Owner Driver 333 October 2020

ownerdriver OCTOBER 2020 #333

DEDICATED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PERSON BEHIND THE WHEEL

HULK HERO Marvellous Kenworth 904 muscles its way into WA fleet

OWNERDRIVER.COM.AU

Driver recruitment US transport industry echoes Australia’s driver dilemma

See page 52

Coaxed by Cummins Mack Trident undertakes

clandestine X15 engine trial See page 60

18

60

67

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Contents #333

OCTOBER 2020

52 “Mack’s Trident has been identified as the ideal platform to broaden the X15’s horizons.”

32 HULK HERO

Western Australia’s Ryan Demasi went from laying turf to owning ‘The Incredible Hulk’, one of the most stunning Kenworth T904s in the country

12 8 ROAD TRAIN DRIVER RETURNS AS WINNER DirectHaul’s Russell Lee among this year’s recipients at the 2020 National Trucking Industry Awards

18 BOYS’ BIGGER TOY

52 STAYING IN THE GAME

As in Australia, a big issue for road transport operators in the United States is attracting and retaining quality drivers

60 CUMMINS COAXES TRIDENT

Despite a cone of silence, news has emerged of a Mack Trident punched by a 15 litre Cummins X15 engine starting long-term trials with Followmont Transport. A dog with more bite?

67 END OF THE ROAD FOR PROSTAR

Navistar pulls the pin on the International ProStar’s brief Australian existence

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Matt Raudonikis puts his truck driver hat on as he takes the U5023 Mog cab-over for a searching run

32

4 OCTOBER 2020

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ownerdriver EDITORIAL

Editor: Greg Bush Ph: 0408 780 302 Fax: 07 3101 6619 E-mail: gbush@bauer-media.com.au Senior Journalist/LCV Specialist: Cobey Bartels Ph: 0409 044 128 E-mail: cbartels@bauer-media.com.au Technical Editor: Steve Brooks E-mail: sbrooks.trucktalk@gmail.com Contributors: Warren Aitken, Frank Black, Warren Clark, Rod Hannifey, Michael Kaine, Sarah Marinovic, Matt Raudonikis, Tim Richardson, Imogen Tear, Ken Wilkie Cartoonist: John Allison

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BEHIND THE WHEEL Greg Bush

Contrasting attitudes

B

Y THE TIME you’re reading this issue of Owner// Driver we’ll be well into National Safe Work Month with the aim of improving health and safety in the workplace. Safe Work Month has taken on greater importance in 2020 due to the repercussions of COVID-19 upon our working lives, as well as our personal and family situations.

Safe Work Australia in each state are involved, but particular mention should be given to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland who are offering free virtual events, with many focusing on road transport, simply by registering on its website at www.worksafe.qld.gov.au.

Live-streamed expert speakers and panels are covering topics including the ongoing health and safety implications of COVID-19; wellbeing programs; safety culture and leadership; rehabilitation and return to work; and mental health.

The Workplace Health and Safety Queensland site offers links to transport-specific videos, with presentations such as ‘Vehicle Loading Cranes Workshop’, ‘Safely Securing Loads of Trucks’, ‘Safe Systems to Immobilise Heavy Vehicles and Trailers’, ‘Managing Your Drivers’ Safety at Delivery Points’, and ‘Preventing Workers Falling From Trucks’.

Sure, it sounds like preaching to the converted, but for any newcomers to road transport, the site could be worth checking out. It also shows that Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, which comes under the Office of Industrial Relations, is serious about keeping trucking

industry workers safe.

It also highlights how difficult a truck driver’s lot can be out on the road, not only trying to stay safe, but also to avoid infringements that could eat into their hard-earned pay, and effecting their family’s financial status.

Without wanting continuing to harp on the subject, it was with disappointment that another government branch, the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, as well as the State Penalties Enforcement Registry, were lamenting the fact that, so far, revenue from the state’s speed cameras – under the banner of “for road safety” – was down in 2020 compared to 2019.

This is, of course, due to the effects of COVID-19. Less vehicles on the road, means less speedsters and less money topping up the state government’s coffers.

But most of these offences were for vehicles travelling less than 13 kilometres over the speed limit.

The report, mentioned in the mainstream media, that the $71 million in lost fare revenue had hit the department’s bottom line. It’s a sad story, but not for the motoring public. For trucks however, they’re still out there – road transport is an essential service.

Of course, this loss of easy revenue would be felt across the board in other states, particularly Victoria where, apart from truck drivers going about their much-needed business, the roads are quiet. Your average motorist has been told to stay home.

Let’s hope the authorities do not become more eager in their quest to make up this revenue shortfall by ramping up their nit-picking attitudes towards truck drivers.

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The Goods

NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Road train driver returns as winner DirectHaul’s Russell Lee among this year’s recipients at the 2020 National Trucking Industry Awards

THE AUSTRALIAN Trucking Association (ATA) has celebrated the achievements of outstanding industry businesses and individuals, with the presentation of the 2020 National Trucking Industry Awards.

Livestreamed via an online broadcast, the 2020 National Trucking Industry Awards is aimed at recognising those who have gone above and beyond to improve the trucking industry.

Robert Cavanagh, MD of Cavanagh’s Transport/Stockmaster, Inverell, NSW took out the award for Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry.

“Well known in the trucking industry as an expert in livestock transport, Cavanagh has more than 35 years’ experience in the industry and is an active and committed member of state and national rural road freight transport associations,” the ATA says.

“He is a strong advocate for safety, technology and animal welfare and is often recognised for his future thinking, ability to adapt to change, and an early adopter of technology and modern business practices.”

Road train driver Russell Lee, with more than 30 years of experience with DirectHaul in Darwin under his belt, was voted the National Professional Driver of the Year. Lee was a finalist

for the same award in 2019.

The ATA says Lee is a role model at the company and is described by his colleagues and management as safe, dependable, professional, trustworthy and hardworking.

“Lee is a well-respected senior driver in the industry, and holds valuable knowledge and experience of driving conditions, job requirements, risks and challenges that can be faced in the various geographic regions of the Northern Territory.

“In his 32 years with DirectHaul, he has driven an estimated 11 million kilometres and delivered more than 509 million litres of fuel,” the ATA says.

Another 2019 finalist, Roslyn Anderson, returned to win this year’s National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year award. Anderson is the chief financial controller of Wales Truck Repairs, Smithfield, NSW. “In her time with Wales Truck Repairs, she has been responsible for multiple divisions and keeps a pulse on the latest issues by attending a range of industry events,” the ATA states.

“Demonstrating a proven commitment to her business and relevant industry matters, she is a member of the Transport Women Australia and Women in Transport Australia networks.

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“In 2018, Anderson became a Transport Women Australia board member and was named winner of the Road Freight NSW Woman of the Year Award.”

Meanwhile, Chemtrans, based in Truganina, Victoria, received the National Training Excellence Award.

Chemtrans is a wholly owned division of K&S Corporation, specialising in the safe delivery of dangerous and hazardous goods throughout Australia.

“In 2017, after experiencing an increase in minor incident rates and near-misses involving deliveries of Class 8 corrosive liquids, it was realised that the company’s current resources were lacking,” the ATA says.

“As a result, Chemtrans developed a dangerous goods bulk tanker load/ unloading simulator. The simulator enables the company’s trainers to place drivers in real-life situations without risk, enabling them to experience complex situations.

The ATA says that since the simulator implementation, Chemtrans has

Above, L to R: DirectHaul road train driver Russell Lee; Robert Cavanagh won the Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry award

recorded a 51 per cent decrease in incidents.

Lastly, the TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award went to SRH Milk Haulage of Rutherford, NSW. “SRH Milk Haulage is a family-owned business that began with one truck and tanker in 1996 and has grown to a business with 63 trucks and 110 tankers, servicing areas in NSW, Western Australia and Victoria,” the ATA says.

“SRH Milk Haulage has been a member of TruckSafe since 1998 and believe that their accreditation has helped shaped the business it is today in ensuring it is doing the right thing for its employees and customers.

“SRH Milk Haulage is always looking at ways to use the latest technology in its fleet and since February 2019 has installed Seeing Machines Guardian in all new trucks.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Survey shows strong safety focus NHVR says results indicate ongoing majority commitment to improved outcomes in trucking OWNER-DRIVERS rate strongly on safety insights, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) recent Industry Safety Survey results show.

Of the more than 1,000 owner-drivers surveyed, 62 per cent keep themselves informed of safety issues and information and use a safe driving plan, 71 per cent undertake regular personal health check-up and 97 per cent inspect their own vehicle.

The survey of almost 4,000 industry participants shows that two-thirds of heavy vehicle businesses have a safety system in their operation.

The NHVR had Insync conduct the survey in March and received responses from a wide cross-section of those working in the industry.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto believes the results of the 2020 NHVR Industry Safety Survey demonstrates the ongoing commitment from the majority of industry to keep pursuing improved safety outcomes.

“We know industry has increasingly adopted and invested in improved safety practices over the last 10 years and the significant take up of Safety Management Systems continues to support better safety results,” Petroccitto says.

“Importantly, safety systems focus on a whole-ofbusiness approach to safety including the important pre-trip check, which ensures vehicles are safe to operate

on the road and that drivers are fit for duty before getting behind the wheel.”

The survey has a heavy lean to eastern states, particularly Victoria with 48 per cent of respondents, while New South Wales has 17 per cent and Queensland 15 per cent.

Of the 3,972 respondents involved, company managers made up 42 per cent and owner-drivers 26 per cent.

However, while 78 per cent of managers agree that there is an ongoing program of safety promotions and communication, only 52 per cent of drivers and 71 per cent of loaders agreed.

The survey reveals the NHVR continues to have a significant task in raising industry awareness of its advice, with 66 per cent ignorant of it, but less so convincing those who are of its usefulness, with 92 per cent giving it the thumbs up.

The survey also rates understanding of vehicle safety technologies.

The three most understood are anti-lock braking (86 per cent), daytime running lamps (80) per cent) and reversing safety systems (77 per cent), while the three least understood were features that reduce blind spots (67 per cent), autonomous emergency braking (62 per cent) and side and rear underrun protection systems (60 per cent).

“The 2020 NHVR Industry Safety Survey provides a baseline result of the current safety environment that we can collectively monitor to understand trends and changes across safety practices,” Petroccitto says.

“This information is critical as a regulator to ensure we are providing the relevant and effective information and guidance industry needs to keep doing their job safely.

“The survey results, coupled with the recent results from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics showing a reduction in truck fatalities by close to 18 per cent compared to the last financial year, is pleasing to see.

“Although this survey was conducted prior to the onset of the pandemic, we’re also speaking to operators about incorporating the latest health information into their safety systems.”

A snapshot of the survey results is available at www.nhvr.gov.au/safetysurvey.

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Outcry over state of Augusta Highway New fatality prompts calls to South Australian government to act on “notorious” freight corridor THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN government has been taken to task by a major industry lobby group asking how many more lives are to be lost before remedial action is taken.

The call has been made by the South Australian branch of the Civil Contractors Federation (CCF) (SA) and follows the recent death of a 21-year-old woman in a head-on collision between her car and a semi-trailer at Bungama on the Augusta Highway.

“The CCF (SA) is saddened to hear of yet another fatality on this notoriously treacherous stretch of road,” says the federation’s chief executive Phil Sutherland.

“This fatality brings the total number of crashes in the past five years on the Augusta Highway to 542, with 39 fatalities (three so far this year alone), 97 serious injuries, and 284 minor

injuries,” Sutherland says.

“This latest loss of life may well have been prevented if the Augusta Highway was dual laned.

“The CCF (SA) calls on both the SA and federal governments to act now, and fast track the duplication of the Augusta Highway.

“Given the very high casualty rate and the importance of the highway between Port Wakefield and Port Augusta as a strategic freight and road transport corridor, its remediation should be an absolute priority – an appeal made for years to governments by the Federation.

“It beggars belief that this section of National Highway A1 remains in such a dilapidated state given its crucial link to the national road system,” Sutherland adds.

He questioned why South Australia should be viewed as the poor relation

for funding when it came to its roads?

“Look over the border and see the much higher quality of road infrastructure,” Sutherland continues.

The CCF (SA) noted that National Highway A1, a network of highways that circumnavigates Australia, joining all mainland state capitals, is recognised because of its total length of 14,500km as among the longest national highways in the world.

“Yet despite this, the section of highway between Port Wakefield and

Above: CCF (SA) CEO Phil Sutherland protesting inaction on the Augusta Highway

Port Augusta is a meagre two-lane road that has to exist as a major strategic transport and freight corridor connecting Adelaide to the north of South Australia and the rest of Australia,” Sutherland says.

“The time to act is now – before police have to knock at midnight on yet another unsuspecting family at home.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

WA transport identity passes away Tributes flow for Truck Centre WA boss Phillip Winkless TRANSPORT INDUSTRY STALWART and long-time Truck Centre WA CEO Phillip Winkless passed away on August 29, surrounded by his family, after a long battle with illness.

Winkless spent more than 30 years with Volvo Group dealership Truck Centre WA, including 11 years at the helm.

“Phillip played a critical role in helping the business adapt to significant changes in the market attaining some prestigious accolades along the way,” Truck Centre WA announced on its Facebook page.

“His exceptional work ethic and long-term commitment to his staff and customers were integral to both his personal and the company’s success, which made him truly one of a kind.”

Volvo Group Australia also paid tribute to Winkless.

“The story of the Winkless family is also the story of our brands in Australia,” reflects Volvo Group Australia president and CEO, Martin Merrick.

“Under Phil’s stewardship Truck Centre WA has been integral to the success of our business and

Parkes bypass a Newell priority

ABOVE: Phillip Winkless (left) with his dad Max Winkless in 2015 amid the backdrop of Perth’s Swan River

ultimately the success of our customers.

“He was tough and uncompromising as a long-term head of our dealer council, driven by the needs of TCWA’s customers and the unique requirements of Western Australian industry.

“His dedication and hard work was instrumental in steering the business through a rapidly changing market environment, ultimately bringing TCWA to the respected and market leading position it currently occupies,” Merrick says.

“He was renowned for his commitment to both staff and customers alike.

“On behalf of all at Volvo Group Australia I’d like to extend our sincere condolences to the Winkless family on their loss, he will be sorely missed.”

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Infrastructure Australia (IA) has added construction of Parkes Bypass, on New South Wales’ Newell Highway, to the Infrastructure Priority List.

An upgrade of Canberra’s Commonwealth Avenue Bridge is also an added project but work at Parkes involved the nation’s thirdbusiest freight route and dovetails with the town’s rail freight and intermodal focus, made more acute by the Inland Rail project.

IA explains that the NSW government’s proposed $172 million Parkes Bypass project involves a 10.5km bypass along the Newell Highway, including bridges over existing railway lines, connections to the Parkes Special Activation Precinct and upgrades to local roads.

The existing highway runs directly through the Parkes town centre, which contributes to congestion and safety risks in the town and limits the ability of high performance freight vehicles to use the corridor.

The Parkes Bypass would help remove heavy vehicle traffic from the town and improve connectivity between local producers and the Parkes Special Activation Precinct, which is being established to leverage the Inland Rail project.

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Euro 6 Volvos to boost Linfox fleet 100 locally built “trucks of tomorrow” to join the Fox stable LINFOX has taken delivery of the first Euro 6 FM prime mover from Volvo Group Australia’s (VGA’s) Wacol plant – and then some.

More than 100 trucks comprise the order, which includes the 11- and 13-litre engine capacities as well as horsepower ratings from 460hp to 500hp (336kW–373kW).

