Big Rigs 6 Aug, 2021

FRIDAY, August 6, 2021

ONLINE www.bigrigs.com.au

EMAIL info@bigrigs.com.au

DRIVER CRISIS WORSENS Page 3

EAST COASTER IN ‘WILD WEST’ Page 14

ROAD TO ZERO

ACCELERATING THE TRANSITION TO EMISSIONS-FREE TRUCKS: PAGES 16-22

2 NEWS CONTACT US Address: 11-15 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Phone: 03 9690 8766 Email: editor@bigrigs.com.au Web: bigrigs.com.au Accounts: 03 9690 8766 Subscriptions: 03 9690 8766 Classifieds: 0403 626 353 Circulation and distribution queries: 03 9690 8766 info@bigrigs.com.au EDITOR James Graham: 0478 546 462 james.graham@primecreative.com.au REPORTER Danielle Gullaci danielle.gullaci@primecreative.com.au GENERAL MANAGER Peter Hockings: 0410 334 371 peter.hockings@primecreative.com.au MEDIA SALES CONSULTANT Marie O’Reilly: 0403 626 353 marie.oreilly@primecreative.com.au CLIENT SUCCESS Katharine Causer: 0423 055 787 katharine.causer@primecreative. com.au CONTRIBUTORS Truckin in the Topics: Alf Wilson, 0408 009 301 Brent Davison; David Vile; David Meredith; Ian Lee; Jon Wallis Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper is published by Prime Creative Media. It is the largest circulated fortnightly truck publication in Australia with 26,023* copies per fortnight. *12 month average, publisher’s claim November 2018

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Long jail sentence for SA trucking operator SA trucking boss Reginald Roberts, 68, has been hit with combined jail sentences of 20 years and six months for his role in a massive meth bust and lodging false rebate claims for fuel.

Roberts had been sentenced in January to 10 years and six months in jail with a non-parole period of six years and 10 months for the 2018 $270m meth haul.

During sentencing for the drug charge, Judge Ian Press found Roberts had not been a mastermind in importing the drugs but had taken a “substantial step” in ensuring the 313kg of meth reached the streets.

But that news had been supressed while he was prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions for creating fake transport businesses and lodging false rebate claims for fuel.

Earlier last month the District Court of South Australia sentenced Roberts to an additional 10 years in jail after being found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

Between 2002 and 2006, Roberts, who already operated trucking businesses in South Australia, created three additional companies – Double R Logistics, Inter Link Freight

Reginald Roberts is led into court after being arrested on the drug possession charges in 2019. Photo: Nine News

Services, and Phillip Williams Pty Ltd.

He used false identities and lodged 75 fraudulent claims for more than 20 million litres of fuel, with no evidence that it was ever purchased or used under the Diesel and Alternative Fuels Grants Scheme and the Energy Grants Credit Scheme, which were designed to allow heavy road transport businesses to claim back 18.51 cents per litre of fuel used.

Following investigation, it was found that no trucks were registered to the businesses at the time, and searches at Roberts’s home and business found no business records to support more than $3.8 million of taxpayer money he’d claimed.

“This outcome demonstrates the ATO’s commitment to detecting and prosecuting tax crimes, no matter how long it has been,” Assistant Commissioner Ian Read said.

“We have a duty to the community to protect the integrity of the tax and super systems, and we have no tolerance for blatant fraud like we have seen in this case. Mr Roberts obtained an unfair advantage over Australians who are doing the right thing, robbing the Australian economy of millions that could have been spent on essential services. Tax crime is not victimless.”

SA operators pay price for engine remapping THE National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has charged two South Australian operators with offences relating to illegal engine remapping.

An investigation conducted by South Australia Police (SAPOL) Heavy Vehicle Enforcement Unit (HVEU) found a produce company had

‘remapped’ the engines of four heavy vehicles to disable the vehicles’ emission limits.

The unnamed operator pleaded guilty to four charges of tampering with an emission control system fitted to a heavy vehicle and was fined $3000.

They were also required to spend over $32,000 to fix the

compliance issues.

A further SAPOL HVEU investigation found software and electronic equipment associated with speed limiter tampering at a South Australian transport company’s office.

The operator, also not named by the regulator in its statement today, pleaded guilty

to possessing a device designed or adapted to enable speed limiter tampering was fined $1200, and was required to forfeit the equipment.

NHVR Executive Director Statutory Compliance Ray Hassall said the NHVR was working collaboratively with the heavy vehicle industry to

remove engine remapping and improve safety.

“We’re currently undertaking an education campaign to highlight the harmful effects engine remapping can have on heavy vehicle drivers and logistics workers, as well as communities and the environment,” Hassall said.

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NEWS 3

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Feds ask for proof of driver shortage

BY JAMES GRAHAM WA trucking boss Cam Dumesny finally got an answer from the Minister of Employment Stuart Robert about why trucking was left off the latest Priority Skilled Immigration List - and it wasn’t what he expected to hear.

“We received a letter back effectively stating that we need to provide proof there is an actual shortage [of industry workers],” the dumbfounded CEO of the Western Roads Federation told members in a recent bulletin.

“The National Skills Council (no one seems to have heard of them) has advised him there is no shortage.”

With no national database or stats that provide this kind of information, Dumesny has now asked members to help him argue the case by providing the following details in an email.

How many job vacancies are currently open for the MC drivers, heavy vehicle mechanics, and other roles, and

below, and how long have the posts been open.

Dumesny estimates that on the score of skilled drivers alone the state is short of at least 1000 truckies, a number sending shivers through the state’s grain sector which, by all reports, is on track for a bumper harvest.

“It’s so desperate over here,” Dumesny tells Big Rigs. “We don’t have enough workers for the mines, retail distribution, the list goes on and on.

“We need drivers, and if they happen to be from overseas, let’s train them properly.

“Don’t get me wrong, our preference is that we train locals, but it takes four years to train a mechanic and we don’t have that time.”

WA is also leading the way with recruiting and training drivers up to the HR level, but that doesn’t get them behind the wheel of a quad in the Pilbara fast enough, he admits.

“We’re struggling to find a solution from the HC to the MC level because companies are so tight [for resources] that they can’t release them for a week or two of the extra training we need to give them.

WA’s peak trucking body estimates the industry has a state shortfall of 1000 drivers and is calling on the feds to help.

“The whole licensing training system is currently a ballsup in this country.

“If someone goes off and does a HR course for example, it basically teaches them to steer a truck and abide by the road rules, but they have no experience. They also don’t have their load restraint ticket, or all those other tickets they’re meant to have.

“You and I can go and get our HR licence tomorrow but that doesn’t make us a truck driver.”

Dumesny said the issue has got so dire in WA that the state government has now slowed down some of its projects in order to release some of the workforce back into the mining and construction sectors.

But rather than seeing the

pandemic as a further impediment to a fix, Dumesny is hopeful that it will have the opposite effect, sooner than later.

“What is annoying me more is that as an industry, collectively we’ve underpinned the economy.

“They can have lockdowns, and all the rest of it, but what they forget is that without transport delivery food, medi-

cines and all the other essentials that people buy, how much trust would there be in a lockdown?

“Implicitly, the whole basis of a lockdown is assumed on the basis that transport can continue to put food on the shelves.

“It’s time to raise our profile to show our important our industry is.”

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4 NEWS

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Railroad Transport placed in voluntary liquidation

KILBURN-BASED Railroad Transport has been placed in voluntary liquidation with more than 100 staff around Australia made redundant.

Liquidator Tarquin Koch said the amount owed to them would be “north of $2.1 million”, but employee entitlements are covered under the federal Fair Entitlements Guarantee Scheme.

Although the company made slight losses on annual revenues of around $35 million in the past couple of financial years, there are no reports yet on exactly why the company has folded.

All its social media and web presence has been taken down and staff who are still answering the phone are directing all

queries to the liquidator.

According to one report, company documents show the company’s shareholders voted that it be “wound up voluntarily” at a meeting last month.

An archived copy of the website boasted of 51,000sq m of storage space across its depots in Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne, and that it operated a large fleet of vehicles.

“Our impressive fleet can deliver freight of any kind or size, including food, oversized loads, machinery and cars, along with most special requirements,’’ the website said.

“Our transport machinery includes: road trains, – B-triples and B-doubles – semi trailers, side loaders, prime movers, delivery trucks, 30

tonne straddle carriers, 2.5- to 45-tonne forklifts including container handlers, 25-tonne hook-lift trucks, rail and shipping containers, 45,000-litre tankers and 100-tonne low loaders.’’

It reportedly bought Hopper Transport, which had depots in Sydney, Brisbane and southeast Melbourne, in mid2019.

The two directors of the company are Craig Hammond

Employee entitlements are covered under the federal Fair Entitlements Guarantee Scheme.

and Glen McMahon, and the two shareholders are companies owned by Hammond and the Glen McMahon Family Trust.

Glen McMahon was the founder of G.F. McMahon Transport, which started operations in 1957, and expanded into demolitions in 1974.

The company’s website said the business had been in operation for 64 years.

“Under the passionate management of Glen, the business flourished and became Railroad Transport, established in 1990 with co-owner Craig Hammond,” the website said.

Big Rigs readers reacted with a mixture of surprise and disappointment when we broke the news online.

Writes WA-based truckie Mike Williams: “All the sad messaging should be for the subbies getting burned by yet another one going down the toilet.

“Some of these blokes couldn’t manage a chook raffle. They do manage to have nice offices and company cars but they can’t add up.

“They cut rates or at the very least hold them down to get or keep work. Only customers benefit from that.

“Drivers and subbies prop these clowns up for free by doing all the unpaid loading, unloading, etc, and when it all goes belly-up, like it often does, it’s all so sad. Hope the drivers get out ok. They often don’t. Makes my blood boil!”

MaxiTRANS sells Trailer division, but business as usual

PROVIDING shareholders sign off on the deal, MaxiTRANS Industries Limited (MXI) is selling off its Trailer division for $30.257m to the privately-owned Australian Trailer Solutions Group.

In addition, MXI is in ad-

vanced discussions to sell its Derrimut and Hallam sites to a third party for a cash consideration of $18.05m.

The sale of these properties will be subject to completion of the sale of Trailers.

The move also includes

Trailer dealerships, service centres and rental operations in Craigieburn, Dandenong, Smeaton Grange, Derrimut, Adelaide and Christchurch, along with MaxiTrans’ share of the Trailer Sales Queensland business.

These transactions are expected to transform MXI into a dedicated commercial parts distribution business and is consistent with MXI’s strategy to optimise growth opportunities in MaxiPARTS.

MXI will change its name to MaxiPARTS Limited (MaxiParts), while Trailers will continue to operate under the MaxiTRANS name.

The sale is expected to be wrapped up by the end of August, providing all condi-

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Truckies hit with $4135 fines at Queensland border

QUEENSLAND Police and Transport and Main Roads officers joined forces for a crackdown on truckies flouting border pass requirements.

Officers from Taskforce Sierra Linnet and the Road Policing Command’s Heavy Vehicle Enforcement Team teamed with local police and the TMR in three Queensland border highway locations targeting heavy vehicles and freight compliance.

In just one weekend more than 130 heavy vehicles were intercepted at Coomera, Wallangarra and Goondiwindi and 55 vehicles had either travelled without a pass or without relevant documentation.

State disaster coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said he was concerned by the low level of compliance of members of the freight and transport industry with Queensland travel declaration or border passes a requirement to enter the state.

“Officers intercepted a large number of vehicles to ensure compliance with transport regulations, freight passes and an overall understanding of Covid-safe practices,” Deputy

Rules are tightening for truckies crossing the Queensland border.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski. Photo: Twitter

Commissioner Gollschewski said.

“The Queensland community can have confidence the QPS and partner agency Transport and Main Roads

are working together to mitigate the risk of Covid-19, but these results do show the time is appropriate to highlight the penalties.

“Travelling in and around

Queensland without the necessary documentation will cost you $4135 if in breach of your Freight Pass directions.

“We are in a position where we will be enforcing these fines to make a very clear point to the freight industry.”

Under Queensland Covid-19 Border Direction, heavy vehicle operators travelling into Queensland on a Freight Border Declaration Pass must comply with restrictions and departure requirements to minimise the risk of spreading Covid, said police.

A 43-year-old man was issued with four infringements following a heavy vehicle traffic stop near the Queensland/ NSW border at Wallangarra

later the same month.

Police allege that when they requested the driver produce documentation, he produced two passes which were invalid.

Police will further allege the driver became abusive, striking parts of his truck with his fists.

When the intercepting officer advised the driver, he would be turned around to NSW, he allegedly ignored three requests to produce his driver’s license.

It will be alleged when the driver saw an infringement notice being issued, he performed a U-Turn, almost hitting the intercepting officer and leaving black tyre tracks while driving away at speed.

The truck was followed

to a service station in NSW where he was again spoken to however it is alleged he refused to get out of the cab and began throwing items out of the driver’s seat window.

Police managed to negotiate with the driver, explained his border pass requirements and helped him complete a new pass.

He was issued with one Fail to Comply – Covid-19 Border Direction, and three traffic infringement notices for fail to produce a driver’s license, fail to wear seatbelt and conducting a U-Turn over a single or double white line.

Visit bigrigs.com.au for the latest on border passes and testing regime rules.

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6 NEWS

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

NSW operators slugged $38k in tolls for each truck

NatRoad is calling for urgent reform as the daily cost of Sydney tolls exceeds the driver’s wage for some operators, suggesting an independent toll regulator as a possible solution.

The association used Eastern Creek-based trucking company based Shaws Darwin Transport as a case in point.

Managing Director of Shaws, Allan Thornley, says the round-trip cost of tolls ($140) for a typical delivery run from western Sydney to the Northern Beaches now outweighs the cost of a driver ($134) for the four-hour trip.

Thornley estimates his company’s cost in tolls to operate a delivery truck around Sydney is about $38,000 a year, with the cost of tolls increasing since the opening of the M7 in 2005 and even more markedly in the last three to five years.

“It’s come to the point where I even question the value of our drivers using tolled roads. The cost of the tolls seems to far outweigh all the other costs to operate a truck over the road,” Thornley said.

“Most routes give only limited time and distance savings.

They are generally easier for a truck to navigate with fewer corners and intersections, but the cost is significant and something we can’t control.

“We have looked at ways to offset tolls and it’s almost impossible to do so without introducing a lot of red tape.

“We are operating at scale on other routes so we can absorb some extra charges, but there are many smaller operators whose average net profit margin (after tax) has fallen to

about 3 per cent and aren’t so lucky.”

NatRoad says the NSW government needs to show national leadership and reform its road tolling system for heavy vehicles.

It was due to appear before the Transport and Customer Service Committee of the NSW Legislative Council’s Inquiry into Road Tolling Regimes last month, but the hearing was postponed due to the Sydney lockdown.

NatRoad’s written submission calls for a variable toll

rate that incentivises off-peak journeys or gives discounts for multiple journeys, and creation of an independent regulator to manage a fair and transparent toll pricing regimen.

“High tolls are a burden that’s simply unacceptable for owner-operators operating on an average profit margin of just three percent,” said NatRoad CEO Warren Clark.

“They force trucks onto un-tolled suburban roads, generate noise and congestion, cause safety problems

and increase emissions.”

He added that truck operators pay a fuel-based road user charge and between three and 11 times more in registration charges than cars, depending on the weight of the heavy vehicle. ”They shouldn’t be loaded up with tolls that are generally three times greater than for cars.

“The country’s largest toll operator, Transurban, applies its own multiplier to trucks versus car tolls for road wear and repair using a logic that

NatRoad says the NSW government needs to show national leadership and reform its road tolling system for heavy vehicles.

defies understanding.

“Modelling shows that of the extra $16.48 Transurban charges a truck over 20 kilometres on the M7, just $3.20 represents actual road damage costs.

“If charges reflected the real cost of road maintenance or the actual savings from using tollways, operators would be more likely to use them.”

Clark added the concepts of variable toll rates and offpeak incentives were not new but Australian governments were notoriously shy of making them a reality. The catalyst would be the creation of an independent toll regulator.

“Variable tolls that incentivise off-peak travel, or multi-use discounts, are simple mechanisms that would restore fairness and save communities a lot of grief,” Clark said.

Clark said NatRoad would be happy for the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to fill the role on an interim basis and then recommend a way forward, based on an analysis of all current government contracts with toll providers.

NEWS 7

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Humble hero awarded top accolade for saving life

AN outback road train driver has been recognised by the Australian Trucking Association as a Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian for saving a man’s life in a remote location in near 50-degree heat, launching the beginning of a life-long bond between the two.

As first reported in Big Rigs in January, Michael Thompson was en-route to a fuel delivery to the Cordillo Downs Station, near the Queensland/South Australia border, when he came to the rescue of a severely dehydrated Terrence Stewart from Sydney.

The circumstances contributing to Thompson’s feat are made even more incredible with a decision to deliver the shipment of fuel a day early, and a last-minute route change because of weather, setting the course for his discovery of Stewart.

The Lowes Petroleum driver first encountered the man’s car on the road into the station, with a note signalling his intention of walking the 30km to Cordillo.

After following foot tracks for 13km, Thompson discov-

ered the man in a bad way off the road and promptly organised help by calling his wife on the satellite phone in order to facilitate assistance while he administered first aid. With help from those on the station, the man was transported by road to the station within an hour while the Royal Flying Doctor Service was dispatched and subsequently transferred to hospital for treatment.

Thompson’s intervention has been credited with saving Stewart’s life, with Lowes Petroleum praising his knowledge to understand the danger of the situation and having the knowledge and skills to administer the required care, and applying initiative to dispatch the required emergency services.

Stewart says that the pair have an undeniable bond following that day and is full of gratitude towards his rescuer.

“Michael saved my life, so it is a massive thank you. He read my note left on the steering wheel, contacted Cordillo and advised them of the situation and drove towards Cordillo, he could not find

HE PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER TO GIVE ME WHAT I AM ENJOYING TODAY AND THAT IS LIFE.” TERRENCE STEWART

me so he got out of his truck and started following my footprints till he found me,” Stewart explained.

