity, these trailers range from 29 to 34 cubic metres, depending on specifications and can achieve up to 35 tonne payloads for site work.
Haulmark is hoping more operators recognise the benefits of its new live bottom trailers and as a result, the company has five demo models available.
“We’re very big on trying to get customers to take them out and see for themselves,” said Mark.
“There are demo models available in Adelaide, Syndey, Brisbane, Darwin and Townsville – and we can also send them down to Mel-
bourne for people wanting to try them out there.
“The demos are at each of our four locations, and in Sydney we have one at our agent, Borcat Trailers.
“The biggest thing we’ve found, is that once someone uses the trailer, they see the benefits and usually end up ordering one. It’s just about getting them to trial the trailer to see the benefits for themselves.”
Along with these live bottom trailers being tried and true, Mark says Haulmark Trailers backs up a high quality product with the service to match.
“These trailers are a far su perior live bottom trailer in my opinion. However what we strive to do is also provide excellent back-up service and aftersales service.
“That’s one area that cus tomers can be let down on but we back all of our prod ucts. From our customers, the feedback that we’ve had is that we strive in our after sales service.”
For more information about your trailer needs, visit the website at haulmark.com.au.
HAULMARK WELCOMES NEW PRODUCT TO ITS TRAILER RANGE
A safe and efficient option for the cartage of Asphalt / Hotmix and a extensive range of bulk materials
These trailers are ideal for asphalt/hot mix due to their excellent thermal retention.
Haulmark’s new live bottom trailers range from rigids through to road train configuration. Images: Haulmark Trailers
TRAILER FEATURE
Building a smarter, more efficient PBS fleet
WHEN it comes to freight logistics, efficiency is everything. For Gary Badesha, owner of Brisbane Transport, that principle has guided the rapid growth of his interstate operation connecting Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.
In mid-2024, Gary partnered with BTT Engineering to help navigate the complex world of Performance-Based Standards (PBS) and heavy vehicle access, paving the way for a smarter, safer, and more cost-effective fleet.
Referred by one of BTT’s long-term major clients, Gary sought expert guidance to better understand PBS requirements and optimise his vehicle configurations for maximum productivity across multiple jurisdictions. What began as a consultation quickly evolved into a strategic partnership focused on long-term growth and national access.
“Our goal was to future-proof Brisbane Transport’s operations,” said BTT Engineering spokesperson Paul Tindal.
“We worked closely with Gary to design a PBS fleet that would deliver consistent
and the flexibility to expand as his business grows.”
Tailoring the fleet for the freight task
BTT Engineering collaborated closely with Vawdrey Trailers and the Brisbane Transport team to develop a diverse range of PBS-approved combinations. Using both new and existing equipment, Gary’s fleet now features A-doubles, B-triples, and Super B-doubles – each configuration selected to meet the specific freight and access
along Australia’s eastern seaboard.
Through detailed PBS assessments, BTT ensured that every combination not only met national performance standards but also achieved broad network access across state borders. The result is a versatile, high-performing fleet that maximises payload while maintaining compliance and safety.
“PBS can be complex, especially when you’re operating across several states,” Gary explained. “Paul at BTT
Unleash More from Your FleetWithout Adding a Truck
BTT Engineering helps transport operators unlock greater performance and productivity from the assets they already own. Our proven solutions are designed to maximise your payload, streamline operations, and keep you compliant - saving you time, and stress.
•PBS Certi cation
•Access Permits
•Mass, Maintenance & Fatigue Accrediation
•Chain of Responsibility (CoR) Compliance
Every operation is di erent, so we take the time to understand your business and tailor solutions to your exact needs. Whether it’s improving road access, meeting compliance deadlines, or boosting productivity, we’ll help you get measureable results without the cost of expanding your eet.
forward. They helped us understand what we needed for each combination, where we could operate, and how to get the best return on investment from every new purchase.”
Access that drives efficiency
Brisbane Transport now operates under five distinct PBS Vehicle Approvals (VAs) with multiple vehicle combinations on each managed and maintained by BTT Engineering. These approvals give Gary’s team the flexibility to deploy the right equipment for each freight task while ensuring compliance with local and national regulations.
Through proactive management of heavy vehicle access, BT T Engineering has helped Brisbane Transport secure
freight hubs across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. This level of network coverage means the company can move more freight per trip, reduce turnaround times, and lower overall transport costs.
“Every additional tonne we can carry legally and safely is money saved,” Gary added. “The PBS system is about smarter design and smarter operation and with Paul’s help, we’re getting the full benefit of that.”
Setting the standard for growth
For BTT Engineering, this collaboration highlights the company’s commitment to helping Australian operators make the most of the PBS framework. By combining engineering expertise with a practical understanding of
tinues to deliver solutions that balance performance, compliance and commercial return.
As Brisbane Transport’s fleet continues to expand, the foundation built through PBS ensures each new addition fits seamlessly within their network of Vehicle Approvals, maintaining consistent standards for performance and access.
“Our partnership with Brisbane Transport and Vawdrey is a perfect example of what PBS is designed to achieve,” said Paul. “Smarter combinations, safer operations, and more productive transport networks.”
