Owner Driver 336 January 2021

ownerdriver JANUARY 2021 #336

DEDICATED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PERSON BEHIND THE WHEEL

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Higher standards TWU and Coles lock in safety agreement See page 12

Five decades ofStephen truckin’ ‘Tiny’ Monkhouse reflects on a lengthy career See page 18

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Contents #336

JANUARY 2021

18

58 8 CASTLEMAINE CONVOY’S SURPRISE RETURN Rural event makes impromptu showing in a timely move to raise funds for Rotary after Victoria’s COVID restrictions eased

18 TRUCKIN’ THROUGH FIVE DECADES

After 50-years in the driver’s seat, Stephen ‘Tiny’ Monkhouse reflects on a long career in an industry, which has both served him well and delivered some unfair blows

seemingly endless pursuits with a similarly endless array of possibilities – some practical, some not – for conserving every droplet of fuel

muscle to go with it, Hino’s new GT 1528 4x4 shows a rare ability to be equally capable on long country runs or clawing through the rough stuff

58 OFF ROAD HI-RISE

64 THE AIMS OF MAY

With a heavier carrying capacity than its predecessor and a heap more

Michael May, former head of MercedesBenz Australia truck operations

32 HEAVY AS SHE GOES

Jarred and Cassy Sacco, one of the most professional heavy haulage outfits in north Queensland, boast a tough Kenworth fleet, including their first ever C509

16

50 SOMETHING IN THE AIR

Aerodynamics! It’s one of those

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69 US GROUP TAKES ON DAIMLER DEALERSHIPS US-based Velocity Vehicle Group is poised to become Australia’s newest truck dealer through a deal signed with Eagers Automotive

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ownerdriver

BEHIND THE WHEEL Greg Bush

EDITORIAL

Editor: Greg Bush Ph: 07 3101 6602 Fax: 07 3101 6619 E-mail: Greg.Bush@aremedia.com.au Senior Journalist/LCV Specialist: Cobey Bartels Ph: 0409 044 128 E-mail: Cobey.Bartels@aremedia.com.au Technical Editor: Steve Brooks E-mail: sbrooks.trucktalk@gmail.com Contributors: Warren Aitken, Frank Black, Warren Caves, Warren Clark, Rod Hannifey, Michael Kaine, Rob McKay, Sarah Marinovic, Brian Weatherley, Ken Wilkie Cartoonist: John Allison

PRODUCTION Production Co-Ordinator: Cat Fitzpatrick Art Director: Bea Barthelson Print: IVE Print

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Beating the pandemic

I

T’S A SIGN of the times, and perhaps will be set in stone for the future, but global events have been heading in a virtual direction since the outbreak of COVID early in 2020.

Back in March, Volvo headquarters in Sweden was set to invite transport media from around the globe to launch a new range of truck models. The pandemic soon put a stop to that, transforming the event into what has become the norm over the past 12 months – a virtual on-line launch.

Hino Australia followed that in the second half of the year when it was forced to launch its new 300 Series. Interesting though, test models were made available through the ingenious idea of having the trucks dropped off at a location convenient to the truck tester, complete with kit bags that contained a bottle of hand sanitiser, protective rubber gloves and disinfectant wipes. No virus was going to stop Hino from getting the message out there ahead of its updated 300 range launch.

That philosophy spread to the Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show, which was scheduled for the last weekend of November 2021. Organisers quickly acted to hold an online event where readers were invited to send in a photo of their truck for judging. The winning photos ultimately ended up in a calendar.

However, with Victoria relaxing COVID restrictions, the annual Castlemaine convoy was quickly reorganised, going ahead in a diminished number and without interstate participation (see page 8 of this issue).

So, it appears trucking events will be returning to some

sort of normality in 2021. The ever-popular Penrith Working Truck Show will be back on March 28 after being forced to cancel last year. Once again western Sydney will bring the trucking community together, and there’s bound to be participation from other parts of Sydney, rural NSW and even interstate.

The big one, the Brisbane Truck Show, is set to be better than ever. Starting on May 13, show organisers Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) predicted the easing of COVID restrictions months ago and put the wheels in motion.

Most of the major players will converge on Brisbane, including heavy machinery representatives who will now have the 2021 Civil Construction Field Days running concurrently with the Brisbane Truck Show.

However, HVIA has added now an extra online event aimed at exhibitors with international customers bases, or those who have aspirations for reaching overseas markets.

Starting on May 17 and running through to May 23, the international on-line event will feature interactive walk throughs, guided tours, interviews, special features and show highlights. In essence, it will be akin to visiting the actual Brisbane Truck Show without leaving the comfort of your office, or lounge chair., HVIA believes, with international events being hamstrung

by COVID during 2020, and possibly most of 2021, it will be a positive advertisement for Australia and the Australian truck market. For those who opted not to take part in the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show in 2021, there’s a long two-year wait for the next one.

Finally, Happy New Year to all our readers.

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The Goods

NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Castlemaine convoy’s surprise return Event makes impromptu showing in timely move to raise funds for Rotary after Victoria’s COVID restrictions eased

ONE OF THE first transport industry gatherings since the easing of Victoria’s COVID lockdown restrictions was held at Castlemaine when around 40 trucks formed a convoy on November 29. It was a surprise showing given this year’s Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show had originally been forced to go online.

Castlemaine Rotary president Christine Barkla paid tribute to the transport businesses that turned out to make up a convoy of nearly 40 trucks and a vibrant audio-visual spectacle for the community.

“The convoy and online activities have been very well received by the community and we are grateful to those who have made a small donation to show their appreciation,” Barkla says.

“The truck show is normally our biggest fundraiser for the year, but we’ve had to do things differently in 2020.”

Best Presented Convoy trophy, sponsored by Daimler Truck & Bus Australia Pacific, was awarded to Owen Leech’s 1966 International R200, which gave him the honour of leading the parade with his grandchildren in the cab.

Lois Knight, grandmother of Richmond ALF player Dustin Martin, was on hand to view the famous Richmond Truck and gave her stamp of approval to the decal and DTARGU plates.

The announcement of the ‘At Work with Trucks’ photo competition results created much interest. The judges assessed 54 photographs received from as far away as Queensland and South Australia.

The winner of a Waeco fridge-freezer, sponsored by Used Trucks, was Shaun Teven from Dickerson Bulk Haulage in Ballan. Shaun’s wife had submitted the photograph despite his protests that the truck wasn’t washed beforehand. However, judges believed that it perfectly represented the theme of the competition, ‘At Work With Trucks’ – and the smile sold it!

Runners-up prizes, sponsored by Lowes Petroleum Service, went to David Postan from Queensland, Keith

Top: Castlemaine Rotary president Christine Barkla with convoy winner Owen Leech Left: Shaun Teven from Dickerson Bulk Haulage won the ‘At Work With Trucks’ photo comp

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Thompson from Castlemaine, and Darrell Jennings from Golden Square. People’s Choice, sponsored by Chapman’s Framing & Photography, was awarded to Kate Norman of Shepparton.

In addition, generous prizes sponsored by Geoff Hocking, Maine Civil, Endota Spa Daylesford, CMV Truck & Bus, and Williams Adams CAT for the raffle sales raised just over $3,000.

“We give thanks to all our sponsors that made this event a success, in particular the Mount Alexander Shire that worked closely with us to ensure the Truckie’s Breakfast was COVID safe,” Barkla continues.

While not everyone were able to make it to Castlemaine, over 4,000 Facebook members followed the event with a reach of up to 10,000 people for popular posts.

An online program of speakers including heavy vehicle researcher Rod George and author Lorraine Day kept trucking enthusiasts engaged and primed for next year’s truck show which is scheduled for November 27-28, 2021.

The ‘At Work With Trucks’ 2021 calendar, sponsored by Kenworth DAF, is now on sale featuring the photographs entered in the competition.

Truck auction raises $200,000 for medical research A restored 1946 Ford Jail Bar truck donated

by National Transport Insurance (NTI) has been auctioned off with the support of the Australian Trucking Association, resulting in a cheque for $200,000 being presented to Motor Neurone Disease (MND) researchers.

More than $87,000 was raised at auction while NTI added another $113,000 to support researchers as they to continue exploring ways to treat the disease. It brings the total NTI has raised for MND research to almost $534,000 in four years.

The cheque was handed over at MND and Me’s Christmas event in Brisbane where medical experts pitched their research ideas in a ‘Shark Tank’ style presentation.

NTI’s donation will fund two research grants for Dr Shu Ngo and Dr Adam Walker at The University of Queensland. Dr Ngo was also named the recipient of the 2021 Charcot Award which is presented to the highest ranked innovator grant applicant.

NTI CEO Tony Clark says ‘Black Beauty’ was

Above: The 1946 Ford Jail Bar truck, nicknamed ‘Black Beauty’

the third truck NTI had restored since 2016 to fundraise for MND research. The restoration was undertaken with the help of transport industry partners.

“NTI is committed to supporting MND research in honour of our late CEO Wayne Patterson who was diagnosed with the condition in 2015 and tragically lost his battle soon after,” Clark says.

“This research grant is about supporting research but also promoting awareness of MND, of which two Australians are diagnosed every day. NTI will continue its support of this incredibly worthy cause and has plans to restore another truck in 2021.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Trucking’s post pandemic optimism Isuzu-sponsored survey looks at transport industry’s future, including issues surrounding an aging workforce ISUZU AUSTRALIA (IAL) has released the Future of Trucking Report: The Road Ahead, a deep-dive survey into how road transport operators view prospects and hurdles for the post-pandemic economic rebound.

The report, with legwork done by independent research firm ACA Research, is more than a year in the making, with initial investigation starting before COVID-19 hit and those findings updated throughout 2020.

Isuzu views the effort as “arguably the largest and most comprehensive survey of its kind ever conducted in Australia”, with some 1,000 road transport decision-makers from multiple vocations, including high profile general freight and last mile delivery fleets, through to construction, government, health and other niche industry sectors surveyed.

However, despite the huge economic hit this year, the result is seen as encouraging, with the findings pointing to “a resilient and

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resourceful sector poised to meet and overcome these challenges, and indicate positive growth in the immediate future”.

Challenges revealed and proactive industry responses identified include: • Business growth, sentiment and preparedness. Despite recent unprecedented challenges, growth opportunities do exist across the trucking sector. Findings reveal that 59 per cent of all businesses surveyed predict an increase to their freight volumes over the coming 24 months and 46 per cent of larger operators have a clear and comprehensive strategy to address evolving industry changes • Changing customer preferences.

Industry-wide labour shortages are having a bearing on buyer behaviour and preference, with a continued swing towards safe, accessible trucks that help attract and retain talent. The broader transport sector has the second oldest (by age) industry workforce profile (behind agriculture, forestry and fishing) with 49 per cent of business owners (with 6-20 trucks or more), finding that the availability of skilled drivers will be a major challenge over the coming 12 months • EV technology. Technological innovations are already playing a significant role in delivering

Above: Isuzu Australia chief operating officer Andrew Harbison

greater efficiency, productivity, safety, security and environmental outcomes within the transport sector. More specifically, 68 per cent of respondents believe electric trucks will play a major role the future of the industry • Purchasing and total cost of ownership. Increasing pressure for fleets to modernise equipment and prompting a change in purchasing behaviour. 64 per cent of fleets believe lifetime value is more important than upfront purchase costs, while 59 per cent of fleets saw the cost of fuel as a key challenge over the coming 12 months • Compliance. Varying levels of awareness, understanding, and compliance with Chain of Responsibility (CoR) requirements, with 35 per cent of small fleets completely unprepared or unaware of their requirements.

Isuzu Australia director and chief operating officer Andrew Harbison views the Future of Trucking report as an opportunity for Isuzu Trucks to contribute to bettering the shared knowledge of the industry.

“The Future of Trucking report was undertaken with some broad objectives in mind,” Harbison says.

“Importantly, it has been a chance for Isuzu Trucks to further enhance and develop our own understanding of the industry we are operating in, but to also benefit every stakeholder in Australian road transport.

“It’s been a challenging time for the nation and every industry sector has endured trials as a result of COVID-19.

“It remains the hope of IAL that some of the insights gathered as a part of this project can be utilised by industry participants in their daily operations.”

Isuzu Australia’s head of marketing and customer experience John Walker highlights that what was always going to be a significant undertaking

required the gathering of new insights as the subsequent COVID-19 outbreak unfolded.

“We always wanted and designed this to be a research project that could draw assured and informed insights into the current state and future direction of the road transport industry in Australia, and that’s why we targeted a large sample size of respondents,” Walker says.

“After conducting our in-depth research phase with interviews of over 1,000 industry participants in late 2019, and as we were preparing the report early this year, it quickly became apparent that while the core of our findings remained unaffected by the unfolding events, we needed to ensure that the sentiment was aligned with the current industry conditions.

“We saw that while optimism had tempered in some areas of industry, overall there was both confidence in the future and conviction that the industry had the skills and hunger to respond to the new opportunities and challenges that COVID had presented.”

Of the key findings, Harbison notes that, “It’s no secret the trucking sector is facing a period of change, yet despite this, we are buoyed to see that those fleets surveyed are largely confident about the future and see strong demand for their services in the years ahead.

“With or without a global pandemic, the freight task continues to grow and now is the time to build on foundations, to reaffirm industry relationships and ensure an efficient supply chain as we work collaboratively through this next phase.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

TWU and Coles lock in safety agreement Transport Workers Union and supermarket giant’s transport standards charter to also encompass gig economy

Above: Coles’ chief operations officer Matt Swindells (left) and TWU national secretary Michael Kaine

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COLES AND the Transport Workers Union (TWU) have signed a charter on standards in road transport and the gig economy focusing on safety, driver education and mental health.

Describing it as “ground-breaking”, the union says the charter commits Coles and the TWU to work collaboratively on ensuring high standards on safety and fairness throughout the supply chain as a way to ensure positive health and safety outcomes.

This includes a formal consultation process between the pair to ensure an ongoing emphasis on safety and to establish mechanisms through which safety issues can be identified and addressed.

They will also work together on safe and fair outcomes for workers in the rapidly-growing gig economy.

It is noted that Coles and the TWU have been working towards the charter since 2018, when they signed a formal agreement to ensure safety and fairness for transport workers within the Coles supply chain.

Under the terms of the newly-signed charter, Coles and the TWU will now establish pilot programs with businesses in the road transport and gig economy sectors.

Coles Group CEO Steven Cain sees the charter as providing the basis of a formal working relationship with the TWU and transport workers to ensure safety and fairness remain the highest priority.