“He put everything together to give me what I am enjoying today and that is life. In my mind, he was determined to find me and do the best he could to save me and I greatly appreciate all the things he has done. It is not just finding me, but he put all the bit in place to make sure I survived. I would like to think he is a family friend for life.”

The Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian is one of the highest honours a member of the transport industry can receive, with the accolade highlighting truck drivers who have gone above and beyond when faced with adversity.

According to ATA Chair,

David Smith, Michael Thompson’s story highlights the importance truck drivers play in remote Australia.

“Truck drivers operating in the outback and on remote routes are vital for stations to receive the goods and services they require to operate, but Michael Thompson highlights the critical role that our industry plays in looking out for others on the roads as well,” Smith said.

“Terrence was subjected to some of Australia’s harshest conditions through no fault of his own, but had there not have been a fuel delivery scheduled that week, it could have been a very different outcome. We’re fortunate to have people like Michael Thompson with the instincts to identify that something’s not right and who can apply the initiative to facilitate the assistance needed at that moment.”

The Bridgestone Bandag Highway Guardian accolade is evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Australian Trucking Association.

If you know a member of the industry fitting of the title visit truck.net.au/highwayguardian.

Lowes Petroleum truckie Michael Thompson.

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8 OPINION

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

It’s now or never

EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

AS Winston Churchill famously once said: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

If trucking as a collective can’t leverage some lasting positive changes from the pandemic, then we might as well give up.

To put it even more bluntly than Churchill did during the darkest days of World War II, we have them by the proverbial short and curlies right now.

It would cripple the country if the drivers left standing in the rain at the Covid testing stations, suddenly said ‘hang on, we deserve more respect than this’.

Interstate driver Brendon Baker certainly wasn’t feeling like an essential worker when he was refused treatment at a Melbourne hospital recently because he is a truckie (see story on page 12).

I’m sorry, but that’s just not good enough.

If you’ve experienced something similar, let us know, and we’ll put the perpetrators on the spot. It’s time this industry got the respect it deserves.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

‘One-eyed’ discussion in heavy vehicle width paper THE Australian Trucking Association indicates that the Australian Government discussion paper reveals that Australia’s out of date truck width rules are restricting the introduction of zero emission vehicles in Australia.

The discussion in this paper is very one-eyed and is obviously put together by those who only drive a desk.

The paper proposes an increase to 2.6m wide vehicles without any consideration to the need to widen the existing and future road/lane widths.

In many urban areas, lane

widths are actually decreasing due to the incorporation of a bicycle lane or an added traffic lane.

Additionally, the paper proposes an increase in mass limits for several axle groups without consideration of the road build and bridge standards.

In the submission it discusses refrigeration vehicles. Figs.

2 & 3 of the submission are interesting with no indication where the graphs have been validated.

Fig. 4 indicates damage occurring due to poor loading/

maintenance practices and the submission indicates recessing load restraints to avoid this problem.

Work health and safety is simply a brush of the pen here to support the proposal.

We seem to continually miss the point that we need to train the people in the industry with an apprenticeship style system not a tick in the box pass method to provide safer operation of our equipment.

Kind Regards, J.M. Brown Queensland

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10 NEWS

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

IVECO fills its range gap

IVECO has strengthened its heavy market product offering with the release of a new Euro 6-rated, B-double model with a powerful 550hp and 70 tonne GCM. The 6×4 AS Highway B-double is available in both low and high roof variants and shares some underpinnings with the latest X-Way and ACCO ranges, boasting similar benefits in terms of advanced safety features, driver aids, low emission performance and productivity.

“IVECO is excited to be adding the new Highway B-double model to our heavy-duty product line-up, filling a gap in our model range which, until now, has been without a Euro 6-rated, B-double-capable prime mover,” said Michael May, IVECO Trucks Australia managing director.

“The new Highway B-double model features extremely high specification levels as standard, ensuring buyers enjoy the added safety, comfort, convenience and productivity that is so important for the intra and interstate applications the vehicle is targeted towards.”

May said prior to launch, multiple vehicles have undergone extensive testing around Australia including in several major fleets where the trucks have operated in demanding real-world conditions and re-

The 6×4 AS Highway B-double is available in both low and high roof variants. Inset: The high standard specs continue inside the cabin, promises IVECO.

ceived outstanding feedback.

“Prospective owners can rest assured that these vehicles will be ready for the road and generating revenue from day one – we expect the models will be well received by the market and have already begun taking orders.”

The first IVECO B-doubles are expected to be at local dealerships by October.

Powering the new model is a revised 13 litre Euro 6 Cursor engine that develops a generous 550hp at 1900rpm

and 2500Nm of torque at just 1000rpm. Emission control comes courtesy of IVECO’s patented Hi-eSCR system.

Hi-eSCR is a single after-treatment system featuring passive DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) – DPF regeneration that does not require driver intervention. IVECO said another benefit of this technology is that it’s uncomplicated and efficient, and provides many benefits compared to EGR and SCR equivalents, including reduced fuel consumption and a

lower tare weight.

Coupled to the engine is a revised Hi-Tronix 16-speed automated manual transmission that delivers fast gear changes and also has the ability to more efficiently select the correct ratio for the conditions.

Additionally, the Hi-Tronix is equipped with ‘Rocking’ and ‘Creeping’ modes as well as four reverse gears. Extremely quiet operation is another hallmark of the Hi-Tronix, leading to a quieter cabin and higher driver comfort levels.

Other driveline features include rear 8-bag Electronically-Controlled Air Suspension and Meritor differentials with driver-controlled locks. The truck also benefits from an expansion module and PTO provision as standard.

To cover the longer intra and interstate routes the new model is likely to work in, the Highway B-double has a 1010 litre on-board fuel capacity (630l on the driver’s side and 380l on the passenger side), plus an 80 litre AdBlue tank.

Standard equipment includes Electronic Braking System (EBS) with Brake Assistance System (BAS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Hill Holder, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS), daytime running lights and an extended catwalk allowing for safer access to the back of cabin area to connect air hoses or conduct maintenance.

Additionally, the Highway B-double provides other standard safety equipment such as a hydraulic retarder, Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Driver Attention Support (DAS), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and Bi-Xenon headlamps and washers.

The IVECONNECT system includes Driving Style Evaluation (DSE) software that aims to improve the operator’s driving style by giving feedback and making recommendations. The system provides two types of feedback: indexes that evaluate real-time driving behaviour and pop-ups that provide real-time driving hints.

As part of its standard aftersales offering, the new Highway B-double is also equipped with IVECO Telematics as standard, including a complementary 12-month program subscription.

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NEWS 11

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Australia’s most expensive toilets?

New amenities at the Kidman Way rest area have come at a whopping cost of $160,000.

A lack of rest areas with appropriate facilities – especially toilets – remains an ongoing issue for truckies. But when it was revealed that the new toilets at Kidman Way rest area came at a cost of $160,000, many of our readers were flabbergasted.

The Kidman Way rest area sits 98 kilometres north of Cobar, NSW, and is the only one along a 161-kilometre stretch to have two unisex and accessible toilets.

The upgrade consists of a 6.3 x 4.7 metre building complete with two cubicles, with a non-potable water tank behind the toilet block to service the

hand basins only. There is also a picnic table and shelter.

There were already three truck stops between Cobar and Bourke, but none with bathroom facilities. “Residents of both towns have strongly campaigned for additional amenities at the halfway point,” said Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole.

Hundreds of readers took to our Facebook page to vent their frustration about the cost of the new facilities. “What an absolute misappropriation of money and not to mention any trust people had in any government department. This

practice needs to stop, we the public seemingly can’t or won’t do anything to end this snouts in the trough mentality,” wrote Steve Corner.

Craig Vickers echoed a similar sentiment, “It’s unfortunate that in Australia people like to jack up the rate when working on public projects that are paid for by public money. It’s one part of our culture I dislike,” he said.

“No wonder the government departments can not get much done when money is blown so easily, I am sure mining companies and any other companies get more than a shelter and 2 cubicles for 130k.

How do those government employees keep their jobs,” wrote Nathan Brill.

While Steven Edmunds said, “How much? Also could they only fit 2 toilets in that size shed? Great that they are building these but value for money is not there.”

Others joked: “I presume at that price they must at least have automatic ass wipers,” said Marilyn Angus Park.

“For that price I’d better not have to supply my own double ply. This inspires me to start

tendering for government contracts!” added Daniel Lyford.

However Transport for NSW has defended the $160,000 spend. When Big Rigs asked Minister Toole’s office for an explanation on where the money was spent, a Transport for NSW spokesperson responded.

“Transport for NSW provided almost $160,000 from maintenance funding to design and build the new rest area facility, about halfway between Cobar and Bourke, in response to requests from the local communities.

“Of this total cost, the construction of the restroom, waste collection well, water tank, shade shelter and picnic table comprised more than $130,000, with the remainder of the funding allocated to planning and design work, as well as traffic management by Bourke Shire Council during construction.”

Transport for NSW added that signage is due to be installed at the rest area soon, following endorsement by both Bourke and Cobar Shire Councils to name the rest area ‘Curraweena Rest Area’.

Truckie supporter Wes Walker has spent up to 10 hours a day at the Gatton decoupling facility, pushing for toilets at the site.

Truckies ignored in Gatton add-on THE controversial Gatton heavy vehicle decoupling facility is expanding in response to high level use, but there are still no toilets on the cards.

Despite ongoing protesting and a petition pushing the case for toilets at Gatton, truckies will instead receive four additional trailer parking bays, bringing it up from 30 to 34.

There will be an additional asphalt sealed section for auxiliary parking added too.

But, if nature calls, truckies will still need to travel further afield if they want a toilet.

Truckie supporter Wes Walker has been pushing hard to get toilets at Gatton,

sitting on the throne at the site, with a petition in hand, in a protest that has already lasted over a month, with no end in sight.

So far the only solution offered by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is for eastbound traffic to use the nearby BP service station that’s three kilometres east of the Gatton decoupling facility; and westbound traffic to use the Gatton Bypass Rest Area that’s around 8.5 kilometres west of the decoupling facility. Too bad if you’re busting!

The expansion of the Gatton decoupling facility is due to be completed by late August. The facility will remain open and accessible during expansion works.

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12 NEWS

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Truckie refused care: Senator demands answer

BY JAMES GRAHAM

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison wants us to believe truckies are essential workers, but try telling that to distraught interstate driver Brendon Baker.

The 42-year-old feels anything but valued by anyone in authority after being unceremoniously shown the door at Northern Epping Hospital when medical staff there found out he was a truckie.

Baker was just minutes away from being wheeled into the theatre for a colonoscopy after increasingly debilitating symptoms left him fearing something more sinister was going on.

Instead, Baker, who was stuck on an 18-month waiting list for the procedure, was told to go home to Yarck 90 minutes away and self-isolate for 14 days.

A week later, back on the job and preparing for another Sydney to Brisbane run for employer Pilko Transport, he was still none the wiser about his health condition, or when he might be allowed to go back into hospital.

“I don’t have to self-isolate because I’ve always done all the tests – no one knows what’s going on,” a frustrated Baker

WA Senator Glenn Sterle has joined the fight for answers.

Brendon Baker, inset, was appalled at the treatment he received at the Melbourne hospital because he was a truckie.

told us.

“It’s just a big circle. As soon as you say the word Covid, everyone panics.”

Baker is flabbergasted that no one picked up on the fact that his occupation would be a factor sooner.

He’d taken a week off work for the colonoscopy, shelled

out more money to buy the preparation powder and was literally lying in the hospital bed in a surgery gown when a nurse raised the alarm, fearful that his recent self-test at Gillenbah, NSW, wasn’t conclusive enough.

“They tested me again at the hospital but I couldn’t

leave the bed for the next five hours and had to wear a red mask that labelled me as contagious. They made me use a bed-pan because they said the toilets now had to be professionally cleaned.

“As soon as you’re a truck driver and they find out you’ve been in NSW, you’ve got the

virus.

“But if I’m so contagious because I’m a truck driver, and had to wear a red mask until I was out the front door, why did they let me back out in public?”

Baker said his only hope now is that his specialist can pull the necessary strings and have him fast-tracked through the hospital system as an emergency case.

“I’ve got almost no control of my bowels now. Whatever the issue is, is really bad.”

WA Senator Glenn Sterle

also weighed in to help Baker, writing to Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley pleading for the truckie’s case to be expedited to the top of the surgery queue and an investigation launched.

“Our truck drivers are essential workers and they deserve much better than this,” the former truckie told Foley.

Postscript: At deadline for this issue, Northern Epping Hospital had not responded to a request for comment, but Baker told us he now has a new surgery date for early August.

Asthma-suffering truckie kicked out of Wagga hospital DANIEL Browne says truckies would be better off calling an ambulance than walking into a hospital emergency department needing care during the pandemic.

Fearing the onset of a dangerous asthma attack while carting grain in the Riverina area, Browne, 42, drove his Kenworth truck and dog to the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital earlier this month.

But he said that once staff there discovered he had been in a Sydney ‘hotspot’ they hit the panic button, insisting he wear a mask, even though he was exempted because of his condition.

When he refused, Browne said he was bundled out the door by three security guards and told to return home to Sydney and self-isolate for 14 days.

It was only when he consented to return to his truck and wear the respirator-like mask he carries for work, that he was eventually able to see a doctor.

“If I hadn’t had that with me, I would have had to drive back to my mum’s house [where he was staying] and get back down there or they wouldn’t have treated me at all,” said Browne, who is sharing his experience as a

warning to others.

“If an interstate driver had pulled up in front of the hospital with the same sort of thing, they wouldn’t have got it [treatment].”

The next day Browne wrote a sternly worded complaint about the treatment he received to bosses at the Murrumbidgee Local Health District.

“I am suffering mental health issues now with working in the area covered by Murrumbidgee health services,” Browne said.

“I might die by either asthma or driving a truck while fatigued as I was directed by

Keep your brake shoes running true.

staff at Wagga to immediately return to Sydney and isolate whilst suffering an asthma/ anxiety attack.”

The director of medical services Dr Pankaj Banga wrote back apologising and advising Browne that all staff have since been provided with updated information regarding mask exemptions, as per the NWS Public Health Order.

Browne also received an apology from Francine Brandon, manager clinical governance, Wagga Wagga Health Service.

“I assure you that you will not be refused access to the

Emergency Department if you were to present requiring care and treatment and if you were to advise staff of your mask exemption, you would be managed with other strategies to decrease the risk to staff and patients,” she said.

“I am sorry that this experience caused you distress.”

Although still upset and appalled by the treatment, Browne said the apologies have helped ease the anxiety around what might happen if he needs to return to hospital.

“That’s the best I’m going to get,” he told Big Rigs. “At least I can pull the letter out now and say read this.”

Asthma sufferer Daniel Browne shared his hospital experience as a warning to others.

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14 FEATURE

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Welcome to the ‘Wild, Wild West’

After a lifetime of driving on the east coast, our columnist and On the Road podcast host tries his luck in the Pilbara.

BY MIKE WILLIAMS I’VE been playing this trucking game for a good while now. I’ve spent most of my career tooling around in the eastern states and had many different jobs, owned my own trucks and employed drivers etc. so I’ve worn a few different shirts over the years.

I’d found myself in a great job with a great supportive company, good gear and making good money. The road to retirement plan was in place.

Then Covid happened.

Border closures and other requirements have made it difficult to plan ahead for holidays and visiting relatives in the farflung reaches of our country.

To cut a long story short, I’ve moved from NSW to WA to make it a bit easier to see grand-children.

I’ve moved from an environment I know well to what I thought would be a free-forall.

What I’ve found is a contrast. It’s not what I expected.

There’s a lot going on in WA. It’s a big place. There’s also a lot done in a way over here that would get you in serious trouble on the Hume. It certainly is a different world and in some ways it is wild but it does all make sense.

There’s no log book in WA, but that doesn’t mean there are no rules. The enforcement and attitude is different. That’s all.

Fatigue is taken very seriously over here.

There’s an on-line fatigue management course which is in every way similar to what is done in the east except it’s delivered by the transport department and, surprisingly, it’s free.

It must be renewed periodically but that’s not a problem.

You do need to keep a record of your work that is given to the boss and it is there to be audited.

It’s just not in a yellow pad with a red binder. The big difference is in the enforcement and the attitude. You’re not getting pulled up for random checks by Highway Patrol they only do traffic offences.

The time counting and allowed work time is much easier to work with and far more flexible. The system is available on MT Data so could easily be done in the east.

It’s confusing to me that given the NHVR are pushing the AFM model recently why wouldn’t they just scrap the 12 and 14 book, adopt the WA system that clearly works and give the industry a truely national law with less hoops and more clarity?

Is that too easy?

What’s a road-friendly suspension? I’ve been sitting behind the wheel of some pretty big trucks with weights on them that would get you grounded for the rest of your life at Marulan! – 375 tyres on the steer will get you 7-tonne.

Kick it up to a twin steer, they love those over here, and get much more overall. Tridrive on the highway, why not!

23.5 tonne on that group.

Rocker boxes and springs with a big spread (or not, up to you) 23.5 tonne. Absolutely.

With the exception of prime movers, they love springs over here.

I’ve been sitting behind the wheel of a tri-drive with a pair of tri-axle side tippers and a tri dolly on the open road on springs at 100 tonnes.

They have a pragmatic permit and road access system that seems to make more sense than over east and seems to work.

The NHVR and the eastern states road managers could

Popular podcast host Mike Williams moved from an environment he knew well to what he thought would be a free-for-all.

learn from that. Strangely, the roads aren’t ripped to shreds by these combinations and the swept paths aren’t that much different either.

The biggest and probably the most gratifying thing I’ve seen over here in the Wild West is a level of relaxed pragmatism about getting it done.

There’s plenty of technology in the trucks and many know how to use it. They’re not afraid to experiment with new combinations and ways of moving freight.