With the right advice and engineering support, operators like Brisbane Transport are proving that PBS isn’t just about compliance, it’s about creating a competitive edge.
BTT Engineering has helped Brisbane Transport secure excellent route access in key freight hubs across Brisbane.
Brisbane Transport’s super B-doubles have opened up more productive transport networks. Images: BTT
TRAILER FEATURE
Choosing lightweight wheels this harvest
WE’RE at the beginning of grain harvest, and as temperatures warm up, the season will gradually move further south. It’s that busy time of year again – long days, loaded trailers, and tight turnaround times. For operators and fleet managers in the grain haulage game, every kilogram counts.
When your trailers are running full loads of grain, payload is king. And while powertrains and suspension systems often get most of the attention when it comes to lightweighting, there’s one area that’s often overlooked – the wheels.
At Alcoa Wheels, we’ve made it our mission to design and engineer the lightest and strongest wheels on the market. Our goal is simple: to help operators move more grain, more efficiently, with lower operating costs and less environmental impact.
So, as you’re gearing up for another demanding harvest, here are five smart reasons to consider lightweight Alcoa Wheels for your new trailer build or upgrade.
1.Better payload
Let’s start with what matters most during harvest: payload capacity.
Every kilogram shaved off your trailer’s tare weight is another kilogram of grain you can carry – meaning more product moved per trip, and better returns for your business.
2. Improved fuel efficiency
Hauling grain over long distances means fuel efficiency is critical. Lightweight wheels reduce the overall mass of your trailer, which directly cuts fuel consumption and operating costs. It’s a small change that delivers significant savings –trip after trip, harvest after harvest.
3. Enhanced sustainability
Efficiency doesn’t stop at fuel. Reducing the number of trips needed to move the same volume of grain helps lower emissions and wear on equipment. It’s a simple, practical way to operate more sustainably –something that’s becoming increasingly important across the transport and agricultural sectors.
4. Stronger than ever
There’s a common misconception that “lighter” means
“weaker.” Not with Alcoa Wheels.
We hold the patent for the strongest aluminium alloy in the heavy-duty wheel market – our Alcoa MagnaForce alloy, introduced in 2013. It marked a major leap forward, delivering 17 per cent more strength than previous alloys while reducing weight.
The result? A tough, dependable wheel built to handle the rigours of harvest season, year after year.
5. The ‘con’ that’s actually a pro It’s true – aluminium wheels might have a higher upfront cost than steel, or even heavier chrome-plated options. But here’s the flip side: chrome wheels not only add weight from their coating but also start with a heavier base wheel. That extra weight eats directly into your payload and fuel efficiency.
In contrast, Alcoa Wheels pay for themselves through fuel savings, improved payload capacity, and reduced maintenance. Over time, the investment more than proves its worth.
This harvest, with every load you haul and every kilometre
you cover, your wheels could be working harder for your business. Lightweighting isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a competitive edge.
With Alcoa Wheels, you can move more grain, burn less fuel, and keep your fleet running efficiently through the busy season and beyond.
Contact us at the Howmet Wheel System at 1800 955 191. You can also drop us an email at alcoawheels. sales@howmet.com or visit alcoawheels.com.au. Also, don’t forget to follow Alcoa on Facebook at alcoawheelsaustralia for all the latest updates.
Alcoa Wheels combine lightweight aluminium with exceptional strength.
Corbett’s Group is making the most of Alcoa Wheels this harvest. Images: Howmet
New language translations for first aid training course
NATROAD has announced the release of two new language versions of its successful Truckie First Aid online training course. The release is part of a broader translation project with St John Ambulance aimed at enabling drivers from non-English speaking backgrounds to be trained and ready to act if they encounter a road accident.
The new Hindi and Arabic
translations join the existing Punjabi and Mandarin versions of the course.
Developed in partnership with St John Ambulance, Truckie First Aid is a free online training course giving truck drivers practical instruction on how to provide immediate assistance at accident scenes, potentially reducing the severity of injuries and saving lives.
Truckie First Aid has now been completed by 2500 drivers in Australia since launching in October 2023.
“Truck drivers are often first responders to road accidents when every second counts, so it’s vital we make this critically important program as accessible as possible for drivers with English as a second language,” NatRoad CEO Warren Clark said.
“That’s why we’ve been proactive in arranging translations of the course in common non-English languages, first with Punjabi and Mandarin and now Hindi and Arabic.
“Improving road safety and reducing the road toll is a key focus for NatRoad, and Truckie First Aid is just one of the initiatives that will help us achieve that goal.”
St John Ambulance Austra-
lia Chief Operating Officer
Adrian Watts also acknowledged the importance of rolling out the course in diverse languages.
“Expanding the translations will make it easier for drivers with English as their second language to complete the training and be confident in applying what they learn.
“Empowering truckies from diverse backgrounds with the knowledge and skills to respond to a first aid emergency not only makes sense – it will lead to more lives being saved on the roads,” Watts said.
