A man has been charged over the alleged unsecured load of metal fragments that dropped onto the M1 Paci c Motorway on the NSW Central Coast on May 2.
The truck he was driving spilled 840kg of metal debris across a 30km stretch from Wyong Road to Mount White, damaging the tyres of more than 300 vehicles in the southbound lanes, estimated NSW Police.
Following inquiries, police now allege that the secondary locking handles on the trailer were not properly engaged.
The 46-year-old male driver has been served with a Future Court Attendance No-
Truck driver charged over metal spill in NSW Investigations continue into overpass crash
INVESTIGATIONS
are continuing following a bridge strike by an oversize, overmass (OSOM) vehicle on the Warrego Highway on Friday, May 16, at 1.34am.
A truck carrying a wind turbine tower section was travelling along the Warrego Highway at North Tivoli, when it became wedged under the Mount Crosby Road overpass, causing lengthy delays.
The overpass wasn’t reopened until Tuesday, May 20, following structural assessments by the Department of Transport and Mains Roads (TMR).
Shortly after the incident, Queensland Police revealed
tice for drive heavy vehicle not comply loading requirements-severe.
He is due to appear at Hornsby Local Court on July 10, 2025.
Major traffic delays were experienced during the May 2 incident with the roadway being re-opened about 10 hours later following a multi-agency response.
Many of the cars were forced to pull over in the breakdown lane.
There were no reports of any injuries.
In a company statement shortly after the incident, truck owner NJ Ashton said it was taking full responsibility for what’s happened and was very sorry for any damage and disruption that’s been caused.
“As soon as we were notified about the accident, we sent every qualified mechanic we
have to assist authorities and help get drivers back on the road,” the company said.
A week later the company also hosted a free community barbecue at a nearby Peats Ridge cafe for those impacted by the spill.
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has since announced it will be conducting a month-long blitz throughout June focusing on the construction and waste industries.
NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Salvati said this recent metal spill incident highlights the serious risks associated with loading non-compliance.
onto the Mount Crosby Road off-ramp.
Queensland Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said
quired it to leave the highway
“The escort took that trip, but the truck did not,” Mickelberg said.
“There will be an investi-
gation from the Queensland Police Service and my department. Pending that investigation, we will take action as appropriate.”
The wind turbine tower section was being transported to Wambo Wind Farm.
On May 20, Wambo Wind Farm shared a statement online. “Qube, the logistics company responsible for the transportation of wind turbine components, along with Vestas as the project’s Principal Contractor and the Queensland Police Service have all commenced independent investigations into the incident,” it said.
Wambo revealed that all three components transported as part of the May 20 convoy were delivered to site while other turbine component deliveries from the Port of Brisbane were temporarily paused. Two days later, on May 22, movements resumed. “Cubico and Stanwell, the joint venture owners of the Wambo Wind Farm, received assurances from Vestas, the project’s principal contractor, and Qube, the transport sub-contractor, regarding the additional safety measures and operational controls they have implemented to ensure the safe recommencement of deliveries.”
Around 840kg of metal debris was spilled across a 30km stretch of the M1 Paci c Motorway. Image: H R
Results of Eyre Highway blitz revealed
THE National Heavy Ve hicle Regulator (NHVR) has revealed the results of a recent cross-border blitz tar geting heavy vehicles on the Eyre Highway.
Named Operation Com pass, the blitz took place from May 2-7, running from Port Augusta in South Aus tralia to the Western Austra lia border.
e NHVR revealed to Big Rigs that 210 heavy vehicle intercepts were conducted during the blitz – with a to tal of 640 units inspected (trucks and trailers).
According to the regulator, there was a non-compliance rate of 48.1 per cent; with 155 defect notices issued.
non-compliance the primary area of concern. However, most of these o ences were deemed minor or self-clearing,” an NHVR spokesperson said.
ere were also 19 infringements issued for mass, loading, vehicle standard and fatigue-related o ences; along with 96 education sessions provided to drivers.
and educational initiatives undertaken during Operation Compass were both signi cant in number and well-received by industry, with more than 600 heavy vehicle units inspected and more than 90 education sessions held.
gures and think about it for just a moment, you’ll realise that the results are very good,” Shearer said.
“Overall they show a high level of compliance and safety and the NHVR ought to be recognising that and congratulating the industry, while pointing to the scope for improvement.”
“During the operation, a
Of those defect notices, nine were listed as major, 78 were minor and 68 were self-clearing.
number of compliance issues were identi ed and addressed, with mechanical
“NHVR Safety and Compliance O cers worked closely with authorised ocers from Main Roads WA to address two of the most critical risk factors within the heavy vehicle industry –driver fatigue and mechanical non-compliance,” the NHVR spokesperson continued.
“Heavy vehicle inspections
“ e NHVR will continue to work with industry via regular patrols and local operations, to increase compliance and ensure the safety of all road users travelling on the Eyre Highway.”
South Australian Road Transport Association Executive O cer Steve Shearer said the results from Operation Compass are nowhere near as concerning as what the NHVR is reporting.
“If you read the NHVR’s
Shearer also said it would be more useful if the regulator revealed more details of the major defects.
“ e simple numbers are utterly unhelpful for the industry.
“It’s like a doctor telling you that your blood pressure is too high but ending the conversation there, without saying why it’s high and what can be done to correct it.”
More mobile heavy vehicle cameras operating in NSW
TEN automatic number plate recognition cameras are now operating on key freight corridors across New South Wales, monitoring heavy vehicles.
According to NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Salvati the camera roll out “will bolster efforts in making Australia’s major freight networks safer and ensuring the heavy vehicle industry remains productive and efficient.”
This brings the NHVR’s total number of automatic num-
ber plate recognition (ANPR) cameras across the country to 49, including roadside trailers and vehicle mounted cameras.
Salvati says they are being used to better detect and intercept potentially high-risk behaviour and unsafe practices by heavy vehicles.
“Tragically, we have already seen 51 lives lost in crashes involving heavy vehicles across Australia this year, with 16 of these lives lost on NSW roads – the NHVR remains com-
mitted to doing everything in our power to drive down this road toll,” he said.
“These fatal incidents are sadly occurring more in regional and remote areas –which is why these cameras are such an important step towards safer heavy vehicle movements and improved road safety outcomes for all.
“Being mobile means our officers can move and use the cameras in different locations, with camera sites strategically
identified within the busiest freight routes and areas that are high-risk, to maximise heavy vehicle monitoring capability.”
Salvati added that by utilising ANPR technology, the NHVR can facilitate intelligence driven, risked-based intercepts, with the cameras automatically detecting the number plates of passing heavy vehicles, flagging any “potentially high-risk vehicles and operators”.
He said the wider implementation of the cameras means increased efficiency for compliant heavy vehicle drivers by ensuring they are intercepted less regularly.
“Officers will be able to focus their efforts on those who are potentially higher risk, allowing them to inform and educate drivers on how to comply with their obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, resulting in a safer heavy vehicle industry.”
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There were 210 heavy vehicles intercepted during last month’s blitz. Image: Michael Major/stock.adobe.com
NHVR now has 49 automatic number plate recognition cameras. Image: NHVR
No-Truck Zones in Melbourne’s west
WHEN the West Gate Tunnel opens later this year, six local roads in Melbourne’s inner west will become ‘NoTruck Zones’, with penalties set to come into play for those who break the rules.
ese new rules will be enforced using new camera technology that can detect the type of truck in real time and instantly categorise them as either exempt or not exempt from regulations.
With 24/7 enforcement of the No-Truck Zones, the West Gate Tunnel is expected to take 9000 trucks o residential streets in the inner west.
e 2025/26 Victorian Budget allocated $2.98 million to No-Truck Zone enforcement. Of that gure, $1.47 million will go towards installing and testing the enforcement camera network, with a further $1.51 million expected to be spent in the coming 2025/26 nancial year.
Software company Sensor Dynamics will supply and install the equipment used to monitor the No-Truck Zones, so the new rules can be policed and enforced by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).
ese roads will soon become No-Truck Zones:
• Francis Street in Yarraville
• Somerville Road in Yarraville
• Buckley Street in Footscray
• Moore Street in Footscray
• Blackshows Road in Altona North
• Hudson Road in Spotswood
Exemptions will apply for trucks starting or ending their journey within a NoTruck Zone for deliveries, construction or maintenance works, vehicle repair, or vehicle sales.
e Department of Transport and Planning in Victoria said the vehicle’s registered owner will be responsible for any nes if their truck is caught in a NoTruck Zone.
Big Rigs contacted the Department for details about the penalties that will apply for non-exempt trucks entering No-Truck Zones.
“We’ll be able to provide information regarding the potential ne amounts at a date closer to the enforcement of the No-Truck Zone (when the West Gate Tunnel opens),” a spokesperson said.
Trucks heading to the port or empty container parks will no longer be permitted in designated No-Truck Zones when the new rules come into e ect.
Instead, they will have access to a second river crossing with direct connections to the port, as well as new ramps at Hyde Street in Yarraville for trucks unable to use the tunnel.
Express lanes between the
M80 and the West Gate Freeway will help to keep tra c moving, along with dedicated ramps and roads. Trucks will also have easy access to the Bolte Bridge, Williamstown Road, and Millers Road, providing routes west to Laverton and north to the airport via Citylink and the Monash Freeway.
Last year, the Victorian Government nalised a 42year lease with the Port of Melbourne for the former Melbourne Market site, a deal it says will take more trucks o local roads across the west.
Minister for Ports and
Freight Melissa Horne said, “When the tunnel opens, No-Truck Zones will take thousands of trucks o residential streets every day and provide industry with direct road links to the Port of Melbourne.’’
Member for Footscray Katie Hall added, “ rough the West Gate Tunnel, our investment in truck ban enforcement technology and leasing the old Melbourne Market site to the Port of Melbourne, we’re getting trucks o local roads in Melbourne’s west and returning them to local people.”
In September 2022, a Heavy Vehicle Monitoring Camera Trial monitored truck curfews and restrictions for trucks moving
through Melbourne’s inner west.
e outcomes are assisting in the roll-out of the technology in the No-Truck Zones. When the West Gate Tunnel opens, it will provide an alternative to the West Gate Bridge – however it will be tolled.
According to Transurban, tolling will help fund the tunnel’s construction and ongoing operation, with four new toll points located along the West Gate Tunnel.
Toll charging and prices will di er depending on the type of vehicle.
Transurban says heavy vehicles will pay a single total toll when travelling on the
upgraded West Gate Freeway, new tunnels and city connections – with tolling discounts and trip caps in place for heavy vehicles.
A new toll point will also be added to the West Gate Freeway, between Millers and Williamstown roads. Cars, motorbikes and light commercial vehicles can travel free through this toll point, but tolls will apply for heavy vehicles including rigid and articulated trucks and buses; and long heavy commercial vehicles.
Heavy vehicles travelling back and forth through this new toll point on the West Gate Freeway multiple times a day will have discounted
tolls after the fourth trip and no charge after the eighth trip.
Trucks travelling on CityLink and the West Gate Tunnel will have tolls for a single trip capped at:
• $36.05 (for travel between 6am and 8pm) and $24.04 (for travel between 8pm and 6am) for heavy commercial vehicles.
• $54.09 (for travel between 6am and 8pm) and $36.05 (for travel between 8pm and 6am) for long heavy commercial vehicles. Along with a new toll point on the West Gate Freeway, there will be three toll points added to the West Gate Tunnel.
A map of the No-Truck Zones that will be enforced when the West Gate Tunnel opens. Image: Transport Victoria
New bypass impacts popular truck stop
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
SINCE the Great Western Highway upgrade at Little Hartley opened to tra c in April, a group of small businesses are feeling the pinch, with the new highway bypassing the historic town.
Hartley Fresh & Café – a once thriving stop, with plenty of truck parking –told Big Rigs it has experienced a huge drop in business in recent months.
e business was previously on a busy route of the Great Western Highway. However with the new alignment, which includes a new 15 metre wide two-span bridge, tra c is e ectively bypassing this historic little town, located in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales.
e Great Western Highway is a key east-west connection out of Sydney. ese
recent upgrades at Little Hartley are part of a broader $232 million project to upgrade what is one of Australia’s most historic roads.
Along with tra c now bypassing the town, Hartley Fresh & Café manager Michelle Owen says ongoing roadworks are also confusing, making this business and three others along the strip di cult to get to.
Hartley Fresh & Café has been a popular stop for truckies for decades – in
fact, it even featured in the video clip of Jimmy Barnes’ 1988 hit trucking anthem ‘Driving Wheels’.
e café was taken over by new owners in February this year.
As Owen explained, “In that time, we’ve gone from having ve sta on for the day, to having sta there twiddling their thumbs. We’re down about $15002000 a day – we don’t get the tra c anymore.”
e café is one of four busi-
nesses located on this part of the old highway – alongside a lawnmower store, lolly shop and pizza shop, with stores recording downturns in sales of up to 75 per cent.
“Before the highway was just one lane going each way. Now they’ve created a new road through, so that road bypasses the shops along this strip,” Owen said.
“ e roadworks are quite confusing too. It’s very easy to miss us. Unless you’re looking to your right, you wouldn’t even know the businesses are there.
“It makes it harder for people to nd where they need to go.”
Hartley Fresh & Café is usually bustling, with locals and truck drivers making up most of its clientele.
“It’s somewhere locals would come and a lot of truck drivers would stop at, because there’s adequate
room to park,” added Owen.
“We’re on 6-7 acres, so we can t about 20 trucks there at any one time. It’s the biggest carpark between Sydney and Bathurst, with easy access for trucks coming on and o the highway.
“We have fresh food and co ee for dine in or takeaway, with lots of options available for truckies while they’re on
as usual for Hartley Fresh & Café.
“We have something for everyone and plenty of space to park your truck,” she said. “ e Hartley Breakfast, bacon and egg rolls, focaccia and hamburgers are really popular. ere’s something for everyone.”
In early May, the café also began trialling extended opening hours. Hartley Fresh & Café is currently open from 5.30am-3.30pm Monday to
Work begins on complex $15.4 billion SA
MAJOR construction work began last month on South Australia’s largest and most complex infrastructure project to date – the $15.4 billion River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project, which will create a non-stop South Road.
Jointly funded by the state and federal governments, with
each contributing $7.7 billion, the non-stop South Road project will allow motorists to bypass 21 sets of tra c lights between the River Torrens and Darlington. Once complete, it’s expected to save drivers up to 40 minutes of travel time in peak hour tra c. Minister for Infrastructure,
Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King, said, “ is is the last leg of a long journey to create the NorthSouth Corridor – 78km of non-stop, tra c light-free motorway – and once complete, it will change the state for the better.”
e Southern Precinct – located between Tonsley Boulevard and Norrie Avenue on the western side of South Road – will become the purpose-built site from where the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) will launch to construct the southern tunnels. Two TBMs will launch
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World- rst electric road train launch
BY JAMES GRAHAM
SOUTH East Queensland Hauliers (SEQH) has unveiled a world- rst electric triple road train which will soon begin operations at the Port of Brisbane.
e 53.5m Volvo FH-powered combination, believed to be the world’s biggest for an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), will cart empty containers between the port and SEQH’s nearby base in Hemmant.
e factory-built FH will go into work alongside SEQH’s new Volvo FM which will also cart empties as a 30.35m A-double when all the paperwork is signed o with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).
SEQH Deputy Managing Director Nathan Craner told Big Rigs that both will run as singles in the interim but expects to have them up and running in their full capacity by the end of June.
Speaking to guests at the o cial launch at Port of Brisbane on May 27, SEQH Managing Director Brett Plummer said the electric trucks are another example of SEQH’s core
values of innovation, collaboration and partnership.
He reminded the VIPs in attendance that SEQH had also teamed with Volvo, Haulmark Trailers, Port of Brisbane, the NHVR and the Department of Transport and Main Roads to introduce the rst A-double in the same room 15 years earlier.
“ e combinations you’ll see here today are worldrsts and are the start of our low-carbon 2B PBS vehicles,”
Plummer said.
“It’s using electric trucks to drive high productivity vehicles. We’re con dent they’ll be a revolutionary vehicle, much like our A-doubles.”
Plummer said the electric seed was rst planted three years ago when Volvo invited himself and Craner to Sweden on a fact- nding mission.
“SEQH as a group sees a substantial task for electric trucks, not only in the high productivity electric combinations showcased here today, but also in the more traditional task of providing single trailer deliveries to warehouses near and far.
“ ereby reducing SEQH’s carbon footprint in provid-
ing delivery services to our customers.”
Already, Plummer is condent the electric trucks will perform on a cost-parity with their diesel equivalents, pulling six-day double shifts within the port precinct.
e range on a single full charge for each truck should be around 300km. Daily short top ups mean they will only need to be fully charged once a week.
Ultimately, Plummer said SEQH plans to power the electric trucks entirely by solar energy.
“It’s a waste of time using a coal- red power plant to charge these things up – that’s a false economy,” Plummer said.
“We’ve got a reasonably-sized solar set up at work, but we’re going to expand that.”
Unlike the ‘top end of town’, SEQH also made the plunge without any federal or state government subsidies or grants.
But Plummer said that’s what SEQH does.
“We do stu on our own – we get the numbers up to scratch and make sense and then we just did it.”
Plummer said the demand is also there from customers.
“We’re pitching for contracts now that are big on electric for last-mile deliveries.”
Plummer also said SEQH plans to buy more electric trucks to run single trailers, and could run as far as the company’s Toowoomba de-
“As these things get better, there is an in-built advantage in that particular run. at range will charge them up.”
Vice President Volvo Trucks
Australia Tom Chapman said Volvo is only just getting started with alternative fuel trucks as cooperation with the regulator, road managers and customers ramps up.
“We see way more opportunity,” Chapman said. “At this point operators need to think di erently. ey can’t
just think they want to do the same job with the electric truck as they would with a diesel. ey probably need to work back from the truck and think, ‘what can I do?’ ings like range and loads are impacted, but there are a lot of opportunities if you go looking for it.”
Chapman concedes, however, that the cost of the electricity does “make or break” the argument to make the switch.
“If you’re not paying eye-watering sums for your electricity then absolutely, the total cost of ownership
equation does stack up.”
Chapman was also keen to stress, however, that the name of the game for Volvo is decarbonisation, not necessarily electri cation.
“We’ve got a multi-pronged approach to decarbonisation,” he told Big Rigs. “But they [SEQH] came back from that trip to Sweden understanding where electric would t within their total business.
“ ey had a better appreciation for the product so therefore could understand and identify opportunities for that.”
Lauren Hewitt, Chief
Executive O cer of the Queensland Transport and Logistics Council, described SEQH’s investment in the new Volvo technology as a game-changer.
“Whether you believe in climate change or not, the future is electric, and it’s going to bene t us in a range of factors,” Hewitt said.
“SEQH’s announcement today that they’ve got the longest electric combination in history on the road is phenomenal. It’s a game changer for Brisbane, for the Port of Brisbane, for the urban area in general.”
Electric truck rst for Volvo at Wacol
VOLVO Group Australia has revealed it will begin building the rst-ever Australian-made heavy-duty electric trucks at its Wacol facility in Brisbane next year. is announcement coincides with the handover of 10 electric trucks to Linfox, which represents the largest single delivery in Australia’s biggest-ever order of 30 heavy-duty electric vehicles.
making Volvo electric trucks
in Australia will expand the country’s manufacturing capabilities, help accelerate their adoption, and lower emissions throughout the Australian road transport sector.
e Linfox order will comprise 29 FM Electric and one FH Electric model.
Linfox has already successfully trialled Volvo electric trucks, beginning with two
announcement was celebrated at Linfox’s Willawong site in Brisbane, with Volvo Group President and CEO Martin Lundstedt, and Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks who have travelled from Sweden with Volvo executives, joining Martin Merrick, President of Volvo Group Australia, and Linfox Executive Chairman Peter Fox AM for
but for Australian manufactur ing,” said Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO of Volvo Group.
“Today signi es not just the delivery of electric trucks,
Linfox, coupled with our commitment to build a third of these electric vehicles right strates our con dence in the local industry’s potential to
lead the way in sustainable heavy transport, perfectly suited to Australia’s demanding distances and conditions.”
Martin Merrick, President of Volvo Group Australia, added:
“Manufacturing a signi cant portion of these electric trucks locally is a key pillar of our long-term vision for Australia.
“We are dedicated to establishing a thriving electric truck manufacturing industry that will create skilled jobs, drive innovation, and accelerate the uptake of zero-emission transport solutions across the Australian road transport sector.
“To assist the industry accelerate the adoption of low emission electric trucks, we would like to see all state and federal governments provide more accessible incentives for all businesses, especially small to medium enterprises, so they can follow in
footsteps.”
Linfox’s
The Volvo FM which will also cart empties as an A-double when all the paperwork is signed off.
[L-R] Nathan Craner, Brett Plummer and Volvo’s Tom Chapman at the Port of Brisbane launch. Image: Prime Creative Media
Ten trucks from the order have been handed over at Linfox’s Willawong site in Brisbane.
[L-R] Martin Merrick, Ray Gamble, Peter Fox, Martin Lundstedt, Lindsay Fox and Roger Alm. Images: Volvo Group Australia
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BTS raises
EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM
ing out of the Big Rigs’ booth into show bags.
As much as the new products and technology are a drawcard, so too is the chance to put faces to names and voices you deal with on a regular basis but rarely get the chance to meet. If you haven’t had a chance to attend a show before, do yourself a favour and mark the next one in the diary for 2027. It was my fourth BTS in this role and organisers Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia keep raising the bar. Deadlines precluded us from featuring more than a handful of stories from the record-breaking show in the last issue.
