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ONWARDS AND UPWARDS

A

s each New Year comes around we either start to dwell on the past or on the future.

This year it is about the future and I have decided I am going to take an optimistic outlook at 2020, the start of a new decade which will see a great deal of change in the world of trucks and trucking. It’s difficult to know exactly how and what will change, but we can be sure there is going to be some major developments.

The difficulty in predicting the future is in judging the rate of change. We know most trucks will be using some form of electric power in the future, but we don’t know how long that will take. If some genius in the world comes up with a solution to the weight versus storage capacity in batteries issue, the world will change overnight.

However, if the battery issue improves at its current rate we will see a slow increase in electric power from light trucks in the cities delivering parcels (see this issue’s story about the Fuso eCanter), slowly through to larger vehicles, but with limited range. It could take a long time to work through the system.

Government inactivity on developing incentives for low carbon transport also mean there is little incentive for anyone in business to start to wean themselves off fossil fuels as a means of motive power.

Australia’s famous ‘tyranny of distance’ will also slow the development of electric power in freight vehicles. The number of charging stations needed on routes like those across the Nullarbor or from Adelaide to Darwin could not be justified because it’s such a huge investment for so few trucks. We are going to be running lots of 15 litre diesel engines at the front of multiple combinations for the foreseeable future.

The same issues will also hold back the development of the ‘autonomous truck’. There are a number prerequisites needed to make an autonomous truck possible and Australia has hardly made a start in preparing the ground for thousands of ‘robot trucks’ roaring up and down our major highways.

Firstly, there’s the infrastructure on our roads. In many cases on our roads we don’t even have white lines or a clear delineation between the bitumen and the dirt. Autonomous trucks will need to be able to communicate with road signs and traffic lights as well as all of the other vehicles on the road, just to know exactly where they are and what’s around them.

It will need massive government investment to bring even our cities up to speed on the infrastructure front. There is some progress here, being driven by the traffic technology companies, but we are moving a lot slower than the rest of the world.

The first thing the trucking industry needs is for the car population to migrate across to autonomous driving. Seeing as well over 80 per cent of all fatal crashes involving trucks are caused by the car involved, the sooner humans can no longer control cars the better for all concerned.

When we reach the stage where the roads are talking to us and the lighter vehicles around us are acting in a safe and rational manner then, and only then, can we start thinking about autonomous trucks on our highways.

I am pretty certain I will have got it all wrong, some bright spark could well come up with something which will kick start this transformation of life on the road and the world could change very rapidly. Alternatively, we could see little change for quite some time and watch technology make its way slowly into our part of the world as it becomes ubiquitous elsewhere.

EDITOR

ISSUE 114

50

Contents

ELECTRIC TRUCKS ARE THE FUTURE

Reading the latest about new trucks around the world, we can be in no doubt that electric trucks are the future and it is simply a matter of how long until electric power dominates.

14

30 ENSURING COMPLIANCE THROUGHOUT

MAKING AN IMPRESSION

A transport operation needs to do more than just make an impression, it needs to deliver on its promises. This is what Bedrock has done whilst running a good looking fleet around the Sydney area, Diesel checks them out.

22 GETTING THE DIRT ON SCANIA The tipper and dog market has traditionally been dominated by US trucks, but the Europeans are now queueing up to take on the North American iron in this highly competitive sector. Diesel drives one of the contenders, the Scania G500 XT.

THE BUSINESS Compliance has become a very large part of many trucking businesses and this can be even more complicated in the livestock transport sector with the addition of animal welfare concerns on top of those relevant to any other trucking operation.

46 CHANGING AND ADAPTING TO THE TASK The move from a long career using road trains in the Northern Territory to the relatively civilised Gold Coast and much smaller combination has meant a lot of changes for Spud Murphy.

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Standard Issue 08

NEWS AND VIEWS

Top Tech Awards, Flexibility for Truck Drivers, Future Leaders, The End of an Acco, BevChain Investing in UD, Truck or Skateboard, Friends in Parliament and Mirrorless Mercedes are some of the topics covered in News and Views.

56 A HYDROGEN FUTURE FOR TRUCKS Hydrogen fuel cells are widely considered to be the fuel of the future, and according to Iveco and Hyundai, a hydrogen future for trucks is closer than we think

60 AN EXPLOSION OF INTEREST IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES All across the trucking industry in the US observers are currently seeing an explosion of interest in electric vehicles. The latest announcements are topped by Amazon’s decision to purchase 100,000 Rivian electric delivery vans for last-mile operations.

62 ROADSIDE INSPECTIONS AND MAINTENANCE COMPLIANCE Representatives of those stopping our trucks at the side of the road and inspecting them for compliance have to run the gauntlet and face up to questions from the floor at the TMC Conference held in Melbourne.

70 TECHNICAL RESOURCES BY INDUSTRY FOR INDUSTRY When it comes to understanding compliance and regulatory procedures, things aren’t always too clear, reckons Bob Woodward, Australian Trucking Association Chief Engineer.

56

36 CASCADIA COMES ON DOWN At last it is finally here, the original classic Cascadia came out in the US back in 2007, but now this groundbreaking North American truck has made its way to Australia, seeking to shake up the conventional truck market. www.dieselnews.com.au

7

NEWS & VIEWS

TOP TECH AWARDS AT THE TMC At the TMC, the Castrol Vecton Awards Dinner, as part of the annual Technical and Maintenance Conference, held in Melbourne at the Automotive Centre of Excellence at Kangan Batman TAFE rewarded the technical teams in trucking for dedication and innovation.

On the night of the awards Jason Barry from Border Crane Consultants in Wodonga was presented with the 2019 Craig Roseneder Award for technical and maintenance excellence. Jason was interested in all things mechanical from a young age and worked in a range of roles before establishing his own business, Border Crane Consultants, in 2011.

He specialises in the engineering and compliance of heavy vehicles and has developed a safety and compliance

upgrade package on behalf of the Australian Defence Force that has been rolled out nationally across three Defence crane models and implemented on more than 200 cranes.

Jason has been a member of the Australian Trucking Association’s Industry Technical Council since 2005, and was a finalist for the Craig Roseneder Award in 2018.

“Craig Roseneder was devoted to the development of a safer road transport industry, said Geoff Crouch, ATA Chair.

“His passion, excellence and experience combined to create a unique approach to resolving challenges which confronted the industry.

“Therefore, it is only fitting that this accolade be awarded to Jason Barry, a professional who demonstrates a strong passion and longstanding dedication to the industry.”

Jason will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Atlanta, Georgia, USA, to attend the US Technology and Maintenance Council’s 2020 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, including full registration, partners’ program, return airfares and accommodation, AUD $1,500 spending money and complimentary registration to the 2020 ATA Technology and Maintenance Conference.

The other award presented at the awards

dinner went to Phil Webb (formerly of Paccar Australia) who was awarded the 2019 Castrol Vecton Industry Technical Achievement Award.

“I also want to congratulate Phil Webb, who is a most deserving recipient of the Castrol Vecton Industry Achievement Award for his technical innovation and achievement within the Australian trucking industry,” said Geoff Crouch.

“During his 44 years with Paccar, Phil has become revered for his extensive technical knowledge and strong focus on positive customer outcomes, always going above and beyond.”

Now retired, Phil started his career with PACCAR in 1975 in sales administration, before rising through the ranks to become Off-Highway and Export Manager with a strong engineering involvement.

“Phil had a great impact on the Kenworth brand in Australia, overseeing the Australian specification development of the L700 and C500 models, and ensuring the needs of the customer were always put first,” said Geoff.

“I congratulate Jason, Phil and each of our award finalists, all of whom represent the true gems in the Australian trucking industry.

“They are the hardworking innovators and professionals who keep our industry moving,” he said.

FLEXIBILITY FOR TRUCK DRIVERS The announcement has been made of a measure, as an extension of an existing initiative, that will improve the lives and increase flexibility for truck drivers to use their vehicles outside work hours.

“There are currently more than 2300 operators utilising the benefits of Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM) and Basic Fatigue Management (BFM),” said Scott Buchholz, Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport.

“This change will mean drivers operating under BFM and AFM will have an additional hour to use their fatigueregulated heavy vehicle for personal use, which can be utilised during the 24 hour rest break.

“That means that drivers can do

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DIESEL January-February 2020

things like pop to the shops to restock personal supplies, make it to their sleeping accommodation, fuel up, wash their vehicles or run personal errands without worrying about going over their regulated driving hours. It’s a practical change to make life easier for the people that keep Australia moving.”

Personal Use Exemption for drivers on Standard hours was allowed in 2018 and following industry feedback the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has added the extension to drivers who are eligible for BFM and AFM. NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the change was part of the NHVR’s five-week Focus on Fatigue campaign that would include education and compliance

operations across Australia in the leadup to Christmas.

“With the busy holiday period just around the corner it’s timely to remind everyone about the risks of driving fatigued,” said Sal. “We also want to enable flexibility for operators with good safety records through initiatives like AFM and BFM. “Our most recent Operation Wake Up in April this year intercepted 3506 vehicles for fatigue checks and found that drivers under BFM and AFM were well above the average compliance rate of 93.3 per cent.”

The exemption is already in place for drivers to use immediately. www.nhvr. gov.au/fatigue

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FUTURE TRUCKING LEADERS LOBBYING PARLIAMENT Road user charging, driver training, advanced emergency braking systems and payment terms have all be raised by future trucking leaders lobbying parliament in Canberra this week.

Participants in the 2020 Daimler Truck and Bus Future Leaders’ Forum raised these key issues in lobbying meetings with Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport, Scott Buchholz, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Catherine King, and Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety, Senator Glenn Sterle.

“These are issues of importance and relevance to every member of the Australian trucking industry. It is vital their interests are represented with a strong and united voice,” said Geoff Crouch Australian Trucking Association Chair.

“The ATA is proud to work with our young leaders who have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving industry.”

During their time at Parliament House, the 2020 Future Leaders also sat in on the House of Representatives Question Time after a formal lunch with Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack and Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories, Nola Marino.

“The Daimler Truck and Bus Future Leaders’ Forum provides an invaluable opportunity for participants to further their careers while representing their member associations and businesses,” said Geoff. “Not only do our participants receive mentorship in media, leadership, and politics, they also have a chance to put their learnings into practice right away in real-life circumstances.

“It is clear from our time during the forum sessions and our meetings today at Parliament House that our 2020 cohort have the passion and expertise to make a positive change.”

Following their time in Canberra this week, the 2020 Future Leaders will each complete a take-home leadership project on an industry issue important to them, which will be presented at Trucking Australia 2020, held in Cairns on April 1-3.

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NEWS & VIEWS

IS IT A TRUCK, OR IS IT A SKATEBOARD? One of the questions visitors to the Tokyo Motor Show were asking themselves, was ‘is it a truck, or is it a skateboard’? Hino will be giving a glimpse into the future at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show, on a stand that features the world premiere of a new concept vehicle and a hybrid version of its heavy duty 700 Series.

The display is intended to illustrate the theme of ‘Transporting Every Happiness’, and will include a versatile concept vehicle, the Hino FlatFormer, which resembles a large skateboard and one which Hino claim will, ‘change the concept of mobility forever’.

“The FlatFormer is a modular electric vehicle platform that measures 4.7m long, 1.7m wide and has a platform height of only 335 mm, with an electric motor output of 170kw delivered through its 6 wheel end motors which are feed energy from the 50kWh Lithium Ion Batteries,” said Daniel Petrovski, Manager of Product Strategy for Hino Australia.

“The FlatFormer offers a new level operational flexibility and can be fitted with a myriad of cab and body configurations to suit the customer’s transportation and mobility requirements.”

Also, on display is a production version of the heavyduty Hino Profia Hybrid, which was launched onto the Japanese domestic

market in August 2019. In Australia this model range is known as the 700 Series.

The Hino Profia Hybrid is equipped with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system which implements optimal hybrid driveline control dependent on a number of varying factors such as drive route, vehicle load, hybrid energy availability, and uses these factors to determine the driving requirements up to 100 kilometres away.

This helps reduce the environmental footprint while minimising power

consumption and maximising fuel economy.

The Hino Profia Hybrid uses the A09C diesel engine in parallel with an electric motor, which are both mated to the 12 speed automated manual transmission.

“The launch of the Hino Profia Hybrid in the Japanese market is a very exciting development for Hino globally, we are working with Hino Japan to determine suitability for this product and many other products for the Australian market,” said Daniel.

TRUCKING HAS FRIENDS IN PARLIAMENT? The answer to the question would have invariably been no, in the past, when enquiring as to whether trucking has friends in Parliament? However, that looks to be about to change after the formation of the Parliamentary Friends of Trucks, Trailers, Transport and Logistics (PFTTTL).

According to a press statement about the new forum, the new Parliamentary Friends forum will allow federal MPs and Senators to work more closely with the road transport and heavy vehicle industries.

Chaired by Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories, Nola Marino, and Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety, Glenn Sterle, PFTTTL is said to be a non-partisan forum for MP’s and Senators to meet

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DIESEL January-February 2020

and interact with representatives of the transport industry. The group will focus on priorities to make a safer, more productive and environmentally sustainable heavy vehicle industry.

“The trucking industry is essential to Australia’s economy and day-to-day life. We are the ones who put food on the supermarket shelves and fuel in the service station bowser,” said Geoff Crouch, Australian Trucking Association Chair.

“We are absolutely delighted to welcome the establishment of this important group and look forward to working with the engaged ministers and encourage discussion to focus on issues key to industry such as maximising productivity, raising the industry’s profile, solving the skills deficit and improving

road safety.”

The Heavy Vehicle Industry Association President, John Drake, also commented on the announcement, saying it was very encouraging to see Australia’s politicians understand the importance of the trucking industry and their willingness to engage on important issues.

“This is an unrivalled opportunity for the industry to speak with a shared voice and to raise the profile of our amazing industry with decision-makers in the Federal Parliament,” said John.

“We thank and acknowledge Chairs Marino and Sterle for their hard work in establishing the PFTTTL and look forward to working with all of the members of the group to ensure a positive result and improvements in heavy vehicle safety and productivity.”

NEWS & VIEWS

THE END OF AN ACCO ERA As the last Euro 5 model rolled off the line in Dandenong in Victoria and the last unit left the assembly plant it marked the end of an Acco era. The Iveco Acco has been a mainstay of the Australian trucking scene since its first appearance back in 1961.

In those days it was known a s the AACO, manufactured on the A Line rather than today’s C line. It was initially developed from a military truck, the International Mark 3 general service 4x4 vehicle, and adapted for civilian use. During the sixties the truck ended up in applications right across the fastgrowing trucking industry from heavy prime mover to 4x2 local delivery truck, plus as a platform for just about any kind of mobile equipment.

The current shape Acco was introduced back 1972 and the basic layout and silhouette has remained very much the same until today. Each iteration over the years has brought the model up to date to suit the industry preferences and the contemporary climate.

In more recent years the truck has found a long-term home in the waste and concrete industries, offering a reliability and low tare weight, plus a flexible platform custom made for particular applications.

Unfortunately, the introduction of Euro 6, expected to be mandated in

the mid twenties, but becoming the emissions level of choice for city-based operations, has ended the old Acco’s long run.

Iveco now face a difficult transition period as a new Acco is prepared to enter the Australian market, some time in 2020. The new version is based on the Iveco S-Way platform, sold both here and in Europe. There is expected to be considerable development work required to adapt a heavier European design to meet stringent height, weight, turning circle etc, requirements in the waste industry.

As a result we can expect to see the other truck brands adapting current models to suit the waste industry in an attempt to compete with the next generation Acco, when it arrives. Any truck manufacturer with a low tare, 300 hp heavy duty 6x4 platform with the right dimensions is going to be eyeing up the potential truck sales in a sector which has been dominated for so long by one model.

According to Iveco the next generation Acco model is now engaged in an extensive local development program, with several evaluation vehicles currently in year-long trials with key waste customers, where they are reported to have performed well according to feedback and

performance benchmarking.

Not only will the new range include cleaner and more efficient Euro 6 engines, but on the safety front, vehicles will feature new technology including Adaptive Cruise Control, Advanced Emergency Braking System, Electronic Braking System with Brake Assistance, Electronic Stability Program and Daytime Running Lamps.

There will also be further options, like Hydraulic Retarder, Lane Departure Warning System, Driver Attention Support, a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and Xenon Headlamps.

NEWS & VIEWS

BEVCHAIN IS TAKING ON 90 UD QUON In an announcement by Linfox Logistics, it has revealed that its bespoke beverage logistics brand, BevChain is taking on 90 UD Quon. The operation has invested in a fleet of more than 90 UD Trucks Quon CD 25 360.