The trucks are also fitted with a full complement of active and passive safety equipment as well as meeting criteria of the stringent Swedish BOF10 crash test.

Linfox chair Peter Fox, VGA president and CEO Martin Merrick, and federal assistant freight transport minister Scott Buchholz marked the event.

“Here we have three iconic brands working together, Volvo Trucks, Linfox and Australian Made,” Merrick says.

“We are working together to drive a safer, cleaner, more productive transport industry here in this country.

“Manufacturing our products in Australia makes us strong, while buying Australian-made promotes success in our community, and now we are building our cleanest,

safest trucks here in this country.”

Linfox chalks this order alongside other Queensland milestones, including the construction of its new distribution centre and state office in Willawong, Brisbane; investment in Far North Queensland rail operations and recent property purchases in the region.

“Volvo’s new Australian-made Euro 6 fleet combines local manufacturing expertise with our key commitments at Linfox – to act sustainably and lead in safety and compliance,” Fox says.

“Our investment in sustainable vehicles has helped to significantly reduce our emissions over the past several years. Linfox and Volvo share a longstanding commitment to safe, efficient fleets that minimise our impact on the environment and the communities in which we operate.”

Buchholz hails the impact of the order on local manufacturing and jobs.

“It is great to see three iconic brands here, Volvo, Linfox and most importantly the Australian-made brand,” Buchholz says.

“You’ll hear some people say

manufacturing in Australia is dead.

“I say you only need to ask the employees here at this Wacol site, who I might add are building these trucks of tomorrow, about that.”

“These employees are building the trucks of tomorrow that will deliver the essential goods and services our communities need.

“It is great to see the next generation

Above: Next generation: James Fox, son of Linfox Australia’s executive chairman Peter Fox, inspects the new Linfox fleet at Volvo’s Wacol production facility

of Euro 6 vehicles, rolling out of the Volvo plant and we look forward to Volvo Group Australia’s continuing investment in heavy vehicle manufacturing in Australia.”

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BOYS’ BIGGER TOY

Is the Unimog the ultimate, serious vehicle for the adventurous? Motoring specialist Matt Raudonikis puts his truck driver hat on as he takes the U5023 Mog cab-over for a searching run

W

HAT’S ON your bucket list of 4x4 and off-road vehicles to drive? A classic LandCruiser maybe? An AMG-G63 6x6 perhaps? What about a Bushmaster?

Any takers for a Rolls-Royce Cullinan or Lamborghini LM002?

Classics, exotics or just downright unstoppable, these are the vehicles off road that dreams are made of and most of us will never have the opportunity to climb behind the wheel of them. The venerable MercedesBenz Unimog fits in to all of those categories: classic, exotic and damn near unstoppable, so you can imagine my smile when offered a drive of the latest Mog. The Unimog has been in production for more than 70 years. It was conceived as a vehicle that could do the job of a tractor, a truck and farm

18 OCTOBER 2020

equipment. It was the Swiss Army knife of vehicles; one vehicle that could do the work of many machines. The term Unimog is an abbreviation of the full name UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät which loosely means a single piece of equipment. The Mog, as the name is often abbreviated to, is a do-itall piece of kit.

Over the course of seven decades the Mog was refined end developed in to many configurations, employed by military forces around the world for multiple tasks, converted in to recreational off-road campers and even competed in the Dakar rally.

The Australian Defence Force has used Unimogs as troop transporters for more than 30 years and other organisations such as Victoria’s DELWP have Below: Once used to the size, it becomes clear that the Mog isn’t much bigger than other large 4x4 wagons

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Photos by Christian Brunelli and Ellen Dewer

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OCTOBER 2020 19

“With the price of a new U5023 starting at $225,000, they fall directly in to the realm of exotic vehicles.”

Above: The high, forward seating position gives an excellent view when cresting a blind hill

UNIMOG SPECIALIST

Unidan Engineering’s Daniel Mavin has owned 46 Unimogs of his own since 2007 and says hundreds of the vehicles have passed through his Gold Coast business since he established it back in 2011. As well as being a Mercedes-Benz Special Vehicles (specifically Unimog) dealer, Unidan has become Australia’s go-to workshop for the big Benzs.

Dan tells us that most of the work these days is for recreational users wanting expedition-style vehicles, but he also does vehicles for industry including mining, agriculture and people moving.

As well as selling and working on the vehicles themselves, Unidan has developed its own bodies and camper conversions to suit the different Unimog models including the incredible Odyssey X camper. The tray on the back of the U5023 tested here is also from Unidan.

Take a look at the Unidan website and you’ll see the wide variety of Unimogs they have done for customers, be they for industry or recreational use; there are even some rock-crawling Mogs there too. There’s also a page of vehicles for sale to whet your appetite for adventure.

20 OCTOBER 2020

utilised them for anywhere a heavy-duty off-road vehicle was needed.

Exotic price While you can purchase ex-ADF Unimogs for reasonable money, the cost to upgrade and maintain them for recreational off-road use makes LandCruiser ownership look affordable. With the price of a new U5023 starting at $225,000, they fall directly in to the realm of exotic vehicles.

The U5023 we drove here has a handful of factory accessories on it plus a basic tray from Unidan Engineering, and it hits the $300K mark. Start equipping your new Unimog for global off-road adventures with a camper back on it and you will be looking at something on the other side of half-amillion dollars!

New Mogs are available in Australia in two main varieties.

The relatively compact (if ever a Unimog could be compact) U218–U530 and the U4023–U5023 like we drove here. This double-cab version is known as the Doka and seats five.

While the modern Mog is a far more complex and bigger vehicle than the original, it retains some of the design features that have been part of the model for decades and ensure the off-road capability and functionality.

Central to that design are its gear reduction, portal axles on coil spring suspension, torque tube drivetrain, a centrallymounted transmission and transfer case, and a high riding cab-over passenger compartment.

Power comes from a modern Mercedes-Benz Euro 6 compliant, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that makes 170kW of power and 900Nm of torque. It sends drive back through a shaft to the centrally-mounted transmission which is an eight-speed automated manual, and the all-wheel drive transfer case.

In standard form the U5023 has a single-range transfer case, but it can be optioned with what MB Trucks calls ‘Working gears’, which employs low range to give 16 forward ratios and six reverse. This vehicle was thus equipped as well as having front and rear locking differentials and central tyre inflation (CTI) that allows the operator to inflate and deflate tyre pressures on the run as required.

Significantly, the Mog can be driven as a fully automated, two-pedal transmission; manually shifted two-pedal operation; or, by flicking a switch that releases a clutch pedal down from the left side of the steering column, a full threepedal manual transmission.

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“The Mog is not as big as you first think and easier to manoeuvre on bush tracks than anticipated.”

Drive time

Above: This double-cab version is known as the Doka and seats five Right: Using the CTI, you can deflate and inflate the four tyres at the same time to adapt to different surfaces

Specifications: Make/model: 2019 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U5023 Engine: 5.2L four-cylinder diesel Max power: 170kW at 2,200rpm Max torque: 900Nm at 1,200 to 1,600rpm Transmission: Automated manual; eight forward gears/ six reverse 4x4 system: Dual-range full-time Suspension: Multi-link with coil springs Kerb weight: 2,080kg GVM: 14,100kg GCM: 32,500kg Fuel tank capacity: 160L

22 OCTOBER 2020

I’m no experienced truck driver, so climbing up in the cabin of the massive Unimog was a bit intimidating. Thankfully, I had MB Trucks’ Mog guru Jimmy Dalgleish sitting alongside me to explain what all the buttons and levers do.

Like any cab-over vehicle, vision from the driver’s seat of the Mog is excellent over the stubby bonnet and the side mirrors show you where the rear wheels are at to make placing the Unimog on the track relatively easy. Once you start to become acquainted with the size of the vehicle you soon realise that it’s not much wider than most large 4x4 wagons and it will drive over most tracks you would expect to take a family 4x4 on.

With a 1,950mm wheel track it’s only around 400mm wider than a Ford Ranger when you’re placing it on the tracks.

Wheelbase is 3,850mm so again comparing it to a double-cab Ranger, the Mog is around 630mm longer.

After a couple of laps of the Melbourne 4x4 Proving Ground to get a feel for it, I pointed the Mog though some tighter tracks and again it was easier to get through than I expected.

The regular water crossing was a doddle with the Mog’s 1,200m wading depth.

The gearing is super low and when I pointed it up a fairly steep climb and selected the ‘Working gears’, Jimmy suggested I take off in third gear and that was all I needed to amble up the slope.

On descent, it was again left in third gear and the exhaust brake employed to control the speed. Even in third it required a bit of throttle to maintain a downward pace.

With my confidence growing, Jimmy suggested I take it over one of the steeper jump-ups in the proving ground. It had been wet in the area, the tracks were muddy and just a few hours before, the ‘more traditional’ 4x4 ute I was driving scrabbled for traction to climb over this mound. The track had dried a bit but Jimmy said this was a great place to demonstrate the CTI system.

Using CTI you can deflate and inflate the four tyres at the same time at any time using the on-board air-compressor.

The system has preset pressures for certain terrain including highway, cross country, sand/mud/snow and an emergency

setting. We chose the emergency setting where the massive Michelin XZL 395/85 T 20 tyres drop down to 10psi. The tyres use internal bead locks to secure them to the rims at low pressure. Jumping out of the cab, you could see the tall tyres bagging out to increase the contact patch and hence traction.

Back in the seat and Jimmy turned the dial locking both front and rear differentials and it was ready to go.

Initial thoughts that the Mog was too wide to follow the narrow track over the mound passed as we approached it.

Sitting high in a cab-over vehicle like this you are literally looking head-on at the hill. After a quick glance at the side mirrors to see where the tyres were in relation to the track it was again third gear, low range and the big Mog crawled over it slowly without a hint of wheelspin.

The high, forward seating position also gives an excellent view when cresting a blind hill so you can see the line beyond the crest and the Mog followed the track to crawl down the other side. Flick the button on the CTI back to the road setting and the tyres inflated up to pressure as we drove back to the shed.

It was only a brief drive of the Unimog but it gave the understanding that the Mog is not as big as you first think and easier to manoeuvre on bush tracks than anticipated. I had a pretty good idea that the Mog would be massively capable off-road and this just reinforced that belief as we didn’t push its capabilities at all on this quick spin. I didn’t drive it on the road at all but Jimmy tells me they are comfortable cruising at 90 to 100km/h on the highway and that they are in fact speed restricted to 100km/h due to the GVM exceeding 11,990kg.

The Unimog didn’t disappoint and driving it ticked off a spot on my bucket list. A kitted U5023 could be the ultimate off-road adventure touring vehicle but unfortunately, owning such a rig is still a lottery win away.

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The legal view Sarah Marinovic

Tips to avert breaches How to stay on the right side of the law when things don’t go to plan

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NE OF THE more rewarding parts of my job is working with experienced drivers and operators. These are the people who’ve been in the industry for years and have a lot of knowledge to share.

For these people, finding themselves in breach of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) is a particularly difficult experience. It’s hard being prosecuted for a mistake after years of doing the right thing.

I’ve been reflecting on what causes good experienced drivers to find themselves on the wrong side of the HVNL. Often the common thread is that something unexpected has happened on their trip to throw out their usual routine.

It could be that they left a couple of hours later than usual because their truck was in at the mechanic’s or they had to stop to avoid driving through heavy rain; or they took a load for a new contractor which weighed more than it was supposed to; or a breakdown meant using a different truck than they otherwise would.

When these things happen, it’s easy for your work or rest hours to be thrown out or your truck to be overloaded.

Suddenly, good professional operators find themselves carted before a magistrate to explain why they’re not a danger to society.

This bothers me because it is these very drivers and operators who are keeping society safe and functioning and have done so for years. Plus, often the exceptional situations that have

brought them to court are not within their direct control, or flow from trying to do the right thing.

Unfortunately, while explanations like ‘I was trying to do the right thing’ or ‘my contractor let me down’ might reduce the fine, it isn’t usually a defence to charges under the HVNL.

ACCIDENTAL BREACHES As always, prevention is the best cure.

So being on the lookout for situations that change your usual routine and having strategies to adapt to these situations are important steps in making sure you don’t accidentally breach the law.

Here are a few things I’d recommend: 1. If your routine changes, plot out your work and rest hours for the day. As soon as you realise that you’re starting your trip at a different time, or if you’ve had to stop unexpectedly, it’s a good idea to double check your work diary. Check when your 24-hour period finishes and make sure you have enough time to fit in your major rest break. Also double check that you’re not accidentally starting too early the next day, as if this is still within the previous day’s 24-hour period you could find yourself over your allowable work hours.

2. Use a driver fatigue app that tracks your work diary in real time. There are a few of these out there, and they’re not too expensive. If you use them to track trips, particularly when the timing is out of the ordinary, they will tell you when you have to stop to comply with fatigue laws and will also tell you that you can’t drive yet if you need more

SARAH MARINOVIC is a principal solicitor at Ainsley Law – a firm dedicated to traffic and heavy vehicle law. She has focused on this expertise for over a decade, having started her career prosecuting for the RMS, and then using that experience as a defence lawyer helping professional drivers and truck owners. For more information email Sarah at sarah@ainsleylaw.com.au or phone 0416 224 601

rest-avoiding breaches before they happen.

3. Know the limits of any truck you use. I often see issues arise where the usual truck for a job is out of action and another is substituted in for a run. Know the load and dimension limits for each of your vehicles, including axle weights, and keep on top of registration to avoid last minute changes leading to big fines.

4. Go to the nearest weigh station before leaving on your run. I know this sounds impractical, but if you’re carrying a load that someone else has packed and you have any reason not to trust the weights they’ve given you, heading to the nearest weigh station or to somewhere with scales before you head off can save you a fortune. I have seen so many situations where contractors have packed loads badly or simply lied on the paperwork about what containers or pallets weigh and this alone may not be enough to get you off if you’re pulled over as the driver in breach. What will get you off though is having taken all reasonable steps to avoid the breach. To you it might not sound reasonable, but to Transport for NSW and to a court it is: you need to weigh any load that you don’t trust.

5. If it is economical, get scales installed on your trucks. I get it, this isn’t cheap and is not for everyone, but it is a surefire way to avoid mass breaches.

If you follow these tips hopefully you will never find yourself in front a court.

That said, if you do, or if you just want some advice, that’s what I’m here for.

Give me a call on 0416 224 601.

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TWU Michael Kaine

Short-changed on super Most truck drivers are part of an aging workforce that relies on superannuation for their retirement

S

UPERANNUATION has become one of the bedrocks of our society. Australia decided many decades ago that it was not good enough for there to be inequity when it came to retirement and that all Australians should have the right to retire in dignity, not just rich Australians.

Transport workers were among the first to fight for superannuation and were there to defend the right to a fair retirement system when it came under attack.

Our superannuation is now the envy of the world.

Retired workers in most countries around the globe have to rely on a state pension, which in some cases is meagre, whereas most Australians get to retire in dignity after years of working hard for their super.

Superannuation benefits workers but also is a huge boost to industry. Industry funds in particular invest in Australian infrastructure and companies, allowing roads and bridges to be built and bolstering Australian business to allow them to punch above their weight globally.

Super was originally supposed to be at its final target of 12 per cent by 2001 but the Howard and Abbott governments stopped planned increases going ahead. So in 2020 we are still at 9.5 per cent and now yet another planned increase is under attack.

It was disappointing to see the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) call for the planned increase to 10 per cent this year to be stopped. It is another stark reminder of the ideology that drives the ATA and how they really do not represent our industry.

MICHAEL KAINE is the national secretary of the Transport Workers Union of Australia.