“Coles relies on the skill and dedication of thousands of transport workers across Australia, and we have always recognised their right to a safe and healthy working environment,” Cain says.

“Health, safety and wellbeing are at the core of our culture at Coles, and the processes we will establish through this charter with the TWU will help us maintain that same focus on safety throughout our transport supply chain.”

Coles chief operations officer Matt Swindells underlines that safety is a shared passion for Coles and the TWU. “We have a common goal of improving safety through the transport supply chain, and by taking a collaborative approach we will be even more effective in achieving safer outcomes that benefit everyone,” Swindells says.

The TWU views the charter was a major step forward in ensuring the lifting of standards on road safety in Australia.

“This charter is ground-breaking in continuing to prioritise safety and fairness in one of the biggest retail supply chains in Australia,” national secretary Michael Kaine says.

“For truck drivers, logistics workers and food delivery riders it means the bar has been set very high in terms of listening to their concerns and investigating issues.

“For road users it means a major retailer is putting in place mechanisms to make our roads safer. Road transport is a deadly industry and it requires responsible corporate citizens standing up and acting in the interests of the community as Coles is doing.”

The union points out that, while the road transport industry accounts for just 2 per cent of the Australian workforce, data from Safe Work Australia shows that it accounts for 17 per cent of work-related fatalities and 4 per cent of workers’ compensation claims for injuries and diseases involving one or more weeks off work – around 5,100 claims each year, or 14 serious claims each day.

The main points of the charter include: • Regular formal consultation between Coles and the TWU, and safety and sustainability meetings between the charter partners and transport operators • TWU to communicate any supply chain safety concerns, including breaches of safety or workplace laws, so that the partners can address the issue • Investigation of industrial and safety systems of transport operators in the Coles supply chain • Promotion of workplace laws with all supply chain participants, including freedom of association and lawful right of access • Transport and distribution operators paid adequately to support fair pay and safe conditions for transport workers • Promoting high workplace and safety standards among transport operators in the Coles supply chain as part of enforceable mechanisms • Enhanced driver education structures • The rollout of health and safety initiatives (including mental health) through the supply chain • Working jointly to engage government on issues of transport industry safety • Supporting safety research, transport skills development and formal industry accreditation • Support for international transport supply chain and labour standards as a reference point for standards in Australia.

To promote safe and fair standards for on-demand workers, Coles and the TWU will work together to: • Ensure that individuals performing on-demand work receive all relevant entitlements and have safe working conditions • Endeavour to ensure that each link in on-demand supply chains/contract networks are engaged in and held responsible to the extent of their influence for, ensuring safe and fair outcomes for on-demand workers.

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Concern over non-compliance in NSW Truck-and-dog battle and empty loads crash spikes addressed TRANSPORT for New South Wales (TfNSW) has given an insight into the scale of the truck-and-dog compliance task following recent concerning data of the sector’s rate.

It has also sought to clarify a spike in fatal crashes involving trucks with no load.

With Sydney at the centre of an unprecedented infrastructure build there has never been more truck-and-dog combinations on its roads.

This has led to something of a compliance crisis, with commentary that comes with the release of TfNSW’s NSW heavy truck fatal crashes statistics revealing that, while the Sydney truck-and-dog compliance rate was up four per cent in the past year, this put it at only 61 per cent, or less than two-thirds.

This was against a state-wide truck-and-dog rate of 64 per cent, lowered marginally by the Sydney performance.

In part of its response, Transport for NSW carried out a six month operation

between May and October in 2020 involving the Sydney truck and dog sector with the following results: • 3,129 heavy vehicle units were inspected with 930 defect notices issued • nine major grounded defects • 60 major defects with most relating to faulty brakes • 690 minor defects • four formal warnings • 167 self-clearing defects • 256 over-mass offences, with 220 directions to secure/adjust load issued.

“A range of other offences were also identified, including unlicensed drivers and unregistered vehicles,” a TfNSW spokesperson says.

TfNSW deputy secretary safety, environment and regulation Tara McCarthy revels the sector will be a departmental focus during 2021.

Regarding unloaded fatal truck crash spike, from nine to 20, the department sees it as something of statistical issue.

“The numbers of heavy trucks involved in fatal crashes with nil load are relatively small and can be subject to a

high degree of statistical variation from one year to the next,” it says.

“In this case, the number more than doubled from nine in 2019 to 20 in 2020; an increase of 2.2 times.

“However, 2019 was an unusually low statistic as the 2020 result is similar to the 2017 statistic of 17 heavy trucks with

nil load involved in fatal crashes.

“The results of 2019 and 2020 do not indicate a significant trend as further analysis of crash statistics over a longer period of time, including different types of heavy truck, would be required for a trend to be identified.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Coffs Harbour bypass gets go ahead Pacific Highway travel times to be reduced by up to 12 minutes FREIGHT TRANSPORT will be the big winner following the announcement that the Coffs Harbour bypass has been given the official green light by the federal government after the federal environment minister Sussan Ley assessed and then approved the project under the EPBC Act. It will move the northern New South Wales city’s biggest ever infrastructure project a step closer to construction.

Deputy prime minister and minister for infrastructure, transport and regional development Michael McCormack says the 14-kilometre bypass, which received official planning approval, is one of the 15 major projects that the federal government committed to fast-tracking in June 2020.

“The bypass is going to take more than 12,000 vehicles a day out of the centre of Coffs Harbour, reduce travel times by as much as 12 minutes by bypassing 12 sets of traffic lights, and improve safety for all road users,” McCormack says.

“Transport for NSW has now received

the final stamp of approval, after close scrutiny by the NSW minister for planning and public spaces and the Australian minister for the environment.

“This approval includes the proposed tunnels at Roberts Hill, Shephards Lane and Gatelys Road, as well as assessing the project for its social, environmental, heritage and economic impacts, and gives the project team the green light to go ahead with major work.”

NSW minister for regional transport and roads, Paul Toole, says the Pacific Highway was a major contributor to Australia’s economy, and the Coffs Harbour bypass would be a key link in this vital piece of the nation’s infrastructure.

“This bypass alone will support about 12,000 jobs over the whole life-cycle of the project, providing about 2,000 local jobs for the community of Coffs Harbour during construction, which shows how serious we are about investment in regional NSW,” Toole says.

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“The local community has played a huge role in developing this project – from helping shape the design for the bypass to engaging with the experts in the field to ensure we can get on with the job of delivering on our promise.”

Federal member for Cowper, Pat Conaghan, says the bypass will deliver major benefits to local businesses, contractors and suppliers for years to come.

Meanwhile, state member for Coffs Harbour, Gurmesh Singh, says getting

the official tick to move forward was exciting news for the community, which will see things happening immediately, with noise treatments and utility relocations ready to go straight away.

“So many locals have told me they just want to see the bypass built and this next step ushers in a new phase, bringing a vital boost to the local economy while construction is underway.”

The project is expected to take around five years to build.

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Trucks a target in Victoria’s roadmap

Distance charging part of Melbourne’s congestion reduction strategy road and rail freight networks will be crippled by higher populations if steps aren’t immediately taken to ease congestion.

“So, we welcome measures to reduce the cost of public transport and increase capacity to free up the road and rail networks for moving freight.

“In endorsing new tram and light rail networks into Fishermans Bend, we must renew our caution that Lorimer Street be preserved for freight, as the only gazetted route for heavy vehicles to travel in and out of the Port of Melbourne.

“Planners must also strike a sensible balance for introducing new bicycle routes and ensure there is a clear delineation between heavy vehicles and bikes.”

Anderson also welcomed the report’s recommendation for an East-West Link style connection between CityLink and the Eastern Freeway.

“The VTA has always supported construction of the missing link

between the Eastern Freeway and CityLink, which will become even more pressing after North-East Link is built.

“It is also notable that the report advocates earmarking land now for future freight terminals and corridors for a future outer ring road, which will be essential through our city and state’s next phase of growth.”

With freeway tolls already a hot issues with Victorian transport and logistics players, the updated plan advises they be extended.

It confirms the state government’s push towards congestion pricing, with charges for using freeways, including the North East Link at times of high demand.

“Tolls should be higher during peak periods and lower during off-peak periods, possibly with intermediate tolls during the shoulder periods to avoid abrupt changes,” the update states.

Initially, distance-based road-user charging, an option that has seen

long-term debate, would be reserved for electric vehicles. This would be coupled with the removal of annual up-front charges, such as registration fees. But it is lead-in for a 10-year goal for all road users.

The argument is that upfront set fees fail to distinguish between low and heavy road use, nor changes in behaviour at a time of growing road congestion.

“Charges should be set to reflect all costs, including the relative costs of building and maintaining roads, congestion, carbon emissions, air and noise pollution and road trauma,” the update states.

“The charges should vary by time of day and by location. Because different types of vehicles contribute differently to each of these, charges should also vary by vehicle type.

“For example, vehicles contributing less air and noise pollution, like electric vehicles, should be charged less; vehicles that contribute more to road damage, such as large trucks, should be charged more.”

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THE VICTORIAN Transport Association (VTA) has endorsed several recommendations in Infrastructure Victoria’s (IV’s) latest draft 30-year infrastructure plan to ease congestion on the state’s transportation networks.

However, trucks are squarely in the sights of the updated Draft 30-Year Infrastructure Strategy in the form of distance pricing, albeit with an offset upfront set charges, such as registration.

Meanwhile, there is acknowledgement of the need to cater for higher productivity trucks in the document, in which transport is one of a range of issues.

“This draft report recognises that, notwithstanding short-term negative growth because of coronavirus, Melbourne is still on track to become Australia’s most populous city within a matter of years,” VTA CEO Peter Anderson says.

“It rightly calls out the need for incentivising city commuters to use public transport because existing

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

From virtual to real-life experience Truck Wise virtual reality experience premieres to assist young drivers in sharing the road with trucks A GROUND-BREAKING Virtual Reality (VR) experience premiered in November as part of a Truck Wise program to build greater awareness among the 16 to 18 years old age group about interactions between trucks and cars on the road.

The VR experience completes the final stage for Truck Wise pilot program, which was recently shortlisted in the Australian Freight Industry Awards in the ‘Application of Technology’ award category.

The Truck Wise program, funded by the federal government through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, is led by the City of Greater Bendigo in collaboration with Deakin University, Bendigo Tech School and the Transport Accident Commission.

The aim is to prepare new and young drivers for everyday encounters with trucks on the roads and to help build empathy.

Greater Bendigo City Council deputy mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf says she was delighted Truck Wise had been nominated for its ground-breaking approach using technology to raise awareness amongst young people.

“Truck Wise allows young drivers to safely experience truck interactions and it’s hoped that it will act as a catalyst for behavioural change,” Cr Metcalf says.

“The approach is not to shock or scare, but to build awareness and empathy of the risks associated with navigating a heavy vehicle, including blind spots, longer stopping distances and wider turning circles.”

Several local truck operators, including Agri-Trans’ A & M Stone, Power’s Country Express and the Livestock and Rural Transporter’s Association of Victoria were also important project

contributors. Their input helped to identify several common hazardous scenarios faced by truck drivers on the roads when interacting with cars.

Marla Stone from Agri-Trans and Damien Power from Power’s Country Express were 3D scanned to produce digital project ambassador avatars that play a key role in the VR experiences.

Deakin University associate professor Ben Horan said the project was a great opportunity to work with different levels of government as well as industry stakeholders to undertake a project tackling such an important issue.

“In this project, Virtual Reality enables us to provide this young age group to experience the exact same situation from both a car and a truck to gain an improved understanding from both perspectives – something that clearly wouldn’t be possible in the real world,” Dr Horan says.

“The VR experiences are deployed in two different ways. One is an immersive and interactive VR experience using a headset and intended for in school groups, and then a 360-degree video version able to be accessed by any one from anywhere using just a web browser – especially important during COVID-19.”

Truck Wise is designed to complement existing school-based road safety programs. The online HUB portal also features an interactive 360-degree video, downloadable educational fact sheets, safety videos, an online quiz and links to other road safety programs.

As part of the project, Bendigo Tech School developed a special VR and Augmented Reality program for local high school students and provided the opportunity to be a test bed for the Truck Wise VR during its development.

ATA SAFET360 at heart of road safety education THE AUSTRALIAN Trucking Association (ATA) and the University of Newcastle’s School of Psychology are partnering on research into the effectiveness of the SafeT360 education initiative and how to best communicate safety messages to young road users.

The research will focus on the ATA’s SafeT360 road safety exhibition, which teaches 16-25-year-old road users how to share the road safely with trucks through virtual reality technology and interactive messaging, and broader road safety efforts.

ATA safety, health and wellbeing director Melissa Weller says there is a worldwide lack of quality research into road safety communication and behavioural change projects.

“Governments throughout the world spend millions on education and communication campaigns, but those campaigns are rarely evaluated formally,” Weller says.

“While SafeT360 is an immersive educational initiative, it was also designed to enable

research that government and industry can draw on in developing future campaigns.”

School of Psychology head professor Kristen Pammer says the school is excited by the project.

“There is surprisingly little research out there regarding road safety from the perspective of heavy vehicles, and SafeT360 is such a fantastic initiative,” Pammer says.

“Our feeling is that this is a game-changer for road-safety research and initiatives.”

Weller says the research project was the trucking industry’s contribution to road safety leadership.

“This partnership will generate lasting peer-reviewed research that can be used by researchers and road safety practitioners not only in Australia, but around the world,” she adds.

“It will deliver valuable insight into safety initiatives, and how organisations can deliver the most effective communications and campaigns possible for many years to come.”

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Tiny drove this 237hp for many R600 Mack years duri ng his tim Belgin an e at d Stock wel l in the ’70s

TRUCKIN’ A THROUGH FIVE DECADES

After 50-years in the driver’s seat, Stephen ‘Tiny’ Monkhouse reflects on a long career in an industry which has both served him well and delivered some unfair blows. Warren Caves writes ownerdriver.com.au

OWD_336_018-22_FEA_Tiny Monkhouse_GB.indd 19

t 70-years of age, Stephen ‘Tiny’ Monkhouse still plies the Hume Highway each night, completing two Sydney to Melbourne return runs and a change-over each week for Sydney-based Lawson’s Transport.

The Mercedes Benz Actros he currently drives provides a stark contrast to the Perkins diesel-powered International AB 180 12-tonner that Stephen cut his teeth on so many years ago.