According to Linfox, this fleet investment demonstrates the company’s long-term commitment to operating the newest, safest and most environmentally friendly fleet on the road.

“An efficient, safe and modern fleet ensures the reliability of our customers’ supply chains,” said Peter Fox, Linfox Executive Chairman. “We regularly review and upgrade our fleet to take advantage of new technology for the benefit of our customers, our drivers and the people we share the roads with every day.

“BevChain rely on a range of vehicles from heavy rigids, trailers and flatbed trucks to transport beverage products to various delivery points including pubs, bottle shops and customer distribution centres.

“Fittingly, the vehicles incorporate products manufactured by two of our valued customers, the livery is DuluxGroup paints and the tyres are

Goodyear Australia. The distinctivelybranded vehicles will operate on behalf of Linfox’s BevChain customers in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.”

Linfox’s own FoxTrax safety technology will also be installed, which features a driver pre-trip inspection including fitness for duty, safe load constraint and vehicle condition checklists as well as electronic driver fatigue management.

The Quon features a host of advanced safety features including the Traffic Eye Brake System, electronic braking

systems, UD Stability Control, and Lane Departure Warning as well pPNLT exhaust emissions standard, which is comparable to Euro 6.

“Our relationship with Linfox spans many countries throughout Oceania and Asia and we are very proud to celebrate such an important partnership for UD Trucks in Australia,” said Joachim Rosenberg, Chairman of UD Trucks. “We are committed to supporting Linfox’s commitment to safety, sustainability and efficiency, together.”

INNOVATION FROM HYUNDAI Also awarded by the ITOY judges is the second-ever International Truck of the Year (IToY) Truck Innovation Award. This award goes to Hyundai for its Hydrogen Mobility solution, based on its H2 XCient fuel-cell all-electric heavy-duty truck which promotes the introduction of a ‘green’ hydrogen-fuel road transport ecosystem in Switzerland, and other European countries in the future.

The latest award acknowledges the enormous technological changes and the energy transition that are evidenced within the field of commercial vehicles during the past few years. The Truck Innovation Award 2020 was handed over to Rolf Huber, Chairman of Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, and to Jihan Ryu, Vice President of Commercial Vehicle Electronics Control Engineering Group of Hyundai Motor Company, during the press day of Solutrans.

With a winning score of 80 votes,

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DIESEL January-February 2020

Hyundai’s fuel cell truck-based mobility solution fought off competition from the Nikola Hydrogen truck range, Freightliner’s eCascadia, Volvo Trucks’ Vera and Scania’s AXL autonomous driving vehicles and Renault Trucks’ Optifuel Lab 3.

The International Truck of the Year jury praised the comprehensive approach to clean mobility in the commercial vehicle sector, based on the partnership of several key players in supplying ecofriendly heavy-duty trucks.

The partnership includes vehicleprovider Hyundai Motor Company together with H2 Energy, Linde and Alpiq for green energy solutions for hydrogen production and distribution, together with logistics and retail and trade partners in Switzerland.

The Hyundai H2 XCient Fuel Cell truck (FECV) that has been developed according to European regulations

features a new 190 kW hydrogen fuel cell system with two 95 kW fuel cell stacks connected in parallel. It has an operational range of around 400km, thanks to seven fuel-tanks, each with a storage capacity of almost 35 kg of hydrogen at a pressure of 350 bar.

According to IToY rules a Truck Innovation Award nominee must be an advanced-technology vehicle with a gross vehicle weight over 3.5-tonnes either fitted with an alternative driveline (e.g. hybrid, hybrid range-extender, or all-electric) or have an alternative fuel-system (such as LNG/CNG/ hydrogen/ or fuel-cells). Otherwise, it must feature specific high-tech solutions with regard to connectivity (whether semi or fully-autonomous driving systems) a ‘platooning’ capability, or advanced support services such as remote diagnostics.

OPERATOR PROFILE

MAKING AN

IMPRES

Often a transport operation needs to do more than just make an impression, it needs to deliver on its promises. This is what Bedrock has done running a good looking fleet around the Sydney area. Tim Giles checks it out.

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DIESEL January-February 2020

OPERATOR PROFILE

SION

www.dieselnews.com.au

15

OPERATOR PROFILE

T

he tippers running around Sydney in Bedrock’s colours are instantly recognisable and there seems to be plenty of them on the roads.

The infrastructure growth in Sydney means there are a lot of building materials on the move to feed the projects on the go.

One of the participants in this flow of materials is Bedrock Quarry Products and Bulk Transport. Brightly painted new trucks running in innovative combinations come and go from plants and project sites around the city.

Diesel met the founder of the business working out of a small building on a suburban block in Sydney’s far North-West.

Bedrock began operating back in June 2010. With an original plan of growing to a fleet of three trucks. Mick Colley has been in the transport industry for 30 years working for other people. He only decided to take a leap of faith and start up his own operation in June 2010.

“One thing led to another and so I decided to give it a crack,” says Mick. “I left a company because I wasn’t happy with the new owners and moved on. I decided to buy one truck and drive it myself. The plan was to expand to between three to five trucks. Once you get to five, you really don’t need to be in a truck.

“I contacted a few people I had dealt with over the years asked if they would be

interested in giving us a bit of work, and they said they would support me. I went and bought my first truck and they did stick to their word and supported me.

“In 2010 we were still in the Global Financial Crisis but there were signs it would pick up. I think that was our success, because we started in a quiet period.

We could see the way the industry was growing, and we started to grow before the industry grew, we could see what was coming. Some of the industry’s suppliers, when it started to boom, didn’t have the facilities to keep up with the workload.”

Having the capacity to grow meant the fledgling company could start to pick up new customers. The business sold itself as customers looked for sand and gravel suppliers with the capacity to deliver, at a time when other operators were stretched to the limit.

“Getting the trucks looking right was the plan from day one,” says Mick. “We sign wrote the first one and we started to get calls from that. I was talking to a sales manager at one of the big operators and they said they had seen my trucks everywhere. I said ‘oh yeah’, later they asked how many trucks I had, and told them ‘one’.

“We were one of the first operators in Sydney to sheet the whole sides of the bins and sign write it. Now look at it

INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY WITH SPECTS Bedrock are pioneering using Transport for NSW’s Safety, Productivity and Environment Construction Transport Scheme (SPECTS) to up the ante on productivity gains. The system has been devised to enable operators to be able to run new combinations without having to add the Intelligent Access Program to their trucks.

The SPECTS scheme is using a new process to get data about PBS truck movements to Transport for NSW, using the operators’ existing telematics system. The introduction of this rule change in 2019 has seen an increase in the number of operators getting involved in SPECTS, which had limited success when IAP was a requirement.

Only trucks involved in transporting construction materials with a Euro 5 engine, satellite tracking, with onboard

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DIESEL January-February 2020

mass monitoring and fitted with a number of safety features are eligible.

The innovation which has led to the dropping of the IAP requirement is known as Road Infrastructure Management, which is an application of the National Telematics Network and run by Transport Certification Australia.

“We are not actually interested in individual vehicle movements, Transport for NSW just wants to get a better handle on where vehicle activity is,” says Gavin Hill, General Manager at TCA. “Bedrock sends their data to us and we then de-identify it and produce reports for Transport for NSW. This is a trust mechanism and Transport for NSW have said to these operators that they know they are only willing to share their data as long it will not end up in the hands of a compliance agency.”

and everyone does it. I think we can be considered one of the leaders in the tipper industry in Sydney, because we do things before everyone else does.”

One of the things which Bedrock have led the way with is operating an A-double with triaxle trailers around metro Sydney.

The truck runs Sydney to Marulan everyday and is capable of a 61 tonne payload on a truck running at 85.5 tonnes GCM. This is when it runs at HML on selected routes. The PBS permit specifies different areaswhether the truck can run HML, CML or GML. The deciding factor, as it often is in New South Wales, is the bridge capacities and how Roads and Maritime Services rate them according to the bridge engineers’ assessments.

“You look at something like the Mooney Mooney Bridge on the Freeway North of Sydney,” says Mick. “You look at it and you think, ‘new bridge, should be right’, but 79.5 tonnes maximum. That’s our biggest problem. We can still use our other A-doubles, with bogey/bogey trailers.

But the tri-tri is our best option. It works so well. You can back it easily, you can do everything easily with it compared to the shorter trailers.”

“The top mass A-double set-up is on PBS needing Intelligent Access Program, including onboard mass monitoring. This makes deciding to start using something like this is a big investment, but it can reap big returns. Its problems are the limitations on what it can do. It is worth it if all of the time it can run at the top GCM of 85.5 tonnes. Currently it simply runs from the quarries into concrete plants where access for HML is allowed. and the Bedrock operation has enough of these runs to justify the expense.

Bedrock uses Sloanebuilt as its supplier of these trailer sets, fitted with Loadmass onboard mass monitoring equipment. The way the regulations work out, the tandem axle A-doubles are able to use the state road classifications for access and then need permits over the last mile, but with the triaxle A-double a permit is required for each route from end to end.

“When it comes to routes, we actually apply for everything,” says Mick. “The biggest problem now, with the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator is trying to get routes approved. When it first started, it was easy, you got an approval in a month

OPERATOR PROFILE

Mick Colley founded Bedrock back in 2010.

or two. Some routes now, we have been waiting for nine months.

“They just don’t have enough staff. They push us to go down this track, but they haven’t got enough staff to be able to cope with the number of people who want to use it. It’s the RMS who are understaffed and the local councils are very slow.

“We did some trials at a new plant which was being built at Banksmeadow.

We were running our A-doubles and the customer has a B-double, plus we had our tridems down there as well. Myself and a representative from Sloanebuilt were asked to go out to a conference at Penrith.

The local councils had no understanding of what we were doing. It’s hard to get people to change.”

Mick’s experiences can be echoed around the country for anyone trying to push the boundaries of productivity. The local and often state authorities are unable to understand or cope with requests. As Mick suggests, “They understand the issues we have got, but, unfortunately, can’t do anything about it.”

Sometimes you get a win. After discussions, Mick took a representative from Mack/Volvo to demonstrate to the RMS exactly what data he could provide to

them using the Dynafleet telematics system which was already in the trucks. After it was demonstrated to the officials that they could audit at any time and see exactly where all of the trucks had travelled, the RMS accepted this tracking as enough to demonstrate the compliance it needed.

RUNNING THE FLEET The Bedrock operation currently runs 16 trucks. These are broken down into three A-doubles, one on triaxles and two on bogey set-ups, two tridems pull five axle dog trailers, there are two more conventional tippers pulling five axle dogs and the remainder are tipper and quad dog combinations. This mix gives the operation the kind of flexibility to maximise productivity in some cases and maximise access in others.

The tridem tipper and dog can run up to 68.5 tonnes GCM with a 48 tonne payload.

Mick maximises payload by specifying tip over axle and aluminium hangers from Sloanebuilt to minimise tare on most of the trailers.

Every single truck in the fleet runs on PBS, demonstrating the effectiveness of the scheme in this sector and the reason why the vast majority of PBS vehicles in Australia

are tipper and dog combinations.

The A-doubles needed to be designed to stay under 26 metres long. This has meant requiring a cabover prime mover when running with a tri-tri set-up but a conventional works well on the bogeybogey combination. The cabover also suits the needs of the bridge formula with its axle spacing.

North of Sydney, Bedrock can’t run over 74.5 tonnes GCM, so the tandem axle trailers work well and this makes a 52 tonnes payload. In fact, due to one bridge in Hexham the trucks can run North fully loaded but can’t coming South and have to follow a diversion.

RUNNING THE OPERATION The Bedrock business is not just a transport operation. The end-users are buying the product from Bedrock and it is being delivered in Bedrock trucks, although the company also uses a number of subcontractors.

The number of subbies can get up to 35 a day in busy time, but dwindles away when times are quiet. These are strictly vetted and required to supply monthly data for compliance. According to Mick, a balance of 50 per cent company trucks

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17

OPERATOR PROFILE

and 50 per cent subbies gives the operation an ideal balance and enables him to deal with peaks and troughs in work.

Customers include concrete plants, civil contractors and manufacturing plants.

Eighty per cent of the time the product being hauled is also sold by Bedrock, the other 20 per cent is hauled as a transport contractor for others.

Most of operation revolves around bringing product from the Newcastle area to Sydney and also from Marulan to Sydney.

There is some work to the West of Sydney and a plan to extend the operation North to Port Macquarie.

“Sometimes I think running three trucks would be fine,” says Mick. “But the fact of the matter is we grew with our customer base. We grew with them through that boom, which slowed down at the beginning of 2017. This industry is the barometer of our economy, we are the first to go and the first to slow.

“This year, before the election it was very quiet. Since the election, the quotes really started to come in. This is the most amount of quotes I have done since I have been in business. We are not far from the position we were in during the boom.”

The Bedrock team totals 21, with four

The top mass A-double set-up is on PBS needing Intelligent Access Program, including onboard mass monitoring.

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DIESEL January-February 2020

running the office, one sales manager on the road and sixteen drivers.

Load allocation is handled using iPads in every truck with the driver receiving instructions on loading and unloading, locations and getting the job signed for all done electronically. Drivers can actually log in on their phones if need be.

Tracking using Dynafleet on the Mack and Volvo trucks has enabled Mick to work on improving fuel consumption using consultation with the drivers. Currently, the tri-tri A-double is achieving 2.2 km/l. The transition to PBS has not dented the fuel economy possible, the move from 32 tonne payload combinations to 40 tonne payload ones has seen fuel consumption remain pretty much the same.

“We are currently tendering for some government contracts and they look at carbon dioxide output,” says Mick. “I can show that my truck is 33 per cent better in fuel economy and CO2 than a truck and quad dog.”

Compliance can be handled by the operations manager with a consultant coming in once a month to audit the data to ensure it’s going OK. All of the trips and all of the masses involved are recorded electronically, so the data is in the system

and accessible for anyone who needs to look at it.

“The issue in this industry is we have got too many cowboys operating,” says Mick. “I have a subbie who works for us and he has truck and quad dogs, he does everything he needs to give data to us for CoR requirements. Everything is done by the book, the drivers are on Basic Fatigue Management (BFM), the whole works.

“He also does some work carting dirt around and on one job gets five loads a day when complying, but all of the cowboys on the job get six loads a day. He is penalising his income, because he is doing the right thing.”

Mick is an advocate of the electronic log books being made mandatory, when they finally arrive, as he reckons it is the best way to drive problem operators out of the industry. He tells story after story of the kinds of behaviour his drivers see on the road every day.

“We had an incident on the Putty Road with a motorbike going way too quick,” says Mick. “The bike went under the front of the dog trailer, so everything had to go straight over the pits afterwards. They wanted all of the trucks in for testing first thing following

OPERATOR PROFILE

morning. I explained it couldn’t work like that, we have customers I have to supply and if the concrete doesn’t turn up who pays the bill?

“I suggested the Newcastle trucks went into Mount White when heading South. The rest could be booked into testing around Sydney at specific times. I wasn’t trying to dodge, just make it work.

They phoned up at around 11am the

following morning and congratulated me.

Everything I said would happen, did happen and they all turned up as required and there were only three defects in the whole fleet, and two of them were so insignificant, it wasn’t an issue.”

The operation contracts all of its maintenance out, either at one local workshop or at the truck dealerships.

Contract maintenance works well on most

of the trucks. Mick has done the analysis on real trucks over a five year period and found contract maintenance saves money for the operation. There isn’t even a truck wash, it’s done on a contract. The drivers just get in the trucks and drive them.

Trucks are kept in the fleet for strictly five years, however the current batch of tipper and quad dogs are putting on high mileages, getting up well above 600,000km, so the decision has been made to cut them back to four and a half years. The dog trailers get turned over at the same time, but the A-doubles run on better roads enabling them to outlast their prime movers.

OUTLOOK According to Mick the pick up in business in the second half of 2019 has been strong and the Bedrock business is planning for strong growth for some time. This means the operation has to get all of its ducks in a line to run more trucks and more subbies over longer distances for more customers. If the business model the operation currently uses is scaleable, and Mick reckons it is, it’s going to be busy times ahead.

The New Road Infrastructure Management App Is Here The Road Infrastructure Management (RIM) is a new application of the National Telematics Framework.

It is an efficient, low cost way of collecting road use data from vehicles to optimise the management of road networks.

Transport operators can now enrol vehicles into the RIM application and take advantage of productivity opportunities now available.

TCA de-identifies and aggregates vehicle data

RIM

Registration is simple, no charge.

National Telematics Framework

Registered

Provider RIM provides the right level of assurance needed for road usage reporting, by focusing on ‘big data’.

Technology providers registered foroutlined RIM are recognised by the ‘RIM Registered Provider’ logo.

