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Truckie fights weighbridge fine
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FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Road train grounded during interstate blitz A road train was temporarily grounded by NSW Police, following an intercept on the Barrier Highway at Noona. Police stopped the vehicle at about 5.50pm on Thursday September 10, during a joint interstate heavy vehicle compliance operation called Operation Convoy, which took place from Wednesday, September 9, through to Tuesday, September 15, across two states. NSW Police worked together with the South Australia Police Heavy Vehicle Enforcement Section, conducting heavy vehicle compliance checks relating to fatigue, vehicle standards, and drug/ alcohol testing. During the blitz, police conducted 203 heavy vehicle in-
During Operation Convoy, police conducted 203 heavy vehicle inspections. Image: Barrier Police District
spections, 261 roadside breath tests, 215 roadside drug tests, and other heavy vehicle inspections. Police charged 42 drivers for heavy vehicle offences, issued
15 defect notices, detected 52 fatigue offences and grounded two vehicles. The driver of the grounded road train at Noona was a 37-year-old NSW man. He
was issued with traffic infringement notices for use unregistered trailer on road (two counts), driver not record required information after starting work (three counts), and driver not record prescribed information in written work diary. The second vehicle was grounded due to being unregistered. Commenting on Operation Convoy, a NSW Police spokesperson told Big Rigs, “Heavy vehicles are essential to the movement of freight across New South Wales and Australia, and most operators do the right thing. “Operations such as Convoy are designed to promote compliance with fatigue laws, vehicle standards and drug and
alcohol requirements, while identifying those who place themselves and other road users at risk. “By working alongside partner agencies and industry, these operations help prevent serious crashes and improve safety outcomes across our road network.” South Australia Police added, “Road safety doesn’t stop at state borders. Operations such as Convoy demonstrate the value of police agencies working together to target unsafe behaviour, improve heavy vehicle compliance and create safer roads for all motorists. “SAPOL is committed to supporting collaborative enforcement activities that enhance road safety across Australia.”
Truckie ordered to repay $200K for compo fraud
A 61-year-old truck driver was sentenced in the Wonthaggi Magistrates’ Court on Septem-
Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper is published by Prime Creative Media. It is the largest circulated fortnightly truck publication in Australia with 22,248* copies per fortnight. *Average circulation per issue in 2025
The truckie also has to complete 300 hours of unpaid community work. Image: liliyabatyrova/adobe. stock.com
ber 22 after earlier pleading guilty to three charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception. In addition to the $200,686 restitution order, he was convicted and placed on a twoyear Community Corrections Order with a condition to complete 300 hours of unpaid community work. The court heard the man began receiving weekly compensation payments in September 2012 after lodging a claim for sciatica pain from an injury sustained while working
as a transport manager. He then returned to modified duties at the business between January 2013 and July 2014 and did not disclose a return to work after this date. A WorkSafe Victoria investigation later found that he had gained employment as a truck driver with an excavation business from February 2018 until June 2020 where he worked up to five days per week, anywhere between two to 12 hours per day. His tasks included driving an excavation truck to job sites to
get loaded with dirt and tip off to a new site or quarry. The man continued to submit certificates declaring he had not worked and had no capacity to work, receiving $200,686 in weekly compensation payments during this time. Bank records revealed the truck driver received a total of $175,316 from the employment while in receipt of weekly compensation payments. WorkSafe Acting Executive Director Return to Work Victoria Brendan Rowbotham said the truck driver con-
tinually failed to disclose he had returned to employment in order to receive the weekly payments. “Over more than two years, this worker deceived the system by completing dishonest declarations that he had not worked while receiving compensation payments,” Rowbotham said. “This fraudulent behaviour is completely unacceptable and a criminal offence which undermines the integrity of our workers compensation scheme.”
NEWS 3
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026
NHVR boss hears drivers’ views in the cab
BY JAMES GRAHAM
FOR Rod Hannifey, the most important outcome of his recent road trip with National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) CEO Nicole Rosie was that she gave him the time to make his case. The veteran truckie told Big Rigs that was his biggest takeaway from last month’s 13-hour run from Dubbo to Brisbane. Rosie travelled in the Truckright Kenworth K200 Hannifey drives for Rod Pilon Transport, after accepting an invitation he made through LinkedIn. Hannifey came prepared with a list of 35 issues covering driver education, enforcement, rest areas, road conditions and the pressures of living and working in a truck. They got through the list, although he does not expect every issue to be resolved. “I don’t think any will be completely removed,” he said. “Some may be improved or actioned or pursued.” One priority was better education for learner drivers about sharing the road with trucks. Hannifey said Rosie recognised the need for education, and he hoped NHVR data and support could help
make the case to those able to change what new motorists are taught. They also discussed the condition of highways and its effect on vehicles and drivers. Hannifey said Rosie, who is no stranger to riding in trucks through her role leading the New Zealand Transport Agency, felt the impact of rough roads from the passenger seat and raised the pressure they place on maintenance. He acknowledged that road funding and repairs sit outside the NHVR’s authority. “She did say we [the regulator] have to recognise these pressures. But that doesn’t mean we give you a free pass. “She said in one way you knowing you are operating on sub-standard roads, if you wish to maintain not just the minimum standard, but a real industry safety standard, you might have to lift the level of your maintenance because you know that damage is occurring.” Rest areas were another topic. While the regulator also doesn’t have authority to build or improve sites, Hannifey said Rosie told him that there is no reason that the NHVR can’t support drivers’ requests for more and better facilities,
and encouraged drivers to seek a place in planning discussions early, before designs and budgets were settled. The pair also talked about giving drivers a more direct voice with the National Transport Commission and the regulator. For the latter, Hannifey proposed a small group of working drivers who could provide feedback on decisions that affect life on the road. “How we do that formally, or informally, we’re yet to decide. “She’s made no commitment to anything, but she’s kept the list, and I’ve asked her to come back to me,” he said. Hannifey said Rosie saw value in more NHVR staff travelling with drivers. His original invitation extended to her colleagues, and that offer remains open. Even an ordinary exchange over the UHF caught Rosie’s attention. Hannifey said he used the radio to coordinate trucks moving around a slower vehicle, and Rosie later raised it as an example of how drivers manage safety on the road. He believes the trip also helped each of them better understand the other’s
Hannifey and Rosie had a lot to discuss during the 13-hour run in the Truckright Kenworth K200 that Hannifey drives for Rod Pilon Transport. Image: Sarah Barnsley
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[L-R] Rod Hannifey, Nicole Rosie and Ben Pilon, Director at Rod Pilon Transport at the Dubbo depot. Image: NHVR
perspective. He said another eye-opener for Rosie was how much more time drivers spend in the truck in Australia, compared with her native New Zealand, and the job here was much more of a lifestyle decision. Rosie also had information about enforcement decisions that he did not, while he could show her how those decisions and the regulator’s public messaging are experienced by drivers. Hannifey also raised the issue of drivers needing more transparency when it comes to releasing information from roadside blitzes. “So, we do know what the problems are and hopefully we can act.” After spending much of the first 20 years of her career working with and in transport operations Rosie said she knows how important it is to get on the ground and see how things are working, or not working for front line operators and drivers. “Rod and I discussed the importance of the driver perspective – it is really im-
portant and is a very different perspective from those of the operators or associations,” Rosie said. “Drivers are facing the on the ground risks and managing the day-to-day challenges including the impacts of rules and regulations on the front line. “The driver’s perspective is really important at every level, from setting of standards to things like rest area design. I agree with Rod’s perspective that we need to get more drivers involved in the conversations.” Rosie believes that one of the things Hannifey took away from their long discussion was a better understanding of the complexity of the system in which drivers operate and the challenges of making changes within that system. “For example, we discussed licencing as a method to support better education of young drivers around heavy vehicles. As I discussed with Rod, whilst that is important, it is only part of the answer. “All humans make mistakes
and it is well known that younger people tend to be more risk taking and more likely to make mistakes, even with high levels of training. So, the system needs to plan for young people to make mistakes. “Operators/drivers can make a difference as well, through things like modern trucks and technology that plans for driver error of both the truck driver and those around the truck.” Rosie said they also discussed that rules tend to set the minimum standard, they do not typically drive best practice. “The rules are not a target to drive towards; they are the minimum level that society expects the sector to operate within. “In the case of issues like fatigue the rules are set at the maximum levels of deemed safe operation. “We discussed this, as people can be fatigued within an hour of getting into a truck. It is important that drivers and the sector understand this.”
4 NEWS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Actros ProCabin takes Australasian title
THE Mercedes-Benz Actros ProCabin has won the 2026 Australasian Truck of the Year award. Australasian Truck of the Year judges made the announcement at the NZ Road Trucking Hall of Fame in Invercargill, New Zealand, late last month. Based on the International Truck of the Year (IToY) rules, the annual award is presented to the truck introduced into the Australasian market in the past year, which has made the most significant contribution to road transport safety and efficiency. This judgement relies on several critical criteria, in-
cluding technological innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, fuel economy, environmental ‘footprint’ and Total Cost of Ownership. The other finalists were the Iveco Eurocargo, the UD Condor, the Fuso Shogun 530 and the Isuzu F Series. Former long-time PowerTorque editor, now a freelance truck journalist and IToY Associate Member for Australia, Tim Giles said the launch of the ProCabin takes the Mercedes Benz range into new territory. “This truck is a step-change from other trucks on the market, and great to drive. The new cabin design houses
an innovative air management system, and combining this with the latest state-ofthe-art in Daimler safety technology creates a truck which is up for any task,” Giles said. Dave McCoid, Editorial Director of New Zealand Trucking Media and International Truck of the Year (IToY) Associate Member for New Zealand, added that the launch of the ProCabin builds on the great strides the Mercedes-Benz brand has made in terms of cutting-edge technology Mercedes-Benz extended the front of the new Actros ProCabin by 80mm and then rounded off the face to
reduce drag and cut fuel consumption. The ProCabin design removes unwanted gaps and joints and guides air either around the cabin or straight into the truck’s cooling system. This concentration of the airflow maintains the cooling effectiveness of the Actros. “We are proud the Mercedes-Benz Actros ProCabin has been recognised as the Australasian Truck of the Year for 2026,” said Daimler Truck Australia Pacific Vice President Sales, Marketing and Operations, Andrew Assimo. “The Actros ProCabin was shaped to cut fuel consump-
tion even further, delivering our customers an edge that is even more valuable as fuel prices rise. “We’re thrilled this focus on
real-world efficiency, as well as our dedication to the most advanced safety, has been recognised by the Australasian Truck of the Year judges.”
Mercedes-Benz extended the front of the new Actros ProCabin by 80mm. Image: Daimler Truck
NHVR defends shutdown powers after prohibition outcry
THE National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has defended its power to shut down transport businesses after operators told Big Rigs of losses, staff departures and fights to get back on the road. In his latest column in this issue, NHVR Executive Director Statutory Compliance Paul Alsbury says prohibition notices are never issued for minor defects or isolated mistakes, and follow serious safety concerns that remain unresolved despite earlier intervention. His defence comes after
Big Rigs reported the impact of notices on Queensland’s Hawkins Transport and Powe’s Haulage. Hawkins’ fleet of 359 prime movers, trailers and dollies was grounded for 12 days in August, with notices lifted on August 26, the evening before a Supreme Court hearing. Owner Bradley Hawkins said he continued paying staff but lost between 10 and 15 workers because of uncertainty about their jobs. The business was given eight weeks to have its trucks
and trailers inspected. Hawkins criticised the difficulty of securing inspections from his remote Normanton base. Powe’s Haulage boss Danny Powe returned to the road after more than two months grounded, describing losses running into hundreds of thousands of dollars and having to sell equipment to survive. Writing in this edition of Big Rigs, Alsbury acknowledges the consequences for businesses can be significant but says fewer than 0.01 per cent of Australia’s 294,000
heavy vehicle operators will be subject to a prohibition notice. “Prohibition notices are remedial in nature – they are about addressing serious risks, not punishing operators.” Alsbury says operators subject to notices have had serious compliance histories, including accidents, rollovers, major fatigue contraventions or multiple defects, alongside considerable prior engagement with the regulator. Lower-level interventions and opportunities to address
risks precede stronger action, he says. “To be clear, a prohibition notice has never been issued for minor defects alone and is not a routine response to non-compliance.” Alsbury says decisions must be based on an imminent or immediate risk of death or serious harm, rather than simply an operator making a mistake or failing to meet a requirement. He says NHVR education activity has increased approximately 30 per cent over the past year, but education
cannot remain the response when serious safety issues go unaddressed. Drivers also have a right to safe vehicles and businesses that properly manage risks, he says. “Industry, rightfully, should expect us to exercise those powers carefully. “It should also expect us to use them when they are needed.”
• Turn to page 35 for more from Paul Alsbury on why and when the regulator issues a prohibition notice.
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NEWS 5
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026
Coalition vows automatic fuel cost relief
TRUCK operators would receive temporary relief from fuel costs under a new Coalition policy that would automatically reduce the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero during major global oil price shocks. The Opposition’s proposed Fuel Price Shield would be triggered when the two-week average closing price of Brent crude oil rose above US$100 a barrel. Under the policy announced at the weekend, fuel excise would automatically be halved, reducing the tax on petrol and diesel by about 27 cents a litre. The heavy vehicle road user charge would also fall from 32.4 cents a litre to zero, allowing truck and bus operators to claim the full 26.85 cents a litre fuel excise as a fuel tax credit, according to the Coalition. The credit could then be used to offset operators’ GST obligations when lodging their Business Activity Statements. Any changes would take effect from the Monday after the oil price trigger was reached. The relief would remain in place until the eight-week average Brent crude price fell below US$100 a barrel or three months had passed, whichever came first. At that point, the temporary reduction would end unless the government extended it
following a review of global oil prices and market conditions. Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Bridget McKenzie said the policy would provide protection for truckies, freight businesses and regional communities during international oil price spikes. “Truckies cannot simply stop driving when oil prices spike. Fuel is one of their biggest costs, and when that cost goes through the roof it flows straight through the supply chain to every supermarket shelf and every small business,” Senator McKenzie said. “The Fuel Price Shield will protect our transport industry
from sudden global oil shocks, with corresponding relief for the road user charge so heavy vehicle operators are not left behind.” The Coalition estimated its policy would cost about $950 million for every month it was activated. Its analysis found the shield would have been triggered twice during the past five years: for about six months following the global oil price shock of early 2022 and for three months from March 2026. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said the proposal would create an automatic response rather than requiring
governments to develop temporary relief measures after every major oil price surge. “When a serious oil shock hits, the tax comes down automatically. When oil prices return to more normal levels, the ordinary rate is restored,” Taylor said. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission would be asked to monitor wholesale and retail fuel prices while the shield was operating. Fuel retailers would be expected to pass on the full excise reduction as existing stocks bought at the higher rate were replaced. The Coalition said the proposal would complement its
Under the policy, fuel excise would automatically be halved, reducing the tax on petrol and diesel by about 27 cents a litre. Image: LightItUp/stock.adobe.com
previously announced fuel security policies, including plans to more than double minimum stockholding requirements to 60 days and establish an $800 million facility supporting more than one billion litres of additional fuel storage capacity. As prices at the bowsers soared back up toward $3-per-litre, Australia’s rural transport sector was quick to join the Australian Trucking Association in endorsing the proposed Fuel Price Shield proposal. The Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) also called for a dedicated agricultural freight network to allow higher-productivity vehicles to move livestock, grain, fertiliser, fuel and food more efficiently. ALRTA President Gerard Johnson said the need for reform had become more pressing after the national average retail diesel price increased by 15.9 cents per litre in just one week. “If fuel costs more, every level of government must help operators use every litre as productively as possible,” Johnson said. “There has never been a more compelling time for states to approve safe access for higher-productivity vehicles. “Moving more freight with fewer truck movements would
reduce diesel use, unnecessary detours and the splitting of combinations, while easing pressure on drivers, regional roads and the broader supply chain.” ALRTA wants the federal government to prioritise an Australian Agricultural Freight Network and work with the states to fast-track proposals contained in its National Livestock and Rural Freight Productivity Roadmap. In Queensland, it wants higher-productivity livestock combinations approved on validated south-east processing corridors, including links to major processors and feedlots. The association also wants authorities to reassess Rockhampton road-train access and operating-hour restrictions that can force transporters to split combinations, creating extra trips, delays and fuel consumption. Proposed NSW reforms include developing 36.5-metre livestock freight corridors linking Gunnedah and Tamworth with Newcastle, Singleton and Quirindi, as well as Dubbo to Dunedoo and Wagga Wagga to Albury. Victorian priorities include progressing the Mildura– Portland agricultural freight corridor and assessing a 42-metre route from Heywood through Warrnambool, Colac, Geelong and Corio.