They’re also not as afraid to teach. Maybe because it’s because there is a shortage of experienced operators, but I think there’s more to it than that. There’s an attitude amongst many of the drivers I’ve met over here that reminds me of what it was like in days gone by.

It’s not all beer and skittles though. Compared to the east coast some of the money on offer is appalling. The rest

areas can be few and far between. Roadhouses are also few and far between, a decent meal and shower can be very elusive. It’s not the Hume Highway after all.

I’ve taken on a FIFO job.

Soon I’ll be behind the wheel of a quad, one of the biggest road-going, high productivity truck combinations in the world.

They tare as much as a loaded B-double and burn diesel like it’s going out of fashion.

They’re also fitted with the very latest in-cab telematics.

It’s not wild. It’s thoroughly professional. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

You can contact me via @ theoztrucker on twitter, On The Road Podcast (@otrpodcastaus) on Facebook or go to ontheroadpodcast.com.au to leave a comment, email me directly mike@ ontheroadpodcast.com.au or call me on 0418 722488.

The rest areas and roadhouses can be few and far between, and a decent meal and shower can be very elusive.

There’s plenty of technology in the trucks and many know how to use it.

They tare as much as a loaded B-double and burn diesel like it’s going out of fashion.

Williams is looking forward to getting behind the wheel of a quad, one of the biggest road-going, high productivity truck combinations in the world.

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16 COVER STORY

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

ROAD TO ZERO FEATURE

Aussie-led Hyzon takes charge It’s no longer a case of when emissions-free prime mover options will be available – they’re already here.

BY JAMES GRAHAM NO-SHOWS from traditional key players aside, one of the most glaring differences in this year’s Brisbane Truck Show from the 2019 version was a notable surge in the presence of alternative fuel technology.

It’s clear that this is no longer a ‘crystal-ball’ sector that all sounds great in theory but will never be able to overcome the inherent infrastructure and cost hurdles.

Like it or not, emissions-free trucking – be it battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell technology – is already here and it’s getting a stronger toehold by the day.

One of those leading the way in the hydrogen sector is Hyzon, which outside of a shared slot on the Viva Energy stand, didn’t have a huge brand presence in Brisbane, but it was a name that kept cropping up in every serious conversation we dropped into around alternative fuels.

The publicly-listed company, which made its Wall Street debut last month, is led by Rochester (New York)-based Australian Craig Knight and has some 20 years of fuel cell development behind it, having evolved from founding company Horizon, which launched in 2003.

To find out more, and what the hydrogen future might hold for Australia’s operators and truckies, we caught up with the boss of its new supply chain solutions division here, Claire Johnson, head of the Hyzon Zero Carbon Alliance.

Why an alliance and who is in it Hyzon itself is a manufacturer of commercial buses and trucks, with the first Hyzon badged and branded prime movers and rigids – up to 70 tonnes GCM – rolling off the Netherlands production line this year.

But, as an emerging sector, it recognises that it also needs to play a leadership role in developing supply chains in parallel, said Johnson.

“That’s really due to the fact that from a hydrogen perspective, having a supply world-

wide is somewhat fragmented, or non-existent, and we recognise that we can’t develop those supply chains in isolation,” she said.

“We need to do that in partnership with other companies, so we launched the alliance in April of this year and brought together companies from across the value chain.”

There are nine members in all, including Ark Energy Corporation (see story opposite), the Australian subsidiary of the world’s largest zinc, lead, and silver producer, Korea Zinc Ltd. Outside of the alliance, Hyzon also signed a strategic partnership with Viva Energy earlier this year

The first 55-tonne hydrogen-powered milk truck delivered for use in operations by FrieslandCampina, one of the largest dairy cooperatives in the world.

The new Hyzon prime movers rolling off the Netherlands assembly line currently have a range of 600km.

The Hyzon HyMax-450 prime mover could soon be a regular site around Australian roads.

Viva Energy and Hyzon intend to work together to provide zero-emission vehicles coupled with hydrogen refuelling solutions to customers, delivering a complete turn-key hydrogen transport solution, said a statement at the time.

“We’re looking at developing a hydrogen supply chain in Victoria, initially centred around their refinery in Geelong,” Johnson added.

Johnson said the alliance also enables Hyzon to fast-track the uptake process of the technology by offering a “complete solution”.

“If we have operator who needs a source of hydrogen, we can link them with a company that we have essentially prescreened and we know their technology well.

“So, the fleet operator has confidence that they can source their hydrogen in a reliable and cost-effective manner, and we will help them do that with an end-to-end solution.”

Total cost of ownership (TCO) Not surprisingly, this will be the toughest nut to crack for Johnson in the early stages in an industry driven by the bottom line, particularly while there is no “visibility” around hydrogen pricing at present.

“We have to present them [operators] with an attractive TCO to really convince them that a hydrogen solution is something they should be seriously looking at,” she said.

“That’s why we’re actively working with partners to bring

down the price of hydrogen across those different generation methods.

“A lot of that can be achieved by scale so we just need to increase the amount of hydrogen produced in Australia and we’ll automatically see a reduction in price.”

At present, Johnson said hydrogen is cheap to make, but expensive to transport.

“Customers sometimes say, ‘yes, we want to go green, but green hydrogen can have a premium.”

Meanwhile, Johnson and her team are focusing on developing unique models based on each customer’s individual needs and fleet requirements, and hammering home the savings that can be made in vehicle maintenance costs.

The alliance is also offering all-in-one lease option that bundles fuel, service and main-

tenance costs into one package.

“That gives fleets a chance to really trial the technology before a really long-term commitment to the vehicle.

“We recognise that we do have to have the equivalency to diesel for this industry to really take off, if not better than diesel. That’s what we’re working towards.”

Hydrogen’s range With current fuel technology, the Hyzon prime movers are delivering over 600km with 60km of gaseous hydrogen on board and a GCM of up to 70 tonnes, but that’s all about to change, said Johnson.

Hyzon’s next-gen fuel cell, the Titan 3, is currently in testing for a 2022 launch and that option promises to deliver a GCM of over 150 tonnes, bringing in a much wider scope of heavy-duty

Hyzon assembles fuel cell trucks in both the US and the Netherlands, serving global markets.

MC applications.

In conjunction with those advancements, the alliance team is talking to companies looking at opportunities to build hydrogen refuelling stations along key freight routes between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

It only takes 15 minutes to refuel a prime mover with hydrogen, a key advantage of this emissions-free fuel option, said Johnson, who is hoping to see these interstate refuelling networks begin to emerge within the next two to three years.

“Along the Hume that would essentially mean you have a refuelling point in Melbourne, a secondary point around say Albury-Wodonga and then a third into Sydney that would enable these vehicles to do that entire route with ease.

“The Queensland government has also been very supportive and has just closed a ground round for hydrogen mobility projects, and we’re hopeful that through that process we’ll see some more stations built in Queensland as well.”

In the not-too-distant future, Johnson said liquid hydrogen, which is being developed now, will also come on tap pushing the potential range of a Hyzon prime mover out to 1000km before the need to refuel.

“There are lots of industries that are really going to benefit from this technology and it’s really from recognition that they all see they need to do more to decarbonise their fleet.

“Some have looked at battery-electric options, and battery-electric certainly has part of market that it’s really suitable for.

“But as you move into those heavier payloads, longer range, need for quick refuelling vehicles that’s where operators are really starting to pay more attention to hydrogen in a way they haven’t before, and that’s really exciting for us.”

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Prices herein are recommended selling prices, inclusive of GST. Recommended selling prices are a guide only and there is no obligation for Dealers to comply with these recommendations. Freight charges may apply. All items have been included in good faith on the basis that goods will be available at the time of sale. Prices and promotions are available at participating Dealers from 1 July to 31 August 2021 or while stocks last.

* Calls from Australian landlines are generally free of charge whilst calls from mobile phones are typically charged based on the rate determined by the caller’s mobile service provider. Please check with your mobile service provider for call rates.

18 COVER STORY

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

ROAD TO ZERO FEATURE

Hydrogen-powered prime movers in NSW next year

COREGAS, a Wesfarmers company, has placed an order for two of Hyzon Motors’ hydrogen fuel cell-powered prime mover trucks to be delivered in 2022.

The Hyzon Hymax-450s will be the first hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles to operate in Australia. They will be refuelled at Coregas’ facility at the BlueScope Port Kembla Steelworks in New South Wales.

With the support of the New South Wales Government and its Port Kembla Community Investment Fund, Coregas will develop a hydrogen refuelling station at its existing Port Kembla hydrogen production facility, supporting the introduction of zero emission hydrogen fuel cell trucks to the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region for the first time.

The facility will enable the deployment of Australia’s first prime mover fleet of hydrogen-powered vehicles to initiate a transformation of the region’s transport environmental footprint.

Coregas executive general manager, Alan Watkins, said: “Coregas is working hard to apply our expertise in hydrogen distribution, compression and storage to Australia’s transition to a hydrogen economy.

“Transforming the transport sector is a critical piece of the puzzle, and we are delighted

The Hyzon Hymax-450s will be the first hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles to operate in Australia.

to partner with Hyzon to operate these vehicles out of our Hydrogen refuelling station in Port Kembla.”

Hyzon Motors CEO, New York-based Australian Craig Knight, said Hyzon is proud to partner with Coregas in a shared effort to decarbonise Australia’s heavy trucking industry.

“This partnership reflects two truths about the energy transition: first, that the technology is ready to be deployed now; second, that collaborative efforts are integral in accelerating this shift,” Knight said.

“We are excited to work with Coregas to introduce hy-

drogen-powered heavy-duty trucks to Australia.”

The NSW government has recently announced a $70 million package to support the establishment of hydrogen hubs in the state, with Port Kembla identified as a priority location given its deep-water port, electricity and gas infrastruc-

ture, water recycling plant, road and rail connections, R&D presence and sizeable heavy-duty vehicle fleet.

Meanwhile, Hyzon has also signed has a heads of agreement targeting delivery of five hydrogen fuel cell-powered trucks to alliance partner Ark Energy, the Australian subsid-

iary of zinc, lead, and silver producer Korea Zinc.

Subject to execution of a definitive vehicle supply agreement, Hyzon expects to deliver five 154-tonne units to be used in road-train configurations

by Ark Energy sister company Townsville Logistics.

This marks the second announced order for Hyzon’s ultra-heavy-duty class trucks, after the first memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a European customer.

“When we scoured the world for fuel cell trucks, we found that Hyzon Motors was the only hydrogen mobility company that could manufacture fuel cells stacks with a sufficient power density to meet our requirements including the ultra-heavy payload and built to Australian Design Rules,” Ark Energy CEO Daniel Kim said.

“In addition, Hyzon Motors was the only OEM that was interested in supplying the Australian market in the next 18 months.”

By replacing their diesel equivalents, Hyzon claims Ark’s trucks are expected to reduce C02 emissions by more than 1400 tonnes per year.

Hyzon notes the trucks are expected to be fuelled by Ark Energy’s own hydrogen refilling station, with hydrogen produced through a solar farm and electrolyser.

Daimler tests hydrogen-powered prototype on roads DAIMLER Trucks has begun rigorous testing of its prototype Mercedes-Benz GenH2, with the hydrogen-powered fuel-cell truck due to be tested on public roads before the year’s end.

Hydrogen-powered fuel-cells are the focus of the manufacturer’s future plans for electrification, with hopes

the technology will be able to achieve ranges of up to 1000 kilometres or more without needing to stop for refuelling.

The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck was first unveiled in 2020. Now, the truck is being put through its paces to see how it performs in various conditions.

The extensive series of

tests is designed to be very demanding on the vehicle and its components. Testing focusses on continuous operation, different weather and road conditions, and various driving manoeuvres and more.

Daimler Trucks’ development plan would see the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck being tested on public roads

before the end of 2021, with customer trials scheduled to begin in 2023. It is hoped that these trucks will then go into production and be handed over to customers from 2027.

“We are consistently pursuing our technology strategy for the electrification of our trucks. We want to offer our customers the best locally

Daimler Trucks’ development plan would see the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck being tested on public roads before the end of 2021.

CO2-neutral trucks – powered by either batteries or hydrogen-based fuel-cells, depending on the use case. We’re right on schedule and I’m delighted that the rigorous tests of the GenH2 Truck have started successfully,” chairman of the board of management of Daimler Truck AG Martin Daum said in a statement.

The idea is that the GenH2 Truck and its components would meet the same durability requirements as a comparable conventional Mercedes-Benz Actros.

This means 1.2m kilometres on the road over a period of 10 years and a total of 25,000 hours of operation.

According to Daimler Trucks, that’s why the GenH2 Truck will need to complete such demanding tests – just as every new Actros generation has in the past.

During the first few weeks of testing, the vehicle has covered hundreds of kilometres under continuous load on a road-to-rig test stand and gone through extreme situations based on real-life operating conditions. Examples

include emergency braking and kerbstone drives along the test track.

The GenH2 Truck features completely new components, which developers have been doubling down on during the tests.

These components include the fuel-cell system, the all-electric powertrain, and all of the associated systems such as the special cooling unit.

In addition, the new components’ specific weight and position in the vehicle affect the truck’s handling properties. As a result, the vibrations caused by bumpy roads, for example, and especially by extreme situations, subject the fuel-cell truck to different forces than those in conventional vehicles.

In order to obtain extensive information about this at an early stage, the current prototype is loaded during the tests with a payload of up to 25 tonnes for a gross vehicle weight of about 40 tonnes, which is identical with the specifications planned for the series-produced variant of the GenH2 Truck.

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ROAD TO ZERO FEATURE EXPLAINER

Hydrogen for heavy vehicles

HYDROGEN has become the buzzword of 2021. Australia’s Federal Energy Minister, Angus Taylor, has said the green hydrogen industry alone will be a $10 billion per year market within the next 20-30 years.

Australia is in a prime position to export clean, green hydrogen to maturing export markets like Japan, South Korea and Germany, said Australian Hydrogen Generation, an Australian company which specialises in providing and installing equipment to produce clean, green hydrogen.

Still not sure what all the fuss is about? We asked Australian Hydrogen Generation to give us a beginner’s guide to the burgeoning sector and what we can expect in the future.

So, what is it?

Hydrogen (H2) is the most abundant element in the universe. To generate H2 you need

a generator (or electrolyser) to run an electric current through water (H2O). The hydrogen (H2) splits off and gets stored in gas cylinders and the other by-product is oxygen (O).

When you use renewable energy (solar/wind, etc) to power the generator, you get Green Hydrogen. Blue/Grey/Brown hydrogen are all produced by powering the generator with fossil fuels.

Is it safe?

Any fuel can be hazardous under the wrong circumstances, which is why all fuels should be handled with care, hydrogen included. Leaking hydrogen rapidly disperses up and away from its source. If hydrogen is ignited, it burns quickly with a nonluminous flame.

Why do we need it?

We currently import about 80% of our oil and diesel,

but the world is decarbonising rapidly. Most world governments are committing to net-zero emissions by 2050, many far sooner than that.

Most major vehicle companies will stop production of ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles by 2030 and the trucking and coach industries are no exception.

One of the best ways to start to decarbonise our economy is to transition heavy transport – buses, trucks, etc – by using green hydrogen on a “back to base” system where the vehicles always return to the main base to refuel. Electric vehicles may be better suited in the city, but in regional Australia with longer routes to be covered, H2 trucks and buses step up.

So how do you power a truck with hydrogen?

Just think of all the LPG gas tanks that used to be in taxis

The distance covered and the payload of each vehicle will determine what sized H2 system is needed.

You will refill your truck at an HRS – Hydrogen Refuelling Station – which has the same set up as a regular servo.

and trucks. Instead of LPG, the storage tanks will be filled with clean, green hydrogen.

You refill your truck at an HRS – Hydrogen Refuelling Station. Same set up as a regular Servo. Hydrogen trucks can travel up to 800 kms, depending on how many storage tanks you have. At this stage retrofitting is extremely costly, so you will need a new H2 truck.

Can I make my own hydrogen?

Sure can! Companies like Australian Hydrogen Generation (h2gen.com.au) can provide you with a complete hydrogen turnkey solution with your own generation, purification, compression,

storage and refuelling unit.

The distance covered and the payload of each vehicle will determine what sized H2 system is needed.

H2 Gen recommends a four vehicle H2 fleet as a minimum number for achieving optimal cost efficiency. Hyzon Motors is an excellent supplier of heavy hydrogen vehicles, although there are other H2 heavy vehicle companies around.

Once you have your H2 vehicles, your green power sourced from the grid and an H2 generating system in place, you will be decarbonising your business, producing your own fuel and thereby eliminating reliance on imported fuels.

Sounds expensive You’d be right. Steve Arnerich, the Business Development Manager at H2Gen says: “Mobile phones, solar panels and smart TVs were all expensive when they first came out. Hydrogen will become competitive with diesel through economies of scale very quickly and prices will drop rapidly. In just over 10 years, renewable energy in Australia has become cheaper to power our energy grid than fossil fuels.” The other good news is that major hydrogen generation investment is underway in Australia. All state governments are investing in the hydrogen industry with grants for hydrogen transition available.

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COVER STORY 21

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ROAD TO ZERO FEATURE

Aussie-run SEA Electric floods light-duty sector

BY DAVID MEREDITH

THE Brisbane Truck Show was a watershed moment for SEA Electric. At least, for its venture into the Australian market that is.

The company, now based in Los Angeles but with a manufacturing facility in Melbourne, rolled out six new models, five of which were trucks.

The sixth, was a new president for the Asia-Pacific region in Bill Gillespie, former driving force behind Hino’s recent market acceleration. All of the models were built from glider chassis units purchased from Hino in semi-knocked-down format. Gillespie, of course, was fully built up.

Significantly, the range on display covered weight rat-

ings from 4500 to 22,500kgs GVM, giving the fledgling brand a wider range of electric trucks than any other brand in Australia.

Customer units were on show as well, underlining the wide array of applications that suit this locally developed and engineered EV solution.