Contact Michael at: NSW Transport Workers Union, Transport House, 188-390 Sussex Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. twu@twu.com.au

who as a federal politician gets 15.4 per cent super and who previously worked for the banks – has called for workers earning below $50,000 to have voluntary rather than compulsory super.

In the midst of the pandemic, workers are hurting and these politicians and their friends in the ATA are creating havoc and toying with people’s futures.

PANDEMIC EFFECT It is not fair to say the super delay must be delayed given the economic crisis. It is clear that some are doing very well. After receiving millions in taxpayers’ subsidies through JobKeeper, Qube Logistics paid shareholders dividends and gave its CEO a bonus of

$1.18 million. Retailers are doing okay too, with Amazon’s global revenue up 40 per cent.

But at the other side of the coin the effects of the pandemic on our industry are real.

A survey shows around one third of truck drivers have already either dipped into their super savings or they intend to, as part of the government’s scheme to allow people to take money from their super. Allowing people to take money out of their super fund amounts to workers like truck drivers providing an economic stimulus for the government. Instead of raiding people’s super funds, the government should have provided support to see them through the crisis. Instead of talking about freezing super it should recognise that it has never been more important to raise super, given the difficulties workers are in.

Superannuation is vital for transport workers and this is something the federal government and the ATA needs to recognise.

Drivers in some transport operators have been able to win super payments up to 14.75 per cent. They did this by sticking together and arguing successful for high super contributions. Some employers have in turn recognised how important super is for drivers, who are part of an aging workforce.

What we need in transport is to lift standards, not lower them. What we need is to improve our industry for everyone, drivers and operators alike, not make things worse.

What we need to do is to ensure that wealthy clients at the top are paying their fair share so all transport workers can retire in dignity.

Better super is an important part of that lifting of standards and we should all be fighting for it, not against it.

BRING OUT THE

MONSTER IN YOUR TRUCK

FUTURE THREAT Truck drivers are among the major losers when it comes to superannuation. Owner-drivers squeezed financially by wealthy clients often cannot afford to put aside money for their superannuation. When all the costs of running a truck – maintenance, fuel, insurance and tax – is taken into account, some drivers struggle to pay themselves a wage let alone save for their retirement.

We also know there are operators who refuse to pay drivers their correct super payments, robbing them of their future. Again, what is at play is a system which refuses to recognise the financial squeeze that wealthy retailers and manufacturers place on transport, creating conditions that means contracts do not allow proper wages and super to be paid.

What has the ATA done to raise awareness of these problems? When has it ever spoken out about or lobbied its mates in the federal government on the stranglehold of clients on transport and its effects on super? When has it argued that some ownerdrivers are paid so little they can’t save for their retirement? Never. The ATA has never stood up for our industry.

Superannuation is just too important to play politics with, which is why drivers and the Transport Workers Union are doing everything we can to protect it.

The extent to which some politicians are going to kill super is shameful. One Liberal Party Senator –

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“There are operators who refuse to pay drivers their correct super.”

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a benchmark speed and then actively advertise a breach limit of, say, 10 per cent above?

WILKIE’S WATCH Ken Wilkie

LEFT RIGHT OUT

Brain dead technology Bureaucratic decisions made with a truck driver’s perspective in mind are few and far between

I

N MY SEPTEMBER article I accused bureaucracy of being infatuated with technology. Actually, they are blindly paranoid with technology. All they can think of in their way to improve road safety outcomes is simply – and I mean simply in its most derogatory of connotations – by the application of technology.

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) recently devised a ‘Voice of the Driver’ campaign supposedly in an attempt to give drivers an input into proposed fatigue laws. I did the exercise. Every question had a telepathy base. Yes, each question did give an opportunity to explain why or why not, but not one suggestion asking for consideration of the merits of education.

And not one question asked for suggestions of better, more realistic regulations.

It hasn’t gone on blind eyes that a major effort by members of the National Road Freighters Association to develop a mature position on fatigue has been left to rot.

Participants at that time were drivers, owner-drivers and small operators who have had lifetimes of experience being safe and managing fatigue. No, the ATA prefers to redevelop the wheel.

Should electronic log books be made mandatory? For the umpteenth time, absolutely no! What value will people doing low kilometres get for the money and effort invested? There is another consideration – the people who have spent a lifetime managing their fatigue. Should they really have to even fill out the times of what bureaucracy calls work?

I’ve said it on numerous occasions – one has to manage his or her fatigue and then manage the bloody book. That was highlighted recently when I was indecently accused of not wearing a seat belt. I’ve worn a seat belt for decades – longer than these halfwit technology slaves have been alive.

Ah, but managing the book is a different issue. That episode took almost $700 from my bank account due to four clerical issues.

I hope all and sundry – cops included – feel proud of themselves.

I’ve had but one trip up there since the brain dead situation came into existence. I came into Gilgandra following a B-double from North Queensland. I was running an empty single. We caught up to one of those things as we came into town. On the long pull out of Gilgandra, we could only achieve 80km/h. One thing is for certain, those engines should not glaze up.

At the first overtaking lane, the B-double – with me in hot pursuit – were barely able to get past. And even at that the merge it was not to my liking. What is going to happen when COVID has passed or been brought under control and the highway regains the high number of light vehicles that it normally carries?

I am the first to agree that Australia’s cost of doing business has to be reduced.

But I am sick and tired of only primary industry getting relief when the whole country needs relief. How logical is it to allow oversize operations that only benefit primary industry? If someone bashes their head on a combine harvester, doesn’t it hurt the same as if the hitting is done on any other oversize article?

It is fair to say that I am utterly disgusted with bureaucracy’s shallow means of raising the county’s road safety performance.

When, for instance, will some bright spark understand the safety impact of promoting

KEN WILKIE has been an owner-driver since 1974, after first getting behind the wheel at 11. He’s on his eighth truck, and is a long-time Owner// Driver contributor. He covers Rockhampton to Adelaide and any point in between. His current ambition is to see the world, and to see more respect for the nation’s truckies. Contact Ken at ken@rwstransport.com.au

BELOW: Trucks forced

to keep left along the Bruce for 5km before being advised the Burpengary weighbridge is closed.

Photo by Greg Bush

“That episode took almost $700 from my bank account due to four clerical issues.”

Talking about friction in the traffic flow – how about Queensland Transport and Main Roads’ (TMR) policy of requiring heavy vehicles to move to the left lane prior to static checking stations? The signage is to be followed irrespective of whether the station is in operation. A real doozy is northbound at Coomera. The direction is for heavy vehicles to gain the left lane at the very point that the frequent heavy traffic flow is joining the freeway from Oxenford.

It’s a real exercise in good road safety management. It paints the truckie as a bully because trucks don’t or can’t give way to entering traffic. And why, when the check point is open but not accepting trucks, is the ‘trucks please continue’ sign virtually at the entry point? And that is about the only time that the courtesy of adding ‘please’ to any TMR directive is in evidence.

Rifle Range on the Gateway is another example. Just imagine the complexity of having every heavy vehicle going south in the left lane. Fully loaded multi combinations vie with space on the one lane with every other combination including those empty. At Burpengary on the Bruce, truckies are required to be in the left lane for almost five kilometres, irrespective of whether there are dawdling light vehicles occupying the space.

Remember folks, technically, trucks have no option. The signage states trucks to use left lane. It is only the “common sense” approach by cops – some of them have it – that trucks ignoring such signage are not penalised.

When I took TMR to task over the three demerit point penalty for trucks in the right lane where it has been designated no trucks, I was bluntly informed that the law was consistent in so much that the penalty applied for non-adherence to a legal directive – or words to that effect.

When will the shiny bums realise the road safety lie in the caption “If you can’t see my mirrors, I can’t see you”? It looks good but is extremely misleading and even gives a dangerous message. Maybe it could read, “If you can’t see a face in the mirror, the face can’t see you.”

My required reading this month: A Grave Too Far Away by Kathryn Spurling.

NEWELL BEHEMOTHS Telematics is the current “in term”.

Simplified, it can mean overseeing a driver

by GPS tracking and vehicle operating parameters. It has long been a favourite claim of supposed road safety experts that if it saves one life, it’s warranted. How many lives is the brain dead decision to allow B-triples (if that is the correct terminology?) to intermingle on the Newell? Supposedly it is to allow better profitability for operators and farmers west of the Newell.

Talk about putting profits before safety.

26 OCTOBER 2020

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EYES ON THE ROAD Rod Hannifey

Highways gone to hell Trucks are expected to be well-maintained, but there’s no high standards for our freight routes

I

N MY SUBMISSIONS to the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) Review and Senate Inquiry into Road Transport, along with raising issues and current concerns, I have specifically asked for two things.

Firstly, a national road standard so that if a national highway has a failure or deformation and does not meet the standard, then a repair must be done within a certain time. This too would apply to repairs. Any done must also meet the standard and, should they fail within a set period, be done again.

How can we keep doing the job as the roads fall apart under us? How can we keep safe on the road and have our trucks kept up to a safe standard when the road has such dips, bumps and irregularities?

These failures to either correctly build or maintain the road on which we travel do damage to the driver, the truck and, ultimately, the road.

Why must our trucks be up to a road safety standard when the roads are not up to a truck safe standard?

Failed, badly built or poorly maintained bridge abutments, culverts, potholes, dips and subsidences impact into the truck, the driver and then back into the road. We are blamed for this, yet we are a service provider. We are told were are an essential service, yet the roads on which we operate are not required to be kept up to a standard that will keep us safe.

What is the good of having a road

friendly suspension when the road is not truck or driver friendly?

I have been asking to get a culvert fixed south of Forbes. It seems to be failing as it has got much worse from about four months ago. When I first asked for it to be repaired, I was eventually told it could be included in works in September – at that time three months away! I responded saying that was too long, it was a severe impact; you could not even use the shoulder as with the culvert there was no way to avoid the savage impact right across both lanes and to each edge.

Nothing happened, so I complained again. I got a phone call to say they would try a patching job but that was useless and looked to be about a wheelbarrow full of tar. It didn’t take it away one bit.

So I have contacted the local paper, the local radio station and of course, Roads & Maritime Services, so we will see what happens next. For something so severe I should not have to go to such lengths to make the road safe and travelable.

NOWHERE TO STOP Secondly, we need a ‘National Rest Area Strategy’. It was heartening to see both the Australian Trucking Association and NatRoad speak of a need for more and better truck rest areas in their submissions to the (yes, yet another that I fear will do little good) Parliamentary Inquiry. In 2003 there were 33 recommendations from the Federal

ROD HANNIFEY, a transport safety advocate, has been involved in raising the profile of the industry, conducting highway truck audits, the Blue Reflector Trial for informal parking bays on the Newell, the ‘Truckies on Road Code’, the national 1800 number for road repairs proposal, and the Better Roadside Rest Areas Group. Contact Rod on 0428 120 560, e-mail rod.hannifey@bigpond. com or visit www.truckright.com.au

“We need spaces now, not in five years.”

Parliamentary Inquiry into Road Safety.

I went to Canberra and was involved in five of those, two of which were specifically mine. Yet even not one has been actioned!

We are going backwards, losing odd spots here and there because someone deems them unsafe or unnecessary because they are not important or not needed by them personally. Then there is the “we are building you one new rest area” when we need hundreds. We do not need magnificent facilities like those often found in the United States (see photo below) but we need places to manage our fatigue and get good sleep.

It is all well and good for the new fatigue technology to vibrate your seat and then your monitor in another country buzzing you to say “you must pull up now, you are fatigued!” Where the hell do you do that when there is nowhere safe to stop?

We could have thousands of spots available tomorrow if stockpile sites were suitably placed and made available. We have thousands more that could be done with a grader – and green reflectors – and all this could be done within 12 months. We know there are not millions of dollars lying around, particularly now, for big rest areas with architect-designed tables and chairs which will not give good value to anyone except the architect and supplier/builder. We need spaces now, not in five years when the ecological tree species experts, local residents and everyone else has been asked to allow a major site to be built, approved and then thought about.

I have written such a document, too long to put in this column, but I’ve submitted it to the HVNL, Senate Inquiry, National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and others. Hopefully one day it will be implemented.

If we could simply get the road to be accepted as our workplace, then both the above could and should follow, but that is a big ask as it leaves road authorities open to all sorts of costs and liabilities. I doubt it will ever happen, specifically for that reason, but that does not mean I will give up trying.

What will you do to see anything change?

Spacious and wellappointed truck stop.

One big problem – it’s in the US of A!

ownerdriver.com.au

OCTOBER 2020 27

DIABETES NSW & ACT Imogen Tear

Post positive diagnosis Just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes? It’s not all doom and gloom

I

T CAN BE overwhelming to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes but the good news is that it can be managed and there is plenty of help available to show you how.

You’ll have a team of people, including your GP, a credentialed diabetes educator, dietitian, podiatrist and eye specialist, who will be able to help you learn all you need to know about diabetes, treatment and management.

Taking charge of diabetes doesn’t have to be a full time job, but you do have to be mindful of it 24/7. Some people can manage it through healthier eating, being more active or losing weight. But eventually most people will need medication to bring their blood glucose levels down to their target level. If left untreated, high glucose levels in your blood can damage parts of your body, including your eyes, heart and feet.

First steps If you have recently been diagnosed, an important first step is to register with the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS).

The NDSS is a government program that delivers education and information services to people with diabetes. It also provides a range of diabetes products like blood glucose testing supplies and syringes to people who take insulin at a subsidised cost. It is available to all Australian residents diagnosed with diabetes.

To register with the NDSS you need to fill in a form and have it signed by a doctor or a diabetes educator.

Understanding diabetes It’s really important to understand how the condition affects your body. It’s a good idea to attend diabetes education sessions and talk

to your diabetes educator or your GP about any questions or concerns you might have.

Each state or territory in Australia has a local diabetes organisation with lots of helpful resources available, including information sheets, videos and useful websites. They also offer events, programs and webinars to support you to look after yourself with diabetes.

To find your local organisation, call 1800 637 700.

Driving Each state and territory has different guidelines and requirements when it comes to diabetes. It is your legal responsibility to advise the Driver Licensing Authority in your state or territory if you take blood glucose lowering medications, including insulin. If your diabetes is treated with diet and exercise

IMOGEN TEAR is the editor at Diabetes NSW & ACT. For more healthy lifestyle tips and other helpful information on diabetes head to the Diabetes NSW & ACT website www. diabetesnsw.com.au or call the Helpline on 1300 136 588 to speak with a health professional.

only, notification requirements vary across different states and territories and you should check with the DLA for requirements in your state or territory.

If you are a commercial driver you will usually need to see an endocrinologist or specialist in diabetes for an assessment and a report on your fitness to drive.

Staying healthy Making healthy lifestyle choices can help you to live well with diabetes and minimise the risk of developing complications.

Your healthy lifestyle choices should include regular physical activity, healthy eating, medication (if needed), blood glucose management and weight control.

Heathy eating Understanding healthy eating can be a challenge but it’s an important part of living well with diabetes. The right balance of healthy foods help you to manage your diabetes and weight effectively. An accredited practising dietitian can help you decide on the best food choices for you. You can find one through the Dietitians Association of Australia on 1800 812 942 or at daa.asn.au.

Your GP can also organise a care plan for you that allows you to visit five allied health professionals, such as a dietitian, with a Medicare rebate. To access the rebate, your GP needs to provide a GP Management Plan and a Team Care Arrangement for you. Next time you visit your GP, check whether you have a GP Management Plan and, if not, ask to have one prepared for you. It won’t cost you anything to set up as the GP Management Plan is bulk billed by your GP through Medicare. The five subsidised visits reset every year in January.