Truckie First Aid has received positive responses from drivers, with one saying the training helped deal with an accident when a truck ran into the back of their truck.
“The scenario I was confronted with was exactly like in the training clips,” the truck
driver said, adding “it was amazing that four weeks later I remembered and used what was in your free course.”
The translations are funded as part of a $4.4 million investment in safety projects from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and their Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI), supported by the Australian Government.
Truckie First Aid covers essential skills including CPR, how to operate a defibrillator, manage different types of bleeds, and a range of other techniques, which can be used to save lives and minimise long-term harm.
The Truckie First Aid training courses take 30 minutes to complete, are free and publicly available at truckiefirstaid.org.au.
Around 2500 drivers have completed Truckie First Aid since it was launched in October 2023. Images: NatRoad
Truckie First Aid is a free online training course developed in partnership with St John Ambulance.
That support must come from government and regulators - not in the form of penalties for not acting sooner, but through incentives and compensation for those who are beginning the journey now.
THE Victorian Transport Association’s (VTA) recent Alternative Fuel Summit brought together industry leaders, operators, policymakers, and innovators to confront one of the most pressing challenges facing our sector: the transition away from carbon-based energy sources.
The summit, proudly supported by Viva Energy Australia, CMV Truck & Bus, Change Fuel Technologies was a timely reminder that while the road to decarbonisation is inevitable, it is also complexespecially for freight and logistics operators.
Unlike other sectors of the economy that are already making significant strides in adopting low or zero-emission technologies, freight transport remains one of the most energy-intensive industries.
Heavy vehicles, long-haul operations, and the sheer scale of freight movement mean that transitioning to alternative fuels will take longer, cost more, and require far greater support.
Operators who invest in alternative fuels, electric vehicles, or hybrid technologies should be rewarded for their leadership, not burdened by unrealistic expectations or punitive measures.
The summit made clear that the industry is willing to change. Case studies from operators already trialling biodiesel, hydrogen, and electrification showed that innovation is happening.
But it also highlighted the barriers: infrastructure gaps, regulatory uncertainty, and the high upfront costs of new technology.
These costs will inevitably flow through the supply chain. Freight and logistics operators already operate on thin margins.
As they begin to absorb the costs of transition - whether through vehicle upgrades, fuel changes, or compliance requirements - those costs will be passed on to customers and, ultimately, consumers.
This means that living costs will continue to rise as the transition progresses. It’s a reality we must acknowledge, and it underscores the need for
a sensible mix of policies and regulations that balance environmental goals with economic sustainability.
The last thing our economy needs is for essential freight services to be priced out of viability, or for operators to be forced out of business due to unmanageable transition costs.
Freight and logistics are not optional extras - they are the backbone of our communities and economies.
Every product on a shelf, every parcel delivered, every construction site supplied depends on the movement of goods.
If we fail to support this industry through the energy transition, we risk undermining the very systems that sustain our way of life.
That’s why the VTA continues to advocate for a national freight decarbonisation strategy that includes transitional funding, infrastructure investment, and regulatory clarity.
We need a roadmap that recognises the unique challenges of freight, sets realistic timelines, and ensures that operators are not penalised for the pace of change.
The transition to alternative fuels is not just a technological shift - it’s a cultural and economic one.
It requires operators to rethink their business models, retrain their workforce, and
retool their fleets. These are not small undertakings, and they cannot be achieved overnight.
The freight industry is ready to embrace change, but it must be given the time, resources, and policy certainty to do so responsibly. Rushing the transition without adequate support risks creating disruption, not progress.
Moreover, collaboration across the supply chain will be essential. Manufacturers, fuel providers, infrastructure developers, and government agencies must work together to ensure that alternative fuel solutions are scalable, accessible, and affordable. Only through coordinated action can we ensure that the freight industry continues to
deliver for Australia - efficiently, sustainably, and equitably. We must all recognise that the cost of transition is a shared responsibility. Operators cannot carry it alone. If we want a cleaner, more sustainable freight future, we must invest in it with fairness, foresight, and a deep understanding of the essential role freight plays in our lives.
Fix the roads, not the signs
THE Australian Government’s proposal to reduce default speed limits outside built-up areas might sound like a simple safety fix but it risks delivering more harm than help.
NatRoad supports strong, evidence-based road safety measures. However, the government’s proposal to reduce default speed limits fails to capture the full economic and operational impacts, and it overlooks what the latest crash data shows about the causes of heavy vehicle incidents.
The proposal: a onesize-fits-all slowdown
Lowering the default limits on sealed rural roads (to 90, 80 or 70km/h) and unsealed roads (to 80 or 70km/h) isn’t targeted intervention. It is a blanket change that would apply across all non-signed roads, from well-maintained regional routes to isolated dirt tracks.
For freight operators, this means longer travel times,
reduced distances covered within regulated driving hours, and higher costs.
A 20km/h reduction in average speed may only add minutes to a single leg, but across a 12-14 hour day, the delays compound. Drivers still face strict fatigue limits, so less distance is achieved per shift, productivity falls, and transport costs rise.