While some of the details of Stephen’s early working life can be a little hazy, leaving school must have been a pivotal moment in time, as he swiftly quips early in our conversation: “I left school at the age of 14-years and 10 months.” Such chronological specifics might suggest that leaving school was something of a big deal to him.

After bidding farewell to his school days, Stephen went to work with his father, who was a plasterer. He worked hard, seven days a week, but soon found this direction was not for him. After a stint in the army, during which he obtained his truck licence, it would seem he had found his calling. After further guidance and encouragement from his uncle, Ronnie Peebles, who ran the liquid cartage arm of Brambles Transport for many years, Stephen embarked on what would turn into a life-long career.

Eastern Truck Sales in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba is where Stephen was introduced to the aforementioned AB 180 International. The company had three trucks; the International was subcontracted to Cridland Transport, a local customs agent. It was during this time that Stephen was introduced to wharf and customs freight forwarding, a genre of work he would continue to work in for many years.

JANUARY 2021 19

16/12/2020 12:40:55 PM

“I remember … waiting at Willow Tree for four days before continuing on after the weighbridge was clear.”

Above: Stephen ‘Tiny’ Monkhouse, now aged 70, still drives the Sydney to Melbourne run twice weekly Right: A couple of names adorn the front of the Mercedes-Benz Actros that Tiny drives for Lawson’s Transport: ‘Noah’ because it’s as big as an ark, while ‘Alfie’ is Reg Lawson’s grandson

20 JANUARY 2021

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After a time he moved on to work for another customs brokerage company, Belgin and Stockwell, who at the time had five or six trucks. Formed in 1971 by Brian Stockwell and George Belgin, the company would go on to become Stockwell International, one of Australia’s largest private, familyowned freight forwarding companies with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Los Angeles and Auckland.

For his time at Belgin and Stockwell, Stephen was issued with an R600 Mack powered by a 237hp (177kW) Maxidyne engine. He recalls it would more than hold its own alongside bigger trucks, thanks to its ample torque which exceeded that available from the popular Cummins V903 engine found in many American-based trucks of this era.

Unbeknown to him at the time, Stephen would come to spend a great deal of time with this particular Mack.

An offer then came from company management to buy the truck which was taken up. Stephen’s owner-driver career had begun. As part of the deal, he recalls: “They took the payments for the truck along with fuel and other incidentals from my pay each week. I ran that truck as my own for five to six years, mostly on local customs/wharf work, along with loads of scrap from Sims Metals in St Peters.”

Stephen coyly admits that those scrap loads, on the short trip from the scrap yard to the wharf, were generally well in excess of any manufacturer’s or regulator’s maximum permissible limits. Profitable? Yes, but a practice that would eventually draw some unwanted attention from the weights and measures boys.

According to Stephen, the R600 also had the honour of being the first truck to enter the new Container Terminals Australia Limited facility at Port Botany.

Venturing further afield, he recalls loading the R600 for R&H Transport to the Capricorn Mine in North Queensland.

“I would load 40-foot steel plate out of Wollongong and then top load 20-pallets of beer and head north … a bit overweight.

“This was pretty common practice in those days and I remember on one occasion waiting at Willow Tree for four days before continuing on after the weighbridge was clear.

The beer was unloaded at Goondiwindi and replaced with stores for the Capricorn Mine,” he says.

“If I was lucky I would backload a mine vehicle, but if not I would head to Mt Isa for a backload of rolled copper. If that

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Tiny joined Lawson’s Transport following the collapse of Redstar Transport

“I came to the conclusion that I’m not the sort of bloke who can ever retire.” couldn’t be lined up it would be timber railway sleepers out of Banana.

“During harvest I would sometimes stay in Banana for a few weeks carting cotton modules from farm to the gin before returning to Sydney,” Stephen explains.

Rats and dogs Eventually, Stephen sold the old R600 Mack, but continued to work for Bulgin and Stockwell as a company driver. However, the lure of owner-driver life proved too strong and it didn’t take long for him to purchase a second Mack, this time an ex-Thompson Bros R700 and trailer.

Jack Seaton, of Seaton’s Transport, provided some work for Stephen’s new rig which, combined with ad-hoc container work and additional loads for TJ Clark & Sons Heavy Haulage, kept the bills paid and food on the table, all part of providing for his family.

The R700 was also put to work for TNT’s tanker division, transporting sunflower and palm oils from the docks for companies like Meadow Lea and MasterFoods.

“For a week at a time we would also head out west to load tallow from the Dubbo abattoir to a pet food facility in Bathurst. Dogs apparently love tallow, but it really stinks and the rats at that place were as big as cats,” Stephen laughs.

After years of loyal service, the R700 was eventually retired for a time before being sold to the boss of one of Stephen’s mates. It ultimately went out to pasture to enjoy clean country air and farm life.

Stephen is a bit foggy on the timeframe (I put it at around 1993), but after selling the R700 he

22 JANUARY 2021

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commenced work with Bunker Freight Lines, initially as a local driver. This would turn out to be a job which would go on to span a quarter of a century with the company and its subsequent owners.

Graduating from the local work, Stephen went on to run changeovers from Sydney to Balranald changeovers for Bunker, then later Sydney to Waddi in the NSW Riverina. He reckons it was good work and fondly remembers sharing the highway with many Finemore drivers, among others.

While Bunker’s fleet contained a wide crosssection of truck makes and models, Stephen says he would probably rate the Volvos as the best for him, although he does also admit to being partial to a Kenworth 900-series.

Redstar’s demise With the evolution of time Bunker turned into Silk Logistics and finally Redstar Transport. Stephen maintained his employment through all the ownership changes and worked through until Redstar went into receivership around two years ago, leaving many drivers without jobs. Contrary to rumours floating around at the time, Stephen attests that Redstar’s management did in fact make sure all drivers had the means to make their way home after the trucks were grounded.

After the collapse of Redstar, Stephen found out that the redundancy payment provisions for longservice leave were capped at 12 years, leaving him well short on his total entitlements after some 25 years of loyal service.

At this juncture of life and without a job, many of his age would consider retirement. Stephen says it did cross his mind briefly. “I came to the

conclusion that I’m not the sort of bloke who can ever retire. I then decided to try and secure some relief work standing in for drivers on holidays, etc.”

Things didn’t exactly go to plan though. As often happens in this industry, when employers find reliable, competent drivers they tend to keep them working. From what was initially a fill-in role, Stephen has been working full-time for Reg Lawson of Lawson’s Transport, based out of south western Sydney for nearly two years.

The front of his Mercedes-Benz Actros features the names ‘Noah’ (because it’s as big as an ark) and ‘Alfie’ (for the boss’s grandson).

One of Stephen’s long-term friends, Scott Peden, who also previously worked for Redstar, rates his mate as one of the most professional operators he has met. Scott describes a hardworking, meticulously punctual driver who has offered mentorship to any in the industry, Scott included, who would care to ask and gain from his vast experience.

“I would and still do ring Stephen and ask for advice on all things truck-related. He’s been my go-to guy for some time,” Scott tells me.

However, I was curious and had to ask Stephen how he got the nickname. He reckons there are mates of his that, to this day, don’t know his real name, referring to him only as ‘Tiny’.

“It was just a matter of convenience really,” Stephen explains. “I was racing go-carts when I was younger and there were three ‘Stephens’ in the group so someone dubbed me ‘Tiny’ and the name stuck.”

Motorsport is still a keen hobby for Stephen and most weekends you’ll find him racing speedway cars or sports sedans around various NSW circuits.

When he does finally wind back from driving, he’ll most likely indulge his motorsport hobby a bit more. But for now Stephen ‘Tiny’ Monkhouse is content running Highway 31 overnight, which is just as well as I don’t think his boss Reg Lawson is ready to let him go just yet.

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TWU Michael Kaine

Righting wrongs in 2021 The trucking industry showed its mettle last year, but low rates and poor safety guidelines remain

L

IKE THE rest of Australia, and the world, we’ve been happy to wave goodbye to 2020.

But our union is looking forward to 2021 as a year to continue the fight to change things in our industry for the better.

In many ways, 2020 has helped us make the case for this. As if Australia needed telling transport workers that they have been recognised as essential workers carrying out a critical service throughout the pandemic. They have put themselves out on the frontline to keep the country going while lockdowns and shutdowns were forced in other industries.

Drivers delivered essential food, fuel and medicines across shut state borders. They raised their voices when they found truck stops shut, unable to get meals or hot showers, and got states to make exemptions for them as essential workers. Drivers kept businesses open by delivering online goods despite the difficult conditions, with the risk of infection and disrupted supply chains. They have battled bureaucracy, permit systems, COVID testing regimes and check points to keep Australia moving.

Drivers have also taken the role of critical and essential worker very seriously, observing the rules and regulations to keep themselves and the community safe from the spread of infection.

Workers in the gig economy – the food delivery riders and drivers – also deserve praise. They have allowed people to self-isolate at home and allowed restaurants to stay in business through their work.

Transport workers, like other essential workers who stood up during the pandemic, are now saying: don’t just thank me, recognise the important work I do. They are clamouring for change because it’s not enough for people to verbally recognise the work you do, it must be acknowledged by ensuring that work is safe and

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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

pays well enough so that workers can support themselves and their families. If 2020 has taught us anything, surely it is that unsafe, insecure and badly paid work is a danger to the entire community and our society.

So now it’s time to step up for transport workers.

RESEARCH IGNORED As the Senate inquiry continues into the sustainability and safety of our industry, it is lifting the lid on where the problems lie: low rates, long hours, deadline pressures, lack of training, bad roads, lack of truck stops, unpaid work, wage theft, nonpayment of super, stress, mental health and health problems, and deaths and injuries.

The federal government will not be able to continue saying there is no problem in our industry when the inquiry publishes its report.

It has ignored successive research and academic reports but a definitive exposé from a Senate

“Unsafe, insecure and badly paid work is a danger to the entire community.”

inquiry will be harder to turn away from.

The year 2020 was a tough one but it was a year when the industry was more united than ever on what needs to change. We were proud to stand with the National Road Freighters Association on taking a stand on the need to lift standards, and when the rights of ownerdriver Frank Black were attacked by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission after a column in this magazine.

We were pleased when many elements of the industry came together at a forum in March joining the Transport Workers Union and the Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation at an emergency roundtable addressing what the industry needed to deal with the pandemic.

In 2021 we intend to push for reform of our industry and ensure the federal government understands why it is so important that we put in a place federally binding regulation that holds the top of the transport supply chain to account.

We will also demand from the wealthy retailers, manufacturers and oil companies that the number one focus when they sign transport contracts should be safety, not profit or CEO bonuses. They must pay a rate that ensures their goods are transported safely.

JOBS TRASHED Our drive in 2021 is to fight right across sectors and industries for better standards in transport. We aim to bring our fight for fairer, safer jobs right to the doorsteps of the clients at the top of the supply chains and to the doors of parliaments.

Last year also demonstrated how important transport workers are, so 2021 must be the year when we push for the changes our industry needs.

We cannot allow the companies using transport to pay their CEOs fat salaries and bonuses while they trash good jobs.

We cannot allow wealthy retailers like Aldi and Amazon to continue ignoring the desperate need for fairness and safety in road transport.

This is why 2021 is the year we pursue our demands for a better industry. Drivers are ready for the challenge and we know many operators and industry groups are also on board. The momentum is behind us, so it’s up to everyone in our industry to make 2021 a year for change.

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Consolidated LDO Award, which reads: (a) Industry disability allowance: The minimum hourly driving rates, rates per kilometre and loading or unloading rates are inclusive of an industry disability allowance of 1.3 times the ordinary rate.”

NatRoad Warren Clark

Definition certainty

PICKUP AND DROP OFFS

The Fair Work Commission has clarified the award meaning of loading and unloading

M

ODERN AWARDS apply to employers and employees who perform work covered by the award. Their terms don’t prevent ownerdrivers from agreeing to different contractual provisions.

But the importance of the transport modern awards is obvious: they set the minimum rates of pay below which it is unlawful to employ employees.

On November 20, 2020, a Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission upheld NatRoad’s arguments in a case brought forward by two drivers seeking changes to the Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award.

• checking vehicle weights on weighbridges.

“For completeness, we do not consider that the definition of ‘loading or unloading’ is ambiguous or unclear. No evidence was provided as to any examples of individual drivers being unclear – let alone there being widespread confusion in the industry – as to how the provisions have been applied and operated in the industry for some time.

“We would note that if further clarity was needed, it can now be found in the preamble to the Industry Disability Allowance clause in the 2020

NOT AMBIGUOUS One of the changes sought was to modify the definition of loading and unloading. NatRoad argued that there is currently no ambiguity in the definition. The Fair Work Commission agreed saying: “We would agree with the proposition that the words ‘loading or unloading’ in Cl 3 – Definitions – means ‘physically engaged’ in loading or unloading. It does not comprehend activities such as: • complying with entrance and departure procedures at load or unload location • applying or releasing all load restraint devices • operation of trailer curtains • waiting time or queuing time • processing of freight documentation

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.

The Full Bench also noted: “There is nothing in the definition of ‘long distance operation’ to imply that an operation will only involve one pickup and one drop-off. For a journey to constitute a long distance operation, it must (at least) involve moving livestock or materials from a principal point of commencement to a principal point of destination.

“That does not mean the journey might not involve picking up or dropping off at more than one location. Indeed, that possibility is implicit in the use of the word ‘principal’, which implies that there might be ‘secondary’ points of commencement or destination.”

Based on the evidence presented by the applicants, the Full Bench found that: “There is no evidence that the industry circumstances and practices, as reflected in the LDO Award which existed less than three years ago, have changed to such an extent, or at all, such as to warrant a reconsideration by this Full Bench of an assessment of the remuneration structure in this Award.”

This clarification on a long-standing definition of an award entitlement is welcomed by NatRoad.

“The importance of the transport modern awards is obvious.”

MOORE

Moore

trailer for you r money! TRAILERS

 07 4693 1088 www.mooretrailers.com.au 26 JANUARY 2021

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ownerdriver.com.au

15/12/2020 10:21:11 AM

knows there are not enough? Who takes away our shade, gives us back places so close to the road you can barely get off the road and who says “stuff you” when I raise these issues? Who tears up 40km of road where, on at least this section, we could have had some really valuable additional truck parking capacity at no cost and then they waste even more money doing so?

EYES ON THE ROAD Rod Hannifey

Dumb and dumber

IMPATIENT CAR DRIVERS

The faceless people responsible for the upkeep of the Newell Highway are leaving us worse off

T

HIS WILL be my year to make a lot of noise about roads and rest areas and why we, as the major users, do not get given the chance to contribute to what is done and how the money is spent.