“If you are a commercial driver you will usually need to see an endocrinologist or specialist.”

MOORE

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NatRoad Warren Clark

Government toll policy flawed The North Connex toll is typical reflection of government attitudes towards heavy vehicles

T

OLL CHARGES for heavy vehicles across Australia continue to increase, affecting the margins of transport operators and adding to cost pressures during the current pandemic.

NatRoad members have raised a number of concerns relating to the operation of toll roads, all of which are unfortunately encapsulated in the policy that will apply when the NorthConnex tunnel opens in coming weeks. Soon, most trucks travelling in the north of Sydney will no longer be able to use Pennant Hills Road unless they have a local destination.

Instead, they will be required to use the NorthConnex tunnel. If they don’t, they will be fined $194.

Trucks and buses (over 12.5 metres long or over 2.8 metres clearance height) which pass two gantries that will monitor the flow of traffic on Pennant Hills Road will receive the fine, but with no loss of demerit points.

NorthConnex tolls will be $7.91 for cars and $23.73 for heavy vehicles, based on July 1, 2020 pricing. This will add thousands of dollars a year in fees to those who travel this route on a regular basis.

There are two main exceptions to the mandatory requirement. A vehicle transporting dangerous goods with a dangerous goods placard or sign, and an oversize vehicle operating under a Class 1 permit or notice approved to use Pennant Hills Road, won’t be required to use the tunnel.

Transport for NSW has told NatRoad that trucks with permits will be identified so that the operators won’t receive the fine automatically. How this will be achieved remains a mystery although we have asked for an explanation from Transport for NSW,

which is not yet forthcoming.

NatRoad has raised all these concerns with the NSW government. To date, the government has declined to alter its policy, including about giving toll relief during this time of the pandemic.

In our view, toll roads and fees should be designed to provide sufficient incentive for heavy vehicle operators to use the toll.

There should be no need for governments to impose truck bans on alternative un-tolled routes.

Governments could introduce toll reductions and multi-user discounts for heavy vehicles where further incentives to use toll roads are needed or during times of crisis, as currently exist. Alternatively, discounted tolls could apply during low use periods at night, for example, 12am to 6am, but these suggestions have also been rejected.

WARREN CLARK, NatRoad’s chief executive officer, has more than 20 years’ experience leading and developing business for emerging companies.

Warren has held the position of CEO at various companies and is a certified chartered accountant.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTE BANS NatRoad has frequently called out the governments in NSW, Queensland and Victoria for poorly designed tolling policies.

These missteps include: • The lack of transparency and fairness in setting toll fees for heavy vehicles • The inconsistent use of tolling methods across the road network • The lack of competition in private toll road operation

BELOW: Artist’s impression of the entrance to NorthConnex. Image by NSW Government

• Governments forcing heavy vehicles to use tolled roads by banning them from alternative routes, as is the case with NorthConnex, and • Heavy vehicle operators paying for road network improvements through increases in tolls without experiencing the promised efficiencies themselves, again as with NorthConnex.

It is very difficult to find out from state governments how tolling fees are set, why toll increases are necessary on a regular basis and why some increases above the rate of inflation are justified. All of these questions are matters of urgent consideration when looking at the future of road construction and getting in place sensible, nationally agreed tolling policies.

No doubt, private sector investment in road infrastructure can help improve the road network. Less congested, safer, welldesigned roads can equate to time savings, reliability and reduced heavy vehicle operating costs. But these advantages all amount to very little where tolling arrangements unreasonably discriminate against heavy vehicle operators, as has happened with the construction of the NorthConnex tunnel both in the setting of tolls and in the mandated requirement to use the tunnel.

NatRoad policy is for an independent pricing regulator to be responsible for monitoring tolling arrangements to protect the public interest against any pricing abuses, under-maintenance of assets or unfair profits at public expense.

That independent price regulator will also be fundamental in re-designing the way the road user charges and heavy vehicle registration charges are calculated.

An independent price regulator could provide greater accountability in relation to the setting of tolls and consider these charges in conjunction with other road user charges.

NatRoad also argues that where heavy vehicles are denied access to roads, heavy vehicle operators shouldn’t have to pay for them.

We believe tolls should reflect the cost of building and maintaining the road, instead of being based on estimated time savings of drivers, and will continue to work with governments and toll operators to ensure tolling fees are decided with greater transparency and with the interest of the heavy vehicle industry taking into account.

We will never give up lobbying for fair tolling policies.

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Your Say

Letters to the Editor need to be typed or clearly handwritten and be no more than 500 words. Letters should include name, title (e.g. owner-driver, manager) and city for publication, unless otherwise requested. Letters may be edited for clarity or space.

Please be concise, so we can offer more people an opportunity to express themselves.

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

gbush@bauer-media.com.au or fax: 07 3101 6619 Level 5, 451 St Pauls Terrace, Fortitude Valley, Qld 4006 We prefer letters by e-mail, but handwritten letters will be accorded the same opportunity to be published.

Wage theft

In your recent edition (Owner// Driver September 2020, issue #332), Warren Clark from NatRoad alleges ‘costly award confusion’, referring to some confusion in the Road Transport Long Distance Operations Award 2010 [MA000039]. Is Mr Clark serious?

The Road Transport Long Distance Operations Award is one of the simplest awards to understand.

Essentially, drivers are paid by: i. The size of the truck they drive ii. The number of kilometres they drive iii. The hours loading and unloading iv. All entitlements as per most awards.

What Mr Clark is attempting to manipulate is the hours a driver spends loading and unloading.

Many companies use two workers to move interstate freight, with one worker to load\unload and another worker to transport the freight from point A to point B, typically over 500km.

The worker doing the loading and unloading is paid by the hour with overtime and the worker doing the driving is generally paid per kilometre travelled.

Mr Clark is attempting to convince us that if a solo worker does both tasks, that worker should only be paid for the kilometres travelled.

But paying for all work performed is “convoluted”.

Paying a truck driver for two hours’ work to participate in loading, drive ‘x’ amount of kilometres and two hours’ work to participate in the unloading is not convoluted!

After all, they pay local drivers on the basis of hourly plus various levels of overtime, yet this apparently is not convoluted?

Let’s be frank … Mr Clark and his cohorts have been allowed to get away with this type of wage theft for decades.

Now, drivers have honed in on the specific problem in the wording of the Long Distance Operations Award and have sought a remedy from the Fair Work Commission.

All of a sudden it’s confusing and needs reform!

No! Mr Clark, transport companies need to pay for the kilometres travelled plus ‘x’ amount of hours engaged in all the ancillary work of moving that freight, if a solo driver performs the response to NatRoad’s opinion piece duties. All of which is recorded in the National Work Diary.

31 OCTOBER 2020

The Truckies Ode Let these words commemorate A life that ran nonstop Someone who’s driven their last mile Who’ve done their final drop Who sacrificed their family time Saw little of their mates For a life of logbooks, parkin’ bays Hold overs, straps and gates And let these words say thank you To the loved ones left behind The truckin’ life ain’t easy And rarely is it kind Long hours at the wheel Days, weeks and months away Made home life near impossible But that’s the truckin’ way Some say this job takes everything It bears a dreadful cost With no way to say thankyou To the loved ones that we’ve lost To honour what they sacrificed To keep our country strong Let our thanks ring loud and clear Now you’ve sung your swansong

“The worker doing the loading and unloading is paid by the hour with overtime.”

So grab a feed and shower At that truckstop in the sky We’ll cherish every memory As we bid one last goodbye Rest in peace, you’ve earned it cob From years out on the road As we say thanks for all you’ve done Within this truckies ode © Matt Langdon 2020

The Fair Work Commission has interpreted the current position as if a Long Distance Driver handles “the same freight”, they are not entitled to be paid for the hours participating in the loading/ unloading of that freight.

However, if a driver loads 34 pallets of Coke in Melbourne, swaps trailers at the Melbourne depot to a load of Pepsi and heads off to Brisbane, the driver must be paid under hourly with overtime to load that Coke plus the kilometres travelled to Brisbane.

But if the driver participates in loading the Coke and goes directly to Brisbane with the same load of Coke, the driver only gets paid for the kilometres travelled to Brisbane.

Expecting to be paid for the hours loading the Coke as well as the kilometres travelled to Brisbane is “convoluted”.

Is it a regular occurrence for the same driver to load the Coke in Melbourne and unload it in

Brisbane? If so, the driver misses out on wages at both ends. However, all the duties performed must be recorded in the driver’s work diary.

Convoluted? I don’t think so, work is work!

I wonder what the ATO thinks about all this free labour that isn’t taxed?

NatRoad may call this “convoluted”, but we call it “wage theft”!

Come on Mr Clark, the gig is up!

Trevor Warner, Queensland

Remembering Noel Bransden

Quite by co-incidence I came across the letter from Michael Pyper, re Noel Bransden’s Kenworth (Owner//Driver July 2020, #300).

It was indeed a very special truck for the time, specced out for very specialised work in the Latrobe Valley and a gas works facility at Longford in Victoria.

Personally I don’t know what the actual specs were, so I can’t help there, and some of the blokes who I think would know I’ve lost track over the intervening years. Maybe one will see your letter.

I was more than interested to see this about Noel Bransden.

The man was a thorough gentleman, quietly spoken and very respectful of all others.

He never cussed or cursed, he was totally a laconic personality, unflappable in any situation, which is why he was so good at that nerve wracking, exacting heavy haulage work that he did.

I knew Noel as a very good friend from my days at Heyfield when I was a country copper there during the 1970s and 1980s. A great bloke he was.

Linden Watson

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truck of the month

32 OCTOBER 2020

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HULK HERO T Western Australia’s Ryan Demasi went from laying turf to owning ‘The Incredible Hulk’, one of the most stunning Kenworth T904s in the country. Warren Aitken catches up with the owneroperator in Perth

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HERE IS something extremely uplifting about meeting a genuine Aussie. Not the cliché ‘corks on his Akubra’ kind of Aussie, I mean a real Aussie. The kind of person that thrives on hard work, who lives for challenges, who doesn’t shy away from anything. The kind of person that stands by his mates and the kind of person whose entertaining tall tales requires my editor to censor nearly every second word just so we can print his quotes.

A true blue ‘no BS’ Aussie.

Filling that position is Ryan Demasi of Bandana Earthmoving in Perth. When it comes to filling the role of a genuine Aussie, Ryan fills it fuller than a self-poured pint.

His story is about as true blue as they come.

His work ethic is the same, but by now you would have all perved at the ‘Hulking’ Kenworth T904, which is about as iconic as you can get.

Quite honestly, if it was not for Ryan’s almost compulsive addiction to cleaning his gear, the truck would be caked in Western Australian red dirt just to top off all the true blue Aussie clichés.

I’d really love to skip straight to telling you about the time and effort gone into this amazing Kenworth, but we can’t really gloss over the long road that Ryan and his family travelled to get where they are. The truth is, Ryan’s success was built on the back of an arrogant bank manager and Ryan’s determination to prove him wrong.

“If someone says you can’t do something, well then you kinda just have to do it, don’t you?” Ryan says. It’s not so much a question as a statement of fact.

As a young bloke, Ryan grew up working

OCTOBER 2020 33

“His plans went from a rather plain ‘Bruce Banner’ truck into the ‘Incredible Hulk’ it is now.”

Above: Ryan Demasi (right) travelled across to the 2019 Alexandra Truck Ute and Rod Show to claim the rig of the show award with the T904. Here he accepts the trophy from Graeme Sharp of Royan Truck and Trailer Repairs. Photo by David McKenzie Opposite top and below: The Kenworth Hulk looking the goods.

Ryan credits company supervisor Luke Salamone for the truck’s appearance; Ryan Demasi’s fabricator, Sean Patterson, spent many hours making sure everything was perfect, including the step box, deck plates and even the bumper

34 OCTOBER 2020

with his old man Tony Demasi. His dad was a partner in Home Green Turf Farm, a roll-out lawn business. Ryan jokes that three years working alongside his dad taught him a very valuable lesson. “F*#@, this manual labour stuff is tough, there’s got to be an easier way to make money!”

I’m sure he learnt other things as well but the story is much more fun when you tell it Ryan’s way. After having a bit of a spin in a mate’s bobcat, Ryan found himself hooked.

At just 18 he sat down with his dad and his dad’s business partner and told them he wanted to buy himself a bobcat. He had even hunted around and found an old Ford LNT tipper and bobcat combo for sale at $30,000.

“What are you going to buy it with, bottle tops?” was the reaction he received, but that would not deter Ryan. He went down to the bank and asked for a loan. The bank manager knew Ryan’s dad and his business. He also knew how much money Ryan was bringing in, so laughingly he warned Ryan against the move. Remember what I said before about “tell me I can’t do something”? Well this is where it originated.

Ryan pushed for the loan, eventually getting a snide “alright, I’ll give it to you, only because I think it’ll be funny when I repossess it” remark.

With an ad in the local rag costing $30 a week (yes kids, we advertised in the local newspaper in the days before the internet), Ryan began picking up odd jobs around the neighbourhood, such as digging up driveways and clearing gardens. Ryan would be up at 4am every day, squeezing in as much work as he could before he went to his day job at Home Green Turf Farm from 7am to 3pm every day. Then he’d be back on his bobcat, often until he was getting kicked off sites well after dark.

For three and a half months Ryan kept this up. He put fuel in the truck and the rest of the money went into an envelope.

Fuel in truck, money in envelope – that was his life. Then after those 14 weeks he marched into the bank manager’s office with $33,000 in cash and told him to clear the loan.

I can just imagine the bank manager sitting there looking like a dog trying to understand algebra. That was the last

ownerdriver.com.au

time Ryan ever dealt with that bank and it was the beginning of what would eventually become Bandana Earthmoving.

Green streak I would love to share all of the stories that I heard from Ryan about his adventures in the early days, but my editor would have a coronary with the language. Many of you may also do yourselves an injury falling off your seats laughing. So, I shall just try and progress quickly through to the current day’s gorgeous green trucks.

With that first bobcat Ryan built his reputation, moving from small local jobs to bigger building jobs. That first bobcat was soon replaced with a brand new air conditioned version, fully kitted out with stereo, tinted windows and chrome rims.

You could see that Ryan placed huge importance on company appearance, even back then.

The Ford LNT was joined in the company by an LTL and custom-built pig trailer, all of which were looked after with more love and attention than most people give their kids. I would probably do just the same; there’s a lot less drama from an LTL than a teenager.

With a bigger truck came bigger jobs. Ryan’s nonstop work ethic saw him taking on work with his bobcat, work which would have been

ownerdriver.com.au

completed more effectively with a front-end loader. So that’s what Ryan did, purchasing a Caterpillar 926 and moving up another level. For those wondering, yes the pig trailer was designed to cart the bobcat, but in typical Ryan fashion, a little bit of ‘creative parking and chaining’ soon ensured the new loader fitted on the combination perfectly. You guys know what I mean.

From there Ryan just kept growing, putting more and more equipment on the road as his reputation for great work grew. His first ‘big jigger’ was a second hand Ford AeroMax that he picked up out of Sydney. Ryan cut the bunk down himself and turned it into a truck and dog tipper. The rig got painted up in stunning ‘Tiger Mica’ with gold flames and even managed to grace the pages of the old Truckin’ Life magazine many moons ago, although it was more infamous at leaving all the other mud carters for dead as its 525hp (391kW) would tear up out of the quarries fully loaded.

By the time the global financial crisis hit Ryan was running a fleet of around seven trucks, which included a magnificent Mercedes eight-wheeler and a few Ford Sterlings. With the downturn in work Ryan had to sell off a lot of equipment, eventually returning to just a twotruck operation.