What the NTARC data really says about crashes
The National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC) 2025 Report found excessive speed is a contributing factor in fewer than 7 per cent of fatal heavy vehicle crashes. The figure has been steadily declining for years. Instead, fatigue, inattention and poor road conditions are far more significant factors in both fatal and serious incidents. The NTARC report highlights:
• Single-vehicle crashes have dropped nearly 20 per cent over the past decade, largely due to better fatigue management, vehicle stability systems and improved enforcement.
• Road condition factors, including poor pavement, narrow shoulders and inadequate signage, feature in a large proportion of serious crashes on regional roads.
• Multi-vehicle incidents are more often linked to driver distraction or vehicle interactions, not speed.
The evidence is clear: lowering default speed limits across the entire rural network would do little to prevent the types of crashes most common to heavy vehicle operations.
Fix the roads, not the signs
Australia’s regional and remote road network remains under-maintained. The Grattan Institute reports that governments underspend on road maintenance by at least $1 billion per year, with regional councils underspending by around 42 per cent on average, and by more than 75 per cent in remote areas.
Poorly maintained roads don’t just increase crash risk, they increase freight costs through higher vehicle maintenance, tyre wear and downtime.
NatRoad is calling for a further $500 million per year investment through the Roads to Recovery program, dedicated to road upgrades and maintenance. In parallel, the Government should expand the National Black Spot Program by at least $50 million annually, enabling more targeted safety treatments in high-risk locations.
Smarter safety, better returns
Evidence from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) shows targeted safety treatments deliver far greater returns on investment than blanket measures.
For example:
• Warning signs deliver a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 9.6.
• Line marking delivers a BCR of 6.6.
• The government’s preferred 80 km/h blanket option delivers just 2.2. Well-planned infrastructure improvements save more lives for every taxpayer dollar. They also enable the safer operation of higher productivity vehicles. Modelling shows in-
creasing the use of longer and more efficient truck combinations could reduce operating costs by $13.6 billion in net present value to 2050, leading to potential savings for the average household of over $400 per year.
Education and awareness matter
Behavioural factors like fatigue, following distance and distraction are recurring causes of serious incidents, according to NTARC. This points to the value of education and enforcement, rather than broad-brush speed reduction.
Public safety campaigns, like NSW’s famous “Pinkie” campaign, have achieved measurable success, cut-
ting speed-related fatalities by more than 30 per cent. Sustained, data-driven education builds long-term behavioural change far more ffectively than universal speed cuts.
A balanced, datadriven approach
NatRoad believes the way forward lies in balance, not blanket rules. Governments should: arget speed reductions only in proven high-risk areas.
2.Invest in rural road upgrades and maintenance to improve infrastructure safety.
3.Continue strong public education campaigns to address fatigue, distraction and compliance. These steps align with the real-world causes of crashes identified by NTARC, rather than imposing productivity-crushing limits that would penalise safe, professional operators.
Australia’s freight network is the backbone of our economy. Slowing it down indiscriminately won’t make the country safer, it will only make it slower, more expensive, and less efficient. It’s time to focus on smarter, evidence-based safety, not blanket speed reductions that miss the mark.
INDUSTRY ADVOCATE
WARREN CLARK NatRoad CEO
Big blitz in small Queensland town
REPORTS came fast and fu-
rious to Spy about a blitz at Laura in the far north which involved police, NHVR scalies, Parks and Wildlife rangers and other enforcement officers.
Spy is told that whilst motorists and van drivers were checked, the main target seemed to be southern and interstate truckies heading to Weipa.
“I was pulled over and they checked my logbook and truck and trailer and the officer I dealt with was decent and I was not breached for anything,” one driver told me.
But he said the southern truckies with chemicals on board for Weipa were “gone over with great enthusiasm.”
He claimed it was the biggest such blitz he had seen in decades.
Laura is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Cook and is located on the Peninsula Development Road, 310km northwest of Cairns and 1992km north of Brisbane.
Notorious Bruce Highway black spot
The Gairloch S-bend between Ingham and the Cardwell Range has been the scene of
many accidents for years.
In late October a truck and ute collided there around 11.30am which resulted in traffic being blocked in both directions for some time.
The ute rolled and was in the middle of the busy highway.
The truck driver was not seriously injured but was severely shaken.
Police and Queensland Fire
Department crews were on the scene quickly.
Not only is the low-lying Gairloch Crossing a dangerous black spot, but it floods quickly after even moderate rain and during king tides.
Spy was stuck on one side overnight some years ago after moderate rain which coincided with extreme high tides.
Another danger is that some
It really does need an urgent upgrade.
Traffic blitz at Latrobe
Many truckies have been stopped during numerous traffic blitzes on Tasmania’s Bass Highway near the town of Latrobe.
These have been conducted by NHVR inspectors and traffic police and Spy is told they have yielded results which have increased consolidated revenue.
The blitz highlighted the importance of adhering to speed limits, especially in areas where speed reduction signs are highly visible.
Police emphasised the need for all motorists, including truck drivers, to comply with speed limits and traffic signs to ensure road safety and reduce the risk of serious accidents.