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6 NEWS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Truckie fights $800 weighbridge fine BY JAMES GRAHAM
EXPERIENCED truckie Kylie Robinson readily admits she should have entered the open weighbridge near Willow Tree on the New England Highway earlier this year. But at the time, focused on other trucks coming and going from the southbound lanes – and the fact she wasn’t specifically called in, as is the case in Queensland – she simply “sailed on by”. “As soon as I got to that exit gate, I thought, ‘Oh shit, I was supposed to go in there’,” Robinson told Big Rigs. Robinson says what she did next makes the fine of more than $800 unfair and disproportionate. Just minutes after realising her error, she pulled over the distinctive lilac T909 A-double she drives for R&K Bulk Haulage in nearby Willow Tree and tried to find a phone number for the weighbridge, also known as the Kankool Heavy Vehicle Safety Station. Unable to locate one, she called the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and reported that she had missed the entrance. According to Robinson, the person she spoke to suggested she return within 15 minutes and she wouldn’t be fined. Robinson said she explained that she was driving an A-double and could not find a safe place to turn around and get back in that time. She asked for the station to be told what had happened and said she would enter when she returned after loading. “I did everything in my
power to rectify the situation,” she said. On her return trip, Robinson drove into the station voluntarily. She said an officer recognised her distinctive truck called ‘Little Critter’, spoke to her about passing the entrance earlier and checked her work diary. She also showed him the record of her call to the NHVR. Robinson said she was told a fine would still be issued, but that she could seek a review and explain the steps she had taken. Her initial request was unsuccessful. Lawyer Belinda Hughes then wrote to the NHVR on her behalf, seeking a further review and asking it to withdraw the infringement or replace it with a warning. Hughes’s submission accepted that Robinson had made a mistake, but argued that the surrounding traffic explained the lapse, her immediate call and voluntary return showed she had not tried to avoid inspection, and she could not safely and lawfully turn the A-double around in time to meet the 15-minute amnesty window. The NHVR’s written response to Hughes, dated September 3, says it considered those circumstances but decided the infringement should stand. The regulator expressly accepts there is no suggestion Robinson deliberately sought to avoid inspection and says her call and voluntary return count in her favour. However, it says those actions do not undo her failure to enter when required. It says inspection stations al-
The weighbridge on the New England Highway. Image: NHVR
Kylie Robinson, inset, tried to do the right thing after driving by the weighbridge in her distinctive T909. Images: Kylie Robinson
low officers to check vehicles for safety and compliance, and that the obligation to enter does not depend on whether a truck is loaded or a driver believes an inspection is necessary. It also considered the difficulty Robinson reported in turning an A-double around. In the NHVR’s view, that may explain why she did not return immediately but does not change the fact that she had already passed the entrance. Robinson’s driving history was another factor in its decision against a warning. The NHVR says it is not alleging a pattern of missed weighbridges. It says, however, that previous traffic matters are relevant when deciding whether further leniency is warranted, even if they are different from the present infringement. An NHVR spokesperson also told Big Rigs that professional heavy vehicle drivers are expected to be familiar with safety stations along their
routes, including the signage used to indicate when entry is required. “A heavy vehicle travelling north towards the Kankool Safety Station passes four signs advising of the station’s presence, including three signs indicating when the station is open and operating,” the spokesperson said. Failing to follow a direction to enter a safety station, including by passing a “Trucks Must Enter” sign or otherwise bypassing a lawful direction, is a serious offence under the HVNL. The spokesperson added that the vast majority of heavy vehicle drivers comply with directions to enter when required. “Where a driver raises concerns about an alleged failure to enter a safety Station, each matter is assessed on its individual circumstances. “This may include the circumstances in which the vehicle passed the station and, where relevant, the number of
hours taken for the driver to return and speak with officers. “As the driver involved has elected to take this matter to court, the NHVR is unable to comment further at this time.” Robinson told Big Rigs she has received speeding fines, including two while driving a truck, but said she has never previously missed a weighbridge. Hughes’s submission says she has no previous NHVR penalty for a work diary breach, overloading or failing to enter a weighbridge. The NHVR described the infringement as an appropriate and proportionate response. Hughes, who offered to represent Robinson for free, disagrees. “Here is a hardworking driver who made a mistake but has taken every reasonable step to correct it,” she told Big Rigs. “The continued prosecution of this matter makes people ask the question – What’s the point in putting in the time and effort of calling the
NHVR and returning back to a weighbridge if you are going to be fined anyway?” Hughes said the case called for discretion. She welcomed the NHVR’s decision to reconsider it, while saying its refusal remained difficult to understand. For Robinson, the issue is not whether the station’s direction applied to her. The founder of the former Trucking Support Agency of Australia and a long-time collaborator with the NHVR on videos explaining work diaries and driving hours to other truckies accepts that it did. She wants the effort she made to report the error and present her truck for inspection to carry more weight. “I did the very best that I could to let them know what I’d done wrong,” she said. Robinson and Hughes are now taking up the option to have the matter determined by a court.
Eagle-eyed truck driver has NSW speeding fine wiped A truck driver has shared his experience of being wrongfully fined – and how he noticed there was an issue – in the hope it may help other Big Rigs readers who are faced with similar situations. Jason Johnstone wrote to Big Rigs after reading the story ‘Fixed camera fine sticks despite GPS’, published in the September 11, 2026 print edition, and online. Johnstone was fined for travelling at 89km/h in an 80km/h speed zone, heading northbound on the M1 Princes Motorway on December 17, 2023, at 2.16pm, however thankfully he experienced a positive end result. At the time, Johnstone was working for a transport company, transporting coal from Appin in south west Sydney to Port Kembla. “I would travel
the M1 Princes Motorway up to six times per shift,” he said. “There are a couple of fixed cameras on this stretch of road. I’m referring to the northbound camera near Gwynneville, where the speed drops from 90km/h to 80km/h.” When Johnstone received an infringement notice in the mail, it stated the vehicle registration, alleged speed, vehicle travel direction, sign posted speed limit and the date and time of the alleged offence. The infringement notice also included a reference number, allowing Johnstone to go online and view the images. “I did this to check that the rego and fleet number matched my work sheet for that particular day,” he said. However while doing so, Johnstone saw another detail
that wasn’t included on the paper infringement. “I noticed some writing in the top left corner of the photo that stated location, direction, vehicle speed, sign posted speed, date and time. It also stated lane 2, which wasn’t printed on the paper infringement notice I received,” explained Johnstone. “This caught my attention as the vehicle I was operating was clearly travelling in lane 1 at that time. “There was an email address supplied for questioning the infringement if I wanted to.” Johnstone contacted Revenue NSW with his query. “I asked why the images have lane 2 printed on them when the vehicle I was operating is very clearly travelling in lane 1. I asked if it was possible that a small vehicle was travelling
above the speed limit in lane 2 that had triggered the camera and is obstructed from view by the size of the truck.” Johnstone said he received a positive response within days. As he told Big Rigs, “After reviewing my case it was determined the infringement was wrongly sent to me, no further action would be taken and they were sorry for any inconvenience caused.” He added that he wanted to share his experience with other truck drivers, in case they find themselves in this type of situation. “It might help someone in the future if they don’t already know to check the lane stated in the image correlates to the lane the vehicle is captured in, as no one wants to have to pay a penalty for an offence that they haven’t committed!”
Johnstone says the lane printed on the photo didn’t match with the lane his vehicle was travelling in. Image: Jason Johnstone
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8 OPINION
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Listening matters
EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM
GIVING up 13 hours to sit beside a truckie from Dubbo to Brisbane deserves recognition. National Heavy Vehicle Regulator CEO Nicole Rosie’s decision to join Rod Hannifey gave one of the industry’s most passionate advocates a valuable opportunity to explain the challenges drivers face. Too often they feel like no one is listening at all. There is only so much a meeting or written submission can convey about fatigue, the search for a suitable rest area, rough roads and the pressures of earning a living behind the wheel. Hannifey came prepared with 35 issues. Nobody expects one trip to solve them all, or the NHVR to fix problems outside its control. But hopefully those conversations will lead to practical improvements, whether through better education, a closer look at enforcement or stronger advocacy for the facilities drivers need.
What’s hot online
Operator back on road after battle OUR story in the last issue about Danny Powe’s long fight to get back on the road after a prohibition notice sparked an outpouring of support for the Queensland operator. Many felt the collision between the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s ute and Powe’s truck could have been avoided.
Powe’s Haulage was grounded soon after this incident at the mill. Image: Powe’s Haulage
“You’d think inspectors would know better than to place themselves at risk as they have,” wrote Nigel Rutley. Rutley also backed Powe’s lawyer Belinda Hughes’s call for more independent oversight of the regulator. “Being an independent body, they shouldn’t have such powers to shut down businesses without at least a court order that can be appealed. “Again, as Belinda states that however the NHVR uses its power there should be a legal process that companies can access for appeal. All said and done, these powers appear to be extreme-
NEWS that truckies now have a dedicated place to pull up at Granite Creek on the Bruce wasn’t met with the celebrations that authorities may have expected. “Honestly it’s not in the greatest of spots,” wrote Josh Rigney. “But if you’re only on 12 hours and coming out of Townsville area not in a hurry and you don’t need anything in town it’s probably a good thing. “But as others have said, more consultation is required with those that actually traverse the highway on a daily basis. There’s already a parking bay with plenty of space at Miriam
Vale. Gin Gin is a popular spot for changeovers or first breaks north out of Brisbane. “Colosseum Creek has a decent size area just up the road just to name a few in that 100km stretch. Doesn’t take a genius to work out that maybe, just maybe, money could have been better utilised in another area.” Niell Graham agreed: “In reality, who’s going to stop overnight between Miriam Vale and Gin Gin? In the 25 years I’ve been driving the Bruce I’ve never needed to stop overnight, always at Gin Gin or Miriam Vale, never in between. Luke Guy also agreed that
ly unconstitutional, breaching our basic constitutional right to work and earn an income.” Raptor Towing and Transport also believes the regulator has too much power. “They can issue mobile phone usage fines,” they wrote. “They can climb in your cab without any form of warrant or permission and rummage around.” “They are mainly there to check weights, major safety hazards, work hours, etc. This pulling people over, detaining them for up to an hour and searching top to bottom till they find something is wrong.”
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Driver fined $687 over load restraint
READERS were also quick to share their feedback on our story about the driver who was fined $687 after being intercepted by National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Safety and Compliance Officers (SCOs) at Rocklea. The truck was carrying 34 pallets of watermelons, with each pallet weighing around 600-800kg. The regulator says that each row required at least two webbing restraints to be compliant. Kelvin Armistead said he could see by the photo they are stacked three high. “Say we average it out at 700 per pallet it means there’s 2.1 tonnes first space so I think the overweight infringement
would be far worse, but we all know that will only be by averaging about 300-350 pallet “So, they clearly don’t know what’s going on.” Added Mat Gill: “Everyone has been saying these bins weigh nowhere near the weight stated by NHVR. Surely ole mate would have
paperwork stating the total weight and pallets on board to work out the correct weight of each bin if they are in fact a lot lighter than stated?” James Atkins reckons there should have been a strap over the gates. “But even that isn’t truly legal.”
The driver received a substantial risk load restraint infringement. Image: NHVR
New dedicated rest area for truckies Owner fined $2091 after truck bogs
The facility has 12 parking spaces designed for 26-metre B-doubles. Image: TMR
the location “is rubbish” and “nowhere from anywhere”. “I went past early this morning and there was one truck and three vans in there, as well as the camping/ caravan side having plenty in there. “No thought is ever given to these things as in ask those who would be using it!!”
OUR story about the owner of a truck that got bogged less than 50 metres from a mound of demolition waste illegally dumped next to Oaklands Road in Bulla also provoked lively discussion online. In scenes that went viral last month, a man was left waiting helplessly beside the immobilised truck as Hume City Council, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and EPA Victoria arrived on the scene. The owner of the truck was later fined $2091. “What a joke,” wrote Sean Caulfield. “$2091, sure that will deter them from doing
it again. Probably costs three times that a week to tip everything legally.” Nic Ashman believes the high tip fees are a contributing factor. “The problem is: The tip fees are so exorbitant - for the only reason of making the COUNCIL money! “Didn’t have this problem 5-10 years ago when a 6x4 trailer was 50 bucks to dump. It’s now (in some places) $300-plus. “Yes, culture is in play as well, but there are many Aussie mums and dads dumping as well - proving that it is a
COUNCIL pricing issue!” Jason Eddy also agreed that the fine wasn’t a big enough deterrent. “Yet we get as drivers $3800 minimum for a fatigue breach that is a workplace issue not a traffic violation.”
Despite the evidence, the man denied he or the vehicle had any connection to the dumping. Image: Cr Naim Kurt
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FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
IN BRIEF Retired operator turns 100 $30.7 million bridge
Work is progressing on a new $30.7 million bridge across the Murrumbidgee River between Gundagai and Wagga Wagga, that will provide B-double access across this key regional NSW river crossing when it opens later this year. The existing low-level bridge is a single-lane and the only public river crossing between the two regional centres. Its replacement will be a modern two-lane structure designed to accommodate larger heavy vehicles, including B-doubles, as well as farm machinery. The new bridge is being built at a higher level to improve reliability during flooding.
Bruce Hwy rest area
A new heavy vehicle rest area has opened on the Bruce Highway between Gin Gin and Benaraby. Occupying about 9500 square metres, it has 12 parking spaces designed for 26-metre B-doubles, along with amenities and rest facilities. The Department of Transport and Main Roads confirmed that cars and caravans are directed to a separate, existing motorist rest area immediately north of the new truck facility. Both areas are reached from the same highway exit. The project was delivered under the $9 billion Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program.
Greenfreight sale
Wodonga-based forestry and linehaul operator Greenfreight has sold the majority of its highway business to a “large” national transport and logistics company. The second-generation business did not reveal the name of the buyer in social media posts announcing the news last month, however Big Rigs has approached the company for comment. “With more than 50 years of history behind our family business, this has been an incredibly difficult decision,” the statement reads. “It follows several months of careful consideration and planning, amid rising fuel costs, the impact of January’s devastating fires, ongoing pressure on freight rates and softer demand across the economy.” Greenfreight will continue to operate, with a focus on its specialist transport services.
New Tassie rest area
The Westbury westbound heavy vehicle rest area on the Bass Highway began construction in late September and is due for completion by March 2027. It will feature toilets, lighting, a seating area and parking for up to 15 heavy vehicles. This rest area is located along the key freight route between Devonport, Launceston, and Hobart. The project follows the completion of the Launceston-bound heavy vehicle rest area at Westbury, which opened in June this year. Together, the two facilities will provide dedicated rest opportunities for heavy vehicle operators travelling in both directions along the Bass Highway.
Starting out in a horse and cart, before moving into trucks, 100-year-old Bruce Pilgrim reflects on a long and storied career. BY DANIELLE GULLACI
IT’S not often that you meet a person who’s seen the industry change and evolve over the course of a century – yet that’s been the case for Bruce Pilgrim, who celebrated his 100th birthday on September 3. Bruce spent about 90 years living in Sydney before moving to New South Wales’ Northern Rivers in 2015 after losing his wife, to be closer to his son Bruce Pilgrim Jnr. He spent about 50 years driving trucks across New South Wales, throughout the east coast, into the Northern Territory and even across the Nullarbor. It was a health issue that forced Bruce to give up trucking at the age of 70. “Dad got peritonitis in 1996, so he gave it up after his surgery. So he’s been lazing around for 30 years,” joked 70-yearold Bruce Jnr, who followed his father into the industry – first as a diesel mechanic and then driving trucks. He even spent many years working alongside him. As Bruce Snr reflected, “The trucks were a lot harder to drive back then, we did long hours.” It was back when a return trip from Sydney to Melbourne would take five days – if all went to plan. “It’s a piece of cake now,” laughed Bruce, who was known to drive in his sleeping bag in the winter to keep warm, with his feet poking out of the corners so he could still use the pedals. “We had no heating, no air conditioning, no power steering and no bunks.” Interestingly, Bruce’s career in transport started without any trucks. The year was 1940 and Bruce left school, at just 14, to work with his father on the family’s dairy farm in Parramatta, NSW. Together they’d do milk deliveries to homes and shops, twice a day, using a horse and cart. He also had to milk the cows, twice a day, every day. By around 1950, Bruce had traded horses for engines and began his trucking career in an Austin and flat top he had purchased, that was just a few years old. Working for East Coast Transport, he carted paper and cardboard – including beer boxes from Syd-
Bruce grew up on the family’s dairy farm in Parramatta, NSW.
ney to Melbourne. “The road then was mostly dirt,” he said. And at just 28hp, “My truck wasn’t quite as fast as some of the other trucks. It only went fast going downhill with the wind behind you!” Interestingly, Bruce added that back then, “You couldn’t drive into Victoria on a Sunday. Every time we went across the border, we’d have to pay our road tax at the railway station. “If you got to Wodonga on a Sunday, there’d be all these trucks lined up, waiting to cross the border once it hit midnight. Then it would be like a race to get across.” Eventually, in the early 1950s, Bruce Snr purchased a Diamond T and a McGrath single axle trailer. “That was the truck everyone wanted back then. They were the big American trucks in Australia at the time, a bit like the Kenworth 909 today. The Diamond T was a single drive and had a petrol motor, so it wasn’t very powerful,” he said. To this day, it remains the favourite truck he ever had. Bruce Snr held onto his Diamond T for many years, before purchasing a Magirus-Deutz in 1964, moving away from the paper and cardboard deliveries, and switching to asbestos pipes out of Parramatta and throughout NSW, a job he did for the next 21 years. Bruce Jnr has fond memories of going out in the truck with his father. “My sister Ann and I would go out in the truck together with Dad when we were young. We’d do overnighters and I had to sleep on the floor wrapped around the gearstick, Ann would be on the seat and Dad would sleep on the trailer or under the trailer,” he said. “Mum used to say, watch him and make sure he doesn’t get tired and fall asleep. I used to think he was falling asleep because he was sitting in the middle of the road, but then I found out it was because the pipes were loaded so high and there was a slope on the road – it was so he wouldn’t tip! I think I went home and dobbed him into Mum.” At one point, Bruce Snr and a friend turned business partner, were running five trucks, all Deutz models. Though that partnership was short-lived. In the 1980s, Bruce bought two trucks and two trailers from another friend and began carting steel off the rail, alongside his son Bruce Jnr. “Loading at the railway, there were no gates on the trailers, they’d just use ropes. The load looked like it was going to fall off, but I never lost a load,” Bruce Snr proudly added. While Bruce Snr moved into carting Emoleum and hot mix around Sydney with his International Acco 2150, in the later stages of his career, Bruce Jnr moved into fuel transport. As Bruce Jnr explained, “After we lost the steel contract, I went to BP and started carting
fuel. I was a company driver at BP for 11.5 years, and then spent 17 years driving my own truck, carting fuel.” Bruce Jnr retired from the road in 2014 and now works at a fuel depot three days a week. Asked if he missed being on the road, Bruce Snr responded with a swift, “No!” Although he followed that up with stories of camaraderie and mateship formed out on the highways. “Back then, if you were broken down, nobody ever passed anybody. Sometimes there’d be a dozen trucks, all stopped, and nobody would leave until your truck got going again. We’d all be camped on the side of the road until the issue got fixed. Someone would head out to get beer and sausages and we’d cook them up.” To mark Bruce’s 100th birthday, his family held a special party in his honour last month, attended by family and some of his old mates from his trucking days.