But with the help of our hard-working writers on the ground, Graham Harsant and David Vile, we’ve opened up some space in this one you’re now holding to showcase more highlights from pages 24-52.
Letters to the Editor
Why don’t governments
THE InDaily, Inside South Australia website has yet another article about the poor road maintenance that is obvious for all to see, right around the country actually.
As we have often said on behalf of the trucking industry, which pays billions in Road User Charges (RUC) annually (set by government to cover our impact on roads) no government of any political persuasion, at any of the three levels, has spent anywhere near enough
on road maintenance in the past 80 years. So, it’s no surprise that in my 31 years to-date as Executive Ocer of the SA Road Transport Association, the SA road maintenance backlog has blown out from some $200m to what must now be in the order of $900m or more. Why? Well it’s pretty simple. No government of any persuasion has allocated the politically dull and unexciting task of proper road maintenance su cient
priority over the far more exciting ribbon-cutting openings of brand-new infrastructure.
Why? Well that’s just as simple. YOU, the voters do not and never have made it su ciently politically rewarding for the governments of the day to ensure they a ord road maintenance a high enough priority to keep all roads in good and appropriate order. Now before you think or say, ‘hang on, the govern-
ments should do it anyway, even if I, and most, or at least a voting majority of others, don’t make much noise about it, think about what you do make noise about. It’s the political demands of the community overall that result in massive amounts of money being allocated to other things in preference to the mundane ‘housekeeping’ tasks and responsibilities like road maintenance. Politicians and governments must win
enough seats to gain and retain o ce, obviously, so they prioritise funding according to the apparent key demands from the voters, plus of course, prosecuting their own governments policies, for which they were elected.
So, here’s the challenge for us all. If you/we want roads to be better maintained, there needs to be a lot more sustained noise from the general community, not just a few squeaky wheels, if you’ll pardon the pun.
We must obliterate the road-maintenance backlog over the next 20 years or sooner, through budgetary commitment to a high-priority rolling program and major increased funding and the community must support and reward the government for doing it.
Steve Shearer
Executive O cer South Australian Road Transport Association
Flood-trapped truckie hellbent on return
BY JAMES GRAHAM
OWNER-DRIVER
Dave
Walker was unsure of the insurer’s assessment of his damaged K200 and trailers when Big Rigs called back at issue deadline for an update on how he was faring since being trapped in last month’s fatal NSW oods.
But whether the gear is a write-o or not, he did know one thing for sure after waking on May 21 to nd his truck in metre-high waters on the Mid North Coast – the never-say-die 62-year-old isn’t about to give up driving anytime soon.
Walker, who has picked himself up after a run of knocks that would nish most blokes, including driving for three months with a catheter after beating prostate cancer, said he only knows how to do one thing.
“I’m a single bloke and this is my life,” said Walker, who’s also lost a week’s wages in the recent setback.
“Every time something tries to knock you down, you’ve got to get back up and keep ghting on. Otherwise, what do you do? If I don’t nd a way forward, I’ll just sit around and die. is keeps me alive.”
After taking four tow trucks to get home to the Gold Coast, Walker’s had plenty of
glad to be back on solid ground but is unsure what the future holds.
time to re ect on his harrowing ordeal but still knows he couldn’t have done anything di erently.
When he was stopped by authorities from going any further north on the Paci c Highway late on the Tuesday night before worst of the weather hit, Walker thought he’d be safe parked up just o the fog line at Ghinni Ghinni while he took a seven-hour break.
Instead, he woke up at 4am the next morning to nd his fully-loaded K200 B-double trapped in a “one-in-500year” event that claimed ve
lives and left 50,000 residents isolated.
After spending six hours standing in the cold rain the next morning he was slowly ferried to the Taree RSL evacuation centre and relieved to at least be standing on solid ground with a roof over his head. But after two nights on the oor without a pillow or mattress, Walker said he was also happy to be back at his truck as soon as the waters had receded enough.
A frustrated Walker still believes his truck could have been saved if someone had woken him up during the night and told him to take
refuge on the nearby Ghinni Ghinni Bridge.
“ ere would have been enough room for me on Ghinni Ghinni Bridge as well but no one came to tell me.
“I wasn’t intending to stop where I did, but that was where we got pulled up. e road hadn’t been closed prior to that, one lane was open.”
It’s been a rough few years for the owner-operator, and it’s now just got even tougher. Covid, the Morrison government’s decision to suspend fuel tax credits have all conspired against him and forced him to downsize from three to just one truck, which saw him
take another nancial hit in the process.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred also damaged the boat he lives on in the Gold Coast, leaving him with another $7000 bill.
“If the truck is a write-o , by the time I pay my bills I’ll have $6000 left after seven years of busting my gut trying to make something,” Walker estimated.
“My super and everything went into that truck.
“My business probably owes me $180,000 now – I haven’t paid myself for the last 12 months. I just take out what money I need, like $500 a week.
“You tell me who drives an interstate truck for $500 a week – you’d like to think my luck will change soon.”
Bridge destroyed in record Mid North Coast oods
THE historic Bight Bridge that connects that towns of Tinonee and Wingham has been completely destroyed due to the recent record oods on New South Wales’ Mid North Coast.
Flooding of the Manning River engulfed the bridge, ultimately destroying this vital link between the two communities.
According to MidCoast Council’s Director of Infrastructure and Engineering
Services, Rob Scott, at a minimum he expects to see “a like for like replacement” funded through the Natural Disaster Recovery Arrangements.
ough he conceded it’s likely to take some time.
“Our hands are usually tied here. It will depend on the condition of the remaining old bridge; at the very least we will get back to what was there.
“First o the bat, we need to do an assessment of what is
left of the old bridge and that can’t be done until the water level drops down,” said Scott in a statement released on May 27.
“From that we will get an idea of the extent of the damage. We don’t know at this stage if it’s salvageable, or if it needs to be completely replaced.
“Either way, it’s unfortunately not something that will happen quickly. It is going to be some time before that connection is restored.”
GENUINE ALCOA® WHEELS
e MidCoast Council has described the loss of this important bridge as one of the major impacts felt by the region.
ankfully the Cedar Party Creek bridge bypass faired better and was able to be reopened with little to no damage reported.
e new bridge being built in place of the old Cedar Party Creek Bridge remains on track to open later this year despite weather delays.
is
Images: Dave Walker
It took four separate tows to get Walker’s flood-damaged K200 home to south-east Queensland.
The Bight Bridge washed away during last month’s floods. Image: MidCoast Council
Walker woke to find the water lapping at the cab door and it got a lot higher before he could return to fully assess the damage.
IN BRIEF
Notorious bridge
Despite 26 height warnings on approach to deter errant drivers from hitting the Montague Street bridge, nothing seems to get the message across.
Now the state government is trying a lower speed in the hope Melbourne drivers will finally stop crashing into the notorious three metre high overpass.
The speed limit will be reduced from 60km/h to 40km/h between a 350-metre stretch from Munro Street and Buckhurst Street.
The new speed limit of 40 km/h is to become legally enforceable once signs are installed and uncovered.
Janus on the ASX
Janus Electric Holdings, the pioneering Australian manufacturer of electric truck conversion systems and swappable battery infrastructure, has officially commenced trading on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
Following a successful $8.8 million capital raise, backed by a group of prominent institutional and professional investors, Janus said it is now well-funded to scale its operations, expand its battery-swapping infrastructure, and accelerate market adoption across Australia and key international markets.
“Listing on the ASX is a pivotal milestone in our journey to decarbonise heavy transport,” said Lex Forsyth, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Janus Electric.
Toll acquires Transolve Toll Group has entered into an agreement to acquire Transolve Global, an Australian-based specialist in international freight forwarding of wine, bulk liquids and perishables.
Toll Group said this is a strategic acquisition that will enhance Toll Global Forwarding’s capabilities, allowing it to offer innovative solutions to an expanded customer base.
Transolve will continue to operate as a separate brand within the Toll Global Forwarding division.
According to Toll Group, the acquisition will allow Transolve’s customers to leverage Toll’s extensive international network, gaining access to a broader range of logistics services.
Fire trucks protest levy
In response to the state government’s recently passed services levy, more than 100 fire trucks travelled into the Melbourne’s CBD from various areas from Victoria in protest.
The new tax will be charged alongside council rates, replacing the cheaper fire services levy. Country Fire Authority volunteers and farmers took part in the protest ahead of the Victorian state budget being handed down on May 20. A Victorian Government spokesperson said the new levy would help keep emergency services funded. The government said new trucks were funded based on information provided to it by the CFA, based on the operational need.
Rail safety advocate pens openletter
After tirelessly campaigning for mandatory train lighting and improved safety at level crossings for decades, these calls remain unanswered.
SINCE losing her brother in a level crossing tragedy in WA’s Wheatbelt region 25 years ago, Lara Jensen has tirelessly campaigned for mandatory train lighting and improved safety measures at regional level crossings.
Lara is a cattle producer based in the Murchison region of WA. She is also spokesperson for the Improve Train Lighting and Level Crossing Safety Group, formed by families who have lost loved ones in level crossing tragedies.
In an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, dated May 17, 2025, she says that repeated calls for corrective safety lighting on trains and rolling stock and bolstered safety measures at notorious regional level crossings have been ignored by federal and state governments for decades.
“I did not choose to be a rail safety advocate, rather through unthinkable tragedy I have found myself part of a fraternity that nobody wants to belong to – a group of families who have all lost loved ones to completely preventable rail crashes and who are ghting for decades overdue rail safety reform in Australia,” she said.
“Today I am writing to you to appeal to you for leadership on this protracted safety issue that has disproportionately affected rural communities for decades too long.”
Lara’s youngest brother Christian Jensen tragically lost his life, alongside his friends Jess Broad and Hilary Smith, at an unlit level crossing near Jennacubbine in the WA Wheatbelt on July 8, 2000.
“In place of three vibrant young country people, our families were left with three white crosses adjacent to a notorious level crossing that had claimed four lives in as many years. Today marks what should have been my brother Christian Jensen’s 45th birthday,” Lara wrote.
“Prime Minister, in your second term victory speech on the night of the federal election you promised to leave ‘no one behind’. I represent a group of rural rail safety advocates who have not only been left behind but have been enthusiastically excluded by successive governments.”
Following the triple fatality at the Yarramony Road level crossing in the Wheatbelt, an inquest into the three deaths by WA State Coroner Alastair Hope concluded “the train involved in the crash was not adequately lit and there was no lighting on the train designed to provide an e ective warning to motor vehicle drivers at railway crossings.”
“Coroner Hope recommended that all locomotives be tted with external auxiliary lighting in addition to ditch lighting to e ectively warn motorists of oncoming trains,” continued Lara.
“ ese recommendations were completely ignored by
Images: Lara Jensen
IN PLACE OF THREE VIBRANT YOUNG COUNTRY PEOPLE, OUR FAMILIES WERE LEFT WITH THREE WHITE CROSSES ADJACENT TO A NOTORIOUS LEVEL CROSSING.”
LARA JENSEN
state and federal governments and the rail industry and remain unacted on to this day.
“My family, along with the Broad and Smith families who lost their loved ones in the Yarramony Road crash have advocated for years in a bid to ensure these completely preventable tragedies don’t continue to happen to other families.
“Over time we have become connected (through tragedy) with other families of rail crash victims around Australia – families who have lost their lives because the rail industry and our government didn’t act on evidence of the risks posed by poorly lit trains and unsafe level crossing to regional road users.”
In her letter she also shared the story of a friend and co-campaigner Barry Wooden. His only son Kyle Wooden and four of his friends were killed at the Bells Road Crossing near Gerogery in NSW, just seven months after the tragic Wheatbelt incident.
“On January 27th, 2001, Kyle, a keen sportsman, was travelling with four friends to see his best friend Nic Henderson play in his debut rst-grade game with the Melbourne Storm rugby league club. Kyle and his four friends never made the game,” revealed Lara.
“Tragically, they were killed instantly when the XPT Sydney to Melbourne express pas-
senger train hit the car they were travelling in at the Bells Road Level Crossing near the country town of Gerogery.
“ e Bells Road Level Crossing had gained the reputation of being one of the most notorious crossings in NSW, recording a series of crashes but not a single fatality until 2001 when all ve boys were killed in one hit. e XPT train was travelling at 160km/h at the time of the crash – it was the fastest known section of rail in Australia at the time.”
Lara revealed that Deputy NSW State Coroner Carl Milovanovich categorically rejected any suggestion that the boys were racing the train and found that neither alcohol, drugs nor speed were a factor in the collision.
“Coroner Milovanovich went on to say: ‘ e real tragedy in this matter is not whether the driver made an error of judgement, but that in this day and age when we all strive to reap the bene ts of new technology, such as computers, advances in medicine, trains that travel at 160 km/h
and even faster, we still have a 19th-century approach to level crossings on the basis that they are traversed by horse and cart’,” said Lara.
Kyle’s father Barry, his wife Alison and the other four families whose loved ones were killed in this incident lobbied for the crossing to be replaced with an overbridge. It was completed in December 2005 and named Five Mates Crossing.
“Our families do not want sympathy – we simply want legislation requiring the rail industry to make visibility lighting upgrades to their freight and passenger trains on both their locomotives and rolling stock in line with all other hazardous and high-risk industries,” wrote Lara.
“And we also want our government to upgrade unsafe level crossings with readily available and a ordable level crossing equipment technology for the safety of people who either travel in rural Australia or live in rural Australia. is should not be too much to ask of a high-risk, hazardous industry nor of decent corpo-
rate and public sector citizens in 2025.
“Currently in Australia, there are stronger laws for bicycle lighting than for trains. Despite trains being the largest and heaviest vehicles on land, in 2025 there is still no legal requirement for them to be lit to any particular standard. is anomaly is unsafe, unacceptable and needs immediate attention.
“And to make matters worse, 80 per cent of the 23,000 railway crossings in Australia do not have warning lights or boom gates, making it essential for trains to have adequate illumination – a cost-e ective and practical way to minimise the risk of collisions at level crossings.”
Late last year, a train visibility code of practice was released by the O ce of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR). However the code fell short of mandating improved lighting, instead asking rail operators to “consider the use of beacon and side marker lights.”
In Lara’s open letter, she continued, “Prime Minister, I ask you to consider this. All other high-risk industries (including road transport, mining, construction and aviation) have had to comply with stringent mandatory visibility lighting standards that have been legislated and enforced for decades.
“ e reason that the rail industry isn’t doing the same is because they are permitted to self-regulate and the board that sets the standards, the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB), is owned and operated by rail companies.
“No other industry in Australia is allowed to continuously ignore the risks they create as part of their business operations, keep recording the fatalities that eventuate, and continue to do nothing about them.”
A tribute to the lives lost at Five Mates Crossing.
‘Father’ of Volvo in Australia
The man responsible for evolving Volvo into the powerhouse trucking brand it is today down under, reflects with pride on his many achievements.
BY DAVID MEREDITH
MAX Winkless left school at 13, was working as a truck driver’s ‘boy’ or o sider at 14, and after observing how each driver handled the steering, clutch and gears on a eet of old Leyland Albions gured it wasn’t all that hard.
By 15 and after a couple of opportunities at standing in for drivers, his boss told him if he had his licence he could work as a driver. e next day the driver he was assisting took him to the police station.
Filling out the form for him, he asked: “How old are you?”
“Fifteen,” he answered.
“No, you’re not. You’re 17,” he replied, and after a run around the block with a police o cer Max’s rst driving licence was duly issued.
ose were the early days of a career that has spanned eight decades, half of it on and along the east coast of Australia, but ending here in the West, where he built Truck Centre WA from a single Volvo dealership to a conglomerate that heads up Volvo, Mack and UD trucks across the state, with a cou ple of ings into Foton and Hyundai trucks for a season or two along the way.
And now the global Volvo Group - the biggest truck builder in Europe and third in the world - has bought the business through its local en tity, Volvo Group Australia.
What now for Max Win kless?
We spent a couple of en tertaining hours with Max at his Perth home recently, re ecting on events that have shaped his life and character through to this, his 97th year.
He’s had his share of excite ment – pedalling his Volvo 142S to the 1968 NSW Rally Championship; achieving his dream of bringing the Volvo truck brand to Australia, as well as disappointments, plus a measure of personal tragedies – the loss of his beloved Jeanetta in 2008 and in 2020 the unexpected loss to cancer of their son Phil, who at the time was running the Truck Centre dealership.
Now, he looks at the future with some anticipation of good things still to come, but without the host of plans he always kept on the boil during his working career.
taking good opportunities when they arise and not being shy to turn away from o ers that sounded great but didn’t have a future.
A signi cant one arose in the late 50s when he and one of his shareholders in Mascot
NSW-based Truck Sales and Service decided they needed a new truck to compete with the Mercedes-Benz 1418, at the time the most popular truck in the heavy-duty and linehaul sector.
Max headed up most of the
NSW operations for Mayne Nickless, as well as Antill Ranger, a large interstate transport group that also sold Mack and Commer trucks.
e Commers were on their way out, the Leylands the transport group operated
couldn’t supply parts and the Macks were several thousand dollars more expensive than the Benz.
So, in search of another range of trucks they headed for Europe, as those manufacturers had the most reliable diesel engines.
Max spent three months exploring brands, starting with German-based Krupp Group, who built trucks for construction and military applications. But when Max looked hard at the product, he told his business partner that the brand wasn’t suitable for the Australian market they were targeting.
At the same time Max asked his Mack contact in Europe which of the two brands, Volvo or Scania he would take to Australia. e answer? “Volvo. Technically, the Scania is the better truck, but Volvo will be much better at marketing.” at
1960,
was it.
and Max
Big Rigs caught up with evergreen Max, 96, at his home in Perth where we spent a couple of entertaining hours learning of the many events that have shaped his life and character. Image: David Meredith
The industry icon has seen many iterations of the Volvo brand
Max’s favourite International KB6.
Max and his son, the late Phil Winkless at the 60,000th Volvo celebration in 201 . Image: David Meredith
A pencil drawing of Max’s first (truck) love. Hanging in pride of place over his desk at home. Image: David Meredith
Volvo boss Martin Merrick congratulates Max on his long reign at the official handover of Truck Centre WA earlier this year.
looks back on stellar career
The beginning
Although Volvo cars were locally assembled in Australia from 1972, they kicked off in Australia with imported vehicles in 1968.
The previous year, then Crown Prince Karl Gustav XV1 of Sweden had visited Sydney as a cadet on the naval training ship Alzsnabben.
He got hooked into the local sailing scene and that’s where there may have been a connection that resulted with the cars arriving the next year. So clearly Volvo was well aware of Australia, particularly as Max had already imported RHD Volvo trucks on evaluation.
The Winkless credentials were highly valued at Volvo from the start.
Max tells one story: “It was only a few years later in 1972 I spoke at a launch of a new N model in Sweden, and they were rather impressed with my knowledge of Australia and trucks and things like that.”
Not being one to miss an opportunity to add value to his trucking pitch, he underlined his experience: “In my speech I remember I deliberately went through and added up the trucks I’d driven till then and I’d driven 44 different makes - bloody Oshkosh’s, Fentons, Diamond T’s and Rios – Chevs, Thornycrofts, Albions, etc. So, there were 44 of them anyhow.”
Many speeches later Max is still regarded in the Volvo world as a pioneer.
Winkless took on Volvo for Australia.
Back home, after lengthy set-up plans were nalised he imported four F86 4x2 test trucks in 1965 and placed them with Mayne Nickless for three months on the interstate runs where the Benz 1418s were used almost exclusively.
Only one problem arose.
e exhaust manifolds split and needed a factory x, which Volvo did by air freighting replacements out in record time. Mayne Nickless were impressed enough to buy the test trucks, and the business was o and running. By 1972, Volvo trucks equalled Mercedes-Benz market share.
Part of that success was due to expansion of a dealer network. Max and his team had NSW, Queensland and Victoria, but for a national market spread Adelaide and Perth were necessities.
Max knew the Diamond T dealer in Adelaide and had talked him into servicing the test trucks when they reached SA. After working on the trucks and recognising the engineering quality, he agreed to take on the franchise.
During this period, it was clear to Max that Volvo need-
ed to be involved in Australia directly if the brand was really going to achieve its potential.
In 1968 he took a threepage handwritten proposal to those he calls “the Gods” in Sweden, suggesting they form Volvo Trucks Australia. ey bought it, and the following year around 50 Swedish executives headed down-under to assist in the set-up.
One of the group directors, Per Gyllenhammer was tasked with heading up the project and was appointed chairman and managing director.
“But he was seldom here, so I ran the company as general manager, which after two years morphed into managing director. I did that for two years and then told him that when I hit 50, I was out of there, which caused some consternation.”
Max made it clear to Gyllenhammer he wanted to be free to sail the world before he was too old!
Ultimately Gyllenhammer o ered Max a very attractive o er to purchase the Western Australian Volvo Business and sparked his competitive interest by hinting that Volvo wanted Max to work at developing the WA opera-
tion to become the focus of heavy-duty trucking on the global scene.
“ e challenge to me was to get the Volvo brand worldwide recognition as the high GCM road train prime mover of choice. I think with Truck Centre WA I’ve achieved that, so now I’m handing it back to Volvo - job done.”
Early in the process Max gured he’d got hold of a gold mine. But a lot of the results in WA were leveraged by double depreciation and the investment allowance, both of which were about to terminate. In short, it was
much harder than it looked from the outside.