Fortunately, just before the show Big Rigs had a wide-ranging interview with SEA Electric’s founder and owner, Tony Fairweather.

Fairweather is based in the US where the company is already producing trucks in a facility adjoining Hino’s plant in West Virginia (Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River . . .).

Speaking from New York in the middle of a Covid lockdown, Fairweather outlined the

nine-year journey that turned an engineer’s musings on electric trucks into reality.

Fairweather had observed a UK company, Smith Electric teetering towards administration with what he felt was a deeply flawed model.

He started formalising his ideas, and after five years of planning, design and development the first SEA Electric truck was released in Australia.

Since then, the company has moved to the US, established the first round of funding, commenced SKD manufacturing in the US and Australia, and is aiming its sights on a NASDAQ listing in the nottoo-distant future.

Fairweather’s plans revolved around a key vulnerability of existing electric commercial vehicle platforms.

Key to the battery pack is a voltage range restricted to between 388 and 450 volts, where no cooling system is required.

The Brisbane Truck Show was a watershed moment for SEA Electric.

“Thermal management of the battery was the big issue for me,” he said. “Our plan was to deliver a package that was lighter, easier to maintain and able to be upscaled for other weight ranges at the lowest cost.”

SEA Electric says lowest total cost of ownership, lighter tare weight, and a tightly focused duty cycle are its primary assets.

The company has patent approval for its powertrain in six jurisdictions, with another 10, including the US, still in process.

“The patent includes 20 unique claims relating to the management of the powertrain, charging system, and control of ancillaries,” he told us.

Key to the battery pack is

a voltage range restricted to between 388 and 450 volts, where no cooling system is required.

“High voltage systems are ineffective without their own cooling and heating system.”

Significantly, the duty cycle Fairweather is aiming at generally involves overnight charging, with adequate time to allow a slow charge.

Fast charging capability requires high voltage, a result of many EV solutions migrating from high performance passenger products.

That’s why, unlike other highly publicised electric truck developers, a SEA Electric truck won’t break any sprint records. It’ll out-accelerate an equivalent diesel truck, but ex-

cessive torque is just unnecessary cost as well as extra weight.

In the US, the Hino gliders move to a third-party modification company where the powertrain is fitted. The trucks are then sent out to established Hino dealers across the US. Here, the company assembles three truck models from SKD packs in its own facility in Melbourne for sale through 12 dealerships.

The SEA Electric development has evolved in a way that marries engineering smarts to proven truck components and existing infrastructure.

If all goes to plan, it looks like delivering the goods for the decade that all-new fuel systems will take to become mainstream.

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22 COVER STORY

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

ROAD TO ZERO FEATURE

eActros makes world premiere

AS it strives towards its goal to complete its switch to electrically powered trucks in Europe by 2039, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has unveiled its new battery-electric eActros, which can achieve a range of

up to 400 kilometres.

Designed for heavy-duty short-radius distribution, the eActros made its debut on June 30 in Stuttgart, Germany.

This is the first series-produced electric truck from the

Mercedes-Benz Trucks also says there are fewer vibrations in the eActros compared to a diesel truck.

The maximum battery capacity of 420 kWh enables ranges of up to 400 kilometres.

manufacturer, with plans for the standard model of the eActros to begin rolling off the production line in Wörth am Rhein, Germany within the next few months.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has used the findings from the eActros innovation fleet (started in 2018) and cus-

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tomer feedback to develop the series-production model.

Features such as MirrorCam and the Multimedia Cockpit Interactive will be included in the standard specification.

With the Multimedia Cockpit Interactive, the driver remains constantly up-to-date with the charge level of the batteries and the remaining range, as well as the current and average energy consumption.

Fleet managers can also use the Fleetboard portal’s digital solutions to efficiently control their fleet. This includes such things as an individually developed Charge Management System for creating charging profiles, and a logbook containing detailed information on driving times, downtimes and charging breaks.

There is also a mapping tool which shows the vehicle’s current location in re-

al-time, as well as whether it is in motion, parked or being charged, and how high the battery charge is.

The battery of the eActros series-production model is equipped with either three or four battery packs, each with an energy capacity of around 105 kWh. The maximum battery capacity of 420 kWh enables ranges of up to 400 kilometres.

According to the manufacturer, the technological centrepiece of the electric truck is the drive unit – a rigid electric axle with two integrated electric motors and a two-speed transmission.

Both liquid-cooled motors generate a continuous output of 330kW as well as a top performance of 400 kW. If the vehicle is driven particularly foresightedly, recuperation enables the vehicle to recover electrical energy. The

energy obtained in this way during braking is fed back into the batteries of the eActros and is again made available for use by the drive system.

Two integrated electric motors are designed for efficiency, providing a constant delivery of power with high starting torque.

The eActros has a low centre of gravity and in fullload operations, there is a noise reduction of 10 dB inside the cab, which roughly corresponds to a halving of perceptible noise volume.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks also says there are fewer vibrations in the eActros compared to a diesel truck.

The eActros can be charged with up to 160 kW. When connected to a regular 400A DC charging station, the three battery packs need just over one hour to charge from 20 to 80 per cent.

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FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Rover closing in on 50

This intrepid Albury-Wodonga truckie reflects on a long and colourful career as he nears a memorable milestone.

BY DAVID VILE “I did come off the road and got a factory job that lasted two and a half days and I went back driving again. I couldn’t hack being inside four walls, so I never went back.”

A pretty simple statement that speaks volumes for the choice of career for Garry Williams as he reflected on a 48year involvement with road transport.

Today, Williams works locally around the Albury-Wodonga area for Lieschke transport of Jindera, and it would be fair to say that while the kilometres don’t tally up as they once did, he still gets a buzz out of driving a truck which commenced with Albury Border Transport as a 17-year-old.

“My old man, Frank Williams, used to work for Albury Border Transport which eventually got bought out by Ansett Freight Express - he worked there until he retired.

I was just going to school, and I started working with the trucks around the yard, washing them and so on.

“When I first got my licence, I was running around town, back then Albury Border was the distributor for Castrol, it was my job to unload the trucks coming in and do all the oil deliveries around town,” he explained.

Needless to say it wasn’t long before he ventured further afield, first taking to the highway in a V8 Dodge along with other trucks of the era including Commers and the ever-popular 1418 Mercedes, with the trucks getting bigger and more powerful as the years ticked by. While working for a few different employers along the way Williams has carried a variety of freight across most of eastern and southern Australia.

Garry Williams with a photo of one of The Overnighters express trucks he drove.

Throughout the 1980s Williams clocked up a lot of kilometres on express parcel freight with firstly The Overnighters and then IPEC which at the time were part of the Mayne Nickless organisation, with one of his more memorable trucks being a twin steer Kenworth K100E rigid, as he recalled with a smile,.

“The Overnighters had two of them on the Hume, and three drivers - one in Sydney, one in Melbourne and me in Albury. They were set up to do different jobs, the ones going running north were geared to pull through the hills better, but they would be no good on the Adelaide run for example as they would be revving too high, of course back then no one worried about fuel too much though.

“With the Detroit 6/92TTA they were a pretty

Hauling timber from Tumbarumba in a Toll Volvo back in 2014.

This Overnighters Detroit powered Kenworth K100E 8-wheeler was ‘a pretty quick truck’.

Garry drove this Argosy from new for Wadleys hauling carbon.

quick truck, and that contract ran out around the same time the speed limiters came in.”

With The Overnighters

consolidated under the IPEC banner at the end of that decade, Garry also got his first taste of B-doubles heading across from Mildura to Sydney.

“I took a single over there on a Saturday and waited for the truck to come in from Adelaide on the Sunday and I learnt how to drive it…at least it was all straight roads!”

A legacy from his parcel freight days has been his nickname, ’Rover’ which he has been widely referred to as ever since.

“When I was working for The Overnighters, there was another driver there Maxie Webb who reckoned I was like a dog hunting everyone up on the road. It sort of stuck from there.”

Over the years Garry has also worked for Wadley’s hauling carbon black , and also did a stint for Kalari carting sand from Beechworth to the ACI glass plants in Melbourne and Sydney.

By the early years of the 2000s he was operating a Kenworth T650 on log haulage for Toll, which he

reckoned provided a good environment to sharpen his driving skills.

“Bush work is a lot better than the highway, driving in the bush it makes you a better driver on the highway, with mud, snow and black ice you soon learn how to drive,” he said.

When the Toll log division was sold off to Greenfreight, he shifted across to Toll Regional which was essentially the former CJ Dean operation based in Adelong. Timber was again on the agenda with Garry now behind the wheel of a FH Volvo carting the finished product out of the Hyne mill at Tumbarumba.

“I had a pretty good few years and took a redundancy there which gave me a chance to get off the highway - there were a few of us there that got made redundant, but I don’t think any of us have looked back, we are all doing something.”

While the roads have got better and the trucks are now safer and more comfortable, he reckons all the changes

over the years have not necessarily been for the best.

“Hardly anyone wants to talk to you anymore. Once upon a time you would have a flat tyre and 4-5 blokes would pull up to help get you going. I did a turbo one night at Bookham in the 8-wheeler - I had 4 trucks pull up and we transferred the freight so it could still get to Melbourne that wouldn’t happen now,” he lamented.

For now, the family-owned Lieschke operation is the place to be for Garry as he winds down towards a wellearned retirement.

Keeping busy in his Freightliner Argosy loading and unloading trailers along with the occasional longer day trip, he reckons he would like to keep at it for a couple more years so he can hit the 50-year milestone.

“I’m at retirement age but another couple of years will get me over the line - where I am now at Lieschke’s I couldn’t ask for anything better…I’m happy where I am and that’s where I will stay until I finish,” he concluded.

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BIG RIGS has teamed up with Western Star Shop to offer an exclusive deal to all of our valued email newsletter subscribers.

The Big Rigs email newsletter features all of the latest industry news and happenings to keep you up to date with what matters to the industry – and it’s delivered straight to your inbox, three times a week.

But now the email newsletter goes one step further, featuring a special discount code that can be redeemed online at the Western Star Shop – westernstarshop.com.au. Simply add the code into your online shopping cart at checkout.

In our first set of exclusive deals, Western Star Shop is offering 5 per cent off the advertised price of each of the products below by adding the special discount code that will be featured in the Big Rigs email newsletter at the time of checkout. This offer is available until August 31, 2021.

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28 READER RIGS

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Drew Nobby Smith and his truck stop to admire this striking Brisbane sunrise.

There’s a lot of history in this load. Rob Morton was taking vintage trucks from the Winton truck museum to the Quilpie centenary.

Share your truck pics THE trucking game is as diverse as the terrain on which our truckies travel.

If there’s one thing we know many of you love, it’s a good looking rig – and sometimes life on the open road brings some golden photo opportunities.

The Big Rigs #PicOfTheDay competition is a chance

to share your best snaps through our Facebook page (@BigRigs). We’ll choose a weekly winning shot to feature as our Facebook cover photo and a selection of the best pics will be featured in the next edition of Big Rigs Newspaper.

So get snapping and keep those great pics coming!

Andrew Maifredi unloads his trailer at the water treatment plant in Mareeba, Queensland.

Karen Clouston shared this pic, taken at Blackall, Queensland during the weekly trip from Brisbane to Darwin.

Matt Mangan shared this great pic of a Mangan Haulage Kenworth C509 hooked up to a Kennedy tri-tri folding skel.

Brad Leach shared this shot in front of the Cascade Brewery in Hobart.

Hugh Buchanan snapped this pic while working the sorghum harvest in a Kenworth C509 in Central Queensland.

Sam Hill took this shot while loaded with Caterpillar equipment heading from Brisbane to Melbourne.

READER RIGS 29

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Jamie Shelton travels along Tasmania’s east coast, hauling an oversize load.

Reece Bruce, who steers this Lewiston Haulage Kenworth T909, running west from Adelaide, snapped this shot at the Nullarbor airstrip.

Shaun Wood shares another great shot of his rig while in north Queensland.

Not a bad place to stop for a morning coffee. Thanks for sharing Wayne Agius.

Chris Moore snapped this ripper of a shot of the Kenworth T659 he drives for Morgan Transport.

This Kenworth beast was sitting pretty at the Tasman bridge in Hobart. Thanks for sharing Daniel White.

Trace N Mick shared a snap of this great looking 2016 monochrome Volvo FH16 Globetrotter.

Loaded up with empty orange bins, Matt Manning snapped this shot at Hillston, NSW, in the early hours of the morning.

Rodney Walker and this Peterbilt head west out of Sandstone, WA.

Leanne Pearson sent this shot of her husband’s 2013 Kenworth T909, taken on their front lawn.

30 OPERATOR PROFILE

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

New Cascadia slashes fuel bills at Mills Mills said the 126, with a 48-inch sleeper, is “a beautiful truck to drive.”

SAFETY was a big factor in the family-run Mills Freightlines choosing a new Cascadia for its new fleet, but so was fuel savings for husband-and-wife duo Paul and Jayne Mills who head up the SA operation.

Paul Mills said he is delighted by the fuel numbers the Cascadia 126 returns as it hauls fertiliser on a run that takes in Walleroo, Port Lincoln and Port Adelaide.

“We are getting 1.62km per litre running 91 tonnes loaded both ways,” Mills said.

“That is the kind of number you expect from a truck running that route with a 68-tonne B-double.”

The result? Mills is saving a lot of money on fuel. “It certainly adds up,” he said.

“Especially when you consider how much it saves over the life of the truck.”

Mills, who has a fleet of 14 trucks, was familiar with the Daimler engine and transmission technology thanks to his Mercedes-Benz Actros models that are extremely efficient. His

Cascadia runs a 16-litre six-cylinder Detroit producing 580hp and 2050 ft/lb of torque, which is connected to a DT12 12-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT).

The family business based in Brinkworth, South Australia, also selected a Freightliner Cascadia 126 as part of its safety-first policy.

It goes above and beyond with safety features for all its equipment, so selecting the safest truck in the class was a straightforward decision.

“We are market leaders in safety and we wouldn’t want it any other way,” Mills said.

Mills Freightlines invests in full TEBS trailers that sound an alarm if they lean past a safe angle, live tracking, fire retardant systems, trailer tyre heat and pressure sensors, fatigue monitoring systems and front, rear and driver-facing cameras, so it was pleased to see so much safety equipment as standard in the Cascadia.

The Cascadia is the only conventional truck in Australia

The husband and wife team of Paul and Jayne Mills at Mills Freightlines put safety first with a new Cascadia.

to be fitted with a driver airbag and is now available with an optional side head-protecting airbag for the driver.

It also comes standard with integrated radar-cruise control and advanced emergency braking capability, in addition to lane departure warning.

“The system works very well and it just allows the driver to

really concentrate on the road in front of them and what is going on up ahead,” Mills added.

“It is an excellent system.”

Mills Freightlines also ticked the box for the optional radar-based Sideguard Assist system, which uses radar to detect people, cars and other objects down the side of the truck when it is about to move left

into a lane or turn left.

Mills has long been supported by Darryl Siviour from Daimler Trucks Adelaide, who helped him get the specification of the Cascadia just right.

Mills said the 126, with a 48-inch sleeper, is “a beautiful truck to drive,” adding that the driver is thrilled with his new machine.

The family business based in Brinkworth, South Australia, also selected a Freightliner Cascadia 126 as part of its safety-first policy.

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32 FEATURE

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

One hell of a ride

Raised in the city, Jess Moyse has found her passion in Australia’s Red Centre.

Jess Moyse generally drives this 2006 Mack Titan, towing a triple road train or B-double.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI GROWING up, Moyse aspired to be a journalist. Originally from Brisbane, she had pictured herself being part of the regular 9 to 5 daily office grind – yet her reality is anything but.

“It’s funny the unexpected places life takes you, because here I am living and working in the outback, when, from a very young age, living a normal city childhood, I pictured my adult self working as a hard-hitting news reporter,” she said.

Moyse’s childhood dream began to shift during high school when she discovered the school farm and her love of animals.

After graduating from high school, Moyse, now 25, decided to go to an agricultural training college in Longreach.

“It was kind of a sabbatical. I got the grasp of and really enjoyed doing stock yard handling and being in the bush.

I thought I would do that for a few years and then go back home, but that didn’t happen.”

She ended up moving to western Queensland to work on a cattle station and it was there that she got her first taste of trucking. “I decided to try my hand at an outback station doing jillaroo work. I

Moyse works for Alice Springs based Stanes Transport.

moved to a small town around 250 kilometres south-west of Longreach – in the middle of nowhere.

“The first year was a struggle and I actually went back home, but then realised I made a huge mistake and returned. I spent the next five years there at the cattle station before moving to the Northern Territory.”

Moyse said the work was hard, dirty and tough, but it was also a dream come true.

She loved every minute and was enamoured at the sight of

every road train that came into the station. “When I saw my first road train, I thought it was really cool and wanted to try my hand at it. Every time I saw one, I’d wish it was me behind the wheel,” she said.

As luck would have it, one day she got her chance, and as the saying goes, the rest is history.

“My boss told me one afternoon that he needed me to drive one of the cattle trucks down to the loading ramp because they were a driver short.

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FEATURE 33

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 There were a million reasons why I couldn’t jump in the driver’s seat but he made me get in and have a go. I hadn’t driven a truck before but it was then and there that I decided this is what I wanted to do,” said Moyse.

“It was very eye-opening.

Being around trucks in the city, I’d wonder why they weren’t

going any faster or why they weren’t getting out of the way.

When I hopped in the driver’s seat and saw all of the gears, I realised there was so much more to driving a truck than what I had thought.”

Two and a half years ago, Moyse moved to Alice Springs in search of a job as a truck driver. “Once settled, I began

looking for truck work and six months later, family-owned trucking company Stanes Transport put me on as a jackof-all-trades doing yard work, washing trucks, helping out in the workshop and doing some driving as well,” she said.

Stanes has a fleet of seven prime movers and four rigids, with six long distance drivers

After moving to Alice Springs, she got her MC licence in February last year.

and five doing the local runs – Moyse being the only female truckie. She loves the work, which is so different each day, and says there’s never a dull moment.