Bruce Pilgrim’s 100th birthday celebration. Images: Bruce Pilgrim Jnr
Bruce and his father delivering milk with their horse and cart.
Bruce purchased his Diamond T in the early 1950s – and it’s remained his favourite truck.
Bruce (left) with one of his Deutz trucks and a load of asbestos pipes.
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12 COVER STORY
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Volvo doubles up on electric evolution
With a little help from Volvo, Big Rigs was able to coax this venerable truck journalist out of retirement for this exclusive first drive of a fully electric B-double prime mover. BY STEVE BROOKS
IT’S an understatement of onerous proportion, but much has changed in the three years since late in 2023 when nagging and haggling eventually delivered the opportunity to be the first ‘outsider’ to trial a Volvo electric truck and trailer outfit on a public road. And not just any public road, but the fiercely demanding climb up and down Cunningham’s Gap west of Brisbane. Sure, a year earlier I’d driven electric combinations on Swedish roads but with Volvo’s corporate mantra subsequently pushing the electric truck barrow deeper into the Australian trucking psyche, it seemed more than a tad timely to put the weights on Volvo Group Australia (VGA) for a real world run in our neck of the woods. Fortunately, Volvo’s local leaders were cautiously yet understandably open to the idea. After all, in numerous interviews and press conferences in Europe and Australia, the brand’s Swedish supremo Roger Alm was staunchly expressing Volvo’s absolute commitment to not only the ongoing development of electric trucks but more broadly, pushing for an historic transformation in trucking technology to reach the end goal of zero emissions. Indeed, it’s more than fair to assert that Volvo’s fiscal and ideological dedication to sustainable alternative energy sources has few peers in the commercial vehicle world. So, long story short, a new FH Electric was coupled to a tri-axle curtain-sider and grossing around 35 tonnes – 10 tonnes under the 45-tonne gross limit of electric FM and FH models at that time – silently rolled out of VGA’s Wacol facility for a run aiming to provide some clarity on performance and actual driving range under Australian conditions. Obviously enough, electric trucks are almost entirely suited to shorthaul urban roles due to two critical factors: limited driving range and recharging infrastructure. Even so, the 193km roundtrip in the FH Electric at least
showed that a regional run which included such a hard haul as the Cunningham’s climb was not completely beyond the electric model’s ability; providing gross weight isn’t too great, providing there’s a reasonably long downhill run to regenerate battery charge for the run home, and providing the truck is driven with a relatively soft right foot. Put plainly, the overall efficiency and subsequent driving range of an electric truck are dependent on many factors similar to diesel models, such as load, ease or severity of the route, and driving style. Indeed, as it was graphically revealed in that initial on-road trial, a heavy right foot has the potential to syphon electric power even more effectively than it drains diesel. Anyway, at the end of a day when there were several nervous moments about the combination’s chances of making it back to Wacol before the batteries ran flat, the FH Electric rolled softly and quietly home with the digital dash readout showing 20 per cent battery charge still remaining and vitally, a projected 50km of driving range still up its sleeve. All up, it was certainly a worthwhile exercise, perhaps for no more valid reason than demonstrating that in the ongoing evolution of battery electric heavy-duty trucks, there exists the potential to tackle tasks beyond basic perceptions. But, of course, all that was three years ago and to state the obvious once more, things have changed more than anyone could’ve probably guessed. Due to Donald and his dubious disciples, fuel prices and diesel particularly have exploded in sync with a brainless “four to six weeks” war with Iran that’s now approaching its 10th month with no end in sight. On our automotive home front, there’s also been an explosion in the uptake of either fully electric or hybrid electric cars in response to the fuel fiasco, buoyed by a swathe of well-priced models from China and the comparative ease of recharging either at home or an increasing number of charging outlets along major routes.
On the other hand, electric trucks and particularly heavy-duty electric trucks, do not yet have these fundamental attributes at a price or in quantities to provoke a surge in sales. However, with diesel prices continuing to reach historic highs, there’s little doubt some outfits in urban applications are chewing the cost and practicality numbers harder than ever before. Meantime, the technological trek continues and Volvo now has a second generation of electric powertrain in action, generating up to 524kW (713hp) and what can only be described as a relatively modest 1060Nm (782 lb ft) of torque. The big news, however, is that with the development of a unique eight-speed I-shift automated transmission designed specifically for electric powertrains, advances in battery chemistry to enhance both performance and driving range, and tweaks to minimise driveline factors, Volvo has confidently increased the gross combination mass (GCM) limit of its heavy-duty electric FM and FH flagships from 45 tonnes to 65 tonnes. Volvo insiders don’t deny the GCM increase was initially to satisfy Sweden’s top-weight toilers but obviously, it also opened the door for VGA to start trials of the first fully electric B-double prime mover on the Australian market. Consequently, or perhaps incidentally, the offer to again be the first ‘outsider’ to drive Volvo’s latest electric evolution on home turf wasn’t easily dismissed despite more than a year since happily ambling into retirement. Besides, driving trucks really doesn’t get much easier than this despite the fact I am a proud product of an old school where terms like kilowatt-hours (kWh) and charging rates aren’t part of the ingrained mindset. Nonetheless, the fundamentals of the exercise started with an FM Electric sporting a high-rise Globetrotter cab, fully charged from one of two 350kW DC charging banks installed at Volvo’s vast new logistics and parts facility at
The chargers can fully recharge the truck’s six batteries in around 90 minutes.
Minto in Sydney’s south-west. Apparently, these top-shelf chargers can fully recharge the truck’s six batteries in around 90 minutes. Typically, tare weight of the FM Electric is heavy at 12 tonnes but of course, Euro 6 and zero emissions models are granted a regulatory limit of seven tonnes over the steer axle. It’s worth noting too, the test truck ran on 385/65R 22.5 wide profile steer tyres. Hooked to a curtain-sided trailer set and grossing 61.5 tonnes according to Volvo’s Matt Wood in the passenger seat, the day’s duties were to simply assess the truck on a circuitous toll route from Minto to Port Botany then through the road network that runs in and under Sydney before popping out on the northern side of the harbour and dawdling through a few sets of suburban traffic lights before picking up the M2 and M7 Motorways back to Minto. All up, just shy of 144km which took a few minutes under three hours with the onboard computer revealing an average speed of 68km/h, energy consumption of 208kWh and notably, regenerated energy of almost 59kWh due in large part to consistent use of the model’s highly effective three-stage retarder. Yet most importantly, the FM Electric finished with 30 per cent battery capacity equating to a potential remaining driving range of 80km, thus an overall range of around 220km for this test unit. Is that enough for, say, a B-double hauling containers in and around a major centre? Maybe, but preferably with a charging top-up during the day just to be sure. But then, that’s where infrastructure and cost come into the equation and that’s where the buck gets passed for others to answer. Yet in performance terms, the only stretch that caused the truck to dig deep was the reasonably long northbound haul out of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. Other than that, the truck handled the task with all the supremely quiet manners expected of it, though it still remains hard to be impressed by digital mirrors with their typically European concave view. Give me Volvo’s excellent flat glass standard mirrors any day. Finally, a few words on the new eight-speed automated shifter. Volvo is keeping finer details of the design close to the chest, but it’s known that the transmission uses an electric motor on each of the two input shafts, basically one to make the shift while the other prepares for the next shift. What’s more, there’s no conventional reverse gear. Instead, an electric motor simply spins in the opposite direction when ‘R’ is engaged on the shift lever. Sounds strange, but it works brilliantly in practice.
The test truck ran on 385/65R 22.5 wide profile steer tyres.
This test unit has an overall range of around 220km.
The truck handled the task with ease. Images: VGA
The route popped out on the northern side of the harbour.
It is, quite simply, an incredibly intuitive transmission and with the very slight exception of the range change, the shifts are seamlessly smooth. In almost every instance, it seemed like there were just
two speeds, low and high, such was the imperceptible shift quality. Technology takes time and whatever your thoughts on electric trucks, they’re here to stay. Guaranteed!
The winning range Electric transport taken further
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Volvo Trucks. Driving Progress
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16 FEATURE
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Success built on family values This hard-working brother and sister team is continuing to build on what their parents started more than 50 years ago. BY DANIELLE GULLACI STUART Arthy was just a baby when his father Raymond Arthy purchased his first truck back in 1972 – marking the start of Arthy Rural Services, which continues to operate from its original site at Laravale, Queensland, to this day. “Dad bought a blue Austin and red Commer – I don’t remember which he got first, but I do remember riding in the Austin,” said Stuart, now 53. “By the time I was 13 or 14, I’d go out with him in his crane truck. There were a lot of sawmills in the hills around here so he’d cart the timber waste that would be burned to make charcoal, which is how they’d cook the chickens back in the day.” Now 81, Raymond’s foray into trucking began when he started driving a local concrete truck at the age of 20. He later borrowed the family’s farm truck, a 4-tonne Bedford, to haul molasses for local dairies, and then bought his own truck as demand for his services grew. Together with his wife Kirtsey Arthy, they launched Arthy Rural Services. “Dad was the first commercial haulier to cart molasses out of Sunshine Sugar Mills on the north coast of NSW,” added Stuart. Though molasses transport remains a large part of their offering, Arthy Rural Services has diversified and expanded its services to cater to the needs of the agricultural sector. In the early days, they carted whey, liquid feed and silage; eventually expanding into carting chicken and feedlot manure; with live chickens added into the mix about 20 years ago. Having grown up around his parents’ business, it was perhaps not all that surprising that Stuart would eventually join their side. “I came on board as a driver when I was 24 but I did my trade before that as a mechanic, and spent a couple of years working as a race car mechanic before joining the family business,” Stuart explained. “Dad ran the workshop and I’d help out when I wasn’t driving. Once he retired, I had to step into the workshop role more, but I still get in the truck when I need to. “We do a lot of our own run of the mill maintenance, but for the bigger stuff we outsource it.” While Stuart manages the workshop and often jumps
Raymond’s first semi spreader.
[L-R]: Two generations, Marion, Raymond and Stuart Arthy. Images: Arthy Rural Services
in the truck, his sister Marion Sawyers manages the administration side, including fleet allocation. Their younger brother David also works in the business as a mechanic and truck driver. Marion, 46, also has fond memories of getting involved with the trucks early on as a kid. “I remember I’d help Dad fill drums of molasses on Saturday mornings when I was about 5 or 6,” she said. “He’d also take me on trips to Bundaberg with the tankers. We’d be away for four or five days at a time and I’d have to sleep in the passenger footwell of the truck, because it didn’t have a bunk.” It was about 20 years ago that Marion came on board with the family business, after returning from two and a half years of living abroad. “When I came back home, I was at a crossroads with what to do. With Mum and Dad beginning to look towards retirement, Stuart and I formed our own company and started the process of buying them out. When a truck or piece of equipment needed replacing, Stuart and I would buy the new item, and Mum and Dad would get the trade for the old.” Raymond semi-retired about 10 years ago, and officially retired five years ago, with the siblings taking the reins of the family operation. As Marion told Big Rigs, they still always include their father when making the big business decisions. “There are always going to be things you do differently from your parents but we really value Dad’s input – he did this for a long time, so he’s got so much knowledge and experience.” Raymond’s contribution to the transport industry and
The company runs a mixed fleet of seven trucks.
local community saw him formally recognised in 2021, when he was inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame. Marion added that their dedicated team of staff helps to keep the business running smoothly. “Our employees are by far our greatest asset, and we really do see each and every one of them as family. They’ve all been here for a very long time, some for well over 20 years, and go above and beyond every day.” Though recently, the team experienced a tragedy, sadly losing one of their own. “We went through our worst nightmare earlier in the year with one of our drivers killed in a truck accident, just minutes from our depot,” revealed Marion. “Matt had been with us for over 11 years and it was an absolutely devastating time for us all and we miss him every day.” Arthy Rural Services currently runs a fleet of seven trucks, including Volvos, Kenworths, a Mack and a Western Star, and a diverse fleet of 12 trailers. There are three B-double tanker sets for molasses and liquid feed, two specialised trailers used to transport crates of live chickens, a walking floor for chicken manure, a 19-metre B-double set of tippers for bulk
grain and fertiliser transport, a rigid truck for gravel and smaller chicken manure deliveries, a drop deck float, and the posi-track and telehandler loaders used for chicken farm cleanouts. “We do a variety of stuff now. The bulk of the work is about a 50/50 split between molasses and liquid feed for a handful of companies, and the rest of the work is on the chicken side – cleaning out chook farms and refurbishing the shed floors, and transporting chickens,” said Stuart, fresh off delivering a load of chickens. “I jump in the truck whenever we get really busy. Twice a year we do the big Sydney bird shift from Casino to Bargo in New South Wales. It goes for nearly three weeks each time and it’s two truckloads of chickens a day – with up to 5000 chickens in a load,” he said. “They rear the chickens at a few farms in Casino and we cart them to Bargo where they spend the next six months making fertile eggs for the broiler industry.” When Stuart jumps in the truck it’s usually the 2002 Volvo FH12 460, which he’s driven since it was brand new. “That’s my favourite truck,” he said. “Originally I drove it for five years nonstop, then it got passed on to
The B-double set of tippers is used for bulk grain and fertiliser transport.
David Arthy’s kids Elijah and Amity Arthy at the Lights on the Hill Memorial convoy a few years ago.
The company also has a drop deck float.
one of our drivers. It’s done over 2.2 million kilometres, but I love it. It still has the original engine and still goes really well.” The Arthy branded trucks can typically be found operating throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales, however sometimes they’ll head as far as Victoria and South Australia, if required. Stuart enjoys being able to get out on the road but admits it can be a juggle. “I do like the driving but when I’m away, I’m always thinking about all the mechanical stuff I have to do when I get back. It was easier for me to manage when we had less trucks and Dad did a lot of the maintenance,” he said. “But it is pretty cool to be able to continue the family business, especially when you can tell people it’s been
around since the 1970s. I guess we’ve really just grown into this. “Dad always said to us if we ever wanted to get out or sell up, don’t think you owe it to me to keep going – so I think there is a sense of pride for him that we’ve chosen to continue on.” Sometimes that sort of longevity can bring added pressure too. “It is very rewarding and I’m proud of what we do,” Marion added. “But it’s also very stressful sometimes because you’re so invested in making sure the business is successful. You always want to do a good job to continue the legacy of your parents. “I love being in business with my family. We’ve hardly ever had any conflicts. We get along very well and we’re very much on the same page when it comes to decision making abilities,” she said.
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18 EVENTS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
A world record and first wedding at Klassic More than 1600 trucks filled the Hawkesbury Showground, but it was the people and their stories that made this year’s event so special. BY GRAHAM HARSANT ONE thousand one hundred and sixty! That is the official number of Kenworths that turned up to The Clarendon Kenworth Klassic in 2026, eclipsing the 853 that showed up last year. Add to that some 460 trucks of other marques that adorned a separate area at the Hawkesbury Showground on the northwestern outskirts of Sydney and you have a truck event to rival any in the world. Indeed, this is a world record (again) for a gathering of the famous brand. Just one ‘road’ at the event was filled with side-by-side KWs stretching some 1.3km! Then add the side ‘roads’ and the oval and you know why you need to go and see the Klassic for yourself. No competition, no prizes – apart from one or two discretionary ones – no need to polish, although hundreds were seen doing just that throughout the weekend of September 19-20. “It’s just what we do, mate,” said more than one proud truckie. That Dave ‘Chappo’ Chapman, Mick ‘Mickmac’ McCormack, John ‘Turn Out’ Turner, Bruce Gunter and their small but merry band of aides can put this together each year is simply mind-boggling!