First case in point – the Newell Highway. With the current works being done south of Boggabilla, I contacted the New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services asking would the current green reflector bays – one south of Whalen Creek and one either side about 30km south of Bogga – be retained.

The site at Whalen Creek was worked on, it was paved, but it was very much reduced in size and where in the past you could get well off the road and get shade under a couple of trees, the camber was also changed. So a very valuable and user-friendly site was reduced to a bit of paved roadside.

I rang and emailed again, commenting with the above issues, but by then of course it was too late for this one – it was all done.

Even sillier, if that is possible, is the pull-over bay where the guide post has the three green reflectors, so less than 500m away. Why not make one good site instead of two bad ones?

Once that site got marked with green reflectors, I was contacted asking where they came from and was told there would be some other sites and they would mark them. I asked again were the current opposite sites (yes, they were only dirt but they were large and you could get well off the road) being retained? I was told no, but there would be one site in each direction in that area.

REST AREA REDUCTION What has now been left for us (and yes, they are marked with green reflectors but not properly) is a barely wide enough shoulder southbound that you might get two roadtrains in but will be so close to the road it will be useless for sleeping. The northbound site is a couple of hundred metres, if that, of the old road but with a pole at the start so you can’t get well over for the next bloke.

I asked about having sections of the old road left for us and I think someone may have listened, with one section left in place, but this week they tore that up. It could well be nearly 40 kilometres of old road torn up and that costs money, then we went from perhaps 24 spaces in the three sites to a total of maybe seven with lost shade, and a loss of capacity to get well off the road. Again, so like normal, we have gone backwards when we all know there are not enough truck rest areas now!

I did nearly all I could do without standing in front of the bulldozers. I rang, I emailed, I explained, I requested and I complained when they stuffed up the first one. Of course they have no idea why I am not happy.

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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

Just to add a bit more stupidity, the bridge at Whalen Creek is one of the few narrow bridges left. It is near the middle of all this widening work and yet it has been left as is. There are hits to the concrete shoulder and there are tyre marks aplenty along it.

But not only has it not been widened during the current works, they have left the lovely sharp edges of the concrete to make sure that if you move over for the goose coming the other way who is on your side, then you will most likely tear the side out of your tyres and blow them as well.

Who is responsible for this effort?

Who takes away our rest areas and fails to replace them when everyone

Next, the overtaking lanes on the Newell.

Yes, we welcome safe places for overtaking, but they have all been put on long flat and mostly straight roads where you could often overtake when there was no other traffic. We want to be able to safely overtake a slower truck, particularly now with the Booths AB-triples and some roadtrains who might do their 90km/h, but why not first do the few places where we have idiot car drivers who are too impatient to save their own lives and can’t wait two minutes to risk ours as well?

The dipper in the Pilliga, northbound from Tooraweenah, and fixing the rail overpass at Bellata will save more lives. If I were cynical, I might think while they say it is all about road safety, maybe it’s not?

Why are we not consulted? Why, when we offer comment and ask to be included as the biggest group of road users, are we not sought out and given the chance to at least contribute? I don’t expect every state to ring me before they do any work, but they exclude and ignore us and this must stop.

I would welcome your views and will also let you know if any road authorities respond.

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15/12/2020 10:37:35 AM

WILKIE’S WATCH Ken Wilkie

The need for flexibility Another year and another load of advice telling us when we can drive and when we can sleep

A

NOTHER YEAR. I had been invited to join an online video link with the “not” National Heavy Vehicle Regulator on December 3. I declined the offer – and not because it was our 49th wedding anniversary.

For decades I have tried to have some influence on policies that govern the working lives of truckies. Those efforts have cost me thousands and thousands of dollars – both in actual dollar terms and wasted time. And it has just been wasted time.

I don’t consider a personal invitation any recompense for past endeavours.

A more cynical attitude is “give that sucker an invite – he always takes the bait”.

It has become evident that any proclaimed interest by bureaucracy and industry management in the wellbeing of the micro-sized business sector of the industry is nothing but a charade.

A total con to placate the concerns of micro-sized operators and paid drivers.

A warm and fuzzy feeling no less. For decades I have been a willing part of the charade. I’m a slow learner if you like.

For instance, how long has this section and the employed driver sector been calling for flexibility in driving hour regulations? So what has been the focus of bureaucracy? Pushing the provision of electronic work diaries (EWDs). Do I remember there being an eight minute tolerance beyond legal limits being promoted? The comment from unions is that the electronic stuff will deny employers the opportunity to push drivers beyond legal parameters.

Yeah, and it will cause those people who might be 20 minutes from a destination goal to become liable for a multihundred dollar fine and be vilified as an irresponsible operator.

One of the big pluses for the new method of recording driving hours is simply a reduction in paperwork. And beyond making non-compliance with flawed regulations more onerous – what then? An even better revenue stream to cover the inefficiencies of bureaucracy rather than a reduction in paperwork; another impost on the operator’s revenue (trickling) stream.

MANAGING FATIGUE The current fatigue regulations, whether they be policed by EWDs or selfincriminating paper and pen records, are of similar nature to speed limits.

They are arbitrarily set limits.

All driving is speeding. It is how

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competently we drive that keeps us safe or otherwise. All driving likewise is fatiguing. Our personal outer limits for attentiveness depend on many things – not least of which is time of day. As I’ve stated on previous occasions, one has to manage his or her fatigue and then one has manage his or her record keeping.

Fatigue management is a very complex question. Yes, there is the legitimate union concern regarding management expecting drivers to go an extra mile or more. What about those drivers who have a wish to maximise their income and push for more hours? Do I want to drive fatigued? No. Do I want to operate overnight? No. But profit-motivated organisations can legally ask me to operate overnight. Basically that is an unnatural act. That is a primary fatigue management policy of mine. And I’ve read a report of a driver acclaiming the fitting of sophisticated prodders.

The said commentator claims the technology can save lives when the

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

“Profit-motivated organisations can legally ask me to operate overnight.”

technology has concluded that the driver is fatigued. OK, it measures droopy eye lids or lowered eye direction or whatever. Now I’m guessing that is a better outcome than kissing a mature eucalyptus at speed. But what does it say about the driver’s ability to observe less obvious obstacles?

UNNATURALLY NOCTURNAL There has been comment in the trade media of new regulations. What bloody regulations? I haven’t seen any draft regulation.

Some moons ago I spent several hours in the company with micro transport business people and at least one small business operator developing a position on fatigue management. I may as well have spent the time fishing for barramundi in the Yarra for all that achieved.

Bureaucracy is putting the cart before the horse. Of course there has to be outer limits on driving hours, but the current attitudes allow a driver to operate in contravention to humanity’s basic law of diurnality. I consider nocturnal operation in some cases to be more risk averse than a small discrepancy of driving time during daylight hours.

And where does the suggestion that industry customers play a role in industry best practice lead us?

Where is the customer’s competency in fatigue management or maintenance?

Customers are, if anything, so fixated with being charged with a Chain of Responsibility accusation that they outlaw perfectly legal actions.

Last week I saw an interesting case that highlights my point. I was denied a load because I wasn’t able to secure such load in a manner that the consignor approved. My proposed restraint was in accord with the loading guide. Lo and behold it turned up later, secured to the consignor’s satisfaction but in a manner that made it not conforming to dimension regulations.

I am reliably told by an acquaintance that at least one supermarket warehouse demands a driver to have several hours left in their book before that driver will be accepted to offload. While I don’t accept the doomsday comments regarding trip money being dangerous; I absolutely consider that any receiver – or dispatcher for that matter – who is so inefficient that they cannot complete the load transfer in a reasonable timeframe definitely should be paying a demurrage fee. And if the load is so complex that considerable time is required, then demurrage simply should be included.

I am obviously disappointed no effort is being made to rectify issues that were the driving force to have a national body dedicated to uniforming Australia’s road transport law. There was never a mention regarding Western Australia’s failure to observe section 92 of the Constitution.

Even the COVID drama allowed free trade between states subject to meeting health requirements.

Your required reading for January is The Mighty Krait by Ian McPhedran.

For Sydneysiders, you have an added requirement. The boat is on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Go and check it out.

ownerdriver.com.au

15/12/2020 10:39:26 AM

The legal view Sarah Marinovic

Trivial pursuit Just like drivers, police or road enforcement officers can make seemingly insignificant paperwork errors

M

ANY DRIVERS speak to me about their frustration at being fined for trivial mistakes in their work diarie s. Simple things like forgetting to tick a box can mean hefty fines.

The frustration is amplified when the inspector issuing the ticket makes their own mistakes on the paperwork. It can feel like a double standard where drivers are punished for clerical errors but the authorities are excused.

Often I am asked whether this type of error on the paperwork is enough to get you off the hook for your fine or court appearance.

Occasionally a mistake will be enough to have the charge dismissed. For this to happen, the error usually needs be so

fundamental that it raises doubt in the Magistrate’s mind about whether the offence actually happened and that the prosecution has charged the right person.

Unfortunately, this is rare. Most errors on the paperwork are obviously just a mistake. In these situations it can usually be corrected and won’t be enough to have the charge dismissed.

INSPECTOR’S MISTAKE The law in NSW (which is where I work) allows Magistrates to make amendments to Court Attendance Notices. This means that if you decide to fight your case based on an error on the penalty notice or charge papers, the Magistrate can usually let the prosecution fix up their mistake. Details like misspelt names,

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incorrect times and even typos in a vehicle’s registration can usually be corrected.

Even mistakes within the inspector’s evidence itself won’t always be enough to have the case dismissed. Usually the inspector will be given the opportunity to explain the mistake. If the Magistrate believes them then the error is usually corrected.

I am sure this information will add to the frustration that many drivers already feel, and I can understand why.

It would be nice to see a bit of give and take, so where a minor error is detected that doesn’t undermine enforcement or road safety the situation might be better dealt with by education and working together to make sure the driver understands how to avoid repeating it in the future.

In the meantime, if you do find yourself in this situation, how do you decide whether to fight your case? The key is knowing which mistakes are serious enough to defend the charge.

Unfortunately there’s no one-size-fitsall answer. It will always depend on the unique situation that you find yourself it.

It’s a good idea to speak with a lawyer before taking your case to court and defending it on the basis of a mistake in the paperwork. A quick discussion can save you from finding yourself in a worse situation. I always welcome drivers to contact me for a chat about whether they have a defence worth pursuing.

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JANUARY 2021 29

16/12/2020 12:36:17 PM

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE AND YOU COULD WIN BIG! HERE ARE THE 12 FINALISTS FOR THE 2020 VALVOLINE TRUCK OF THE YEAR

T

he 2020 Valvoline Truck of the Year Award marks the culmination of the third year of the highly-popular Truck of the Month feature in Owner//Driver.

The team here at Owner//Driver has chosen the 12 finalists, but the responsibility of selecting the winner is now turned over to you – our valued readers. Among the nominees are some amazing trucks – so we don’t envy the job ahead of you! Read on to find out how to vote, and what you can win for your efforts!

HOW IT WORKS To be eligible, trucks must have appeared as a Truck of the Month in Owner//Driver magazine over the past 12 months.

The outright winner will be decided by popular vote – with the winner featured in the March 2021 issue of Owner//Driver magazine as well as online at OwnerDriver.com.au!

YOU CAN WIN TOO Not only does your vote count towards your favourite truck getting the gong, but it also puts you in the draw to win a massive $5,000 BCF voucher. Just imagine all of the boating, camping and fishing gear you could get with that. All courtesy of our valued sponsor Valvoline!

HOW TO VOTE Simply jump online and head to OwnerDriver.com.au/TOTY, follow the prompts to the promotion entry page and complete the entry form (including your full name, mailing address, telephone number and valid email address), and vote for your favourite truck. Voting commences on December 1, 2020 and closes at 11:59PM on January 31, 2021. To help you make your choice, you’ll be able to view the original feature stories on all 12 finalists on the site. You can only vote once, so make it count!

MASSIVE $5,000 BCF VOUCHER UP FOR GRABS Conditions apply, see www.ownerdriver.com.au/toty. Open to AU & NZ residents 18+. Starts: 01/12/2020. Ends: 23:59 (AEDST) on 31/01/2021. Limit 1 entry per person. Draw: at Are Media, 73 Atherton Rd, Oakleigh, Vic 3166 on 05/02/2021 at 11:00 (AEDST). Prize: BCF Retail Store Voucher valued at $5,000.00. Winner published on www.ownerdriver.com.au/toty from 09/02/2021.

Promoter: Are Media Pty Ltd (ABN 18 053 273 546) of 54–58 Park St, Sydney, NSW 2000. Permits: ACT: TP20/01620.

THE CONTENDERS – VOTE NOW

01 02 03 04

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Dennis Kelly’s ’88 Mack Super-Liner Bulldog brand enthusiast Dennis Kelly has immortalised the almost forgotten Australian pastoralist and land owner Sir Sidney Kidman in the form of a stunning, customised 1988 Mack Super-Liner. Mack maestro Glen Beutel, PJs Custom Spraypainting and Truck Mechanical in Brisbane all played a big part in the whole project, giving the ‘Cattle King’ Super-Liner a major makeover.

Image Warren Aitken

Steve Earl’s Scania R 620 Earls Express has some of the best looking rigs running on and off road around the country, including their eye-catching Scania R 620. The stunning purple paintwork, pink splashes and lettering on this and other Earls Express trucks and trailers indicates this is a business that wants to create an impression – a strong, dependable one.

Image Charlie Suriano

Rob Starcic’s Classic Kenworth W925 Although not a fleet owner in a true sense, truck enthusiast Rob Starcic was swept away when he first laid eyes on this stunning Kenworth W925 with it 64-inch sleeper at a truck show. Rob kept the truck’s original colour but wrapped the tanks, capped the ends and had new battery boxes and toolboxes made so both sides were identical.

Image Warren Aitken

Paul and Gina Gleich’s 2015 Kenworth T659 The story of Paul and Gina Gleich is one of becoming transport operators almost by accident. But, after years of doing it tough, they’re now enjoying the fruits of their labour with a fleet of Kenworths, especially with the newest member – the T659 nicknamed “Loosen Up”.

Image Warren Aitken

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THE CONTENDERS – VOTE NOW

05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

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Glen Pilbeam’s 1985 Mack Super-Liner On the lookout for a suitable rebuild project, the Pilbeam family travelled north from Heyfield in Victoria to Dalby, Queensland, discovering a 1985 Mack Super-Liner well past its peak. However, after undergoing a thorough transformation over two years, including a lengthy stay at Royan Truck and Trailer Repairs in Melbourne, the truck was brought back from a slow death to better than new.