These days, she’s usually behind the wheel of a gutsy 2006 Mack Titan towing a triple road train or a B-double, but on occasion she also takes out one of the rigids for local work.

When Moyse joined Stanes in late 2019, she already had her HR licence but had to wait a few more months before she was eligible to try for her MC. “My new bosses in the Territory paid to put me through to my MC licence in Alice Springs – that was in February 2020,” she said.

Stanes Transport delivers refrigerated goods and containers to outback communities within Alice Springs and over the border to WA. “My regular runs are from

Alice Springs to Kiwirrkurra, around 190 kilometres over the WA border, which is about a three-day trip and around 800 kilometres each way. I also do the run to Newmont Mines, which is 600 kilometres from Alice Springs, but that’s a pretty long one because the roads are pretty buggered. Much of the company’s work is general freight and food deliveries to the community stores at Indigenous communities dotted around the Alice.

“About 70 per cent of the work is off bitumen. It was very nerve-racking at first. I’d ask my boss if he was sure he wanted to send me out there to some of these remote places, but it’s been good. I do a little of the rigid stuff, but not as often now, I prefer to do the longer runs to build up my experience further.

“The biggest challenge for me is that I’m still gaining the

It was while working at a cattle station that Moyse got her first taste of trucking.

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mechanical experience. I’ve picked up so much knowledge on the mechanical side since I started. My boss Mark Stanes and all the boys I work with are great at explaining what to do and how to get out of a pickle.

He’ll get in the truck too if he needs to.

“Stanes is so good to work for too, I’d be mad to leave.

They pretty much do everything they can to make sure you’re all good. It’s such a good feeling because everyone in our team works well together, it’s such a well working machine and a good working atmosphere.”

So, what is it she loves most about being on the road?

“It’s the freedom. Even though there are places to be and people to see, there’s still that sense of freedom. It’s being able to be in the middle of nowhere and no-one is around you. It’s all been one hell of a ride.”

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34 NEWS

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Kimberley set for $330m of upgrades

OVER $330 million of road projects are either underway or planned for the Kimberley region, including $180 million of upgrades to Great Northern Highway.

Eight kilometres of Great Northern Highway, between Ord River and Tickalara Creek has already been upgraded, with work recently starting on the next 11km section.

Planning is underway for additional works, including an additional 6km of highway and upgrades to Tickalara Bridge and Frog Hollow Bridge.

WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti recently visited the site to view the progress on the Great Northern Highway Upgrade project at Ord River.

The $98.14 million Ord River North project is jointly funded by the Australian and state governments and will see priority sections of the highway and bridges upgraded in a bid to improve safety and efficiency.

In the first month of construction, May 2021, nearly 16 per cent of the project’s workforce comprised Aborig-

inal people, with just over six per cent being local Aboriginal people. Mentoring is being provided by local Aboriginal business Dadaru to create a support system and team culture.

“I am so proud that these projects have a strong focus on Aboriginal employment and training opportunities, as well as providing opportunities for Aboriginal contractors,” said Kimberley MLA Divina D’Anna.

“We have a strong focus on Aboriginal employment and training opportunities, with a target of 30 per cent of Aboriginal employment on our Ord River North project,” added Saffioti.

“With more people visiting our northern regions during the school holidays, these upgrades are providing a safe road network to ensure that freight can be transported safely, whilst Western Australians can see the beauty of the Kimberley.”

Other major projects currently planned or under construction in the Kimberley include: • Upgrades to the single lane Arthur Creek Bridge;

• P lanning underway to upgrade four floodways to bridges south of Ord River; • Planning for upgrades to all single lane bridges at Willare Crossing and Fitzroy Crossing on the Great Northern Highway in the West Kimberley as well as upgrades to substandard sections of highway between Broome and Fitzroy Crossing; • Planning for upgrades to Great Northern Highway through the East Kimberley is continuing and will include the removal of all single lane bridges between Ord River and Bow River; • $ 25.8 million committed by the state and federal governments to upgrade sections of Great Northern Highway between Broome and Derby including the upgrade of 15 kilometres near Deep Creek east of Broome, 18km near Logue River and a further two kilometres near Derby at Wonjil; • More than $21 million committed to the Kimberley as part of the Regional Road Safety Program in 2021-22. This has enabled

Kimberley MLA Divina D’Anna, left, and WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti visited Ord River to view the progress of the Great Northern Highway upgrades. Photo: Facebook

low-cost upgrades to be undertaken on 740km of various sections of Great Northern Highway and Victoria Highway; • $15 million jointly funded Broome Cape Leveque

Road project; • $ 42.75 million jointly funded Tanami Road upgrade; • $51.3 million jointly funded Duncan Road and Gordon Downs Road upgrade; • $ 18.3 million Moonamang

Road upgrade.

“Many of these projects are either under construction or in planning phases and will lead to a pipeline of work across the Kimberley,” added Saffioti.

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36 DRIVER PROFILE

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Truckin’ In The Tropics

with Alf Wilson

Marshall Sailor

Marshall Sailor accepts a Bible from missionaries during the re-enactment.

Driver and warrior Sailor and the Fuso.

A light truck driven by Marshall Sailor played a vital role in the smooth operation of a milestone event which is important to Torres Strait Islander people.

The Fuso transported vital material to the Coming of the Light celebrations in Townsville on July 15.

The event had been scheduled for its usual July 1 date but had to be postponed when Townsville was locked down for three days due to Covid.

On July 1 each year, Torres Strait Islander people participate in Coming of the Light events. It celebrates when Christian missionaries arrived at Darnley Island on that date in 1871.

This was the 150th anniversary of the event which is a significant day for Torres Strait Islanders, who are predominantly of Christian faith.

It celebrates the interac-

Gai Bero does some weaving in the back of the Fuso.

tion of two ideologies, the Torres Strait Islander customs, traditions and beliefs and the practices of western civilisation.

After their visit to Darnley, or Erub Island as it is known, the missionaries visited other Torres Strait Islands spreading the Coming of the Light.

I arrived at the Townsville event as preparations were underway and saw Gai Bero sitting in the back of a Fuso weaving some leaves.

It was drizzling and the Fuso sheltered him from the rain and provided shade from the sun.

Versatile Sailor was nearby and not only drove the Fuso but later was one of the dancers who entertained the large audience at Townsville Riverway which is near the fresh water reaches on Ross River.

Sailor was also one of the warriors who greeted

the missionaries during the popular re-enactment before they were handed a bible which saw the Coming of the Light.

“We could not have done without the truck. It carried a lot of things here,” Sailor said.

There was a large audience, some of whom had travelled from as far away as Hughenden.

During the re-enactment many people snapped pics and the Fuso was in the background.

Volunteers who organised the event arrived at the venue at around 5am to cook a feast of Kup-Murri under the ground.

After the re-enactment, about 100 people enjoyed a traditional islander feast which tantalised the tastebuds.

Some of these events had to be cancelled last year due to Covid concerns.

DRIVER PROFILES 37

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Truckin’ In The Tropics Ronald Goldsmith

THIRD generation truck driver Ronald Goldsmith works for Geoff Richards Refrigerated Transport in Brisbane.

Aged 64, Goldsmith had parked his CAT CT630 at the BP Cluden just after 7am one morning when Big Rigs saw him.

“I have been a driver for a long time and this is the first occasion anybody from a transport publication has seen

me and done pictures,” Goldsmith said.

Goldsmith is proud of the achievements of his father Bruce and grandfather Leslie Starr who were both truckies.

“My dad told me to believe nothing that you hear and only half what you see. There are two sides to every story,” he said.

When I asked Goldsmith the worst road he had driven

with Alf Wilson

Damien Ardle

on, he provided a thought provoking answer.

“The word worst is a state of mind and you have to drive to the conditions,” he said.

Goldsmith has been employed by this company for months and was carrying express goods from Brisbane for Townsville.

“I have produce to pick up probably at Mareeba to take back,” he said.

FORMER Tasmanian Damian Ardle moved to the tropics of north Queensland 15 years ago and hasn’t regretted it.

A truckie for the past 12 years, he has worked for Lindsay Transport, based at Innisfail, for the past seven.

The company also has depots at Tully, Mareeba and in Mackay down south.

We caught up with Ardle,

43, after he parked his Kenworth K200 B-double beside Ingham Road in Townsville.

“I have produce to deliver to Cairns. This is a good company to work for,” he said.

Ardle said he mainly travels between the far north and Mackay and was quick to nominate the worst road he gets on. “A stretch of the Bruce Highway between

Bowen and Mackay,” he said.

The first truck Ardle drove was an old Bedford.

“My dad had a farm in the Derwent Valley region of Tasmania around New Norfolk and I moved up this way 15 years ago,” he said.

Ardle barracks for the NQ Cowboys in the NRL and the St Kilda Saints in the AFL.

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38 SPY ON THE ROAD

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Infamous road causing some serious damage SPY ON THE ROAD WITH ALF WILSON

Bad road causes damage NUMEROUS truckies have reported damage to their rigs and trailers after travelling over the infamous Tanami Track in the Northern Territory.

The total length is 1.05km and it is a major link between Central Australia and north-west Western Australia, commonly known as the Kimberley.

The Tanami Road is the most direct route just north of Alice Springs to Halls Creek in the Kimberley, passing through the Tanami Desert.

From the Bass Highway, the entrance to the Howth rest area will be around where this truck is parked.

Trucks regularly negotiate the road to deliver to mines and it is that part of the notorious route which has been bucketed by some drivers.

“Of the 550km section

in the NT, more than half is dirt and it is terrible to travel on. There has been lots of damage to trucks and trailers of late. It sure wrecks a lot of gear,” one small fleet opera-

tor told Spy. But he did say the amount of damage was often dictated by the speed drivers travel.

“If you try and go faster you will get damaged but I

have been on it and gone as slow as 10km/h in stretches,” he said.

When the surface was last graded also has a major bearing on damage.

Swallow your pride and see a doctor Like most men it takes some serious symptoms before we will visit a doctor.

That occurred to me recently and resulted in a fourday stay in hospital which wasn’t a pleasant experience.

Although, having said that, all the doctors, nurses and staff were wonderful caring people.

My incident started about midnight on a Friday when I had trouble breathing.

Soon after the wife made a call to 000 and within 10 minutes an ambulance had arrived with two paramedics.

I was rushed to the local emergency ward where doctors diagnosed cellulitis in a leg had caused the problem.

Cellulitis is a common, potentially serious bacterial skin infection. The affected skin appears swollen and red and is typically painful and warm to the touch.

Cellulitis usually affects the skin on the lower legs, but it can occur on the face, arms

A truck cruises along the Bass Highway.

and other areas. It occurs when a crack or break in your skin allows bacteria to enter.

Left untreated, the infection can spread to your lymph nodes and bloodstream and rapidly become life-threatening. It isn’t usually spread from person to person.

Anyway, I was transferred to a medical ward and received numerous drips and numerous blood samples were taken. Lots of tests as well by truly professional staff.

After four days I was discharged and went home and pondered the number of times I had seen truck drivers in the past year who had red legs and may have been suffering from a similar ailment.

This has really acted as a reason for me to visit a GP more often at the first sign of symptoms of something nasty.

New Tasmanian rest area A liberal sprinkling of investigation has enabled Spy to reveal that the location of the new state of the art heavy vehicle rest area in Tasmania will be at Howth.

It’s commonly known as Sulphur Creek Weighbridge between Penguin and Burnie westbound and utilises the

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SPY ON THE ROAD 39

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 of these crocs swimming around.

“Yep but I wouldn’t swim with them,” he quipped.

His next comment left Spy a bit bewildered. “But we have seen plenty of people swimming in Darwin Harbour,” he said.

Darwin Dodge Whilst on the subject of Darwin, some interstate truckies who get downtime there enjoy visiting the local Aviation Museum.

Not at all surprising when you consider Darwin’s World War II history which included being bombed by the Japanese.

One retired driver was intrigued by the museum and in particular an old Dodge which he kindly snapped a pic of and sent to Spy. This old Dodge was snapped at the Aviation Museum.

existing roundabout on the four lane Bass Highway.

Good news for drivers is that it will include a toilet.

This is the result of achievements by the Tasmanian Rest Area Group, with more locations to come.

Members of the public were advised they could make a complaint against the rest area in an advertisement by Ulverstone (Central Coast) Council and this was brought to the attention of Spy. There were also signs on site for 14 days for people to make a submission or complaint by June 30.

I am told the local council meets monthly and any submissions would be discussed by early August.

This site was obviously chosen as the roundabout allows access from either direction, with easy access back into traffic already in place.

Bizarre behaviour In what amounts to one of the most weird incidences reported to Spy, a champion NSW truckie had a dead eel thrown at his windscreen.

It occurred at night as he drove along a highway not far from a waterway.

After feeling an unknown object land on his windscreen, he decided to wait until the next safe place to pull over to check it out.

Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to find the missile was a dead eel which must have been caught

in the river he passed.

Luckily he wasn’t injured and the only damage was a cracked screen.

There is some irony though. He barracks for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL. Bout of gout Had to feel sorry for a veteran truckie who was seen limping whilst walking back to his truck at a big Aussie roadhouse.

Spy had heard several other truckies known to him passing comment (which he did not hear) about the possible causes of his ailment.

They may have thought it was funny but Spy is sure the sufferer would not have expressed that opinion.

So he was asked and had this reply, “I have gout and it is very painful,” he said.

This is a condition many truckies and other people suffer from and the gent was more than happy to advise all and sundry how he thought he had become a sufferer.

“Sure, I had a big feed of mud crabs a few nights ago and that is why,” he said.

But he assured the jokers that a visit to the doctor to get a prescription for some medication would have him soon back to normal.

“I just love crab meat so am not sorry I indulged,” he said.

Don’t swim with crocs Anybody who lives in Darwin knows that saltwater crocodiles of potential man-eating

size inhabit the waters inside the harbour.

Actually these saurians are tourist attractions.

But whatever you do don’t enter the water there as you could end up being a meal.

I asked one young NT driver if he ever saw any

House sitter surprise A WA owner-operator got the surprise of his life when a large caravan pulled up outside his house about 10pm and a family of four walked up his front stairs.

“We are the house sitters and are here to stay for a couple of months,” a man told him.

Obviously this was a mistake as our truckie mate had just moved back to his residence after having lived at a nearby town for some years.

After some discussion they gleaned that the sitters had the wrong address and it was in fact the house next door.

Anyway it all turned out good and the two families have become warm friends – even though many of our drivers don’t get on all that well with caravanners. On the highways at least.

Are you Gunna do it?

There is no way of verifying it but Spy has been told on good authority that the most stolen street sign in Australia is the Gunnadoo Road one located along the Flinders Highway.

Apparently it gets stolen often by souvenir hunters and needs to be replaced.

For those who don’t know, its location is near Woodstock on the way to Charters Towers.

Spy is told that it was named after a competition some years ago which a woman won when she claimed her husband was

The Gunnadoo sign at the entrance to a property at Wonga Beach in the far north.

asked to do chores and was “always gunna do it.”

Truckies tell me there are other Gunnadoo Roads or byways.

Spy was following a truck heading towards the Daintree in the far north and saw such a sign at the entrance to a property at Wonga Beach.

Get well soon My thoughts are with two champion truckies who haven’t been in the best of health lately.

Russell from the Victorian countryside and Lindsay from Queensland have been long-time drivers with trucks in their blood.

They may not be spring chickens but still would not be considered old enough to be on the verge of having to retire for health reasons.

Lindsay had diabetes, then lost a lot of weight and it went away. But he has been diagnosed with kidney disease and has started dialysis three times weekly at his local hospital.

Russell wouldn’t go into details of what his actual condition is but did say he was “pretty ill”.

Best of luck boys.

40 WHAT’S ON

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Key industry events in 2021

The Ute and Truck Muster is held together with the Boyup Brook Country Music Festival. Photo: The Boyup Brook Ute and Truck Muster Facebook page

Save the date for these events in 2021 AUGUST LRTAWA Conference August 14 Perth, WA Visit: lrtawa.org.au/ conference The Livestock and Rural Transport Association of WA will host its annual industry day at Burswood on Swan.

Gold Coast Truck Show August 15 Gold Coast, Queensland Visit: goldcoasttruckshow.

com.au The Gold Coast Truck Show will return to Mudgeeraba Showgrounds, featuring everything on wheels, including a huge huge display of trucks, cars, bikes and more.

There will also be a trophy presentation for several truck categories, live entertainment and food stalls.

The NatRoad National Conference aims to provide an opportunity for freight operators to get together and reconnect after a difficult year.

Event highlights include the ‘NatRoad Parliament’ where attendees can debate pressing issues; and the NatRoad Awards which will be presented at the Gala Dinner.

NatRoad Conference August 19-21 Gold Coast, Queensland Visit: natroad.com.au/ events-networking/ 2021-conference/

LRTAV Conference August 20-21 Bendigo, Victoria Visit: lrtav.com.au/ conference

The Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Victoria represents 200 rural operators throughout the state. It will hold its conference weekend at the All Seasons Resort in Bendigo.

SARTA Conference and Dinner August 21 Adelaide Convention Centre, SA Visit: sartaevents.com/ 2021-conference-anddinner The South Australian Road Transport Association’s event

will be opened by Premier Steven Marshall and Minister Corey Wingard. It will discuss issues impacting the industry including the Heavy Vehicle National Law, driver licencing and more. The dinner will feature industry awards, an auction and live entertainment.

National Road Transport Hall of Fame Reunion August 23-29 Alice Springs, NT Visit: roadtransporthall. com The National Transport His-

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The Brisbane Convoy for Kids and Truck Show will raise money for Hummingbird House.

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learning. Over 500 events are set to take place across Australia.

Heatherton Truck Show August 28 Heatherton, Victoria Visit: facebook.com/ heathertontruckshow The inaugural Heatherton Truck Show will help raise money for Variety, the children’s charity. The day will include a vast display of trucks old and new, awards presentations, food stands, kids activities and more.