Mark Burkhalter’s K220 was given to him as a 10-year anniversary ‘present’.
Chappo told me that he walked 26,000 steps on the Saturday – and that was just in a 200-metre stretch! From Thursday afternoon trucks were lined up outside the showgrounds waiting to grab a prime piece of real estate when the gates opened the following morning. Then they rolled in through the day into the night, throughout Saturday and
AIC Haulage’s schmick-looking T659 dazzles in the golden light.
A world record (again) for the gathering of the famous brand.
even the Sunday morning. There were old ones, new ones and everything in between. Some showed their patina but I’d hazard that they were in the great minority. But it didn’t matter. What counted was the fraternity this event creates, unlike any other event I’ve encountered. It’s about connection between men and women and their love of a brand. Chappo mentioned that he knew of at least three billionaires there, “But you’d never know it.” Mick Camilleri did his thing once again, feeding the masses for a donation which went towards Dolly’s Dream Foundation. That is the subject of a separate story but there were others we can touch on here. Mark proud of immaculate anniversary rig Mark Burkhalter drives for AJM of Newcastle and stood proudly beside his truck, having arrived at 2.30am on the Saturday. Mark hauls FedEx freight out of Tullamarine to Newcastle five times a fortnight. “So I keep busy. We can run
Shane Le Guier with his K200 owned by AirRoad. Images: Graham Harsant
freight Melbourne to Brisbane in around 22 hours which our customers like.” AJM run around 90 trucks and Melbourne-based Mark is the longest serving driver out of that town having been with the group for 12 years. His drive, a K220, was given to him as a 10-year anniversary ‘present’ and Mark covers some 300,000km in it annually. I comment how good AJM trucks always look and Mark tells me that they’ve got a brilliant truck wash in Newcastle with half a dozen people washing them and the trailers. “The trucks are the advertisement,” he said, adding that being in Melbourne he has to rely on the garden hose more often than not. Credit to your garden hose then, mate. Prior to AJM, Mark worked for Mick Travlos’ Vic Trucking subbing TNT and Fed Ex. He’s also been operations manager for waste companies. Now, nearing 60, he’s thinking about winding back a little. “It’s a good company to work for. I do my job and they leave me alone.”
Mark Fitzgerald’s exquisite TNT W-model, Ol Dynamite.
The best company Shane’s worked for Shane Le Guier arrived with his K200 owned by AirRoad, and like Mark before him, delivers for Fed Ex and other parcel freight. With the company for four years, Shane used to drive out of Derrimut, but has recently switched his life around and moved to the Goldie. “My boss shifted me all up there. So, we were going to go up for a couple of years for my son, better schooling,
This stunning 2015 Cab Chassis turned plenty of heads.
and we liked it that much that after 15 months of renting we sold the house of 30 years down at Footscray and we’ve bought up there. “I work out of Meadowbrook, near the Logan Hospital and go from there to Sydney. “I do two-and-a-half, so I do two directs and a Friday night changeover. “I’ve got the slowdown job to retirement. I’m hoping to travel Australia in the next five years. “Meantime, I love coming to truck shows and talking to different people. “It’s about getting together and it’s just like a big family even though you’ve never met before. You know, it’s hard to explain to those outside the industry.” Shane speaks highly of his employer AirRoad. “It’s the best company I’ve worked for,” he said. “They’ve only got about 12 company drivers, and then subbies such. So, it’s a smaller company. “They look after their drivers and help in any way they can. “Maybe I should rethink that slowdown to retirement bit.” Continued on page 20
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20 EVENTS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
When Bob Balenzano goes on holiday, the Legend SAR gets parked up.
Barry Wisemantel and his 1985 W900 AR.
Jared Wilson’s classic Kenworth still earns its keep.
Kylie and Matt Darcy, the first couple to be married at the Klassic.
Bob keeps tight grip on Legend SAR keys From page 18 WALKING around Kenworth Klassic, and I pass a very familiar truck. And it should be because this Limited Edition Legend SAR (227) was once one of Jon Kelly’s. But it is no longer. It now is driven by one Bob Balenzano and the truck is owned by NewTech Logistics at Greystanes, NSW. Forty years ago Bob started off in a furniture van and, “worked my way up slowly. I spent 20 years doing that. One of the toughest jobs in trucking next to livestock.” With NewTech since 2022, Bob tells me the company’s only been around about five years but are going ahead in leaps and bounds, with now around 63 prime movers and 80 sets of trailers. So how did this rooster get into a special Legend SAR? “The boss always wanted one of these, and this popped up at auction. He rang me and said, ‘There’s one at auction. I want to buy it.’ I said, ‘Well, send me the details’. He sent me a couple of photos, and I said, ‘BUY IT!’ “We put it on the road October last year. It is effectively my truck, no one else drives it. I go on holiday, it gets parked up.” There’s been a few changes apart from the name, including offsets on the steer, elephant ears, guard flares, snorkels on the air
intakes and cutting back the top step. Behind the sunglasses, folks, you can tell that Bob loves this truck. Jared gives old Kenworth a new lease of life If we’re talking about the Klassic in Kenworth then it’s worth talking about Jared Wilson’s 2,000,000km KW, “Purchased off an old fella in Queensland about six months back,” said Jared. “We were chasing an old T904 to do up, ended up buying this one and decided we’d restore it, repaint it, put a new E3 X15 in and convert it into a manual. Instead of buying another new truck, we wanted to rebuild and restore an old one. “It ran B-doubles across to Adelaide from Brisbane and running around to Sydney and, in fact everywhere.” Originally in Indian Pacific Green the 904 is now Jeep Red Velvet Pearl – probably an improvement especially with the grey strip and edged in white and gold pin striping. The truck is road registered and Jared will work it, pulling pressure tankers or one of his 19 metre tippers or tautliners. “They’ve got to pay their way, don’t they? There’s very few of us that can afford to have a show pony.” If you’re up around Medowie near Newcastle, keep an eye out for this classic.
Barry’s all-original W900 AR has earned its retirement Barry Wisemantel parked up in his 1985 W900 AR replete with a classic 400 CAT driving through a 15-speed overdrive. The truck is all original. “Laurie Duff at Iluka originally bought it from Brown & Hurley at Kyogle,” said Barry. “He had it for quite a few years, running out west. Then Currumbin Steel had it, running into Brisbane and around the Gold Coast area, and yeah, then it came to me. “I just use it for things like the Klassic and Crawlin’ the Hume and that sort of thing. She’s done her time as a highway truck.” Barry runs out of Sydney to Melbourne for Vulcan Steel and carted out of Taree for a soft drink company for 42 years until recently. With a fleet of six KWs, “we’re not a Toll, but you know, we never ever wanted to be. We just like being small.” A special celebration A special event at the show was the wedding of Kylie to Matthew Darcy who had their first date at the first Klassic 10 years ago. “We met when I was driving for Micway and I blew the yoke out of one of their driveshafts. Matt was the one sent out to tow the truck.” Congratulations guys.
A great place to meet up with old friends, and make new ones.
Maybe we can get a birth next year. The World’s Greatest BBQ? These truckies and over a thousand more came to The Clarendon Kenworth Klassic, not to show off their trucks, but to enjoy the company – to meet old friends and make new ones and to be a part of the biggest Kenworth truck show in the world. We’ll leave the last words to Chappo: “Don’t ya just love this? Look at all these smiling faces. You know what? I’m thinking that next year we’ll call it The World’s Greatest BBQ – Bring your own truck.”
The famous badge has never burned brighter.
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22 READER RIGS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
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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!
Hayden Rance captured this cool shot while stopped in Karratha, WA, bound for Onslow.
Michael Roels snapped this great pic at Oberon, NSW.
Duncan Peter enjoys the springtime while travelling through the Mallee.
Aaron Maher and the Wickham Freight Lines K220 head north with a load of hanging meat.
Phil Harlan snapped this ripper shot while taking a break at the Hi-Way Inn, NT.
Paul Warren had the rig all clean and ready for the week, carting grain out of Werneth, Victoria.
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Brett Hollyman sent in this ripper, taken at Christmas when the farmer’s daughter flew in from a nearby homestead to gift him a lunch.
Tom Charlton enjoys the sunrise, while travelling the Marlborough stretch in Queensland.
Double trouble. Erin Pereira snapped this cool shot of Nolan’s Kenworths stopped at BP Paget.
Gareth Findley and the K200 pulled up for sunset in Scone, NSW.
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Justin Lavers shared this great shot, taken at the men’s mental health tree at Burren Junction, an official part of the Blue Tree initiative.
A ripper morning sunrise shot from Bryce ‘Baldy’ McGahey at Cloncurry, Queensland.
Tassie owner operator Todd Moore shared this shot of the 1994 Western Star he restored, on the way to a job site.
24 EVENTS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Kenworths make clean sweep at Young BY DAVID VILE
HELD on a sunny Sunday in late September, the Young Truck Show has seen Kenworth take a sweep of all the major prize categories. With a truck show and tractor pull held as part of the town’s 152nd Agricultural Show, the event was well supported by local transport operators, with trucking a vital part of the local economy. Despite the event taking place on the same weekend as Clarendon’s Kenworth Klassic, there was no shortage of KW product on display, and it was the Glenn Douglas’s 2022 K200 cabover entered by Kane Henderson which took out the Truck of the Show award. Having been ‘on the job’ earlier in the day carting tractors into the tractor pull before heading to the truck display, it was somewhat fitting that Doug Sproule’s T409 collected the Best Workhorse trophy. In other results, Harley Regan went home a winner with his T909 winning the Best New Prime Mover category, while it was a successful day out for local owner-driver Corey Smithers picking up Best Tipper and Best Earthmoving outfit.
Glenn Douglas’s K200 took out the Truck of the Show at Young. Images: David Vile
Glenn Douglas, left, and Kane Henderson with the Truck of the Show trophy.
2026 Young Truck Show Category Winners Truck of the Show:
Kane Henderson – 2022 Kenworth K200
Best Tipper:
Corey Smithers – 2012 Kenworth T909
Best Workhorse:
Doug Sproule – 2018 Kenworth T409
Best New Prime Mover:
Harley Regan – 2021 Kenworth T909
Best Earthmoving Outfit:
Corey Smithers – 2012 Kenworth T909
Best Fleet- 2 or more Trucks: The NSW Rural Fire Service had a trio of Isuzus on the job as part of their firefighting display.
Local owner-driver Corey Smithers took out two categories with his T909.
Harley and Maddi Regan with their winning Kenworth T909.
Glenn Douglas/Watex P/L 3 x Kenworth K200, 1 x Kenworth T909
Sunny skies saw the trucks shine in Young.
Beau Bruce and Tiarhna Rolls with their ex-Army Mack 6x6 which brought Beau’s tractor and Cat bulldozer in for the tractor pull.
Doug Sproule’s T409 was a winner in the ‘Best Workhorse’ category.
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Reliably rugged, seriously cost effective WHILE the Reyco Granning name may be relatively new to the Australian market, it is backed by more than a century of suspension manufacturing expertise and a strong American heritage originating in Springfield, Missouri. Acquired by Hendrickson in 2024, the brand underwent extensive testing and validation before Hendrickson Australia introduced its first local offerings earlier this year: the TA11T top mount suspension and a trailer loose axle available in disc and drum configurations. As Andrew Martin, Vice President of International Operations at Hendrickson, explained, Reyco Granning provides customers with a durable, cost-effective axle and suspen-
sion solution supported by Hendrickson Australia’s established service and support network. “At Hendrickson, we place a strong focus on understanding what our customers truly value rather than assuming what a value-driven solution should be. “Value is about much more than price alone. Our Hendrickson-branded products offer a broad range of specification options, allowing fleets to tailor solutions to suit their precise operational requirements. “However, not every operator requires that level of customisation. Reyco Granning delivers a more streamlined package, combining simplicity, durability and affordability.”
As Andrew notes, the competitive pricing of Reyco Granning products is not achieved through compromises in quality or capability. “In fact, it’s quite the opposite,” he said. “The range is intentionally designed to be simple, robust and exceptionally durable, making it well suited to Australian operating conditions.” Compared with Hendrickson-branded axle and suspension systems, Andrew describes Reyco Granning as a more standardised offering. “Rather than being optimised for a specific application, Reyco Granning products are somewhat
The trailer loose axle is available in disc and drum configurations. Images: Hendrickson
The TA11T top mount trailer air suspension system.
over-engineered to cover a much wider range of uses. That reduces specification complexity and helps keep costs down, while still maintaining the durability and quality standards customers expect from Hendrickson. The decision to launch Reyco Granning in Australia with one axle and one suspension product was intentional. “We didn’t want to rush an introduction of a whole suite of products,” revealed Andrew. “Instead, Hendrickson took a step back to really understand what the local market needs. We wanted to
test, validate and prove that the Reyco Granning product met the expectations of the Australian market. “In the Australian market, a key differentiator for our customers is our test and validation capability. We can test and measure a product’s performance out in the field and then we can test and measure that in the lab here in Melbourne. “For us, it also allows entry into a market segment we have not previously served, without compromising our commitment to quality.” These products combine a proven, highly durable design with the backing and support of Hendrickson Aus-
REYCO GRANNING DELIVERS A MORE STREAMLINED PACKAGE, COMBINING SIMPLICITY, DURABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY.” ANDREW MARTIN
tralia’s trusted network. Hendrickson is also currently undergoing testing of other Reyco Granning products, which are due to be launched in Australia in the new year. For more information, visit hendrickson.com.au.
Spectacular Mack builds turn heads
IMPRESSIVE Mack builds have been rolling through Armoury lately, including some standout trucks. Among them, the “Mack Daddy” is hard to miss. This Mack Super-Liner Platinum build for Matt Biddle Transport brings together a bold purple and green paint scheme with a full Armoury stainless and wheel fit-out. Signed for at the Brisbane Truck Show in 2025, the truck made its way through a number of suppliers before heading to Armoury. Finished in Cadbury purple with green detailing, Mack Daddy already had plenty of presence. The deep purple makes the stainless stand out across the truck. Armoury worked with Craig
Maddox from VCV Newcastle on the build, fitting the truck with a wide range of products from their growing Mack stainless range. Up front are a Deep V 13-inch sunvisor, headlight surrounds, mirror back replacements and aircleaner shrouds, while the sides feature tank and muffler skirts, a CustomAir cover, Monster Look exhaust shrouds, side and rear bunk skirts and a bunk wing decal. The truck also runs Legend Chrome Super Singles. Further back are alloy deck plates, a tail-light bar infill and an Armoury Low Mount Drive Guard Kit. Mack Daddy is not the only recent Mack to come through Armoury.
The team has also been working with John Saint at JT Fossey on the Sheriff Series, a run of individually numbered Mack Super-Liners, each with its own take on the Sheriff theme. Armoury’s first Sheriff fitout was Sheriff #4, “Dawn Patrol”, delivered to SRH Milk Haulage. Sheriff #3, “Justice”, followed shortly after. The Sheriff trucks have played a big part in developing the Mack stainless range further, with a number of new products created specifically through these builds. These include mudflap brackets, quarter guards with customised Sheriff lettering, door handle surrounds, cup holder backings, headlight surrounds, sleeper vent covers
Matt Biddle Transport’s Super-Liner “Mack Daddy” has a full Armoury stainless and wheel fitout. Images: Armoury Group
and smooth muffler top covers, along with a new style of mirror back. Existing Armoury products have also been reworked for the Sheriff trucks, including bunk skirts and kick panels with Sheriff detailing. Together, Mack Daddy and the Sheriff trucks are helping Armoury refine fitment and add more options for Mack owners. Armoury designs and manufactures its stainless products in-house, with fitment handled by the Armoury team. From the heavily themed Sheriff trucks to Mack Daddy’s custom paintwork and extensive fit-out, each one brings something different through the Armoury workshop.
Armoury’s first Sheriff fit-out was Sheriff #4, “Dawn Patrol”, delivered to SRH Milk Haulage.
Armoury specced up “Mack Daddy” from front to back, with a number of products from their growing Mack stainless range.