Vehicle data to TCA

Road managers are already accessing vehicle data reports and analysis through the Telematics Analytics Platform.

TCA publishes road use reports

Visit TCA’s website for further information: www.tca.gov.au/rim Talk to us about RIM – call TCA directly on (03) 8601 4600.

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TRUCKS ON TEST

GETTING

THE DI ON SCANIA

The tipper and dog market has traditionally been dominated by US trucks, but the Europeans are now queueing up to take on the North American iron in this highly competitive sector. Tim Giles drives one of the contenders, the Scania G500 XT. 22

DIESEL January-February 2020

TRUCKS ON TEST

RT www.dieselnews.com.au

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TRUCKS ON TEST

I

t wasn’t that long ago that looking down the line-up of trucks queuing to get into a construction project to load or unload materials, there would be a who’s who of older US trucks in there. The vast majority would be conventionals and the cabovers sprinkled in the crowd would be Accos or repurposed prime movers well past their best.

Rates were low in a cut-rate market and margins were small. The small scale operations were often owner-drivers running a few trucks, who serviced the trucks themselves out the back of the block on a weekend.

The times they are a-changing, to quote the Bob Dylan classic, in fact they have changed radically in the last twenty years. Construction booms and ongoing infrastructure renewal have seen major growth in the tipper and dog freight

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DIESEL January-February 2020

task. Many of those smaller operators are now major concerns handling massive contracts.

Another development which has ushered in change is the adoption of Performance Based Standards (PBS) designs in the tipper and dog market. By using smart design it became possible to not only get cabover European trucks into the sector but also use PBS to dramatically increase productivity with long six or more axle dog trailers possible on some routes.

These changes have created opportunities for the European truck manufacturers to get in on this market.

Volvo already had a presence in the sector with many of the adapted prime movers being F12 models.

Another factor bringing change is that the European market has also transformed in the last twenty years as well. Each of

the main players in Europe now offer a specialist construction range. Highway trucks have got lighter and smoother, but construction hauliers were still looking for the robustness and rigidity of old.

As a result, we have the Scania XT range and similar sub-ranges across its European competitors. They all feature higher clearance in front of the steer axle and beefed up suspensions, plus other extras which the construction industry prefer.

In recent years the European manufacturers have eaten into the US trucks’ market share in prime mover sales and now have the same opportunity in their sights in the tipper and dog market.

Hence, at Brisbane Truck Show this year both Scania and MAN had a 6x4 tipper prominently on display.

It is now possible to get a cabover which ticks all of the boxes. It is fit for purpose

TRUCKS ON TEST

in terms of handling the work and also comes with all of the safety systems which help in PBS assessments. At the same time the larger, more mature tipper fleets are looking to realign the sectors image and distance themselves from a more cowboy past. There are also developments in city authorities like Melbourne, where they are looking to raise the bar on safety specification for trucks tendering for the next round of major infrastructure projects.

This is where the Scania G500 XT comes in, as a state-of-the-art truck with all of the bells and whistles, but also a truck built to live the rugged life in quarries, construction sites and on infrastructure sites. It is a mix of two, formerly, diametrically opposed ideas, cutting edge technology and electronics, and a tool which can take the hammer meted out in the real world of vocational trucks.

OUT ON THE HIGHWAY

Changes have created opportunities for the European truck manufacturers to get in on this market.

As you would expect, out on the highway this truck is a sophisticated performer.

This test involved running out of Sydney to a quarry near Goulburn, loading up with aggregate and returning to the city with the load to see how it goes in real world conditions.

Climbing into the truck is no different, Scania has not gone down the hinged bottom step route for its construction range. Closing the door leaves the driver in a quiet well-sealed environment with the full array of controls and technology

laid out in front of them.

Out onto the highway and into the inexplicable stop/go madness in which Sydney specialises, the truck performs with the poise and calmness we have come to expect from the Swedish truck maker. Once in busy traffic the least stressful strategy is to make use of all the automatic systems.

Active cruise control takes care of the stopping and starting and setting the cruise to 100 km/h means the truck will accelerate up to highway speed when conditions allow. Now is also time to set the overrun control to bring the retarder into play if the truck over-speeds on the downhill stretches.

The lower cabin of the G Series means visibility all round the truck is good, further enhanced by the decision in the latest Scania range to move the driver’s seat closer to the A pillar. The redesign also managed to get the rearview mirrors into positions which minimise the blindspots multiple mirrors can create. Once mirror cameras arrive, as they surely will, this visibility will be enhanced even further.

For a truck tester like Diesel, there never seems to be time to work out what all of the switches and buttons do. It would take a week of driving shifts and some explanation and instruction to get the most out of this truck.

There are plenty of controls to play with and the driver has a choice between setting up the automated systems to do most of the hard work or can choose to

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TRUCKS ON TEST

More mature tipper fleets are looking to realign the sectors image and distance themselves from a more cowboy past.

intervene themselves as much as they like.

One of the main changes in the last two years is that automated systems which used to be very useful on long runs on the open highway drives would not be very effective when the trucks were in traffic. This has now changed, with the introduction of active cruise control there is a level of precision and intuitiveness within the system which means that the driver can leave the braking and acceleration in stop-go traffic to the truck itself.

Once the truck arrived at the quarry it was clear this is its natural environment. It was smooth enough on the rougher roads and when a wrong turn found the truck on recently wetted sloping ground, there was nothing to be concerned about. A quick turn and some smart driving on a rutted older track got the truck to its proper loading area and lined up for its load.

In the tipper and dog of old the performance and feel of the truck and dog would change dramatically when fully loaded. An unladen combination which could be jittery, especially when braking, then, when loaded, suddenly become easier to drive, but with a much heavier feel.

In the G500 XT the feel definitely

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DIESEL January-February 2020

changed, but the steering remained light enough and the load just made acceleration a slower process. Of course, with a combination utilising the latest electronic braking system there is no jittery movements, either when empty or loaded.

BRINGING THE LOAD HOME Once loaded it was simply a matter of bringing the load home to Sydney. On the winding roads out through the Southern Highlands countryside, the truck felt surefooted and had enough grunt to handle the ups and downs on the road.

Coming out onto the Hume Highway, the truck quickly got itself up to highway speed and could be left to its own devices. This is a very relaxing situation for a driver, knowing the truck will pick the correct gear as it climbs the grades and will introduce retardation on the downgrades to keep speed in check and to keep the truck secure.

The combination runs very smoothly with the dog trailer tucked in neatly behind and behaving well. This is an opportunity to look more closely at the controls and instrumentation, to get an even better idea about what exactly is going on with this track.

Looking at the display directly in front of the driver with speed, odometer and fuel levels on the left and tachometer, time, temperature and adblue level on the right. In the middle is a graphical display which can be customised by the driver to suit their own tastes.

The most important part of this section of the display is all of the driving settings the driver has activated. On the left is the speed the driver has set on the cruise control. To the right three bars indicate the distance that the driver had set between the truck itself and the vehicle in front using the active cruise control, with each bar representing something approximating to one or on-and-a-half seconds.

On the right hand side there is a figure which is the maximum speed set at which the engine brake will kick in to try and maintain that speed when the truck is overrunning on a downward grade.

Next to this we have the driver scoring system. This is where the computer on board analyses brake application, accelerator application, anticipation of events etc. It is monitoring all of the systems and looking out for tell-tale behaviours which will use excess fuel.

Sharp braking applications are frowned upon as are sharp accelerations. The

TRUCKS ON TEST

system will mark a driver highly if they treat the truck gently using the accelerator to smoothly move away from a stationary position and anticipating any slowdown ahead by removing the foot from the accelerator and not applying the brake immediately after. It is looking for the driver to take their foot off the power and then use the engine brake to slow the vehicle in anticipation of any potential stop. All of these behaviours have a significant effect on improving fuel consumption.

In the past, many experienced drivers have baulked at the idea of handing over some of the essential control to an automatic computerised system in the truck. It is easy to assume that 30 years experience behind the wheel cannot be replicated by some black box behind the dashboard.

The developments in recent years have now reached the point where, not only does the computer have a better idea about what is going on in the driveline, but it can also make decisions on what to

do better and faster than that driver. The subtlety of the sensors and the speed of the processing available from the ECU is able to, at least, replicate 30 years of driving experience.

There is something in the psychology of the truck driver to want to be involved in every single decision that is keeping the truck on the road and keeping it making progress, but now is probably the time for those old school drivers to let it go.

The system available in trucks like these are that good that the driver can trust them and then use their own intelligence and observation to look out for those things which the truck’s systems cannot monitor and make decisions about. The computer cannot see the caravan driver starting to lose control, it cannot see the kangaroo about to cross the road, it cannot see that there are roadworks just around the corner. This is what the modern truck driver needs to be doing, not worrying about which gear the truck is in and how far it is from the vehicle in front.

If the driver turns on all the automatics they are handing over quite a lot of the control to the system, but the fact of the matter is they are still in the driving seat and can override any system at any point they choose.

At the end of the day even more parts of the traditional industry like the truck and dog segment are going to have to introduce these kinds of modern trucks.

The fact of the matter is these businesses are faced with higher standards in terms of workplace health and safety, on road safety and compliance, at the same time as there is a decline in the number of highly skilled drivers available on the market to do the work.

This suggests that it is a combination of factors which is driving the changing emphasis for transport operations involved with infrastructure and construction. The reliance on older North American trucks and skilled drivers still exists, but into the future we can expect see a much more modern fleet hauling aggregate up and down our highways.

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RURAL TRUCKING MATTERS

DELIVERING THE GOODS ON FAIR AND TRANSPARENT CHARGES

I

bet you enjoy driving on those smooth golden pavements delivered by all levels of government over the past two years? It will make you feel a lot better about the 11.8 per cent increase in registration and road user charges proposed by the National Transport Commission (NTC) and considered by Australian Transport Minsters on 22 November 2019.

The proposed charging increase would have hit you over three successive years in compounding instalments of 6.0 per cent, 3.0 per cent and 2.4 per cent from 1 July 2020.

In calculating the new charges, Australian Governments have told the NTC that there has been a 70 per cent increased spend on ‘pavement improvements’ and a 39 per cent increased on spend ‘periodic surface maintenance of sealed roads’ in the two years between 2016-17 and 2018-19. We can’t but wonder why ALRTA member operators continue to report that the state of rural roads is appalling and only getting worse.

SO WHERE IS ALL THE MONEY GOING? Well, it is not going into bridges.

Governments have spent just 2.0 per cent more on ‘bridge improvements’ in the past two years, even though in many cases this is the critical infrastructure upgrade needed to open up new parts of the road network to higher productivity vehicles. Money spent on strategic bridge improvements are a good investment because they have an economic multiplier effect by reducing transport costs for the entire rural economy.

It would be the height of hypocrisy for government to increase charges by 6.0 per cent when back in 2014 they flatly refused to accept a 6.3 per cent decrease determined by the NTC after a thorough review of the charging model.

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DIESEL January-February 2020

IF THEY CAN’T ACCEPT IT, WHY SHOULD YOU? Instead of continuing the fair and transparent cost-recovery principles that the PAYGO system is supposedly based on, Ministers just changed the rules and froze charges so their revenue stream would continue while expenditure caught up. Since 2014, the trucking industry has been over-charged around $1.6 billion.

That is money you have paid without receiving better roads in return, and there is no guarantee that any of the money you pay in future will be spent on roads.

Only last year, the NTC was forecasting that current heavy vehicle charges would over-recover $190m from industry in 2018-19. We are now told that the charges actually under-recovered around $350m.

That is a half a billion dollars turn-around in a single year. You have to wonder how the model could get it so wrong.

Well, one of the major problems with the PAYGO charging model is that the NTC has absolutely no power to scrutinise the amount states claim to have spent on roads. At any time, a state could just change the way they calculate road spending and there is nothing the NTC can do about it. ‘Garbage in, garbage out’ as they say.

Over the past few years, we have heard frighteningly similar stories from ALRTA members from all around Australia about the way in which states are approaching road maintenance. Repair jobs are given to the lowest cost bidder, the lowest quality work is then undertaken, and another lowest cost repairer is back in a couple of years having to fix the shoddy job done first time around. Journeys are regularly interrupted while repairs are being undertaken and the roads are rougher than ever when riddled with a patchwork of band aids that never fix the underlying quality problem.

The short-term fixation with ‘lowest cost’ is actually inflating road maintenance costs over the longer term. You end up with an inferior product and higher

truck charges to boot.

Not surprisingly, the trucking industry has strongly opposed the NTC’s proposed charging increases.

ALRTA and our State Member Associations, as well as the Australian Trucking Association and other affiliated associations made urgent representations to all Federal and State transport Ministers ahead of their meeting on 22 November 2019.

We argued that the charging increases would have a severe negative impact on rural and regional Australia that is already struggling with a depressed national economy, fires and widespread drought conditions.

The NTC and Federal Government had not consulted industry about the proposed increases as legally required, and it would appear that no account has been taken of the $1.6 billion that the trucking industry has already been over-charged.

ALRTA Immediate Past President, Kevin Keenan, was part of an industry delegation invited to speak directly with Ministers prior to their decision. Later that day, it was announced that Ministers had agreed on a preference for increases of 2.5 per cent each year for the next two years. Within two business days, NTC was in Canberra consulting with ALRTA and other industry peak bodies about the charging model and options for reform.

It is times like these when the value of strong industry associations really shines through. Trucking is a powerful lobby when we work together. Road freight transport underpins the entire Australian economy with 200,000 people working in more 50,000 transport businesses.

We contribute around $122.3b to the economy annually accounting for 7.4 per cent of GDP. Governments can illafford to ignore our peak associations.

As a result of our combined efforts leading into 22 November 2019, the heavy vehicle charge increase for 202021 will be less than half what it would otherwise have been.

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DIESEL January-February 2020

RURAL TRUCKING MATTERS

PLIANCE throughout the business Compliance has become a large part of many trucking businesses and this can be even more complicated in the livestock transport sector with the addition of animal welfare concerns on top of those relevant to any other trucking operation.

T

here is nothing simple about hauling livestock in the modern environment. A task which was formerly one that involved simply getting livestock to the saleyards or abattoir is now fraught with a wide array of regulatory and compliance issues.

Gone is the ‘she’ll be right’ method of running a business. Not only are the issues of driver competence, fatigue, safety and well-being paramount, but ensuring all vehicles on the road comply with the rules around the task they are handling is also vital.

On top of all of this are the animal welfare expectations which are paramount in the livestock transport game. These concerns are also very important for the consignor and the consignee, but the transport between the two parties is the most visible in the supply chain, and the one where issues can often occur.

It takes a different kind of person to work in this sector of the transport industry. People working in the livestock transport game are often an animal person first and a truckie second. This is an important part of the culture in this sector of the transport industry.

“The livestock transport industry, has its own culture and there is certainly a lifestyle associated with it,” says Athol Carter, Compliance Manager at Frasers Transport.

“Once it’s in your blood it’s hard to get it out.

You make friends and connections for life and, I suppose, the beauty of the livestock

industry is that you are your own boss in some respects – you get to go to places that other people would never see.

“It’s great to experience the culture and the nature of the Australian outback. One day you can be carting cattle down the Pacific Highway and two days later you can be on the Strzelecki Track in South Australia, or on the Barkly Highway going to Darwin.

Livestock transport can be all about helping others out and, working together everyone achieves more.”

At the time of Athol’s arrival at Frasers, four years ago, there were changes in compliance procedures, new ideas needed to be integrated into the business. Policies and procedures needed to be reviewed, some new paperwork would be needed and other paper work could be streamlined.

The Frasers operation prides itself on being ahead of the game and ensuring the business can keep up with trends and market insights in the industry, as they appear. The operation covers a wide swathe of Queensland with depots in Warwick,Toowoomba, Goondiwindi, Roma and Rockhampton.

“It’s all about getting our drivers the tools and information that our clients expect,” says Athol. “They need to be leaders in what they do. Carting a cow from A to B sounds pretty simple but there is a lot behind-the-scenes that goes with that. We have got huge animal welfare expectations now, there are consumer and market sentiments that drive the protein

supply chain, not only just in Australia but also globally.

“Our drivers need to be connected to the task, animal welfare needs to be front of mind all day every day. So does driver wellbeing, it’s also about the safety of the person, making sure that they get home safely and are not at risk of any concerns.

You are working with a live animal, which is quite unique in the transport task. You need to be connected to that task and have the skills that go hand-in-hand with that.

“We achieve that by training and educating drivers, sharing our market insights, keeping them abreast of what is happening in the industry. We have seen unprecedented times in the last five years, compared to any other droughts we have had in Australia. We are having to deal with significant water restrictions, the condition and temperament of the cattle can vary, from time to time. Drivers need to be able to deal with and adapt to these problems.”