SEPTEMBER Australasian Road Safety Conference September 28-30 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Visit: australasianroad safetyconference.com.au The 2021 Australasian Road Safety Conference will combine a mixture of in-person and online delivery to ensure people can be involved regardless of any travel restrictions that may be in place.

The event aims to align with road safety efforts across Australia, New Zealand and globally, and assist in building road safety capacity.

Trucking Australia 2021 September 29 – October 1 Gold Coast, Queensland Visit: new.truck.net.au/ta/ The date is set for the Trucking Australia conference, presented by the Australian Trucking Association, with further details and VIP conference packages to be released soon.

OCTOBER Lights on the Hill Memorial Convoy October 2-3 Gatton, Qld Visit: lightsonthehill.com.au The memorial convoy gives drivers and their families an opportunity to get together with other truckies in a social environment whilst making the public aware that truckies are the backbone of the country.

Convoy for Kids Sydney October 31 Sydney, NSW Visit: convoyforkids.com.au Since the first Convoy for Kids Sydney in 1992, truckies have raised nearly $3 million for kids’ charities and hospitals in NSW. The upcoming convoy will start from Huntingwood and arrive at Hawkesbury Showground in Clarendon for a fun-filled family day with rides, entertainment, food and stalls.

NOVEMBER Illawarra Convoy November 21 Illawarra, NSW Visit: illawarraconvoy.com.au The Illawarra Convoy and Family Fun Day is the largest truck and motorbike convoy in the Southern Hemisphere, raising much needed funds for various charities.

Brisbane Convoy for Kids and Truck Show November 6 Redcliffe Showgrounds, Queensland

Visit: brisbaneconvoy forkids.com.au Raising money for Hummingbird House, the truck and bike convoy will run from Forest Lake to Redcliffe Showgrounds, where there will be a truck show with awards that include everything from Best Decorated Truck to Best Dressed Driver.

The evening will culminate in a spectacular fireworks display.

FEBRUARY MEGATRANS February 16-18 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Visit: megatrans.com.au MEGATRANS is Australia’s leading industry freight and logistics trade exhibition and conference, showcasing multimodal transport solutions.

For the first time, MEGATRANS will be held in conjunction with the specialised bulk handling expo, Australian Bulk Handling Expo 2021, with both events taking place side by side.

Boyup Brook Ute and Truck Muster February 19 Boyup Brook, WA Visit: countrymusicwa. com.au/ute-truck-muster Held together with the Boyup Brook Country Music Festival, this muster aims to celebrate Aussie vehicles with an impressive display.

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FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Gold Coast Truck Show returns with a bang

THE Gold Coast Truck Show returns to Mudgeeraba Showgrounds on Sunday August 15 for a day filled with fun and entertainment.

It will feature a huge display of trucks, cars, bikes and more; together with all-day entertainment, carnival rides, food stores and awards presentations.

To add, trucks over 12 tonne can enter for free between 6am-9am from Gate 3 at the back of the showgrounds, on Worongary Road.

There will be 13 award trophies presented on the day: Best Kenworth, Best Western Star, Best European, Best Peterbilt, Best International, Best Ford, Best Mack, Best Towie, Best Paint, Best Graphics, Best Bling, Best Fleet and Best Truck.

But there’s one small catch, “All winners have to be there to collect their trophy or else it gets passed on to the runner up,” added Franklin.

Trucks can register for the awards at centre stage, with registrations closing at 11am. “We get around 80 trucks coming in and there

The truck show is part of the Gold Coast Car Show.

There will 13 award trophies presented on the day.

are 13 trophies up for grabs.

The award categories have been nominated by truckies,” Franklin said.

“We also encourage all the truckies to do a big horn blow-out together just before the trophy ceremony starts at 12.45. That creates quite a stir

among the whole crowd.”

After Covid restrictions forced last year’s event to be cancelled, Franklin says the team behind the event is excited to be back. “We’re very encouraged by the support that we’ve had. The event has more sponsors than we’ve ever

had before. I think everyone who comes along will have a great time.

“As trucks 12 tonne and over get in for free, it doesn’t cost them anything to come

in. We understand the costs associated with transport, so we say come along and have a day off from the hectic schedule, bring your family down and have a great time with us.”

The Gold Coast Truck Show is held as part of the Gold Coast Car Show, which runs from August 14-15.

While Sunday is the day for trucks, Saturday August 14 will feature a retro

1950s-1970s car and caravan show, rock n’ roll entertainment, food and market stalls, FMX freestyle stunt riders, monster trucks and fireworks.

“It’s a whole weekend of fun,” said Franklin.

The Gold Coast Truck Show is a Covid-safe event.

For more information, please visit goldcoasttruckshow.com. au or head to the Gold Coast Truck Show Facebook page.

Trucks over 12 tonne can enter the event for free.

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

SRH Milk Haulage – Moving towards a digital future

STARTING with just one truck and a single trailer back in October 1996, SRH Milk Haulage has developed into one of the nation’s largest transporters of milk.

Now operating across three states, SRH’s fleet has grown to 60 trucks and 100 tankers, transporting nearly 1.9 million litres of milk daily – a quarter of all Australian farm milk.

Enhancing operational efficiency Given the fleet’s explosive growth, SRH has adopted a commitment to continual improvement. The business is always looking at ways of how its staff can streamline operations and master complex compliance laws to increase efficiency and bring more money back into the business.

With this in mind, compliance manager at SRH, Blair Harvey, began to explore how technology could help improve driver safety and monitor compliance, while enabling the business to maximise profits through fewer trips and improved efficiency.

Delivering results with technology With support from the wider organisation, SRH Milk Haulage joined the Intelligent Access Program (IAP) through Teletrac Navman’s suite of solutions, with the aim of enabling the company to deliver higher payloads and become more efficient.

IAP enables SRH to access more of the road network and carry more per load, in exchange for monitoring compliance through approved Teletrac Navman telematics and adhering to specific access conditions.

Thanks to the IAP, SRH can now transport an additional 3400 litres of milk per load. At the same time, access to the IAP has allowed SRH to remove an entire delivery run from its schedule, as the extra litres per load mean it can transport the equivalent of 12 loads in just 11 runs. SRH now moves an astounding 880 million litres of milk a year.

Harvey explains just how valuable this improvement is to the business’ operations.

“That might not sound like much, but it makes a huge

Scott (pictured) and Regina Harvey have grown SRH Milk Haulage into a major player in Australia’s dairy transport scene.

difference and now we’re up to nearly 41,500 litres per load,” she says.

Streamlining Compliance In addition to joining the IAP, SRH also installed in-cabin devices across its operation to enhance driver safety while

ensuring each team member is staying compliant. “The drivers can launch their own declaration for what’s on the load, which makes everything so much easier,” said Harvey.

“Now they do it as it is happening, rather than having to do it after the load has been

delivered. And it’s extremely user friendly, which is very important.”

SRH is keen to do even more with Teletrac Navman.

According to Harvey, the telematics supplier’s EWDs are next on the list of solutions to implement.

“Over the next 12 months we want to start an EWD trial.

At the end of the day, they’re the future (of transport) and it’s only going be a matter of time before paper-based reporting is gone,” she said. “We are ready to take that next step in our digital journey.”

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44 AD FEATURE

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Flow-Easy vibrator solves a sticky problem

THE issue of bulk material clinging to the inside of a tipper and slowing down the unloading process is something common to many operators carting bulk products.

In many cases the only way to get material moving is by ‘shunting’ the vehicle or manually digging out compact product at the end of a shift – both risky and time consuming for the operator; and leading to excessive wear and tear on the vehicle.

Flow-Easy vibrators are designed to speed up the unloading of bulk products, providing an efficient, safe and controlled load discharge. The vibration loosens compacted material, effectively eliminating residual build up.

Many operators are seeing the value of fitting a vibrator to their trailers. Among these is Australian Tartaric Products (ATP), which manufactures and supplies natural tartaric acid, natural cream of tartar and grape spirit for the Australian wine industry.

ATP commenced operations from a former fruit packing shed in Colignan, 50 kilometres from Mildura in North-

ATP produces natural tartaric acid and food grade spirit for the wine industry.

West Victoria. Rapid expansion followed with the construction of a factory and the installation of production lines within the

first 12 months. Today ATP is a major contributor to the wine industry, employing around 40 staff.

ATP has a unique symbiotic relationship with many of the largest wine companies in the country. The end-to-end process starts when ATP collects the grape marc, grape lees and centrifuge sludge from partner wineries. This is then processed to produce natural tartaric acid and food grade spirit which is supplied back to the wine companies.

The company is known for its innovation and in 2014 designed and built a cutting-edge renewable energy plant. After the grape marc has been processed, it is used to provide energy for the ATP plant via a biomass boiler that burns the spent marc to produce saturated steam. The steam produced drives an Organic Rankine Cycle system which generates electricity for internal use.

Gypsum is used extensively during the tartaric manufacturing process. The gypsum acts as a filter and after it has been processed the end product is stockpiled for further use within the agricultural industry.

ATP mechanic, Murray Allomes, faced a problem with the processed gypsum, as the product becomes particularly

The issues it had with its gypsum sticking in the trailer has been alleviated with the use of an Enmin vibrator.

sticky and compacted, making it a challenge to discharge fully.

“To remove all the gypsum from our trailer was both time consuming and an absolute pain for me. It frequently required banging on the side of the trailer to dislodge all the material,” he said.

“I figured there had to be a better way. I’d seen vibrators fitted to truck tippers that came

to our depot and that motivated me to get on the web which is where I came across Enmin and their vibrator range.”

After discussing his requirements with Enmin, a suitable vibrator was selected and fitted to ATP’s trailer.

“Since we’ve had it, I’ve been totally happy with the vibrator.

It’s vastly improved our productivity and made my job so much easier and quicker. It’s such a relief not to have to bang on the sides or shunt the trailer back and forward,” Allomes added.

“We’re in the process of building another trailer and I’ll certainly be fitting a vibrator to that too. Given the hassle of trying to remove compacted material and the small investment required, I can’t understand why more people don’t invest in a vibrator for their trailers.”

In addition to the wine industry, the tartaric acid and cream of tartar is also used by the pharmaceutical and food manufacturing industries. ATP continues to grow with the development of a high-quality grape seed oil due to be launched into the market later this year.

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Great Whites Attack is bigger than ever

AFTER almost a decade of lighting Australian highways and 4WD tracks, Great Whites has released its biggest light yet.

Aptly named the 250 Se-

ries, the round LED driving light boasts a massive 250mm face and is designed to suit the needs of long-haul truck drivers looking for more light and improved visibility in poor

weather conditions.

In a first for Great Whites, the 250 Series features an integrated amber bar and lights to help drivers see in poor conditions including fog, dust

The 250 Series features an integrated amber bar and lights to help drivers see in poor conditions.

and even grain on farms.

Merchandise manager for lighting Luke Bolton says he can’t wait to see these lights in action on Australian roads.

“The 250 Series is designed to take pride of place on the country’s biggest vehicles, improving visibility in all conditions and lighting over 1km ahead with each pair,” he said.

“These larger faced lights will reduce the need for so many forward-facing lights on trucks, with fewer, high powered driving lights doing the trick. Best of all they don’t look out of place in front of huge radiators and chunky bull bars,” he said.

Each light houses 24 high-powered LEDS capable of operating in both 12 and 24V vehicles. The new 250 Series puts on a show with 10,300 effective white lumens and 700 effective amber lumens, and it’s available in a black or alloy finish to suit your vehicle.

Lighting product manager Barry Lillis says when buying driving lights, quality should be heavily considered. “There are much cheaper lights on the market, but they’re

With a 250mm face, these lights don’t look out of place in front of huge radiators and chunky bull bars.

cheaper for a reason. When your livelihood depends on those lights working, they’re nothing you should scrape on,” he said.

Recent reports have stated 38 per cent of all fatal accidents occur at night and 14.6 per cent of all road crash deaths involve articulated trucks or heavy rigid trucks, meaning visibility is a key fac-

tor in keeping drivers safe.

The 250 Series is just one part of the Great Whites Attack range, with the 170 Series, 220 Series and bars also available to light the way for your vehicle. With a threeyear warranty behind every Great Whites Attack light, visit greatwhites.com.au or your local NAPA Auto Parts for more information.

46 NEWS

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Burson backs new regional museum

AUSTRALIA’S Burson Auto Parts extends the company’s 50th Anniversary celebrations to regional Victoria by becoming a partner of an exciting new chapter of our country’s motoring heritage and culture.

Burson Auto Parts has joined forces with the Museum of Vehicle Evolution (MOVE) located in the Victorian rural city of Shepparton.

MOVE is a community-based, not for profit enterprise that is creating a cultural heritage attraction for all motoring enthusiasts to visit and enjoy.

MOVE was established with significant funding gained from the Australian federal Government, the Victorian State Government, the City of Greater Shepparton and the

The first truck bought by the Phillips family, which has been in the trucking hall of fame in Alice Springs for the last 15 years, will be displayed at the museum.

transport industry.

Scheduled to open in August this year, MOVE presents the history of transport all the way from bicycles to motorcycles, cars and trucks, featuring a series of iconic vehicles that helped to build modern Australia.

Burson Auto Parts marks the proud Australian company’s 50-year history at MOVE with presentation sponsorship of the Southern Wall of the car museum, including signage, a display area and video wall brand coverage at this impressive new complex.

Burson Auto Parts will also be using MOVE for regional Victorian customer and staff training events, providing all guests with access to a highly unique and interesting motoring venue that is sure to be well received.

“We are delighted to be involved with this exciting new historical motoring museum in our home state, which is opening as we celebrate Burson Auto Parts’ Golden Anniversary,” Burson Auto Parts general manager - marketing, Anthony Hughes stated.

“Our partnership with

Freight Transport On Demand

MOVE is a community-based, not for profit enterprise that is creating a cultural heritage attraction for all motoring enthusiasts to visit and enjoy.

MOVE enables us to showcase our long Australian history in supplying the parts that keep our nation’s cars on the road while also being intrinsically involved with the many special events that will be held there each year including their annual car show.”

The museum is expanding its footprint adding an additional 10,000 square metres to exhibit its vehicles and showcase the history of transport across the Goulburn Valley.

The museum’s motoring curator Jade Burley told ABC News that in coming up with the design of the museum they visited other motoring museums in Australia and New Zealand to see how they line up.

Burley said the new museum will revisit the roots of the region and its long history with the transport and trucking in-

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Burson Auto Parts marks the proud Australian company’s 50-year history at MOVE with presentation sponsorship of the Southern Wall of the car museum.

dustry, with items returning to the region recognising local transporting families including Phillips.

The first truck bought by the family, which has been the trucking hall of fame in Alice Springs for the last 15 years, will be displayed at the museum.

Burson Auto Parts has grown

from a business started by company founders Garry Johnson and partner Ron Burgoine who sold parts from the boots of their cars to mechanics, to becoming Australia’s preferred trade supplier of automotive parts, tools and equipment after opening their first store in Victoria back in 1971.

COLUMN 47

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Shining a light on industry greats at 2021 conference ATA CHAIR DAVID SMITH Australian Trucking Association

TRUCKING plays a crucial role in the lives of everyone in Australia. This has been particularly evident in the last 18 months as we have all responded to Covid-19.

Trucks supply every community and are connected to every industry from construction to retail and agriculture.

As the saying goes: without trucks, Australia stops. But more importantly, without hardworking individuals and businesses there are no trucks.

To recognise the outstanding businesses and individuals who inspire others and make a positive impact, each year the Australian Trucking Association proudly delivers the National Trucking Industry Awards.

Established in 1994, these awards have a long and rich history, and have celebrated

some of trucking’s greats from inaugural ATA chair Peter Rocke and industry stalwart Phyllis Jones OAM, though to exceptional organisations like Brown & Hurley and Fellows Bulk Transport.

Nominations are now open for the 2021 awards, celebrating the inspiring achievements of Australian trucking’s most committed individuals and organisations.

Recognising the professionalism and contribution of the trucking industry, nominations are open in a range of categories that showcase outstanding ambassadors and passionate contributors.

Our award winners will be announced at the ATA’s Trucking Australia conference, held from September 29 to October 1 at the Gold Coast.

While traditionally a feature of the ATA Technology and Maintenance Conference, this year we have made the decision to include the presentation of the Craig Roseneder and Castrol Vecton Industry Achievement awards at Trucking Australia. This will ensure our finalists and award winners receive the full fanfare and rec-

The 2019 National Professional Driver of the Year Bernard Forssman.

Director of Border Crane Consultants Jason Barry accepts the 2019 Craig Roseneder Award at a special ceremony in Melbourne.

ognition they deserve.

The national award program will also crown winners of the TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award, Don Watson Memorial Award and Castrol Vecton Industry Achievement Award – those selected from a range of exceptional people or organisations who do not need to nominate to be considered.

operator, manufacturer, owner, manager, mechanic and administrator involved in transport has a role to play.

I have no doubt that all of us know someone deserving of one of these awards, and I invite all of industry to celebrate excellence by nominating someone great.

These awards would not be

These awards are about celebrating those who work behind the scenes or go above and beyond to keep Australia moving.

It’s about acknowledging the commitment of every single person around the country who has dedicated their time and skills to ensure the trucking industry has a future. Every

possible without the support of the 2021 National Trucking Industry Awards sponsors; BP, NTI and Volvo Trucks, as well as Castrol Vecton, Cummins South Pacific, AEI Transport Insurance Brokers and Sutton Road Training Centre TISC. View the award categories, criteria, and nominate now at www.truck.net.au/NTIA

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FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Safety must be the priority EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

TASSIE TRUCKIN’ JON WALLIS

TWU NEWS

LEGAL EAGLE ROWAN KING

james.graham@bigrigs.com.au

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

TWU NEWS RICHARDOLSEN OLSEN RICHARD TWU NSW State Secretary TWU NSW State Secretary

PROFIT before safety, profit before people is not the road for a company to take when it comes to ensuring respect for drivers in 2021. We are in the grip of a pandemic and you are in the thick of it, a worker doing a critical job ensuring the wheels keep turning.