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The tools to ensure HVNL readiness
IT’S been two months since the updated Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) came into effect on August 1, 2026. As businesses continue to work through what the changes mean for their operations, Cargo Guardian Chief Operations Officer Graeme Agnew says the focus needs to be on understanding how the changes apply to the activities each business actually performs. While businesses don’t need to become experts in every aspect of heavy vehicle compliance, they do need to understand their obligations and have appropriate systems and controls in place to manage the risks associated with their transport activities. Cargo Guardian is a specialist safety and risk consultancy, working with businesses to move beyond simply having compliance documents in place and understand whether their systems are actually working in practice. Cargo Guardian has developed a bespoke assessment tool that examines businesses against the 45 activities identified in the Master Code. “It allows us to sit down with a business, understand what they actually do and assess their activities against each of those requirements,” Graeme said. “We’re not just looking at
whether a procedure exists. We’re looking at what controls are in place, whether they’ve been implemented and, importantly, whether the business can demonstrate that those controls are working.” Graeme says this is an important distinction for businesses reviewing their HVNL arrangements. “Historically, there has been too much emphasis on having procedures and documents. Having a procedure is important, but a document by itself doesn’t manage risk.” “What matters is whether we are actually doing what our procedures say we will do
to manage those risks, and whether the controls we have put in place are effective.” The starting point, Graeme says, is understanding the transport activities the business performs and where it has the capacity to control or influence safety outcomes. “You need to understand what your business actually does, where you have control or influence and what risks arise from those activities. You can then look at the systems and controls you have in place and identify where there may be gaps.” Based on his experience conducting heavy vehicle safety
and Chain of Responsibility audits, Graeme says businesses often perform well in areas such as vehicle maintenance. “Transport businesses generally understand maintenance because there is an obvious operational consequence if vehicles aren’t maintained. If their vehicles aren’t operating, they’re not making money. In the audits I’ve conducted, maintenance is generally an area where transport businesses perform quite well.” Where gaps are more commonly identified is in governance, assurance and verification. “Quite often, executives have
Cargo Guardian has developed a bespoke assessment tool that examines businesses against the 45 activities identified in the Master Code. Image: Jovannig/stock.adobe.com
a different view of what is happening in their business compared with the reality of what is happening operationally. They may believe certain processes or controls are in place, but when you actually go into the business and talk to people and observe the work being done, you can find something quite different. “That’s why executives need visibility of what is actually happening in their business, how risks are being managed and whether the controls they are relying on are actually in place and effective.” “The same applies to contractors and other businesses they work with. It’s easy to assume that because another business says it has certain systems and controls in place, that those things are actually happening. You need to have some level of assurance that what they say they are doing is what is actually happening.” Load restraint is one practical example. “A business might have a load restraint procedure, but how does it know loads are actually being restrained in accordance with that procedure? Are load inspections being conducted? Are they documented? If issues are identified, what happens next? “That verification piece is something many businesses
In the months since the brands came to their dealerships, Hartwigs has run FAW J7 demonstrators through the Canberra region and southern NSW, handed over its first Foton trucks, and moved to support its customers with stock available for viewing at its Shepparton and Queanbeyan branches. Hartwigs says the early feedback on pulling power, cab comfort and running costs has been strong, and given the current economy, where customers are seeking cost advantages, enquiry for FAW and Foton has been gaining traction. “It’s early days for both the Foton and FAW brands, but the response we have had from our customers within these regions has been genuinely
Dealer Principal, Charlie Hartwig. Image: Hartwigs
Cargo Guardian Chief Operations Officer Graeme Agnew.
overlook. The question isn’t simply, ‘Do we have a system?’ It’s also, ‘How do we know the system is working?’” Cargo Guardian uses its assessment tool to help businesses answer those questions and identify areas requiring improvement. “The assessment gives us a structured way of looking across the business, identifying where controls are already working well and where there may be gaps,” Graeme said. “From there, we can provide practical recommendations about the controls that should be strengthened or introduced. The objective isn’t compliance for the sake of compliance; it’s about making sure the business has systems that are appropriate for what it actually does and can demonstrate that those systems are working.” For more information, please visit cargoguardian.com.au/ hvnl-readiness.
Regional family dealership takes on FAW and Foton HARTWIGS has been appointed truck dealer for emerging brands, FAW Trucks and Foton Trucks for the dealership’s regions. Established in 1923, the fifth-generation family dealership says it is seeing both brands gain real traction with regional operators. On-road demonstrations, backed by local service and parts support, are generating early interest into both FAW and Foton across the Canberra region, southern New South Wales and northern Victoria, where Hartwigs operates. The introduction of the two new brands to Hartwigs is also backed by the service and parts teams at both sites through factory supported training and a comprehensive range of stocked genuine parts.
encouraging,” said Hartwigs Dealer Principal, Charlie Hartwig. “We’ve had the FAW J7 out on demo, the Foton trucks handed over, and operators coming back for a closer look. That tells us these brands are the right fit for our regions.” Hartwigs represents FAW Trucks from its Queanbeyan branch, offering sales, service and spare parts across Canberra, regional NSW, the NSW South Coast and regional Victoria. FAW Trucks Australia is a factory-owned operation investing locally for the long term, with national parts distribution capability behind the range, and more models arriving later in the year. “The FAW J7 has done the hard yards on demo through
the Canberra region, and with a 660hp, 15.6L engine accompanied by a ZF 12-speed AMT transmission, the feedback on the early demonstrators from potential customers has been positive and left them genuinely surprised,” Charlie added. Foton Trucks are available across both Hartwigs branches for sales, service and parts. “Foton has been a quiet achiever for us, an easy truck to own and easy to run, powered by a Cummins engine and a cabin that delivers a high-end quality finish” Charlie said. “The Foton range is available at both Queanbeyan and Shepparton, and it goes without saying that we’re backing it with the same service and parts support our customers expect.”
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Increasing specialist support
THE Truck Art Business Group continues to support Australia’s national heavy vehicle industry through its OEM livestock trailer manufacturing facility, Truck Art Livestock Trailers, and a range of accessories, sleeper cab heating and cooling, fatigue management initiatives and heavy vehicle repair products and services. These support services are available through Truck Art’s Melbourne, Adelaide, and three Wagga Wagga outlets which includes Truck Art Heavy Vehicle Smash Repairs – an NTI Heavy Vehicle Premium Repairer Specialist workshop. In response to an ongoing high demand from the heavy vehicle industry along
the west coast of Australia, Truck Art will open a new parts supply, service and fitup centre in Perth in late 2026 or early 2027, further broadening its national heavy vehicle support footprint across Australia. Truck Art Perth will initially focus on a variety of driver support and fatigue management products, including heavy vehicle air-conditioning, gensets, and tyre pressure management systems. Catering to the needs of the Western Australian heavy vehicle industry will be a welcome expansion for the Truck Art Business Group, as it plans to expand Truck Art Perth’s service and prod-
PFM is a provider and fit-up specialist for the Truck Art line of products.
TRUCK ART WILL OPEN A NEW PARTS SUPPLY, SERVICE AND FIT-UP CENTRE IN PERTH IN LATE 2026 OR EARLY 2027.” uct range to the full service and product range by the end of 2027. As the Truck Art Business Group continues to expand its heavy vehicle support footprint across Australia, Truck Art is also excited to introduce Pittsworth Fleet Maintenance (PFM) based in Pittsworth, Queensland, (28km from Toowoomba) as a provider and fit-up specialist for the Truck Art line of products. Pittsworth Fleet Maintenance was established in February 2022 by founders Mark and Jayde Holt and has been providing high-quality custom truck fitouts, auto elec services, vehicle servicing and repair support to the heavy vehicle industry since its inception. In 2024, as Pittsworth Fleet Maintenance continued to grow, it expanded its professional services to include parts and concept design, product development, drawing, fabrication
PFM’s Jairus Watson and Truck Art Vigia tyre pressure management system specialist Wayne Storer during tyre management system training in the PFM workshop. Images: Truck Art
and paint services; including the manufacture of its own OEM products. Pittsworth Fleet Maintenance is renowned across the national heavy vehicle industry for its ability to customise heavy vehicles well beyond customer expectations. Increasing demand within the heavy vehicle industry for the high-quality services provided by Pittsworth Fleet Maintenance has also
prompted the development and staffing of new state-ofthe-art workshop facilities. As a fit-up specialist for Truck Art products, Pittsworth Fleet Maintenance will have access to the complete range of Truck Art heavy vehicle solutions, including Viesa evaporative and refrigeration cab cooling systems, Koolkat reverse-cycle cab heating and cooling systems, heavy vehicle spoil-
ers, Koolkat heavy vehicle gensets, and Vigia tyre pressure management systems. The association of the Truck Art Business Group and Pittsworth Fleet Maintenance will provide the Australian national heavy vehicle industry with significant high level OEM design, development, manufacture, service, repair, and maintenance services well into the future.
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Building on a long-standing partnership
FOR almost 50 years, Krueger has been manufacturing some of Australia’s toughest equipment for the Australian freight and transport industry. Now, the company is strengthening a long-standing relationship with STEMCO, aligning its manufacturing, National Service and National Spare Parts operations around the STEMCO wheel-end range. While Krueger offers a range of suspension solutions, with the majority of its equipment featuring Krueger’s own RFS suspension, STEMCO bearings and seals have increasingly become an important part of the company’s manufacturing process. The relationship also extends across Krueger’s aftermarket operations, with National Service and National Spare Parts having used STEMCO products alongside other brands for more than a decade. The latest move brings those relationships closer together, with Krueger now making STEMCO its preferred wheel-end supplier across its operations. The company will stock a comprehensive range of STEMCO products across its branches, making the range readily available for wheel service, maintenance, parts and manufacturing requirements. STEMCO’s wheel-end portfolio includes heavy-duty bearings, wheel seals, hub caps and axle fastening systems. Its heavy-duty bearings are designed specifically for
To mark the launch of the renewed alignment, Krueger is offering 20 per cent off the entire stocked STEMCO range for two weeks. Images: Krueger
commercial trucking applications, while its range of seals focuses on protecting wheel-end components from contamination and helping maximise service life. Among the seal range is the Guardian HP, which STEMCO describes as an OEM seal of choice in the heavy-duty trailer industry, incorporating features designed to reduce contamination ingress and heat generation. The Voyager wheel seal is designed for regional, and city based applications, with features aimed at simplifying installation and improving sealing performance. STEMCO supports Krueger and its large fleet customers
through on-site Wheel End Clinics, providing practical training and industry expertise. These clinics equip customers with the knowledge and best practices needed to enhance road safety, reduce operating costs, and maximise fleet performance and reliability. David Grant, Head of Manufacturing at Krueger, said the relationship has continued to grow through the reliability of STEMCO products and the support provided by the brand. “In my time in the role here as Head of Manufacturing, I have seen STEMCO become more and more our bearing of choice due to its reliability and
customer service,” David said. “Prior to this role, I headed up our Service Departments and, while we had experience with other brands, STEMCO was already becoming our preferred choice back then.” The renewed alignment has also been driven by Krueger’s After Market division, with Head of After Market Shane Myers working closely with STEMCO representative Tim Ellis to develop a stronger alliance and ensure consistent product availability across Krueger’s network. With the opening of Krueger’s Spare Parts Perth branch last year, maintaining a consistent product offering across all locations includ-
ing Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane became increasingly important due to customer bases who use these branches regularly. “Last year we opened our Perth branch and, with a number of our high-value customers in the region, we wanted to ensure we maintained product consistency across all our branches,” Shane said. “Tim was very helpful in putting together an offering that allows Krueger to stand with the STEMCO brand and offer the full range across all our branches, service departments and manufacturing.” Tim says that STEMCO values its long-standing relationship with Krueger and appreciates partnering with an organisation that shares a strong commitment to quality, innovation, and customer service. By selecting a complete wheel-end solution from a single industry-leading supplier, Krueger helps deliver improved performance, reli-
STEMCO is the preferred wheel-end supplier across Krueger’s operations.
What happens after an NHVR prosecution starts?
RECEIVING a Court Attendance Notice or Summons from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) can be one of the most stressful experiences for an operator or company director. However, many people are unfamiliar with the steps that follow once charges have been laid. The filing of charges is not the end of the process. It is the beginning of a legal proceeding that may involve reviewing evidence, negotiating with prosecutors and, in some cases, defending allegations before a court. Understanding the steps can help operators make informed decisions and avoid costly and time-consuming mistakes.
of the alleged offences and to identify any evidentiary or legal issues that require further review.
intends to rely upon before making any final decisions regarding a plea.
Reassess your position Once all the evidence has been reviewed, some defendants may decide to maintain their plea of not guilty because there is a genuine dispute regarding important facts and/or the appropriate charge(s). Others may conclude that the essential elements of the offence(s) can be proven but still dispute parts of the prosecution’s factual allegations. This distinction can be important because important facts may significantly affect the penalty ultimately imposed by the court. In some cases, reviewing the evidence will lead a defendant to change their plea to guilty.
Review the evidence Following a not guilty plea, the prosecution will ordinarily serve a full brief of evidence. The brief may include: •W itness statements; • Compliance, maintenance and fatigue records; • Inspection reports and photographs; • Company policies and training records; and • Records of interview. Careful review of the brief of evidence is important because it allows a defendant to assess whether the prosecution can prove each element
Negotiate with the Prosecutor Following review of the evidence, it may be appropriate to negotiate with the prosecutor regarding the type and/or number of charges and the alleged facts. These discussions can significantly narrow the issues in dispute and reduce the time, cost and uncertainty associated with prosecution. In our experience, some of the most important developments in a prosecution occur between the service of the brief and the final hearing.
In most cases, NHVR prosecutions are commenced in the court closest to where the alleged offence occurred. Image: Brindabella Legal
Charges are filed The prosecution process generally begins when charges are filed and a defendant is served with a Court Attendance Notice or Summons. This document will identify the alleged offence(s) and the first court date. In most cases, NHVR prosecutions are commenced in the court closest to where the alleged offence occurred and there may be one or more charges arising from the same investigation.
commenced. By this stage, the investigation is usually complete and any further statements may be used in evidence against you. The priority should be obtaining legal advice and assessing the alleged offences, available evidence, potential defences and overall legal exposure. An informed assessment at an early stage can significantly affect the strategy adopted throughout the proceedings.
Avoid making things worse A common mistake is attempting to explain things to investigators and/or the prosecutor after proceedings have
Pleading Guilty or Not Guilty At an early court appearance, a defendant will usually be required by the Court to enter a plea.
Pleading Guilty: A guilty plea may be appropriate where the essential elements of the offence(s) are not disputed. An early guilty plea may result in a reduced penalty and demonstrate acceptance of responsibility. However, a plea should not be entered simply because charges have been laid. A defendant should first understand the allegations and the evidence. Pleading Not Guilty: A not guilty plea is often entered to obtain the full brief of evidence and fully assess the prosecution case. Doing so will allow the defendant to understand precisely what evidence the prosecution
ability, and operational benefits to its customers. To mark the launch of the renewed alignment, Krueger will offer customers 20 per cent off the entire stocked STEMCO range for two weeks. “We want to launch this in the right way,” Shane said. “By offering this to our customers, we want them to see how much Krueger believes in the product and the range. “With times being tougher and transport companies, large and small, looking for value, savings and quality, Krueger is stepping up to the call. We hope to see our customers turn to us for the quality products and service that we provide.” The partnership represents another step in Krueger’s strategy of aligning its manufacturing, service and aftermarket operations, giving customers greater consistency in the products they can access and the after sales support available across the national business.
Don’t forget the bigger picture A prosecution may present an opportunity to critically examine your own or your company’s compliance systems, identify weaknesses and implement improvements before further issues arise. Courts and the NHVR are often interested not only in what went wrong, but also in what steps have been taken to ensure similar conduct does not occur again. An operator that responds proactively, reviews its systems and addresses identified risks will generally be in a stronger compliance position than one that does nothing. Final thoughts An NHVR prosecution is undoubtedly serious, but it is not the end of the road. The key steps are straightforward: obtain legal advice early, review the allegations carefully, obtain and assess the evidence, make an informed decision about your plea and engage constructively with the prosecution where appropriate. If you or your company has been charged with an offence, obtaining legal advice early can make a significant difference to the outcome of your matter. To contact Brindabella Legal, visit brindabellalegal. com.au or email contact@ brindabellalegal.com.au.
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The SMS you’re probably already running
YOU already have an SMS. It’s on paper, in three folders and one person’s head. Ask an operator whether they’ve got a safety management system and most will say no. Then ask who decides if a truck goes out with a cracked mirror, or what happens when a driver rings in at four in the morning to say he’s had a nearmiss. There’s often an answer to both, and it’s usually a reasonable one. It’s just nowhere on paper. General Safety Accreditation (GSA) is where that starts to be a problem. Doing the work is still the whole point, but under GSA it only counts if it leaves a record behind. An auditor can’t give you credit for good practice they can’t see. Since August 1, GSA sits underneath every other heavy vehicle accreditation, and it’s assessed against the Safety Management System Standard. Under the new National Audit Standard, an auditor rates each part of your system against four words: Present, Suitable, Operating and Effective. Present looks like the easy one. It’s the one that trips people up. An auditor wants a document. “We’ve always done it that way” is not a document. So you get operators who would walk through Operating, because their people genuinely use the system every day, and then come unstuck on Present, because the system
lives in habit rather than in writing. For a lot of operators that makes this a documentation job, not a build job. Which is a much easier problem to have, if you find out now rather than at your renewal – well before your HVNL fleet safety management obligations are tested at audit. Ten questions worth answering this week Answer each one with a document, a record or a date. Not with a description of what usually happens. Anything you can’t point at is a gap. They’re grouped under the five outcome areas the safety management system standard is built on, and they double as an HVNL readiness check.