But Max was a people person and headhunted a couple of key individuals who knew the local scene and most of the big customers. e business thrived and led to an operation that is now being taken over completely by the factory.
Outside of the truck industry Max has amused himself with sugar cane farms that had deep river frontages for his boats, other property investments and water skiing. So how do you get the
Winkless – teenage truck driver, owner operator, businessman, sailor, rally driver, and truck industry icon?
At the end of our interview, I asked him – “among all the many highlights of your career, is there one that stands out above all the rest?” I was thinking of the rst Volvo deal, the biggest eet sale, or the nal sale of the business to the Volvo Group.
He laughed and shook his head at what must have seemed impossible, thought for a few moments as if running through a catalogue in his mind. en he sparked
THE CHALLENGE TO ME WAS TO GET THE VOLVO BRAND WORLDWIDE RECOGNITION AS THE HIGH GCM ROAD TRAIN PRIME MOVER OF CHOICE. I THINK WITH TRUCK CENTRE WA I’VE ACHIEVED THAT, SO NOW I’M HANDING IT BACK TO VOLVO - JOB DONE.”
up. “My honeymoon.”
And that’s another story –a honeymoon from Western Sydney to Adelaide, then Melbourne and back to Sydney in a KB6 International 4x2 with a load of at steel on the trailer, plus two at tyres and a bogging on outback dirt roads! Seems clear to me the 62 years he spent with Jeanetta were the centrepiece of his life.
Everything else simply revolved around that.
salesman
The first Volvo to hit Kalgoorlie was the Intercooler. Max arranged a release and invited all the local operators. The truck was driven out of the shed with a fanfare, the driver hopped out, slammed the door – and the rear window dropped out! Sniggers from all in attendance, but Max rose to the occasion – “Now you’ll see how good our parts support is.”
That night a new window was flown in, and the truck was on the road the next morning.
The
Jeanetta and Max at their Tolge home in 1992.
The Truck Centre’s logo from the early days.
Max built Truck Centre WA from a single Volvo dealership to a conglomerate that heads up Volvo, Mack and UD trucks across the state.
Jeanetta helps Max celebrate his induction into the Wall of Fame in Alice Springs in 2003.
An exciting new chapter
As this well regarded Queensland transport operator embarks on retirement, the business he started over 20 years ago carries on.
BY DANIELLE GULLACI
TIM and eresa Welk started Camrandale Transport back in 2004 and built a trusted name in livestock transport, in Queensland’s Central West.
e name Camrandale was derived by combining the names of their two sons Cameron and Dale Welk, who have both been involved in the family business.
Tim has spent a lifetime in the transport game, learning to drive trucks from a very young age, then working in various roles before running his own transport businesses – most recently Camrandale Transport.
He was just 17 years old when he got his truck licence and by 18, he was already pulling triple single decks of livestock.
Tim’s contribution to the livestock industry was re cently recognised by the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Associa tion (ALRTA), when he was named one of their “Icons of the Road” in February 2025.
“He’s been in the game for a substantial amount of time,” said his son Cameron.
From one family business to another, Camrandale Trans port was recently acquired by Martins Stock Haulage.
Director and General Man ager at Martins, Adam Ross, told Big Rigs that the acqui sition o cially took e ect in April 2025, however the wheels were in motion from about a year prior.
Camrandale Transport is based in the town of Quil pie and operates eight prime movers and triple road trains.
Despite the change in own ership, Adam revealed, “ e Camrandale eet will contin ue to carry the Camrandale name that the Central West has come to know and trust. It will be business as usual for Camrandale Transport.
“We want to continue what Tim’s built and keep up the service and reliability for his customers.”
All Camrandale Transport sta will also be retained, with Cameron Welk continuing on at the Quilpie depot, as area manager. Cameron is well versed in running the Camrandale operation. “Transport has been in the blood all my life. I’ve always done whatever was needed to keep the cogs turning,” he said.
ough Cameron spent some time working away from the family business, he was still involved and helped out any way he could. It was about 10 years ago that he ofcially joined his father’s side, helping him to run the business as his right-hand man.
“My parents are retiring now – Dad is 69 and Mum is 68 – so the timing goes hand in hand with the sale. Martins is a good t, so all the stars business has become known for.” is latest acquisition makes Martins Stock Haulage the biggest livestock transport operator in Australia, but as Adam explained, that’s an accolade they never set out to achieve. “We don’t want to be
gleton and Maitland areas of New South Wales. Today the business he started all those years ago has grown to operate a eet of 89 prime movers and 270 livestock trailers, strategically supported by depots in Dubbo, Scone, Oakey, and now Quilpie.
Acquisitions have been an important part of Martins’ continued growth. e purchase of Camrandale is the 25th acquisition in Martins 67-year history.
“ roughout the history of Martins Stock Haulage, Gordon has bought companies every four to ve years,” said Adam. “Gordon is a man of integrity and would never go in to try and steal a job. If he’s interested, he’ll go in and make an o er. He’s instilled that into myself and Jason too – we’re only as good as our word.
running, Adam says he’s still very much hands on.
“Gordon is still chairman of the board. He likes to keep involved. He also gets on the phone to check up on us –and he’s very quick to tell us if we do something wrong!” laughed Adam.
“We actually identi ed some years ago that we’d love to buy Camrandale Transport. It operates in a good area we wanted to expand into. e Camrandale name is of high value in this industry. ey have really good gear, with the same sorts of trucks and trailers as our eet, so the ac-
quisition was a natural t for us,” Adam explained.
“We didn’t do much out here on this side of Queensland, in the Channel Country, which was always an area we wanted to break into.
“We worked a lot with Tim Welk already, as he’d bring livestock into Roma and Morven for his customers, then we’d transport them down the bottom end. at’s how we got to know Tim over the last three or four years. Both our businesses got on very well and that’s how this all came about.”
A couple of months into the acquisition, Adam says it’s all going extremely well. “ e transition went so smoothly and we have Cameron staying on as area manager. It’s the same name, the same faces. Nothing has changed and that’s just the way we wanted it.”
[L-R] Camrandale Transport’s Dale, Cameron and Tim Welk; with Martins Stock Haulage Directors Jason Martin and Adam Ross. Images: Martins
It will be business as usual, with the Camrandale fleet continuing to carry the trusted name.
The purchase of Camrandale Transport is the 25th acquisition for Martins Stock Haulage.
The acquisition of Camrandale makes Martins the biggest livestock transport operator in Australia.
Camrandale Transport runs eight prime movers and triple road trains.
60 years of driving progress
2025
- 780 Horse Power with 3800 Nm torque
- D17 engine
- Volvo Active Safety, Volvo Dynamic Steering, Pilot Assist
- Ai powered Real Time Monitoring
1965
- 117 Horse Power
- D50 engine
- Seat belt
For 60 years, Volvo Trucks has helped move Australia forward - safely, powerfully, and more sustainably with every generation. From the trusted F86 to the groundbreaking new FH16 780, we’ve never stopped evolving. Our past inspires everything we do. But it’s the future that keeps us moving.
Volvo Trucks. Driving Progress
Scania hands over BEV truck to TLS
FAST growing logistics and transport operator Total Logistics Solutions (TLS) has taken delivery of its rst battery electric truck (BEV), in the form of a Scania 25 P, complete with a 10-pallet curtainsider body and powered tailgate.
e silent, smooth and sleek truck was handed over by Manfred Streit, Managing Director of Scania Australia to Jason McHenry, TLS CEO and Doug Painter, TLS Managing Director recently, at Scania’s head o ce in Campbell eld, Victoria.
“We are delighted to mark the presentation of this zero-tailpipe emission BEV truck to TLS,” Manfred said.
“ is truck will give TLS a real-world appreciation of the bene ts of silent running, zero tailpipe emissions, as well as enhanced driver satisfaction.”
Jason explained that the truck would be used in typical last mile deliveries in urban areas.
“We will be testing this truck across our depots around Australia to better understand the e ciencies and e ectiveness of the technology, and to gauge driver acceptance. We
are committed to delivering a greener tomorrow,” he said. “ e payload of 10 pallets will be suitable for our delivery needs, and the available range will be more than adequate, judging by the nal
mile deliveries we currently make.
Jason continued, “We are very much looking forward to integrating this battery electric truck into the eet, especially because we have been actively working to reducing our carbon footprint for transport. In recent times we have added new fuel-e cient Euro 6 Scania V8 trucks to the eet. We have seen around a 10 per cent reduction in fuel and emissions, hauling A-double sets, which is impressive.
“Our client base is going to be very interested as well in how we incorporate the Scania BEV into the eet. Many have already expressed strong
support for emissions-free deliveries.”
Travis Damianopoulos, New Vehicle Account Manager for Scania Laverton in Victoria said that the new BEV would be an impressive performer.
“ e Scania 25 P provides all the comforts and features and safety of a regular Scania truck, and we have worked with the local body builder, Austruck, to ensure a seamless application of the curtainsider body and Dhollandia tail lift. Attards, truck curtain and eet graphics specialists, tastefully designed the side curtains to enhance the environmentally friendly message of the 25 P, along with clear
WE WILL BE TESTING THIS TRUCK ACROSS OUR DEPOTS AROUND AUSTRALIA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EFFICIENCIES AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TECHNOLOGY.”
JASON MCHENRY
EV branding on the doors. is truck will be turning heads wherever it goes.
Travis added, “From a driver’s perspective, the silence inside the cab, low NVH and the smart step-o acceleration will make this a joy to drive. Undoubtedly there will be some competition among the TLS drivers to have a go behind the wheel.”
Scania Finance Australia provided the funding for the purchase, part of Scania’s total transport solution concept.
“TLS is a long-standing client of Scania Finance Australia, and we were pleased to be able to provide the funding for this purchase, tailoring the deal to meet the needs and expectations of our customer,” said Wayne omason, Country Manager for Scania Finance Australia.
“We are committed to making the funding of a Scania battery electric vehicle – and if required, the charger – as seamless and attractive as it is for any other product in our portfolio. We are very supportive of our customers moving into the BEV age and look forward to providing further nancing for zero emission vehicles to Australian businesses,” he said.
Tickets on sale for upcoming awards
THE annual Women in Industry Awards will be held at e Carousel in Melbourne on June 19, 2025, with tickets currently on sale.
Organised by Prime Creative Media, these awards have been running for more than a decade, shining a spotlight on the invaluable contributions of women who are not only excelling in their elds but are also actively driving change, breaking down barriers, and inspiring the next generation of female leaders.
e awards seek to recognise women across a range of different industries – from transport and mining, to engineering and infrastructure.
During a special gala dinner event, awards will be presented across these 12 categories:
• Business Development Success of the Year
• Excellence in Construction
• Excellence in Engineering
• Excellence in Energy
• Excellence in Manufacturing
• Excellence in Mining
• Excellence in Transport (Proudly sponsored by Kenter)
• Industry Advocacy Award
• Mentor of the Year
• Rising Star of the Year (Proudly sponsored by Atlas Copco)
• Safety Advocacy Award (Proudly sponsored by Pac-
car Australia)
• Woman of the Year (Proudly sponsored by Fulton Hogan)
At previous iterations of the Women in Industry Awards, the awards have highlighted the diverse talents and significant impact of women across various sectors.
A case in point is the 2024 Woman of the Year was Derelle Mitchell from Health Focus Manufacturing (HFM), who was also recognised for
Excellence in Manufacturing. Determined to rekindle her career after raising her children, Derelle took up an opportunity to acquire the assets of a cosmetic manufacturing company in 2011, marking the beginning of HFM.
Starting with a small team in a “big green shed”, HFM has grown over the past decade to accommodate more than 40 sta members with over 200 years of combined experience.
“I started this business from very humble beginnings,” she said when accepting the 2024 Woman of the Year award.
“ e most enjoyable thing I get from my job is getting people jobs, and I love what I do.
“It takes a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and sacri ces for work every day. I wake up every day at 4 o’clock in the morning, and I love it, especially the people I work with. I wouldn’t
be sitting here right now if it wasn’t for them.”
Taking out the 2024 Transport Woman of the Year Award was Anne Modderno, the rst female managing director at Swietelsky Rail Australia. Since her appointment in May 2023, Anne has made signi cant strides in aligning the company’s operations with a new strategic direction. She also actively advocates for inclusivity and diversity with-
in the transport sector, promoting initiatives to increase female participation and close the gender pay gap.
e Women in Industry Awards aim to celebrate the women who are moving industry forward, showing the next generation what’s possible.
To secure your tickets to the event, please visit womeninindustry.com.au.
Managing director at Swietelsky Rail Australia, Anne Modderno (left) won the Transport Woman of the Year Award last year. Images: Prime Creative Media
[L-R] Jarrod Hegarty, National Sales Manager, Scania Australia; Wayne Thomason, Country Manager, Scania Finance Australia; Jason McHenry, CEO at TLS; Manfred Streit, Managing Director, Scania Australia; Doug Painter, Managing Director at TLS; and Benjamin Nye, Director of Truck Sales, Scania Australia. Images: Scania
The new truck will be tested at TLS depots around Australia.
The Women in Industry Awards seek to recognise women for their contribution across a range of different industries.
Anxiety-free way to go electric
BY GRAHAM HARSANT
USUALLY when I’m o ered a test drive of a truck, it’s only for a short period of time and accompanied by one of the relevant company’s represen tatives.
ere’s nothing wrong with that, and they certainly don’t put any pressure on me to write only good thing about their products. And having done it for a long period of time, I do know what to look out for when I climb up into the cab and go for a spin.
Hino do things a little dif ferently. ey chuck the keys to me and ask how long I’d like the truck for. I’d suggest ed driving one of their trucks to a couple of truck shows a month apart.
“ at’s ne,” they said. “Just keep it for the whole month. We’ll give you one of our Hybrid Electric trucks.”
What’s that I hear coming back at me through this page? Howls of derision?
Whenever I put a comment on my socials about a truck that has the word ‘electric’ in its description, the keyboard warriors come thick and fast: It’ll never replace Texas Tea. How do you get it home when the batteries go at?
Stu s up the payload. I don’t want the range anxiety. And on and on it goes. Whenever I’ve mentioned Hino Hybrid Electric Trucks in dispatches, I get exactly the same type of comments.
So, let’s set the record straight: e Hino Hybrid Electric is a diesel-powered truck that is aided and abetted by batteries and an electric motor. I’m now convinced that the company should drop the word electric from the name.
Toyota, who happen to be the parent company of Hino have been producing hybrid cars for nigh on 40 years and I’ve never once heard a word of derision about them –apart from maybe the looks of the original Prius which was polarising in its design (and of which there are still plenty on the road decades later).
Today you can’t order their best-selling RAV 4 unless it’s a hybrid and the wait list is so long that you may be old and grey before you get one.
Just about every manufacturer has a hybrid car in their
range today for a couple of very simple reasons. Frugality of fuel consumption is number one. You simply get more kilometres per litre and who doesn’t want that?
Secondly, it reduces emissions and allows manufacturers to meet stringent government regulations both here and abroad. Lastly, because there is an internal combustion engine attached, there is no range anxiety. I’ll say that again: NO RANGE ANXIETY!
To my mind, Hino have very sensibly seen a market
with their 300 Series hybrid electric trucks. It answers a range (see what I did there?) of questions. No, you don’t have to plug it in. No, the batteries won’t go at. Yes, it will take you anywhere there is a service station.
It’s not as though Hino have no experience in the hybrid eld, having produced the rst Hybrid Electric bus back in 1999, followed by the rst light duty hybrid truck in that same year. Indeed the 300 Series Hybrid Electric has been available in Oz since 2007.
e setup has a diesel up front with a clutch between it and the electric motor, and then the gearbox. Upon take-
o the clutch is disengaged and the electric motor gives initial propulsion, resulting in a smoother take-o and no wasted fuel in moving o the line. e truck’s brain will determine when the diesel comes into play, engaging the clutch as needed.
O the accelerator, the clutch disengages and the electric motor becomes a generator – feeding power back into the battery. In conjunction with stop/start technology Hino talk of a 23 per cent e ciency gain over the conventional diesel in litres used per 100km.
ere are companies and people out there who want to do the right thing by the planet and reduce running
tive and its related problems such as infrastructure, added weight of batteries equalling reduced payload and range.
e weight penalty of the batteries in the 300 Series is 220kg over their conventional diesel, not a lot and nothing compared to an equivalent full electric. Overall the truck’s tare is equivalent to some other 5 litre light duty trucks so the weight penalty is not an issue.
So, now I’ve got the keys to a 300 Hybrid (the 916 wide body version of the series) and a fuel card. As well as driving it around town, to the supermarket and so forth, I check out the truck show calendar.
ere’s Clunes and the White Muster, there’s Colac and Beaufort, there’s the CMV run from Melbourne to MOVE and nally there’s Haulin’ the Hume which will take me from home in Mooroopna to Sydney to Gundagai then back to Sydney to drop the truck o . at’s a busy weekend!
Before any of that however, I get a call from No. 2 son in Melbourne. Tom’s always up for a chat. It’s just that the chat often includes car problems and this is no exception. It’s 10pm and he’s stuck on the side of the road some 200km from me. I suspect a carked alternator and such turns out to be the case.
Not only do I NOT have range anxiety, but I also have that fuel card so I tell him I’ll be down the next morning to help him replace it.
I re up the truck and head o before daylight. Not wanting to disturb the neighbours I accelerate gently, and the electric motor does the work, the diesel coming into play as I press down harder.
At the tra c lights all goes quiet as the stop/start comes into play and then repeat. e cab is quiet, the ride is comfortable and I know I don’t
unfortunately, as we couldn’t get the alternator out. In an exquisite twist of irony we had to recharge HIS battery to get him to a garage later that day. ere followed trips to the aforementioned truck shows and some local running around. Highway running averaged around 14L/100km while local – where many of these trucks will spend their working lives came in at a miserly 10L/100km.
In a past back-to-back comparison, I achieved a 26 per cent saving over the diesel-only equivalent around town and around 17 per cent on long open road runs. at’s money in my pocket rather than the service stations. By way of further comparison, my petrol Ford Territory averages around 12L/100km, so the much bigger and heavier Hino is killing it!
Yes, there is a cost hike over the diesel-only but Hino tell me that 90 per cent of buyers nance their truck. With nance, insurance, registration, maintenance and fuel, the hybrid will leave you around $150/month better o than a diesel on a standard lease purchase/ nance deal over 5 years. at’s $9000 in your pocket. Keep it for another ve, as many do and you can add around another $15,000. To me this is a no-brainer.
After a month of ‘ownership’ I had to sadly pass the keys back to the company (they wanted the truck with it). If you are in the market for this type of vehicle please do yourself a huge favour and check out the Hino Hybrid no-anxiety range of trucks. It just makes sense!
PS: At all the truck events I attended, only two people asked about range anxiety – and they weren’t truckies. Makes me wonder just who those keyboard warriors are.
At the White Truck Muster. Well, it is white.
Explaining Hybrid to an interested party.
Hino came to my son Tom’s rescue. This version would have helped our Tom when he broke down.
BY GRAHAM HARSANT
MELBOURNE has its sport, Sydney has its harbour and Brisbane has its truck show.
Apologies to the other capitals who all shine in their own ways and indeed to Brissie which is famous we’re sure for many other reasons.
But in the world of trucking there is none bigger or brighter than the biennial Brisbane Truck Show which as usual attracted record crowds and exhibitors.
is in a year where the rain Gods were supposed to have their way throughout the four-day event but instead moved their ire further down the coast to vent on those poor souls.
As always, the main event was held on the ground oor of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on South Bank, where the OEMs paraded their wares.
In its usual spot at one end of the hall and covering the biggest piece of real estate was PACCAR. e company’s Kenworth brand was displayed in an unusual paint colour that I would describe as bright puce/pink.
Although admittedly not to this writer’s taste, the reaction on social media was overwhelmingly positive, so what do I know? e brand’s biggest attraction was their T620SAR. Kenworth were
touting their safety advance ments across the range.
Alongside KW was a range of DAF product, including the very handsome XG+ 660 with a 16-speed AMT and the Cummins-derived PX15 engine.
e DAF salesman tells me that it is a completely di er ent motor to the X15 found in KWs and the torque curve is atter than the Nullarbor.
On to the Daimler stand where an amazing Unimog front and centre pulled in the crowds, the company dis played the new Fuso Shogun 530 which has now, as the name suggests, 530 prancing horses under the cab – up from the already Japanese leading 510 in the current model.
some exterior highlights.
A number of design changes to the body, a heated Isri seat, keyless start, electric park brake and side guard assist amongst a full suite of active and passive safety systems feature on the truck.
Alongside was the new Cantor 4x4 which can be had for the price of a 70 Series Landcruiser but o ers so much more, as well as the Fighter model – now Euro 6.
Freightliner starred the G5 Cascadia which provided a glimpse into the future for the brand, alongside other models featuring the Heritage Addition Package which o ers signi cant interior upgrades and
However! e highlight of the Daimler stand was their new – and contentious –Mercedes-Benz PROCabin Actros, which is in Australia for validation. If you remember AFL player, Mark ‘Jacko’ Jackson’s song, ‘I’m an Individual’, this this truck was certainly that!
With design cues taken from M-B’s eActros 600 prime mover released in Germany in 2022, this truck is as far from their BTS neighbour’s riveted product as it could possibly be.
e truck is all about aerodynamic savings through its cabin design, coupled with new driveline innovations. e rounded, smooth front end with what seems an impossibly small air intake (which is
actually very e ective) is all about cutting through the air, giving 3 per cent better fuel ef ciency over what is already a frugal truck.