It is abundantly clear that the politics of panic exists; the TWU is fighting for respect for transport workers over the shambles they face, battling to do their jobs and comply with the testing orders, permits and more.

You have encountered closed truck stops, bans on eating meals at a table, polystyrene plates and plastic forks, closed shower facilities, constant virus testing, ever-changing border permits and queues for border entry. Every day we are hearing of truck drivers forced to wait for testing on logbook hours, required to self-test in their trucks and facing major delays to get results or not having test kits available where they work.

Companies are adding to

Principal Lawyer RK Law

A significant number of transport companies are making decent profit from the pandemic, says the TWU.

the confusion, setting their own rules on how they handle Covid in their yards and it appears putting drivers right across the industry at risk. We remain concerned at some delays in response from NSW Health and remain outraged by the actions of companies like Hanson who in our view put profit before safety when it came to informing workers that Covid was on site.

There are rules in place, those provided by the Health Authorities, let’s avoid the

confusion for transport workers and follow those rules, not those invented in supply chains that suit the politics of panic in company leadership.

Some companies are playing ball, we congratulate those that have responded to TWU requests that they provide workers with pandemic leave or are ensuring that they have access to testing and more.

A significant number of transport companies are making decent profit from the pandemic, and it alarms the TWU

that they now are in the race of their lives to win contracts at the lowest possible cost. This is starkly visible in negotiations underway between transport companies and drivers over pay and conditions.

The drivers who are moving these businesses forward day and night throughout the pandemic to get freight to the customer are now being asked to accept a direct attack on their job security and conditions.

Drivers are now presented with a plan for a “B rate”

for employee drivers, which would strip rights, rates, and conditions back to the bone.

Standards on superannuation would be back to minimums with attempts to trash even minimum award standards when it comes to paying overtime. The axe is swinging over the heads of contract carriers too, with rates and conditions in jeopardy.

Drivers have made it clear that they won’t stand for what are new lows in standards for jobs in transport. At Toll driv-

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ers are in the midst of pushing for strike action. At other trucking companies, drivers are also facing conditions under threat.

No driver takes this action lightly. They know that taking action would result in a threat to vital supplies across the country. However, they also know that the risk of not taking action is even greater.

You can join the fight wherever you are; find out more at the website www.twu.com.au/ join.

COLUMN 49

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Common sense testing for truckies the rules and re-introduced the Delta strain back into Victoria, throwing the state back into a hard two-week lockdown.

As well as banning furniture removalists from entering the state from NSW, the Andrews government upped the ante on Victorian testing requirements for linehaul drivers in response, requiring them to get a Covid test every three days instead of every seven.

The industry has demonstrated a consistent capacity to meet weekly testing cycles.

However, the less than a week cycles are difficult to meet due to issues with fatigue management, testing locations and physical intrusion. Having a pipette pushed to the back of the nasal cavity every few days wears the skin and creates blood noses on a regular basis. This is a health risk, and one which we have had dozens of reports of by drivers and operators.

With all the signs pointing to Australians having to live with Covid and its more virulent strains for many months to come, the VTA is calling for a more sensible and common-sense approach to testing for heavy vehicle drivers. State

VTA COMMENT PETER ANDERSON CEO, Victorian Transport Association

AS states and territories grapple with how to handle the worsening Delta outbreak in NSW, testing requirements for essential linehaul heavy vehicle drivers has come into focus, with discrepancies between jurisdictions a source of much confusion.

Throughout the pandemic, the industry has shown a remarkable ability to operate safely and productively, despite drivers being subjected to invasive and onerous testing requirements as a condition of permits to travel interstate.

The general requirement up until recently has been for drivers to obtain negative tests on a rolling seven-day average, with two-day, three-day and weekly testing cycle variations.

All that changed after rogue furniture removalists flouted

Under our proposed change, interstate drivers would be tested every two or three days using the self-administered Ellume test.

transport associations have endorsed changing the current testing regime to include the Ellume-type testing.

Under our proposed change, interstate drivers would be test-

ed every two or three days using the self-administered Ellume test, alternating with a standard test through a registered testing laboratory weekly. This would see the driver self-test

throughout the week, check their clearance of the virus and be sure that they are not infecting others.

Accessible, reliable, and fast diagnostics are integral to the Covid response.

The Ellume rapid regime entails a specific swab of the individual’s tongue with a result provided 15 minutes. These tests help to limit personal intrusion, manage outbreaks and community transmission, and reduce pressure on healthcare systems. The individual can then be sure of their ability to meet the increase in testing and not have the physical discomfort and pain.

We request that the Therapeutic Goods Administration grant an exemption for Ellume testing, as has been done with HIV (2014) and Flu (2019) to include specifically the interstate heavy vehicle driver sector under specific conditions.

The transport industry has been grateful for the ability to continue working throughout the pandemic and has always accepted we would be subject to higher standards of safety, hygiene and testing requirements as a

condition to keep operating.

Jurisdictions around the world are increasingly turning to self-administered tests for frontline healthcare and other providers of essential services where regular testing is a requirement. The accuracy of these tests has gotten better as technology has continually improved, with results available in as little as 15 minutes.

Freight drivers are using these tests elsewhere around the world as a complement to other regular formal testing and our is our view that rapid, self-administered testing should form part of our diagnostics arsenal in Australia as well.

We see the risks of drivers ignoring positive self-administered tests as remarkably low in view of the seven-day lab test requirement, and of course the fact that there is nothing to be gained from hiding a positive result.

Freight drivers deserve a better testing regime that respects their physical and mental health and well-being, whilst keeping the community safe from transport-related outbreaks.

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50 COLUMN

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Exciting calendar of major events on the horizon

COST CUTTER CHET CLINE

AT THE WHEEL DAVID MEREDITH

AIR CTI founder/owner

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

WOMEN IN TRANSPORT TRANSPORT WOMEN IN JACQUELENE BROTHERTON JACQUELENE BROTHERTON Chair of Transport WomenWomen Australia Chair of Transport

Australia

I’VE noticed that my columns lately have been depressing and melancholy, a little like me, so I’ve given myself an upper cut, figuratively not literally, and decided that I must make things more upbeat – I’m hoping I can make that happen.

THE OZ TRUCKER It may be hard to keep that MIKE WILLIAMS contributors@bigrigs.com.au resolution with our trucks drivers still being treated disgracefully and the politicians trying to build a wall between our states, however I will do my best.

As Chair of Transport Women Australia Limited, we are forging ahead with events where possible and hope to hold our conference in Melbourne in October as a face-to-face event. We’re also LOBBYIST hopingSHEARER to hold a Learning STEVE SA Road TransportBreakfast Association Initiatives in SydExecutive Director ney in September (we will keep you informed of this).

We are also having our inaugural Learning Initiatives Breakfast in Perth, to be hosted by our corporate member and sponsor, Interlink Insurance Brokers on August EDITOR 18, andGRAHAM all are welcome. We JAMES james.graham@bigrigs.com.au decided not to go ahead with one in Melbourne because of the mandatory numbers per square metre and will hold it as soon as possible.

Transport Women Australia Limited has nominated seven of our members for awards, the first of them, Merry Manton has been named as a finalist in the TWU NEWS Women in Industry Awards RICHARD OLSEN TWU NSWin State Secretary both the Safety Advocacy Award and the Excellence in Transport Award. Manton will be a fantastic winner of either of these awards. Another member, Heather Jones of the Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls, is also up for the Excellence in Transport Award. We congratulate them both and wish them well at the award ceremony.

We have also nominated members in the Australian Freight Industry Awards for the Young Achiever Award and Female Leadership

TRUCKIN’ ON THE BORDER DAVID VILE contributors@bigrigs.com.au

TASSIE TRUCKIN’ JON WALLIS contributors@bigrigs.com.au

LEGAL EAGLE ROWAN KING

Principal Lawyer RK Law

Merry Manton is a finalist in the Women in Industry Awards, in both the Safety Advocacy Award and the Excellence in Transport Award categories.

Award. We have nominated a member for the QTA Woman of the Year Award

and the ATA Woman of the Year Award, Outstanding Contribution to the Industry

Award and the Driver of the Year Award. We are hoping to have equal success with these awards.

Our Creating Connections Mentoring programme is forging ahead, and we welcome anybody to join as a mentor/mentee. I’m working on the website, and I hope to have a digital launch by the conference. For someone who’s technology challenged this has been a steep learning curve and a difficult job to achieve for me. I’m sure it will be wonderful once our web designer gets the information that he needs from me.

We have several other programmes almost ready to launch and will be doing so soon. We hope that these are equally as successful as our latest initiatives.

For any information on our initiatives, you can email chair@transportwomen.com. au or call 0417 422 319.

For the conference, please visit trybooking.com/events/ landing?eid=701391&. For the Perth Learning Initiatives Breakfast, go to trybooking. com/BNXOP. For the Perth Learning Initiatives Breakfast,

OUR CREATING CONNECTIONS MENTORING PROGRAMME IS FORGING AHEAD, AND WE WELCOME ANYBODY TO JOIN AS A MENTOR/MENTEE... WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMMES ALMOST READY TO LAUNCH AND WILL BE DOING SO SOON. WE HOPE THAT THESE ARE EQUALLY AS SUCCESSFUL AS OUR LATEST INITIATIVES.” JACQUELENE BROTHERTON

visit trybooking.com/BTBQX. The link for the Sydney Learning Initiatives Breakfast is trybooking.com/BTFWS. We hope to see you at one of these events and would like to thank our sponsors for these Learning Initiatives Breakfasts: NTI and RT Health in Sydney, Interlink Insurance Brokers in Perth and as always, our foundation business partners NTI and Volvo Group Australia.

1. Strong one piece handle operation 2. 160x100 Bolt Pattern 3. Heavy duty Australian bushes 4. Rotating locking pin 5. Reinforced funnel 6. The ability to fit air operation, sensor options and jack knife sensor options

REFORM LEADER GARY MAHON

Queensland Trucking Association CEO

TRUCKIN’ IN VICTORIA GRAHAM HARSANT contributors@bigrigs.com.au

I SPY ON THE ROAD ISPY@BIGRIGS.COM.AU

WOMEN IN TRANSPORT JACQUELENE BROTHERTON Chair of Transport Women Australia

EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

TASSIE TRUCKIN’ JON WALLIS

james.graham@bigrigs.com.au

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

COLUMN 51

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Productivity plan delivers results

LIFE WITH KERMIE GRAHAM HARSANT

WELCOME MESSAGE MARK BAILEY

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

Qld Minister for Transport and Main Roads

REFORM LEADER SAL PETROCCITTO

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, CEO

THE heavy vehicle industry is in a period of growth, with Australia’s road freight task accelerating at almost twice the rate of our population and expected to increase 80 per cent by 2030.

To support our growing industry, the NHVR worked with customers and stakeholders to develop the NHVR Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan, which was released in August last year.

The Plan focuses on increased road network access by reducing the need for permits, developing streamlined and practical systems, and recognising advancements in technology. One year into the plan, we’ve commenced or completed 30 projects listed – we’re starting to see some improvements and I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits of key initiatives that are

planned for delivery over the next year.

The Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP) is a key LEGAL part of CORNER the plan. Launched in SARAH MARINOVIC late-2019, we’ve worked with Armstrong Legal local road managers to assess more than 300 assets across 74 local government areas in rural and regional Australia.

The project has delivered some immediate access benefits. This includes lifting the 44-tonne mass restriction on the Lilyvale Bridge in the Central Highlands to enable access by Oversize Overmass, and Class 2 (freight carrying) vehicles and enabling previously restricted A-double milk tankers to travel safely across the Greendale Bridge in Bega.

In addition to immediate benefits, the asset information helps deliver improved assessments including using risk mitigation methods (reduced speed, single vehicle travel over bridge) to open up increased access as well as inform infrastructure investment decisions.

The SLGAAP program recently received additional federal government funding,

INSURANCE GURU MARK BROWN

Manager, TBI Insurance Services

TELEMATICS EXPERT SHANNON KYLE

Safety solutions specialist, Teletrac Navman

THE OZ TRUCKER MIKE WILLIAMS contributors@bigrigs.com.au

TWU NEWS RICHARD OLSEN

LEGAL EAGLE ROWAN KING

TWU NSW State Secretary

Principal Lawyer RK Law

LOBBYIST STEVE SHEARER

SA Road Transport Association Executive Director

The notice delivers benefits including an increase in the use of standardised trailer sets instead of short trailers when operating with a longer prime mover.

which will enable assessments of up to 1000 assets over the coming three years.

The asset information from SLGAAP is a key part of the NHVR National Spatial Platform which will provide a single national mapping solution and more intelligent routing capabilities.

Let us take a load off your business.

The Platform, planned to be launched early next year, will give industry access to important information on approved routes and road conditions in one location for the first time. The end product will match the thousands of trucks that traverse the country every day with the most

suitable and productive road networks.

For road train operators, a new National Road Train Prime Mover Mass and Dimension Notice is in place, following widespread consultation between the NHVR, road managers and industry groups.

The notice delivers benefits including an increase in the use of standardised trailer sets instead of short trailers when operating with a longer prime mover, and providing better options for operators to use existing vehicle combinations more efficiently.

When it comes to rubber hitting the road, the NHVR has been working with industry to deliver an improved approach to tyres to support the increased take up of Performance Based Standards vehicles.

The approach is anticipated to deliver a reduction in costs, delays and practical difficulties that currently exist, and we look forward to continuing to work with industry to implement changes. Moving forward, these changes should also support a move to transition mature PBS designs to the general fleet to enable an increased focus on innovation.

There are many other programs of work underway as we progress the plan over the coming years. I encourage you to keep across the progress on our website, as together we deliver a safer, more efficient and more productive industry.

Darren Wales, CEO

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PERTH

NEWCASTLE SYDNEY

ADELAIDE

MELBOURNE

HEAVY MOTOR DIVISION

40 PUZZLES PUZZLES 52 2

3

4

5

ACROSS 1 If you are a collector of Clarice Cliff, what do you collect?

(7) 4 What Latin American dance is performed by several people in single file? (5) 7 What are lengthwise threads on a loom? (4) 8 What is the capital of Liberia? (8) 10 In 1982, who made the first televised 147 break in snooker?

(5,5) Across Which inventor (Thomas ____) took out more than a 3 12 Which fabric is made of rough, spun, wild silk (8) thousand patents in his lifetime? (6) What isisa the group of seven persons (6) (6) 7 13 What last word of “Rule Britannia”?

15 The might Misfitswe in 1961 was the film starring What call one wholast brings things Marilyn back to 8 Monroe and which other actor? (5,5) their original stateand (8)South America, a tamandua is 18 Native to Central what type ofEnglish animal? is (8)affectionately known as what (6) Australian 9 19 What cloth is spread over a coffin? (4) W hich Old World plant has leaves, 10 20 What is an informal word for aromatic “a very long time”?used (5) for flavouring (8) is also known as lockjaw? (7) 21 What disease

6

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 7

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6 11

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8

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15 17

10

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SUDOKU

Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 17 box contains the digits 1 to 9.

16

QUICK 1

2

Name an alternative term for a fireplace (6) 11 What are sluggish arboreal edentates of tropical 14 America (6) When one is tired, one does what (4,4) 17 What are cutting instruments (6) 18 Which is the latest time for finishing something (8) 19 DOUBLECROSS CROSSWORD To be wry, is to be what (6) 20 3 4 5 6 7 What might we call those who surrender (8) Find a finished crossword by deleting one of 21

the two letters in each divided square.

8

18

Down

9

11

21

14

10

1 What is a false tooth† (7) Which term describes one who stops work (7) 2 3 To draw12tight, is to do what (7) To be normal, is to be what (7) 4 13 5 Name a particular type of piano (7)

19 20

15

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1

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2

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8

Down 1. Jail (8) 2. Initially (5) 4. Paddle (3) 5. Abstinence (5,7) 6. Dare (7) 7. Informant (colloq) (4) 8. Feeling, atmosphere (12) 12. Happen (5) 13. Leans (8) 15. Free time (7) 19. Punctuation mark (5) 20. Competent (4) 22. Low (3)

Across 1. Uncertain (colloq) (4) 3. Absolved (8) 9. Associate (7) 10. From inside (5) 11. Over time (2,3,4,3) 14. Night bird (3) 16. Succulent plants (5) 17. Immeasurable period of time (3) 18. Arranged by rank (12) 21. Violent person (5) 22. Tearfully sentimental (7) 23. Poll (8) 24. Colony insects (4)

9

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SOLUTIONS

5x5

23 24

TODAY: Good 13 Very Good 18 Excellent 24 R E F E R E E

E A E N S U S R E N S B N A N

D R A M A S E C T

E L U A T L E O E R O L L E L G S

HARD

QUICK CROSSWORD Across: 1. Iffy 3. Forgiven 9. Partner 10. Inner 11. In the long run 14. Owl 16.

Cacti 17. Eon 18. Hierarchical 21. Brute 22. Maudlin 23. Election 24. Ants.

Down: 1. Imprison 2. First 4. Oar 5. Going without 6. Venture 7. Nark 8.

Undercurrent 12. Occur 13. Inclines 15. Leisure 19. Colon 20. Able 22. Moo.

U T

M I

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DOUBLECROSS

H I R E A C U M L E N S G T S I S T D L O D G A L E A S H O R D

GK CROSSWORD Across; 1 Pottery, 4 Conga, 7 Warp, 8 Monrovia, 10 Steve Davis, 12 Edison, 13 Slaves, 15 Clark Gable, 18 Anteater, 19 Pall, 20 Yonks, 21 Tetanus.

Down: 1 Pawns, 2 Turmeric, 3 Yeoman, 4 Cardiology, 5 Nova, 6 Amadeus, 9 New Orleans, 11 Eva Braun, 12 Estuary, 14 Argent, 16 Ellis, 17 Eton.