Image Warren Aitken

Frank and Christine Commisso’s Kenworth T909 Frank and Christine Commisso have been through the tough times, but their hard work has paid off, resulting in the addition of their stunning flagship truck – a Kenworth T909.

With Kyzer Kustoms in Shepparton chipping in, the T909 boasts 400 lights, low mount guards and stainless air cleaners. It regularly hauls a Freighter tautliner A-trailer and Maxi-Cube B-trailer.

Image Warren Aitken

Peppi Inverno’s Kenworth Legend 900 For any operator of a small fleet, buying a brand new truck is a big investment, especially so when it’s a limited edition Kenworth Legend 900. But for Gippsland couple Peppi and Danielle Inverno, it was a venture that has solidified the family unit. While it’s a show-stopper, the 900 is also an everyday working truck.

Image Alastair Brook

Cromack Transport’s Mercedes-Benz 2658 In a fleet of various makes and models, a superbly presented Mercedes-Benz 2658 is setting high standards in reliability and fuel economy for Cromack Transport in northern NSW. Although the only Benz in the family business, Graeme and Jeff Cromack say it may not be the last as the big Benz continues to notch impressive results.

Image Mark Bean

Wallace International’s 2010 Western Star 4800FX Wallace International boasts a stunningly-presented fleet of big rigs, but none more striking than the company’s 2010 Western Star 4800FX. The Cummins ISX-powered Star has clocked up more than 500,00km but sports the looks and sounds of a truck half its age. Notably, the company’s transport manager Gary Perry is a fan of the Western Star brand’s enduring appearance.

Image Warren Aitken

Ryan Demasi’s 2006 Kenworth T904 Western Australia’s Ryan Demasi went from laying turf to owning ‘The Incredible Hulk’, one of the most stunning Kenworth T904s in the country. No longer the quiet Cummins workhorse, the 2006 “green monster” has had an upgrade with new piston linings, rings, pumps … everything got slapped on, including a huge Cat turbo.

Image Warren Aitken

Detour Logistics’ Kenworth K200 When Volvo discontinued its XXL cabs in Australia, Detour Logistics’ boss Colin Beer looked to Kenworth’s ‘big cab’ K200. Regular driver Mal Whiley appreciates the K200’s roominess which, along with the trailers, has clocked up around 520,000km. Powered by a Cummins 600hp engine, the K200 has had its tanks painted and, with its custom guards, looks the goods.

Image Warren Aitken

Michael McFee’s 2019 Kenworth T909 As well as being boss of the Airlie Beach Hotel in north Queensland, Michael McFee is also the proud owner of this 2019 Kenworth T909 which hauls a Vawdrey B-double set.

While it’s impressive on the outside, driver Bradley Gallagher is also blown away by the Brown & Hurley-installed upgraded sound system.

Image Warren Aitken

14/12/20 8:45 pm

truck of the month

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ownerdriver.com.au

16/12/2020 12:30:06 PM

HEAVY AS SHE GOES

Jarred and Cassy Sacco have come a long way, both geographically and in adaptability, to operate one of the most professional heavy haulage outfits in north Queensland. Warren Aitken paid a visit to Mackay to check out their fleet of Kenworths, including their first ever C509, during a busy work day

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“There’s no harm in having a crack.”

Above, left to right: Jordy heads out of town nice and early in the big C509. The C509 is rated to pull 220 tonnes Right: The mighty W-model leads off from the T909 and Jordy’s C509 Opposite page: Left to right: T909 driver Gibbo, pilot and long term worker Col, C509 driver Jordy and Jarred Sacca; As well as the Kenworth brand, Drake trailers play a big part in the S&S Heavy Haulage fleet

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W

hat better way to start off a huge 2021 than with a huge story? Quite literally, it doesn’t get much bigger than this. I’m not just talking about the size of the awesome trucks I got to shoot for this story or the size of the awesome load I got to see moved; I’m also talking about the huge lessons I learnt about myself during this story.

I know right, I’m diverting your attention from some of the coolest Kenworths in Australia, including a rebuilt 2013 C509 workhorse, so I can waffle about my own self-reflection. I very rarely get to turn a story around and make it about me, so give me a little leeway here. Not that I need to ask, as the journalist here you guys really don’t have a choice, you kind of have to just tag along and humour me.

I know you really want to know more about the S&S Heavy Haulage team so if you’ll just indulge me with a paragraph or two where I make it all about me then we can focus on S&S Heavy Haulage.

The reason I want to make it about me is because I had several days with Jarred Sacca and his S&S Heavy Haulage team. Over those few days I learnt a hell of a lot about myself. Bear in mind I have done a fair bit of trucking in my lifetime. I’ve read the signwriting on my trailer as it tried to beat me down the mountain on an icy road in New Zealand, and I’ve bounced off a stock trailer’s door as I tried to swing it closed on a couple of bulls. I’ve made it out of the Longreach roundabout as the rear trailer of my quad roadtrain had just entered it, I’ve frozen my arse off at a feedlot filling LPG tanks, and I’ve even looked like a gumbie trying to throw chains over a load of logs in the days when swinging the chains was the only way to do it. It’s fair to say I’ve had a go at most things.

Getting to spend a few days with the S&S team helped me figure out a few hard truths about myself. I watched these guys organise and prepare to shift a mammoth excavator. I watched them prepare all the equipment from a 12-row Drake trailer to BBQ supplies for dinner. I watched them work as a team and excel as they executed such a mountainous shift. I watched their professionalism both on-road and off-road and I realised something about

ownerdriver.com.au

16/12/2020 12:31:02 PM

myself – I would make a very bad heavy haulage operator – shockingly bad.

Aside from the fact that your mirrors are basically just ornamental, these guys never get to enjoy a Les Norton audiobook as they spend hours on the road, sometimes only covering a few hundred kilometres a day.

In what they do – from the organisation before a shift to the practical on-site actions required to complete a shift – there is zero room for error. From the moment they turn the key, everything is switched on to the max – driving skills, mechanical skills, patience, foresight … everything.

It’s impressive to watch them hooking up three impressive rigs and working together to move 180 tonnes of machinery.

The team involved have to be on the mark with everything they do. Did I mention they don’t get to enjoy any Robert G Barret books? I was out after that.

That’s as far as I’ll go with involving myself in this story.

I just wanted to get it across that having seen the finer side of moving a 7.5m wide, 6m high and 180 tonne load over 200-plus kilometres, I realised it is definitely a highly skilled area of our industry. It is also one that I can honestly say I’m way past the point of mastering; I’ll leave it to the professionals. With that said, let me introduce them to you.

S&S Heavy Haulage (the S&S stands for Sacca and Son) is a Mackay-based, family-owned and operated outfit. Top of the food chain is Jarred Sacca, however he is the first to admit there really is no hierarchy in the company, though if there was he definitely puts his lovely wife Cassy at the top. Not only has she played a major role in all the business decisions but she’s also looked after her kids Tommy and BriennaMaree and, of course Jarred – her ‘big kid’. Everything is done as a team and nothing succeeds without the team.

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Western Australia lessons Jarred and Cassy are originally from Bunbury, Western Australia. Jarred’s after school adventures were spent in the passenger seat of his uncle’s truck. You really earn your stripes when you are in the passenger seat of an old White 4000.

As Jarred got older his uncle changed to a Kenworth K123 so the passenger seat got comfier. Jarred even enjoyed some time in a 141 Scania. As often as he could he would ride along, soaking in the experiences of his uncle’s broad variety of loads.

Working was just second nature to Jarred and as soon as he was old enough he ventured off to the big smoke of Perth and got himself a mechanic’s apprenticeship. It’s worth noting here that my interview with Jarred was conducted in the shadow of his loyal workmates. They were helpfully and selflessly correcting Jarred if he strayed off course with his

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“The trucks do have their own showers, as well as cooking facilities and your regular fridges.” memories. So when I questioned him about what drove him to pick up the tools rather than hit the road, his C509 driver Jordan helpfully reminded him.

Jarred claimed: “I just always wanted to be a mechanic,” whereas Jordan correctly informed me: “Nah mate, he already had the mullet so he kind of had to.” I’m still searching for those photos.

Apprenticeship done, Jarred ended up with a job at Terex Mining based out of the thriving metropolis of Tom Price.

He spent eight years working on diggers, trucks and drills on various mine sites around the Pilbara area. Eventually the long rotations away from Cassy saw him and the family transfer over to Mackay in Queensland.

He spent a couple of years working field service for Terex. His job requirements expanded from repairs and maintenance to becoming involved in a lot of the preparation tear downs for equipment that was getting moved from site to site.

Changes in ownership AT Terex saw Jarred and Cassy take the plunge and venture out on their own. I did question him a lot about this first move, with a newborn son in the house it was a ballsy decision to make. Jarred tried to joke it off with quips like: “Just woke up one morning and had a bit of a brain fart,” trying to play down the gutsy call.

Eventually though the real Aussie spirit that’s been the backbone of many success stories eventuated. “The opportunity was there to do it, f***** give it a go,” Jarred admitted. “There’s no harm in having a crack.”

With one ute, some loyal customers and Jarred’s ‘eight days a week, 25 hours a day’ work ethic, Sacca Heavy Repairs was established.

It’s that “have a crack” approach that not only saw Sacca Heavy Repairs succeed, but grow and grow, eventually spawning S&S Heavy Haulage.

I’d better bridge the gap between the two companies as quick as I can as I know you’re all keen just to perve at the photos. S&S Heavy Haulage came about because of the success of and the specific work that Sacca Heavy Repairs were doing.

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Top: No such thing as an easy turn for this gigantic load Above: A couple of the Sacca Heavy Repair vehicles waiting for callouts Below: One of two big T909s in the S&S Fleet, Gibbo’s 221 tonne rated rig was in the yard long enough for me to grab some shots

Along with repairs and maintenance, Jarred and his team were involved in a lot of pull downs of mining equipment.

The Sacca Heavy Repair crews were always busy, especially with mines opening and closing across the country – and mining equipment always needing to be relocated.

Jarred’s teams would organise all the mechanics, cranes and crews needed to strip down all manner of equipment and help load it for heavy haulage companies.

Then they would turn up at the other end and put it all back together again.

As Sacca Heavy Repairs had grown, so had Jarred’s fleet.

Several more service vehicles had been added to the original ute. Along with those other service vehicles, Jarred had picked up his first truck – the stunning W-model you see in the photos, which was purchased to assist with moving material for Sacca Heavy Repairs.

This helped sway Jarred and Cassy’s thinking when the idea to start their heavy haulage business first arose. They already had a truck; the opportunity was there once again and the same attitude prevailed. No harm in having a crack.

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Above: On the final stretch to its new home, the team heads down the entrance road to the mine Below: The last big job for Jarred’s hard working W-model. It will be back but it’s off for a makeover now Opposite from top: Over 1,800hp pulling 180 tonne up the jump up. One heck of a sight and a great photo opportunity; The delicate job of connecting the trucks together begins

Big becomes bigger With the purchase of a second-hand Drake 4X4 and 2X4 dolly to go behind the W-model, S&S Heavy Haulage was born. For a couple of years their 50 tonne trailer was put to good use, then in 2015 Jarred went to an auction in Brisbane and came away with a second-hand Kenworth T908, a Drake 8X8 platform and 2X8 Dolly. From there the loads just got bigger and wider and the company never looked back. No pun intended.

A couple of years after the T908, Jarred added his first C509, the aforementioned 2013 model, which was rebuilt, including putting a whole new hub reduction rear end on it. A couple of years after that he specced out his first brand new truck – a purpose-built Kenworth T909. Are you picking up a common them here? Yes, Jarred is a Kenworth man. His fleet now consists of three C509s, two T909s and one K200 King Cab. Of course I had to pose that question to him as well: “What’s with all the Kenworths?”

“They do the job,” came the short and on-point answer, but it was also an extremely accurate one. When you are

doing the kind of moves that S&S Heavy Haulage undertake, reliability and performance are key factors. When you are asking a truck to pull in excess of 100 tonnes then you want to know it can handle it, and Jarred’s Kenworths do exactly what they are required to do.

That same dependability and expectation of performance is why you’ll see the Drake name attached to the wide variety of trailers in the S&S yard.

Jarred’s first brand new trailer was a 4X8 bucket well trailer, designed and built in Drake’s Brisbane yard specifically for hauling drag line buckets around. All Jarred’s platforms, drop decks and modular trailers carry Drake’s years of experiences as well.

You’ll find that’s a key trait of Jarred – loyalty. When he’s looked after, and the jobs done right, he sticks with it.

Kenworth for his trucks, Drake for his trailers, and the team at SLS Custom Stainless for all his fit outs. As I type this Jarred is actually on his way down to see the boys at SLS and pick up his new C509. SLS have done the fit out on all his new and refurbed trucks. Not just adding a bit of their renowned shine but custom-made toolboxes, showers, electrical setups … everything.

Dream team The drivers that work for S&S Heavy Haulage not only move big stuff, but they also move it a long way. There isn’t any area of Australia that the stunning S&S trucks haven’t seen.

With that in mind, Jared has set up all his rigs to be a home away from home. Everything they need is added to the truck.

It really is a necessity for heavy haulage teams. Whether it’s got a 50 tonne dumpy or a 180 tonne excavator on, it’s very rare for heavy haulage trucks to get ample parking at a local roadhouse, so they need to cart all their own creature comforts. So yes, the trucks do have their own showers, as well as cooking facilities and your regular fridges, TVs and more. All that and SLS Custom Stainless also manage to

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make them look sharper than a national spelling bee champion.

Having the right trailers, the right trucks, the right setups and the right knowledge has helped get S&S Heavy Haulage where they are today, however Jarred is continually pointing out that he wouldn’t be anywhere without the right people. I was lucky enough to see that first hand while pretending I could be a heavy haulage driver.

From watching Peter ‘Reggy’ Reggardo in the operations manager seat doing all the behind the scenes stuff, to admiring Jordy, Gibbo and Jarred work as one hauling the load out. It’s all about the team.

The loads don’t get moved without the real hard work getting done by the S&S admin team who have to navigate their way through an over-complicated permit system.

How the office-bound Danielle Jack, who handles the permits, still has any hair left is a testament to her composure and poise. It must be as frustrating for her as it is for the boys dealing with camper vanners who refuse to move aside for all the flashing lights. There is no easy path when it comes to heavy haulage.