However, like a profanity-riddled Phoenix that

OCTOBER 2020 35

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“Ryan’s success was built on the back of an arrogant bank manager.” were added, and more of the rebuild work was getting done in-house, including the painting. After the first Star was done by a local company, Ryan rejoiced in telling me about the first Star they painted themselves. “We painted the first Western Star in here,” he says, pointing to one of his sheds.

He used his phone for light. “We didn’t have power on yet and we were using the little compactor truck which had a generator on the back for a compressor.” Serious Aussie adaptability! In the end they painted five trucks in their sheds before it was decided to build a proper paint booth. No coincidence that it was built just before the purchase of the 904. That’s a great segue, allowing us to deal with the ‘Hulk’ in the room.

Top: Ryan Demasi’s original pride and joy. The first Western Star in Bandana green and still an absolute head turner Above: When he wanted something else to make his Western Star stand out, Ryan found a local airbrusher to add this amazing image

38 OCTOBER 2020

loves working eight days a week, 26 hours a day, Ryan worked his way through the GFC and came out the other side. Things had changed as a result of the crisis though. The major change was truck manufacturers.

Ryan had had a great run out of his Sterlings. “They were great trucks, cheap and made money,” he says, but he also says getting parts was a real … well let’s say it wasn’t easy. So when it came time for Ryan to build a new marque tipper, he found himself purchasing a second-hand Western Star.

The new/old truck was parked-up in Ryan’s workshop and totally rebuilt. When it was all stripped down and ready to paint, Ryan noted Holden had just come out with the new ‘Hothouse Green’ colour. It struck a chord with him and in collaboration with his painter, they created their own colour similar to Holden’s, calling it ‘Bandana Green’.

The truck was sent off and resprayed at a local painter.

The end-result was beyond breathtaking when the Western Star returned to Ryan’s shed. It was the first official Bandana Earthmoving Western Star, but certainly was not to be the last.

As the company rebirth gained momentum, more Stars

Enter the 904 A fleet of stunning green Western Stars grace the Bandana Earthmoving fleet, so how come there’s a Kenworth? Well, I put that question to Ryan and in true fashion he answered colourfully.

“To be honest, all bullshit aside, I say to everyone, to be the biggest wanker you’ve gotta have a Kenworth 904. And I’m going to be the biggest wanker, so I bought it.”

It may not be the most politically correct way of saying it, but Ryan’s right. There is just something about the big bonnet of the Kenworth that just adds a few more ounces of testosterone to any bloke.

“People love my Western Star,” Ryan admitted. “I love it, but it’s just not the same.”

So Ryan found this 2006 T904, with 800,000km on it, and when it hit Ryan’s price range he snapped it up. What you see now is not what was in its intended future. Black chassis, polished rims, Bandana green paint job and whack some side tippers behind it. That was the go. Until Ryan got it home and started the tear down. Ironically, his plans went

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“Ryan has actually lost at a truck show because his truck was too clean.”

Above: Just a few of the impressive and multi-functional Western Stars that grace the Bandana fleet Above right: You won’t find these on the factory shelves. Custom designed and built KW mirrors Below: There is extraordinary attention to detail on the paint job

40 OCTOBER 2020

from a rather plain ‘Bruce Banner’ truck into the ‘Incredible Hulk’ it is now.

So, seriously, where do I start with the attention to detail on this thing. The engine was removed and given a full Hollywood-style makeover; it’s no longer the quiet Cummins workhorse. New piston linings, rings, pumps … everything got slapped on. A huge Cat turbo on a Cummins engine, new program and it was pumping out around 900hp (671kW).

Cosmetically, the whole engine got a fresh lick of custom paint. Every pipe got chromed and every single visible bolt is standing in unison with the others. If you could get fashion awards for engines, this thing would be unbeatable.

Now let us tackle the outside. It really is hard to put into words just how precise and on point this Hulk is, but I’ll try. Ryan’s main goal was to have a very clean look.

His interpretation of that involved countersinking every possible bolt they could. You heard me, go back and look at the chassis images, not a single bolt. Same with the Hogebuilt guards, all the bolts and brackets have been hidden as much as possible. It is simply amazing.

Ryan wanted to wrap the tanks, but no straps and step box up the front instead of fuel tanks (for those guessing, yes Ryan spent a fair bit of time watching Trick My Truck on Fox). The step boxes were not an easy option either, there were seven different step box designs before the final choice was made and mounted, the added issue being the step box had to line up perfectly with the shape of the tanks. There was two weeks on that alone.

We all know the importance of a good arse end and, in this case Ryan wanted it all to follow the contour of the guards. I am not even going to attempt to explain the lengths that the team went to get all that matching. Check out the photos though, they did the job perfectly.

The bumper and the grill were all made in Ryan’s workshop, flush deck plating and the Kenworth emblem where the airlines connect were all custom build. I’m sure the keen-eyed observer has noted that the truck does not have factory fitted mirrors. Another time-consuming idea

by Ryan in his attempts to keep it clean.

All the Kenworth bracketry was removed, custom built mirrors were fitted. The driver had a big hand in these, sitting in the truck and saying exactly where to fit them as there is no adjustment. Once they were in position the glass was fitted and that’s it. No movement at all.

Next step was the artwork. While most of the fleet is purely Bandana Green, Ryan had personalised his Western Star with an amazing snake on the bonnet, so he wanted to add another level to the 904 with more airbrushing.

He decided that a green-on-green image would also be cool on the Kenworth. The Hulk was a perfect concept considering the muscle involved in the truck. Ryan dealt with the boys from Advanced Airbrushing, floating the idea of the Hulk on the front and $100 notes out the back.

The design team soon tied the two concepts together and came up with Hulk bursting from the bonnet with a fistful of dollars and money streaming out the back. Countless dedicated hours later and the end result is unreal.

Attention to detail With all that information under your belt, I hope you go back and browse the photos again, and take note of detail and dedication involved. Also, I urge you to have a little sympathy for both the Hulk and Ryan, for we live in a world now where discrimination and prejudicial thinking is rampant and has had adverse effect on poor Ryan. For he suffers from a fairly rare disease, a disease though that is often found in truck drivers; Ryan would be one of the most afflicted people I’ve ever seen. It’s known as ATDD or Attention to Detail Disorder, although it could also be known as ‘Does that truck even work’ syndrome.

Ryan has actually lost at a truck show because his truck was too clean. It turns out the four hours he spent underneath the chassis cleaning every drop of grease off was actually a hindrance.

The fact is, the big T904 is a working truck. While it may not clock up the huge kilometres of the interstaters, it’s often seen around the Perth area, float behind it, delivering both Ryan’s and customers’ equipment to various challenging locations. It earns its keep, but like the rest of Ryan’s fleet and his business in general, attention to detail is paramount. Looking good and performing well is what has enabled Ryan and Bandana Earthmoving to weather many storms and not only survive but flourish.

So that’s it folks, I’d love to end with a witty anecdote or pun about ‘The Hulk’, or the benefits of being a ‘true blue Aussie’, but I actually think you should all just have to go back and enjoy the photos once again. Though, they may leave you all a little ‘green’ with envy.

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As well as being involved in road transport media for the past 20 years, GREG BUSH has strong links to the music industry.

A former Golden Guitar judge for the Country Music Awards of Australia, Greg also had a three-year stint as an ARIA Awards judge in the late 1990s and wrote for and edited several music magazines.

ROAD SOUNDS Greg Bush

Australian music rules Almost all home-grown albums for the month of October THE SPEED OF NOW PART 1 Keith Urban

ECHOES OF YOU The English Rain

AFTERSHOCK Mike Elrington

EMI/Universal www.keithurban.net

Independent www.theenglishrain.net

Only Blues Music www.mikeelrington.com

Keith Urban continues to stretch country’s boundaries on The Speed Of Now Part 1, his 11th solo studio album. His catchy duet with pop superstar Pink on ‘One Too Many’ is a case in point, but he outdoes that with ‘Out The Cage’, a high-octane track that features hip-hop artist Breland and legendary disco-pop guitarist Nile Rodgers. ‘Superman’, with a trademark Urban guitar solo midstream, is another rapid-fire pop-rock track as he sings of Johnny, June and a ring of fire. ‘Forever’ starts of somewhat sedately, before Urban raises the bar as he reminisces but looks forward to future endeavours. There’s traces of country on ‘Ain’t Like A Woman’, and definitely on ‘We Were’, with Nashville star Eric Church adding vocals. Urban turns to romance on ‘God Whispered Your Name’, and brings out his banjo-like “ganjo” for the frenzied ‘Tumbleweed’.

Although Echoes Of You is the debut album for Brisbanebased band The English Rain, there’s years of experience behind this new project, notably founders Steve Boom and Neil Steward, who have played in numerous bands since 1983.

It’s a multi-genre 12-track album, kicking off with the soft rocker ‘Everywhere I Go’, featuring guest vocalist Alister Bell of Speedstar. In contrast, the title track ‘Echoes Of You’ boasts traces of early guitar-driven ’90s Brit pop. There’s midpaced blues-rock on ‘Just Think Of You’, while ‘Swamp Girl’ sounds like ZZ Top on steroids. Another guest vocalist, Cassi Marie, joins Bell for a duet on the catchy pop track ‘Baby Please’. Marie returns for the sugary ‘Everywhere I Go’, and there’s a ’60s pop sound to ‘She’s A Rainbow’. Echoes Of You is a masterfully-produced album of well-crafted songs and fine musicianship.

Following on from his 2015 allacoustic album Two Lucky Stars, Adelaide-bred blues-rock artist Mike Elrington brings out his electric artillery, as well as his rip-roaring vocals, for new album Aftershock. ‘She’s On My Mind Again’, a forthright track written after his recent marriage breakup, leads the way with its grinding guitar riff. In a similar theme, Elrington faces the facts on the rockin’ ‘She Don’t Want Nobody To Love’, with Victorian singersongwriter June Harrison chiming in on duet vocals. Another strong track, ‘Don’t Give Me A Dime’, features synchronised vocals with lead guitar – and a rap section – as Elrington faces his spendthrift habits. He returns to the dating game on another upbeat rock track, ‘Walk It With You’. There’s grunge on ‘Dirty Death’, a song written by the late Jesse Younan, a leukaemia victim who died in 2008.

AT GOLDEN RETRIEVER STUDIO Boy & Bear

AUTOMATIC Mildlife

GOOD LUCK, SEEKER The Waterboys

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Australian band Boy & Bear have re-imagined a selection of material from its 2019 album Suck On Light, giving the tracks a fresh acoustic makeover for new nine-track album At Golden Retriever Studio. These include ‘Telescope’, ‘Bad People’, and ‘Hold Your Never’, which are all ideally suited to this unplugged format. ‘Southern Sun’, from Boy & Bear’s second album Harlequin Dream gets the pared-back treatment, breathing new life into what was already an excellent track. Similarly, ‘Limit Of Love’, the title track from the five-piece band’s 2015 album, is an exercise in minimalism, hence more laid back than the original. An interesting inclusion is the chilled-out cover of the Chris Isaak hit ‘Wicked Game’, a perfect vehicle for Boy & Bear’s style. There’s a new song too – ‘3 Moons’ – which was originally designated for Suck On Light but gets its first airing here.

Automatic is the second studio album for Melbourne band Mildlife.

And, as its predecessor, this new release is a mix of jazz-fusion, pop and electronica.

Although only containing six tracks, the album stretches out to 42 minutes, due mainly to the nearly nine-minute ‘Citations’, a drifting, atmospheric piece that showcases the four-piece outfit’s multi-instrumentalism. The title track ‘Automatic’ is another lengthy exercise, its sound reminiscent of German electronic band Kraftwerk. ‘Vapour’ starts out slightly offbeat, before Mildlife’s soft harmonies kick in amid a constant groove beat, while the funky bass line drives ‘Downstream’ behind Kevin Wilson’s vocals, which bare some resemblance to those of Ian Brown of The Stone Roses. The likely standout track, ‘Rare Air’, boasts layers of keyboards with a beat that has dance credentials.

Although slightly chilled, Automatic is a likely behind-the-wheel accompaniment.

The big horn section on ‘The Soul Singer’, the opening track of The Waterboys’ new album Good Luck, Seeker suggests the British-Irish band have mostly left their folk-rock roots behind.

However, there are hints of past sounds on ‘Low Down In The Broom’ and the narrative-styled ‘(You’ve Got To) Kiss A Frog Or Two’. With original member Mike Scott leading the way, Good Luck, Seeker highlights plenty of drum and bass-driven tracks, notably on the rhythmic ‘Freak Street’ and the homage to late actor-movie producer ‘Dennis Hopper’. There’s a nod to The Rolling Stones on the short instrumental piece ‘Sticky Fingers’, which leads into a spirited cover of the Kate Bush-penned ‘Why Should I Love You’. For impact it’s hard to go past the dramatic, spoken word-styled ‘My Wanderings In The Weary Land’ – a track worth the price of the album alone.

42 OCTOBER 2020

Country Corner SLIM & I Various artists

EMI Music www.slimdustymusic. com.au Slim & I is the soundtrack to the documentary of the same name, covering the life and career of Australian country music icons Slim Dusty and his wife Joy McKean.

The CD version is 12 tracks shorter than the digital version, although both contain songs interspersed with various interviews. Old classics such as remastered versions of ‘When The Rain Tumbles Down In July’ and ‘Indian Pacific’ will please Dusty fans. One of his most popular songs, ‘The Biggest Disappointment’ is featured twice, both acoustically, with Troy Cassar-Daley delivering a trademark performance, followed by a surprise Missy Higgins and Dan Sultan version. There’s also tracks from Joy and Heather McKean, Bill Chambers and Darren Hanlon. A worthy tribute to the late country music legend.

BORN HERE, LIVE HERE, DIE HERE Luke Bryan Capitol Nashville/Universal www.lukebryan.com

Born Here, Live Here, Die Here is US singer-songwriter Bryan’s seventh studio album, and he continues the tried and true formula of singing songs of women, drinking and trucks. He has three for the road on the country rock track ‘Margarita’, and he becomes wildly intoxicated with a love interest on ‘Too Drunk To Drive’. On the opposite side, ‘Build Me A Daddy’ is a sombre ballad that is sure to tug on the heartstrings. Back to his upbeat sound, Bryan sings of needing to refuel, among other things, on ‘Knockin Boots’, but he’s met his match on ‘What She Wants Tonight’. With its big Nashville production, Born Here, Live Here, Die Here will be another moneyspinner for Luke Bryan.

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SELL YOUR TRUCK

TOW OPERATORS Exciting MC – B Double/Road Train Tow Contractor position in an established bulk commodity transport company. Ag-Spread are currently seeking expressions of interest from Owner Drivers for B – Double or Road Train Tow operating work for the harvest season.

You will be operating throughout Queensland, New South Wales & Victoria, commencing in October.

Operators will be towing new and well maintained trailers.

To be successful, candidates must have; • Availability 7 days per week • Commitment to spend long periods of time away from home • Late model and well maintained Prime Mover with Hydraulics • Previous experience as an owner driver

Please contact Nick on

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The GTS Group is a privately owned business & market leader specialising in freight movement & warehousing. Based in Mildura & employing nationally, we run a fleet of modern Prime Movers & B-double Taut-liner trailers servicing a range of blue chip customers.

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events news

BUSINESS EVENTS – WHY DO WE DO IT? The 2021 Brisbane Truck Show is like the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel

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midst the madness of 2020, sometimes it is difficult to know if we are heading in the right direction; at times it feels like the pace of things is slowing down to a cautious crawl at the expense of our businesses, our economy and maybe even our sanity.