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S P T R R I K E A R V E S R A D G E L

S E T R N E T C T H O D O D L I E D E

H A N A E S T U A R R A S L I W N K N N E R U R S

T U P O R I A G H O T F F I V C E F R

N G E E R U O N D H S A T E S F U L L

Across 1 Employ 5 Blackboard support 8 Keen insight 9 Camera part 10 Domestic animal 12 Steal cattle 10 11 13 Sibling 15 Mudguard (US) ALPHAGRAMS 18 Deposits Solve the anagrams. Each solution is a one-word 20 Drink anagram of the letters beside it, 21 andSocial the five solutions event are sequential. For example, if the five-letter solution 23starts Coating onK, teeth starts with J, the six-letter solution with and so 24 Large group on.

25 Inferior horses EASEL DIM RAY Down 16 17 1 Stops GRANNIE 2 Frozen formation ROASTING 3 Ladder steps TRANSPOSE 4 Printers’ measures Insert missing letters to 5 theMakes certain 5x5 make6tenCult words — five reading 21 22 across the grid and five reading A G R down.7 Old stringed instrument 11more Drug-yielding plant Note: than one solution I G may 12 be possible.

Arbitrator 14 Worshipped image S A E 16 Play R E 17 Moves, as a ball 25 18 Scourge All puzzles © T S S The Puzzle Company 19 Expensive 21 Prohibit 22 Limb

6

7

SOLUTION QUICK CROSSWORD amir amrita aria arum atria atrium attar aura auric carat cart Across: 1 Peter,tart 6 Awe, cram curt marc maria mart raita rata rimu tarmac tiara7 Ethos, 10 Renew, 12 Exit, 13 Drain, 15 Ears, 16 Rot, End, 20 Dose, 22 Islet, 23 Tall, 25 Atoms, 27 Pilot, 28 Rat, 29 Entry. tract trait tram trauma TRAUMATIC18 trim Down: 1 Parole, 2 Ewe, 3 Tended, 4 Rewards, 5 Box, 8 Hen, 9 Silo, 11 Era, 14 Isolate, 16 Retort, 17 Trusty, 19 Neap, 21 Set, 22 Ill, 24 Lit, 26 Mar.

ALPHAGRAMS: LEASE, MYRIAD, NEARING, ORGANIST, PATRONESS.

C A

A T

R E E D S

How many words of four letters or more can you make? Each letter must be used only once and all words must contain the centre letter. There is at least one nine-letter word.

No words starting with a capital are allowed, no plurals ending in s unless the word is also a verb.

20

E G R E T

WORD GO ROUND

18

SUDOKU G E A R S

EASY

22

N I T R E

Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.

20

HARD

D S E N S T U R H E O L I I D E A Y I

19

A S S E T

SUDOKU

EASY

6/6 DOWN 1 Which chess pieces are most numerous? (5) 2 What bright yellow powder is used for flavouring in Asian cookery? (7) 3 In early England, what was a small landholder between gentry and labourers? (6) 4 What branch of medicine is concerned with diseases and abnormalities of the heart? (10) 5 6 A starW that brightens gradually fades hatsuddenly are derived nounthen forms of verbs (7)is called what? (4) 11 N ame an alternative term for a vacation (7) 6 Which film, 1984’s Best Picture Oscar winner, was WPrague? hat is an(7)arithmetical mean (7) 12 filmed in 9 13 Where Louis Armstrong born?unsteady (3,7) Towas have walked with short steps, is to have 11 Which woman was married on 29 April 1945, and died done day? what(3,5) (7) the following 1214 What the the widening channel of a river saltwater Nis ame lead weights used bywhere fishermen (7) mixes with freshwater? (7) Who holds in the 1415 In heraldry, what a is commission the colour silver?

(6)armed services (7) 1616 Millions of odious, records from US immigration entry To be is towhich be what (7) island are accessible on the internet? (5) 17 Which English college was founded by Henry VI in 1440? (4)

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE Across: 3 Shantung, 7 Septet, 8 Restorer, 9 Strine, 10 Tarragon, 11 Hearth, 14 Sloths, 17 Lies down, 18 Knives, 19 Deadline, 20 Rueful, 21 Yielders.

1

Down: 1 Denture, 2 Striker, 3 Stretch, 4 Natural, 5 Upright, 6 Gerunds, 11 Holiday, 12 Average, 13 Toddled, 14 Sinkers, 15 Officer, 16 Hateful.

G E N E R A1 L 7 K N O 9W L E D G 11E

FRIDAY JUNE 12 2020 BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

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EXPERT ADVICE 53

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Tyre traction, wear, handling and pressures COST CUTTER CUTTER COST CHET CHETCLINE CLINE AIR CTI Air CTIfounder/owner Founder/ Owner

TRANSPORT is an amazing business. We invest millions of dollars, work super long hours, put up with other drivers that should never have gotten a license, suffer from over-zealous regulators, and then are ripped off with high rego bills, stamp WOMEN tax, tolls IN andTRANSPORT fuel tax. SomeJACQUELENE BROTHERTON times I wonder why we do it?

Chair of Transport Women Australia In an increasingly complicated world, we are forced into GPS tracking, electronic work diaries, speed cameras and seriously complicated trucks. The regulations continue to become more complicated. And then COR and other workplace safety issues mean more paperwork, more risk and moreOZ fines.

THE TRUCKER YetWILLIAMS where is the education MIKE contributors@bigrigs.com.au system for anyone to improve our knowledge, performance and skills? No one teaches a full course. Getting a truck license is a joke. Where can young ones learn the skills? Where can us older ones learn the latest requirements and knowledge that COR demands?

For instance, look at the humble heavy truck tyre. What an amazing amount of engineering, but where do we learn LOBBYIST about tyre care?

STEVE SHEARER ForTransport decades we have inSA Road Association Executive Director flated our truck tyres to 100 psi. Some use 110 psi. Is this correct for every tyre and every load? How do we know what is right? Where is the information to guide us toward best practice?

Do we trust our tyre fitter? What education has he had? Did he do a tyre pressure course at some university or with one of the tyre manufacturers? No, of course not.

What is his motivation? Let’s face it, he wants to sell tyres, fit them and send you on your

AT THE WHEEL DAVID MEREDITH

TRUCKIN’ ON THE BORDER DAVID VILE

EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

TASSIE TRUCKIN’ JON WALLIS

TWU NEWS RICHARD OLSEN

LEGAL EAGLE ROWAN KING

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

james.graham@bigrigs.com.au

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

Over-inflated tyres only contact the road inLawyer the centre TWU NSW State Secretary Principal RK Law of the tread.

way, with minimal risk to him.

If he puts more air pressure in the tyre than it needs, this is an insurance policy for him. If the tyre is over-inflated by 20 psi, it can lose a couple of psi per week, with no recourse. Same with tyre manufacturers. Why bother preaching best practice tyre management practices when no one listens. And, if the tyre wears out a little faster than it should, they sell more tyres anyway.

When I started AIR CTI some 22 years ago, Michelin engineers were very helpful, both in discussions and providing some fabulous information. My old ‘Michelin Truck and Bus Technical Data Book, Australia and New Zealand’ has a lot of information about matching tyre pressures to the load on the tyre. A similar age Michelin book for North American truckies had similar information. They state categorically that the tyre pressure must be adjusted to suit the

This image shows the wear patterns caused by over-inflation.

load on the tyre for best tyre life and performance.

Unfortunately, this information is left out of more modern technical books.

Load to Inflation tables are available from most tyre manufactures on Google. Simply Google ‘heavy truck load to inflation tables’, then find your tyre size. (There will be two choices: single or dual. Single is a single tyre like on a lazy axle, or a steer tyre. Duals are duals, like your drive tyres.) Then work across the correct line to find your axle load. Look up

the chart to find the correct tyre pressure for that load and your tyre size. Run that tyre pressure until you change the load.

The benefits are: • More tyre grip which improves braking, steering, handling, tracking and safety.

• Longer tyre life which reduces costs, reduces downtime, saves money and lets your truck earn more money.

• Almost all uneven tyre wear is eliminated.

• Better ride because your tyre

is now absorbing bumps and road roughness, instead of amplifying the bump.

• Better ride, lower vibration and better traction reduces driver stress, both mentally and physically, keeping them healthier, happier and safer.

• By absorbing bumps, the suspension, axles and truck lasts longer, with reduced maintenance.

• S afer means less accidents.

Yes, I know, there will be a lot of tyre fitters and truck owners that will say this is bull dust. The science is totally solid. Michelin invented radial truck tyres. They know their game. Every tyre manufacturer provides load to inflation tables. Every tyre and rim association provides load to inflation tables.

And common sense will prove it to you.

It is the rubber that grips the road that works. That contact patch or footprint is where all of the engine horsepower is

transmitted to the road. It is where all the braking happens.

It is where all the steering and cornering happens. That footprint size and shape is extremely important. For an 11R22.5 tyre, that footprint should be 430 square centimetres, or 67 square inches in my old language. That tyre will deflect around 33mm. The length of that ideal footprint is around 230mm, and 185 wide.

The tyre engineers go to a lot of work to tune that footprint to get an even distribution of load across the entire footprint. If that footprint changes, the load distribution changes, with high pressure in some areas, and lower pressures in other areas. This incorrect footprint will squirm and wear.

The only way to get this ideal footprint is to adjust the tyre pressure to match the load.

If the tyre pressure is too high for the load, the outer part of the tyre will lift off the road, concentrating the load in the middle of the footprint. This will increase tyre wear on the outer portion of the tyre, often scalloping or rib punching.

This tyre will ride rough, take longer to stop, and hammer your driver, your truck and the road into an early grave.

If the pressure is too low for the load, this will increase the load on the outer areas of the tyre, with reduced pressure toward the centre. The tyre sidewalls will flex more than they should, potentially overheating, which can lead to blowouts. The tyre will brake well, but handling suffers. Tyre wear increases and casing life is often ruined.

To add proof of the correct tyre pressures, the TERNZ PBS review completed last year for the NHVR recommended 120 psi for steer tyres, 75 psi for tandem drives, and 55 psi for tri axle trailers loaded to the maximum legal loads running 11R22.5 tyres.

Aussie transport is wasting a lot of lives, money, and time while increasing costs, downtime, and risk.

Optimizing Tyre Pressures is Essential if Profit is IMPORTANT AIR CTI WILL SAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON EVERY TRUCK ON EVERY ROAD. • 30% LONGER TYRE LIFE • Doubles Diff and Tranny Life • Doubles Suspension Life • 50% Longer Truck Life • Less Downtime

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Optimize Your Tyre Pressures with AIR CTI Match Tyre Pressures to the Load and the Road 100 psi in all tyres is simply WRONG

AIR CTI 03 51276128 | www.aircti.com Ring now for more information. Aussie Made

54 CAREERS AND TRAINING

FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Third generation truckie honoured at awards

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

DAMIAN Swalling of Swalling Livestock Transport has been named the winner of the Livestock and Rural Transport-

ers Association of Queensland (LRTAQ) 2021 Young Person in Transport Award.

Swalling, 32, has been a livestock truckie for over a decade, joining the business his father started, when he was 19.

Damian Swalling drives a 2010 Western Star 6900 for Swalling Livestock Transport.

He followed in the footsteps of his father, and his grandfather before that, who were both livestock truckies too, before starting their own businesses.

“I’ve been around transport since I was a kid. I was always in the truck with Dad. I learnt a trade first, doing a boiler making apprenticeship and then came into the business and started driving,” he said.

“I’ve always been very passionate about transport so that was always the game plan. I love the atmosphere. I’m not working in the shed or office everyday, instead it’s always different.”

Swalling Transport was started by his father Gavin and is based in Toowoomba, running a fleet of seven trucks.

Swalling is behind the wheel of a 2010 Western Star 6900, which he has driven since it was brand new. When on the road, he transports cattle throughout Queensland and into NSW. However, his job doesn’t stop there.

Along with being a senior driver within the business, he is also the fleet maintenance manager and 2IC. He says he was honoured to

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:

be recognised at the LRTAQ Conference, which was held in Roma from July 16-17 and this year celebrated its 40th anniversary. “It’s definitely a big deal for me and something to be quite proud of. For someone to have taken notice of me and recognise me for what I’ve done takes it to the next level.

It was really exciting to win the award,” he said.

The LRTAQ Young Person in Transport Award was developed to recognise and acknowledge the contribution younger transport workers make to the sustainability of the industry.

LRTAQ says member businesses were encouraged to recognise excellence in their workplace and nominate outstanding individuals earlier this year.

Following Swalling’s win, LRTAQ congratulated him on social media. “Damian is respected by his work mates, who can count on him as someone to jump in and lend a hand to get the job done safely and efficiently. He is held in high regard by all companies using Swallings for sub-contracting services – knowing

When he’s not in the truck, Swalling can be found in the workshop.

well that while Damian is on the job or close by it will get done right,” the organisation wrote.

LRTAQ also congratulated each of the other award finalists: Jack Mailman (Martins

Stock Haulage), James Scott (Scotts Haulage), Axel Oppermann (Oppermann and Sons Transport), Daniel Steel (Stockyard Transport Pty Ltd) and Jack Uebergang (Frasers Livestock Transport).

DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

OPERATIONS ALLOCATORS (Brisbane based only)

MC LOCAL & LINEHAUL DRIVERS WANTED

A national initiative to train the Next Generation September 2021 Driving Australia’s Future is a large scale initiative for the Transport Industry, leveraging a significant print and cross platform amplification plan to reach a mass audience across the country.

(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.

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

DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY EDITION DATE: Friday 17 September 2021 BOOKING DEADLINE: Friday 27 August 2021 MATERIAL DEADLINE: Friday 3 September 2021 FOR EXLUSIVE OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT:

WORKSHOP MECHANICS & TYRE FITTERS WANTED

MARIE O’REILLY

0403 626 353 marie.oreilly@primecreative.com.au

(Brisbane based only)

To apply for Mechanic positions please forward your resume to Workshop Manager via email to

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CONVERTER DOLLY ROAD TRIALS Page 16

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Image credit: Inlights Photography

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Nationally Distributed Print Edition available each fortnight

PETER HOCKINGS

0410 334 371 peter.hockings@primecreative.com.au

CAREERS AND TRAINING 55

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY AUGUST 6 2021

Go-getting driver inspires other young truckies

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

AT just 20 years of age, truck driver Katherine Glover knows first-hand how hard it can be to get a foot in the door in this industry.

After getting her truck licence, she says she applied for around 200 jobs in six months before someone finally gave her a chance.

Not one to just stand back and take it on the chin, she’s now inspiring other young people to get into the industry through a support group she created on Facebook called Young Aussie Truckies.

Launched in June 2020, it’s already gained quite the following – leading to the group’s first virtual truck show, which took place in July and raised money for the upcoming Brisbane Convoy for Kids.

“After applying for so many jobs, I realised this wasn’t an issue only I was facing, it was an industry-wide issue. I was only 19 and still on my P-plates so I had no experience. With one of the companies I applied for, the owner actually called me

up and said don’t even bother, you’re not going to get any sort of start – so that was a real kick in the guts,” said Glover.

“With anything, when you get rejected that many times, and no one wants to put you on, you do start to feel like maybe it’s time to call it quits.”

Eventually, persistence and determination paid off when Glover got her first driving gig at Startrack, working in the bulk division. She was there for about a year before starting her current role in June 2021 at Sawtells Bulk Haulage, driving a heavy rigid tipper, and doing local work around southern Queensland and into northern NSW. Glover has developed quite a passion for trucking, though for her, it wasn’t always about trucks. She actually has an equestrian background and has been around horses from about the age of five.

“I had been around machinery my whole life. I wanted a change from what I was doing previously and trucking seemed like the next best option,” she said.

Since being launched, Glov-

er’s Facebook group has had an overwhelming response. “What I found when I was applying for jobs, was that there’s not a lot of information out there to tell you why you aren’t getting a start in the industry. I wanted to help to open those doors up.

“The thought of walking into a company with a resume in hand is daunting, but just emailing heaps of companies doesn’t always work either.

You need to put yourself out there and be willing to learn and start from the bottom. Be open-minded and take any opportunity you can.

“I think there are still some people who want to jump straight into a big 909 and drive to WA in their first week.

Never think you know it all or that you’re too good to sweep the floors. Do what you have to in order to prove to that company that you’re worth their time and their resources.”

Looking ahead, Glover hopes to eventually upgrade her licence and get into interstate work. “Hopefully Young Aussie Truckies makes some bigger moves in the future too,” she said.

Katherine Glover says she applied for around 200 jobs before someone gave her a chance.

DRIVERS WANTED Livestock and trucks are in our blood. That’s what sets Australia’s oldest family livestock transport business apart.

C & B Ashcroft Transport is a mature family-owned business supplying refrigerated interstate and local transport services. Based in Altona Victoria, we have continued to expand with our customers over the past 35 years and able to adapt to their requirements. We are a flexible and agile transport business with a hands-on customer approach.

Fraser owned and operated since 1944, the Fraser team specialise in moving cattle, sheep & pigs across New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory and beyond….

STOCK UP YOUR CAREER WITH FRASERS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ROCKHAMPTON | ROMA | GOONDIWINDI | WARWICK TOOWOOMBA | KINGAROY | DALBY | EMERALD • Full Time & Relief Livestock Drivers (MC) • Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanics • Depot & Wash Bay Hands

Please send your resume to employment@fraserstransport.com.au or call Athol to find out more on 0418 444 457

Qualifications & Experience Benefits of working in our company • Interstate Linehaul Drivers • Monday – Friday HC & MC (home on weekends) • Operate a heavy vehicle • We have our own freight • Experience with Road Ranger gearbox – No hold overs • One driver – one truck allocation • Above award rates Tasks & Responsibilities • Travel allowance • Refrigerated chiller & frozen • Living away allowance • Dry goods • Melbourne Local fleet to assist • Able to meet timelines with deliveries and preloading • Ensure freight documentation is correct upon loading & delivery • Flexibility with day-to-day tasks • Reliable • Good communication skills

For further information and to apply phone 0428 238 448