Well, I reckon that’s about all I can tell you about the S&S Heavy Haulage team. It’s a company that works best because everyone works together. Heavy Haulage is a tough game to be in and a game where you have to be on the mark all the time. Every aspect of the process requires attention to detail. When it comes to the driving I think Jordy in the C509 summed it up best: “You have to drive forwards while looking backwards.”

But are far as the behind-the-scenes work goes, operations manager Reggy summed up his side the best when he said: “Hold on mate, I’m just on the phone.”

I shall finish by taking it back to me and what I got out of this trip. Sure I went to Mackay to grab a few photos as the boys loaded 180 tonnes of Leibherr excavator onto a

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12-row float. Yes, I watched Jordy work his C509 to the max as he pulled the 7.5 metre-wide load out of the mine site before joining up with Gibbo in his T909 and Jarred in his W-model. I then watched the police escort them 220km, starting at 2am in the morning. I watched them negotiate ignorant traffic, narrow bridges and steep jump ups. I even watched them fit through a narrow bypass to avoid a low overpass. All this with smiles in tow and immense skill.

I watched all this and realised once again that I’ll stick to trucks and loads within the 2,500mm limits and leave the heavy haulage to the professionals. Professionals like S&S Heavy Haulage.

“You have to drive forwards while looking backwards.”

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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

Singing in the new year Kick off 2021 with these eight new album releases GREATEST HITS The White Stripes

WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU The Avalanches

DON’T BANK YOUR HEART ON IT Davey Lane

Third Man/Sony www.whitestripes.com

EMI/Universal www.theavalanches.com

Independent www.daveylane.com.au

It’s been nine years since alternative rockers The White Stripes (Jack and Meg White) called it a day, so it’s been a long wait for this Greatest Hits release. On the upside it contains 26 tracks, stretching from the grungy stop-start number ‘The Big Three Killed My Baby” from their 1999 self-titled debut album to the title track of their 2007 finale, ‘Icky Thump’.

In between there’s the despairing version of the Burt Bacharach-Hal David classic pop song ‘I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself’. Other notable mentions include ‘Seven Nation Army’ (a top 20 hit in Australia), the piano-heavy ‘My Doorbell’, and the Brit-pop styled ‘You’re Pretty Good Looking (For A Girl)’. The non-album single, ‘Let’s Shake Hands’, made the cut; a garage rocker, it was released in 1998 and was the White Stripes’ first recording.

Full-length album releases from electronic Aussie outfit The Avalanches have been few and far between since launching Since I Left You in 2001. That debut album went on to score big at the ARIA awards, as well as making its mark on charts around Europe and the US. We Will Always Love You, The Avalanches’ third album, has been previewed with a number of tempting singles. On ‘Interstellar Love’ they called on US soul singer Leon Bridges to add his dulcet tones while sampling Alan Parsons’ ‘Eye In The Sky’, making it a brilliant pop piece.

US band MGMT and ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr are contributors on ‘The Divine Chord’. Multi-talented UK artist Tricky takes part in the slower, chilled-out ‘Until Daylight’, and former War On Drugs lead guitarist contributes on ‘Gold Sky’. It’s been well worth the wait.

You Am I guitarist Davey Lane has gathered a few familiar faces for his third solo album Don’t Bank Your Heart On It. Lane matches vocal strides with Jimmy Barnes on the hard rocking ‘Gotcha Money On Yr Mind’, while good mate and You Am I frontman Tim Rogers brings his talents to ‘I’m Yer Wonder Fool’, a mid-paced catchy poprock track. There’s an orchestral backing for ‘Some Other Wonder’ on which UK singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock adds a vocal contribution that was recorded in London. Former touring buddy Todd Rundgren sings on ‘Acceptance’, a big impact song that also features Vika & Linda Bull. The anthem-like ‘You Were A Mirage’ brings out the strength of Lane’s voice, and there’s soft rock on the catchy ‘A Clear Road’. One of the best Aussie albums of the past year.

CONTACT Landshapes

THE RECKLESS ONE Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar

NIGHT NETWORK The Cribs

Bella Union/Inertia www.bellaunion.com

Gypsy Soul Records www.samanthamartinmusic.com

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Contact is the third album for psychedelic alternate rockers Landshapes, a London-based group led vocally for the most part by the enigmatic keyboardist Luisa Gerstein. Other members are Heloise Tunstall-Behrens on bass, Jemma Freeman on guitar and Dan Blackett on drums.

Contact kicks off with ‘Rosemary’, with Gerstein’s synthesised vocals simmering amid a slow dramatic backing, before Freeman’s rock guitar emerges on ‘Siberia’.

There’s pop on ‘The Ring, and references to dating app Tinder on the dreamy sound of ‘Real Love Is Dead’. Girl power with attitude comes to the fore on ‘Let Me Be’, a rocky, keyboard-rich track, while ‘Just A Plug’ is a trippy instrumental of sorts, although wordless backing vocals appear throughout. ‘Dreamy’ is more straight rock with Gerstein sounding ike Taylor Swift on steroids. Contact is not a blokey-type album, but there’s plenty of inventiveness on every track.

Big-voiced Canadian Samantha Martin and her band Delta Sugar had plenty of time on their hands during the global pandemic, so they headed to the recording studio for their third album as a unit, The Reckless One. As expected, it’s upbeat and funky, apart from a couple of tracks – 'I’ve Got A Feeling’, a song about cautious love, and ‘Better To Have Never’ is slow soul with Martin giving her vocals a thorough workout. ‘Love Is All Around’ is big, brassy and up-tempo, and the pace is quickened further on ‘Don’t Have To Be’, helped out by a dazzling Hammond organ instrumental backing. All tracks are original compositions, except for a surprising funky rock cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Meet Me In The Morning’, which is given a complete makeover, while ‘Sacrifice’ is a dramatic end-of-relationship track.

The Reckless One would make suitable summery party album.

British indie rock band The Cribs, consisting of brothers Gary, Ryan and Ross Jarman, once boasted Johnny Marr of the Smiths as one if its members from 2008 to 2011. However, The Cribs have done just fine since Marr’s departure – their next three albums hitting the UK Top 10 – although their productivity had been halted due to management issues.

New album Night Network is somewhat a departure from previous releases in that it was self-produced at the Foo Fighters Studio 606 in Los Angeles. Sure, there’s a host of upbeat rock tracks, but there’s also slower distinctively English tracks such as ‘I Don’t Know I Am’ with guitar wound up to full fuzz. ‘She’s My Style’ has an early ’90s Brit-pop sound, and there’s effective falsetto vocals on the rocker ‘Running Into You. The hand-clapping ‘Never Thought I’d Feel Again’ is one of Night Network's most radio-friendly tracks, rounding out an above-average album.

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Country Corner BOOTS NO 2: THE LOST SONGS VOL 3 Gillian Welch Acony Records www.gillianwelch.com

As indicated, Boots No 2: The Lost Songs Vol 3 is third and final instalment of Gillian Welch’s unearthed collection of home demos and reel-toreel recordings which she and partner David Rawlings compiled. Naturally, the production is pared-back as Welch, with her down-home vocals, delivers these 17 excellent tracks. ‘What Can I Do’ is an old-fashioned love song, and Welch is looking for a place to sleep on ‘Make Me Down A Pallet On Your Floor’. The spiritual but dark ‘Peace In The Valley’ is one of the standouts and ‘There’s A First Time For Everything’ has a traditional waltz-timed country sound.

This album, along with Vol 2 and 3, are also available as a deluxe boxed three-CD set.

NO LONELY ROAD Dan Challis Independent www.danchallis.com

Travelling tunesmith Dan Challis recently returned to Australia after a long stint in Vancouver, Canada, subsequently recording and releasing his second album No Lonely Road. It’s a mostly acoustic album with Challis’s tender, high register vocals delivering 10 well-crafted tracks.

Melodically the album also shines, with ‘Dreams To Forget’ one of the many standouts. Interestingly, ‘Devilling Kind’ has a jazzlike beat along the lines of Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever’. Challis then takes a rare turn in a country rock direction with ‘Dust In The Wind’, and there’s cheerful seaside calypso tone to ‘Head To The City’. At times Challis sounds like a country version of US folkies Bon Iver, however his distinctive style makes this album one that will not disappoint.

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Bill redefines casual work

Russell Transport is a privately owned business and market leader specialising in specialised heavy haulage and contract logistics. Based in South East QLD, we operate a diverse fleet and offer end to end project logistics.

NatRoad welcomes reforms to casual employment status

Heavy Haulage Driver About the Role:

We are currently seeking an experienced Heavy Haulage Platform Operator to deliver over-dimensional and over-mass machinery and equipment to customer specified destinations with a safe and reliable approach.

• MC drivers’ licence • Demonstrated experience in Heavy Haulage & Specialised Transport • Transporting machinery and equipment to and from destinations across Australia • Be highly experienced in transporting OSOM machinery & equipment • Have a detailed understanding of the heavy vehicle networks – including remote locations • Experience in operating a range of low loaders and platform trailers up to and including 10-row • Loading & unloading of various over-dimensional and over-mass machinery & equipment • Knowledge of the NTC load restraint guidelines to safely restrain OSOM items • Be responsible and accountable for your load, your vehicle and your work environment • Report all incidents, accidents and near misses Successful applicants must have a strong work ethic, and be required to pass a TruckSafe Medical, including Drug & Alcohol testing.

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48 JANUARY 2021

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THE GOVERNMENT’S Industrial Relations Omnibus Bill, introduced on December 9, is supported by sectors of the road transport industry, especially as it relates to reform of casual employment.

The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) CEO Warren Clark says problems associated with engaging employees on what were intended to be casual arrangements, but which have been subsequently categorised as permanent employment by courts, have caused confusion in the road transport industry.

“Clearly, if an employee is engaged under a modern award as a casual and is paid the casual loading, then they must be engaged and paid as a casual in accordance with the award and they shouldn’t be able to ‘double dip’.

“The Bill will bring about sensible and worthwhile change,” Clark says.

“Certainty about employment arrangements is vital. Businesses must have the confidence to employ and employees must receive their correct entitlements. Where the law is uncertain and unfair that doesn’t happen.

“The Bill will introduce a statutory definition of a casual employee.

The Bill will prevent unintended outcomes in situations where employers have to pay an employee twice for the same entitlement.

“In the event that an ongoing employee is misclassified as a casual, the Bill enables casual loading amounts to be offset against claims for leave and other entitlements in certain circumstances, to address the potential for ‘double dipping’ when recognising the employee’s

correct classification,” he says.

“Together with the statutory definition, the ability to offset the loading already paid will give employers confidence to create jobs by using casual employment as a flexible employment option that will benefit all parties.

“While the industry is still grappling with the challenges created by the pandemic on the back of a driver shortage, the last thing we need is a legal barrier to flexible employment options.”

Clark adds that the Bill will also introduce a statutory obligation for employers to offer regular casual employees’ conversion to full or part-time employment, unless there are reasonable business grounds not to do so.

“This will help employees engaged as casual employees who work regularly to become ongoing employees, if that is their preference, noting that in the road transport industry many casuals will work regular patterns of hours because the system operates on the basis of driver rostering,” Clark says.

“The new entitlement will require an employer to offer an eligible casual employee conversion to full- or part-time employment after 12 months of employment, with a residual right of conversion in certain circumstances for employees who have not received or accepted an employer offer to convert.

“We call on the government to allocate resources to educating employers about these new procedures, as many have turned their backs on employing casuals because of the existing confusion in the law.”

ownerdriver.com.au

15/12/2020 10:10:10 AM

events news

GEARING UP FOR 2021 DIESEL DIRT & TURF It’s all systems go for April 9, 10 and 11

A

ustralia’s infrastructure projects are pushing ahead at a great pace; the latest news on the economy is good and reports are all positive across the earthmoving industry.

Australia’s borders have reopened and life is starting to return to normal.

Expo management has been busy working with the team at the Sydney Dragway to ensure the 2021 National Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo will be the best yet. With the upgrade of the Sydney Dragway, it is rapidly becoming the action epicentre of Sydney, as evidenced by the relocation by both the Speedway and the popular Summernats to this premier site.

Exhibitors will be amazed to see the transformation of Sydney Dragway, which includes expansive new areas of hard stand, advanced parking facilities, excellent security and traffic flow arrangements and everything else needed to make the Expo absolutely unmissable.

“It is also encouraging to see the 2020 listed exhibitors who have maintained their enthusiasm for the Expo and who are pushing ahead to ensure this event remains the premier and largest earthmoving and construction Expo in Australia,” Expo manager Marti Zivkovich says.

“April 2021 is the time for the industry to re-emerge, network and once again explore the latest and greatest machinery systems and services that will benefit the Australian earthmoving and construction industry. The 2021 National Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo is the place to be and we are ensuring it will be a huge boost to the companies exhibiting as

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well is benefiting industry visitors.

“Any business involved in earthmoving, truck fleets, equipment operators, excavation, road maintenance, construction contracting and public space management will benefit from exhibiting. There are still a few remaining sites which will only remain for a limited time, so we urge intending exhibitors to act quickly”, says Zivkovich.

For your diary: Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo, Ferrers Road, Eastern Creek, New South Wales on Friday 9, Saturday 10 and Sunday, 11 April 2021. More info: www.dieseldirtandturf.com.au.

“APRIL 2021 IS THE TIME FOR THE INDUSTRY TO RE-EMERGE.”

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16/12/2020 11:14:22 AM

truck technology Aerodynamics! It’s one of those seemingly endless pursuits with a similarly endless array of possibilities – some practical, some not – for conserving every droplet of fuel.

For cab-over designers particularly, it’s a challenge greatly magnified by the inherent demands of turning a sizeable slab of metal and glass into a sleek, efficient workhorse.

But have all the biggest gains already been made or are there more to come? Steve Brooks and Brian Weatherley report

SOMETHING IN THE AIR I

N THOSE MILDER, less vexatious days before virus, vitriol and violence conspired to make America weird again, there was a trip in mid2019 to Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) headquarters in Portland, Oregon.

The main objective, obviously enough, was to see how much work Freightliner had done in preparing its Cascadia conventional for the Australian market prior to the truck’s launch here a few months later.

Thankfully, like most trips to DTNA in Portland, 2019 also included a presentation at the full-scale wind tunnel – described by one wit as the ‘tunnel of shove’ – just across the road from head office.

This is a truly impressive built-for-purpose facility designed entirely to determine the most efficient and practical aerodynamic shape for shoving through the air a full-size, road-going truck and all the components that hang off it.