“Adding a bull bar will ne gate that,” said a passer-by. Well, no, because it will still be 3 per cent better than the old bull-barred truck.
I saw the electric version of this truck in Germany back in ’22 and yes, it was a surprise back then, but I can honestly say that the design grew on me and I actually think it is cool. e future is certainly here with this truck.
Volvo Group unveiled a face-lifted Mack Trident and Super-Liner with a 70’ bunk and 780hp, along with their UD range (see page 36).
Brisbane’s Truck Show glory
Amongst the Volvo product
the Year Australasia with their FH16 780, beating nalists Scania (500P Super), M-Bs e Actros and the FAW JH6550.
If one OEM stood out for new product it was Isuzu, upon whose stand every model was just that. From design – both in and out – to engines and gearboxes to safety suites, the brand shone in every aspect and crowds loved the company’s rst all-new range in 17 years (turn to pages 2627 for more). Hats o to the company who placed a cap on just about every punter at the show, resulting in a sea of red and white throughout the four
Penske displayed their West-
Iveco unveiled the latest Eurocargo which has proven popular with municipalities, along with the ACCO brand. ey then wrapped up their media presentation by unwrapping – to the loud sounds of Metallica – a ‘Metallica’ S-Way 550, now available with 90 tons GCM. Turns out the band will be transported around Australia by a eet of S-Ways, as they were during their European tour. My Metallica loving sons want one! Hino were relatively quiet this year, having bestowed us with an entirely new range in recent times. ey are heavily promoting their Hybrid electric options
The reaction on social media was overwhelmingly positive.
The new DAF range also had plenty of admirers. The amazing Unimog pulled in the crowds on the Daimler stand.
and, having lived with one recently for a month, so they should. It’s the most logical transition to sustainability out there at the moment.
Chinese brand Foton presented an EV at the last BTS but went diesel this year, displaying a 4.5-tonner, along with a name change to DFAC. e company also has a 9.5-tonne range.
Hyundai and Sitrak were also prominent at the show and are featured in separate
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
is was just the tip of the iceberg at BTS. Stepping outside the exhibition centre and everywhere you looked around the city, trucks were parked in prominent positions.
e outdoor highlight was of course the Best of the Best competition with 28 magnificent examples parked along Little Stanley Street. Only one could win the Champion of Champions trophy and again this event is the subject of a
A record-breaking 54,790 fans were scanned through the doors at the Brisbane Truck Show from May 15-18.
That’s a 28 per cent jump on the previous best high of 42,855 at the last show in 2023.
Notably, the all-time-high attendance was underpinned by record numbers of industry decisionmakers on Thursday (13,865) and Friday (15,551).
Saturday recorded the biggest single day in the show’s 58-year history with an incredible 17,404 attendees through the doors.
Todd Hacking, CEO of show organiser HVIA, said the impressive result confirms the show’s standing as a truly world-class event and the biggest of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
The 2025 Brisbane Truck Show featured more than 35,000 square metres of exhibitions of the latest trucks, trailers, parts and accessories and related technologies across all three levels of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) – the only event to fill out the entire centre.
Beyond the BCEC, Truck Week 25 extended the show into a hugely successful week-long festival of all things trucking including the Silverback National Show ‘N’ Shine at Little Stanley Street, the Premier Boxing Series at South Bank Piazza, The Depot careers hub at TAFE Queensland’s South Bank Campus, the Heritage Truck Show at Rocklea Showgrounds, and the Heavy Equipment and Machinery Show at the Brisbane Showgrounds.
“What started back in 1968 as an event to connect members with their customers has become much more than that – a week-long festival of all things trucking,” Hacking said.
separate article (see page 42). I’m sure Brisbane has many other events that make the city buzz, but they’d have to be very, very good to match the atmosphere of this truck show. It was just wonderful.
As an aside, while I was there I added to my car/truck licence portfolio by gaining my eScooter licence. Well, I downloaded the app. e only way to travel, next to driving a truck!
“Amazingly, it now ranks as Australia’s largest industry exhibition and there are so many other events that run alongside the Truck Show that make it a compelling opportunity for everyone to get together in Brisbane every two years – as evidenced by this year’s eye-popping attendance.”
The show’s success, Hacking adds, is underpinned by the huge support from the entire transport industry, from the loyal exhibitors and passionate attendees to the amazing sponsors, suppliers and other stakeholders whose staff worked extraordinarily hard behind the scenes to bring the event together.
“That said, the true heroes in my eyes are the incredible staff of Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia. All of them put their lives on hold for the betterment of the industry,” he said.
“The objectives of the event are to improve safety outcomes, better industry perception, foster skills development and workforce participation, link peers and create new technology and innovation, and bring people together.”
Truck fans set new attendance record
Volvo won Truck of the Year Australasia for its FH16 780.
The ‘then’ (1975), right, and ‘now’ of the Isuzu tipper range.
Hino Hybrid was the focus for the company at BTS.
ISUZU’S heavy-duty range is already making in-roads on the Australian truck market, with the 2025 FX Series redesigned from nose to tail.
e Brisbane Truck Show o ered the stage for the highly anticipated launch of the allnew FX Series, with visitors having the opportunity to get an up-close look.
Sporting vastly improved powertrain technology, a rstin-class safety package as well as reborn cabin design and ergonomics, the FX line-up takes an important stride forward in its battle to join its light and medium-duty stablemates as the most popular heavy-duty truck in the country.
While the manufacturer has maintained the top spot on the Australian truck sales leaderboard for 36 years straight, the light and medium duty sector is where it’s traditionally dominated.
Isuzu’s popularity is now extending into the heavy-duty space – where in April it was the second highest selling brand for the sector, with 208 units sold – and 797 trucks in the sector for the year to date.
e FX Series has a long list of all-new features, some clever Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM)
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
upgrades across the line-up, and some of the world’s best driveline and operational componentry.
“ e FX sits within a fascinating space in the truck market and stands alone in many respects due to the unique nature of the platform, its payload capacities and manoeuvrability,” said Isuzu Australia Limited’s (IAL) Product Manager, Medium and Heavy Duty, Je Gibson. He said the o cial launch of the heavy-duty FX model line-up has been a critical factor in the initial launch phase of the truck.
Isuzu FX range ready for heavy-duty battle
“What we’ve launched here in Brisbane is absolutely class leading on a number of fronts and will only enhance the compelling draw of the FX Series for a huge number of operators across Australia,” explained Gibson.
“We have every con dence, that when combined with the soon to be launched FY Series later this year, our heavy-duty line-up can continue to take the ght to some of the world’s largest Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).”
MY25 FX Series engines e FX Series, comprising
of eight model variations up to 26,000kg GVM share a six-cylinder, 259 kilowatt Isuzu powerplant known as the 6UZ1-TCC.
With peak torque of 1437 Nm from 1400 rpm and now with ADR 80/04 compliance using the Euro VI standard on the emissions control front, this highly capable and aptly powered engine has been rened for a host of Australian applications and operational environments.
Popular amongst a diverse range of end-uses, including tilt-tray and hook-lift haulage, mining, civil and waste, the
cupies a niche space at the ig nitor end of Isuzu’s heavy-duty model line-up.
Transmissions
Found in the FX and heavier still FY Series, the heavy-duty Allison 4430 series 6-speed fully automatic transmission is speci ed for its superior torque capacity and robust reliability under extreme duress.
is standout transmission, featuring Gen 6 controls, provides uid shifting with surprising fuel e ciency; suitable for various applications like agriculture, heavy construction,
and long-range general freight transportation.
Safety
In-line with its broader, full model changeover, Isuzu has pushed the envelope in 2025 to design and engineer an FX Series product to bolster safety for all road users, be that the driver or other surrounding road users.
For the latest release, the FX Series sees the introduction of the dual lens camera and radar-powered Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), with a string of additional safety features.
The heavy duty FXY model was a hit at the Brisbane Truck Show. Images: Isuzu Australia
The Isuzu FXY features the 9.8-litre 6UZ1 engine.
from a comprehensive baseline safety suite containing up to 22 active and passive systems, 10 of which are brand new to the Isuzu FX range.
e active safety system is informed by Isuzu’s ADAS camera technology, which is positioned low on the windscreen, in combination with a longrange milli-wave radar located in the centre of the bumper bar. ADAS camera functions in the FX Series include:
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Lane Keep Assist (LKA),
• Attention Alert System (AAS),
• Tra c Movement Warning (TMW),
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
• and Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB). ADAS camera & millimetre radar combined functions include:
• Distance Warning System (DWS),
• Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB),
• and Full Speed Adaptive Cruise Control (FACC) is line-up of active safety features complements existing ‘passive’ safety features found on all heavy-duty Isuzu trucks. ese include SRS driver’s airbag (with passenger airbag now added for the rst time), driver & outboard
bars in the doors.
Cabin styling and comfort
From the aerodynamic grille to distinctive headlamps with signature Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) and newly engineered bumper, the prominent cabin design comes together in a new look for the line-up in 2025.
Exterior design elements incorporate an LED lighting package, including Bi-LED headlights equipped with adaptive driving beam technology, as well as turn signal and the previously mentioned daytime running lamps.
the FX Series, providing im proved ultraviolet and infrared ltering resulting in up to 99 per cent UV sun protection and 59 per cent reduction in radiated heat respectively.
After pressing a button on the driver’s door handle, access to the cabin is via a handy keyless fob system, where operators will nd comfortable yet hardwearing materials and a smart and accessible cab layout.
Other convenience features include large LED overhead work light and smaller dome LED cab lights, providing exceptional interior lighting in low light.
FX Series driver seating con-
sists of the ergonomic ISRI 6860/875 NTS2 climate seat, customisable with a massive range of controls and settings to satisfy even the fussiest of drivers, including heating and ventilation functions as standard for the rst time.
e new steering wheel has integrated push-button controls for the seven-inch full colour multi-info display, volume, and phone controls, via the huge MyIsuzu Co-Pilot touchscreen multimedia system, with Apple CarPlay plus Android Auto integration, as well as a raft of control adjustments for all manner of driving conditions. Integrated storage points can be found throughout the
cabin interior and a fold-down centre seat combine to deliver smart convenience attributes that enhance the operational experience.
Coming in hot e new FX Series is the bene ciary of just about every key advancement on o er as part of Isuzu’s global model change, from being the safest Isuzu FX ever made to a new, e cient and cleverly speci ed driveline set-up.
As Gibson explained, the clearly de ned lane the FX has managed to carve out within the Australian heavy-duty market segment is set to evolve even further in 2025 and beyond.
“With the launch of the FX and the imminent release of our twin steer FY Series following suit very shortly, we have every con dence our customers’ needs and wants in the heavy-duty space will continue be met and indeed exceeded.
“As a standalone truck builder, Isuzu continues to perform admirably against some of the world’s largest, most well-resourced automotive OEMs.
“As Isuzu’s MY25 heavy-duty o ering continues to rollout this year, it’s not impossible to think we could be knocking on the door of some these heavy hitters sooner than we think.”
THE Brisbane Truck Show, one of Australia’s top industry events, brings together truck enthusiasts, industry experts, and innovators to celebrate excellence in the eld.
is year, CSC Group proudly took the spotlight, presenting its acclaimed Silverback brand and unveiling the all-new Mission Euro. With a legacy built on quality and exceptional customer support, CSC Group is excited to rea rm its commitment to supporting and contributing to the advancement of this dynamic industry.
e CSC Group team dedicated months to crafting a plan designed to deliver a truly unique experience for all participants. Here’s what CSC Group brought to life:
• e ‘Gorilla Warfare’ theme
• e custom product stand featuring the iconic ‘Cornhole Game’
• e introduction of Silverback’s latest product
• e Silverback ‘Battle of the Beasts’
• e launch of our Mission Euro Brand
• e launch of Premium Merchandise Collection
CSC Group’s ‘Gorilla Warfare’: A bold theme for Brisbane Truck Show
Amid the excitement of the championship, the CSC Group exhibition proudly showcased this year’s 2025 theme, Gorilla Warfare, a perfect representation of strength, durability, and resilience.
One of the most eye-catching displays featured an epic mural of a truck alongside the iconic symbol of alpha strength – the gorilla – now
synonymous with toughness. is striking visual perfectly complemented the robust range of products on display, leaving a lasting impression on attendees.
A unique product stand featuring the iconic Cornhole Game anks to seamless collaboration across all departments, from management to the technical draft team and production, CSC Group delivered an impressive stand with an engaging game. Attendees were excited to
join the Cornhole challenge, making it a memorable highlight of the event.
Completing the ‘Ultimate Beast’ look is year, CSC Group extended an invitation for attendees to get up close and personal with these latest Silverback products, understanding what makes them essential upgrades for any committed truck owner. e latest line-up includes: Silverback chrome bumpers: Built for brilliance and durability, these chrome bumpers
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
Championing trucking legends
are the perfect combination of protection and style, ensuring maximum strength on the road while giving your truck that premium shine.
Silverback Chrome tail light bars: Turn heads wherever you go with these unique chrome tail light bars. Designed to complement any vehicle, they bring sophistication and detail to your truck’s overall aesthetic.
Silverback leads the role at inaugural Show ‘N’ Shine
Being the major sponsor of this year’s event, Silverback was honoured to take the reins of the inaugural Silverback Show ‘N’ Shine National Championship, also known as the Battle of the Beasts, featuring 28 of Australia’s nest trucks.
ese incredible rigs represent the best of Aussie trucking, and at the Brisbane Truck
Show 2025, all eyes were on the ultimate battle to crown the Champion of Champions, which went to Cornwill Transport’s epic 2022 Kenworth Legend SAR ‘Dynamite’. In second place was Andrew Derham’s legendary 1989 Mack Value-Liner, ‘Stayin’ Alive’. ird place went to Trent Schae er, who brought the vibes with his cutting-edge tri-drive Kenworth K200, ‘Summer Jam’. While the epic 2021 Kenworth T909, ‘Karma’ was named Crowd Favourite.
The launch of Mission Euro
One of CSC Group’s goals is to simplify the search for aftermarket silencers. A dedicated R&D team are constantly working to discover innovative truck accessories and upgrades that support the transportation industry.
By providing locally avail-
able alternatives, CSC Group aims to reduce downtime and o er e cient solutions. With its brand, Mission Euro, CSC Group is committed to expanding its o erings to cover all major truck brands, delivering reliable solutions tailored to industry needs:
• Same OE quality performance
• Rapid replacements available in stock
• e range covers Euro 4, 5 and 6 Explore missioneuro.com.au to nd the perfect silencer for your needs.
Supporting the trucking community
For more than a decade, CSC Group has been a steadfast supporter of Australia’s trucking community, delivering products that are built to last and actively participating in truck shows nationwide. ese initiatives celebrate the industry’s strong sense of camaraderie while inspiring and empowering the next generation of trucking professionals. Here’s to unstoppable horsepower and iconic rigs! CSC Group also extends its gratitude to HVIA (Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia) for organising the Brisbane Truck Show and trusting Silverback to take a leading role in the inaugural Show ‘N’ Shine National Championship.
The CSC Group team set to present the award for the first-ever Show ‘N’ Shine National Championship. Images: CSC Group
Silverback chrome bumpers.
CSC Group showcased a unique product stand.
Launching ‘Gorilla Warfare’ as this year’s theme for the Brisbane Truck Show.
Silverback chrome tail-light bars.
BY GRAHAM HARSANT
IF any of you have looked at Euro trucks in Europe, you will know that many drivers over there bling their rigs up, just like Kenworth drivers do here.
Scania drivers appear to be at the top of the tree in doing this, but they are not alone. In fact many Euro manufacturers have a specialist division to help owners realise the truck of their dreams.
MAN Trucks is one, and Australian importer and distributor, Penske have grabbed the truck by its proverbial horns and let MAN Individual in Munich, Germany, as the specialist division is called – loose on a TGX 26.640, the big boy of the MAN range.
Sold to TNS Logistics out of the Port of Brisbane, the company kindly let Penske show the truck at the Brisbane Truck Show.
Derek Schro of Penske kindly took me through the truck in detail and there is certainly a lot to like.
e package is called Lion S and TNS have called the
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
truck ‘Lionheart’ to re ect its heritage. All components are genuine OEM apart from driving lights which are tted locally due to ADRs.
e sides of the sleeper features three utes to distinguish the truck and give it a more aggressive look. e truck has the MAN Black Optics Pack so all name badging is blacked out.
e mirrors have carbonbre look covers and the wheels are genuine accessories with the fat steer tyres nicely lling in their arches.
At the front the cab is topped with a black OEM light bar with those aforementioned local spotties. ere is also the individual Lion S sun visor which gives it a nice, sharp look at the top of the truck. Moving down there are more black optics. On this particular truck the company left the chrome MAN badge and grille accent but on many of these packages they are also blacked out.
Personally, I would go for the chrome which pops, but hey, this is the Lion S. You have the choice.
Red accents highlight the grill utes and there’s carbon bre-like trim along the bottom of the truck and around the lower lights, giving a really distinct and sharp look.
Fuel tanks are colour-coded with very tasteful scrolling. e painted tanks also come from the factory.
Should TNS decide to enter ‘Lionheart’ into a truck show, it is going to save them a deal of chrome polishing. Finished in a classy cherry red, the truck has been tastefully scrolled without going over the top.
e customisation continues on the inside as well with colour coded trim around the air vents, leather wrapped steering wheel and the carpet edging.
e quilted leather seats with padded armrests (thank you MAN) are both heated and cooled, and in a neat twist (pun coming) the passenger seat swivels around (and there it is).
You can lift the base of this seat for added, and hidden storage. Its backrest also folds in half to create a cool table
SCHMICK LOOKING TRUCK AND WHOEVER TNS PUT BEHIND
THE WHEEL WILL BE ONE VERY HAPPY TRUCKIE.”
that you can eat of when sit ting on the bed, which also boasts custom pillows and doona.
unique to MAN Smart Select which is simply brilliant.
is a dial (two actually – one under the other), similar to BMW’s iDrive which allow you to operate all the func tions of the multimedia screen without touching it.
Volkswagen’s subsidiary, Sko da, it is ‘Simply Clever’. Bril liant, intuitive and why does no one else do this?
MAN Special Vehicles comes to Australia
looking truck and whoever TNS put behind the wheel will be one very happy truckie. I can see a ready market for this type of customisation.
Power of Penske on show in many guises
PENSKE returned to the Brisbane Truck Show with a little something for everyone on its expansive stand.
Aside from the full MAN range, it was also showcasing the award-winning Western Star X-Series, the cutting-edge Porsche 963 show car, an innovative Le Mans Daytona hybrid racer designed to dominate endurance racing and the Detroit engines.
“From commercial vehicles and power systems to motorsports – competing, improving and winning is in Penske’s DNA,” said Hamish Christie-Johnston, Managing Director of Penske Australia and New Zealand.
“We constantly strive to improve on the racetrack and in business. And just like Penske’s commitment to racing, our commitment to our customers is driven by excellence. We go the extra mile to overcome challenges and
at’s the power of Penske.”
Winner of the 2024 Truck of the Year Australasia (ToYA), the Western Star X-Series on show featured superior comfort, an advanced safety package, a powerful integrated driveline and legendary Star durability.
“In addition to displaying the highly versatile 47X, which has a short, sloped bonnet that yields payload exibility, we have the Australian and New Zealand-exclusive 48X on show,” said Craig Lee, Executive General Manager of On-Highway at Penske Australia & New Zealand.
Lee said the success of the X-series, which was only launched two years ago, continues to enthuse.
e 48X trucks on the stand at the show boasted a 60-inch bunk and a 36-inch option.
Lee said the 48X truck was designed, developed, built exclusively for the Australia and
“It’s something we’re very proud of. It meets the unique requirements of the market in Australia. Dimensionally, it ts well.
“It’s got the new generation Detroit engine and transmission driveline, and we’re incredibly proud of how the vehicle is performing.”
Lee said the winner of the 2024 Australasian Truck of the Year title is also returning exceptional fuel numbers.
“We’re very proud of that, but more importantly, of us being proud of the performance of the X-series Western Star our customers are starting to recognise that, and the vehicle has been successful, operating in some of the larger eets in Australia now.
“ at repeat purchase and that commitment to bring in and trial the new X-series is something that we’re very pleased about.”
Powering the Western Star 47X and 48X models, the Detroit DD13 Gen 5 o ers the latest diesel engine technol ogy for even greater perfor mance and reliability.
Producing 450-525 hp and 1550-1850 lb-ft of torque, the 13L engine features a new swirl piston design for improved combustion, a new turbocharger for responsive performance, improved ther mal management for fewer regens, extended DPF service intervals, and further fuel e ciency improvements.
Over at the nearby Freight liner stand, Detroit fans were also able to view the DD13 and the DD16 powering the Cascadia 116 and Cascadia 126, respectively.
O ering exible options for horsepower and torque in a package that provides excellent fuel economy, the DD13 delivers 450-505 hp and 1,650-1,850 lb-ft of torque, a three-stage integrated Jacobs engine brake, and a proprietary asymmetric turbocharger for outstanding performance and reliability.
e Western Star stand also featured the DD16 powerhouse and the DT12 transmission.
e biggest, most powerful truck engine ever built by Detroit, the DD16 powers the Freightliner Cascadia 126, Western Star 48X, and Western Star 49X. Rated at up to 600 hp and 2,050 lbft of torque, the 16L DD16 combines outstanding power, reliability, and fuel economy.
e DD16 features turbo compounding to recover heat from the exhaust, transforming lost potential into bonus power and a wide, at
torque curve that pulls strongly all the way down below 1000 rpm. Subject to over 35 million miles of testing, the DT12 AMT is globally proven in various challeng-
ing applications. Available in DT12-OV and DT12-OVX variants, the 12-speed transmission boasts rock-free and o -road functions in addition to the on-highway focussed economy and performance modes. It also includes a power launch feature and has side and rear power take-o (PTO) capabilities.