The company tries to instill a paddockto-plate mentality within the drivers. They are asked to think from the point of view of the end consumer and understand their own importance in the process of bringing a high-quality steak to the dinner table for people all over the world.

“Sometimes you need to look over the fence,” says Athol. “You need to be connected with your industry, and for us, that is the pastoral industry. Whether that’s grass fed, organic or grain fed beef, also pork and lamb, we need to all work

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RURAL TRUCKING MATTERS

Athol Carter, Compliance Manager at Frasers Transport.

Established in 1944, Frasers Livestock Transport proudly celebrated 75 years of business in 2019.

together in the supply chain to minimise any disruption, but also to keep the whole issue of animal welfare front of mind.

“Consumers have expectations and we need to recognise the important role our drivers play. We have to have them engaged in the journey, the whole paddock to plate journey.”

BAPTISM OF FIRE Before starting to work for the Frasers Livestock Transport operation in Warwick, Queensland, Athol had a wide experience around Australia in different segments of the rural transport sector.

Originally from Gympie, Athol’s family had a general transport business, Athol worked in this business before heading out on his own. His career in the trucking industry began with 11 years working as a driver in livestock, general freight and bulk

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DIESEL January-February 2020

haulage. The jobs stretched across Western Queensland from his current home of Dalby out to Quilpie and beyond Cloncurry.

The lifestyle involving continually being out on the road and away from home did not look so attractive when Athol and his wife were planning a family. It was around this time that he landed a job working for a large operation involving heavy and bulk haulage.

In this operation he began working as a training and driving assessor. The company was hauling bulk materials around rural areas. Athol’s experience, he had worked around road trains for most of his working life, meant he was able to bring new employees up to speed in a time of fast growth in the sector.

Earlier this century, the bulk haulage, mining and resource industries were in a major boom. The industry was needing to find drivers, train them up and keep them compliant in large numbers and it needed experienced operators to train those drivers and keep the operations safe.

Athol’s role as a trainer and assessor saw him running large driver training programs to keep up with the increasing on-road haulage task around the coal mining boom.

“We’d would have 10 or even 12 projects going across Queensland at once, all requiring skilled drivers, at that time,” says Athol. “This was just supporting bulk haulage work in the mining industry and then later, in the coal seam gas boom, in the Surat and Cooper basins and beyond.

“It was unprecedented growth and you had to keep up with it, and keep up with task changes as fast as possible. At one time, during that period, you just could not get enough trucks or drivers to support those infrastructure projects which were opening across Queensland.

“We had to outsource and engage subcontractors to do the work and at the same time, grow the fleet exponentially. We were bringing in a lot of new equipment to keep up with the demand. The coal seam gas, they call it the ‘project of the century’, and it was out of control, you couldn’t get enough equipment and you couldn’t get enough men, it was crazy.”

This proved to be a real baptism of fire for Athol and the wide-ranging experience and problem solving he had been expected to do has prepared him for work in other sectors of the industry. He had moved from his original training role into becoming an operations manager, later moving

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RURAL TRUCKING MATTERS

Efforts are now being made to lobby for suitable facilities in which to dump the effluent from the tanks.

UP AND DOWN THE SUPPLY CHAIN

Ensuring all vehicles on the road comply with the rules around the task they are handling is vital.

across to safety and compliance manager within the same fleet.

The opportunity, when it came, to join Frasers was an attractive option, going back into the livestock industry, which he had been involved in when he was younger.

THE BROADER PICTURE Athol has a broad remit working in the Frasers operation. He has a regional role working across all of the depots in the operation. There are 50 trucks operating with over 150 trailers involved. Then there is the wide range of subcontractors also handling tasks for the operation.

The role sees Athol working in saleyards, in operations, running a depot, driving a truck and then meeting with clients and also dealing with national and state industry associations. His job involves him with the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association, as well as the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland, plus the Queensland and Australian Trucking Associations. Added to that, Athol also sits on the board of Trucksafe.

“In the compliance team, we have four people, but I suppose every employee is part of that team,” says Athol. “Everyone needs to be involved, all working towards that common goal.”

All drivers go through an induction process and there is an annual refresher program for everyone. This gives Athol’s team a chance to catch everyone up on developments in the past year and keep them informed about what

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DIESEL January-February 2020

is new in the industry.

“If I look at the last four years in livestock transport, there’s a change every day. Whether that is major or minor and looking at road transport in Australia as a whole. With the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator there’s some great tools and resources out there and there are always things which pop up which we haven’t thought about before.

“One of the things we have to talk about, as an industry and be ready for, is animal activism. The driver is the front line of our business, so it’s all about sharing our information with them. We have to give them the awareness of what’s out there and what’s likely to happen.

“It’s a common issue anywhere in Australia in an animal transport situation.

It’s been around for quite a while and it’s here to stay. But livestock transport in Australia is here to stay, as well, and we have a great story to tell and we need to tell that story.”

One of the more delicate issues which effects all livestock transporters is ensuring the animals are correctly prepared before being picked up by a truck. The rules around the required time off food and water before transport are well known, but it is difficult to ensure the rules have been met from the truck driver’s point of view.

The issue of effluent flowing out of trailers onto the road is an ongoing issue in livestock transport. Frasers has fitted tanks to capture effluent in its trailers in an effort to sort out the issue.

Collection and delivery points are many and varied in the livestock game. The basic loading set up at a cattle station, as well as the loading and unloading facilities in sale yards and abattoirs are an ongoing concern.

“The transport industry has no choice but to adapt with modern engineering and technology over time,” says Athol. “Which we have done really well. Whether that be the latest safety features on our new Kenworth trucks, to working with Byrne trailers to introduce new features, such as ladders and steps.

“Lighting has been a huge benefit inside trailers. Who would have thought we would have internal lights in cattle crates? This and things like blocking gates make it much more user friendly down the road.”

While the safety in truck and trailer has been improved, the loading and unloading equipment can be old and inadequate at times. This issue needs to be approached with some diplomacy on the part of the trucking operator.

“In the last 12 months we have seen a rise in the awareness of some of the archaic saleyards infrastructure that is still out there,” says Athol. “It’s all about communication with the stakeholders involved. Sometimes they simply don’t know about the problems. If you can bring it to their attention and get a quick bit of welding done, or a fix made for our next visit, you are making progress.

“In the supply chain we are exposed to everything from a paddock pick up environment, to a hobby farmer, to large corporate stations through to saleyards and export holding yards, to various abattoir facilities. We are quite unique in the supply chain, because we are exposed to everything.

“It’s all about making people aware, to educate and bring people along a process of what looks good. It doesn’t have to be a Rolls Royce. Sometimes, there is a very simple solution to modify something.”

EYES ON FATIGUE Frasers is involved with the QTA’s Eyes on Fatigue project, which is in its initial stages. The project has set up a program

where QTA members can take part in a trial of in-vehicle driver monitoring technology. Funded by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), the aim is to ascertain the effectiveness of driver monitoring technology in reducing the incidence of driver distraction, inattention and fatigue episodes. The technology being used is the Gen 2 Guardian Seeing Machine System.

“We’re just about to embark on a two year trial and will be fitting the system into ten of our fleet,” says Athol.

“Hopefully, this will lead to the Heavy Vehicle National Law review considering alternative methods of emerging driver monitoring technology. This may or may not give us more flexibility for our fatigue management.

“The beauty of this system is it works in a couple of ways.

The in-cab sensors alert the driver in real time of a fatigue or distraction event. The systems are about to be fitted and we have had to go through a massive driver engagement program for this implementation.”

This will be the first time Frasers will have a sensor fitted in the trucks. Some drivers have their own dash cams for their own peace of mind. The baseline information gathered will be analysed and operators like Frasers hope to get some real world outcomes out of the project. Any increase in flexibility in the fatigue sphere is going to be welcome, for an operation which covers the vast distances of Outback Australia.

CURRENT CONDITIONS The ongoing drought which is becoming nationwide is leading to uncertainty for many rural businesses and Frasers are not immune to the situations. However, the livestock transport industry is always in a state of flux from region to region, simply due to the prevailing conditions. There is an inbuilt resilience built into the business model of all successful livestock carters.

Grain fed beef can be relatively drought-proof and can keep operating. Stock also needs to keep moving chasing the grass, wherever it may be. Movements vary with the climate, but they seem to be needed no matter where we are in the cycle.

The most important thing for an operation like Frasers is to ensure it keeps up with the latest developments while not losing sight of its core traditional principles.

One of Athol’s projects in the past couple of years was his involvement with the QTA Emerging Leaders Program and, later, the 2019 ATA Daimler Future Leaders Program.

His project, called ‘The Lost Art’ in this program involved looking at the driver shortage and the feasibility of introducing a driver offsider program. Having an offsider is something which has fallen by the wayside in trucking, but it could be a vital way to get young drivers up to speed on the culture and skills involved in handling multi-combination vehicles, using the existing skill base still working in the industry.

“I think we need to look at where we came from,” says Athol.

“We can look to the future, but also need to reflect on our past. These things worked in the past and go back to the early 1900s, like the apprentice to the bullock driver.

“We talk about new and emerging technology and what the future holds and the transport industry in Australia has got a great future. This industry is here to stay, but it’s about how we sustain that workforce and move ahead with the times.”

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

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DIESEL January-February 2020

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

CASCADIA

COMES ON DOWN At last, it’s finally here. The original Cascadia came out in the US back in 2007, but now this groundbreaking North American truck has made its way to Australia, seeking to shake up the conventional truck market.

T

he Freightliner Cascadia has been launched in Australia with a big bang and a major event in Sydney. The reveal of the new truck saw the loud music and bright lights shining on the new models through the artificial smoke in a repurposed carriage works in Sydney.

The size of the event and the surrounding publicity reflects the Daimler Truck organisation’s hopes for the new Cascadia in the Australian market. This is expected to be a game changer for the Freightliner brand, which has been treading water since it was announced the Argosy model was to be discontinued. The Coronado and Columbia models have had limited success in the last ten years and as Argosy came to the end of its useable life, sales dwindled.

Freightliner are looking to get a major boost from the Cascadia, which takes conventional trucks in Australia to a new level. These models can match, toe-totoe the sophisticated European prime movers which have been eating into the Freightliner market share.

Although the basic Cascadia model has been around for some time, it was not until the substantial update of the model in 2016 that it really met its potential in the US market. The update saw the Cascadia design become a cutting edge technology leader, with excellent fuel consumption, sophisticated safety systems in a package which has now captured 40 per cent of the US heavy duty prime mover market.

When it was first released in 2007 the Cascadia was a left hand drive only truck and Daimler had no viable way of making the adaptation to our market.

However, by the time the updates in 2014 and 2016 came though, a revised layout could be adapted to a steering wheel on either side. As a result Freightliner hatched plans to bring the new model to our shores.

In a five year project Freightliner, here in Australia, has taken what was a successful truck in the US and gone through a development process which

With the arrival of the Cascadia in Australia, we now have a game changer in the conventional market which is able to match sophisticated European prime movers in terms of electronic sophistication, safety systems and fuelefficient driveline.

We are moving from the world in which conventional trucks are custom-built and using a lower level of

“WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE CASCADIA IN AUSTRALIA, WE NOW HAVE A GAME CHANGER IN THE CONVENTIONAL MARKET WHICH IS ABLE TO MATCH SOPHISTICATED EUROPEAN PRIME MOVERS IN TERMS OF ELECTRONIC SOPHISTICATION, SAFETY SYSTEMS AND FUEL-EFFICIENT DRIVELINE.” not only brings this truck design to Australia, but also brings the whole truck development process within Freightliner back up to date.

This means that in the future when new technology, software or features are added to the design of the North American Cascadia it can be brought to market in Australia at the same time.

The lag time for design has been a problem for Freightliner in the past as it has struggled to maintain a cost effective development program for its offering in Australia. A case in point would be the Argosy, which although originally developed to be sold in the US, became an exclusively Australian and South African product. A global truck producer like Freightliner does not spend big research and development dollars on models which are only going to be sold into relatively small markets.

technology, when compared to the top end of the European truck offering, to one where the conventional is every bit as smart and sophisticated as any other truck on the market. In fact, Freightliner here in Australia has and does claim that this is the most advanced truck on the market today.

CASCADIA DETAILS The most obvious change with the Cascadia is the entirely new body shape.

This is the third iteration of the design in the US, but the first for us. The body is developed around an aluminium cab shell which is designed to be welded together by robots on the assembly line at Cleveland in North Carolina, in the US. Doors use high tensile steel for added strength.

Apart from being designed to have an extremely low drag coefficient, the

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

There are five different cabin options available, the day cab, a 36, a 48 and two 60 inch cabins.

innovative panel design minimises weight and maximises strength, allowing it to meet the ECE R29 cab strength standard.

The overall design of these trucks sees the Daimler organisation pull all of its resources in from the global operation to create a unified vehicle which can claim to be state-of-the-art. The way this design has been put together also enables the model to be sold as widely as possible in the developed world.

Two new engines are going to become available with the introduction of the Cascadia, they are the Detroit DD13 and DD16. These engines are the same as those which are currently being sold on the US market. In terms of emissions they exceed the requirements of Euro-6 and, in fact, meet the standards set out in the US by the Environmental Protection Agency for greenhouse gas emissions as well as PM and NOx, (GHG 17).

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DIESEL January-February 2020

The DD13 is significantly different from the 13 litre being sold already in Australia, as it includes SCR, EGR and a diesel particular filter. This new 13 litre is going to be available in ratings at 450 hp, 470 hp and 505 hp, all with maximum power at 1625 rpm. The two lower power engines will produce 2237Nm (1650 ftlb) of torque at 975 rpm while the 505 hp version will produce 2508Nm (1850 ftlb) at the same rpm level.

The new DD16 can be expected to emulate the cut through of its sister engine, the 16litre used in the latest Mercedes-Benz heavy duty trucks. This engine will be available in six different variations ranging from 500 hp up to 600 hp, all reaching maximum horsepower at 1800 rpm. Torque levels will be available at 2508Nm (1850 ftlb) or 2780Nm (2050 ftlb) from 1120 rpm.

Freightliner expect that this new pair of engines will perform in a similarly

fuel-efficient way to their Mercedes siblings. All indications from on the road testing here in Australia make it look like the new trucks, due to their conventional shape, may outshine the Benz in the fuel economy stakes. The jury is still out on that one.

There is another game changer in the next stage of the driveline. Freightliner will not be offering an Eaton AMT in this truck. The 18 speed Eaton RoadRanger manual will be available, but for those who prefer an AMT, the option will be the Detroit DT 12, which is an adaption from the 12 speed AMT currently used in the heavy duty Mercedes Benz and Fuso range.

The strategy of going over to the DT 12 has worked very well for the company in the US market and its full integration with the rest of the driveline has reaped dividends in terms of fuel economy, drivetrain security and diagnostics.

As the Australian truck market is also increasingly heading down the AMT route, we can expect that the vast majority of Cascadias sold here will use this smooth changing automatic box as well.

As has been in evidence in the Mercedes-Benz this is a very sophisticated automated manual with features like creep mode, coasting, gear skipping and hill start aid all available as standard. It will also include something which Detroit call Cruise Descent Control.

The driver can set desired descent speed using the cruise control after activating the engine brake manually.

The engine brake will attempt to hold the set speed, but application of the foot brake is still required if the truck starts to overrun. The AMT will not upshift in this situation.

There will be four variants of DT 12 gearbox available in the new Cascadia, three direct drive and one overdrive.

There is a pair of modes available, economy and performance, and gears can be changed manually using the steering column lever.

STATE OF THE ART By bringing the electronics on the new Cascadia bang up to date, Freightliner can then include all of the latest safety and efficiency features that sophisticated onboard computing power can offer. The

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

The reveal of the new truck saw the loud music and bright lights shining on the new models through the artificial smoke in a repurposed carriage works in Sydney.

systems available allow for a high level of communication around the vehicle but also to the outside world.

The list of safety systems matches that available on any highway truck in the world. Active brake assist uses both video and radar to identify anything in front of the truck which could cause problems. The system will automatically apply braking to avoid hitting moving pedestrians, cars, moving or parked. It also informs Adaptive Cruise Control, keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front, down to 0 km/h.

There is lane keeping assistance using the video from the front of the truck to warn when the driver drifts across lanes.

Added to this system is a new one for Australia, Side Guard Assist. This uses two radars looking backwards and forward at the side of the truck. It can warn of vehicles in the blindspot when turning or changing lanes. It also warns the driver if it detects the trailer is likely to hit an object like a power pole.