Then, that speck of light in the distance provides us with everything we need to pick up our pace again and start heading forward, with the surety that everything is going to be alright.

Naturally there have been some nerves about whether everything will be good to go by 2021.

Well, five months into 2021 actually: the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show will run from May 13 to 16.

But, there are some actions that have added to the level of confidence that everyone needs. Try Brisbane hosting the AFL Grand Final for starters and looking at a capacity of 30,000.

Add to that the Australian government’s stimulus to restart Australia’s business events sector. Its announcement includes a whole range of support for exhibitors to attend and build their displays.

What does that mean for you as an attendee?

It means all the pieces are falling into place to ensure that your expectations of the Brisbane Truck Show you know and love will all be met, and typically exceeded.

It means the exhibitors are given the assurance they need to invest in bringing their full array of

50 OCTOBER 2020

products, displayed with the flair that you have become accustomed to.

The deputy prime minister and minister for infrastructure, transport and regional development Michael McCormack hit the mark when he said the government’s grant program would provide opportunities and encourage businesses from regional Australia to attend events in their own backyard.

“IT IS EQUALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO CONNECT WITH YOUR SUPPLIERS.” “Making it less expensive and easier for regional businesses to attend events in Australia will present new opportunities to connect with and secure new customers,” the deputy prime minister said.

It goes both ways – it is equally a great opportunity for you to connect with your suppliers - and with your mates of course. We bet there’s plenty of them you’re looking forward to seeing again soon.

The social side of the event keeps getting bigger

as many who enjoyed the South Bank activations at the last show can testify.

Rest assured, the hotels, restaurants, cafes and pubs of South Bank are all looking forward to welcoming you back.

National Apprentice Challenge The call for apprentices from around the country is out now. The opportunity to compete in the National Apprentice Challenge, with selected teams taking on the best-of-the-best from all over the country, has been raised another notch.

The prizes are hugely attractive for a young bloke/lady on the tools, what with a fully hosted trip to the V8 Supercars up for grabs, with full corporate treatment, pit lane tours and a whole lot more.

Now, there is the added pressure of performing under the spotlight. The apprentice challenge is moving from the loading bays at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) into South Bank Piazza. The set-up at BCEC was great, but this is like going from kick around at the park to the MCG in one fell swoop. Or in this year’s case – the Gabba.

Find out all about everything that is going on at www.brisbanetruckshow.com.au Pictured: The National Apprentice Challenge is making the big move to the South Bank Piazza in 2021

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INNOVATION - SUSTAINABILITY - SAFETY - KNOWLEDGE - CAREERS - COMMUNITY

road transport recruitment

STAYING IN THE GAME N As in Australia, a big issue for road transport operators in the United States is attracting and retaining quality drivers.

Tim Richardson travelled across the Pacific, pre-COVID, to attend the Merge 2000 conference in Nashville with the emphasis on recruitment

52 OCTOBER 2020

ASHVILLE, TENNESSEE is affectionately known to North Americans as ‘Music City’, but for most Australians we recognise it as the global hub of country music. It also played host to the largest recruitment and retention conference for the American trucking industry, Merge 2020.

Some may wonder why I would travel to the United States to attend a driver recruitment conference as we see our industries as quite different. But the challenge of truck driver training, recruitment and retention is an issue right across the globe, so I took the opportunity to listen to and speak with people from another market.

I did not have any pre-conceived ideas as to what I would learn at the conference, I was just hoping to gain an insight into how the US is combatting the challenge of driver recruitment. What was evident from the moment that I started to speak with people is that recruitment was not their biggest challenge, it is driver retention.

The American trucking industry current driver turnover rate is 85 per cent per annum with 60 per cent of these occurring within the first six months of employment. Considering the US has 2.1 million long haul drivers, nearly 1.8 million of them are changing employer less than every 12 months.

Some of the more reputable transport companies who have focused on reducing their turnover rates are achieving 35 to 45 per cent turnover, which is still remarkably high, but much better than the industry average.

The turnover of drivers results in an incredibly competitive recruiting effort by many longhaul operators. All transport companies have a recruiting team which are constantly looking for new drivers and there is a significant number of third-party recruiters involved in supporting the industry. Drivers can register their details on a number of websites and job boards, which will then pass their contact details on to many transport companies. Truck drivers need to make little effort to seek new employment, which in turn leads to the remarkably high turnover rate.

The first workshop I attended looked into unlocking the ‘why’ behind driver turnover.

They listed out the top five issues behind driver turnover in 2019: compensation, equipment, operations, home time and lastly company issues.

Drilling down into each of these issues further, it was evident that drivers were seeking consistency with mileage, which in turn leads to consistent income, good and well maintained equipment and to work for a company that respects them and the hard work that they put in. The issues raised there would relate to many truck drivers here in Australia.

The underlying point presented by Scott Dismuke from the Professional Driver Agency was “the relationship between a driver and the company is critical to manage route delays and changes”.

“Be honest and don’t mislead the driver during the recruiting process, and start the driver off on a good note ensuring their truck is handed to them in good working order and cleaned.”

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“Drivers aren’t machines … show them respect.”

The session finished up noting that transport companies need to spend more time, effort and finances on retention rather than recruiting. This theory was discussed and had been put into practice by a number of the leading transport companies, who had then managed to reduce driver turnover.

During the lunch break we had a presentation by Chris Spear, the American Trucking Association (ATA) president and CEO. Spear is a very impressive speaker and had the attention of everyone in the room.

As the key industry representative in Washington, Spear discussed the current toxic political environment where there is an extreme lack of consensus and a struggle to find compromise. Prior to COVID, the US economy was going through a boom, with an example being the $33 billion of US manufactured goods to China in the first year of the trade agreement. The growth in manufacturing and a booming economy makes talent harder to find and retain and will see significant increases in freight.

Infrastructure needs to be a focus in Washington and is being pushed hard by the ATA. Spear believes much of the talk about infrastructure spending is fake, but if the government does spend money on roads and bridges this will have a significant effect on the economy.

“Trucks and cars sitting in traffic is bad for the economy and bad for the environment,” he says.

Spear finished off his presentation by speaking about driver shortage and recruitment. “Trucking is not getting the investment in skills. We need to look to the future generations to fill the 60,000-driver shortage we are currently facing.”

He reminded the audience that young people in the US below the age of 21 cannot cross state lines even though they can secure a CDL licence from the age of 18.

“We have high expectations on our young in the military and we are prepared to send them off to war, but we won’t let them drive a truck across state lines,” Spear says.

Young drivers face too many barriers to entering the trucking industry in the US, as they do here in Australia. The ATA has worked closely with the federal government and had the Drive-Safe Act introduced to congress. The act would allow drivers below the age of 21 to cross state lines but they would go through a far more rigorous driver training program.

“The bill is about providing young men and women with demonstrated aptitude the opportunity to master interstate [truck] driving through a rigorous apprenticeship program

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that combines 400 hours of minimum training with supervised, real-world driving with a mentor—all on trucks equipped with state-of-the-art, National Transportation Safety Board endorsed vehicle safety technologies,” the ATA states.

Australia can learn a lot from the proactive steps being taken in the US to encourage young people to enter the transport industry, to provide in-depth and credible training and to provide career opportunities and a career path. With our aging driver population, we need to stop talking about the problems and start implementing practical solutions.

Gender diversity The topic of driver recruitment was the focus on much of the afternoon sessions at the conference. ATA chief economist, Bob Costello, discussed the challenges facing the industry and the US economy overall.

“There’s no one cause to the driver shortage and there’s no one solution,” Costello says.

The US transport industry needs one million new drivers over the next 10 years. Most new drivers going through training and entering the industry are aged between 34 to 39 years. For most of them this will be their second or third career path.

Costello says policies such as the Drive-Safe Act will encourage attraction of young people which is critical for the industry. There should also be focus on gender diversity with

Top: American Trucking Association president Chris Spear believes ex-military personnel are an ideal fit for trucking Above: Melissa Nisham, VP of recruiting at Epes Transport, says family issues are the main reason for driver resignation Opposite top: Trucks lead the way down a busy Tennessee interstate highway. Photo by Carolyn Franks

OCTOBER 2020 53

“If you can solve retention, you don’t need to focus so much on recruiting.”

Right: ‘Music City’ was the location for Merge 2020

54 OCTOBER 2020

women currently only making up 8.9 per cent of the trucking workforce and hiring of military veterans to help fill the shortage.

Randy Dye is the president of Veterans in Trucking and presented a session on veteran recruitment. With over 14 per cent of active service personnel involved in military transportation and freight, attracting former military personnel is a worthwhile target group.

He says 97.2 percent of military job seekers seek out employers that are specifically recruiting veteran talent.

“Hiring a veteran is not just a good idea, hiring a veteran is good business.”

The US offers tax credit advantages to businesses hiring military veterans, something that should be explored in Australia to support those that have served our country.

Work/life balance Three of the top recruiters in the industry, including Tim Norlin from Roehl Transport and Melissa Nishan from Epes

Transport System, contributed to a panel discussion on successful driver recruitment. The panel agreed that with advances in technology, companies will need to recruit a different type of driver and that recruiting needs to be an investment.

“Drivers aren’t machines,” Norlin says. “Show them respect.” Norlin was named the Transport Topics Recruiting Professional of the Year.

Roehl Transport operates a fleet of 2,000 trucks and has made a number of significant changes in recent years.

“We focused on student drivers but in a different way than we had before, and we created a ‘finishing program’ to bring students’ skills up to meet our expectations,” Norlin says.

Epes Transport System is a general commodity carrier with a fleet of 1,600 trucks. Melissa Nishan is the vice-president of driver recruiting at Epes and leads a team of 21 staff in recruiting and on-boarding. With a turnover rate of 42 per cent, she notes that retention is still one of the biggest challenges they face.

“If you can solve retention, you don’t need to focus so much on recruiting,” Nishan says. Home time and family issues are the big reason for resignation, which is why Epes Transport’s focus is on ensuring its drivers get home every week.

The team at Epes are kept busy with 79,000 recruitment phone calls being made in 2019 to recruit 800 drivers.

“One in every 15 applications that we take results in a driver being hired,” Nishan tells me. “We will hire drivers younger than 21 but at the moment they cannot cross state lines, which makes it hard.”

In a discussion with Nishan after the conference, I asked her about recruiting student drivers straight from a driving school.

“We have a number of approved driving schools that we take students from, which is based on student-to-trainer ratio and time behind the wheel,” she explains. “When they have graduated and have their CDL (commercial driver’s licence), they will spend six weeks in a truck with one of our 22 driver trainers.”

This process was the most enlightening matter I took away from the conference and should be a government and industry focus in Australia. New entrants to the transport industry attend a three week course at a driving school and will then go on to four to six weeks of on-the-job training with their initial employer.

If Australia is serious about recruiting new drivers to the industry, we need to look at how we train and licence drivers and prepare them properly for a career in the transport industry. The US operates lighter and less complex trucks than we do in Australia, yet they have a far better process at training and licencing drivers.

ownerdriver.com.au

sponsored content Cool Top RTE 16

Cool Split 20

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WEBASTO COOL TOP RTE 16 – ROOFTOP AIR CONDITIONING UNIT

hatever weather conditions you’re driving in this year, Webasto ensures you can control the cab temperature every step of the way.

Westabo is known throughout the world for its extensive range of sunroof systems and diesel-fired air heaters, suitable for use in almost any application, including trucks, caravans, motorhomes and marine vessels. It has been providing comfort solutions for the bus and truck market since 1965 and has increased its truck portfolio in recent years with high quality products that are perfect for the harsh Australian summer.

Webasto’s existing truck market offerings include split air conditioning systems such as the Fresco 3000 and the Cool Split 20, both available in rear or roof top mounted variants, providing perfect cabin climate control. Also on offer for the truck market are Webasto’s isotherm compressor fridges, ranging in size and style from a 16L drawer fridge/freezer up to a 49L upright refrigerator.

Webasto has an impressive product range with something for every situation and its cabin cooling solutions are designed to ensure a comfortable sleeper cabin all year round, no matter where you are, day or night.

This month, Webasto introduces the all new Webasto Cool Top RTE 16, an effective, lightweight, 24 volt electric parking cooler. The powerful 1,600 watt rooftop air conditioning system is available with a wide choice of specific truck model mounting kits that allow for easy installation via the vehicle’s roof hatch.

The system is controlled using a digital display panel and/or a handy remote control unit and offers automatic temperature control and individual temperature and fan speed adjustments.

Webasto’s Cool Top RTE 16 provides cooling

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without idling, saving fuel, engine wear and emissions and with an adjustable low voltage cut-off you can be assured that the engine will always start.

Pre filled with refrigerant, the compressordriven system is connected to a 24 volt battery.

Quality components, combined with light weight construction and flat design, provide a sleek, sophisticated look, with the power and performance you expect from a Webasto product, effortlessly providing a refreshing temperature and comfortable environment in the truck cabin.

The new Cool Top RTE 16 will be available Australia-wide from October through Webasto’s authorised truck sales and service dealer network and, as with all Webasto products, will be covered by a two year warranty.

Technical specifications for the Cool Top RTE 16 include: • • • • • • • • • •

Nominal cooling capacity (W): 1,600 Refrigerant: R134a Nominal voltage (v): 24 Maximum total power consumption at 24v (A): 23 Max operation temperature: 45 degrees C Max air volume flow of evaporator blower (m3/h): 650 Dimensions condenser L x W x H (mm): 645 x 920 x 140 Dimensions evaporator L x W x H (mm): 387 x 349 x 165 Installation height (mm): 142 (depending on cabin type) Weight (kg): 23.4

All Webasto products come with a two-year warranty. For more details go to www.webasto.com or call 1800 244 494.

Cool Top RTE 16

OCTOBER 2020 55

sponsored content

THE HVAC SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY Phil Reynolds works in the product marketing department at PACCAR Parts. Here, he puts his spin on the operation of HVAC

W

elcome students to a wondrous journey delving into what some would believe is the dark arts of truck HVAC systems.

Our first lesson: what is HVAC? Easy – it stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. That makes sense – so let’s see what else we can make sense of.

Heating for vehicles is achieved by sourcing hot coolant from the engine and running it through a heater core (think small radiator) inside the cab.

Coupled with controllable taps for coolant flow and blower fans, we can control the amount of heat output for comfort.

Ventilation is purely our means of moving heated, cooled, internal or external ‘fresh’ air around a cab. This is done with ducts but also mechanisms to control the direction of flow, so we can choose between feet, head, screen or a combination. This control is also available for either recirculating the air inside the cab, or taking fresh air from outside to pass through the HVAC system.

These mechanisms have changed over time from simple cables to vacuum lines coupled between servos and engine manifolds, to modern servos electrically controlled for ease of operation.

And so we come to the air conditioning system, yes the most intricate of our HVAC ingredients

56 OCTOBER 2020

Pictured: PACCAR Parts’ Phillip-Reynolds

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THE INTEGRAL PARTS OF THE HVAC SYSTEM

but one that once mastered in understanding will have you feeling cooler than Ron Weasley after winning the affections of Hermione Granger. Let’s start at the heart.

The compressor – our only mechanically driven part in the whole system and commonly the part that packs up when issues are present elsewhere in the system (ever had a compressor claim knocked back citing it was a consequence of another issue?). The compressor is basically a high pressure pump taking low pressure refrigerant gas from the evaporator (we’ll get to that bit) compressing it and delivering it as a high pressure hot gas to the condenser (that part on the front of your truck that looks like a thin radiator).