“We believe our Detroit proposition is simply the best. e best support, best e ciency, and best performance,” said Bob Gowans, Detroit business manager at Penske Australia & New Zealand.
“ rough our extensive and expanding dealer network, we o er the best customer support.
“And our customers report that we lead the pack when it comes to operating e ciency, and drivers nd the performance to be outstanding.
Finished in a classy cherry red, the truck has been tastefully scrolled without going over the top. Image: Prime Creative Media
Penske said the Western Star 48X is returning exceptional fuel numbers. Image: Prime Creative Media
The DD16, Detroit’s biggest ever truck engine, is at the heart of Western Star’s 48X and 49X models. Image: Penske
PACCAR’S stand at the pointy end of the main ex hibition oor is always a fan favourite at the show, and this year’s massive display was no exception.
Traditional Kenworth fans queued patiently to sit behind the wheel of one of the new Kenworth wide-cab models, while European truck fans poured over the new Aus tralian-made DAF XG 15L 660hp – and the DAF XB Electric, currently in Austra lia for evaluation.
Since its introduction in Oc tober 2024, the XG range has built on the European success of the New Generation DAF range.
Exclusively produced in Melbourne, the new XG & XG+ boast Meritor axles and Airglide suspension, 97 tonne GCM and 3200Nm of torque, wrapped up in a huge 660hp 15-litre engine, that is even lighter in weight and incredibly fuel e cient, said PACCAR.
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
Alongside the current CF450 and CF530 models, DAF also presented its ‘zero emission’ DAF XB Electric.
PACCAR said the 1150 litre fuel tanks mean customers should comfortably run Melbourne to Brisbane at B-double weights without refuelling.
PACCAR Australia has redeveloped the European drivetrain to meet the rigours and realities of the challenging Australian freight task, with every detail optimised for e ciency, durability, driveability and ease of manoeuvring.
After a productive day on the road, the cab space transforms into a haven for rest, relaxation and sleep o ering superior space, storage and comfort in an elongated cab.
With almost seven million kilometres of local validation, with operators across the
PACCAR said the DAF XB Electric encompasses the bestin-class driver comfort, drivability, e ciency and safety features.
e 19-tonne rated DAF XB Electric is being pitched as perfectly suited for sustainable inner-city and regional distribution due to the spacious yet compact cab design and the unique manoeuvrability and small turning circle.
Best of both worlds
Nine years after the release of the revolutionary T610, Kenworth showcased its new generation wide-cab models – the T320, T420, T620, and T620SAR.
With emission standards for heavy vehicles being phased in through ADR 80/04 in November, Kenworth took
tain the best attributes of the existing range and readied the trucks for the future.
“Kenworth engineers spent countless hours with customers, gathering their insights,” said Michael Long, PACCAR Australia’s Director Sales and Marketing.
“ e feedback was clear: the existing models were excellent, but there was room for improvement. ose implemented enhancements and re nements have culminated in the new generation series.”
Chief Engineer Brad May said engineers spent several months in the eld to understand what operators truly need in today’s market.
“ e result is an impressive range of trucks that really deliver for both owners and drivers alike, no matter the application.”
rough extensive customer immersion, PACCAR said numerous features have been ne-tuned to optimise the driver experience and operational e ciency.
Recognising the complexities of today’s operating environment, Kenworth has integrated new systems that simplify compliance and daily operations. With PACCAR Connect, the owner experience is transformed by providing real-time data for informed decision-making, easing the burden of business management.
“Running a transport operation has not been a simple life for a long time, but it’s become in nitely more di cult now. Our customers have told us how they need accurate, timely information – but not so much they’re overwhelmed. Our new trucks are the centrepiece of this solution to this,” added Ross Cureton, Director of Product Planning.
PACCAR Connect o ers live tracking and monitoring of the vehicle, driver, and eet performance. Fully customisable dashboards and reports are in easy-to-read formats. e provision of such a powerful and analytic tool supports owners to continually measure and identify poten-
Kenworth and DAF take centre stage
tial vehicle performance im provements.
Engine and driveline
In the T620 and T620SAR, the Cummins X15 Euro 6 with power ratings up to 625hp and 2,050 lb-ft of torque now available from 1000rpm, make it suitable for a wide range of applications.
e T420SAR houses the latest ADR 80/04 compliant PACCAR MX-13 engine. With its exceptional e cien cy and proven performance, the PACCAR engine with the PACCAR TX-12 and TX-18 12– and 18–speed transmissions delivers more torque at low engine speeds and high performance over a wide rev range.
e PACCAR transmissions are optimised for integration with MX engines and ideal for vocational, heavy-haul, severe service, and high-performance applications on-highway.
e 9L engine in the T320 continues to o er a range of power and torque settings applicable to mid-market segments like agitators and rigid body applications and allows a low cab height in applications with frequent ingress and egress.
Technology and innovation
e new generation Kenworths integrate important, useful technology while maintaining this simplicity for operators and drivers, added Michael Long.
“A superior driver environment coupled with the technology to inform leads to better all-round driving performance, safety, e ciency and productivity,” he said.
Added Brad May: “ e truck is the source of truth. No longer reliant on anecdotal evidence or gut feeling about critical numbers like fuel consumption, the truck’s existing on-board sensors paired with proprietary PACCAR Connect can tell the full story, providing crucial data for insightful and accurate business decision making.”
e new generation Ken-
worth trucks feature a 15-inch high-de nition instrument panel. Intuitive and easy to read, this new digital instrumentation helps reduce distraction by allowing the driver to control how much information is shown when operating the truck. is can be customised from driver to driver and trip to trip.
e instrument panel displays critical content to alert the driver of all necessary information, constantly monitoring critical vehicle parameters, and displaying them to the driver as required. is includes early intervention warnings for the driver, allowing them to respond quickly.
With a simple press of a button, the new generation Kenworths will perform a comprehensive Systems Check. Likewise, at the end of the day upon shutting down, it will display a detailed trip and vehicle summary. is includes statistics like, average fuel economy, idle time, cruise control usage as well as any potential mechanical issues.
e 8-inch Audio Visual Navigation (AVN) unit provides easy access display with intuitive controls for truck navigation, the audio system, and smartphone mirroring.
e AVN can be intelligently integrated with up to six ex-
ternal cameras giving drivers full visibility of what is happening around the vehicle. To further help drivers remain focused on the road, the AVN is integrated with the steering wheel controls and the driver’s phone can be stored safely on either the charging pad, or in one of the convenient storage pockets in the new dash.
Testing and validation
e extensive innovation and application engineering, testing and validation to exacting standards, behind every Kenworth truck delivers peace of mind on the road.
e new generation Kenworth models are available with all the active and passive safety features drivers and operators have come to expect. It builds on existing critical safety design elements and overall ergonomics designed for comfort and control – everything on these trucks has been developed to have a positive impact on the driver’s work life and gives every opportunity for drivers to be supported by full systems.
“By being closely connected with our customers and attuned to driver needs, we’ve been able to take the existing driver and owner experience and elevate it,” Long said.
Exclusively produced in Melbourne, the new XG & XG+ boast Meritor axles and Airglide suspension. Image: Prime Creative Media
The T620SAR boasts a Cummins X15 Euro 6 with power ratings up to 625hp. Image: Prime Creative Media
The new T620 is suitable for a wide-range of applications. Image: Prime Creative Media
MERCEDES-BENZ un-
veiled the ProCabin Actros that will replace its existing larger cab Actros models, including the 2.5 StreamSpace and GigaSpace, in Brisbane.
e new futuristic looking Actros model will be on sale in Australia and New Zealand from later this year.
e aerodynamic design of the ProCabin Actros aids in its improved fuel consumption. Mercedes-Benz says it delivers a three per cent fuel e ciency improvement compared to its predecessor.
Daimler Truck Australia Paci c President and CEO, Daniel Whitehead, explained why the new ProCabin is a great example of Mercedes-Benz’s research and development.
“ e ProCabin is the embodiment of trucking innova-
FusoBRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
tion in 2025,” he said. “It shows that even after a series of upgrades that consistently driven down fuel consumption, the Mercedes-Benz Trucks team can still innovate and cut fuel use by another three per cent.”
Daimler Truck Australia Paci c Vice President Sales, Marketing and Operations, Andrew Assimo, added, “We are excited that we will soon be able to deliver this incredible truck to our Australian and New Zealand customers and help them to realise the bene ts it is already delivering in Europe.
“Driving down running costs has always been a core focus of the Actros and this iteration proves considerable fuel e ciency gains can be realised with innovative design.”
e 2663 ProCabin on display on the Mercedes-Benz stand is one of several validation units and will soon join Australian eets before the new truck o cially goes on sale.
For the new cab, designers introduced a rounded-o shape to guide the air around the vehicle with as little drag possible.
Leaving virtually no gaps or spaces further optimises airow, while maintaining cooling e ectiveness.
Designers also added extended cab de ectors to better help push the wind around the truck.
Mercedes-Benz will continue producing the existing 2.3 ClassicSpace and StreamSpace models, but with minor safety upgrades. All new Actros models will
gain a signi cant active safety technology upgrade that exceeds the new European General Safety Regulation standard.
Daimler Truck has introduced a new electronics platform that can process data 20 times faster, enabling the truck’s safety systems to react faster.
e Actros has four new radars, in addition to the existing centrally mounted front radar and windscreen-mounted camera.
is provides a 270-degree view around the vehicle, allowing engineers to further improve the clever Active Sideguard Assist system. It monitors both sides of the vehicle and covers an even greater area than before. It can even stop the truck when it is turning (up to 20km/h)
Covers come o new ProCabin Actros
if it detects a hazard.
During the Brisbane Truck Show, Mercedes-Benz also showcased its fully-electric eActros and eEconic range.
raises bar with powerful new Shogun
FUSO will break its own record for the most powerful Japanese truck in Australia with the introduction of an even stronger Shogun.
e new Shogun 530 revealed in Brisbane introduces a new cab design and an even more potent 13-litre engine when it goes on sale later this year.
e previous model Shogun 510 was the most powerful Japanese truck in Australia with a hefty 510hp, but the new model will produce 530hp and 2600Nm of torque.
e new model Shogun range will deliver other bene ts with new in-cabin features and the latest generation active safety suite that features no less than ve radars.
“Our rivals dream of having a truck like the 510hp Shogun, so it gives us great pleasure to bring our customers the 530hp Shogun,”
said Daimler Truck Australia Paci c President and CEO, Daniel Whitehead.
“I have never heard anyone complain about having too much power; we know our customers are going to love this amazing truck.”
Daimler Truck Australia Paci c Vice President Sales, Marketing and Operations,
Andrew Assimo said the new Shogun range delivers practical improvements.
“ e existing Shogun has been extremely popular in Australia, but we listened to our customers and took the opportunity to introduce upgrades that would make it even better again,” Assimo said.
“From increased GCM to new seats, headlights, an upgraded engine, new interior features and the latest Daimler Truck active safety technology, the new Shogun range is a formidable line up.”
Importantly, the Shogun 530 will now have a 70-tonne Gross Combination Mass (GCM) rating, up from 63-tonnes.
e upgraded 13-litre 6R30 engine making its debut in the Shogun originated from the Mercedes-Benz stable but has been tweaked for its new role.
is twin turbo six-cylinder delivers 530hp fed through a 12-speed AMT with an improved creep function.
All Shoguns feature the newlook cab, which bene ts from a fresh modern look as well as brighter full-LED headlights.
A new cloth ISRI driver’s seat has been added to 11-litre Shoguns, while the 13-litre 530 Shogun will now gain a heated leather ISRI driver’s
seat. Interior upgrades include a new electronic park brake and a new key fob that no longer needs to be inserted into an ignition barrel.
Minor improvements have been made to the interior trim, information cluster and multimedia unit.
Safety has been boosted with a new active Advanced Emergency Braking System that uses ve radars and a forward-facing camera.
is includes Active Brake Assist 6 as as well as Side Guard Assist 2.0, which can warn of objects on both sides of the vehicle and can even brake the truck automatically on the left side of the vehicle when detecting a potential collision while turning in that direction.
Fuso also used the show to feature the recently upgraded Canter range. It features a new look exterior design that incorporates brighter full-LED headlights
and a fresh grille. On the inside, the Canter has been further improved with a new Multimedia touch screen that can connect wirelessly to both kinds of phones.
Fuso also displayed the facelifted FG 4×4 Canter. e rugged 4×4 Canter has low range gearing, and the ground clearance required to get the job done o the beaten track.
It also presented a Euro 6 Canter and the all-electric eCanter.
Daimler said that’s the most advanced electric truck in its class.
It is the only one to feature the innovative eAxle, which does away with a traditional driveshaft, replacing it with an electric motor inside the rear axle of the truck.
Fuso also displayed three new medium duty Fighter Euro 6 Tipper models with the option of an Allison automatic transmission.
Freightliner Cascadia displays 1942 special edition model
FREIGHTLINER provided a glimpse into the future and a nod to its past at the Brisbane Truck Show.
It presented a camou aged version of its next-generation Cascadia prime mover from the US. e futuristic machine won’t be on local roads for some time, but gives a hint to what is in store down the road.
Something that is available right now is a special edition version of the current Cascadia.
It is an eye-catching model that celebrates Freightliner’s routes that go all the way back to 1942. is special pack adds unique blacked-out wheels, bumper, tanks and guards as well as special seat em-
broidery and exterior design highlights that celebrate the heritage of the iconic American brand.
e 1942 special edition is available on all Cascadia models, including the 13-litre 116 and the 16-litre 126. It comes on top of an o er of a complimentary threeyear Complete Service Plan on select Cascadia models sold until June 30, 2025.
Daimler Truck Australia Paci c Sales, Marketing and Operations Vice President, Andrew Assimo, said the special edition is a great way to celebrate the history of the brand.
“ e Cascadia is the epitome of a future-focussed conventional truck, using advanced technology, fuel
e ciency and safety features that had been missing from the class prior to its arrival. However, the Freightliner brand also has an amazing heritage, so it’s only tting that we give a nod to its past with this amazing special edition package,” Assimo said. “ e Cascadia is a rock-solid business case, thanks to its low running costs, but the 1942 edition makes it even more special.“
A Complete Service Plan is the highest-level Daimler Truck service package available and is described as a complete service, repair and wear and tear package for “all-round protection”. You can check out what is included at freightliner.com.au.
All the work is carried out
at Daimler Truck dealerships by factory-trained technicians using only genuine parts, keeping your truck in pristine condition and maximising uptime.
e Cascadia features a raft of active safety features and is also the only conventional truck to feature a driver airbag tted to the steering wheel.
Customers can also choose a side head protecting airbag as an option.
Freightliner has also upgraded its Detroit Connect advanced safety suite to incorporate video capture of critical incidents to help chain of responsibility compliance and provide driver training opportunities.
e 30-second clips can be
e eActros is already hard at work in Australia, with 20 units working with Perth’s Centurion eet and another 10 to be delivered soon.
viewed by eet managers, along with vehicle data, and can be viewed or downloaded through the Detroit Connect portal for up to 30 days.
is video footage is captured using the truck’s existing forward-facing camera, eliminating the need for an aftermarket dashcam.
Daimler Truck Australia Pacific President and CEO, Daniel Whitehead, introduces the new ProCabin Actros to industry media before the doors open on day one. Image: Prime Creative Media
Daimler presented a camouflaged version of its next-generation Cascadia. Image: Daimler Truck
The new Shogun 530 introduces a new cab design and an even more potent 13-litre engine. Image: Daimler Truck
UD celebrates 90th with new truck range
AS UD Trucks celebrates 90 years, it’s marked the occa sion with the launch of a new range of medium-duty trucks in Brisbane.
When founder of UD Trucks, Kenzo Adachi, founded UD Trucks 90 years ago, he conceived a truck that pushed the boundaries of ef ciency and productivity.
Now, nine decades on, UD Trucks Australia has sought to unveil a new range of UD Condor trucks that build on that original ethos.
e all-new UD Condor includes advanced safety features, a powerful and efcient new driveline and updated cab layout.
Available in 6x4, 6x2 and 4x2 guise with wheelbases ranging from 3910mm to 6000mm (leaf suspension) and 3190mm to 6950mm (air suspension) the Condor is designed to t into a wide range of applications.
e all-new range, powered by a 300hp/1070Nm Euro 6 engine and backed by an Allison MD3060 automatic transmission (PK) and the Allison MD3560 (PD and PW), is not short on grunt
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
while still delivering a rened drive.
Given that medium duty trucks are a common occurrence in the urban environment, safety has been made a top priority.
e revamped Condor range is equipped with safety features we’ve come to expect from UD Trucks along with added features such as autonomous braking.
Other notable safety features include adaptive cruise control as standard, adaptive high beam headlights, automatic windscreen wipers, tra c sign recognition and electronic vehicle stability control.
“ is new range of trucks represents an exciting new chapter for UD Trucks Aus tralia,” said Philippa Wood, Vice President, UD Trucks Australia.
“I’m thrilled to see the range of transport solutions we can now o er our cus tomers in the country grow even further.”
“Our founder conceived a truck based on e ciency, durability and productivity and even after the passing of 90 years, the UD Con dor will continue to carry on that tradition in Austra lian cities and on Australian roads.”
TRANSPORT and logistics specialist insurance provider
NTI has launched its latest ra e to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease research, with the prize up for grabs making its public debut at the Brisbane Truck Show.
NTI is behind one of the country’s largest fundraisers for MND – and since 2017, has ra ed seven trucks, raising over $2.5 million for the o cial NTI Research Grant, in the hope of helping to nd a cure for the disease which claims the life of two Austra
versity of Queensland, the Queensland Brain Institute, and the Clive Bergho er Medical Institute.
For the rst time, this year’s prize features two vehicles –the Toyota Tundra, a hybrid full-sized ute named ‘Dusty’, and behind her, a New Age Manta Ray 19ft expedition caravan.
NTI’s CEO Tony Clark said the last time NTI rafed a new vehicle, instead of a restored classic, was a 2022 expedition truck which set a fundraising record of
ra e prize, we thought ‘why not mix it up again?’ o ering a turnkey for o -road holidays and adventuring.
“ e Toyota Tundra is the most powerful Toyota ever sold in Australia, and while ‘Dusty’ has exceptional oroad capability, the vehicle doesn’t compromise on comfort, including a 14" multimedia display that connects with both Apple and Android devices, wireless phone charging, and dual-zone climate control.
For NTI, MND is a cause close to the heart. In 2018, its former CEO Wayne Patterson lost his battle to the disease.
“In Australia, around 2100 people live with MND, and two are diagnosed every day. It’s time to put an end to this horrible disease,” said Clark. e lucky winner of this incredible prize will be drawn on Sunday July 13 at the NTI Townsville 500 Supercars event.
Ra e tickets can be purchased until 1pm, Sunday, July 13 by visiting raffletix.com.au/ntimndresearchra e2025.
Brisbane Truck Show. Image: UD Trucks
Age Manta Ray 19ft expedition caravan. Image: NTI
Higher capacity trailer draws attention
e star of the stand was CIMC’s new double drop deck curtainsider, featuring a high cubic capacity, allowing opera tors to carry higher volumes of freight for enhanced e ciency.
Taking prime position on CIMC’s stand, the curtain sider trailer was built with the support of some of the world’s leading component suppli ers – all highlighted on the trailer’s curtains, provided by Fleetmark.
e trailer features running gear from BPW Transpec, a brake kit by Air Brake Corporation, JOST landing legs and turntable, alloy wheels by Armoury Wheels, all electrical components from LED Autolamps, and an S-Strap slide system for load binders by UES.
Founded in 2007, CIMC Vehicle Australia has made a name for itself within the trailer space, providing solutions tailored to the needs of Australian operators.
CIMC Vehicle Australia is part of the CIMC Vehi-
cle Group, the world’s largest manufacturer of trailers and special vehicles. CIMC brings together global expertise, advanced technology, and extensive industry experience to produce products renowned for their durability, performance, and value.
With a dedicated local support network, CIMC Vehicle Australia provides end-to-end service, from product development and sales through to comprehensive after-sales
pand on the range of models that were already on o er and to target a di erent area of the transport industry.
“ ere are many big industry players that rely on this speci c type of trailer,” he added.
Along with setting the stage for CIMC to showcase its newest o ering, Ashley says the Brisbane Truck Show was also a great opportunity for the CIMC team to catch up with the event’s visitors.
rst began selling curtainsiders a few years ago, now with the launch of the double drop deck, the brand is taking things another step further.
support. Its engineering and production teams collaborate closely with CIMC factories worldwide to ensure the brand can deliver the latest advancements in trailer design and manufacturing technology to its customers here in Australia.
While skels, at tops and drop decks have been the manufacturer’s mainstay, the reintroduction of curtainsiders into the mix has been a welcome move.
CIMC Vehicle Australia
CIMC Vehicle Australia sent a whole team up from Melbourne, including sta from sales, engineering and management.
customers new and old. We had great enquiries into poten tial purchases too,” said Ashley.
“ is type of curtainsider trailer isn’t new to the industry, but it’s new for us,” said Ashley Hayes, CIMC’s Queensland Sales Manager.