One of the features available is something called Intelligent Powertrain Management (IPM). This uses topographical mapping to inform control systems when the truck is using cruise control. This will activate the coast feature when the engine is not required to maintain forward momentum, on

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DIESEL January-February 2020

inclines less than 3.5 per cent.

IPM will also accelerate the truck into the foot of an upcoming grade to maintain momentum on the climb. The system will also cut back on rpm as the truck approaches the crest of a hill to save fuel and use the downward incline to regain cruising speed.

The advanced computing power also enables Freightliner to offer the latest iteration of a product called Detroit Connect, which offers connectivity and advanced telematics. Remote diagnostics is possible, alongside remote engine updates, engine report downloads and firmware updates whilst on the road.

DRIVER ACCOMMODATION One of the strengths of the Argosy in Australia was the size and design of the driver accommodation. The release of the Cascadia and its cabin options looks likely to offer similar standards of space and features.

There are five different cabin options available, the day cab, a 36, a 48 and two 60 inch cabins. The 60 inch comes in a normal roof and a high roof option. The 36 inch will keep the dimensions tight enough to enable 26 metre B-double operation. As is typical with these North American cabins, there will be a number of different interior design options.

THE BIG PROJECT After a period of being in the doldrums, the Daimler Truck organisation has picked itself up and brushed itself down to make a bit of a comeback. Fuso has been a consistent performer, but both Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner seemed to be flatlining. The introduction of the new Benz heavy duty range three years ago reinvigorated the organisation and got some well-earned runs on the board.

This year, with the introduction of the Cascadia, there is an opportunity to give the Freightliner brand some similar defibrillation therapy. Looking at the design and specification of this range, and the efforts Freightliner is putting in behind it, the Cascadia should have a considerable impact in the Australian market.

There are frustrated Freightliner fans who have been waiting for a suitable truck. There are also operators looking for a sophisticated conventional having to buy European cabovers. There are many more who could well give Cascadia a go. The truck is also being released before the other sophisticated conventional in the pipeline, the Mack Anthem, has made an appearance.

Freightliner have an opportunity and look capable of being able to take it.

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

Taking the Isuzu range onwards and upwards After 30 years as the number one supplier of trucks in Australia, Isuzu know a thing or two about developing and selling trucks. The company’s offering keeps on changing and moving forward, never resting on its laurels, Tim Giles checks out the latest batch of newbies.

W

hen you look at the Isuzu truck range, it is not obvious as to why the brand has been market leader for 30 years. In many ways, it is not the trucks which have achieved this milestone, it is the organisation behind them, with its capacity to keep constantly developing and adapting trucks and their specifications to best suit Australiantruck buyers.

This means that the range is constantly evolving, with new ideas coming down the pipeline to be released over the next few years. Diesel took the opportunity to

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DIESEL January-February 2020

test drive a number of the new options and models which have come on stream this year. It is an opportunity to see how Isuzu are travelling and test out the latest specifications and technology.

Coincidentally, Isuzu recently commissioned research by an independent strategy consultancy, to demonstrate the Japanese truck maker’s place as the most preferred and trusted truck brand in Australia. The independent market research surveyed over 800 truck owners and decision-makers living in regional and metropolitan areas. Those people surveyed

were spread across multiple vocations, from construction and logistics, through to the retail trade and hospitality industries.

The research saw Isuzu Trucks rank highest amongst respondents (at 47 per cent) when asked to name a truck brand that they ‘trust’. Additionally, 19 per cent of all respondents marked Isuzu as their favourite truck brand, more than double the next highest ranked brand. Isuzu also ranked highest in several other brand association categories, including reliability, value for money, customisation to business needs and product range.

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

EXPANDING IN THE WASTE INDUSTRY Unfortunately, one of the innovations introduced by Isuzu this year was not available for a test drive. However, the company did have one of the new dual control trucks on display in the HQ showroom. This is a model specifically for Australia and developed from the FSR 140 260 4x2 Dual Control model, which has been on sale for a few years.

The decision to expand the dual control range comes as the Iveco Acco, as we formerly knew it, ceases production. The X-Way based replacement Acco has yet to gain acceptance in the waste industry and truck makers like Isuzu are preparing the ground to fill a hole in the market which seems to be appearing.

The new 16.5 tonne and 24 tonne GVM dual control models include the FVY with the correct wheelbase length for a side loader body and Hendrickson airbag rear suspension, with its tare weight advantages. The new FVZ dual control uses Isuzu’s six-rod and trunnion taper leaf rear suspension.

The Dual Control models are fitted with Meritor axles, FVZ and FVY using the MT44-144 rear axle tandem set with driver-controlled inter-axle lock and cross-locks on both axles. Brakes are Meritor Q-Plus dual circuit full air ‘S-cam’ front and rear brakes with auto slack adjusters and ABS as standard.

“We’re extremely pleased to be able to bring additional factory dual control solutions to market,” says Les Spaltman, Isuzu National Sales Manager. “Many would be aware of the

discontinuation of some of the more traditional, go-to truck models in this sector. In response, we have a highly competitive, low tare weight solution on offer, one which ticks some key boxes for Australian operators.”

The new models are a combination of what can be built out of Japan and then modified and added to, here in Australia, as the rest of the dual control system and then the compactor bodies are fitted.

According to Isuzu the specifications closely match the strict requirements of the Australian garbage industry, coming in at a very competitive tare weight as well.

APPLICATION SPECIALISATION The trucking industry in Australia first saw the new Ready-to-Work Freightpack range when it was officially previewed at the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show. The ReadyTo-Work concept has a long history in the Isuzu camp with the first introduction being of ready to work tippers, followed by the Tradepack and Traypack options then the Vanpack and now Servicepack.

The concept is a simple one, the customers simply walks into the Isuzu dealership and can buy, virtually off-theshelf, a truck which is set up to work as a tipper or in many other applications.

The breadth of options mean there is an offthe-shelf Isuzu

truck available in many situations.

The Freightpack takes the concept a little further and a little higher up the weight range. It is based on the F Series and sees a number of models available with bodies from 10 pallets up to 14 pallets. There are five Freightpack models available in the Isuzu medium duty range from a small FRR 240 hp AMT all the way up to an FVL curtainsider at 300 hp with an Allison automatic transmission.

The curtains on the Freightpack have just three buckles which make for quick opening and closing of the curtains for multi-drop delivery drivers. These are serious buckles, known as the Lightning Latch, providing enough tension to keep the curtain in place out on the road.

When driving these trucks, the curtains stayed tight and there was very little noticeable flap at 100 km/h out on the highway. Throughout the road test the curtains retained the correct tension and the system proved itself in some windy conditions.

The Ready-to-Work concept has a long history in the Isuzu camp.

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

“WE’VE APPLIED OUR SUCCESSFUL READY-TO-WORK STRATEGY TO THE LIGHTER END OF THE GENERAL FREIGHT MARKET AND NOW WE’RE TARGETING THE MEDIUM AND HEAVY-DUTY RIGID MARKETS WITH THESE TIGHTLY SPECCED AND HIGHLY PRACTICAL F SERIES FREIGHTPACK MODELS.” These bodies also come with movable gates which are attached to a rail on the body’s roof and can be moved along the body and stacked at either end, out of the way of the freight. The dimensions of the gates have also been adjusted to better suit normal pallet widths. Standard 1500mm gates are a mismatch for smaller pallets. These gates are 1080mm wide, making them lighter and easier to handle as well as lining them up with the elements in the load itself.

These changes to the curtains and gates look like they are going to be able to make loading and unloading quicker and easier than on some other body types.

Safety is highlighted with yellow markings on steps and handles for the driver when climbing up onto the cargo floor. This yellow theme is repeated on the steps and handles when climbing in and out of the truck itself.

There is also a reversing camera at the rear of the body and an interior camera inside, both linked up to the entertainment screen in the cabin. The interior lighting in the body is also smartly effective with

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DIESEL January-February 2020

the LED lighting not only lighting up the cargo area, but when the curtains are open, the lighting illuminates the area outside the truck and the ground from which it is being loaded.

“We’ve applied our successful Readyto-Work strategy to the lighter end of the general freight market and now we’re targeting the medium and heavy-duty rigid markets with these tightly specced and highly practical F Series Freightpack models,” says Les. “We’ve specified key GVM, engine and transmission configurations, providing flexible freight workhorses for a variety of operations.

“The trucks are fitted with a range of time-saving and convenience enhancing features and like all our Ready-to-Work models, all can be put straight to work direct from your Isuzu dealer.”

Year-on-year the ready to go models are becoming a larger part of overall Isuzu sales, now up to 25 per cent, as the formula proves to be effective and has become accepted by Isuzu customers. We can expect more variants into the future, with more due to arrive during 2020.

At the same time, Isuzu is upping the ante in the safety stakes on some models in the F Series range. This time around the FRR and FRD models with a GVM around 11 tonnes will be offered with Stability Control as standard, as of 2020.

This technology has been successfully deployed in N Series range and is now working its way up the weight scale.

TAILOR MADE TRUCKS Isuzu are extending the tipper segment of the ready to work range up the weight scale as well, with the introduction of the FSR 140 260 Tipper. Its GVM of 14 tonnes can be derated to 12 tonnes upon request, and a GCM of 20 tonnes, this new FSR truck breaks new ground for prebodied tippers and sees Isuzu continuing to extend the ready for work offering in dealership yards.

These introductions substantially extend the existing tipper options available, making a ready built tipper option available from a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 4.5 tonnes all of the way through to 14 tonnes. The new, heavier tipper has a cubic capacity of 5.2 cubic metres and a payload over 7.5 tonnes.

“We spoke directly with our customers, and the key message was clear, greater payload, greater capacity and longer body length,” says Les. “Specifically, our customers wanted a robust tipper body that could easily float a typical medium-duty excavator to and from jobs.

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

The new 16.5 tonne and 24 tonne GVM dual control models include the FVY with the correct wheelbas length for a side loader body.

“At 4.4 metres long the body on the FSR 140 260 Tipper delivers on this, along with a 7.8 tonnes payload and 5.2 cubicmetre load capacity.”

Another successful ready to work range for Isuzu has been the Vanpack which provides a simple pantech body fitted on the rear of an N Series truck, making it ready to go in a wide range of distribution applications. Many operators running this kind of trucks are simply looking for a simple and flexible mobile storage space.

New truck buyers will often find that buying a chassis and then getting a body fitted can be a traumatic process.

The truck itself may be available, but truck bodybuilders, especially in the

crowded small body builder space are, are often overloaded with work will have waiting times for bodies stretching out into many months.

ON THE ROAD With all of this new kit out on the road, a driver can only get a small taste of how these new trucks handle and what difference they will make to potential buyers. However, testing a series of new, loaded Isuzu trucks does reinforce aspects of the reasons for Isuzu’s continuing dominance in the Australian truck market.

These trucks are of a consistent quality, not only of design, but also of their finish.

These trucks drive well straight off the bat.

Their consistent design also means any driver stepping from one point in the range to another will have no problems adapting to the new environment, in trucks all of the way through the N and F series ranges.

Trying a selection over one day’s driving allows the driver to divine the nuances, those subtle differences, which can be so important in exactly matching a truck to an application. There are things like the car-like drive feel and ride in the models fitted with an independent front suspension. Luckily, the new trucks fitted with stability control did not get to go show the new system’s effectiveness, this kind of test driving does not need to take things that far.

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OPERATOR PROFILE

CHANGING AND ADAPT TO THE TAS The move from a long career using road trains in the Northern Territory to the relatively civilised Gold Coast and much smaller combination has meant a lot of changes for Spud Murphy. He speaks with Paul Matthei about his thoughts on the differences in culture and operation.

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DIESEL January-February 2020

OPERATOR PROFILE

L

ING K

ogichaul is a transport company based at Yatala on Brisbane’s south side that uses a variety of vehicles including semis and 19-metre B-doubles to deliver masonryand other palletised building materials in Queensland and New SouthWales.

Last year the company added five UD Quon prime movers to its fleet, and according to Brian ‘Spud’ Murphy, National Fleet and Logistics Manager at Logichaul, the Quons are proving to be an ideal prime mover for this mediumdistance haulage operation.

Spud should know, considering he’s a 35-year industry veteran, with a good part of this spent managing a fleet of road train fuel tankers in the Northern Territory, home to some of the harshest operating environments in the country.

While the best prime mover for hauling ‘trains’ in the Territory is pretty much at the other end of the spectrum to what’s required for carting bricks around Brisbane, Spud’s long experience gives him the ability to discern the best vehicle for a given task, whatever that task may entail.

He started his career in the mid1980s as an apprentice diesel mechanic with Detroit Diesel at a time when the 6V71, 8V71 and 8V92 two-stroke Detroit Dieselswere popular choices in the heavy-duty scene.

Then in the latter years of the ‘80s the revolutionary Detroit Diesel Series 60 four-stroke engine – the first heavyduty diesel to incorporate electronic fuel injection and engine management – burst onto the scene. For Spud, this helped add another dimension to his mechanical expertise.

“Since then I’ve been involved in the trucking industry in various roles, most recently as Fleet Manager for fuel haulage company Direct Haul in the Northern Territory, a position I held for 11 years,” says Spud.

Some three years ago Spud made a significant ‘sea change’, moving from Darwin where he was born and raised to Brisbane where he joined Logichaul, a company that specialises in the delivery of palletised and general construction materials including bricks, blocks, pavers, pylons, sleepers and sand in Queensland and New South Wales.

Asked about the transition from his

Brian ‘Spud’ Murphy, National Fleet and Logistics Manager at Logichaul.

previous role in Darwin to his current role in Brisbane, Spud says that while a lot of things are surprisingly similar, the biggest difference by a country mile is the drivers.

“I came from the road train space with old-school drivers who come to work with a lunch box in one hand and a small toolbox in the other,” explains Spud.

“Here in the ‘big smoke’ the drivers come to work with a small lunchbox, if that, and many of them have very little comprehension of the basic workings of a truck from front to back, and often the care factor just isn’t there. That’s by far the biggest difference that stands out to me.”

KEEPING THE FLEET WORKING In his current role, Spud is charged with the task of keeping the fleet working as efficiently as possible and introducing the most reliable and fit-forpurpose prime movers to progressively replace the older units.

The prime movers bought by the company’s previous owner are a mix of Volvo FM and FH, Mack Super-Liner and Kenworth T359 and T401 units.

After doing his research, Spud reckoned the majority of Logichaul’s work would be capably handled by the latest version of UD’s Quon. As a result, the fleet of 37 prime movers now includes five Quon GW 26 460 6x4 units.

“UD is a truck that’s always been on my radar,” says Spud. “The Japanese are very quality-focused and meticulous in the way they do things. When I was at

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OPERATOR PROFILE

Logichaul specialises in the delivery of palletised and general construction materials including bricks, blocks, pavers, pylons, sleepers and sand.

Direct Haul, we had 60 light vehicles and they were predominantly Toyotas. We had a number of brands of light vehicles over the years, but the Toyota vehicles proved their longevity in the harsh Territory environment.”

In terms of the UD product, Spud says he has been particularly impressed by the company’s willingness to listen to his suggestions on how the trucks can be further improved to suit specific Australian operational conditions and customer needs. He recalls an occasion when he was with some senior UD representatives in Japan and their eagerness to hear his input.

“I was at the test track with a couple of the Senior Engineers and the Vice President of UD Trucks showing them a few things about the truck that I would like to see changed, and the VP was straight on the phone relating what I’d said to others in the company,” says Spud. “There was no mucking around, they are very receptive to what can be improved and proactive in making it happen.

“Over my career I’ve attended

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DIESEL January-February 2020

“THE METICULOUS, SOLID AND RELIABLE WAY THE JAPANESE BUILD MACHINERY COUPLED WITH THE TECHNOLOGY FROM THE VOLVO GROUP IS A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN, I RECKON... FOR OUR APPLICATION IT’S THE COMPLETE PACKAGE – A STRONG PERFORMING, COST-EFFECTIVE AND ROBUST TRUCK. IN ESSENCE, THEY’RE A DOWN-TOEARTH WORKHORSE, BUILT TO DO A SPECIFIC TASK.” plenty of drive days with the various manufacturers and often the senior management people and engineers will be there for the opening function before making themselves scarce.

“Not these guys at UD, they were right there at the coalface, looking, touching and feeling and genuinely wanting to know what I thought about the truck and how it could be improved. That really stood out to me.”

According to Spud, UD has taken up the challenge of developing its products for the Australian market, understanding that whatever stands up well in this

country’s harsh environment will work well anywhere else in the world.

“We definitely have a great testing ground for vehicles in this country,” says Spud.

The marriage of UD with parent company Volvo has, in Spud’s view, been the making of the UD marque. But he also believes that technology has been added in a carefully targeted manner, rather than technology for technology’s sake.