The condenser cools the hot gas, reducing the pressure and returning the gas to a liquid state.

Next, it’s on to the receiver dryer taking the liquid refrigerant, filtering it and removing moisture – the arch nemesis of the AC system. Now, we have filtered and moisture-free liquid refrigerant heading toward your cab, ready to work its magic through the Thermal Expansion valve (TX valve).

High pressure liquid refrigerant is forced through the TX valve where it expands, dropping

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“IF YOU DO EXPERIENCE AN AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR FAILURE, THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE REST OF THE COMPONENTS IN THE SYSTEM.” in pressure and temperature and evaporates (think of turning on your BBQ gas bottle and as the gas comes out from the high pressure liquid state within the bottle it expands to its gas state cooling as it does). It enters the evaporator core (like your heater core) and blower fans push air across the surface area of the core to exchange that cool refrigerant into cool air for your cab.

Once through the evaporator core, the low pressure refrigerant heads back to the compressor to start its journey again. There are hoses and pressure switches along the way to keep everything contained and in check. And that, for those still following, is the way an air conditioning system works!

Now that you are a little more knowledgeable on the HVAC system, you must take that knowledge

and use it for good. If you do experience an air conditioning compressor failure, think about the impact on the rest of the components in the system.

Whenever you experience a compressor failure, or you are doing preventative maintenance on your system, it is always good practice to change the receiver dryer and the TX valve, which has low tolerance for foreign material. The amount of refrigerant and lubricating oil is also critical, so make sure you get repairs done from your authorised dealership, such as the PACCAR dealer network, which supplies quality, warranty-backed HVAC parts and technical wizards trained in the art of HVAC! To find your nearest dealer, visit www.paccarparts.com.au/find-a-dealer.

OCTOBER 2020 57

Bauer Media publishes across six key platforms to maximise audience reach, engagement and response.

For more infomation, visit industry.bauer-media.com.au

truck technology – special report

CUMMINS COAXES TRIDENT

News has emerged of a Mack Trident punched by a 15 litre Cummins X15 engine starting long-term trials with high-profile Queensland company Followmont Transport. While a cone of silence has descended on most people involved in the exercise, history has a profound habit of repeating itself and a successful trial over the next year or two could have a far bigger impact than simply turning Trident into a dog with more bite. Steve Brooks writes

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Below: On show. Euro 6 version of Cummins X15 at the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show. The big attraction is that it meets Euro 6 without any EGR input

60 OCTOBER 2020

T’S MORE than a fair bet that right now, somewhere on the Bruce Highway, there’s a Mack Trident belonging to Followmont Transport running B-double shuttles between Brisbane and Far North Queensland.

Nothing particularly unusual about that, except for one rather pertinent and compelling detail: Instead of Mack’s 535hp (399kW) MP8 13-litre Euro 5 engine under the snout, typically married to the 12-speed mDrive automated transmission, there’s a 580hp (433kW) Cummins X15 Euro 6 engine coupled to Eaton’s automated Ultrashift-Plus 18-speeder.

The truck is being trialled in what is effectively a shared project between Cummins and Followmont Transport principal, Mark Tobin. Meantime, Volvo Group Australia (VGA) and its Mack management insist they are in no way connected to the exercise light-heartedly known within Cummins and Followmont as ‘Project Wilson’, named after Tobin’s pet bulldog.

Despite the fact we’ve known for the better part of two years about Cummins’ plans to trial an X15 in a Trident, details remain decidedly scant as insiders at Cummins and Followmont stay steadfastly tight-lipped. Even so, if Cummins field tests over the past decade and more are any indication, the trial will run indefinitely, most

likely over the life of the truck and over a range of routes, combinations and power ratings. According to one ‘outside’ source, for instance, the engine will be uprated to 620hp (462kW) for A-double (roadtrain) runs between Townsville and Mt Isa after first accumulating high kilometres on B-double shuttle work.

Yet, despite the lack of official comment on the exercise, it’s not difficult to appreciate the attraction of the project for Followmont Transport. The company is a consistent customer of VGA and Mack, and the combination of Trident’s relatively short 2,960mm bumper to back-of-cab (BBC) dimension with the bigger, stronger and subsequently less stressed X15 in place of Mack’s MP8 offers a number of potential benefits in some of the company’s heavier workloads.

For Cummins, the long-term benefits of showcasing the X15’s performance and commercial attributes in the Trident chassis are even more profound as the engine maker unequivocally strives to ignite the interest and involvement of Mack and its corporate master – and no doubt, a swathe of existing Mack customers – with the obvious end goal of adding a major new account to its customer portfolio.

It’s early days of course, but the start of the trial is the culmination of a Cummins engineering initiative two years in the making, resulting in an engine installation and cooling package said by one astute observer to be as neat, practical and effective as any in the business. There’s also a whisper that first impressions on performance and efficiency are highly positive.

Nonetheless, it could prove to be a hard sell for Cummins.

From the outside looking in, there’s not the slightest sign or suggestion that Mack has current or future plans to offer an X15 in Trident, or any other model in the Mack range for that matter.

Mack is obviously well aware of the trial – with rumours abounding that a number of middle and senior managers have been to Followmont for a very close look at the engine installation – but in a brief phone discussion, bulldog boss Gary Bone was quick to refute any suggestion of Mack or VGA involvement.

“What Followmont is doing with a Cummins in a Trident is an interesting prospect … but as far as we’re concerned, it’s a project between the customer and Cummins. It meets what they need to do, but purely that.”

So there is no agenda that might one day see a Cummins X15 in a Mack on the Australian market?

Pausing for a moment, a somewhat hesitant Gary Bone

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OCTOBER 2020 61

“There’s absolutely no doubt that Cummins is the driving force behind the exercise.” answered: “The future is a really, really long time but on our immediate product future, I can’t comment.” The door, it seems, is at least fractionally open.

A few years earlier, another door had been also left partially open.

Behind the Scenes It was just a quick glimpse. Nothing more. Something as simple as a technician walking through a plain white door that was slow to close, staying open just long enough to notice a big lump of red hardware under a tilted hood.

There was nothing surprising or unusual about the red metalwork. This was, after all, the dyno room at Cummins headquarters in Melbourne. What did surprise, however, was the hood of the truck spotted in the room next door. Or more to the point, what was on the hood – the unmistakable profile of a Mack bulldog.

So, what’s so special about a Mack in an engineering room at Cummins HQ? After all, Mack already uses the 8.9 litre Cummins ISL engine coupled to an Allison auto in the MetroLiner model, the baby of the bulldog litter which continues to do especially well in the concrete agitator business. But the truck spotted at Cummins HQ definitely was not a MetroLiner. It was, without doubt, the blunt beak of a Trident and equally, it took only a split second to recognise the familiar bulk of an X15 tucked between the rails.

So again, what’s the big deal about a Cummins and Eaton combination in a Trident? Plenty! For starters, VGA chiefs and their Mack apparatchiks have, over many years and many administrations, vowed and declared no need for anything other than their own Volvo Group hardware in the big end of the business. In Mack’s case, that means the exclusive use of the 13 litre MP8 or its big bore brother the 16 litre MP10, both coupled to the 12-speed automated shifter known in Mack parlance as mDrive.

Trident, however, was never designed to accommodate the hefty dimensions of the MP10, but more on that shortly. Keep in mind, too, that both Trident and its Super-Liner sibling are specific to the Australian and New Zealand markets, with no counterparts in the US. Anyway, since spotting that Mack at Cummins HQ around two years ago, finding anyone to talk about the installation of a 15 litre Cummins engine under the snout of a Trident has been like pulling teeth with plastic pliers. Every time

62 OCTOBER 2020

Above: Followmont Transport principal, Mark Tobin. No comment on the trial of a Trident with an X15 engine but from the outside looking in, potential benefits are significant Below: Jolly green giant. Mack said the Super-Liner concept truck “… will provide the Australian longhaul market with a conventional prime mover that fits into the 34 pallet/26 metre B-double requirement.” However, nothing has been heard of the project since the truck appeared at the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show

you thought you had a grip on the project, dismissive denial or corporate connivance from both camps would slip you straight back into the mushroom box, kept in the dark and fed on executive excrement until, hopefully, you’d forget about it and find something more convenient to talk or write about.

Yet, every now and then, just when it seemed the exercise might have wilted under the weight of corporate obstinacy, there’d be a whisper or an idle comment (sometimes from the most obscure sources) to rekindle interest and intrigue.

What’s more, and despite the total lack of official or even unofficial comment, it hasn’t taken a lot of deep thinking to realise there are some major motivations for the installation and real world trial of an X15 under the snout of a Trident.

From the outside looking in, there appear big benefits for both Cummins and Mack but there’s absolutely no doubt that Cummins is the driving force behind the exercise. Mack, on the surface at least, seems intent on keeping its distance and trying hard to show few signs of interest. It would, however, be extreme naivety to think that the bulldog brethren and their Volvo counterparts would not be at least interested observers.

Whatever, it’s a bold initiative by Cummins, with no guarantee of success given the corporate sensitivities at play.

Still, the prospect of adding Volvo Group’s Mack brand to the customer base is a no-brainer, holding huge attraction for the specialist engine maker. Of course, it remains to be seen if the engineering of an X15 into the Trident frame ultimately justifies the investment of several hundred thousand dollars in what one Cummins insider flippantly describes as ‘a fishing trip’. But as Cummins has shown repeatedly in its modern history, technical prominence and marketing initiative are critical elements in winning new business and, indeed, staying in business.

With a formidable and loyal customer base, and a proven service and support network, Cummins certainly has plenty to offer. Yet arguably the most appealing factor of all right now is the X15’s enticing ability to meet the Euro 6 emissions standard without the need for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR).

Technically and operationally, Cummins has a long list of credits. The only thing missing, it seems, is a new high profile partner to take the X15 and its kin to an even wider audience.

As things stand at the moment, almost all Cummins’s big bore eggs are in the Kenworth basket and potentially, an exciting new DAF development still some way down the track. That’s not a bad position to be in, of course, as Kenworth continues to doggedly maintain its heavy-duty prominence, but the relationship between the truck maker and its long-serving engine provider has almost certainly endured some sombre moments in recent years. Especially for Cummins.

Paccar’s determination, for instance, to expand the acceptance of its DAF-derived MX-13 engine in Kenworth’s new T410 model, and the subsequent refusal of Paccar

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THE OTHER ‘X’ FACTOR Make no mistake, Cummins was super-keen to get its lightweight and highly responsive 500hp (373kW) X12 engine into Kenworth’s T410 model.

Likewise, and equally keen to satisfy the liking of Kenworth customers for Cummins power, there were more than a few Kenworth managers and dealers anxious to see the Chinese-built Cummins offered as an alternative to Paccar’s MX-13 in the 410.

There was also the hope that X12 would even find its way into Kenworth’s T360, offered alongside the Paccar MX-11 and the 8.9 litre Cummins ISL. However, it wasn’t to be and despite the impressive results of several X12 trial units – including a Kenworth T408 tipper pulling a four-axle dog trailer and a Western Star on B-double shuttles – Paccar’s US masters delivered an emphatic ‘No!’ and that was the end of that.

The remaining hope for the X12 in the Australian market has been Cummins’ technical tie-up with Japanese powerhouse Isuzu.

Locally, Isuzu Australia has for a long time made no secret of its desire for a lightweight 500-plus engine for its heavyweight Giga flagship, and there has been great hope that either the X12 or a 13 litre sibling would satisfy the desire.

But now, with Volvo transferring ownership of its UD brand to Isuzu and the possibility of Isuzu tapping into a Volvo Group powertrain, the Cummins association appears to be on very shaky ground.

Yet just when it seemed an X12-powered Giga was becoming a pipedream rather than a possibility, we’ve uncovered a prominent and highly regarded Brisbane-based company retrofitting the lively 12 litre Cummins into several Isuzu Gigas.

It’s early days and the company isn’t yet ready to tell the full story. Besides, the trucks were still a few weeks away from starting work when this report was written, but there’s no question the lightweight Euro 5 X12 ticks many boxes for this particular operator.

Stay tuned for the full report.

– Steve Brooks

Inc. to allow the optional offering of the intriguing and impressively lightweight Cummins X12 engine, equate to a somewhat restricted existence for Cummins.

Consequently, Cummins has good grounds to seek an expanded corporate clientele and for blatantly valid reasons, Mack’s Trident has been identified as the ideal platform to broaden the X15’s horizons. It may be a long shot but as the saying goes, ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’.

There can be little argument, for example, that Trident in its current form lacks the brawn to be a potent player in the top weight, 34-pallet linehaul B-double business. That may appear a harsh assessment of the model’s abilities and specifically the merits of the MP8 engine, but the simple fact is that Trident’s 535hp power peak – admittedly, with more than 1,900ft-lb of torque in support – is better suited to tipper and dog, single trailer and 19 metre B-double combinations than fast-paced linehaul B-double roles at gross weights of 60 tonnes and more.

Sure, 535hp will do the job but at 12.8 litres, even Mack insiders quietly agree that in heavy linehaul B-double roles, the engine is consistently working at high load factors and subsequently pays a price in lifespan and fuel consumption.

As Mack’s Gary Bone remarked when asked if Trident’s current powertrain allows the model to maximise its true potential: “I think Trident does an amazing job with what it was designed for (but) if you look at the individual packaging solution that we now need to try and meet, there will always be development going on.”

That ‘packaging solution’ does not include shoehorning the 16 litre MP10 into Trident. As much as VGA and Mack would love to wave a magic wand and

64 OCTOBER 2020

Above: Livewire. Cummins’ X12 engine will be soon powering a pair of Brisbane-based Isuzu Gigas Below: The Brisbane to Far North Queensland route has been selected for Followmont Transport’s Cummins-powered Mack Trident trial Opposite: Wilson! Mark Tobin’s pet bulldog, a light-hearted but perhaps logical mascot for the Cummins-powered Mack project

make it happen, the MP10 just does not fit.

As for promoting the 16 litre Super-Liner for heavy B-double roles, a 3,115mm bumper to back-of-cab (BBC) dimension is simply too long to fit the legislative length envelope for 34 pallets.

Then there is (or was) the ‘jolly green giant’ which appeared at last year’s Brisbane Truck Show. Said to be in ‘concept phase’ and sporting the muscle and finesse of the MP10 and mDrive powertrain, the locally developed and high standing Super-Liner prototype featured a shorter but undisclosed BBC accompanied by the assertion that it “… will provide the Australian longhaul market with a conventional prime mover that fits into the 34 pallet/26 metre B-double requirement”.

The Brisbane show was, however, the truck’s first and only appearance. The project appears to have been shelved and word has it that the show prototype has become nothing more than a museum piece.

So when it’s all boiled down, and unless Mack has something highly secretive up its sleeve, Cummins may well be the only option if the bulldog breed truly wants a bigger bite of the burgeoning B-double business.

It all depends on two critical factors: One, the results of the Followmont trial and two, the corporate will within VGA to allow it to happen.

Whatever the case, history proves that when it comes to truck development, nothing is out of the question. Ever!

Time Travel “‘The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.”

So said Sir Winston Churchill and with that in mind: there was a time, maybe three years before the arrival of the 21st century and long before Mack had a Swedish master, that the company then known as Volvo Trucks Australia

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(VTA) had an absolute need for a relatively big bore engine other than its own. Specifically, a Cummins engine.