Leadership and commitment 1. Who is accountable for safety in your business, and where does it say so? A name in a document counts. A name everyone just knows doesn’t. 2. When did you last sit down and go through safety performance properly, and is there anything written from it? Decisions, actions, who owns them. Risk management 3. Have you got a hazard list? Not a general sense of what’s risky in your operation. An actual list, with each one rated. 4. Take your five worst haz-
ards. For each one, what’s the control, and what records show it’s being used week to week?
People 5. Pick any driver. Can you produce induction, licence currency and competency evidence for what that driver actually does, rather than what their position description says they do? 6. A new driver starts Monday. What do they get handed, and who signs to say they got it? Assurance 7. A defect, a near miss, a breach. What kicks off the investigation, and whose job is it to close it out? 8. Find a corrective action from six months ago. Can you show it was assigned, completed, and then checked by someone other than the person who did it? Safety systems 9. Are your policies and procedures current, and can you show that the people who have to follow them have actually received them? 10. Your longest-serving operations person resigns tomorrow. How much of the safety system walks out the door with them? Scoring it honestly Count the questions where you produced something an
auditor could read, not something you could explain. Most people land in the middle. Four, five, six. That isn’t a failing operation. It’s usually an operation doing the right things with the evidence spread across an inbox, a whiteboard and a folder in the office nobody has opened since the last audit. Eight or more and you’re in good shape; the job is tidying and documenting, not starting over. Three or fewer and the system is genuinely in people’s heads, and the next accreditation cycle is when that becomes everyone’s problem. It’s worth noticing which questions did the damage. Numbers 1, 2, 9 and 10 go to Present and Suitable, which is documentation and fit, and both can be fixed with a few weeks of writing. Numbers 3 through 8 go to Operating and Effective, and there’s no shortcut on those two. They need months of history behind them. That’s why “we’ll tidy it up before the audit” doesn’t work the way it used to. What to do with the answers Write down what you already do. Plain language, half a page per procedure. A rough document describing what actually happens in your yard is worth more at audit than a purchased manual describing someone else’s. Attach the evidence to the
Hubfleet’s platform is built around the 2026 SMS Standard that underpins General Safety Accreditation. Image: Hubfleet
control while the work is happening. When a driver reports a defect or flags a hazard, that record should land against the control it tests. Do it at the time and the track record builds itself. Do it later and you’re reconstructing a year from memory a fortnight before the auditor arrives, and it shows. Get hazards, incidents, training and maintenance into one place where you can see how they connect. This is the point where paper and spreadsheets give up. Separate records can prove Present. They can’t prove Effective, because nothing joins them together, and when an auditor asks whether a control actually worked, a filing cabinet has no answer. Operators already accredited transition at their next accreditation cycle, and the two
schemes run side by side for up to three years. That sounds generous. In practice your next renewal is the deadline, and Operating and Effective both want history behind them by then. Run the ten questions while there’s still time to do something about the answers. Most operators find the answer to eight of them somewhere in the business. It’s the other two that are worth your attention. If you’d rather work from a template than a blank page, Hubfleet has put the same gap analysis into a free downloadable toolkit, along with a pre-audit checklist and an evidence mapping guide: free SMS gap analysis template and HVNL reform toolkit. To learn more, please visit hubfleet.com.au.
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TR Group helps get the show on the road
FOR event production company dplr, a last-minute client request can mean finding extra transport as well as pulling together the people and equipment to deliver an event. The work can arrive at short notice, but the expectations are high. Bearing this in mind, moving equipment around seamlessly is vitally important and reliable trucks are an essential part of the dplr business, which has expertise in audio, video, lighting, staging and rigging. The company’s relationship with TR Group is helping manage that responsibility, combining shortterm rentals with a move into leasing and ongoing maintenance support. Pronounced “doppler”, dplr is a production company based in Sydney, that specialises in equipment hire and operations for live events and entertainment. The business provides production and technical management for everything from community street fairs and corporate events to major music festivals, awards ceremonies and touring shows. With offices in Sydney and Brisbane, dplr works nationally with creatives, brands, government and community organisations, taking projects from concept through to delivery. dplr Director Andy Lysle said the demands of the events industry left little room
dplr leased an Isuzu 6x2 pantech from TR Group, replacing a smaller truck and providing additional capacity. Images: TR Group
for equipment downtime or delays. “Our industry operates 24/7 with really short lead times, creating constant pressure to respond to client requests and deliver to an extremely high standard,” Andy said. “Not all shows are last minute, but a great deal of our work is, which means we need to be operationally fit at all times.” Being prepared for scheduled work gives the team capacity to handle the unexpected. Transport needs to offer the same flexibility, allowing dplr to add vehicles when jobs require them, while keeping its regular fleet dependable. The relationship with TR Group began with a rental enquiry last year. Initially, dplr was looking for a hard-bodied pantech truck which, at
the time, wasn’t part of TR’s rental fleet. The team offered a curtainsider, but the enquiry did not immediately progress. A subsequent follow-up led TR Group’s NSW Sales and Account Manager, Jamal Stent, to meet Andy and operations manager Dave Stevenson to learn more about the company and its transport requirements. Those conversations opened up a broader discussion about what dplr needed from its next truck and whether leasing could suit the business. Jamal said the dplr team was clear about where its expertise lies. “It’s obviously a huge part of their business, but they’re in the entertainment world,” Jamal said. TR worked through several options with dplr before
settling on a larger Isuzu 6x2 pantech to replace its smaller 4x2 truck. The additional capacity means more lighting, staging and other event equipment can travel in each load, while the new vehicle also provides improved safety features. Getting to that point involved several face-to-face meetings, discussions about the build and updates as the truck took shape. TR handled the work of obtaining manufacturer quotes and developing the vehicle specifications. For Andy, that advice was an important part of the decision to lease. “Our core business is not transport, but transport is a huge part of what we do,” he said. “Much like having an accountant to manage our
“Suddenly you’re not the biggest thing on the road" A MESSAGE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY CROSSING SAFETY EDUCATION GUIDE
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books, we need transport professionals to advise us in an area where we freely admit we are not skilled in. The team’s advice has been invaluable.” The support continues after the keys are handed over. Under TR’s fully maintained operating lease, the company organises servicing, breakdown support and tyre changes as part of the arrangement, reducing the maintenance work dplr needs to coordinate itself. “We just try to make their life easier. Let them concentrate on their business and we’ll concentrate on the trucks,” Jamal said. Alongside the leased truck, dplr regularly uses TR’s rental fleet to meet short-term requirements. That gives the business room to respond as client work changes, with access to additional capacity, without having to own every vehicle it might need. “TR Group has the range
of equipment, in excellent working order, that we need to scale our transport requirements to suit our operation,” Andy said. “The team is extremely responsive, communicates well, and allows us the peace of mind to offer a strong logistical response for our clients.” dplr now aims to move more of its fleet from ownership to leasing over time. For Andy, the attraction is having a transport partner that understands the business and can support its growth. “The team at TR has taken the time to understand what we do and communicate how they can assist us,” he said. That genuine interest and understanding has given Andy confidence in the longer-term relationship. “At TR Group we have a partner with whom we can grow and scale our business,” added Andy.
TR Group’s expansive rental fleet means equipment is always on hand to meet any short-term transport requirements.
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PROFITS INCREASE
This controller display measures 10.5cm (L) x 5cm (W) x 2.5cm (D). Images: AIR CTI
The gold standard in CTI technology
TODAY’S professional truck drivers are surrounded by gadgets. There are phone apps and dashboard novelties that perform minor tasks with varying levels of success. While some probably wouldn’t be missed if they stopped working, others are genuine advancements that would be greatly felt if they were suddenly absent – features as important as wipers for the rain or bright headlights on a dark night. Welcome to the world of transport with Central Tyre Inflation, where drivers can adjust their tyre pressures in real time to match loads, surface conditions and driver wellbeing. The AIR CTI system is not a toy. Fleet owners learn this the hard way when they look out the window and see their drivers always opt for the AIR CTI fitted trucks, preferring to leave non-equipped vehicles to languish in the yard. The reduction in vibration to both truck and operator health is amazing. AIR CTI branded systems are the world’s gold standard in CTI technology. A driver climbs into the big seat, hits the key, the dash lights up with an array of colourful indicator lamps and a wakeup beep, then eyes check the critical readings. Fuel? All good. Alarms? Quiet. The gaze shifts to the AIR CTI display. Tyre Status? Target values look right for this load, and pressures are close to where they ought to be. That’s fine. The system will trim them exactly when the engine gets going. It’ll look after itself. The driver is good to go. Plenty of vehicles have been fitted with basic Tyre Pressure Monitor Systems (TPMS). With TPMS, pressure readings will be erratic, depending upon whether the
tyres are hot or cold. Some of the pressure values will disappear when the sensor batteries go flat. These can be hard to reach, and replacement will probably have to wait for a major service. The driver may be aware that some of the wheels have been swapped out and are not being monitored at all. Unless there is a rare blowout warning, the TPMS is going to be ignored because it can’t adjust pressure. The AIR CTI system is a very different experience. The driver makes choices. Am I fully loaded? Am I travelling an unsealed road? I’m parked in a quagmire. Can I get out? On the AIR CTI display, High, Medium and Low preference pressures can be selected. This choice may be different for each tyre group. In some trucks the tyre groups are bonded together so a single press will simultaneously adjust all of the tyres. All the favourite settings for each truck are carefully preserved in memory. The AIR CTI display is intuitive and easy to understand. What are the tyres now and what do I want them to be? Perhaps tyres are cold and a little low. The system will inflate until the target is reached. Fifty kilometres down a hot highway, tyres have expanded and are now too hard. The system will let a little air out, back to the target. Tyres last longer. The driver knows it will look after itself and it will only call for attention if there is a good reason. Unlike TPMS, the sensors are not in the tyres, they are safely tucked away in the truck itself. If the tread picked up a bolt, not nice, but when that pressure dropped, the system will automatically top up the faulty tyre. If it does this too many
times, the display alerts the driver with a warning. Unlike TPMS, the AIR CTI system will use the truck compressor to keep the tyre inflated and you can resolve the leak at the end of the day, not on the side of some narrow freeway. A garden rake fell out of a ute? You couldn’t dodge it and one of your tyres was punched with a nasty hole. Tyre pressure falls fast. In 2 seconds, AIR CTI sees that a tyre has crashed by 20 per cent and beeps an insistent warning at the display. It’s telling the driver to pull over when safe and wants them to check it out. It dumps air into the tyre to buy you more time before a total collapse and the dangerous shredding which follows. There are a few other little tricks that drivers love about their AIR CTI system. Speed sensors can be added that will automatically jump the system from Low-to-Mid or from Mid-to-High pressure if a speed threshold was exceeded, just in case the driver forgot to do it manually. The air lines to wheels have isolation taps that allow the system to be sealed if parked for a long time. The AIR CTI controls would remind the driver if they forgot to reopen the taps when back on the road. When drivers have their trucks fitted with their AIR CTI system, it may start out as a novelty, but it quickly becomes an integral part of the transport experience, as important as the tyres themselves. A warranty covers the entire system, not just a few parts (500,000km or 3 years).
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34 EVENTS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Classic trucks take centre stage in Echuca BY GRAHAM HARSANT
SEPTEMBER, and once again it’s American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) time at Echuca. Tommy Hamilton arrived with two trucks: a W-model and an SAR. As he was sitting beside the W, this was the truck to corner him about. “I’ve just turned 68 years of age and recently sold my business after 50 years, which was earth moving, ready mix concrete excavators, dozers, you name it, out Ararat, Victoria,” said Tommy. “I had a brother who got crook and passed away… yeah, knocks you around a bit, losing a brother. Then I had to go and have open heart surgery. I had two leaking bloody valves, so that was another shock to the system. And so we decided to say, well, that’s it. “Believe it or not, because it was a family business, I wasn’t allowed to buy Kenworth because they were too dear. We had Freightliners. We started off with the Coronados. “They were good trucks. The cabins were a little bit squeaky but the Detroits were good. Good drive lines, good engines. I had eight trucks, all up around the 900,000 mark.
Had a really good run out of them. “And then I decided I wanted to buy the new SAR. I said to my brother, ‘Can I get one?’ He said no. What a bully! So after he passed away… Now I’ve got two beautiful trucks that I dreamt about as a kid. My wife thinks I waste a lot of money but that’s the love of it.” Tommy said the W model was an ex-Brambles fuel tanker and ended up with a young bloke at Moonambel in Victoria, out the back of nowhere. “And here we are. I got it scrolled up by Robbie Lister who did a magnificent job. We painted the top half silver just to break it up a bit. Then there’s a touch of orange up on top as well to remind me of my KHS business. “She’s a 1985 with a 3406B CAT, 13 speed, everything’s still original and a beautiful old truck to ride in. I can’t fault her. This and the SAR, they’re forever trucks. These are going to my grave.” They’ll have to dig a big hole, Tommy. Truckie’s dream retirement hobby There’s another Kenworth with a difference. At first
glance I’m thinking W model, then I notice the bonnet. As good a reason as any to talk to the owner, Lindsay McKenzie from Kilmore East. So what is so special about this truck? Lindsay shows me the chassis number (403961) and informs me that only just over 30 of these W models were built with a sloping bonnet. “Guys don’t believe me, but it’s a ’79 924 W model Kenworth and has a 350 big cam, Cummins driving through a 15 speed. It’s my retirement hobby.” Lindsay replaced the tyres, mud flaps, all the checker plate and the battery cover but had to do little else. “The engine was good for about two years until one day I checked the oil and she was full of water. Panic stations, but luckily it was only the intercooler. So about $990 later it was a cheap fix. It’s been good ever since. “It’s got a six rod back end on it. Underneath, you can see it had plates welded on the diffs to make it extra strong, so it’s done some heavy duty work in its life. It was from Queensland somewhere around Toowoomba to my knowledge.
“I had to have a toy and always liked the old W models. I bought a cab over as well, a ‘75, K125.” Lindsay was on the highway for three years way back, driving a ‘90 inter and a couple of old Dodge trucks but couldn’t make any dough. After pumping sand out the back of Pyalong and Broadford for a bit he got a job at the quarries for Galley Brothers at Kilmore East (now Hansen) and was there for 40 years. “I was home every night and had time to live. You’ve got weekends, all those things that the highway guys tend to miss out on and I kept my wife happy. The ‘H’ for Helen on the door sign keeps her happy too.”
Showing off his Super-Liner The theme at Echuca this year was Kenworth but hey, when you walk past a classic V8 Super-Liner. Elio Palermo bought the truck from Adelaide Truck Wholesalers in 2003. Originally a Hahn’s Haulage of Adelaide truck, it belonged to a company named Gaffney’s who traded it in. “I resurrected it in 2003 and did a full refurbishment on it.
This is the first working truck that I owned. Who would have known that Super-Liners were going to go nuts? “The truck is still road registered although no longer a working truck. I do use it occasionally, but I pretty much just go to shows to show it off and enjoy it.” Elio originally put the truck to work doing logistics: tautliner work, some flat top work, et cetera, but has been in the asphalt game since 2005. “It’s the Italian name, mate. Gotta be concrete or asphalt doesn’t it?” With the state of Victoria roads we reckon Elio and his fleet of four trucks will be kept busy for the foreseeable future.
Old school cool There is a very cool old Kenworth day cab sitting in the middle of the oval at Echuca – too old for me to know what it is, so I figured I should ask the man who’s been working on it for many years and that’s Gary Pedler. “It was originally a Manufacturing Bottle Company of Victoria truck and was one of the first Seattle trucks that came out to Australia as a sort of IKEA flat pack. They put them together down in Bell Street, Preston. MBC bought
10 of them. They did the run from Abbotsford carting beer up to Darwin. “It’s a 923 R model, supposedly 1964, but there’s a bit of conjecture about that. It originally had a GM in it but it was a bit sad when my mate bought it many years ago. He swapped it out for a 250 Cummins big cam. Then he had to move back to Perth so I bought it off him.” Gary has had the truck for a few years as an ongoing project and now, just into retirement has been able to get the truck up and running and club registered in the nick of time to attend Echuca. “A friend of mine did all the rust repairs. Then the bonnet went to another mate who does up old yachts, so he’s pretty good at fibreglassing. “When they were finished I took it round to yet another mate, Scotty, who stripped it down to bare metal, primed and painted it. He’s done a fantastic job. “Now I just have to put the old MBC logos on the door and she should be just about done.” These blokes and many like them make Echuca and other ATHS meets really special events. Keep an eye out for the next one.
Tommy Hamilton with his retirement W-model at Echuca. Images: Graham Harsant
Elio Palermo with his V8 Super-Liner, owned and worked since 2003.
Only 30 slope-nosed W-models were made, and Lindsay McKenzie has one of them.
Gary Pedler and his 923R model Kenworth, believed to be from 1964.