This means the highly desirable UD core strengths of relative simplicity combined with excellent reliability and durability have been maintained.

OPERATOR PROFILE

“The meticulous, solid and reliable way the Japanese build machinery coupled with the technology from the Volvo Group is a match made in heaven, I reckon,” says Spud.

“For our application it’s the complete package – a strong performing, costeffective and robust truck. In essence, they’re a down-to-earth workhorse, built to do a specific task and that’s what appealed to us and led us to choose these trucks as replacements for some of our older units.”

Spud goes on to suggest that with ample room around the engine to facilitate the simple replacement of components like the compressor, for example, the Quons give him the impression that they have been designed by people who actually work on trucks themselves.

Another down-to-earth feature Spud likes about the UDs is the greaseable universal joints and kingpins. He reasons that when someone is regularly under the truck greasing these items they are naturally checking out the entire undercarriage and are therefore more

likely to notice if a component is broken or on the way out.

He also appreciates the ease with which drivers can carry out pre-start checks, with the power steering oil and engine coolant levels, along with the engine oil level, able to be checked visually without opening the front panel or tilting the cab.

On the other hand, Spud is also fully impressed with the relevant Swedish technology that has migrated into the UDs thanks to the Volvo Group family connection, specifically the engine, transmission and disc brakes on all axles.

In fact, Spud says there are only two elements of the current UD GW 26 460 that he would like to see modified, specifically to better suit the 19-metre B-double task. The shortest wheelbase currently available is 3,300mm, a measurement Spud would like to see reduced to a neat 3,000mm. He also wouldn’t mind an extra 40 or so horses under the shed.

“It would be handy to have 500hp and a shorter wheelbase to let us transfer more weight onto the steer axle,” explains Spud, emphasising that the 4.6 tonne loaded steer weight of the current Quons in B-double trim should ideally be around 6.0 tonnes.

That said, Spud acknowledges that the operating conditions are entirely different and that navigating a truck through suburban Brisbane throws up its own unique set of challenges.

“We’re in the metro environment here in the hustle and bustle with the narrow streets and the tight building sites so the drivers do have a much more confined workspace in which to operate,” he concedes, adding that minor bumps and scratches on the trucks are a reasonably regular occurrence.

This prompts Spud to mention another thing he likes about the Quon, the fact that the three-piece front bumper is easy to remove and replace when the inevitable occurs.

“The left and right front corner panels are where most of the damage happens,” says Spud, gesturing to a line-up of new panels on the floor of his office. “The Quon is great because these panels can be changed in about 10 minutes, it’s unbeatable in that respect. It shows the engineers have put thought into these things and designed them with the technician in mind.”

All in all, Spud is extremely pleased with the 11-litre Quon package and looks forward to seeing the product refined further still in the future.

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

ELECTRIC TRUCKS ARE THE FUTURE

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DIESEL January-February 2020

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

Reading the latest about new trucks around the world, there’s little doubt that electric trucks are the future and it is simply a matter of how long until electric power dominates.

T

he amount of investment by all of the major manufacturers in electric power technology is running at a rate which means they all believe in an electric future.

There have been a number of stories about developing electric power in Australia. SEA Electric are putting electric power systems into trucks in Dandenong, Victoria. Customers buy a conventionally powered model, remove the diesel engine and replace it with the new powertrain.

Daimler Trucks are the first to have a truck designed to run on electric power in Australia. This Fuso eCanter was first seen on display at the Brisbane truck show back in May and has remained in the country to be tested by prospective big fleet customers, to examine the new truck’s potential in our market.

FUSO’S ECANTER At first sight the Fuso eCanter looks just like any ordinary small truck delivering goods in any city in Australia. There is a distinctive blue piping around the grille and some other components to

give hints about the different power plant under the cabin.

In fact, the truck tested here is a typical Canter, a test bed for the concept and being used as a proof-of concept for etrucks in this market. Engineers have taken the design and changed those components needed to make an electric truck, but left some others which would normally appear in a diesel truck. As an example, the dashboard still has a fuel gauge with a small image of a fuel bowser on it, but the needle indicates the level of charge left in the battery.

In essence, the powertrain forward of the linkage between gearbox and drive shaft has been removed. In the space usually filled with diesel engine is a cooling system and the components which control the power and distribute the electricity, plus two batteries stacked one on top of the other. Behind this, where the gearbox normally lives is an electric motor and a direct drive transmission.

There are another four batteries slung on the side of the chassis, where you would normally find the fuel tanks.

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TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

This is a very simple driveline, electrical power from the batteries spins the electric motor and that motive power is transmitted to the rear wheels via the drive shaft. No gears, no noise and no exhaust.

The electric motor being used is described as an AC synchronous electric motor and this is coupled to a single speed reduction drive. Although the batteries can be charged in less than two hours with the preferred charging system, the DC CHAdeMO type, there is an alternative AC charging system, the J1772 type1, which will charge the batteries in four hours.

The six batteries are sourced from elsewhere in the Daimler empire and are liquid cooled lithium ion battery packs.

The batteries run at 360volts and have total storage capacity of 82.8kWh (as a comparison, the Tesla Model S car with a 85 kWh battery has a range of 510 km). At the moment, Daimler reckon the eCanter’s range is ‘over 100km’.

The electric driveline also offers a two stage regenerative braking system alongside the electro-hydraulic braking with the dual calibre discs on the eCanter.

In terms of power in the eCanter, 184hp (135kW) is available all of the way through the rev range. Similarly, the 390Nm (288ft lb) of torque is also available any time the driver puts their foot on the pedal. These simple numbers do little to explain the different experience this is to the normal run-of-the-mill diesel truck.

HOW DOES IT GO? The cold hard numbers about power and torque available on the Fuso eCanter tell us very little about how different the driving experience is in this truck. Sitting down in the drivers seat and turning the key before the engine fires into life does not happen. Instead, the driver simply plugs in the key to the dashboard and pushes the start button.

There is no engine start-up clatter but there is some mechanical whirring noise at this point. The first manoeuvres with this truck, out of its parking place and onto the road, are similar to the slow manoeuvring we would expect in a diesel truck at tick over.

It is when we arrive on the open street that the difference suddenly becomes extremely clear. Yes, the truck is virtually silent, and the truck is moving slowly away from the parking space. Then, as a driver, you do something perfectly natural,

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DIESEL January-February 2020

The dashboard still has a fuel gauge with a small image of a fuel bowser on it, but the needle indicates the level of charge left in the battery.

you press on the accelerator to get it up to speed.

This is when the new experience differs vastly from anything you have experienced before. Simply pressing the accelerator does not create any extra sound, but the truck takes off like a bullet.

The driver is pushed back into the seat by the swift acceleration and the most eerie part of the feeling is the fact that it is not accompanied by any noise.

This swift acceleration has the effect of modifying the way the driver puts their foot onto the pedal from then on. That initial explosion of acceleration makes the driver wary of pushing it down too hard. Next time around, all of a sudden, it is gently, gently on the right foot.

This feeling of shock and surprise only lasts a few minutes until the communication between the brain and the right foot works out how much pressure is required to get sensible acceleration and deceleration from this electric power source. Within 10 minutes it is perfectly natural to expect quite a swift take off from traffic lights with just a gentle push on the accelerator.

However, there is a temptation to try to beat all-comers away from the lights when they turn green. Having worked as a city-based parcel delivery driver in an earlier life, I suspect that some degree of modulation on the calibration of the throttle may be needed to rein in the worst excesses of the racing parcel delivery driver.

The main impression from driving this truck is just how easily it appears to do the job. As the drivers of diesel vehicles, we

associate engine noise with hard work, and that does not happened here, at all.

Another surprise is just how effective the retardation is. The small exhaust brake lever on the left-hand side of the steering column on a Fuso Canter will normally make a change to the engine note and provide a little bit of retardation. Doing the same thing on a Fuso eCanter is completely different.

Retardation here is simply using the driveline to drive the electric motor to recharge the battery. This means there is quite a lot of energy transfer from the wheels into the battery. Pulling the engine brake on pulls the truck up pretty quickly.

When it is engaged, as soon as the driver releases the accelerator, the truck starts to slow and it will slow up to the point where only a small application of the service brakes will bring the truck to a complete halt at traffic lights.

As with all of these new technologies, driver training is going to become an important part of using this vehicle. Gentle acceleration matching the traffic around the truck will conserve power in the battery.

Racing Ferraris away from the traffic lights is possible, but is likely to drastically reduce truck range.

Another thing drivers need to think about is the fact that this truck is basically silent. As it passes a pedestrian, there is some tyre noise and, if the truck is travelling fast enough, some wind noise.

But that is it.

Travelling slowly along a street in an industrial area, this driver had to be aware of pedestrians who were thinking about

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Going the Extra Mile

TRUCK DEVELOPMENT

There is a distinctive blue piping around the grille and some other components to give hints about the different power plant under the cabin.

crossing the road and not noticing there was a truck coming. This adds an extra element to the observation any driver of electric trucks needs to include in their behaviour.

An alternative solution is likely to emerge, whereby an electric vehicle will make some kind of distinctive sound as it travels along, so that pedestrians will be aware there is a vehicle in the vicinity. The truck will probably also have to send some form of signal to mobile phone users in the vicinity, as a warning.

GOING OVER TO ELECTRIC POWER This is the type of urban truck we can expect to see going over to electric power when it first arrives in any numbers. Urban small parcel distribution is ideal. The trucks doing this work spend the day in a stop/go world and never stray too far from home base.

The fact they are never too far from base is an important one. The limiting factor with all electric trucks is range, how far they can go on one charge and how long it takes to charge them up to go out on the road again.

This is where we will see the first electric fleets appearing. Australia Post will be trialling this eCanter and other companies working in the same segment of the market will be looking hard at the latest trends in electric vehicles.

Once electric power establishes itself in this part of the market we can expect the technology to move up the weight range

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DIESEL January-February 2020

into the heavier medium duty distribution truck, before moving into the heavier rigids plying their trade around the streets of our cities.

The limiting factor is range, the factor which limits this is battery technology. It is possible to build a truck which can travel may hundreds of kilometres between charges, but the mass of the batteries needed would mean there would be little room for paying freight on the vehicle.

It is true that battery technology is moving forward in leaps and bounds, with more storage in lighter units, with faster charging. The other factor is also that with these new batteries being sold in relatively low number, the cost per battery is very high. We are in a chicken and egg situation, the price of batteries will drop when the manufacturers are selling them in the hundreds of thousands and people will buy them in hundreds of thousands when the price comes down.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? The question for operators in Australia who are looking at the electric power option is, where do we go from here? Unlike places such as Europe, California and Japan, there is very little pressure built into the new regulations in Australia about reducing the trucking industry’s carbon footprint.

There is not a legislative drive to reduce the amount of diesel being consumed on roads hauling freight.

Therefore, electric trucks will come seriously into play when the economics around them starts to make sense. This may be some way off at the moment. The costs of batteries and really limited range available with the current batteries makes electric trucks in Australia impractical.

However, when the numbers being sold in Europe or the US start to ramp up and the manufacturers start to get some economies of scale, then the maths might just start to add up.

Many manufactures seem to be waiting for someone to come up with the magic bullet, which will drastically increase truck range and reduce battery costs. That kind of quantum leap is not currently on the horizon, but battery technology is moving pretty fast and if the eCanter is offering us 100 km range now, we can expect that to double over the next couple of years, and so on and so on.

As a result of global moves by all of the major truck manufacturers, and energy makers, to put a lot of money into electric power, the stage seems to be set for electric trucks to take over the world, in many segments. Long distance B-double interstate haulage looks set to still be handled by 15 or 16 L diesel engines for the foreseeable future, however.

“This is the first series production electric truck developed with the might of the world’s largest truck manufacturer with a global reach,” says Daniel Whitehead, President and CEO, Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific. “It was not bolted together in a shed, but developed and tested by Daimler over a number of years, starting off life as the Canter E-Cell prototype that operated in its first public test program in 2015.

“The eCanter is not available in Australia just yet, but when it is, it will come with all the benefits of being backed by an established truck-maker, including the assurance of parts, service support and warranty coverage provided by our national Fuso dealership network.”

On the basis of this truck test it seems that the transport industry can look forward to an efficient, and an extremely quiet, solution to be on our roads in the future. The basic technology is there and capable of doing the job, all we seem to be waiting for is when the range available from these trucks goes up and the price for these trucks comes down.

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GOING GLOBAL

A hydrogen future for trucks Hydrogen fuel cells are widely considered to be the fuel of the future, and according to Iveco and Hyundai, a hydrogen future for trucks is closer than we think, says our Going Global European correspondent, Will Shiers.

A

ttend a European commercial vehicle trade show these days, and you could easily be mistaken for thinking that trucks don’t run on diesel any more. A great example of this was November’s Solutrans Show in Lyon, France, where every manufacturer had something to say about alternative fuels. I only spotted a couple of diesel engines on display in the entire show, and they had been hidden away, banished to the corner of stands like naughty school boys who had been caught smoking!

It was the same story at London’s Freight in the City Expo, which also took place in November. Amongst the alternative fuels vying for attendees’

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DIESEL January-February 2020

attention were zero-emission batterypowered and hybrid trucks, as well as those running on natural gas, hydrogen and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). But nobody dared to mention the ‘D’ word.

Yes, I know the world has changed, and there’s a whole new social mediaconnected generation who are seemingly sickened by the thought of burning fossil fuels. But I wonder how many of them realise quite how clean modern diesel engines are. Drive a Euro-6 truck into London and it will actually help to alleviate the pollution problem, as its tailpipe emissions will be cleaner than the air the residents are breathing!

Looking to the future however, it’s safe to assume that diesel’s days are numbered.

HMM will establish a hydrogen fuelling infrastructure, using existing fuel stations to keep costs down, and “solving the age-old chicken and egg problem”.

GOING GLOBAL

What will replace it? Well, talking to the truck makers, it’s clear that there isn’t a golden bullet, which explains why most have a foot in many camps. Over the next few years we’ll certainly see more zeroemission battery-powered trucks in our city centres, but when it comes to longhaul, most experts seem to agree that hydrogen fuel cells are the future. And if you talk to either Hyundai or Iveco, the not too distant future!

HYUNDAI’S HYDROGEN HOPES Hyundai has never sold trucks in Europe before, but in 2020 that changes. In early 2020 Hyundai will put its first 50 trucks on the road in Switzerland, and has ambitious plans to take the total number in that country to 1,600 within the next five years.

What’s more, other European countries will follow soon after. The reason why I describe this first foray into Europe as ‘ambitious’, is because all of them will be powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

The H2 XCIENT trucks will be supplied though Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HMM), a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Company and H2 Energy. They will be powered by 100 per cent green hydrogen, produced by Hydrospider, a collaboration between Alpiq, H2 Energy and Linde.

The innovative business model sees Swiss hauliers taking the trucks on eight-year contracts, paying on a per km basis. Mark Freymuller, president of commercial vehicle eco-friendly business development at Hyundai Motor Company, told me this fee will include the truck, maintenance, battery replacement and hydrogen supply, “which makes it much easier for customers to replace diesel trucks without worrying”.

He explained that HMM will establish a hydrogen fuelling infrastructure, using existing fuel stations to keep costs down, and “solving the age-old chicken and egg problem”.

While HMM will attempt to make the trucks as cost-effective as possible, Rolf Huber, chairman of H2 Energy, acknowledged that in most cases the hydrogen trucks will have a slightly higher total cost of ownership (TCO) than equivalent diesel-powered vehicles. “If you’re looking for the cheapest truck, this probably isn’t it,” he said, before explaining that the more miles a customer covers, the smaller the gap in cost between hydrogen and diesel.

He said they start by understanding

a potential customer’s business, then calculate their current TCO. “Then once we have a benchmark, we try our hardest to match it, which involves some negotiating,” he added.

The negotiating seems to work, as according to Freymuller “the smallest of all the problems we face is attracting customers”. He said the first batch of 50 trucks all have hauliers waiting, and he sees no issue with finding customers for the other 1,550 due by 2025.

Nikola Tre, the company’s European offering, will be based on the new Iveco S-Way.

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GOING GLOBAL

The ‘Iveco way’ is hydrogen fuel cells, possible thanks to its tie-up with Nikola.

In fact, the company is also talking to potential customers in Austria, France, Germany and Holland, and expects to expand out of Switzerland this year.

Huber explained that target countries are those with financial incentives for

WHAT IS A FUEL CELL? I never paid attention in physics lessons, but in simple terms a fuel cell is an electrochemical device that combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity. Seeing as the only bi-products are heat and water, they’re incredibly clean. However, unlike the hydrogen that will be used in the Swiss project outlined above, most of the world’s hydrogen is currently produced from fossil fuels.