To cut a long story short, early generations of Volvo’s 16 litre engine had failed dismally, in this country and everywhere else. So, with Sweden’s decision to cut its losses and drop the engine altogether, Volvo’s Australian offshoot suddenly found itself with nothing in the big bore cupboard and therefore, nothing to seriously contest the heavier ends of the Australian market, not least roadtrains and the snowballing B-double business.

It wasn’t long before Volvo’s market share started to suffer and the immediate future had more gloom than glitter.

Even so, holding fast to Volvo’s stringent corporate policy to only use its own hardware, and despite the obvious need and complaints of customers and dealers alike, successive managing directors at Volvo Trucks Australia refused point-blank to entertain the idea of a Cummins engine in the flagship FH model.

It was a strange mindset for several reasons, not least because an entirely new Volvo 16 litre engine was nowhere on the radar. In fact, as senior Volvo insiders asserted at the time, the business case for the development of a big bore engine beyond modest markets such as Australia and New Zealand was negligible at best.

Then came a change of leadership in Australia with the appointment of a Swede named Claes Svedberg. Feisty, astute, fiercely competitive, and typically arriving with his own agenda, Svedberg listened intently to dealers and customers, ultimately giving the go-ahead around 1997 for the installation of the then new Cummins 15 litre Signature series. Thus, the FH560 model was born.

Like so many others though, Volvo was disappointed by the mechanical maladies that assailed the highly advanced, twin overhead cam Signature. In short, it was not a good experience and by 2003 the local relationship between the Swedish truck brand and the American engine giant was petering out.

Still, the Cummins project had at least kept Volvo active in the big end of the business while in Sweden, engineers were secretly working on an entirely new 16 litre platform that would evolve to play a major part in Volvo’s Australian future and indeed, success.

What’s more, Australia and its Kiwi counterparts are among the main reasons for the 16 litre engine’s continued existence in the road transport realm. Overseas, however, it’s a different story where the Volvo powerhouse has substantially less influence and runs a distant second to its 13 litre sibling in numbers, both present and prospective.

It’s no secret, for instance, that the engine known in Volvo and Mack vocabulary as the D16 and MP10 respectively, is no longer offered in North America while in Europe, sales are reported to be modest at best, particularly in countries outside Scandinavia.

However, in the 16 litre’s absence, Cummins now delivers upwards of 5,000 15 litre ISX engines annually to Volvo in the US. Moreover, in both Mack and Volvo installations, the Volvo I-shift and Mack mDrive automated transmissions are programmed to operate in complete harmony with the performance characteristics of the Cummins engine.

Yet despite its deletion from North America and limited prospects in Europe, there is nothing to suggest that Volvo will dispense with the modern 16 litre. Nothing at all! It is a mature product with a well-earned reputation for durability and respectable efficiency in heavy-duty workloads, not least in our part of the world.

Still, it’s difficult to ignore the endlessly

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creeping and breathtakingly high costs of continual development, particularly on the emissions front, for an engine of limited global sales volumes.

And let’s face it, while our part of the world is said to be a critically important component in Volvo’s global machine, our numbers are undeniably slim on the world stage.

Maybe, and it’s a massive ‘maybe’, the 15 litre Cummins option has broader prospects than first meets the eye.

Time will tell but in the corporate world where viability is measured in constant and minute detail, nothing is ever out of the question. Ever!

“Mack’s Trident has been identified as the ideal platform to broaden the X15’s horizons.”

OCTOBER 2020 65

tech briefs

Scania torques up 13-litre engine

SCANIA HAS announced a newcomer to its powertrain range – a higher output, range-topping six-cylinder 13-litre Euro 6 engine aimed at long-haul operations.

The new Scania 540hp (403kW) engine is being hailed as a match for the power of its rivals, although Scania says, with 2,700Nm available between 1,000 and 1,300rpm, it goes once step better.

According to Scania, the new engine delivers more low-down driveability and grunt to shift loads seamlessly up hills, turning a six-cylinder 13-litre driven prime mover into a genuine longdistance interstate B-double hauler.

The 540hp engine is being offered in the G-series mid-size, and the R-series full-size cabs, augmenting the six-cylinder engine range that was previously topped out with the 500hp (373kW)/2,550Nm variant.

Fitted in the G 500 and R 500, Scania says the six-cylinder engine has been widely praised since its 2018 launch for its performance, fuel efficiency and drivability. However, the extra 40hp and 150Nm of additional torque is expected to make the experience even more effortless.

The 540 engine features Scania XPI fuel injection, and a new ball-bearing fixed geometry turbocharger, to help reach

the new elevated output. The engine is mated to a Scania GRSO905R overdrive 14-speed gearbox, with ratios selected via the Scania fully automated Opticruise gearshift. Braking is assisted by the Scania R3500 retarder.

Scania points out that these trucks are also fitted with a cooling package for hilly terrain and heavy loads.

As with all New Truck Generation trucks sold in Australia, Scania says the new G 540 and R 540 are fitted with a high level of active and passive safety systems, including side curtain airbags as standard.

Further safety features include driver and passenger seat belt pretensioners, driver steering wheel air bag, electronic stabiliser program (ESP), lane departure warning (LDW), advanced emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control (ACC), auto hill hold, and auto headlights. An electropneumatic parking brake is fitted to the G 540.

Fuel tank packages up to 1,000 litres are available, along with 105 litres of AdBlue.

Scania says the 540-powered R- and G-series cabs have been specified for this market with a high level of standard equipment and features, including

DuraBright aluminium wheels.

“Scania is very pleased to add the 540hp engine to the very successful six-cylinder 13-litre engine range,” says Dean Dal Santo, director of truck sales for Scania Australia.

“Since its launch in Australia, the R 500 and G 500 variants have been among our most popular as they offer an excellent mix of performance and economy.

“The additional power, and

particularly torque will be welcomed by operators who have wanted to access a bit more grunt for B-double work at higher weights for intra- and interstate work, or while traversing hilly terrain, without reverting to our famous Scania V8 engine.

“The 540 provides a reduced front axle weight compared with the 520 V8, allowing for more loading flexibility,” Del Santo says.

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End of the road for ProStar truck range “We are obviously disappointed that the Australian market will no longer have access to the iconic International truck brand and the ProStar range, which is providing operators with outstanding productivity and performance benefits,” May says.

“From a business perspective, however, we recognise the substantial investment required for right hand drive markets, which does not prove to be viable for Navistar.

“The priority now, for Iveco Trucks Australia, is to continue to provide operators with a level of on-going support that ensures ownership of an International ProStar remains productive, cost-effective and hassle-free.”

Iveco says the ProStar will remain available to purchase in the short-term from existing local stock and through final orders placed in this year’s production.

The ProStar was first unveiled in Australia at the 2015 Brisbane Truck Show. Two years later Iveco Australia brought the ProStar to Australia in 2017 for a range of specifications.

However, sales figures have since been underwhelming.

DAF scores design award

DAF TRUCKS AUSTRALIA has been honoured with the Good Design Award Best in Class accolade in the Product Design Automotive and Transport category in recognition for outstanding design and innovation for its XF and CF model range.

The award was announced on September 10 during the 2020 Good Design Week.

More than 55 Good Design Awards jurors evaluated each entry according to a strict set of design criteria, which cover ‘good design’, ‘design innovation’ and ‘design impact’.

Felipe Rubio, general manager of DAF Trucks Australia, says he was excited to accept the Best in Class Good Design Award.

“The DAF XF and CF model range, released in Australia in February 2020, has set a new benchmark for excellence in safety, fuel efficiency, driver comfort and exterior styling for the Australian heavy-duty truck market, and this accolade is further evidence that our new truck models are setting industry standards,” Rubio says.

The Good Design Awards jury praised DAF Trucks Australia. “This sets a new industry standard for truck style, function, safety, sustainability and performance. Innovative thinking has resulted in a truck that has a positive impact on the end-user, business and environment,” the jurors’ report says.

“The design offers a clever combination of aerodynamic styling and features as well as powertrain refinements that have delivered a vehicle that is cleaner for the environment, yet offers better performance.

“Designers have developed an innovative range of smart solutions, one example is the integrated exterior styling that improves aerodynamics and disguises the unique protective cab suspension and construction system.

“The styling solves the technical challenges of improving fuel efficiency whilst developing innovative frontal collision absorption mounts that protect the occupants.

“The interior design is more car-like, adding to the sophistication and refinement of the truck.”

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Above: The first ProStar sold in Australia, bought by Tasmania’s John Treloar in December 2017

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IVECO TRUCKS AUSTRALIA has announced that it has been advised by Navistar, manufacturer of International Trucks, of the cessation of global production of the ProStar range. This will come into effective in December this year.

While left hand drive model replacements are in development, Iveco says it has been advised that the extensive validation and engineering investment necessary to make these vehicles available in right hand drive, for what is a limited number of lower volume markets, means that these replacement vehicles will not become available in Australia.

However, while Iveco Trucks Australia’s position as distributor of new International trucks will cease at the end of the ProStar’s production, it says it remains committed to supporting all existing ProStar customers through its nationwide International dealership network.

Iveco states that will continue to offer ongoing servicing and parts support, plus honour all existing warranties.

Iveco Trucks Australia managing director, Michael May, says that while disappointed with Navistar’s decision, he understood the rationale.

tech briefs

Daimler charges towards electric future developed, particularly for Australia.

“Daimler is already the go-to choice for progressive Australian businesses who want to reduce fuel consumption and cut emissions with trucks that employ class-leading safety features,” Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific president and CEO Daniel Whitehead says.

“The Freightliner Cascadia, MercedesBenz Actros and Fuso Shogun all feature Euro 6 or equivalent emission-level engines and we will also introduce the all-electric Fuso eCanter here next year.

“The new models previewed in Berlin, including a CO2-neutral heavy truck with up to 1,000km of range, are especially exciting for Australia and point to a very promising future.”

The strategy foresees the Mercedes trucks, including the low-floor eEconic, and Daimler’s electric propelled US models, such as the medium-duty Freightliner eM2 and the heavy-duty Freightliner eCascadia, underpinned by the modular ePowertrain, regardless of propulsion option.

Daimler Truck chairman Martin Daum

sees the propulsion dichotomy as having the “potential to succeed in the market in the long term”.

“This combination enables us to offer our customers the best vehicle options, depending on the application.

“Battery power will be rather used for lower cargo weights and for shorter distances. Fuel-cell power will tend to be the preferred option for heavier loads and longer distances.

“With our alternative drive concepts from Mercedes-Benz – the GenH2 Truck, the eActros LongHaul and the eActros – and our electric trucks of the Freightliner and Fuso brands, we have a clear focus on customer requirements and are creating genuine locally CO2neutral alternatives for them.

“We have now set out the key technological specifications of our electric trucks so that the requirements are known to everyone involved at an early stage. It is now up to policymakers, other players and society as a whole to provide the right framework conditions.

“To make CO2-neutral all-electric vehicles competitive, regulatory and government action is needed, including the necessary infrastructure for charging with green electricity and for the production, storage and transport of green liquid hydrogen.”

While political backing is seen as crucial to the initiative’s European success, the figures will likely decide Australian acceptance.

OWD-HH-5204362-CS-321

DAIMLER HAS thrown down its electric truck gauntlet with an electrification technology strategy and path to heavyduty production.

Despite the names, the move reinforces the divide between fuel-cell and battery electric functions, with batteries likely to have more regional or urban tasks in an Australian setting.

In the spotlight in Berlin on September 16 were two Mercedes-Benz models: the GenH2 Truck and the eActros LongHaul.

The former is the distinctive fuelcell truck – Daimler giving it a range of up to 1,000km-plus “for flexible and demanding long-haul transport” – with customer trials in 2023, start of series production in second half of this decade.

The eActros LongHaul is a batteryelectric truck with a range of about 500km – “for energy-efficient transport on plannable long-haul routes” – and is aimed at series production in 2024.

The launch had a European focus but with implications for other markets clear but details to be

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FOR THE OWNER-DRIVER Frank Black

Victory for late payers For owner-drivers, the act of juggling regular bills while waiting on overdue payments will continue

T

HE PAYMENT Times Reporting Bill has now passed through parliament. You may not have noticed, because for ownerdrivers the bill offers no significance.

This was an opportunity for the federal government to fix one of the most common bugbears in our industry by enforcing 30-day payment terms. Instead, they’ve passed a bill that simply requires companies that have turnovers greater than $100 million – so likely only around 3,000 companies across Australia – to report their average payment times twice yearly.

The bill is not worth the paper it’s written on. However, what is worth noting – for when elections come around – is that the Liberal and National parties voted against amendments put forward by the Opposition that would have secured 30-day payment terms, and fines for late payers.

This is the second time the LNP government has forcibly denied us the right to 30-day payment terms, after first tearing down the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal in

2016, which enforced such terms.

We are constantly fed lines from these politicians that they’re for small business. They tell us that they will stand up for owner-drivers when no one else will. But they’ve proven time and time again who they really stand for – the big end of town. Even when an amendment to this worthless bill is put in front of them that will actually offer solace to owner-drivers while simply pushing wealthy companies to pay what they owe, they’ll vote against it to protect their rich mates.

This ‘name and shame’ game they’ve instead passed offers nothing to ownerdrivers struggling to stay afloat. What difference will it make to a driver who can’t buy fuel for the next run because he hasn’t been able to pay off his credit card from the last? He already knows that it’s because the company is late paying him. He needs the company to be held to account, not simply to report the late payment in a few months’ time, at which point the driver may well have gone out of business.

WAITING GAME Most of us already know who the bad

FRANK BLACK has been a long distance owner-driver for more than 30 years.

He is the current ownerdriver representative on the ATA Council.

payers are. We also know who will push us to meet unrealistic deadlines, and whether they’ll pay us enough to turn a profit. We are always weighing up whether a job is worth the wear and tear on our trucks or the risk to our safety.

I have, over the years, built up a circle of operators I trust. I have come to realise that if they have no work for me, I am better off sitting and waiting than using my working capital to pay off the debts of wealthy clients until they decide to pay me what I was owed months previously. But not everyone has that luxury – especially younger drivers entering the industry who haven’t the contacts or experience to pick up good, safe work.

The worst of it all is that late payments hit those who can afford it the least.

Drivers forced to accept jobs from clients who will leave them hanging are unlikely to have the capital to sustain the delays. They’re stuck in a vicious cycle – unable to buy the fuel for the next job until they’re paid for the last.

Meanwhile, insurance companies and banks care little if you haven’t been paid. They still expect their monthly payments to be met or else suddenly you’ve lost your insurance and can’t work anyway.

Labor Senator and former national secretary of the Transport Workers’ Union Tony Sheldon addressed this issue in parliament. He said: “Small business cannot afford to miss payments to their suppliers. Delays can put them out of business, while the clients – the ones that have the market power and supply chains — can do what they want.

Transport companies are not price makers; they are price takers. They are at the mercy of the client’s gross economic power.”

TIMETABLE PRESSURE Once again, the LNP government is giving cashed-up companies an easy way out, while piling all the responsibility onto owner-drivers. The longer they refuse to hold rich clients to account, the more drivers will be forced to accept late and low payments, and pressure to speed or drive fatigued. We know that this is a major cause of the high death toll in our industry, the deadliest in Australia.

So why is the government refusing to do anything about it?

When it comes to wealthy companies, the government is content with simply asking them to be honest about bad behaviour, with no consequence for such behaviour or its impact on others. But when it’s truck drivers, we can be parked up on the side of the road watching our deadline draw nearer while our truck is searched for any small reason to issue us a fine.

My message is this: next time you find yourself paying the debts of the clients out of your own working capital, you know who’s to blame.

“Our truck is searched for any small reason to issue us a fine.”

70 OCTOBER 2020

ownerdriver.com.au

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