COLUMN 35
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026
Rare notices address serious safety risks STATUTORY COMPLIANCE PAUL ALSBURY Executive Director Statutory Compliance, NHVR
PROHIBITION notices are among the strongest regulatory actions available to the NHVR. They are also exceptionally rare. In fact, fewer than 0.01 per cent of Australia’s 294,000 heavy vehicle operators will be subject to one. That figure is important because a prohibition notice can have significant consequences for an operator and, understandably, attracts attention when one is issued. But these notices are never issued for minor defects or isolated mistakes. The NHVR uses them where there is an imminent or immediate risk of death or serious harm, and intervention is necessary to protect other road users. Prohibition notices are remedial in nature – they are about addressing serious risks, not punishing operators. The circumstances leading to a prohibition notice also do not begin with the notice itself. In cases where the NHVR has issued a prohibition notice, the operator involved has had
a serious compliance history, such as a history of accidents, rollover incidents, major fatigue contraventions and/or multiple defects, including major defects, and adverse outcomes or convictions. There has also been considerable engagement with the operator before a prohibition notice is issued. Lower-level regulatory interventions have been used, and multiple opportunities have been provided to address identified risks. It is when those risks remain unaddressed, and the evidence indicates there is an imminent risk of death or serious harm, that stronger intervention becomes necessary. To be clear, a prohibition notice has never been issued for minor defects alone and is not a routine response to non-compliance. It is also important to note that we have actively listened to industry about where the NHVR should focus its regulatory effort. The vast majority of operators take their responsibilities seriously and have few compliance interactions with us. Our role is to support them to understand and meet their obligations, while concentrating our strongest interventions on the areas of greatest risk. That support is increasing. Over the past year, the NHVR’s education activity
The vast majority of operators take their responsibilities seriously. Image: NHVR
has grown by approximately 30 per cent. That includes more engagement, guidance and practical assistance for operators and drivers, with the aim of identifying and addressing issues before they become more serious. At the same time, there will be circumstances where education is no longer the appropriate response. Where serious safety issues have been identified and remain unaddressed, we cannot simply continue the same conversation and hope for a different result. That would not be the response of a responsible, risk-based regulator. The legal threshold the NHVR must meet to even
issue a prohibition notice is deliberately high, because the consequences for a business can be significant. But they are never the first step the regulator takes. A decision to prohibit an activity must be based on the safety risk – an imminent or immediate risk of death or serious harm – and the need to address it. It is not a decision made simply because an operator has made a mistake or fallen short of a requirement. It is also a decision made having regard to other regulatory responses, such as improvement notices and requirements to present vehicles for inspection.
Heavy vehicle operators make substantial investments every day to keep their businesses safe - maintaining vehicles, managing fatigue, training drivers and staff, and putting systems in place to manage risk. Those operators should have confidence that regulatory effort is not spread indiscriminately across the industry. Equally, they should be confident that serious risks will not be allowed to persist when others are investing in meeting their obligations. There is another group at the centre of this: heavy vehicle drivers. Drivers have a right to go to work in safe vehicles and
within businesses that properly manage the risks they face. Our responsibility as the safety regulator is as much to them as it is to every other person sharing the road. None of this is about pursuing enforcement for its own sake. The number of notices issued is not a measure of regulatory success, nor are dramatic enforcement numbers the objective. What matters is whether our effort is directed to the right risks and whether our actions lead to safer outcomes. That is the approach the NHVR is continuing to build: more support and education across the industry, better use of data and intelligence to identify risk, and targeted intervention when circumstances require it. For most operators, that means more opportunities to engage with us, access practical information and address issues early. Prohibition notices sit at the other end of that approach. While fewer than 0.01 per cent of operators will ever be subject to one, there will be occasions when the risk is serious enough that allowing an activity to continue is not an option. Industry, rightfully, should expect us to exercise those powers carefully. It should also expect us to use them when they are needed.
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36 COLUMN
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Generous gift for loyal service
EARLIER this year I reported that a long time driver for a big transport company would reach 30 years of service in September. That driver is Michael ‘Cat’ Adams, 59, who began his journey with Blenners Transport on September 9, 1996. To celebrate his 30th anniversary last month, the company boss Les Blennerhassett held a function for Michael at the head depot, which was attended by many. And Michael received quite a happy surprise when Les presented him with a ute for his dedication. “It was a wonderful ute and whilst it was second-hand, it wasn’t that old and had new tyres and was in great condition,” another company driver told Spy. This was a kind and generous act by the company which employs hundreds of people.
Fuel costs hurting operators A veteran NSW small fleet operator called Spy about rising fuel costs and how it impacts his business. This lad runs two trucks which each mainly do several runs between Sydney and Melbourne weekly. His fuel cost had been about $26,000 a month but that has risen sharply. “It is now $13,000 a month more, adding up to around $39,000 which is a lot extra. These rises are really hard to absorb,” he said. Adding the prohibitive cost of truck and trailer registration and insurance outlays and it’s easy to see why many owner-operators are calling it quits. This gent is fortunate because his long-term clients are swift payers. But Spy knows of other smaller operators who sometimes have to wait 60 or 90 days for payments. Rest areas number query in SA Spy has been contacted by several drivers about numbers suddenly appearing on parking signs at South Australian rest areas. These are similar to vehicle number plates, with two letters followed by numbers. “I pulled up at a rest area the other day and saw these numbers which had not been there before,” one Perth driver said. He added that the numbers
A numbered sign on a South Australia rest area. Image: Supplied
were seen across the state. Another driver who is a long time South Australian driver was suspicious that they may be there for authorities to monitor fatigue laws. “If we have to start registering the rest area number whenever we stop at one that will be another revenue raising exercise. They would probably line up the times at the rest area with those roadside detection cameras and see if a breach has occurred,” he said. Spy contacted the Department for Infrastructure and Transport to ask what was behind these numbers. A spokesperson said, “The South Australian Government is installing signage with unique location codes at state-managed heavy vehicle rest areas, particularly along major freight routes. “These codes will support heavy vehicle fatigue management compliance by making it easier for drivers to accurately record where they take required rest breaks. “At formal sign posted rest areas, the new signage will sit below existing entrance signs, while informal rest area sites marked with green reflectors will have signs installed on new posts parallel to the road.”
Body cam vital Some drivers Spy has spoken to have purchased body cameras which they claim are vital when pulled over by NHVR officers or police. These relatively cheap body cams capture video which can be used for verification of an interception by a scalie. One veteran WA driver said he purchased one for just $60 which he has with him whenever driving. “If we are pulled up by officers who want to breach us then we should be able to provide footage of it in case we ever want to contest it in court,” he said. This fellow would recommend that all drivers obtain one for their own benefit. “I had an officer stop me and he told me it was being filmed on his body cam. When I replied that he was being captured on mine, he got very nervous. One told me to turn it off, but I didn’t. If they are doing the right thing, why should there be a problem?” he said. A NSW driver was pulled over at Oodla Wirra, which is a small town in the upper mid north of South Australia. It is on the Barrier Highway approximately halfway from Adelaide to Broken Hill. This was late at night in freezing cold weather and when he told the officers the interception was being recorded, it ended swiftly. Tasmanian upgrade Another section of Tasmania’s Midland Highway between Launceston and Hobart, which sees hundreds of trucks
Michael ‘Cat’ Adams has celebrated 30 years with Blenners Transport. Image: Blenners Transport
Trucks drive through the main street of Campbell Town on the Midland Highway. Image: Alf Wilson
each day, will be upgraded, with work to commence soon. Works on the 9.8km stretch north of Campbell Town will include road widening, junction improvement, extending sealed shoulders, additional overtaking lanes, and installing a flexible safety barrier. These upgrades are part of the ongoing Midland Highway Action Plan which commenced in 2015. It aims to upgrade the highway and improve road safety, in a bid to help save lives on Tasmania’s key north-south freight route. An earlier 10km section between Epping Forest Roadhouse towards Campbell Town was completed in 2024. The town centres of Campbell Town, Cleveland and Epping Forest will not be upgraded as part of this project due to their reduced speed limits, heritage restrictions and the proximity of buildings to the highway. The safety improvements will reduce the risk of head-on and loss of control crashes and achieve a minimum three-star AusRAP safety rating for the Midland Highway. Homestead rest area welcomed A new rest area near the Homestead hamlet on the Flinders Highway is sure to improve safety for road train drivers. Homestead is located 73km west of Charters Towers as you head to Mount Isa, which is 700km away. The Flinders Highway is a busy route for road trains and when I was in Homestead a while back there was a lack of a rest area.
In fact I snapped a pic of a triple parked in a pull off area which was dangerously close to the road. Work has now started on the new heavy vehicle rest area. The project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Commonwealth’s Heavy Vehicle Rest Area (HVRA) initiative. The new rest area will help heavy vehicle operators manage fatigue by encouraging drivers to stop, rest, and reset in a dedicated facility. The rest area also aims to reduce heavy vehicle parking in informal and on-street areas within the Homestead township, improving local access, traffic flow and community amenity, while reducing noise and dust impacts. It will include a shelter with picnic settings, an accessible toilet with ramp access, water tanks, including one that can be utilised by emergency services, and refuse bins. Completion of the project is anticipated in January 2027, weather and construction conditions permitting. To keep road users and roadwork crews safe, short-term traffic restrictions may be required near the highway alignment, including temporary traffic signals and reversible traffic flow. Country roadhouse near rest area Located along the Moonie Highway in western Queensland, the Westmar Roadhouse Pub and Convenience Store is a nice little place for truckies to stop.
This is a genuine country establishment about a 45-minute drive west of Moonie, with St George in the other direction. What makes it even better for truckies is that across the road from the roadhouse is a rest area with a shower and toilets. A South Australian driver who stopped there said the service was friendly and he felt very welcome. “It was great service, the food was good and I could park nearby and sleep during a break,” he said. Spy spoke to long time roadhouse cook Julie Hatherell who said an average of 20 trucks a day stopped there. “They are livestock carriers, grain and general freight trucks as well as others. At night you will see up to 10 trucks parked at the rest area and drivers walk over here,” Julie said. Julie has lived in the Westmar area for 44 years and said that drivers who stop at the roadhouse love bacon and egg or ham, cheese and tomato sandwiches. “Others will sit down and have a meal and we welcome them all,” she said. The roadhouse employs four full-time staff, and some parttime staff who are mainly backpackers. It is open from 7am-9pm on weekdays, 7.30am-9pm on Saturday and from 8am-3pm on Sunday. Vale Owen Schmidt It was sad to hear of the passing of road transport legend Owen Schmidt who along with his wife Liz Schmidt were inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at the Reunion in 2007. Owen died on September 14, 2026, aged 75, after spending the past two years at Eventide Home in Charters Towers. Owen and Liz started
Schmidt’s Livestock Transport in the 1970s and over the years I saw Owen many times at rest areas, roadhouses, beside highways or at the Charters Towers saleyards. In 2006 I visited the Schmidt’s Livestock Transport property at Oak Valley, west of Townsville and just off the Flinders Highway. Their triple cattle road trains were common sights around North Queensland and beyond and Owen was a true gentleman. He possessed extreme knowledge about the road transport industry and there weren’t many bush tracks in his region that he hadn’t driven on. The memory of this highly respected truckie will live on. Historic pub destroyed Like many readers I have fond memories of the historic Great Northern Hotel in Townsville, which was destroyed in a fire last month on September 11. The Great Northern had been a legendary watering hole since opening 125 years ago. It has been closed since 2015, when a fire damaged the kitchen and has stood vacant since. Nobody knew if the pub would be restored as some parts were National Trust listed and the cost would have been prohibitive. As the flames engulfed the establishment on Flinders Street, it made national headlines. Many a deal to buy a new truck has been sealed over a coldie at the Northern. It was located a short distance from the railway station, from where passengers would often enjoy a drink after a long journey. My bet is that many drivers would have wandered into the public or private bar there for a yarn and to quench their thirst.
The Westmar Roadhouse in Queensland. Image: Alf Wilson
The Great Northern Hotel in Townsville. Image: Alf Wilson
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38 TRUCKIE PROFILES
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
Xander loving the freedom on the road FOR this edition of Truckin’ in the South, I caught up with Xander Lawson from Murray Bridge, South Australia, a young driver who is quickly building experience on some of Australia’s biggest runs. Xander currently drives for Energy Logistix out of Adelaide, carting mine-site freight behind the wheel of a Kenworth K200. He only started driving professionally in January 2025, following in the footsteps of his old man, but his involvement with trucks started well before then. “I was previously working in truck restoration and always wanted to experience actually driving the big rigs when the opportunity came up,” Xander said. He got his start with ACME Transport in Moora, Western Australia, driving a Freightliner Coronado and carting grain for feedlots. Since then, he’s continued progressing through the industry and says he may have been one of the youngest drivers in Western Australia to obtain his MC licence – something he’s understandably proud of early in his career.
THE DRIVING AND THE DISTANCES ARE WHY I KEEP COMING BACK. IF I’M EVER AWAY FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME, I FIND MYSELF MISSING THE TRUCK.” For Xander, one of the biggest attractions to trucking is the freedom and the distances the job allows him to travel. “I love the freedom when you’re on the road and the long distances I get to travel.” His favourite stretch so far is the Great Northern Highway between Wubin and Meekatharra in Western Australia. And when it comes to pulling up for a feed, Paynes Find still gets his vote. “The food was always good and at a decent price.” While Xander loves the lifestyle, he says one of the hardest parts for drivers is dealing with the amount of regulation and expectations placed on the industry. “The regulations are pretty heavy and there are a lot of expectations on drivers.”
Xander carts mine-site freight behind the wheel of a Kenworth K200. Image: Xander Lawson
Road safety is another issue that’s particularly important to him. “The danger of getting on the road is a big one. With the road death toll getting higher, it becomes a real worry whether it could be one of us next.” Despite the challenges, Xander says it doesn’t take long away from the driver’s seat before he starts wanting to get back out there.
“The driving and the distances are why I keep coming back. If I’m ever away for any amount of time, I find myself missing the truck.” Looking a few years down the track, Xander isn’t looking to go anywhere in a hurry. “I see myself still with Energy Logistix, hopefully with a lot more experience under my belt.” And while he’s still early in
his own driving career, Xander has already learnt the importance of listening to those around him. “Take advice from anyone and everywhere you go. No matter how much you learn, there’s always another way or another trick to doing things.” Away from work, Xander enjoys gaming, car restoration and car audio. So even when he’s not behind the wheel,
there’s usually something mechanical not too far away. From restoring trucks to driving a Coronado through WA and now carting minesite freight in a K200, Xander has packed plenty into the beginning of his driving career. And with his enthusiasm for the long-distance work and willingness to keep learning, there are plenty more kilometres ahead.
TRUCKIE PROFILES 39
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026
Camaraderie on job keeps PJ returning
These days you’ll find PJ behind the wheel of a Kenworth T409 SAR. Image: PJ Jose
PJ Jose from Mount Buffalo, Victoria, has spent the past 16 years behind the wheel and says driving trucks is all he ever wanted to do. PJ currently drives for PC Freight Services, carting general freight, with plenty of his work involving timber coming out of sawmills. These days you’ll find him behind the wheel of a Kenworth 409 SAR, but his passion for trucks started when he was just a kid. “All I wanted to do since I was a kid was drive trucks. I’ve always had a passion for them,” PJ said. Before his current ride, PJ drove for Mick Sergi in a Kenworth K104, also carting general freight, adding to the experience he’s built over his 16 years on the road. For PJ, one of the best parts of trucking is getting to see different places and having the freedom that comes with life on the highway. “The freedom of the open road, solid job security and the camaraderie of the transport industry are what keep me coming back.”
Of course, life on the road also comes with sacrifices. “Being away most of the time is probably the toughest part, but it’s part of the job.” When asked to pick his favourite stretch of road, PJ gives the nod to the Pacific Highway around the Coffs Coast – certainly not a bad part of the country to look at through the windscreen. For a decent feed, PJ reckons the Ampol Roadhouse at Gilgandra is well worth pulling into. “They do a great big breakfast.” After 16 years in the industry, PJ says he’s never really put too much thought into where trucking might take him next. “I’ve been doing it a very long time and never really thought about that. I’m happy just doing the job I’m tasked and trusted to do.” When it comes to issues facing truckies, PJ believes Australia’s major freight routes still need more attention, particularly when it comes to giving drivers somewhere suitable to stop. “Inadequate rest facilities
ALL I WANTED TO DO SINCE I WAS A KID WAS DRIVE TRUCKS. I’VE ALWAYS HAD A PASSION FOR THEM.” and poor highway infrastructure along major freight corridors are big issues.” For anyone just getting their start in the industry, PJ’s advice is simple and comes from plenty of years of experience. “Don’t rush. Take your time and take care with everything you do.” Away from the truck, PJ admits he doesn’t get a huge amount of spare time. When he does, you’ll find him tinkering around the house or adding to his collection of model trucks. Even after 16 years, it seems trucks are never too far away. For someone who grew up wanting nothing more than to drive them, PJ has been able to turn that childhood passion into a career and he’s still happy doing the job he’s trusted to do.
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40 TRUCKIE PROFILES
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
25 years in the job BASED at Wodonga in Victoria, just across the NSW border from Albury, Michael O’Neill drives a Kenworth K200 for Dawson’s Haulage. The 60-year-old truckie was parked up at the BP Cluden waiting for news on a backload when Big Rigs saw him. “I brought up an oversized load for Korea Zinc in Townsville and have a backload of pipes to take to Toowoomba,” he said.