Bass Highway is one of the most dangerous in Tasmania to travel along.
The scenic Latrobe town is just off the highway.
Free fish for NT truckie
A good samaritan act by a middle-aged NT truckie resulted in an unexpected re-
The driver who is also a qualified diesel fitter saw a 4WD was stopped on the side of a road which had its hazard lights on.
So he stopped and found the stricken motorist had been on a fishing expedition to King Ash Bay on the McArthur River.
“It was a mechanical problem I was able to fix temporarily until the people in the 4WD could get to a town and have repairs done,” he said.
The thankful fishermen were towing a small cold-room and other gear and gifted the truckie some barramundi and king salmon fillets.
“I had space for them in my truck fridge and when I got home I cooked them up and they were delicious. There was enough for five meals,” he said.
The truckie added that many southern fishermen and campers were heading to King Ash Bay in recent months.
“Most of them travel in convoys with three or four others but this crew was alone.”
King Ash Bay is located around 50km past Borroloola on the McArthur River and is a popular fishing spot all year round.
Previously truckies on holidays have told Spy that the K ing Ash Bay Boat and Fishing Club is a great place to relax at the end of a day on the water.
There’s also a service station, mini-mart, houseboats, accommodation and fishing tours available.
The clubhouse is open nightly and serves counter meals at the Groper Bar from 6pm to 8pm.
Snake kill brings fine Spy has been told of a WA driver who is sorry that he placed a picture of a dead snake he killed on social media.
From reports slithering their way to Spy, the gent only killed the snake as he thought it threatened him after appearing near him at a rest area.
But the big mistake he made was posting the incident and a photo of the dead reptile. Authorities saw it and gleaned it was amongst a protected species.
Reluctantly he had to pay a hefty $600 fine.
Magpie attacks not funny
motorists speed around the s-bend which could result in a head on collision.
ward in the form of some free fish.
Drivers who walk a few hundred metres from a roadhouse
Trucks along the Bass Highway near where the Latrobe blitzes were set up. Image: Alf Wilson
Vehicles travelling across the S-bend on the Bruce Highway, north of Ingham, after rain. Image: Alf Wilson
NHVR officers were busy in Laura. Image: NHVR
tres of a 30 per cent renewable diesel blend, demonstrating that Defence platforms can operate on lower-emission fuels without compromising capability.
It was delivered by a Monaro Fuel Haulage truck.
Brigadier Baldock, Director General Fuel Capability, said the initiative reflects Defence’s commitment to improving energy resilience and diversifying fuel supply chains.
marks a significant step in our efforts to integrate sustainable fuel alternatives into Navy operations,” Commodore Robertson said.
“This initiative will provide critical support to national emissions reduction objectives, particularly in the southwest Pacific, where the effects of climate change are already being felt.”
parking area to a large shopping centre often get swooped on by an aggressive male magpie during breeding season.
Spy has seen it on numerous occasions and often other drivers on down time in the parking area laugh and think it is funny.
However these attacks can cause serious injuries as a woman found out at the mining town of Ravenswood on October 15.
She was riding her bicycle between the Top Camp Roadhouse to the Ravenswood Post Office on a day off when the bird swooped.
The attack caused horrific facial and neck injuries and she was flown to a large country hospital.
Her injuries were so severe that doctors told her she was “lucky to be alive”.
The diagnosis was she had multiple fractures to her left cheekbone (zygomatic bone), including the orbit, the maxilla and the zygomatic arch, a frac ture of the hyoid bone which is located in the neck, a rare and dangerous injury.
Magpie attacks are common during the breeding season from August to November although injuries are less fre quent.
Only 10 per cent of male magpies are aggressive, with 70 per cent of the attacks being on cyclists and 20 per cent on joggers.
This attack no bull
a sales yard in his truck was attacked by a bull and spent some time in hospital.
Aged in his seventies, he has many friends in the industry who made regular checks on his condition from family members.
Friends often spend downtime on his property either pig hunting or just relaxing in a bush atmosphere.
Renewable diesel
Renewable diesel offers a practical pathway to strengthen Australia’s sovereign fuel supply, a senior ADF officer has said.
Brigadier Mark Baldock made the comment after Australia’s Pacific Support Vessel, A DV Reliant, achieved a major milestone in strengthening the nation’s fuel resilience by refuelling with renewable diesel for the first time.
W hile docked in Townsville, the vessel took on 130,000 li-
“Renewable diesel offers a practical pathway to strengthen Australia’s sovereign fuel supply, while contributing to a more sustainable Defence force. By improving our ability to operate flexibly across a range of fuel types, Defence is now better equipped to adopt cleaner and more resilient energy solutions across our operations,” he told Big Rigs
A DV Reliant is an offshore support vessel with significant range, endurance and specialist equipment to deliver Australian Government directed activities.
Over the next two months, ADV Reliant and her crew will visit Pacific Island nations to deliver essential supplies and equipment as part of Australia’s enduring commitment to regional stability and partnership.