“People we spoke to at the Brisbane Truck Show were pleased to see that we are producing curtainsiders again, with this model catering to customers with a need for a higher cubic volume.”
Ashley says the reintroduction of curtainsiders into the range is an opportunity to ex-
•
•
• AT the recent Brisbane Truck Show, CIMC Vehicle Austra lia took the opportunity to highlight its latest o ering, following the recent reintro duction of curtainsiders into its product range.
“People visiting the stand were happy to talk, to understand our business, and get an overall feel for what we can o er. ere were record numbers through the door and that showed, it was really busy throughout, even on the Sunday which has traditionally been quieter at past shows.” e order books are now open for CIMC’s new double drop deck curtainsider trailers. e manufacturer also has various other trailer models in stock and ready for immediate sale – including its range of curtainsiders, skels, at tops and drop decks.
For more information, please visit cimc.com.au or
cubic capacity, for higher volumes of freight.
Images: CIMC Vehicle Australia
The B-double set of double drop deck curtainsiders before leaving Melbourne, bound for Brisbane.
CIMC says the Brisbane Truc Show offered a great opportunity to meet with customers new and old.
THE 2025 Brisbane Truck Show delivered big – and for Alcoa Wheels, it was one of the strongest showings yet. Alcoa’s full national sales team was on deck, joined by colleagues from Singapore and Japan, engaging with operators from all over the region and showcasing what’s driving the next evolution in wheel technology.
“Our team had some of the best conversations we’ve ever had at a truck show,” said Michael Nichols, Alcoa Wheels Australian Commercial Director. “ e energy was great, and we had real, meaningful engagement with both long-standing customers and new faces.”
A major talking point at the Alcoa stand throughout the event was its Dura-Bright surface treatment. Visitors to the stand were eager to understand how it simpli es maintenance and lowers cost over time. “People wanted to know how much cleaning time it really saves – and once we explained how Du-
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
ra-Bright resists corrosion and eliminates polishing, it clicked immediately,” Michael said.
Another star of the stand was the ULT36x wheel, weighing just 16kg. For operators focused on reducing tare weight and boosting payload, it drew serious attention. “ e ULT36x always stops people in their tracks. When they lift it and realise how strong it is at that
weight, the performance bene ts are obvious,” said Michael.
Beyond product features, the real value came from the interactions. “Events like this give us a chance to really listen. Hearing what our customers need, what’s working in the eld, and where they’re headed – that’s what drives us forward,” Michael added. As the show wrapped up,
Alcoa Wheels wraps up a standout show
the Alcoa Wheels team left Brisbane with strong momentum and renewed con dence in the transport sector’s appetite for smart, performance-driven solutions. “It was a great re-
minder that what we build isn’t just about wheels – it’s about giving operators tools to run leaner, cleaner, and more e cient businesses,” Michael said. Alcoa thanks everyone who visited the stand and shared their time with the team. “We’re proud to be part of this industry, where we have a long, 75 year history of support,” Michael added.
Adjusting tyre pressure on the go
AIR CTI is the original pioneering Australian company known for its innovative tyre in ation system designed for on-the-go tyre pressure adjustment, to enhance vehicle performance, safety, and e ciency whilst playing a signi cant role in supporting communities, particularly those in rural and remote areas.
By allowing vehicles to adapt their tyre pressure to suit different terrain, AIR CTI enhances safety, fuel e ciency, and vehicle longevity, crucial for communities that rely on transportation for daily activities and economic growth.
AIR CTI systems’ ability to improve vehicle handling on challenging terrain also ensures better access to essential services like healthcare and education, which are often hindered by di cult road
conditions in isolated areas.
In essence, AIR CTI not only supports transport e ciency but also fosters the overall wellbeing and development of communities.
e AIR CTI system reduces wear and tear on vehicles, minimising maintenance cost and thereby providing nancial relief to small businesses
and individuals. is capability is particularly valuable in industries such as agriculture, mining, and transport, where vehicles frequently transition between di erent surfaces.
By maintaining optimal tyre pressure, the AIR CTI system not only improves fuel economy and tyre longevity, but also contributes to environmental
sustainability, aligning with community e orts to reduce carbon footprints and sustainable practices.
AIR CTI is innovative technology designed to enhance vehicle performance across a variety of terrain and conditions.
e AIR CTI system allows drivers to adjust tyre pressure directly from the cab, optimising traction, safety and fuel e ciency whether navigating through mud, sand, snow or paved roads.
By regulating the tyre pressure, AIR CTI improves grip and reduces tyre wear, leading to a smoother and safer driving experience. is adaptability is particularly bene cial for o -road vehicles, military applications, and commercial eets that frequently encounter diverse and challenging
environments. Ultimately AIR CTI provides a versatile solution that enhances longevity of tyres, decreasing the frequency of tyre replacement and improving the overall e ciency of the vehicle.
e AIR CTI system has been carefully designed to provide comprehensive control over vehicle tyre pressure ensuring optimal performance across various terrains. e entire system is guaranteed. It helps to improve safety, improve fuel e ciency and extend tyre life by allowing drivers to adjust high pressure on the go. is creates an excellent driving experience and extends your ability to access areas others cannot travel. is adaptability can lead to better traction on o -road surfaces and reduce wear when driving on highways.
DEALERS THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA
Additionally, using the AIR CTI system enhances vehicle performance and safety, minimising the risk of accidents and costly downtime. For businesses this translates into an extended lifespan for tyres, reduced fuel cost and improved e ciencies in operations, ultimately boosting the bottom line.
e initial investment in an AIR CTI system can be o set by these long-term savings, making it a pro table decision for companies looking to optimise their operation expenses and improve their environmental footprint through reduced emissions and tax assets.
AIT CTI’s commitment to quality and innovation has made it a reputable name in the transport industry, domestically and internationally.
Phone: (03) 5127 6128 (Australia) or +61 3 5127 6128
Phone Sales: 0409 899 916 (Australia) or +61 409 899 916 Email: Admin@aircti.com, Accounts@aircti.com, Sales@aircti.com PO Box 218 Yinnar 3869 10 Holmes Road Morwell, Victoria Australia 3840 www.aircti.com
Alcoa’s Dura-Bright surface treatment drew plenty of attention at the stand. Images: Howmet
Singapore and Japan for the show.
terrain. Image: AIR CTI
BRISBANE based trailer manufacturer Robuk used the Brisbane Truck Show to showcase its brand-new 26-metre PBS A-double combination.
Displayed behind a Kenworth K220, this innovative combination is owned by S&J McMahon Transport.
e A-double combination has been designed for both e ciency and safety, allowing the A-double trailer to tip without the driver needing to leave the cabin.
Along with its productivity and e ciency bene ts, this set-up is also a tribute to Australia’s trucking community, with a Lights On e Hill Trucking Memorial Inc theme, honouring the legacy of fallen truck drivers.
Robuk was started in June 2020, when James Yerbury
started building his own trailers from a small shed in rural Queensland. Back then, there were just three sta – now, less than ve years later, Ro-
buk has grown to a sta of close to 60 people.
While Robuk has become well known for its highly sought-after grain tippers,
the company also manufactures dangerous goods trailers for mining and explosives, moving oor trailers, side tippers, and high-vol-
Robuk showcases new PBS A-double
ume side tippers for the waste and mining industries.
Its trailers have become known for their low tare weight and durable construction – capable of handling anything the harsh Australian environment can throw at them.
“Robuk has always loved being part of the Brisbane Truck Show, and this year is no exception,” said Robuk
Engineering National Sales Manager, Darren Riedel. “ e event is a fantastic opportunity for our team to showcase their work and take pride in what they build. It’s always special for our sta to welcome their extended families and friends to the stand, sharing rsthand the dedication and craftsmanship that goes into every trailer we produce.”
Hydreco’s advanced hydraulic solutions
tions where space constraints must be met without compromising ow or durability.
Interactive displays and live demonstrations provided visitors with hands-on insights into the capabilities and advantages of Hydreco’s product range.
At the stand, Hydreco says engagement was strong across the four-day event, with meaningful discussions taking place with OEMs, distributors, and professionals from across the heavy vehicle industry.
Hydreco’s Western Australia operation played a key role in the exhibition, contributing next-generation rear of cab frame systems. eir engineering expertise played a critical role in presenting a complete, integrated hydraulic solution.
With a longstanding engineering presence in Australia, Hydreco continues to drive innovation and product optimisation tailored to local operating conditions. is
focus has led to continuous advancements in sealing technologies, material speci cations and energy-ecient components, ensuring performance and reliability
across diverse applications. For more information about Hydreco’s hydraulic solutions for transport and mobile machinery, visit hydreco.com.
The A-double displayed is owned by S&J McMahon Transport. Image: Ray Lawrence Photography
BY JAMES GRAHAM
IN his rst visit to Australia, Mack’s new top dog in the US, Stephen Roy, was buoyant about the brand’s hopes of reclaiming its double-digit market share status, both here and at home.
At the time of our Brisbane Truck Show interview with the North Carolina-based Executive Vice President Volvo Group and President Mack Trucks, and Brisbane-based Tony O’Connell, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mack Trucks Australia, the latest gures showed Mack was selling just 4.1 per cent of the heavy-duty sector in Australia.
But Roy said there were a lot of factors that gave him the con dence that the 125-yearold brand would soon be back into double digits in both markets, not the least of which was the new product he saw on display in Brisbane.
It’s been a tough introduction to the role for Roy, who came across from the position of President of Volvo Construction Equipment in June 2023. He’d only just got his feet under the desk when he felt the full force of market uncertainty and demand concerns in the face of President Donald Trump’s tari s.
As a result, Volvo Group North America said in a statement in April this year it has told employees it plans to lay o 550-to-800 people at its Mack Trucks site in Ma cungie, Pennsylvania, and two Volvo Group facilities in
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
Dublin, Virginia, and Hagerstown, Maryland.
“We started to see a lot of inventory build in the US, so instead of three four months, we were seeing six and seven months of inventory, that’s kind of a sign that things are slowing down,” Roy explained.
“And then as we’ve started talking to our customers, there’s a lot of uncertainty… where’s the economy going?
What will tari s look like?
“So, it wasn’t really one thing. It was just starting to see multiple signs, and we decided at that point in time that we had good inventory at dealer network, and we could still produce what we believe is the right number for today, so we took our line rates down and hence had some reductions in our organisation.
“If the market changes, then we come back and look at adjusting, but we just don’t know now where the freight market is going to go.”
With so many tari variables still in play at the time of our interview, Roy said market uncertainty levels are still high, citing the fact it’s now cheaper to build trucks in Mexico than it is in the US, as an example.
Volvo Group North American announced in April that it is building a Mexican plant to build Volvo and Mack trucks and is expecting it to be operational by the end of
Mack bosses con dent of market spike
ers, but whether you build in Mexico or build somewhere else, we just want to be on an equal par,” Roy said.
“For any business decisions, we need to have some stability and know what the rules are. If we know that, we can play, but right now, we’re still trying to gure out the rules.”
“Once there’s a decision on the tari s, and it’s kind of equal for all competitors in the US and Mexico, then we know where we are, and we
cause some delays in purchasing.”
Roy said in the US, Mack is more a vocational product than highway but for those in the long-haul segment, that market’s been “soft” for the last four or ve years.
“So, they’ve been extending product life a little longer, kind of in a wait-and-see mode.”
couldn’t get three-phase electric service into their facilities without waiting years.”
Roy said the group is instead betting on other technologies alongside the BEVs – ICE engines that can use biofuels, hydrogen and the joint venture with Daimler using fuel cell technology.
Valley facility in Dublin, Virginia, and the Mexican plant from next year.
“Obviously, if the tari s are too high, that probably will
e other factor impacting Mack’s US numbers of late, said Roy, was the impending US regulations around the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty vehicles in model year 2027.
“I think the Trump administration has already said they’re looking to change that and be somewhat less than we were anticipating. at was going to cause a pre-buy in late 2025 and 2026. We’re now predicting a pre-buy in 2025 and we don’t know about 2026 – that was going to be a pretty big market.”
Roy said Mack is making inroads into the electric truck space in the US, starting in the refuse sector and evolving more recently into a medi-
“One would be hydrogen gas into the ICE engine, the other would be fuel cell. We feel that all three will be relevant at different percentages. You think about the miles you do with road trains, they would never be battery electric, but could very well be hydrogen.”
Meanwhile, Roy said he’s con dent that Mack has xed the supply issues that have seen the storied brand slide from its double-digit market share to being a 6.5 per cent player for the last four years. Roy said one of those issues was solved by buying the cab manufacturing company Kings Mountain in 2024 which also supplies cabs to the Australian market.
“In the rst quarter, we’re almost two points higher and that’s because we’re nally able -
“We also have a new supplier coming in that will also give us additional capacity for frame rails. ose were the two really big issues that a ected both North America and Australia.” With those major “pain points” resolved, Australian-based O’Connell is condent of lifting Mack back to the 9-10 per cent market share range it enjoyed prior to Covid.
“ ere’s no reason why we can’t get back to that,” said O’Connell who returned to Volvo Group Australia last year after a stint as Managing Director of Volvo Malaysia.
“It aligns pretty well with where we are in the US. We’ve had similar concerns over the past three to four years with supply chain constraints, which we’ve had globally.
“So, our long-term market share is a minimum of 10 per cent. We think over time we can do between 10 and 12 per
Roy said cab supply will alsoduction from the New River
“We’re working hard to build the trust back with our customers on that side of things, and then continue to increase our volumes of our product in the market. Since I’ve been back, I’ve been heavily involved with just listening to the customers, understanding what the pain points are, and really trying to just collaborate with the key players.
“ e beauty is, we’ve got the factory here in Brisbane, so I can just jump in the car and go down the road and talk to the guys face-to-face.”
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BY GRAHAM HARSANT
THEY came by virtue of win ning at events such as the Bris bane Convoy for Kids, Casi no, Matty Hillcoat’s Truckies Day Out, Bathurst, Alex andra, Koroit, Castlemaine and the WA Mack Muster – and Tytan Transport’s KW 610SAR, ‘Dieseline Dreams’ that didn’t state which show it came from, which is maybe why I have 29 trucks instead of the oft-stated 28.
No matter, Little Stanley Street by the Brisbane River was the epicentre for truck fanatics from across the country during Truck Week 25 for the rst Silverback Show ‘N’ Shine National Champs.
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
I’ve been covering truck shows for over 20 years and never in my time have I seen a collection of assembled trucks (or onlookers) like this. ese are trucks that we have all heard or seen photographs of, but never dreamed of seeing them all in one place at the same time and it was heaven! is sentiment was not only pro ered by the public who swarmed to the area for four days and three nights, but also by the owners of the trucks on display. Ask any owner (and I asked plenty) for their feedback and the answer was the same from all of them: “What a fantastic event. How good are all these other trucks? No, I have no idea who will win. e camaraderie is just unbelievable! I’d hate to be a judge.”
And anyone who walked along that street could absolutely feel it. It was carnival, it was theatre, it was making new friends and it was absolute admiration for everyone else’s truck. Myles Langley on behalf of the three judges of the display described what they were looking for.
“Basically we all know what cleaning is, we know where to clean and a lot of the time we can’t be bothered. So, this is that it ‘can’t be bothered’ part. So, everything you can’t be bothered doing, such as washing behind the wheels and inside the wheel holes, brake drums, suspension components, undercarriage, inside the chassis rails, inside guards, underneath panels – not just panels but underneath and behind them, inside them,
Carnival and theatre rolled into one
around them. Everywhere you can think of that might gather dirt, we are probably going to look for it.
“You can’t do this at a local show simply due to the number of trucks that attend. e guys selected to come here know the deal. ey know they have been invited to a one-of-a-kind show and that there are big criteria to meet
and that we will be hard on them.” And so four days and nights were spent by those attending, washing and polishing, interspersed with hearty conversation about each other’s trucks and drinks and a bite at one of the myriad (and very happy) eateries along the street.
Come 11am Sunday morning and the throng gathered.
People’s Choice: Auswide Transport Solutions (driven by Damian oms) - 2021
Kenworth T909 ‘Karma’. 3rd
Runner Up: Trent Schae er – 2023 KW K200 Big Cab Tri-drive ‘Summer Jam’. 2nd
Runner Up: Andrew Derham – 1989 V8 Mack Value-Liner ‘Stayin Alive’. e Champion of Champions Cup: e Cornwill Brothers – 2023
Kenworth Legend SAR ‘Dynamite’. All the winners were roundly and warmly applauded by both the general public and particularly the other entrants, so it appears the judges did their job correctly.
On social media one comment on the Cornwills winning was, ‘Why????’ I could point out over ve more pages what the boys have done
to their truck, but the best illustration of their commitment is that on the Sunday morning when the judging was well done and dusted, Troy, Wayne and Rick, along with the wider Cornwill family were still polishing Dynamite. After winning they again took up their rags and sponges and continued. I think the right truck won.
Runner-up Andrew Derham’s classic 1989 Mack Value-Liner. Duells’ Kenworth K200 ’Moveit’ shows you don’t have to be a prime mover.
2nd runner-up: Trent Schaeffer’s 2023 Kenworth K200 Big Cab.
Cornwill won the Champion of Champions title with their 2023 Kenworth SAR ‘Dynamite’.
Laurie Williams would have won a Most Lights Award. Images: Graham Harsant
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BY DAVID VILE
HELD as part of Truck Week ’25 , the annual Heritage Truck Show once again put on a fantastic spectacle drawing over 160 historic and restored vehicles to the Rocklea Showgrounds.
With Mack celebrating 125 years, a special display of the Bulldog brand showcased the Mack truck line across each decade, from a 1923 AC Model, through to the B-Models, R-Models and Super-Liners of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s right through to the current-spec Anthem.
Despite some wet weather early the clouds cleared, and a healthy crowd rolled through the gate and with a wide variety of truck makes and models on show there was plenty for show visitors to see and appreciate.
e Rocklea event also saw the show debut of a very rare 1982 Leader BWL-406, one of only three built for Brambles Heavy Haulage.
e truck has just been fully restored by Peter Zinn and was a magnet for showgoers.
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
Heritage trucks roll into Rocklea
Peter Zinn’s rare Leader BWL-406 in the famous Brambles fleet colours. Images: David Vile
From the 1960’s through the eras: Mack B-Model, Flintstone, R-Model and Super-Liner.
A pair of Kenworths from legendary livestock carriers from the past and present: Buntine Roadways and Fraser’s Livestock.
Kim Woods of Bondwoods Transport had three of his collection on display: Kenworth SAR, International ACCO3070 and International Lodestar.
The famous ‘Mean Machine’ B-Model Mack, restored and owned today by Bernie Tobin was a popular (and loud) drawcard for show visitors.
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
Young truckie Bradley Wilkie turned a few heads clocking up the miles around the showgrounds with his selfbuilt model truck and trailer.
This 1973 UD CK40 was the company’s first flagship model when launched into Australia.
Emma and Ian (Woody) Woodward from Forest Lake with their Perkins-Powered 1970 Commer.
The Mack range on display even included this 1976 CF-600 Fire Pumper, formerly from the Queen City Community Fire Department in the US. Kenworth to Rocklea.
They do not come much bigger (or better) than Ricky Blinco’s ‘Diamantina Dancer’ Series II Mack Super-Liner.
LIKE many of you, here at Atlas Balance Rings we felt the Brisbane Truck Show was the best we’d ever seen.
ere was more to see inside and great displays outside.
To add, there was also a real appreciation for the show as a bonus for Brisbane tourism; with operators and drivers coming from interstate and travelling from overseas. Visitors took in shows, dining, booked accommodation, and some even travelled to the Goldy, and Sunshine Coasts.
For Atlas Balance Rings and our show partners Findlay Import & Trade, and Amaron Batteries, it was great to catch up with industry colleagues, friends and customers.
It was encouraging to see that so many of our stand visitors were already customers. is gave us the opportunity to hear some wonderful feedback. We were also delighted that many drivers who had tted Atlas Balance Rings to the steer tyres were now keen to t the drives and trailer rings to the whole rig.
Moving the nation costs less
From the big guys at Toll Logistics, to smaller operators
who move the nation, the response is overwhelmingly positive.
Jared from Highlands Transport drives a K200. He tted out his trailer with drive trailer rings ve years ago and got between 400,000 to 600,000 kilometres on the drive tyres. “ e tyres were perfect, best set of tyres we have ever used
CHAMPIONING
– because of Atlas Balance Rings,” Jared said.
Another lovely gent, with a Kenworth T404, tted American steers just a month ago. He uses a drop-deck low-loader working out west – Mount Isa, West Queensland and Western Australia, and he came back to order drive rings.
“I put on brand-new Bridge-
stone tyres, and had trouble with the left-hand steer; so I took the weights o , chucked a set of Atlas Balance Steer Rings on – and noticed the di erence in the rst 100 metres driving down the road. Over the last month I can feel the di erence on rough and smooth roads, she steers so much better in all road conditions.”
Helping the heroes
One of our favourite Aussie charity organisations is the Lion’s Club’s Need for Feed.
Tony Furze from Albury is one of the good guys pictured, loaded up with hay. is is what he reported. “After tting the Atlas Balance Rings on the steers of my old Kenworth 100G, I am nding it steers like something that is 25 years younger. Both loaded with hay doing deliveries, and running back home empty, it’s a pleasure to drive. I’m about to put a full set of drive tyres on and would like to t balance rings on both axles. anks mate!”
Who else does this?