A driver for 25 years, Michael said the worst road he had been along was between Goondiwindi and Millmerran. “It is a real shocker,” he said. Michael gets to travel around Australia so he has a good knowledge of roadhouses. When in the areas, Michael likes stopping at the BP Kewdale in WA and Townsville’s BP Cluden, which he said
serves up a great rump steak. Regarding rest areas, Michael said more were needed with decent facilities for drivers. As for hobbies outside of the highways, Michael said he doesn’t have time for any. Dawson’s Haulage is a family owned business with its head office in Wodonga, and depots in Toowoomba, West Wyalong, Perth and Rockhampton.
BIG GEAR WASHDOWN
Michael O’Neill drives a Kenworth K200 for Dawson’s Haulage. Images: Alf Wilson
Young driver in it for the long haul AGED just 23, Rajat Dogra is amongst the youngest bracket of truck drivers and says he wants to stay in the industry for a long time. Rajat was attending to the trailer of the Scania he drives for Linfox out of Brisbane when Big Rigs saw him last month. “I have brought up goods and materials for Bunnings and Woolworths,” he said. Rajat moved to Australia from northern India and has been an Aussie truckie for several years since. “The Scania is a good truck and I also liked a Volvo I drove for another company before this job. I drove a rigid carrying goods locally around Brisbane,” he said. The highway between Charters Towers and Emerald is the one Rajat finds challenging. “I think there are enough rest areas if you pick the ones to
Rajat Dogra works for Linfox, driving a Scania.
stop at,” he added. I noticed that the front of his Scania was littered with dead insects which would require some intense cleaning. “There are lots of insects at different places but these ones I drove through were just up the Bruce Highway, south of Townsville, where there is a small lake beside it,” he said.
Can’t shake the trucking bug QUALIFIED boilermaker Keith Lutherborrow has been a truck driver on and off for 15 years. But whenever he has left a driving job for a short period, Keith always ends up swiftly back as a truckie. “I just love the freedom on the road and the people I meet
and just enjoy driving,” he said. Keith, 52, drives a Kenworth T610 for Browns Citrus, from their Gayndah depot, and lives at Caboolture. “I have brought up eggs from Pittsworth to Townsville and I’m waiting for a backload for Rockhampton,” Keith said when I saw him
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Outside work Rajat loves watching soccer and his favourite player is international superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. “Back in India I was a professional sports shooter but haven’t got into it here in Australia,” he said. In conclusion Rajat said Linfox was a great company to work for.
Keith Lutherborrow drives a Kenworth T610 for Browns Citrus.
parked up at the BP Cluden. What Keith had delivered was ironic because his favourite food is bacon and eggs. “I carry a lot of my own prepacked meals and heat them up in my microwave. But I prefer BP roadhouses when I stop. Here at Cluden and another at Caboolture are good,” he said. Keith added that more rest areas suitable for truckies are needed in Queensland. “Overall, they are better in Victoria and NSW but some in Queensland are improving,” he said. When he does get time off, Keith loves relaxing on and tending to his acreage near his hometown. His main dislike when travelling the highways and byways are what he described as the actions of “idiot drivers”. “Some do very dangerous things,” he said.
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PUZZLES 41
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 1
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1 What is a simple narrative poem (6) 7 To be accountable, is to be what (8) 8 Which term means pressing or imperative (6) 9 To alienate the affection of, is to do what (8) 10 What is an individual or minute part (6) 11 To augment, is to do what (8) 14 Which people try out new things (8) 18 To be gliding over snow, is to be doing what (6) 19 What is conversation between two or more persons (8) 21 Name another term for anguish (6) 22 Which small car is used to make short trips (8) 23 To be free from obligation, is to be what (6)
1 What are large rocks (8) 2 What is extra space (6) 3 Which newspaper article line gives the date of origin (4,4) 4 To speak in a humorous way, is to do what (4) 5 Name an uncivilised human being (6) 6 When one joins with others in a cause, one does what (6) 12 What is a film-holder in certain types of cameras (8) 13 Who leaves one’s country to settle in another (8) 15 What are goodbyes (6) 16 Name an upright shaft (6) 17 Who commits illegal violence at sea (6) 20 To be pious, is to be what (4)
17 18 20 B A L L A D J S A O E A M E N A B L E S V I U R G E N T L W E S T R A N G E G N D E T A I L E Y I N C R E A S E N A M R P I S A M P L E R S D I S K I I N G R R D I A L O G U E E L O T R A U M A T N R U N A B O U T X R D E X E M P T
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Corrosion Floating structures Conditional release Cereal Time in grammar Fish Prohibit Disconcert (coll) Changes Fishing pole Scheme Lukewarm Notion Esculent Mature Snare
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QUICK CROSSWORD
Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.
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Across: 1 Rust, 4 Rafts, 8 Parole, 9 Corn, 11 Tense, 12 Pike, 14 Ban, 15 Rattle, 19 Alters, 21 Rod, 22 Plan, 24 Tepid, 27 Idea, 29 Edible, 30 Ripen, 31 Trap. Down: 1 Roc, 2 Sprint, 3 Tank, 4 Rot, 5 Alert, 6 Fen, 7 Seeped, 10 Opal, 13 Err, 14 Barter, 16 Asp, 17 Trader, 18 Lone, 20 Elide, 23 Lilt, 25 Pep, 26 Din, 28 Alp.
SUDOKU
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GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
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Across:1 Ballad, 7 Amenable, 8 Urgent, 9 Estrange, 10 Detail, 11 Increase, 14 Samplers, 18 Skiing, 19 Dialogue, 21 Trauma, 22 Runabout, 23 Exempt. Down: 1 Boulders, 2 Leeway, 3 Date line, 4 Jest, 5 Savage, 6 Aligns, 12 Cassette, 13 Emigrant, 15 Adieux, 16 Pillar, 17 Pirate, 20 Good.
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Fabled monstrous bird Race at full speed Army weapon Decay Watchful Marsh Oozed out Gem Do wrong Trade by exchange Serpent Merchant Solitary Omit in pronunciation Cadence Vigour Clamour High mountain
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42 CAREERS AND TRAINING
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026 BIGRIGS.COM.AU
QTA reveals 2026 major award winners
MORE than 450 industry guests gathered at the Royal International Convention Centre for the 35th Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) Road Freight Industry Awards in Brisbane last month. The evening brought together transport operators, fleet owners, suppliers, industry leaders, government representatives and key stakeholders for a night that celebrated much more than award winners. Alongside recognising outstanding achievement in workforce development, safety and innovation, emerging leadership, professional driving, women in transport and broader industry contribution, QTA also celebrated significant member business milestones and acknowledged the enduring relationships that have supported the association and the industry over many years. Among those recognised were QTA’s longstanding Platinum Partners — NTI, VCV Australia, Trailer Sales and Cummins South Pacific, whose ongoing support reflects the strength of the relationships QTA has built with businesses that are deeply invested in the success and sustainability of Queensland’s road freight sector. QTA CEO Gary Mahon said the evening reflected the depth, capability and community that exists across
Young Achiever of the Year Patrick Mahon is already showing what the next generation of transport leadership looks like. Images: QTA
Queensland road freight. “The Road Freight Industry Awards are an opportunity to recognise the people and businesses whose leadership, professionalism and commitment continue to strengthen our industry,” Mahon said. “Just as importantly, they give us the opportunity to celebrate the significant business milestones, partnerships and relationships that have contributed so much to QTA and to the road freight industry over many years.” The 2026 QTA RFIA award winners announced on the night were: Training and Skilling Excellence — Followmont Transport Followmont Transport was recognised for a leadership
program built specifically for the realities of the transport industry. Now reaching 69 participants across more than 20 branches, the initiative is developing confident leaders from within the business and strengthening Followmont’s future leadership pipeline through practical skills in people management, safety, compliance, commercial awareness and operations. Industry Safety & Innovation, Joint Winners — VE Group and South East Queensland Hauliers Two very different but equally impressive innovations saw the judges name joint winners in 2026. VE Group turned a genuine frontline safety challenge into a smart engineering solution
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with its Illuminate to Eliminate initiative. Developed with Drake Trailers, integrated lighting around critical areas of its new 4×4 Deck Widener Float gives operators significantly better visibility when loading heavy machinery at night — improving accuracy and removing the need to work around equipment with handheld torches. South East Queensland Hauliers continued its reputation for challenging what is possible in high-productivity freight. Within just 12 months, the business delivered an Electric A-Double and A-Triple — with the A-Triple believed to be the largest electric road train of its kind in the world — as well as the Super A-Double, capable of moving four fully loaded 20-foot containers in a single movement. Importantly, the innovations are not prototypes sitting on display; they are delivering practical commercial outcomes. Young Achiever of the Year — Patrick Mahon, MJ Mahon Transport Patrick Mahon is already showing what the next generation of transport leadership looks like. As Fleet Maintenance Supervisor at MJ Mahon Transport, he has helped transform the company’s maintenance operations, designing an integrated asset maintenance system and cus-
tomer portal that are improving fleet reliability, reducing downtime and strengthening compliance. His technical ability, initiative and maturity have quickly established Patrick as an emerging leader to watch.
Trucking Woman of the Year — Samantha Mackie, Barnes Auto Co Samantha Mackie was recognised for a contribution that reaches well beyond her own business. Appointed a Director of Barnes Auto Co at just 23, she now helps lead one of Australia’s largest dedicated heavy towing providers while contributing significant time and expertise to the wider industry. A QTA Treasurer and former Vice President, industry advocate and long-term Youth Insearch mentor and
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CAREERS AND TRAINING 39
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY JANUARY 31 2025
Prior to her current role at Mt Isa Carriers, Kayla was steering triples, behind the wheel of this truck.
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I KNEW I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO WORK AS A DRIVER FOREVER, SO THE NEXT STEP FOR ME WAS TO GET INTO THE OPERATIONS SIDE OF IT.” KAYLA TRAINOR
Mt Isa Carriers co-owner Cassy Baillie and Kayla.
Asked about what her typical day with the company involves, Kayla says she’s tasked with organising the drivers and their runs, organising maintenance and NHVR requirements, visiting all four depots, and being heavily involved in all aspects of the day to day running of the company. “Sometimes I think people get the impression that because I sit behind a desk I haven’t done the work, but I have, so that’s a big advantage,” Kayla added. “My original goal when I got into this industry was to see the country and I’ve been all over – but haven’t been to the
Northern Territory. I don’t think I’ve ruled that out just yet though.” Mt Isa Carriers is currently owned and operated by husband and wife team Kent and Cassy Baillie. It was originally started in 1965 by family friend Graham Porter. In chatting with Kent, he had high praise for Kayla and her work ethic. “Kayla was one of the best drivers we had and now as operations manager, she’s my 2IC (second-in-charge). She looks after everything and is very thorough in everything she does,” he said. Though Kent also admitted, “Part of me didn’t want
to pull her off the road because she was just so good at her work. There are a lot women out there in this industry who are running rings around some of the blokes. We also have another female driver doing triples from Townsville to Mt Isa. It’s sad that parts of the industry are still lagging behind. He continued, “Across the industry, we’re losing more drivers than we have coming in, so I’m all for giving more women and more young drivers a go. “We’re also in touch with several driving schools as we like to give young people a chance. We have one driver
who started out on the rigids and now he’s worked his way up to triples between Mt Isa and Darwin. “We’ve been very lucky with the calibre of drivers we’ve been attracting.” And for Kayla, Mt Isa Carriers has been the perfect fit. “I really enjoy the work at Mt Isa Carriers – and I enjoy the people I work with. You gain a lot of respect from drivers too, because they know you’ve been there and done the work too,” she said. When asked if she ever misses being on the road, Kayla replied, “Yeah I do sometimes, so if we ever purchase a new truck, I’ll happily race down and pick
She previously worked as a driver at Mort & Co, carrying molasses and feedlot supplements.
it up so I can drive it back!” She also offered her advice to those considering a career in the industry. “I encourage young drivers, and females
into the industry. Don’t take the knock-backs personally and keep trying. You will get told no – but keep applying.”
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 are permanent 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.
embrace a life less ordinary Join the team at Anthony Lagoon Station NT.
Visit our website to find out more about our current opportunities, including: • Road Train Driver • Loader Driver • Grader Driver
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)
employment@kseaster.com.au
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Professional Driver of the Year — John and Matthew Olsson, MJ Mahon Transport Brothers John and Matthew Olsson drive over 300,000 kilometres each year and have demonstrated that professional driving is about far more than kilometres travelled. Sharing the same Volvo FH780 and operating as a seamless team across time-critical Central Queensland deliveries, the brothers consistently rank among the highest-performing drivers in a fleet of more than 90 – including a number one fuel-efficiency ranking. Their incident-free record, excep-
Followmont Transport was recognised for a leadership program that’s so far reached 69 participants across over 20 branches.
To apply for Mechanic positions please forward your resume to Workshop Manager via email to
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board director, Samantha has built a reputation for leadership grounded in professionalism, courage and genuine care for people.
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CAREERS AND TRAINING 43
BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2026
UD crowns top Australian driver
tional customer service and commitment to mentoring new drivers made them standout recipients of this year’s award. Industry Excellence — Brett Plummer, South East Queensland Hauliers Brett Plummer was recognised for almost three decades of leadership that has helped reshape high-productivity freight in Australia. Since purchasing South East Queensland Hauliers in 1997, Brett has grown the business into a major Port of Brisbane logistics operation while continuing to push the boundaries of freight efficiency. From helping develop the A-double – now with thousands operating nationally – to electric combinations and the latest Super A-double, Brett’s influence can be seen in the equipment, operations and productivity of the wider industry. Just as importantly,
Brett Plummer was recognised for three decades of leadership, helping to reshape high-productivity freight in Australia.
his commitment to training people and creating pathways into transport has ensured his legacy extends well beyond the vehicles themselves. Special Recognition — Cunninghams Gap Reconstruction Project A Special Recognition Award acknowledged the collaboration behind the Cunninghams
Trucking Woman of the Year Samantha Mackie was appointed a Director of Barnes Auto Co at just 23.
Gap Reconstruction Project, where government, industry, engineers and constructors worked together to ensure heavy vehicle needs were embedded into the design process. The project provides a strong benchmark for future infrastructure planning, demonstrating the value of engaging operators early and designing for the largest and heaviest vehicles on the network to support safer interaction between freight vehicles and general motorists. The evening concluded with a major announcement that QTA will celebrate 120 years as an Association in 2027, culminating in a special gala celebration at the Royal International Convention Centre on Saturday, September 18, 2027. Members, partners and industry supporters are encouraged to save the date and be part of this significant milestone for Queensland’s road freight industry.
FOLLOWING three weeks of intense competition, UD Trucks has crowned the winner of its 2026 Extra Mile Challenge Australia, with the winner set to represent Australia in the global final in Japan later this month. Taking out the Australian title is Anthony Cassar of Coolway Trans, representing Volvo Commercial Vehicles Australia Sydney West. Drivers were assessed through UD Connect telematics across key performance disciplines including Anticipation & Braking, Driveline Utilisation, Speed Adaptation and Standstill. In an incredibly close final, Anthony secured victory with an outstanding average score of 82.66, finishing just one point ahead of his nearest competitor. Launched in 2015, the UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge is a skills-based driver competition designed to demonstrate how improvements in driver behaviour can contribute to safer driving, improved fuel efficiency and reduced vehicle wear and tear. The challenge celebrates the professional truck drivers who keep Australia moving while supporting UD Trucks’ commitment to creating a “Better Life”.
Anthony Cassar of Coolway Trans has 27 years of experience behind the wheel. Image: UD Trucks
As Australia’s 2026 champion with 27 years of driving experience, Anthony will travel to Ageo, Japan, in late October 2026 to compete in the Global UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge Final, where he will go head-to-head with the world’s best UD drivers behind the wheel of the UD Quon. Cameron Bettany, Vice President, UD Trucks Australia congratulated Anthony on an outstanding result. “The Extra Mile Challenge showcases the professionalism, skill and dedication of our drivers, and Anthony’s performance throughout the competition has been exceptional,” he said. “We’re excited to once again have a strong Australian rep-
resentative competing on the world stage. We wish Anthony every success as he takes on the world’s best drivers in Japan and proudly represents Australia.” Owner of Coolway Trans, Sunny Ahmed, thanked UD Trucks Australia and Volvo Commercial Vehicles Australia for putting on the Extra Mile Challenge and giving Anthony a platform to shine. “We’re incredibly proud of him and this result. It’s a well-deserved achievement that reflects Anthony’s professionalism and dedication behind the wheel. Good luck in Ageo Anthony.” At the global final in Japan, Anthony will compete against regional winners.
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:
MC LOCAL, LINEHAUL & 2-UP DRIVERS WANTED
(Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Based) Come and work for us as we are committed to: • Training and further education • Your safety • Maintaining an impressive Fleet On offer are permanent full time, part time, casual and roster positions including weekend work, paid leave entitlements and public holidays. Drivers need to be available for weekend work as scheduled for work falling across the 7 days of the week. The successful Applicant will: • Hold a current MC licence (minimum two years) • Have knowledge of the HVNL and Load Restraint • Be professional • Be reliable To apply for the Driver positions please contact Operations Manager 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