Commander Support Force, Commodore Heath Robertson, said the vessel will serve as a platform for education and awareness around sustainable fuels – both in Australia and across the Pacific.
“The fuelling of ADV Reliant with renewable diesel
Defence is working with industry to transition to domestically produced fuel as Australian low-carbon fuel production scales up.
Renewable diesel is a dropin replacement for traditional fossil-based marine diesel fuel, and can be used across both military and civilian platforms without requiring modifications to ships, equipment or fuel handling systems.
Art truck
A reader sent Spy a pic of a truck which has some nice artwork on the trailer.
It was pulling into a Gatton business and is one of the trucks of Killarney based company EA & J Brown Transport.
I was asked if I could find out what the art was all about so I contacted the company by email but didn’t receive a reply at the time of deadline.
It looked very good according to the woman who sent it.
Motorbike obsession
When truck drivers I interview at random are asked about their hobbies, many reply they are right into motorbikes when off duty.
An elderly property owner from the Charters Towers area who delivers his stock to
One such long time driver aged in his late sixties couldn’t believe the number of bikes or scooters he experienced when visiting Vietnam’s Ho Chi
“They were everywhere and I was told by locals that there are about 10 million bikes in the city which has a population of 15 million,” he said.
e snapped this pic (left) of bikes parked beside a busy downtown street there.
“I walked on a street on a designated crossing and scooters kept driving and just drove around me,” he said.
He added that it was no doubt a cheap mode of
transport in the South Asian country.
Positive news for Tassie road
On a positive note, drivers are happy that work is being done along the road from the Bass Highway to scenic Boat Harbour.
Boat Harbour is a picturesque location in Tasmania, situated between rocky headlands and surrounded by white sand beaches.
It is approximately 80 km west of Devonport and 176 km north-west of Launceston.
“The work is taking shape around the Sister Beach turnoff with slip lanes being part of it,” a Burnie based driver said.
Having driven along it numerous times over the past few decades I found some sections needed extra care considering all of the tourists who visit the
beach.
scenic
A sign along Tasmania’s Bass Highway near Boat Harbour. Image: Alf Wilson
Scooters parked in the CBD at Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City. Image: Supplied
A fuel truck delivers 130,000 litres of renewable diesel to Australia’s Pacific Support Vessel, ADV Reliant, at Townsville Port. Image: ADF
Seeing the country through the windscreen
BEFORE leaving Iraq, Wally Sales had been a jeweller but is now a very happy long haul Aussie truck driver.
Wally, 61, was having a break beside the Volvo he drives for DK Transport and Logistics out of Sydney and said he had never been a truckie back in his native Iraq.
“I came to Australia in 1997 and love it here. It is a lot different to being a jeweller but this is a great job and I have been able to see many parts of Australia which is now my permanent home,” he said.
Wally was in Townsville and carrying an array of
circus equipment which had been used there and was about to head south.
“I will be taking it to the Gold Coast for a circus,” he added.
Wally says the worst highway he travels on is the Bruce and I asked if he could nominate a stretch which is particularly bad, to which he replied,
“Most of it is very rough.”
Wally said there could be more rest areas for drivers in some areas, but in some places there is enough.
His favourite roadhouse is the BP Cluden for various reasons, including its close vicinity to a major shopping centre that is well within a
comfortable walking distance.
“The staff at the roadhouse are good and the facilities clean,” he said.
A connoisseur of fine food, Wally carries a gas cooker in the truck and after getting some ingredients from the supermarket had just cooked his lunch.
“I like Chinese and rice dishes,” he said.
It was very hot that day around noon and Wally had set up a camp chair on the shady side of the Volvo to rest and eat. Outside work, Wally plays soccer around Sydney with friends and in a social competition.
Truckie’s humorous roadhouse encounter
SOUTH Australian driver Robbie Reedman, 40, had an experience at a Victorian roadhouse which readers may find both interesting and humorous.
It involved a lady who approached him with a proposition which was unexpected.
“She asked me would I like to enjoy a ‘service’ from her,” he said.
At the time, Robbie was holding a grease gun and
spanner near his truck and quickly replied. “I do my own services and have just greased the truck.”
Obviously that was not the type of service she was talking about and Robbie politely refused.
When I saw Robbie he was sitting in the seat of the 1987 Mack Ultraliner he drives for his father Glenn’s company Retro Roadways out of Mt Gambier.
“I have brought up general
freight to north Queensland and will know later if I have a backload,” he said.
Robbie rates the highways between Gundagai and Miles as the most challenging to get along.
His favourite roadhouse is the BP at Jerilderie in NSW.
“They serve up great food and I like rump, chips and salad,” he said.
I asked what it’s like working for his dad. “He is a great boss,” Robbie said.
Decades on the road for veteran driver
NORMALLY based on the Sunshine Coast, Arthur Van Oosten is temporarily working at Brandon in north Queensland during the sugar cane harvesting season.
Aged 63, Arthur works for NDL Transport and was parked along Townsville’s Port Access Road about 3pm one afternoon when Big Rigs saw him.
A driver for three decades,
Arthur was in a Mack Anthem and was heading to t he nearby harbour.