Tech spec - Hyundai H2 XCIENT Motor: 350kW Fuel cell: 190kW Range: 400km Hydrogen tank size: 34.5kg Time to refuel: 8 minutes

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DIESEL January-February 2020

operating the cleanest trucks.

But one potential problem the company faces is setting up an after-sales network. It immediately ruled out piggybacking on the car network, so instead is looking for European partners.

But that’s not all. Hyundai recently made a huge splash stateside, when it previewed its HDC-6 Neptune Concept Class 8 heavy duty truck (see breakout box on page 59) at the North American CV Show (NACV) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Although it admits to currently not having a large enough fuel cell to power an 80,000lb (36.2-tonne) truck, it is only a matter of time. Edward Lee, executive vice president of Hyundai Motor Company’s CV business division, said: “We believe this is the fuel for the next 100 years, and Hyundai will be the biggest player. This is the core business for our company.”

INNOVATION FROM IVECO In 2025, European truck manufacturers will have to slash the average CO2 emissions of new trucks by 15 per cent or face hefty fines. While some will no doubt struggle, Iveco is embracing the

challenge. Why? Because parent company CNH Industrial has just invested US$250m ($365,000) In Arizona-based hydrogen fuel cell specialist Nikola Motor Company.

According to Gerrit Marx, CNH Industrial president of commercial and speciality vehicles, truck makers have two options – electrification, or ‘the Iveco way’.

Explaining option one first, Marx said truck makers will need to electrify roughly 10 per cent of the vehicles they sell. “We will start to see 800kWh or 1gWh batteries in trucks. They will have to charge €250,000 ($405,000) but how many would they sell? Not many! But they need to sell them or else they will be sued €200m ($323m) a year.”

The ‘Iveco way’ is hydrogen fuel cells, possible thanks to its tie-up with Nikola.

“Batteries are chemical nightmares,” said Marx, “and we are convinced that for long-haul, batteries need to be as small as possible, maybe 125kWh, and fuel cells as large as possible.”

At a recent press conference, Marx told me that Nikola had the pick of all the major truck makers, but opted for

GOING GLOBAL

HDC-6 NEPTUNE Inspired by the streamliner railway locomotives from the 1930s, the HDC6 Neptune concept truck certainly turned some heads at the NACV Show in Atlanta. One of the most prominent external features is the wrap-around grill, which is designed to maximise airflow and cooling. It incorporates retractable steps and a sliding door.

Hyundai describes Neptune as “a combination of both cab-over-engine and conventional truck”, which “achieves packaging efficiency and improved ergonomics”.

Iveco for three reasons. The first of these is Iveco’s success in selling natural gaspowered trucks in Europe.

“We have launched a new powertrain technology with a new refuelling network.

Although hydrogen is very different to gas, we have proved that we can revolutionise a segment,” Marx declared proudly.

He cited Iveco’s absence from Nikola’s home market as reason number two.

“Trevor [Milton, CEO and founder of Nikola] said ‘You are not in the US, so I can fully trust you not to try to make me fail at home. You want me to be successful in the US because you will enter the US with me. If we partner with someone who already has a big US operation, they will

never love us.’ But we are a problemfreepartner,” he said.

Marx’s third reason is Iveco’s size. “We are the smallest heavy-duty truck maker in Europe,” he explained. “We are, and have proved to be the most resourceful.

We know how to fight in difficult positions, how to operate with small market shares, and how to work around the challenges that this brings. You could call us the humble fighters.”

He confirmed that the Nikola Tre, the company’s European offering, will be based on the new Iveco S-Way, and is likely to be built at one of Iveco’s existing factories. Marx announced that the first examples would appear on European

roads in 2023 and would “look kick-ass!”.

But despite his enthusiasm, he’s the first to acknowledge that there will be some challenges ahead. He said: “Will it be a huge breakthrough in 2023? Off course not! Will we have a few hundred trucks on the road? Of course! Will a few of thembreakdown? Of course!”

But he is convinced that Iveco is on the right road, one that gives his company a serious advantage over the competition.

“Everyone can put together a truck with batteries that drives around emissionfree like a Tesla,” he says. “Anybody with money can do that. Iveco can’t outspend the competition, but we can outpace and outsmart them.”

Hyundai’s HDC-6 Neptune Concept.

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GOING GLOBAL

AN EXPLOSION OF INTEREST IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES All across the trucking industry in the United States observers are currently seeing an explosion of interest in electric vehicles. Diesel’s US Correspondent, Steve Sturgess, tells us the latest announcements are topped by Amazon’s decision to purchase 100,000 Rivian electric delivery vans for last-mile operations. The most remarkable thing about this order is that the vans currently do not even exist.

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ivian is a start-up that caught everybody’s interest with the showing of the R1T all-electric fullsize ute and R1S, an SUV based on the same platform. Launched at the LA Auto Show in 2018, these are the only vehicles, in prototype form, that actually exist. But Rivian has caught Ford’s attention with the legacy automaker investing $500 million in the company.

This, plus the backing by Saudis and banks allowed the fledgling company to buy a shuttered Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Illinois back in 2017. Showing its canny plan to become an automaker to rival Tesla, the huge car parks surrounding the car plant make money storing diesel Volkswagens that are forbidden on US roads. This revenue stream covers the standing

costs of the plant, says Rivian.

The deal with Amazon has also resulted in a $700 million investment by Amazon which sounds like a lot, but for the world’s biggest retailer it’s just walkingaround money.

Based on the claims for the ute and SUV, the vans should be highly viable. The two existing vehicles have a claimed range of 400 miles and a 0-60mph performance in the three and a half seconds. They are highly distinctive, a bit homely but the automotive world is waiting for things to get going with these models.

Rivian is to get state funding for putting people to work in the plant, but already the company employs 750 people in the Detroit area, in R&D in California and at the plant.

The Rivian will be a delivery van, but the

plug-in electrics are creating a renewed interest as heavier commercial vehicles get into ‘customer’ hands. Freightliner has delivered the first eM2 106 mediumduty truck to Penske Truck Leasing in Los Angeles and the first two eCascadia class 8 tractors to Penske and innovative carrier NFI. NFI is interesting as it only carries dedicated freight for its customers, so has a very good handle on its freight lanes. It has also recently added hauling out of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where there are efforts to convert all vehicles used in the ports or hauling freight out to be zero emissions. And currently the only zero emissions vehicles are electric.

Peterbilt just announced it is to deliver six battery electric Model 220EV medium-

Peterbilt’s Model 220EV was introduced at CES in January 2019 and now joins the Models 579EV short haul prime mover and 520EV refuse truck in customer field trials.

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GOING GLOBAL

duty trucks to PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division.

It made the announcement in late 2019 with the delivery of the first truck which is part of Frito-Lay’s Modesto, California, Zero- and Near Zero-Emission Freight Facility Project (ZANZEFF).

“Peterbilt continues to lead the charge in electric commercial vehicle development,” said Jason Skoog, Paccar Vice President and Peterbilt General Manager at the hand-over.

“With Frito-Lay’s Model 220EV, Peterbilt will have 15 battery electric trucks in three applications, city delivery, regional haul and refuse, in customers’ hands running real routes and collecting real world validation data.”

Peterbilt’s Model 220EV was introduced at CES (aka Consumer Electronics Show) in January 2019 and now joins the Models 579EV short haul prime mover and 520EV refuse truck in customer field trials.

Skoog’s comment really sums up the applications all the heavy duty nameplates are targeting. Freightliner already is operating in selected distribution operations the plug-in electric eCanter from Daimler’s Japanese Fuso brand.

Mack showed a low cab forward class 8 refuse truck at the recent Waste Expo. With an all-Mack battery electric powertrain, the demonstration model will begin real-world testing in 2020 in the demanding operations of the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY).

Mack’s integrated electric powertrain consists of two 130-kW motors producing a combined 496 peak hp (370 kW) and a staggering 4,051 lb.ft. (5,490 Nm) of torque available from zero rpm. Power is sent through a two-speed Mack Powershift transmission and put to the ground by Mack’s proprietary S522R 52,000-lb. rear axles. The Mack LR BEV features a copper-coloured Bulldog hood ornament, signifying that it’s an electric vehicle and distinguishing it from the gold Bulldog which signifies an all-Mack engine and drivetrain or the chrome Bulldog with indicates supplier components.

Rivian has caught Ford’s attention with the legacy automaker investing $500 million in the company.

Volvo has debuted the VNR Electric for drayage operations, initially out of the southern California ports. It is scheduled to go into operation in mid 2020. The introduction of the Volvo VNR Electric models is to be part of an innovative partnership, known as LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) between the Volvo Group, California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), and industry leaders in transportation and electrical charging infrastructure.

“The LIGHTS project is a truly unique opportunity to showcase a holistic approach to electrification of the freight transport industry as we handle ongoing challenges including electricity generation and battery optimisation,” said Peter Voorhoeve, President of Volvo Trucks North America.

Peterbilt’s sister division Kenworth is going down a different road with an all-electric powertrain, but with a rangeextending fuel cell stack from development partner Toyota. This is a Zero-emissions truck that has some emissions, water and nitrogen, both naturally occurring and harmless to the environment.

Which begs the question on the other fuel-cell range extended Nikola One, regional semi conventional Two and Trey cabover for European and other markets.

Nikola is pressing forward with some significant changes though did show a working model 2 at the recent Nikola World update.

Nikola recently signed a $16 million order to purchase equipment for the first phase of its fuel cell development laboratory, it announced at the event. The order represents the initial installment in an overall investment plan that totals several hundred million dollars.

“It is critical that we move fast and have the best equipment as part of our truck development process,” said Mark Russell, Nikola Motor Company’s President. “By creating our own facility, Nikola will be able to test and validate its fuel cell components in half the time it would take other OEMs and third-party labs.”

And Tesla? The company has said little publicly since the excitement at the Los Angeles launch back in late 2017.

According to reports, there is at least one Tesla semi running between the Reno, Nevada-based Tesla Gigafactory and the car assembly plant in Fremont, California.

The 230-mile route was widely predicted to be the first application for the semi.

Tesla creator Elon Musk has been a lot more vocal about the much-anticipated Tesla Pickup, which, if or when it happens, may be a money-maker, since pickups account for more than half the automotive market in America.

Which brings us back to Rivian . . .

www.dieselnews.com.au

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TECH KNOW

Roadside inspections and maintenance compliance Every year representatives of those stopping our trucks at the side of the road and inspecting them for compliance have to run the gauntlet and face up to questions from the floor at the TMC Conference held in Melbourne. This year saw the early signs of the changing nature of the relationship between poacher and game keeper.

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here is nothing more likely to push the buttons of a trucking operator or truck workshop manager than for a roadside enforcement officer to tell them they are not doing their job right and are about to receive a warning or a fine, or a full inspection.

The representatives of the roadside agencies must be more than a little nervous standing up in front of a large group of these people, not sure of the nature of the feedback, and just how negative or aggressive it will be.

This year’s Australian Trucking Association (ATA) TMC Conference was held in the Automotive Centre of Excellence in Kangan Batman TAFE in Melbourne’s Docklands and a full room greeted the representative of the various regulators quite warmly.

The heat has gone out of the relationship in the last few years. It is no longer regarded as OK for roadside officers to stand up and lecture the industry on its wrongdoings and insist on tarring all operators with the same brush.

The old ‘if we find out you are doing the wrong thing, we’re going to do you for it’ is a thing of the past.

At the same time it is no longer acceptable for a roomful of trucking people to berate and intimidate the representatives of the authorities who police the industry, just because they have

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DIESEL January-February 2020

Paul Simionato, NHVR Director for Southern Region Operations.

the temerity to stand up on stage and point out what trucking does wrong.

What’s changed? Basically the heat has been taken out of the topic by both sides of the fence dialling back the rhetoric and actually listening to the other side of the story. Operators are talking more proactively to the authorities and the authorities have become a lot more conciliatory and have cut back on the lecturing tone.

These TMC discussions have been

going on for quite a few years now and have been part of the reconciliation process. Operators and enforcement officers have got to know each other better and had a drink together at the TMC’s awards night, always a good way to take the sting out of an argument.

Another factor is the emergence of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). This organisation chose from the outset to stay well away from the adversarial attitude often adopted by state authorities. There’s has been a lot more inclusive attitude in their dealings with the trucking industry.

Now, the NHVR actually have some skin in the game as well. The organisation now runs the roadside enforcement in South Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. New South Wales is coming on board later this year.

If experience is anything to go by, the attitude and culture within enforcement when the NHVR is in charge is much changed. Often, it’s the same personnel pulling the trucks over, but the interaction with the trucking industry has become much smoother, with fewer bumps.

At the 2019 TMC one speaker who personified this was a seasoned regular, Russell Greenland, who was at the time Manager of Melbourne Metropolitan Region for VicRoads, but is now part of the NHVR fold as the NHVR have taken over the enforcement role in Victoria. In the

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Russell Greenland, former Manager of Melbourne Metropolitan Region for VicRoads.

previous year he spoke forcefully about breaches and outlined issues his officers caught by the side of the road, this time around we saw a much softer approach from a roadside veteran. He has obviously been drinking the NHVR kool aid.

“We apply a very simple national compliance and enforcement policy,” says Paul Simionato, NHVR Director for Southern Region Operations. “We are riskbased and intelligence-led and our main focus is always education on the side of the road. That’s the philosophy we have adopted and we will continue to adopt that as part of the NHVR enforcement policy.

“At the moment we are gathering data from all over Southern Australia and we are getting better at it. Now, we are targeting specific operators, which is increasing a lot of productivity. It means less time spent at the side of the road for our compliance officers. We have a number of ways of doing it at the moment and are rolling out a mobile solution.”

The NHVR are talking about the data being available to all of their officers in each state. If a truck has been dealt with in one state it will not be pulled over again in another state. The NHVR see that as a waste of their time and of the operators.

In South Australia, NHVR is finding a level of compliance around 80 per cent and picking up mainly mechanical problems and fatigue issues, with low levels of mass and registration offences.

In Tasmania, which doesn’t have roadside weigh-bridges the approach has been much more targeted and a compliance rate of 66 percent has been found. This is due to inspector only checking operators who are already under suspicion.

“We do risk-based profiling of operators, but we don’t do as many prosecutions as we used to,” says Russell Greenland. “But, we do visit companies and use things like the Confidential Reporting Line, using information from that to look at operators. Our view is not to concentrate so much on what they have done in the past, but when we visit, we find they have no systems in place and they are not managing what they do very well at all.

“Our view is we want to work with them so they become a functioning company able to make money and employ people. Of all of those operators we have visited in the last two years, I can count on one hand the ones we actually put improvement notices on and gone down a formal process.

“Most of the people we deal with actually put action plans in place and really looked at what they did with their business. A number of those operators have put up their hands to help other operators.”

One particular operation, Northern Carriers is singled out by Russell for mention because the company has gone above and beyond in what it has done to improve compliance and help others in doing so.

Although overall compliance for the whole vehicle is the aim, Russell says inspectors have been coming across an increasing number of drawbar issues in recent times. The inspection regime which many operators use is not being reflected in what is being seen during inspections at the roadside.

Load restraint has always been a thorny issue but Russell explains the inspectors are having to get more technical in understanding and regulating load restraint behaviour. Again the inspectors are going down a more educational route talking to operators and their staff at depots to help them become more compliant to the rules, if and when they are stopped by the side of the road.

www.dieselnews.com.au

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TECH KNOW

IKON EXTENDS STERIL SERVICE

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ince Ikon re-introduced the Stertil brand in 2004 there are now thousands of the Ikon range of their products in a huge variety of applications in in all states.All are supported by the local service technicians now with critical spare parts to minimise customer downtime.

Ikon’s dedication to these products and their applications in the Australian market has also taken Stertil into previously unexplored applications such as lifts for freight wagons, light rail, portable

buildings, container lifts and girder lifts for bridge builders as well as the conventional truck and bus markets. Ikon’s 24/7 Service hotline guarantees customers that wherever they are, the Ikon column lifts, accessories and assistance are readily available tominimise downtime.

The skill and experience of the Ikon interstate service technicians in all capital cities and major cities in east coast states plus Kalgoorlie, Esperance, Albany, Geraldton, Port Hedland, Karratha and Darwin and the dedicated Victorian team benefits Ikon’s buyers everywhere. Ikon’s

recent provision of critical OEM parts stock to capital city service technicians has now improved that service.

Our 15 years dedicated specialised lifting experience is a benefit to clients every day in many ways.

Ikon knows the value to its customers of fast, knowledgeable reliable after-salesupport complemented by the full range of OEM parts and in addition provides Quarterly and Annual Programmed Servicing to meet users’ obligations.