Founder Simon McQuillan said, “We felt a bit unique at the Brisbane Truck Show. Probably the only business o ering you a 365-day money back guarantee on your trucking accessory. Yep, you read that right – if you’re not happy, give the Atlas Balance Rings back 12 months later – nice and dirty, and we will give you your money back. at’s how sure we are that you will save tyres, money and enjoy a nicer drive!”
For more information, please visit atlasbalance.com.au or call 1300 228 527.
Atlas Balance Rings founder Simon McQuillan at the Brisbane Truck Show. Images: Atlas Balance Rings
his Kenworth 100G.
BY GRAHAM HARSANT
JIM Ambrose was at a Brooks & Dunn concert where he met his future wife.
She must have blown his mind (pun coming), because he quit 10 years of carting explosives and moved to her home town of Goondiwindi in Queensland.
It was 2008 and Jim had to nd work so bought a grain truck. In typical country un derstatement he said, “And the rest is history.”
It was only under some probing that Jim revealed that since then the family has been through three droughts, has sold their eet, rebuilt it, only to resell and rebuild again.
Today the company is the biggest it has been with 30 grain trucks and another two fuel tankers carting for IOR Petroleum.
at Jim loves his gear was shown by the invitation to present his latest acquisition at the Brisbane Truck Show – an imposing blacked-out Kenworth T909.
For more information Jim pointed me in the direction of the truck’s soon-to-be-driver, Shaun Harrison.
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
Shaun has been with Ambrose Haulage for four years and is itching to get behind the wheel of ‘Fast Flame’.
While Shaun knew he’d been nominated as the driver, Brisbane was the rst time he’d laid eyes on the truck.
Finished in the eet colours of Embassy Grey, the 909 has been totally blacked out: wheels, tanks, steps, badging with not a whi of chrome to be seen.
A light bar has been incorporated into the bottom of the
grill and indicator repeaters have been placed on the side mirrors.
e only touch of colour is the red glow from the lights placed under the cab and the melon lights in it.
e number plate reads JINKS, a nod to Cody Jinks who is the artist for all the company’s trucks.
“I was hauling grain for a few years prior, and it was hard to change companies because you do get set in your ways,” Shaun said.
“But I’m glad I did because Jim is a great boss. And look what he’s giving me to drive!”
Shaun’s run usually takes him to the Port of Brisbane, a run of just under ve hours.
Sometimes he gets back home, but if not he’s going to be more than comfortable in the 60-inch sleeper with his requested choice of an oversize bed.
e pistol incorporated onto the 18 speed is another point of di erence for Shaun to enjoy as he ‘guns’ the truck down the road.
If Shaun feels lucky to be the anointed driver of Fast Flame, then so does Jim.
“I’m putting Shaun behind the wheel because he thor oughly deserves it. He is a loyal member of our family.
“ is is a ridiculously tough business, but I’m surrounded by a lot of good people.
“ e credit goes to them and our team of drivers like Shaun who sacri ce time away from their families and buy into what we’re trying to build.
“ ey are what has put us where we are today, along with a lot of good relation ships with our customers.”
Crowd favourite in Brisbane
Shaun Harrison gives his new ride a big thumbs up.
IN its rst display at the Brisbane Truck Show in years, the truck Scania’s dubbed the ‘King of the Road’ took centre stage.
A 16.4-litre 770hp V8 engine powers the biggest cab seen on a Scania in many years.
Not only is it the largest S-series cab with a completely at oor, but it also boasts a high roof and extended length cab for additional space in almost every direction.
e 770 S was one of three 6×4 prime movers displayed by the manufacturer.
Next to the 770 S was the 560 G, powered by the highest output new generation DOHC six-cylinder SUPER engine, delivering 560 hp and 2800 Nm of torque. And the 500 P, the low entry cab now available with the most powerful engine yet o ered in the P-series.
Scania’s return to the event also coincided with the debut of an all-new display stand complete with customer lounges and areas dedicated to Scania services such asnance, aftersales and safety.
Across the street from the show hall at ‘ e Depot’, Scania’s Dunk Truck, a P-series rigid tted out with a basketball ring and accompanying 10 square metre Dream Courts ooring o ered a
chance for aspiring technicians to shoot some hoops while learning about career opportunities with Scania.
Scania Australia said a lot has changed since its last appearance in Brisbane in 2019, including a signi cant rise in sales of its safe, e cient and technically advanced trucks.
Unfortunately though, due to shipping delays, a brand new, tailored-for-Australia fully electric prime mover missed out on a berth in Brisbane, so the public will need to wait a little while longer to see it in the esh.
As the show took place, stuck on a ship outside Fremantle was a special evaluation 40 G BEV that Scania Australia commissioned from the factory, with a view to launching at Brisbane, as the start of the roll-out of an enlarged BEV line-up of vehicles for the Australian market.
Speci ed closely to meet the needs of many local operators, the 40 G will soon be shown o to prospective customers in more private arenas.
e 40 G is powered by a 416-kilowatt hour battery pack and uses the latest generation 400 kW Electric Machine with integrated fourspeed gearbox to give useable real-world range and payload options.
“We are disappointed not
Powerful V8 headlines new Scania stand
to be able to show o the 40 G BEV into which we have poured a lot of e ort, but we will do our best to expose the truck to interested parties in the short term,” said Manfred
Streit, Managing Director of Scania Australia.
“While we are keen to promote BEVs in this market, we remain clear-eyed about the role our BEV trucks will play in Australia in the foreseeable future. Scania has done the hard and expensive R&D work to create a functionally viable range of BEVs. But BEVs must exist in a viable ecosystem of charging net-
works and a ordable electricity to make commercial sense for operators to switch to EV power,” Streit continued.
“But if you look at the overarching goal of reducing emissions, we can make a much bigger shorter-term impact by cutting CO2 by as much as 80 per cent by switching existing diesel engines to run on B100 biodiesel or HVO fuels. Across the country
there are thousands of Scania trucks, new and used that can run on these fuels with little or no adjustment, and the emissions savings would be signi cant, with no payload, range or initial cost compromises of BEVs. It’s a message we will be spreading far and wide, especially now that supplies of HVO in particular are becoming more readily available.”
“We have options for operators who want to make a decisive reduction in the CO2 emissions of their eets: they can opt for our now enlarged and modular tailored BEV chassis programme, or they can stay with ICE technology they know and trust, and total operating economy that they understand from years of experience, while still making a signi cant contribution to the cleaning of our atmosphere by switching to B100 or HVO,” he said.
The 770 S V8 engine powers Scania’s biggest cab. Images: Scania
Scania displayed three prime movers at the stand.
Manfred Streit, Managing Director of Scania Australia at the Brisbane Truck Show.
BY DAVID VILE
FROM the podium at Tasmania’s Symmonds Plains Raceway a few days prior to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on the ursday of the Brisbane Truck Show, it had been a hectic few days for Triple 8 Racing’s Will Brown.
With a number of the Supercar team’s sponsors exhibiting at the show, the 2024 Repco Supercars Champion was kept busy meeting with race fans on the Daimler stand along with Triple 8 team-mate Broc Feeney.
Hailing from Toowoomba, Broc has recently made a career move into road transport in addition to his race car driving with the acquisition of a car-carrying operation, and he said he was impressed with what he had seen at the truck show.
“It is great to be here today representing some great brands that support us, namely Daimler, Freighter, Ampol and Wurth,” Broc said.
“But for me, it’s my rst time ever here at the show. I got into trucks a year ago, I bought a car carrying busi-
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
ness and have six trucks.
“I usually jump in and do 2-3 runs a week when the boys need some help. It’s pretty cool to come and check out this whole set up here at the truck show.
“It’s amazing how big it is, how many exhibitors are here, and that’s from the truck and trailer manufacturers along with everyone else. It is an impressive thing to come to look at and not only for people in the industry, but people just wanting to come and check it out. I am going to try have a look around this afternoon after I nish my appearances here.”
While the 600hp output of his Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro Supercar may be around the same as many trucks out on the highway, the 26-year-old was quick to point out that’s about where the similarities end.
“ e Supercar is about being fast, loud and uncomfortable whereas when you get in the truck you want to just cruise along and be comfortable. I have really enjoyed doing the driving out on the road as I have learnt about the industry as well” he said.
With the Repco Supercars Championship visiting every
I USUALLY JUMP IN AND DO 2-3 RUNS A WEEK WHEN THE BOYS NEED SOME HELP. IT’S PRETTY COOL TO COME AND CHECK OUT THIS WHOLE SET UP HERE AT THE TRUCK SHOW.”
BROC FEENY
state in the country, the race transporters clock up quite a few kilometres, especially on the longer hauls to Perth and Darwin, with the Triple 8 team having a Mercedes Benz 2663 with a Giga Space cab out the front of its B-double transporter.
“Daimler have really supported us, and they have a great product in the Actros.
e Mercedes product has been really awesome and helps us put our best foot forward.”
e next round of the 2025 championship will be held in Perth in early June, with the big Benz soon making the long trek across the Nullarbor to help Will in his quest to become a back-to-back Supercars champion.
“Broc has came out the
gate strong this year so we just need to keep our ef
Supercars champion hauling with Daimler
ly we can bounce back in
Triple 8 Racing’s Brock Feeney, left, and Will Brown get up close and personal with a Mercedes Unimog on the Daimler stand in Brisbane. Image: David Vile.
BY DAVID VILE
THE Mack brand-name and its iconic logo are both instantly recognisable and highly regarded both in Australia and around the world with the bulldog mascot a symbol of durability and reliability.
e launch of the Mack Workwear brand has seen this legendary name adorn an expanding range of footwear, workwear and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), with the Mack Workwear stand in Merchandise Alley a popular stopping point for many at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show.
“Mack boots started over 20 years ago and we have broadened the range to include workwear and PPE over the last 5 to 6 years, and we are growing that range as well,” said Jodi Downey, Marketing Manager for Mack Workwear.
With its head o ce in Sydney, Bunzl Brands has the licencing agreement for the manufacture and distribution of the Mack-branded product with the range available to consumers both online and through a net-
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
work of retailers around the country.
As the requirement for safety footwear and clothing in many industries including road transport has grown, the company has done a lot of product development and testing ‘in the eld’ as Jodi explained.
“PPE as part of overall Occupational Health and Safety is massive these days so we have extended into that.
“We’re selling more workwear and especially the hi-visibility workwear on contract into the mines and construction companies. We do a lot on on-site trials with companies working on these type of projects - eld testing is the only way, especially with boots - for example one boot might be more suited to someone with a wider foot or a bigger arch, and all our boots are biometrically designed.”
On the shelves of the Mack Workwear stand at Brisbane was the full range of safety boots and shoes, through to a variety of clothing, safety glasses and caps, with the stand doing a brisk trade on the rst morning of the show.
With show visitors able to ‘road test’ the product, Jodi pointed out that this is one of the best ways to get consumers on-board.
“We have our customers who buy online, but we really encourage people go into our retailers and try things on - they can have the ‘touch and feel’ component - especially with work boots - they are such a personalised item people like to go into the store and try them on.”
As has been proven across Australia over the last 125 years with the range of Mack trucks, the workwear line has also gained a solid customer base with many people becoming repeat purchasers of the Mack product.
“Generally, once someone has had a pair of Mack boots people don’t go to another brand - once they nd a following people become loyal to the brand which is really great - our aim is getting people to try them and see,” Jodi said.
e 2025 event was the rst time the Mack Workwear team had had a display and retail outlet at the truck show, with a steady stream of visitors making their way
through the popular Mer chandise Alley precinct on the plaza level of the Conven tion and Exhibition Centre.
“We are only just starting to take our show on the road - previously we have done some safety and mining shows.
“We will be doing more of these sorts of shows which are more targeted at the gen eral consumer to help build the brand and awareness - we have had a few people in here today not knowing there was Mack workwear.
“We will be coming back, there are so many loyal fol lowers of the brand heresome have come up to look at the merchandise before going to look at the trucks!” she said.
So, while everyone who vis ited the show may not have headed home with a new Super-Liner or Anthem, they may have still left with some Mack product in the bag.
“People have that associa tion with the Mack trucks, and it is a renowned brand around the world. Everyone sees the bulldog and knows what it means - it makes our job easier!” she concluded with a smile.
Mack Workwear puts best foot forward
Mark Benham and Jodi Downey from the Mack Workwear team with the Mack store display in the Merchandise Alley precinct at the Brisbane Truck Show. Image: David Vile
BY SARAH WADE
THE National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) was proud to this year attend one of industry’s biggest trucking and trailer events in the Brisbane Truck Show.
We are always keen to connect with operators, drivers, our industry partners and, of course, trucking enthusiasts, and the Truck Show provides an opportunity to strengthen these relationships and join some of the most recognis able names in Australia’s trucking landscape.
opportunity for NHVR em
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
ployees to showcase some of our most important and exciting projects underway, and present on what we are doing to address some of the challenges facing the transport and freight sector.
Spread over four days at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, we are continually amazed by the number of people who gath er in South Brisbane for this
e NHVR had almost 60 employees rostered across three sites, with subject matter experts sharing their insights on topics rangingtion, data and technology, fatigue, safety and compliance, and Performance Based Standards.
In particular, we were proud to showcase our new rebrand to NHVR Go (formally the Portal) and chat to industry about the tools and services available through our single, digital destination.
e team also elded a range of general enquiries, with some of the most common questions being around
work diaries, fatigue and rest breaks, mechanical inspections, Safe-T cameras, , load restraint, career pathways, and notices.
is year also saw us participate in the new outdoor pavilion, the Depot, with an activation centred on our well-known safety campaign, Don’t #uck With A Truck.
e NHVR showcased an old-school style video game, set up inside a custom-branded trailer for attendees to
have a go at achieving a high score.
Opportunities like this allow us to get creative; embracing innovative and refreshing ways to educate young drivers on how to safely drive around heavy vehicles.
e response to each of our displays was extremely positive and it was fantastic to be involved in this event once again.
A truck load of engagement
ank you to every attendee who took the time to visit our displays and speak with our employees. We appreciated the opportunity to chat to you all, and hope you gained some valuable insights into the work the NHVR is doing in 2025 to create a safer, more productive and e cient heavy vehicle industry. And lastly, thank you to Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia for their e orts in producing this event once again and making it a wonderful and worthwhile occasion for all.
exciting projects that are now underway. Images: NHVR
NHVR Chief Engineer Les Bruzsa was also on hand to share his extensive knowledge and answer questions.
BY GRAHAM HARSANT
HYUNDAI have had a diesel prime mover on the market in Australia for a while. is year at the Bris bane Truck Show, however, their displayed model was an Xcient Fuel Cell. ose last two words indicate that this truck is hydrogen powered.
e company is not new to the world of H2, having built the rst hydrogen station in the southern hemisphere at Macquarie Park in Sydney back in 2014 to power their IX35 fuel cell vehicle.
While many OEM’s are heading straight down the EV track here in Australia – and Hyundai is playing in that arena as well with their small Mighty truck – the company sees Hydrogen as the only viable option for long distance transport.
e Xcient Fuel Cell H2 (or HTWO in Hyundai speak) has been around since 2021. Its rst deployment was in Switzerland where it has done over 30 million kilometres, is now in Germany and other parts of Europe and also is deployed in the United States as a Class A prime mover.
BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
e Australian version uses 350 bar tanks which hold 32kg of H2. e US versions hold 62kg of hydrogen at twice the pressure (700 bar) which is the same pressure that cars take.
So, cars and trucks use two di erent pressures. Trucks and buses normally use 350 bar because infrastructure, tanks and regs are cheaper. But going to 700 bar gives longer range.
If you’re looking at the attached photo and thinking this isn’t a prime mover, it’s just that the truck arrived so late that Hyundai ran out of time to move the pod of tanks sitting over the rear axle to their position up against the cabin wall. is particular truck on 350 bar, gives about 400km of range (verses 700km in the US) but that will change in the future.
Infrastructure, or the lack of it at this time is the major hurdle to the acceptance of H2. ere are currently nine stations operational in Australia with another ve in construction but that is sim-
Compare this with Germany where there are 69 operational and another 14 under construction. Time and pressure to reach net zero should
How does it work? In very simple terms puri ed hydrogen and oxygen pass through (in this case) two fuel cells. Each fuel cell is around the size of a beer carton and has 440 plates, each plate putting out between 0.5 – 1.5 volts. So a total of 880 volts which drive electric motors.
All that’s left over in the process is puri ed air and water. In fact a couple of hundred kilometres will produce enough air for 10 people to breathe for a full day, so the system is actually a rolling air puri er.
To re ll is easier than LPG. ink of it as a trigger nozzle the same as a petrol browser with the thickness and length of a Coke can in front of the trigger. You put it onto
the receptacle; it locks on and there is infrared communication between the refuelling nozzle and the truck tanks. ey talk to each other so if any part is not happy with the lling protocol it will be shut o . Decanting (or lling) is done at -20 to -40°.
We decant at these temperatures because hydrogen at ambient temperature under really high pressure, when you put it into the tanks, expands into a vacuum and creates heat. ose low minus temperatures are so the integrity of the tanks will not be impacted.
So the standard is -40º for cars which trucks could do as well. Trucks are mainly lling at -20º but that should
Hyundai’s hydrogen push
change in time. e colder you can make the hydrogen the quicker you can re ll. For example, to re ll the car at -40° is a 3-to-5-minute ll, giving 6kg of hydrogen to take you 650km. At -20º it might take 6 to 7 minutes, at ambient it might take 10 or 15 minutes.
So, hydrogen goes more quickly when it’s cold. Most stations in Australia are lling at either -20º or -40°. e result of all this is that with progress, H2 trucks will be quick to re ll, will cover the same distances a diesel, and will give back to Mother Earth.
Oh, and they will be as silent as an EV. What’s not to like.
Chinese giant announces arrival at BTS
BY GRAHAM HARSANT
I’M wandering around the Brisbane Truck Show (BTS) when I run into a friend of long standing who knows that I’ve played with just about every new truck that’s come onto the market in the last 15 years.
“Hey mate,” he says. “Have you test driven one of those Sitrak trucks? I’m thinking about buying one.”
Unfortunately, I haven’t, but that was incentive enough to go and have a look at the Sitrak stand.
e company was at the BTS last time around with just one truck. is time they had two – a BEV currently undergo ing Australian testing, which promises 600kWh and a range of up to 450 kilometres – and the one Brad was interested in, the C9H prime mover.
e engine is a mouthful: WP15H660E62A putting out a very decent 660hp, which places it right up there with the big players in town, and above many of them.
It runs through the tried and proven ZF 12-speed AMT and sports di and cross locks for tough going.
e blurb also mentions oth er well-known suppliers includ ing Bosch and Wabco.
Safety features all the usual acronyms such as EBS, ACC, AEBS, HSA and FCWS.
Sitrak has been in the coun
try for a few years now, initially with buses before moving into the truck sphere. eir rst big truck was a 540hp job with a GCM of 90 tonnes (which continues) and is now joined by the C9H with a GCM of 110 tonnes, which makes it applicable for everything up to and including road trains.
ey also have trucks ranging from small 180hp 4x2s to
moves to Euro 6. Now, for the two of you who may not know, Sitrak is a Chinese company who employ 120,000 sta .
For possibly many more unaware truck citizens, the company is the biggest truck manufacturer in China and over the past six or seven decades have sold over six million trucks worldwide.
Last year Sitrak sold 360,000 units to 110 countries. So,
that may infer. I’m old enough to remember when the Japanese entered the car market and they were rubbished.
Now, if you want the best car in the world and you’re not worried about some ‘prestige’ logo, you would walk straight into the nearest Lexus dealer.
It’s a similar story for the Koreans. And now the Chinese have arrived en-mass in the car market.
e rst Great Wall product was de nitely not the success they’d hoped for.
Now I see GWM utes all over the place.
Drive more than a block anywhere and there’s a fair chance you’ll see an MG. BYD now outsell Tesla in Europe.
ey’ve been joined by many other Chinese brands and we’re buying them in their droves.
Why is Brad interested in a Sitrak? Price is why.
Around $300,000 is going to get you a C9H on the road.
It’s a fair bet that resale prices will be low compared to other brands until the company proves itself but that doesn’t worry Brad.
“I just want it for ve years mate, and to me it’s a good equation no matter the resale value.”
And me?
anks to my conversation with Brad, I’ve set up a test drive in the C9H. Stay tuned.
Sitrak’s HD EV is undergoing evaluation.
This will look familiar to anyone who’s been in an Actros, but it’s a Sitrak. Images: Graham Harsant
Hyundai’s Scott Nargar and the Xcient HTWO.
The interior is like any other truck. Images: Graham Harsant
Truckies turn out in record numbers for big fundraiser
BY ALF WILSON
A record number of 287 trucks participated in the Power 100 Convoy for the Cure in Townsville on Sunday, May 25.
e convoy raised $205,893 for research into a cure for brain cancer.
is was the 10th anniversary of the convoy, which boasted 19 more trucks than last year.
A Northern Stevedoring Services (NSS) Mercedes-Benz was the lead truck for the second successive year after raising more than $40,000.
e large eet award went to DS & DL Drain Transport from the Burdekin, and the small eet award went to Ellsley Metal Recycling.
A total of 101 bikes also took part in the convoy, which meandered more than 10km in distance.
It was a massive logistical exercise for organiser Todd Martin and his hardworking volunteers as the trucks were being parked along the marshalling area on Webb Drive from 7.30am.
Just after 8am, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli arrived and spoke to Big Rigs en the premier walked along Webb Drive inspecting the trucks and talking to their drivers and supporters.