“I am carrying molasses and normally do the run to Sarina after picking up from the Invicta Mill,” he said.
Invicta Mill is located at the small hamlet of Giru between Townsville and Ayr.
During his travels, Arthur like stopping at the
Gilgandra Roadhouse in NSW.
“It has good food and lots of parking,” he said.
But lots of parking spaces is not always the case when Arthur pulls up at rest areas.
“Caravans take up most of the parking at many,” he said.
One rest area he does fancy is called Grong Grong beside the Newell Highway.
“It is really good with
parking available for trucks,” he said.
The Newell was the highway Arthur nominated as being the worst to get along.
“Most of the Newell is bad,” he said.
T-bone steak is Arthur’s preferred meal and his main hobby when he manages to get time off is playing his guitar: I love the song ‘Hotel California’ by the Eagles,” he said.
Robbie Reedman is a truck driver for his father’s company Retro Roadways.
Arthur Van Oosten drives a Mack Anthem for NDL Transport.
Wally Sales previously worked as a jeweller, starting his trucking career decades ago when he moved down under. Images: Alf Wilson
Across
1 What are radio operators known as (6)
8 Which gaseous element has the symbol Cl (8)
9 Name a fleet of warships (6)
10 To beat severely, is to do what (8)
11 To have reduced in amount, is to have done what (6)
12 Which term means “only” (4) 13 To acquire knowledge, is to do what (5) 16 What is a view or a picture (5)
19 To encourage by aid, is to do what (6)
21 To roam, is to do what (6)
22 To bring into existence, is to do what (8)
What is a type of long, narrow pasta (6)
Which term describes that which is the most pleasing to the taste (8)
From achieving her dream of driving quad livestock road trains, Kattie Risk now has her sights set on helping to train up the next generation – the right way.
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
IT’S been quite the wild ride for Kattie Risk, 38, since she first made her move into trucking nearly 16 years ago.
Starting out as a bus driver in her early 20s, Kattie soon moved into trucking and worked her way up through the ranks. Though cattle transport has been her mainstay, Kattie has worked across various areas in the industry – and once even transported crocodiles from Darwin to Queensland.
As a mother of two boys –Luke, 17, and Lewis, 10 – and proud indigenous woman from Larrakia country, the traditional owners of the Darwin region, Kattie is passionate about training and mentoring young people wanting to get into the trucking industry.
In March, she launched Billirrawarra Trucking & Training. The word ‘Billirrawarra’ comes from the Larrakia language and means black cockatoo.
The move will see Kattie divide her time between being on the road, and training, assessing and mentoring people as they enter the world of transport.
While the company is based in the Northern Territory, Kat-
tie is also spending a great deal of time in South Australia, as she works to bring her dream to fruition.
Through Billirrawarra, Kattie is focussed on creating training and mentoring pathways for new entrants to the transport industry.
“It’s been a massive evolution, from being a driver passionate about the road to building a company that’s helping others find their own way into the industry,” Kattie said.
“Currently the training and
16–17 SEPTEMBER 2026
assessing aspect of our industry has a lot of issues, and there’s definitely a gap, particularly around quality and safety training. I set out to launch a company that delivers high quality training and assessing, while being safety focused.”
Kattie has developed the ‘Guided Roads: Driving Futures’ program, due to be launched in early 2026. “It is a structured, cohort-based initiative designed to support entry-level drivers from licensing through to long-term mentor-
ing and employment,” she said.
“It will look at how we can integrate heavy vehicle driving and assessing into a long -term career pathway that provides ongoing mentoring and support, rather than just your regular six-week program.”
Her ultimate goal as she grows her business is to eventually be able to hire young drivers as they complete their training, so she can give them a foot in the door and continue to mentor them through the early stages of their truck
driving career.
driver coming into the indus try, Kattie says training them u ginning, is crucial.
foundations. If you do that properly the first time, it means you’re not having to break any bad habits. Training is there to set people up for success.”
When it comes to driver training, Kattie believes that one of the biggest issues the in-
islation, which requires people o complete minimal hours to
ing able to sit for their various
ers want to upgrade to a higher class of licence, they should have to prove that they’ve actually worked with their current licence for a certain amount of hours. It shouldn’t just be based on how long you’ve had
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Images: Kattie Risk
the licence,” Kattie added.
“Unfortunately, trucking companies don’t allocate enough positions for people wanting to break into the industry. We were all green horns once. I think that too many companies only want people who already have all the experience.
“Although there has been a bit of a shift in this regard – as I’ve heard of more companies spending more time giving new people a go and training new people up now than what was happening in the past.
“There are companies out there that are setting the benchmark and leading by example, when it comes to training. Hopefully we start to see more transport companies doing the same.”
Through her training program, Kattie is hoping to attract more young people into truck driving. “I’m particularly focused on indigenous females, on creating pathways and a safe place for them in this industry.”
Though her new business was only started earlier this year, Kattie is already being recognised for her work, in-
cluding recently receiving the NTIBN Blak Female Business Owner of the Year award (2025) and being nominated for the Outstanding Contribution to the NT award. The NTIBN Blak Business Awards celebrate the achievements and success of Aboriginal businesses and entrepreneurs across the Northern Territory.