Ikon now also the 10 Year Major Tests required by AS1418.9.

GOOD DRIVER’S SEAT DESIGN

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he two areas in which good seat design can assist are in ensuring correct body support and ergonomic design to reduce muscle fatigue and with reduced transmission of vibration.

The accepted minimum design standard which is used by all major commercial seating manufacturers is to achieve an optimal position and support for the range of driver sizes from the 5th percentile female to the 95th percentile male. In practice, all good quality seat designs will exceed this standard by providing adjustments beyond the specified range.

As a minimum, adjustments must be provided for height, horizontal position and backrest recline angle.

In addition, cushion slope and length adjustment and a well-designed adjustable lumbar support will help to provide the best possible support for the seated driver.

Incorporation of lap-sash seat belts completely within the seat is also an important factor in assisting driver comfort and safety in modern trucks and all major European manufacturers, and all Australian manufacturers, now fit this type of seat as original equipment in heavy trucks.

In the areas of cushion shape and hardness there are unavoidable compromises. For example, foam

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DIESEL January-February 2020

hardness which provides optimum support for an 80kg driver may feel too hard for a 50kg driver and too soft for a 130kg driver but obviously a standard must be selected.

Foam shape design also requires compromise. Computerised pressure mapping systems are used by companies such as ISRI to develop the optimum foam pad shape. These systems work by determining the shape which produces the most equal pressure distribution and minimises the peaks of pressure on the seated body for a wide range.

DRIVER EDUCATION When a well-designed seat has been provided for the driver it is then important to ensure that the driver is trained in the operation of the seat and the correct method of using the adjustments provided to achieve the best seating position.

Because seating comfort is a very subjective judgement and the seat design must be a compromise to suit a wide range of driver sizes and shapes, it is inevitable that some drivers will express a personal preference for one seat type over another.

MAINTENANCE The basic safety checks on the seat mounting, operation of the seat and seat belt, and inspection for structural

damage should be carried out as frequently as other safety related checks on items such as brakes and lighting.

Apart from the obvious visible items such as cushion pads and trim, the seat adjustment mechanisms and suspension will wear, and the rate of wear can vary considerably depending on the type of operation.

A poorly maintained seat may be harmful or dangerous to the driver and will eventually become uneconomic to repair. On the other hand, a good quality seat given regular preventative maintenance will provide good service for the life of the truck.

The employers duty of care is a legal obligation to ensure that drivers’ seats should be regularly inspected and maintained. Service should be performed by qualified tradespersons, in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer, using approved replacement parts to ensure continued compliance with Australian Design Rules.

Good quality seats from the leading manufacturers such as ISRI are fully supported in Australia for parts and service. Cheaper brands may provide adequate comfort and performance when new but may also prove to have a very much shorter life if parts are not available to maintain the seat correctly.

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PUTTING A STOP ON

POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE Automotive braking systems have revolutionised the way vehicles stop.

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BS anti-lock braking systems, auto-response braking electronics, high-tech carbon and ceramic brake system materials have all contributed to improved safety in both passenger cars and heavy vehicles.

When it comes to heavy vehicles in particular, despite the significant advances in braking systems brought about by modern electronics, at the core of every stop made are mechanical components that fundamentally haven’t changed for decades.

Brake discs and drums, brake callipers and brake pads and shoes are the primary parts that make up a commercial vehicle’s braking system, all of which require regular inspections and replacement due to wear.

In 2018, TRW was centrally involved in the creation in Europe of new minimum performance standards for brake pads and shoes, discs and drums. As a result, its brake components all comply with the

latest ECE R90 regulations.

Recognising that with commercial vehicles, time can be money and that downtime is money lost, TRW brake parts are available as kits which include all accessories and instructions for fast fitment.

The components themselves are manufactured to the highest quality and in the case of brake discs, are precision machined on sophisticated CNC machines to the tightest tolerances to ensure consistent minimum DTV (Disc Thickness Variation) and true running, to avoid shudder.

This consistency also ensures a hasslefree fit right first time, while matching the original-equipment specifications determined by the vehicle manufacturer.

When it comes to replacement, ZF Aftermarket offers two types of TRW aftermarket discs - High Carbon Discs and Cast Iron Discs.

The advantages of High Carbon Discs include optimal thermal conductivity

which promotes cooler running for more consistent braking performance and reduced wear. This in turn delivers increased resistance to distortion and cracking, and ultimately a quieter, shudder-free driving experience.

The Cast Iron Discs are made from a controlled mixture of raw materials. This grey cast iron ensures the best possible mix of robust resistance to wear and a high thermal capacity, for optimised rigidity. The result is a product that exceeds manufacturer performance and NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) specifications.

Similarly, the TRW aftermarket brake callipers perform or exceed how the vehicle manufacturer intended, backed by the certainty that every single unit is end-of-the-line tested.

Key to what ZF Aftermarket proudly claims is the ‘most advanced brake pad design on the market’ is the patented backing plate design, which results in significant improvements in the sheer and material contraction properties.

That leads to longer pad life, as does the pad friction material used, which has a high resistance to fade, delivering braking force that’s consistently proportional to the pressure applied to the pedal, and an ability to recover quickly in the wet.

These characteristics are all factors in efficient and effective braking performance.

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WHEEL ALIGNMENT

BENEFITS The cost of tyres and fuel are two major operating costs for a business.

Wheel alignment helps operators to avoid costly and in some cases unnecessary replacements due to incorrect wheel alignment.

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sing wheel alignment testing can contribute to reducing operational costs, and is also something which will benefit safety outcomes within a fleet. Correctly aligned wheels ensure both the safety and longevity of tyres which is a win/win for all operators.

Trucks are different from one another and manufactured with a specific toe angle, be it neutral, toe-in or toe-out.

Settings can deteriorate and irregular tyre wear can result from this lack of adjustment due to: • worn components • damaging road conditions (pot holes, curbs, debris etc

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DIESEL January-February 2020

• heavy braking • a shift in load position Any irregularity in tyre wear and wheel alignment can result in: • decreased tyre lifespan • poor fuel economy • annoying/potentially dangerous steering wheel vibration • abnormal component wear due to vibration Here is an example of how these fuel cost savings can play out for a typical operator: • Distance travelled per annum: 200,000 km • Diesel fuel price: $1.55/litre • Fuel consumption: 2.5 litres/km Fuel cost reduction thanks to wheel alignment: conservatively, approximately 3 per cent Total cost reduction: 0.03 x 200,000 x 1.55 x 0.4 = $ 3,720 per year, per truck This kind of improvement can lead to: • Increased fuel economy (up to 7.5 per cent) • Increased tyre life (up to 10 per cent improvement in tyre wear) • Reduced mechanical breakdowns • Safer driving and comfort Most wheel alignment machines incorporate very easy to use guided software. Specifically, the Italian engineered and manufactured RAVTD8060/VARCOMBO Combined Truck & Car Wheel Aligner, is the first of its kind.

Offering the best of both worlds, the RAVTD8060/VARCOMBO is a versatile wheel aligner complete with all accessories to service both heavy commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles.

Bluetooth transmission between front heads and the cabinet and infrared transmission between sensor heads result in the ability to operate the system from any head.

Requiring minimal space, the Ravaglioli RAVTD8060/VARCOMBO is an accurate asset in the commercial vehicle workshop situation.

This system is exclusively distributed in Australia and New Zealand by the Alemlube Workshop Equipment and Fitouts division offering expert advice, installation and maintenance services from experienced automotive industry professionals.

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Shock Absorber Inspection There’s a bit of a debate among mechanics between misting and leaking shock absorbers requiring replacement.

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isting shocks are often misdiagnosed as failures, however this is a normal and necessary function. As the shock absorber rod moves out, some of the hot oil coating the rod evaporates before condensing in the cooler outside air onto the shock absorber body. Shock absorber rod seals rely on this thin film of oil to keep the seal lubricated and to prolong seal life.

A leaking shock will show clear signs of fluid leaking in streams from the upper seal, which may drip from the shock.

The seals may leak because of extreme wear, contamination or defect. Raising the chassis to fully extend the shock for inspection is a good way to confirm the condition.

In addition, other regular inspection points include: • The mounting bushes for wear or deterioration • The shock body for bends or dents • The mounting bolt tightness and security.

A loose mounting bolt will usually leave witness marks around the mounting bolt washer from the relative movement between the parts

• Checking for broken upper or lower mounts. Incorrect ride height, fitting the wrong shock absorber or deteriorated shock bushes can damage the mounts.

Damage to the mounting holes by a loose shock bolt must be repaired or it will cause the new shock to come loose as well.

Be sure to wipe any built-up oil and dust from the shock body after every inspection.

As dampening of the suspension movement occurs, shocks produce and dissipate heat. As a result, shocks can operate at temperatures ranging from close to ambient up to 175° C. Depending on the driving conditions, the shock should be warm to touch in normal operation. Use extreme caution if checking the temperature with the back of your hand. High ambient temperatures and driving over corrugated roads can induce temperatures hot enough to burn you. Do not touch the shock if there appears to be excessive heat with your hand near it.

Checking the shock temperature with an infrared thermometer at the body

below the dust cover tube is highly recommended.

All shocks should be warmer than the vehicle frame after driving. Any shock that is noticeably cooler than the one on the other side of the axle may have failed.

A differing temperature on any axle warrants removal and examination of the shock.

Checking shock function by hand is not recommended due to different designs and the rate of movement. Truck shocks will usually compress easily, while the rebound is firm. Trailer shocks will usually be firm on both compressing and rebound strokes but may vary dependant on the manufacturer’s suspension application.

To inspect for an internal failure, remove and shake the suspected shock while listening for the sound of rattling metal. Replacement is required if a rattling is heard as the sound is an indicator that the shock has an internal failure.

Overall, shock absorbers perform a critical role in dampening oscillation.

Checking them regularly and replacing them when required will help prevent suspension system component and abnormal tyre wear.

www.dieselnews.com.au

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PLUGGING THE WASTE GAP:

DUAL CONTROL TRUCK SOLUTIONS Efficient waste management is a must for the successful operation of our modern cities and towns.

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s with all essential services, continued investment and innovation are required to deliver the outcomes expected by the diverse stakeholders.

In the case of refuse collection and management, the sheer scale of the task calls for not only more transport solutions, but also a better and more diverse range of application-specific product.

Crunching the Australian waste numbers, the National Waste Report 2019 tells us that Aussies generate 67 million tonnes (Mt) of waste each year, of which 37 Mt was recycling.

Numbers like that means we’d require a direct workforce of about 33,000, with an estimated 2,846 waste management centres. And while there isn’t an official number on the number of waste management–related vehicles, we can look at the major industry operators who have approximately 5,000 waste collection vehicles between themselves.

That equates to approximately one vehicle having to handle 13,400 tonnes of waste per year.

It’s a tough application. From the demands on the equipment, to an

increasingly challenging operating environment, a fit-for-purpose product is a must.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS • Size and payload • Harsh stop-start operation • Driver visibility and ease of operation • Performance and efficiency • Reliability and durability

LOCAL SOLUTIONS FOR LOCAL CHALLENGES The Isuzu Dual Control truck range is a tailored solution, designed to handle the rigours of the Australian landscape and waste industry demands.

DUAL CONTROL MODELS

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FSR 140/120-260 Dual Control

191kW @ 2,400 RPM & 761Nm @1,450-2,400 RPM

Allison LCT2500

FVD 165-300 Dual Control

221kW @ 2,400 RPM & 981Nm @ 1,450 RPM

Allison 3000 Series

FVY 240-300 Dual Control MWB & LWB

221kW @ 2,400 RPM & 981Nm @ 1,450 RPM

Allison 3500 Series

FVZ 240-300 Dual Control MWB & MLWB

221kW @ 2,400 RPM & 981Nm @ 1,450 RPM

Allison 3500 Series

DIESEL January-February 2020

Developed in Australia, the newly expanded range couples product value and reliability with low tare weight— which ultimately means more gets transported cost-effectively.

With key GVM, specification and wheelbase variants, the range caters to a broad range of waste applications including road sweepers and side-lift compactors.

Where payload is a priority, Hendrickson rear airbag suspension is available, offering tare weight advantages of up to 250 kg. Rugged steel spring rear suspension can also be specified for harsher and off-road environments.

Power comes from the Isuzu sixcylinder, 24-valve 6HK1-TCC and TCS engines, providing performance, economy and efficiency, especially under highidle conditions.

The driver environment is well catered to with industry-spec Allison automatic transmissions and ISRI 6860 adjustable air-suspended seats with integrated seat belt across both left- and right-hand driving positions.

For ease of operation, the instrument panel is duplicated on the left-hand driving side, and both driving positions feature airassisted steering wheel height adjustment for complete customisation and control.

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TECH KNOW

TECHNICAL RESOURCES

BY INDUSTRY FOR INDUSTRY When it comes to understanding compliance and regulatory procedures, things aren’t always too clear, reckons Bob Woodward, Australian Trucking Association Chief Engineer.

Bob Woodward, ATA Chief Engineer.

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eading industry innovation and playing an important role in the creation of easy to understand Technical Advisory Procedures (TAPs) is the ATA’s Industry Technical Council (ITC).

Bringing together operators, suppliers, engineers and industry specialists, the ITC raises technology and maintenance standards and improves the operational safety. It is the trucking industry’s brains trust that solves issues and saves lives.

Covering topics such as wheel end security, stability control, side underrun protection and truck visibility, each TAP is developed by the ITC member experts, including operators and suppliers with leading expertise in truck technology.

ATA Chief Engineer Bob Woodward says each TAP is created to meet the needs of industry and fill the gaps in the vehicle standards.

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“TAPs are established to provide guidelines on specific subject and are intended to be informative at basic, intermediate and advanced levels,” says Bob. “The ATA and ITC are committed to ensuring our technical advice remains best practice, so we periodically review TAPs to ensure they remain current and up to date.”

In developing and reviewing each TAP, the ITC establishes a working group with representatives of various parties in the supply chain who will work together, sharing their knowledge and expertise.

“Once the working group has developed or reviewed a TAP, the procedure is evaluated by the ITC then the final document is independently peer reviewed before it’s then sent to the ATA Council to be approved and authorised for distribution,” says Bob. “Each TAP is freely accessible on the ATA website and can help when people are unsure of how to best meet their compliance requirements, technical interpretations or work as efficiently as possible.”

Providing informative and clear guidance and advice to industry members, Bob says not only do companies use the material to improve their current practices, it is also used for training purposes.

“We find that companies and training organisations across the country incorporate our TAPs into their training material to ensure that all the bases are covered,” says Bob. The most recently released TAP is a set of updated side underrun protection guidelines, which were developed following a review by an

industry working group.

“Side underrun protection devices reduce the chance of a cyclist or pedestrian falling under the wheels of a truck. They are already a requirement for some construction trucks involved in the Melbourne Metro project and will be required more and more,” says Bob. “The procedure explains how to design and install this essential safety equipment and includes guidance about how to fit the devices to prime movers and rigid trucks, including construction trucks.

“The process included reviewing European regulation R73 and then processing the requirements into a workable document that meets Australian operations and conditions.”

In additional to its TAPs, the ATA also has a range of Safety Alerts that share best-practice advice and handy tips on issues such as trailer safety chains, mixing brake airlines, truck emergency breakdown and road safety guidelines, and the use of sleeved wheel nuts with selected axles and wheels.

“Each safety alert and TAP is developed by those real industry members who deal with these issues on a day-to-day basis and have extensive knowledge,” says Bob. “The knowledge bank within the ITC is truly remarkable and unfound anywhere else within the transport industry.” he said.

View the ITC’s Technical Advisory Procedures and other industry resources at www.truck.net.au/latestresources For more information about the ATA Industry Technical Council or to join, head to www.truck.net.au/ITC

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CLEANER THAT’S ANOTHER HINO

THE CLEANEST JAPANESE TRUCK IN ITS CLASS. At the heart of the all-new Hino 500 Series Standard Cab is a heavy-duty A05 five-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine. It delivers superior torque at reduced RPM and lower fuel consumption all with a cleaner exhaust.

XAVIER_HINO36738/E

It produces up to 260hp and 882Nm torque, and is fitted with a true engine and exhaust brake, for exceptional downhill control. Plus, it’s the cleanest Japanese medium-duty truck in Australia, meeting Japan’s stringent pPNLT emissions standards (Equivalent to Euro 6). The smarter, tougher & safer Hino 500 Series Standard Cab. To find out more visit hino.com.au

Euro 6 Equivalent Emissions Standards

Photographs are representative only and may not reflect actual vehicle colours, accessories or option packages. Please check with your dealer regarding colour order and timing for delivery.