Big Rigs spoke to numerous drivers, including Darrin omas, who was behind the wheel of the NSS lead truck, a Mercedes-Benz Actros 2653.
“It is such a good truck and just like driving a car and has an automatic gearbox,” Darrin said.
Nortrans, which had 23 trucks, was once again a big supporter, and Mel and young Brodie Kuilboer were part of the support team.
From Hughenden, which is 390km west of Townsville, were Dylan, Brita and Wyatt Co son.
ey were in a ashy Western Star owned by the family company Co son Transport.
At 9am sharp, the convoy took o from Webb Drive with several police escorts.
More than 15,000 men, women and children lined the streets as the trucks cruised past with drivers honking their horns.
Spectators sat on chairs beside the route, on the back of utes and other vehicles, or under the shade of tents in yards and on footpaths, and they
waved in appreciation.
e convoy raises money for funding into research of DIPG (Di use Intrinsic Pontine Glioma), an aggressive and rare type of cancer that forms in the brainstem and almost always occurs in young children.
Residents were kept up to date with the progress of the convoy along the 25-kilometre route by live radio crosses
was lots of ashy
as the trucks cruised along Ingham Road and across Blakey’s Crossing, onto Duckworth Street, Dalrym ple Road, uringowa Drive and Riverway Drive.
It nished at Ross Dam Park for a family fun day, which was attended by more than 1000 people.
Along the route, some trucks took a short break to allow other tra c to travel.
In total, it took the last trucks about 45 minutes to reach the dam park.
Most of the trucks parked on the park grass, and there were big line-ups at the food, drink and ice cream stalls.
from station Power 100. ere
chrome
The NSS lead truck takes the convoy through the city streets. Images: Alf Wilson
Chris and Rayarna Ritchie from RGM in front of their Mercedes.
Darrin Thomas, middle, in front of the lead truck, an NSS Mercedes Actros, with Wildy, left, and Karina.
Jay and Tee Pearce were also on hand to show their support.
Convoy co-ordinator Todd Martin at the marshalling area.
Mel and young Brodie Kuilboer were amongst the Nortrans supporters.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli with Big Rigs writer Alf Wilson.
The stunning Kenworth T904 from Townsville’s D&J Johnston Transport.
Spectators watch the action along Duckworth Street.
Trucks at the marshalling area ready to go.
Convoy trucks turning at the Duckworth Street lights.
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!
Chris Pearson takes in the sunset before departing from Barcaldine, Queensland.
Aaron Maher took this snap of the Wickham Freight Lines K220, stopped by the Weethalle Silo in NSW.
Tony Brown snapped a spectacular night-time shot of this triple, while traversing the edge of the desert at Birdsville, Queensland.
Melissa Danielle Mollie McDonough shared this shot of the old girl, a 1996 Ford Aeromax named ‘Bubba Louie’.
Adrian Wynne snapped this great shot at Marlborough, while on a run to Brisbane from Bowen.
Indy Rosser left after washing the tipper bodies and elevating them to dry, then returned to find this incredible sunset.
Brett Spud Ward snapped this great pic at Metro Grain Centre in Forrestfield, WA.
Wayne Agius enjoys a Victoria River sunset, as he heads home.
Cameron Rosenberg snapped this pic of the “little old log truck” carting logs between Oberon and Tumut, NSW.
Michael Roels captured this stunning morning sky at Pennsylvania, NSW.
Dave Hely parks up in the early hours of the morning, after a late night run.
Parkes Bypass reduces travel time
SPY has received many calls from drivers who are happy that the new Parkes Bypass along the Newell Highway in New South Wales is now open for tra c.
“I went along it for the rst time the other day and it saved me 10 minutes from the previous time it used to take,” one driver said.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson told Spy that the opening of the new 10.5-kilometre Parkes Bypass alignment of the Newell Highway has changed the way people move around and through the Central West.
“It will increase road safety and freight e ciency, and support connectivity for the region as well as improve safety for pedestrians and other road users by removing heavy vehicles passing through the Parkes CBD,” the spokesperson said.
While no new o cial trafc data has been captured since the bypass opened on Tuesday, April 15, previously about 1200 trucks a day were travelling through the Parkes town centre.
With the entire upgrade to the network supporting the Parkes Bypass expected to be completed over the coming months, the following tra c changes will remain in place for up to three months:
• e main access between Parkes and the Bypass is the Condobolin Road roundabout, which opened to tra c in all four directions.
• Access to and from the Bypass during the nalisation works is also possible from London Road, however this access will be under temporary tra c control.
• Sections of the old Newell Highway will be temporarily restricted at the north and south ends of Parkes:
o North: e existing Newell Highway will be closed between the rest area and Maguire Road. Southbound vehicles will be able to access Parkes via Bogan Road while northbound vehicles will use the bypass from the Condobolin Road roundabout.
o South: e existing Newell Highway will be closed between Saleyards Road and Barkers Road.
• e oversize overmass (OSOM) route is the new Parkes Bypass.
• All heavy vehicles wishing to travel east are required to travel on the Hartigan Avenue extension.
Please explain?
In recent months Spy has been told by truckies from several Australian states that they now refer to scalies as “mermaids”.
But on probing them further on the explanation for such a nickname, Spy has been met with nothing more than laughter.
Being a curious type I tried
to fathom – pardon the pun – about what possible reason there could be.
It is hard to come up with a logical explanation on why our road inspectors could be compared with mermaids.
Can somebody please explain?
Pliers in tyres
ere are many objects which come into contact with truck tyres and cause a puncture or even a blow out.
But when Spy saw a man in the process of changing a tyre on a Mercedes truck at a breakdown pad, it sparked my curiosity.
at would not normally be unusual but when the driver told me the reason for the tyre damage, it was not something Spy had ever heard before.
“A pair of pliers were in the tyre and I don’t know how they got there,” the driver said.
One could not imagine pliers being found on a highway although it could never be entirely ruled out.
e most logical reason is that the pliers had fallen from a trailer and became wedged in the tyre.
Tassie speed cameras increase revenue
Mobile speed cameras are doing a roaring trade in Tasmania with a lot of infringements being received by truckies.
ese cameras can be found at many locations around the Apple Isle, with authorities saying these are determined using a Deployment Strategy identi es accident hotspots. Improving road safety is the primary driver in identifying mobile speed camera locations.
State Growth and Tassie
“Could one suggest the road was re-SEALED,” he said with a loud laugh.
Military invasion surprises roadhouse staff
Sta at the remote Stuart Wells Roadhouse in the NT were run o their feet when military personnel from an army convoy stopped there unexpectedly.
police have compared data to road features which increase the risk of crashing, such as tra c volume and alignment.
All drivers have been asked to go online and suggest a speci c location at which they would like to see these cameras – which hasn’t proven all that popular with truckies.
Some of our mates have told Spy that some cameras are placed at sneaky locations which anger them.
Resealing a road
From Adelaide comes a story about a truckie who was travelling on the Express Way outbound when he hit a seal that appeared on the road. It may seem to be a “believe it or not” story however Spy is told it did indeed happen.
e location was near the coast so the wandering seal must have been unlucky.
In the past Spy had provided coverage of a driver who stopped at a Tasmanian rest area near the Mersey River at Devonport and was confronted by a seal.
On another occasion a seal was seen crossing the highway near Launceston in the Apple Isle.
e informant who told Spy about the South Austra
e convoy included numerous trucks and it looked like an invasion when it occurred at the roadhouse, which is 90km south of Alice Springs along the Stuart Highway.
Jaidyn Mazzone is the son of the owners who took over the roadhouse from legendary identity Spud last November.
“ ey just came in but we looked after them,” Jaidyn said.
“Also we just had a crew of Main Roads workers doing some upgrades near here arrive and they ordered 20 of three things on the board. We just never know who will turn up,” Jaidyn said.
He added that an average of 50 trucks a day stop there and they come from many places.
“We have truckies from Adelaide, Darwin, Queensland,” he said.
e roadhouse has seven sta and also gets people stopping there who are visiting the nearby camel farm.
“A lot of the truckies have a shower here and they get a free co ee daily which they can enjoy with their meal,” he said.
Palliative Care ward mystery
When friends spotted a well known outback truckie in
Not surprising when you consider that such wards are where terminally ill patients spend their last days.
However, there was a logical explanation.
is lad was in a general ward for several days and required a private room as part of his treatment. None were available in the normal wards but there was one at the palliative care unit. He stayed there for several days and was released much to his relief.
Postie rescued by truckie
Old Spy thought he was seeing things when he spotted a truck driver assisting a postman who had fallen o his bike, which had a two-wheeler trailer attached to it.
e mail delivery vehicle had landed on its side and mail ended up on the road.
At rst, Spy thought that the light rig may have collided with the postman’s vehicle. However, after talking to the pair, it was revealed that the vehicle had hit a large pothole.
e postie thanked the driver and Spy can report all mail was collected and delivered safely with no damage to the gent.
Burnt out truck
Keen photographer and outback driver Paul Williams sent Spy a pic of a burnt-out truck near the Barkly Roadhouse in the Northern Territory.
“ e three orange trailers in the background to the burnt vehicle had been with it,” Paul said.
Trucks cross high seas for important roles
Heavy vehicles are playing
three remote communities at Australia’s northern outposts in the Torres Strait.
Darnley, Poruma and Warraber islands will bene t from infrastructure soon built by members of the Australian Defence Forces.
ese include a community hall and carriageway culvert on Darnley, a sports facility on Poruma Island, and facility refurbishments and road paving on Warraber.
Australian Army personnel are in the Torres Strait Islands until September to deliver these community-driven infrastructure projects, as part of a continuing commitment to First Nations people.
An ADF spokesperson told Spy that trucks are playing a vital role on the project.
Included is a Rheinmetall 4X4 40M truck which arrived at Darnley on a Westlink Barge, ready to begin construction.
Members of the 17th Sustainment Brigade will deliver project management, construction, health, vocational training and mentoring opportunities to these remote communities.
e army will also provide accredited and non-accredited training in welding, metal works, rst aid and general maintenance, as well as health support, including dental, primary health care and veterinary care.
ese projects will be conducted under the Army Alian (previously known as Aboriginal) Community Assistance Program (AACAP).
AACAP’s aim is to improve infrastructure and health in remote Indigenous communities.
It also provides an opportunity for engineers from the 6th Engineer Support Regiment (6ESR) and other army elements, to enhance foundation trade skills required for expeditionary basing and construction tasks.
Divisional engineer o cer for Erub (Darnley) Island, Les Pitt, said there has been a lot of work with the army in the lead-up to the training.
“I was grateful to be part of the process every step of the way, to ensure the needs of the people were considered,” Pitt said.
“ is is very important to us, [with the delivery of army equipment] we see the result
A tyre that had a set of pliers in it gets changed. Image: Alf Wilson
Army engineers from the 6th Engineer Support Regiment offload an army truck from a Westlink Barge at Erub (Darnley) Island. Image: ADF
60 DRIVER PROFILES
CHRISTINE Kake is currently behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz, working for Nolan’s Interstate Transport.
She was checking her load at Townsville’s Port Access Road hook-up pad when she stopped for a chat with Big Rigs recently.
Based in the coastal Queensland town of Bowen, Christine was transporting meat to supermarkets in refrigerated trailers.
Although friendly, Christine was coy about revealing her age, when asked.
She has been a driver for more than two decades.
“I used to do the run over to Perth,” Christine said.
Originally from New Zealand, Christine has lived
in Australia for the past 45 years.
Like many other female drivers, Christine says more rest areas and roadhouses with facilities for women are required around Australia.
“ ere is de nitely not enough of them,” she said. With a far lower percentage of drivers being female, they are sometimes overlooked when it comes to facilities, with some rest areas having only unisex toilets.
Although Christine revealed that she loves stopping at the BP Cluden Roadhouse, which does have facilities for women.
“ e sta there are so friendly and really look after me when I am there,”
THE STAFF THERE ARE SO FRIENDLY AND REALLY LOOK AFTER ME WHEN I AM THERE.”
CHRISTINE KAKE
Christine said.
Another stop-o Christine likes is in the parking area at the Alligator Creek Roadhouse, located just south of Townsville.
“ ere is a big tree there where you can park under,” she said.
Asked about roads, Christine said she rates the Bruce Highway between Home Hill and Bowen as challenging to negotiate.
Trucking on for two decades Passion runs deep
40 years on the road
DARREN Sergeant, 58, works for Northline based at Townsville and carts general freight throughout the region.
He’s been with the company for six months and has driven trucks for about 40 years.
“A lot of the work is around town but I do get to Ayr down south and Charters Towers west of here. Even sometimes further out to Hughenden,” he said.
And it’s there, on the inland outskirts of Hughenden, that his favourite roadhouse is located.
“It is the Lights on the Hill and has good food, friendly sta and lots of parking space,” Darren said. He added that the worst highway he gets along is the
section of the Bruce between Townsville and Mackay.
When Darren rst stepped out of the cab of his UD PK10, the rst thing I noticed was his Crocodile Dundee style hat.
When asked about it, he said, “I am a big fan of the Crocodile Dundee movies
and often jokingly get called Paul Hogan, who was the star,” he said.
Darren is a keen supporter of the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL and has one other hobby he enjoys.
“It is drinking beer on my days o . My favourite brew is XXXX Bitter,” he said.
WHEN Big Rigs saw driver
Mark Chapman at the Port Access Road breakdown pad in Townsville, he was checking over his load of fertiliser.
Mark was driving a Kenworth T909 for United Bulk Haulage which is based at Mackay, about 390km south along the Bruce Highway.
“I have travelled from Phosphate Hill Mine out west,” Mark said.
e 50-year-old truckie has been a driver for 30 years and says he loves the job.
His favourite roadhouse is the Ampol near Bowen which ticks many boxes for drivers.
“ e food is ne, sta friendly and there’s parking out the back,” he said.
e worst road he gets
along is the Peak Downs in Central Queensland – an opinion shared by many others. e 270km route links the towns of Mackay and Clermont.
Mark added that there were not enough rest areas for drivers, however did praise one located south of Mackay.
designed by Rod Hannifey along the Paci c Highway,” he said.
Originally from Newcastle in NSW, Mark barracks for the Knights in the NRL. I asked Mark if he had any hobbies when he managed to get time o , and he responded quickly, “ is is my hob-
A truckie for over 20 years, Christine Kake currently works for Nolan’s Interstate Transport. Images: Alf Wilson
Darren Sergeant has been a truckie for around 40 years.
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
Student heavy vehicle safety program
LAST month, Tasmanian high school students had the opportunity to take part in the Ryda road safety program by Road Safety Education Limited (RSE), delivered in partnership with Boral.
e program o ers road safety education in addition to a session on heavy vehicle awareness, to students on their Ls or Ps – or yet to go for their licence.
Boral has had a longstanding partnership with learning organisation and not-forpro t RSE, since 2018.
RSE’s Ryda road safety program has been delivered to over 735,000 young Australians nationally.
Road deaths are sadly continuing to rise each year.
According to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research, more than 1300 people were killed on Australian roads in 2024, a 3.8 per cent increase on the previous year.
Tra c injury is currently the biggest killer of Australian children under 15 and the second-biggest killer of all Australians aged between 15 and 24.
rough Ryda’s school programs, tens of thousands
of students participate each year, learning tools, habits and behaviours to stay safe on the road as both drivers and passengers.
Boral provided input into the development of a Ryda topic that sees students investigate the challenges faced by heavy vehicle drivers and how to predict any actions they may need to take to accommodate them.
ere have also been opportunities for heavy vehicles to be present at the work-
shops to help students better understand the risks and considerations when sharing the road with trucks.
Participating students get to talk to a Boral driver and sit in the truck’s cabin to learn rst-hand about the risk factors such as truck blind spots and stopping distances.
Richard Pearson, Boral Executive General Manager, Asphalt, said, “We are proud to be a longstanding partner of RSE and the Ryda program. rough the various
programs we have helped to deliver, we have seen rsthand the engagement and bene ts students have had in talking to Boral drivers and learning about the trucks and heavy vehicles and, more importantly how they can make safe choices around them.
“As one of the largest suppliers of construction materials in Australia, we have a large heavy vehicle footprint – about 3500 heavy vehicles – and are on the road everyday delivering to customers. We are committed to better educating the next generation of drivers and passengers with whom we share the road.”
Terry Briss, RSE Group CEO/Managing Director of Road Safety Education, added, “We are pleased Boral has recommitted to its partnership with RSE and is helping deliver much-needed, potentially life-saving heavy vehicle safety education.
“We need to do more than just teach a young person the skill of controlling and manoeuvring a vehicle. We must also equip them with the skill of critical thinking and appreciation for safety on shared roads.” Briss continued, “Every year, the Ryda program reaches approximately
50,000 students throughout Australia and contributes towards saving young people’s lives on the road. Schools recognise the value of Ryda to their students and are committing in increasing numbers to this educational experience.
“We thank our corporate partners, including Boral, for their continued support in the delivery of the program. Together, we are not only teaching critical strategies on road safety but contributing to a reduction in road trauma – in short, helping to save young lives and reduce serious injury on our roads.”
Boral has partnered with RSE since 2018.
Getting more women behind the wheel
BY DAVID VILE
THE Iron Women Australia driver training program was on display at ‘ e Depot’ careers expo held in conjunction with the recent Brisbane Truck Show, with a striking Volvo FH prime mover taking pride of place on the Wodonga TAFE stand.
e Iron Women initiative, developed by Volvo Trucks, is a comprehensive driver training education and licencing program aimed at getting women without any prior truck driving experience behind the wheel and onto a transport industry career path.
With Volvo having set up similar programs in other countries including France, South Africa and Peru, Volvo Australia has joined forces with Wodonga TAFE’s Driver Education Centre of Australia (DECA) to facilitate the program.
Jo Bathols is one of the transport Industry training sta from Wodonga TAFE and gave a rundown on the program, which sees participants take part in a number of di erent activities over the duration of the program.
“Volvo Australia has donated the truck, and Wodonga TAFE is the preferred Registered Training Organisation,” Jo explained.
Over the two-week course, all women undertake 16 hours’
drive time and end up with a Certi cate III in Driving Op erations.
management, vehicle inspec tion, trip plan and navigate along with getting out on the road. ey get their heavy
rigid licence in the rst two weeks then come back in 12 from our rst intake are going to come back and also do their
e Iron Women program has been run successfully in other countries by Volvo for a
With the transport sector
growing in Australia and the industry chronically short of workers, the Australian Iron Women program also has the backing of transport companies who see the value in getting women into the industry.
“ ere are 28,000 vacancies in the truck driving industry at the moment. Women are an untapped resource; women particularly don’t realise what a great career it is,” Jo said.
“We are led by Volvo as to how many participants we have in the program. Volvo put out the feelers to the likes of Team Global Express and other companies who had some women who wanted to do the course, and they came back to us.”
For Jo, the commencement of the Iron Women program has allowed her to take her skill set gained from working in the industry from the driver’s seat across to the passenger’s seat as one of the Wodonga TAFE training team.
“I have had 28 years in the industry, with 22 of them on the road. I got my B-double ticket in 2000, and back then women were somewhat bit of a silent population in the industry, but I had a lot of great mentors who were happy to help me into and through the industry. I have run interstate and spent the last four years on tippers; I came o the road about 18 months ago as I thought it was my turn to give something
THERE ARE 28,000 VACANCIES IN THE TRUCK DRIVING INDUSTRY AT THE MOMENT. WOMEN ARE AN UNTAPPED RESOURCE; WOMEN PARTICULARLY DON’T REALISE WHAT A GREAT CAREER IT IS.” JO BATHOLS
back and share some knowledge. It’s one of the best things you can do - I love it, and I can share my passion for it all.”
e Wodonga TAFE team were making their rst visit to the Brisbane Truck Show and with the Volvo being a drawcard to the school groups and other visitors to ‘ e Depot’ precinct.
“It’s just that ‘wow’ factor, they hop up into the truck and see, touch and feel what a truck is about. Its building the interest by letting them know there may be an opportunity to do something a little bit different…there are lots of di erent careers they can go into,” Jo said.
“To be part of it here is extra special and help get the message out there that it is a great career move.”
Easter Group Pty Ltd Easter Group Pty Ltd
73 Formation St, Wacol
Easter Group, located in Wacol, provides time sensitive road transporting solutions to many companies throughout Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.
We are a family owned business, operating since 1976. We currently have the following positions available: OPERATIONS ALLOCATORS (Brisbane based only)
You will be required to work on a rotating roster including Days-Nights-Weekends
Previous Operations experience preferred.
MC LOCAL, LINEHAUL & 2-UP DRIVERS WANTED
(Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Based)
Come and work for us as we are committed to:
• Training and further education • Your safety
• Maintaining an impressive Fleet
On offer arepermanent full time and roster positions including paid leave entitlements and public holidays. Drivers will need to be available to be scheduled for work falling across the 7 days of the week.
The successful Applicant will:
• Hold a current MC licence (minimum two years) • Have knowledge of the HVNL and Load Restraint • Be professional • Be reliable
To apply for the Operations/Driver positions please contact Operations Manager or by emailing your resume to
WORKSHOP MECHANICS & TYRE FITTERS WANTED (Brisbane based only)
To apply for Mechanic positions please forward your resume to Workshop Manager via email to employment@kseaster.com.au
[L-R] Iron Women participant Magadalene Faaumu, Jo Bathols, Alex Stojanovic (Wodonga TAFE) and Jacqui Lawson, also from the Iron Women program. Image: David Vile
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