Not just Daimler’s Freightliner or Western Star trucks either, but the heavy-duty trucks of every competitor on the North American market; several sitting in plain view in a nearby yard.

As the dedicated ‘air heads’ working inside the facility are only too happy to affirm, how do you know your truck is the most aerodynamically efficient unless you put it up against everyone else’s? Fair point, and with figures, charts and graphs to back them up, they weren’t shy about

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citing the market-leading Cascadia as the best in the business. The aerodynamic business, that is!

Funny though, at one time or another we’ve heard most of America’s top truck makers claim much the same thing at the launch of a new model. What’s more, over the past decade, all major American brands have been heavily involved in the US ‘Super Truck’ initiative defined as “… a major DOE [Department of Energy] technology innovation program with many industry partners representing a broad segment of the US industrial base of heavy tractor-trailers.”

Conducted over two phases, with Super Truck I running from 2010 to 2016 followed by Super Truck II scheduled to run to 2022, the aim of the exercise is for all parties to pursue new efficiencies in aerodynamics, rolling resistance and power requirements to reduce fuel use in truck and trailer combinations, most notably in the long-haul sector.

As the accompanying chart from the Canadian Center for Surface Transportation Technology highlights, the impacts of drag caused by aerodynamics and rolling resistance differ markedly depending on vehicle speed. And given that the object of the trucking business is to get freight from one place to another in the shortest time, it’s no surprise that aerodynamic drag has the greatest influence on fuel use when a truck is running above 80km/h. Above that speed, the energy required to push the truck and trailer through the air multiplies significantly.

As expected, the Super Truck project has led to some interesting and altogether intriguing designs. Early in Super Truck I, for instance, Freightliner developed the ‘Revolution

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VEHICLE SPEED

AERODYNAMIC DRAG (%)

ROLLING & ACCESSORY DRAG (%)

20 miles/h (32km/h)

28

72

33 miles/h (53km/h)

33

66

40 miles/h (64km/h)

36

64

50 miles/h (80km/h)

50

50

60 miles/h (96km/h)

62

38

65 miles/h (105km/h)

67

33

70 miles/h (113km/h)

70

30

Innovation Truck’ and a much earlier visit to the Portland wind tunnel showed just how far designers had gone to break wind, so to speak.

“Revolution truly showcases the depth of our capabilities when encouraged to think outside the box and really get creative with our design solutions,” said Justin Yee, then manager of vehicle concepts at DTNA. “We’ve left no stone unturned. Aerodynamics has been considered in all aspects of this truck.”

Yet, each contributor to the Super Truck project has developed their own distinctive designs. Some more radical than others but all are searching for an easier passage through the air and along the ground.

The thing is though, and as various technicians at the Portland wind tunnel facility have quietly mentioned during visits over many years, aerodynamics and

Opposite below: As part of the US government’s ‘Super Truck’ initiative, Freightliner in 2012 showcased the ‘Revolution Innovation Truck’. In real terms, however, practicality continues to rule over radical aerodynamics

JANUARY 2021 51

16/12/2020 12:01:39 PM

and a conventional, just ask yourself why planes aren’t shaped like house bricks.

SHAPING THE BRICK Above: When it comes to improving cab aerodynamics, Scania works on the principle that even the smallest detail can have a bearing on the end result Below right: Times have changed but in the mid-1980s Kenworth’s T600 ‘Anteater’ set a bold new standard in aerodynamic design and subsequent fuel efficiency for a conventional truck. Pictured here is one of the first made in Australia Opposite from top: Volvo Group Australia (VGA) developed its ‘Fuel Super Truck’ in 2018 to demonstrate potential fuel savings in B-double operation.

Gains of up to 20 per cent were claimed but buyers weren’t buying it; DAF’s current XF flagship is nearing the end of its days but in 2017, several cab enhancements including new radiator guides added extra aero efficiency. Word is there’s a new model under development

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operational practicality aren’t always cosy cousins. Sure, aspects of ‘Revolution’ and its kind may provide some aerodynamic benefit in future designs, but all advances must be considered under the glaring light of operational reality and the regulatory constraints of different applications, different jurisdictions and, indeed, different countries.

Then again, there are those extremely rare occasions when an inspiring new design ticks all the boxes. Like, in 1984 when Kenworth took the conventional truck world by storm with its original T600 ‘Anteater’. There’d never been anything quite like it, designed from the outset to set a new standard in aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, and subsequently becoming one of the most successful conventional trucks ever built.

Naturally enough, the competition has since caught up, big time. Moreover, engine and cooling requirements, as well as cab dimensions, have changed dramatically and in the process, restrained ‘aerodynamicists’ in moving to more radical air-cheating designs. Certainly, aerodynamics will continue to have an ongoing influence on the design of all modern trucks, cab-over and conventional, but the spectacular gains and subsequent success of T600 are unlikely ever to be repeated on a similar scale.

Perhaps even more unlikely is North America moving away from its almost total preference for conventionals.

Cab-overs are, in fact, dead as a dodo in the big end of the line-haul business and judging by quiet chats over a number of years with tunnel-dwellers in Portland, that’s not a bad thing at all.

As one technician suggested many years ago, if you want to know the aerodynamic difference between a cab-over

Down in our part of the world, of course, cab-overs dominate the heavy-duty truck market, accounting for around 70 per cent of the sector.

Sure, much of the reason stems from the dimensional demands of various combinations, notably B-doubles, but there’s also the blunt commercial fact that highly competitive European brands are all cab-over designs.

Indeed, following the recent retirement of Freightliner’s Argosy, the only American contender in Australia’s cabover class is Kenworth’s remarkably enduring K200 model, and all signs are that it’ll be around for many years yet. In fact, don’t be too surprised when a significantly revamped K-series makes an appearance in the first half of 2021.

More and more though, Kenworth will be sold alongside corporate counterpart DAF, which, like all European brands, spends considerable money and energy making its trucks as aerodynamically efficient as practicably possible.

Yet, it’s perhaps fair to suggest that no cab-over

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“Just ask yourself why planes aren’t shaped like house bricks.” competitor on the Australian market has ever delved deeper into the aerodynamic realm than Volvo Group Australia (VGA) with its locally developed ‘Fuel Super Truck’ concept in 2018.

Almost two years in development, the so-called ‘Super Truck’ was designed by local engineers within the secretive Volvo Group Trucks Technology (GTT) division at VGA headquarters in Wacol, Queensland, supported by colleagues from the GTT network in Sweden.

The aim of the concept was to take an FH16 platform, albeit on a low 800mm chassis height, and create a B-double combination able to deliver a genuine and notable gain in fuel efficiency over a standard equivalent.

Importantly, VGA emphasised that components used for streamlining the aerodynamics of the ‘Super Truck’ needed to be available from local sources, thereby making fuel gains achievable and available to the industry at large.

With the view that aerodynamic research is a game of small margins with no single ‘silver bullet’ when it comes to optimising airflow around a truck and trailer(s), Wacol engineers found plenty of places to tailor the ambitious ‘Super Truck’ concept to a higher level of aerodynamic efficiency.

Work included removing non-essential external impediments to airflow, even down to deleting the badges on the sides of the cab, filling in gaps wherever practically possible around the front,

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sides and rear of the prime mover, installing purpose-built skirts around the truck and trailers, and optimising the powertrain and driveline to enhance fuel efficiency.

Critically, the concept truck was powered by a special (and largely unavailable) 540hp (403kW) version of Volvo’s burly 16-litre engine, though very little was made of the rating’s contribution to overall fuel efficiency as VGA pondered the future for an FH16 540 model before deciding against it.

Nonetheless, Volvo was boldly claiming that early trials through southern Queensland and northern NSW had shown a staggering fuel consumption improvement of up to 20 per cent over a standard FH16 600.

Soon after, we were offered a unique test drive of the B-double ‘Super Truck’, running the Pacific Highway from Brisbane to western Sydney in a head-to-head comparison with a standard 600hp (447kW) B-double driven by a capable Volvo operative.

Drivetrain developments in the concept truck included an overdrive I-shift transmission feeding into a relatively fast 3.09:1 rear axle ratio and putting power on the ground through Michelin X1 single drive tyres, notching 100km/h with the engine ticking over at a leisurely 1,265rpm.

On the other hand, the standard truck ran on duals with a 3.4:1 final drive ratio to record 100km/h around 1,350 rpm, but had the benefit

of 2,800Nm of torque compared to the 540 rating’s 2,650Nm. At a gross weight of 58 tonnes, the standard combination was also four tonnes lighter than the ‘Super Truck’ at 62 tonnes.

At the end of almost 900km, the ‘Super Truck’ returned an impressive 2.26km/litre, or 6.39mpg, while the standard 600 unit with no aerodynamic options finished at 2.04 km/litre, or 5.75mpg.

All up, the sleeker truck was just a fraction short of 10 per cent better on fuel than its off-the-shelf

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16/12/2020 12:05:32 PM

counterpart. Obviously, well short of the 20 per cent claimed

by Volvo, but still a significant saving.

But as we queried at the time: despite Volvo’s highlyeffective and commendable efforts in turning a standard FH16 B-double combination into a sleek, slippery concept capable of significantly enhanced fuel consumption, proponents need to ask if the gains are great enough to justify the additional cost and complexity of the complete package.

And as we also wondered: when compared to the FH16 600, how much of the fuel improvement on this trip was due to aerodynamic and drivetrain developments, and how much to the one-off 540hp version of the resolute 16-litre engine?

So now, two years later and with the distinct advantage of hindsight, surely it’s reasonable to suggest that if the aerodynamic accoutrements of the ‘Fuel Super Truck’ were economically and operationally viable, there’d be a swag of similarly specified Volvo ‘Super Trucks’ running up and down the nation’s highways.

Or have cab-over truck manufacturers simply hit the wall on major aerodynamic advances?

BALANCING ACT

Above: Mirror, mirror! In a bold bid to enhance aerodynamic efficiency, Mercedes-Benz took the significant step of replacing standard wing mirrors with ‘MirrorCam’ Below: Volvo insists it leaves no stone unturned in an ongoing journey to enhance FH aerodynamics Opposite top: Iveco S-Way. It’s sleek, slippery and said to improve fuel consumption by four per cent over the old Stralis. There’s no indication of when or if S-Way will make its way to Australia; MAN says tweaks have made its long-serving TGX cab more aeroefficient

‘aerodynamicists’ is to ensure their products’ smoothest possible passage through the air, regardless of wind direction when a truck is being driven to legal maximum, while still ensuring there’s sufficient air available to pass through the grille and radiator for engine cooling.

That’s some challenge, as Volvo’s Tenstam explains: “Today, the cab shape is the result of a delicate balance of features, both interior and exterior.”

His thoughts are echoed by Scania. “What we have today is a fair balance between a number of targets, where numerous legal aspects always have the final say.”

Having to work within a highly regulated dimensional envelope means some compromises are inevitable, but it hasn’t escaped anyone’s attention that most, if not all, manufacturers who’ve launched either new or revised cabs over the past four years have highlighted the positive contribution to fuel economy from enhanced aerodynamics.

So clearly, something’s going right.

Building on experience gained with its previous ‘Streamline’ models, Scania says its ‘New Generation’ longhaul cabs enjoy a two per cent fuel economy improvement thanks to the superior air-flow around them.

Just in case anyone misses the point, the company adds:

Despite major investments by Europe’s leading brands, the wind-cheating improvements on the latest crop of longhaul cabs have delivered relatively modest returns in better fuel economy.

Indeed, Scania probably isn’t alone when it says: “We’ve done our utmost to make today’s generation as aerodynamic as possible, within reasonable limits.”

To understand the full extent of the challenge, Anders Tenstam, aerodynamics feature leader at Volvo Trucks, provides this context: “In order to identify those optimisation measures that do the greatest good for our customers, we’ve minutely examined every single detail of the truck.”

In short, when it comes to reducing drag on a long-haul cab, no stone is too small to be left unturned. The problem for manufacturers is deciding which stones, in the longrun, are worth turning and basically, how much it will cost to turn them.

It’s no secret either that the faster you go the more critical cab aerodynamics become. As we’ve already pointed out, the critical point comes at 80km/h, when wind-resistance starts to overtake rolling-resistance as the biggest influence on fuel consumption, and that’s before applying the real-world effect of side-winds on a tall sleeper cab.

Thus, the Holy Grail for cab designers and specialist

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ownerdriver.com.au

16/12/2020 12:05:51 PM

“When it comes to reducing drag on a long-haul cab, no stone is too small to be left unturned.”

“Seen over the course of a long-haul truck’s lifespan, with the extremely high mileage this type of vehicle clocks up, this will have a major impact on both profitability and the environment.”

For Kristofer Hansén, former head of design at Scania and now a senior advisor with the company, getting the best aerodynamic performance from its ‘New Generation’ cab was all-about addressing those “seemingly small, but in the long term crucial, details and features”, like optimising all the clearances and tolerances between cab body panels and doors to ensure the smoothest possible air-flow across them.

WHAT A DRAG Meantime, while the clock is definitely ticking down on DAF’s venerable XF cab, three years ago it enjoyed a number of aerodynamic tweaks, including a more-slippery sun visor, improved cab ‘split’ and grille closures, elongated wheelbay extensions and radiator flow-guides. While the net improvement in fuel economy was a modest 0.5 per cent, few operators are likely to turn down even the smallest saving.

In September 2018 (ironically, around the same time VGA was running its ‘Fuel Super Truck’), Mercedes-Benz took the altogether more radical step of removing a major source of drag

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in the form of standard wing mirrors. In their place came ‘MirrorCam’, based on small-profile rear-view cameras mounted on slim aerodynamic support-arms, delivering a claimed 1.3 per cent fuel reduction.

Then, a year ago at the launch of its new S-Way flagship, Iveco stated that every exterior detail of its super-slippery cab “has been studied with care to minimise air-resistance”.

Working to that brief, the design team at corporate headquarters in Turin, Italy, created an aerodynamic profile which cut the S-Way’s drag co-efficient by an impressive 12 per cent, resulting in a reported fuel efficiency improvement of up to four per cent compared to the old Stralis. Though stylish looks and efficient airflow aren’t always mutually inclusive, on S-Way they certainly appear to be more than just good friends.

More recently, in early 2020, Volvo introduced further aerodynamic refinements to its heavily revamped FH cab as the latest step in an ongoing journey for its flagship tractor. Ever since the original ‘New FH’ broke cover in 2012, Volvo’s aero engineers are said to have “twisted and turned every area of the truck, scanning it to see where an improvement would yield the greatest results”.