“To stand on Larrakia country as a Larrakia country person, it’s hard to put into words what this recognition means – to have a space where black excellence is not just acknowledged but it’s celebrated, gives me a lot of pride,” Kattie said. Along with launching her new business, Kattie continues as a Director on the Women in Trucking Australia (WiTA) Board, a role she’s held for close to two years.
“For me, being part of WiTA has been such a great support – CEO Lyndal Denny, the board and the community they’ve been able to build. Before I found WiTA, I often felt quite alone. I was constantly the only female in every position I took, so I felt quite isolated in terms of a sisterhood,” said Kattie.
“I’ve found a group of strong, fierce women, working in this industry, who are very capable. And many of them are mothers, they’re wives. I feel like I’ve found my people. Lyndal is just a phenomenal person, who’s really helped and mentored me, helping me get through some of my darkest trucking days.”
Now Kattie is hoping she too can help guide and mentor people as they come into the industry. Her advice to those considering getting into trucking is: “Don’t overlook it as a career option. If it’s something that interests you, don’t be scared to start from the bottom, whether that’s working in the yard or starting on a forklift – and look for a company that offers career progression, set goals and ask a lot of questions. Because trucking can be an extremely
Scania announces National Top Team comp champions
A team from Scania’s company-owned Dandenong Branch has won this year’s Australian National Top Team competition once again.
They will set off to Bangkok in early 2026 to contest the Asian Regional finals, hoping to secure one of two places up for grabs in the World Finals in Sweden.
Seven teams from Scania’s Australian company-owned network of branches took part in the National Finals. This followed a knockout round involving a further eight teams from around the nation.
“Top Team is a global Scania initiative that celebrates and develops the professionalism of our service teams, strengthening technical capability, efficiency, and collaboration within our workshops,” said Stefan Weber, Director of Aftersales at Scania Australia, who oversaw the Top Team event held at Scania’s Campbellfield head office in late October.
Team Dandenong took home overall honours for the second event in a row, under the leadership of team captain Chris Chilver, who said this year’s National Finals were the toughest of the four he’s competed in across his career.
“We had good team spirit; we weren’t put off if we had a low score from one of the stations when we went to the next one. We held together as a team. It
was evident that it was going to be a tough event, so we just buckled down. We allocated each team member to the tasks that best used their strengths. I think we worked quite well together,” he explained.
“We were absolutely stoked to win again. We take this competition seriously. We practice a lot. We always go into it wanting to win. Last time in 2023, we lost out in the Bangkok Regional Finals by just one point, which was quite devastating. So, we have our sights set on getting to the World Finals in Sweden this time.”
Runner up was the team from Pinkenba, Queensland, with third place claimed by a team largely comprising apprentices from Scania Eastern Creek, aptly named ‘Underdogs’.
This year’s challenges included working using a virtual reality headset, as well as in a simulated outback roadside, diagnosing and fault fixing in the dark, assisted only by wearable illumination and immersed in surround sounds of a busy freeway.
Commenting on the team’s win, Scania Dandenong Branch Manager Liz Mistretta said, “This is a team of skilled, passionate individuals who consistently show up with their best, not just in performance, but in attitude, teamwork, and spirit.
“All of us at Scania Dandenong wish them the best of luck as they take on the next exciting stage in Bangkok.” The Regional Finals will take place in February 2026.
Kattie with husband Nic Risk, who is also a truckie.
She’s done everything from livestock to tippers and low loaders.
L-R: Frank Jurinec, Kaelan Johnston, Liz Mistretta (Branch Manager), Chris Chilver (Team Captain), Bede Hutchinson and Danny Manak. Image: Scania
MERITOR® DISC BRAKE PADS
As part of an ongoing commitment to provide braking solutions across vehicles of all ages and duty cycles, Meritor are pleased to announce some key updates to its commercial vehicle air disc brake pad program. In response to customer feedback, and following a comprehensive range review, the Meritor brake pad portfolio has been rationalised according to market need, into Meritor Genuine, Premium and Allfit propositions.
The realigned offer, provides customers with a clear choice from Genuine OE first fit product to quality aftermarket products:
GENUINE PREMIUM ALLFIT
Designed and developed in conjunction with vehicle manufacturers for Meritor specific brake system applications, the Genuine range of pads are the exact parts fitted as OE.
Our Premium brake pad range offers a selection of parts with equivalent quality levels to OE. Designed and developed using quality parts and high specification friction material, the Premium range is tailored to application and market need.
The Allfit brake pad range provides a quality, aftermarket solution at an affordable price.
Whilst the range has undergone some rationalisation, coverage of European truck applications remains at more than 90%, with range development plans underway to further enhance coverage across bus, coach, truck and trailer sectors. To compliment the range review, an updated packaging solution has also been developed. The updated cartons in new imagery reflective of proposition, have been designed to:
Optimise product storage
Aid identification of parts on the shelf through clear brand identification