Along the way they’ve fined-tuned its front bumper spoiler, top cab air-deflector panels, mudguards and mud-flaps. Furthermore, reducing the gap between the front wheel-arch

and tyre has tackled previous aerodynamic ‘leakage’ and turbulence around the wheel, while the airflow between the back of the FH cab and the front of a trailer has gained from flexible elements in the corners of the top deflector. The most recent round of aerodynamic tinkering on the latest FH cabs involves repositioning the headlights and moving turn indicators to the doors.

Last, but not least, MAN’s major reworking of the exterior panels on the latest version of its TGX premium cab has ensured an even smoother passage through the air, due largely to new corner ducts in the front bumper, smaller mirror surrounds, new roof spoilers and side-valances.

Together, they give TGX a claimed one per cent improvement in fuel economy.

While the manufacturers all deserve full credit for improving the airflow around the front, sides and tops of their latest high-end cabs, it nevertheless begs the question: how much further can they go in reducing drag?

Tough question, but Scania offers this encouraging response: “Aerodynamics and drag will continue to be high on our agenda now and in the future. Regardless what kind of power source propels tomorrows’ trucks, they’ll still have to fight air resistance in a successful way.”

Whatever, it’s almost certain to be a case of baby steps rather than one giant leap.

JANUARY 2021 55

16/12/2020 12:07:34 PM

events news

EVERYTHING WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR The Brisbane Truck Show – the biggest Australian business-to-business event in 18 months – is only a few months away

H

ow did you see the New Year in? Has there ever been one we’ve looked forward to more? Yet, it’s like none we have ever celebrated. Did you make a New Year’s resolution? How about “in 2021 I am not going to miss the Brisbane Truck Show”?

For all the good intentions about giving up junk food, exercising more, spending more time with your partner/ kids/mum/dog, this one is fully within your powers to pull together.

We could talk about how good it’s going to be to catch up with colleagues, customers and mates in the flesh, but let’s look at this purely from a professional perspective.

This is the biggest business-to-business event that will have taken place in Australia in 18 months. It is the rebirth of major indoor events.

So, there are a lot of people in a lot of companies who are busting a gut to make it special.

There are new model trucks and trailers that are crying out to be shown off. There’s technology, components, engines, parts and accessories that you are going to want see whether they are as impressive and robust as they appear in the pictures.

Let’s start planning your trip. Accommodation is probably your biggest hurdle. If you don’t live in Brisbane or know someone who does, you had better jump onto the show website and follow the links to Ozaccom+.

Whether you are booking one room or one hundred, Ozaccom+ is the best source of great rooms at the best rates.

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Flights are getting much better now. Lots of flights being scheduled and at much better prices. But get in early.

Then you’ll want to work out your itinerary. You are going to want at least two days at the show. There are three hundred exhibits spread across all the main halls and through every nook and cranny across the three floors of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Some of them are so big you could spend half on day on them alone, particularly if you find yourself having a chat with the folks on the stand, or having a coffee or looking at some merchandise. Or better still, signing a deal some new gear.

If you have time you will want to scout who is there with a walk-by reconnaissance before settling on your plan.

think about the evenings. Well, you don’t have to go far.

Just stroll across the road to Stanley Street and get into the spirit of the South Bank Truck Festival.

The display of trucks and trailers looks pretty amazing set against the backdrop of South Bank’s spectacular gardens, the cafes and restaurants and the festoon lights wrapped around the palm trees.

All the venues are looking forward to your arrival and there will be plenty of entertainment, no matter what sort of mood you are in.

Don’t forget to put some time aside to head down the river to the Civil Construction Field Days. You can get a free shuttle to the heavy equipment and machinery from the convention centre and your Brisbane Truck Show ticket will get you in.

Do you remember Y2K, when everyone feared that

“YOU CAN GET A FREE SHUTTLE TO THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY SHOW.” You’ll probably want to do it in a couple of shifts with a break for lunch; maybe see who else is up at the Plaza Terrace BBQ Bar. You are pretty much guaranteed to run into a mate or two dozen.

We don’t need to go through all the highlights just yet.

Keep your eye on these pages over the next couple of months for a full preview of who is going to be there and what they will have on show.

Now that we have your day sorted out, you need to

everything would stop working over the New Year? The Millennium Bug they called it and there was no vaccine.

Well now there is.

This time around it is the opposite – like everything can start working again.

The events industry has been slowly starting to rebuild, and their full capacity sure will be put to task when the Brisbane Truck Show arrives in town from May 13-16, 2021.

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INNOVATION - SUSTAINABILITY - SAFETY - KNOWLEDGE - CAREERS - COMMUNITY

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test drive

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OFF ROAD HI-RISE

Genuine off-roaders may not be big sellers in the mainstream trucking business, but that doesn’t dilute their importance or sometimes critical impact on the lives and livelihoods of people and businesses across the nation. With a heavier carrying capacity than its predecessor and a heap more muscle to go with it, Hino’s new GT 1528 4x4 shows a rare ability to be equally capable on long country runs or clawing through the rough stuff. Steve Brooks writes

I

t’s more than a year since Hino announced a plan to launch its new 500-series GT 1528 4x4 model in the first half of 2020. Like its single-drive 500-series siblings, Hino emphasised that the new off-roader would be equipped with a wide range of beneficial features.

Ironically, Hino’s plan was announced at the August 2019 Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) exhibition. Within a month, the Australian fire season ignited with catastrophic impact.

Years of drought, furnace-like winds and searing temperatures would, however, conspire to ravage much of Australia before the new Hino could lend a hand. In the interim, the superseded GT 1322 model and the vastly upgraded 300-series 4x4 light truck would do their parts with fire and emergency services operations to eventually douse the flames of a brutal six months on the national landscape.

But now, as another summer approaches and weather watchers keep a keen eye on climatic conditions, the effects of droughtbreaking winter rains and indicators for higher-than-average summer rainfall are likely to create less fire risk than the scorching conditions of late last year and early 2020.

Yet, whatever comes, Hino’s new GT 1528 off-roader is at least up and running and what’s more, it won’t be just fire and

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emergency services being targeted by Hino.

This is a truck with undeniable potential for a wide range of roles in mining, agriculture, construction and infrastructure maintenance, and as we found during several days of wildly diverse driving conditions, offers an impressive balance between on-road efficiency and off-road capability.

While Hino insists the earlier GT 1322 4x4 model was popular with a broad customer base, its successor is substantially more appealing.

For starters, the new GT 1528 runs on a front axle with a 5.5 tonnes rating and a rear axle rated to 10 tonnes, delivering a gross vehicle mass (GVM) capacity of 14.5 tonnes compared to the 13 tonnes of its predecessor.

As Hino’s manager of product strategy Daniel Petrovski states: “When this GVM is combined with the relatively low tare weight of the GT 1528, it results in a nominal payload of approximately nine tonnes.”

In critical firefighting situations, it simply means more water can be carried.

To haul the heavier load, outputs of Hino’s long-serving J08 six-cylinder engine have been significantly boosted. Peak power has jumped from a relatively modest 215hp (160kW) in the superseded 1322 model to a lively 280hp (209kW) in the 1528, while the increase in torque is similarly substantial, from 637Nm in the previous model to 824Nm in the newcomer. And, typically perhaps, the J08 uses exhaust gas recirculation and a

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“To haul the heavier load, outputs of Hino’s long-serving J08 six cylinder engine have been significantly boosted.” when reverse gear is selected. In tight and difficult environments, its safety and operational value are immense.

Also standard in the off-roader, which comes in both single and crew-cab configurations, are anti-lock brakes, a driver’s airbag, heated and electrically adjustable side mirrors, cruise control and a good quality Isri air-suspended driver’s seat with an integrated seat belt.

TAR AND TRACK

Top: The new 500-series GT 1528 joins Hino’s 300-series 4x4 to cap off a formidable four-wheel-drive range Above: In single cab or sevenseater crew cab form, it’s a neat and highly practical driving environment. Allison auto is superb and ride quality, for the driver at least, is much improved on previous generations Opposite above & below: Hino’s 816 Wide Cab – perfect for loading up on seafood; Hino’s multifunction display unit

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diesel particulate filter to comply with Australia’s ADR 80/03 (Euro 5) emissions standard without the need for AdBlue, in addition to a diesel fuel capacity of 200 litres.

Coupled to the engine is the highly intuitive and immensely driver-friendly Allison 2500 fully automatic five-speed overdrive (0.73:1) transmission feeding into a 5.428:1 final drive ratio.

“Other refinements include a new larger capacity dual-range transfer case to handle the increase in power and torque delivered from the upgraded engine,” Hino states.

Like its single-drive counterparts, the new 500-series doublediff derivative is also equipped with Hino’s multimedia system, based on a multi-touch digital screen in the centre of the dash, which encompasses a first-class radio, Wi-Fi connectivity and what Hino describes as “the latest version of Bluetooth tethering, which enables enhanced call handling and improved speech-to-text functionality”.

However, arguably the most beneficial feature of the multimedia system is the standard fitment of a reversing camera, which automatically displays on the touchscreen

Before delving into the on- and off-road performance of the GT 1528, it’s only fair to explain that long experience has taught me not to expect too much in the way of ride comfort or road handling finesse from Japanese off-roaders. All too often, the experience on-road and off has been one of jarring bumps and bounces, and trucks with only moderate steering and handling abilities at highway speeds.

The new Hino 1528, however, went a long way to diluting that assessment after an extensive test drive ranging from a demanding day of off-road rambling on fire trails and steep, heavily rutted forestry tracks, to an 800km country run on highways and secondary roads where the truck’s fuel efficiency was surprisingly good.

With a tad more than 3,500km under its belt and loaded to a gross weight of 12.25 tonnes, the seven-seater crew-cab test truck was first pointed into the bush where the introduction of long parabolic leaf springs on the front axle, rather than the multi-leaf packs of the past, did a respectable job of lessening the jolts. Sure, it’s not a car quality ride and what four passengers jammed together on the rear bench seat might

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TAKING THE WIDE LOAD endure is unknown, but from behind the wheel it was certainly far better than what I’ve come to expect, helped in large part of course by the Isri seat.

Similarly, the sure-footed performance of the truck on rough sections of loose rock was particularly pleasing, with no noticeable losses of traction or rock-spitting episodes, due in no small part to a no-spin rear diff. Indeed, the Hino’s ability to walk over steep, rocky ledges rather than bounce and bump its way over obstacles was an uncommon pleasure, enhanced by almost no kick-back through the steering.

It could, of course, be a different story with no load on the back, but in this exercise, it’s easy to contend the new Hino sets a class standard for off-road ride and handling.

Selecting four-wheel-drive mode is as easy as pressing a dash-mounted switch and, likewise, it takes only the flick of a switch to engage low range, but of course, low range cannot be engaged while the truck is moving.

The great majority of our off-road run was in low range and, with the engine’s healthy torque peak spread across a relatively wide band, the Allison auto wasn’t forced into constantly swapping gears to keep momentum on the boil.

At no stage was the powertrain found wanting, even when the truck was purposefully stopped on a particularly steep section of track with the front tyres butted up to a short but blunt rocky step. Without any fuss or apparent strain, the Hino simply pushed its way forward, which, given the weight on its back and the sharpness of the hill, was an undeniably smooth and capable effort.

In fact, the only distinct negative is one that perhaps goes with the territory of a dedicated off-road vehicle with high ground clearance. Put simply, climbing into the Hino is a distinct challenge for anyone less than lanky. As the stumpy driver of a Kenworth K200 who pulled up beside the Hino at a country fuel depot said with a wide grin: “Bloody hell, I thought it was hard getting in and out of this thing. I reckon you’d need to be a

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With a shortage of truck drivers in Australia, getting car-licensed drivers behind the wheel is one of Hino’s aims with its new 300 Series. That’s true for 616 Standard Single Cab and the bottom end of the 616 and 617 Wide Cab models. However, all three can be upgraded to a 5.5 tonne gross vehicle mass (GVM) payload where a rigid truck licence is a prerequisite.

There are more than 60 configurations among the Standard Cabs, Wide Cabs and Wide Crew Cabs in the new Hino line-up, with four litre and high horsepower five litre engines available.

In addition, there’s a light-duty hybrid electric-diesel variant available.

An expansion to the new range is the 721 with a five-litre J05E-UJ engine with 205hp (153kW) and 600Nm of torque.

Transmission is six-speed double overdrive automatic and the new truck has a towing capacity of 3.5 tonne.

Hino Australia’s manager of product strategy, Daniel Petrovski, believes the 721 will open up many opportunities in the 6.5 tonne GVM class. The 917, with its 8.5 tonne GVM capabilities, comes with a four-litre engine linked to a six-speed manual transmission.

Between those two aforementioned models comes the 816 Wide Cab, and it’s this model that Owner//Driver took for a recent run around Brisbane’s northern suburbs.

With a van on the back, the 816 has that “real truck” feel, much more than a light-duty unit. Notably it boasts a payload of up to 8 tonne GVM. The 816 is powered by a N04C-WL engine pushing out 150hp (110kW) and 420Nm of torque. Transmission is a six-speed double overdrive automatic.

The 816 performed admirably, as expected, specially edging its way around the suburban streets and later on the 100km/h Gateway Motorway, easily keeping pace with other road users.

As with the other models, the 816 comes with Hino’s SmartSafe package, including the Pre-Collision System as standard. This takes in Autonomous Emergency Braking, Pedestrian Detection and Lane Departure Warning, as well as Vehicle Stability Control and Reverse Camera.

And it’s the Reverse Camera that especially comes in handy with the big van sitting behind. It’s always handy to see what’s coming up from the rear even when travelling forward.

The camera screen is part of Hino’s multimedia unit with a 6.5-inch (16.5cm) LCD HD touch screen display. It also includes DAB+AM/FM radio, auxiliary input, Bluetooth 4.1, Android 6.0 CANBUS connected and Wi-Fi enabled.

Hence, connecting your smart phone to the unit is a few clicks away.

However, a big distraction, while negotiating the seaside roads around northern Brisbane, was the sighting of a number of fishing trawlers. It was a tempting proposition to load up the van with a haul of fresh prawns but wisely decided against it. At any rate, Hino had already loaded up the van to around 80 per cent capacity to offer a real-life experience in a working truck. And they most likely weren’t keen on the truck arriving back with a fishy aroma.

– Greg Bush

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“Yet, despite the significant demands of the day, fuel consumption over the first 500km of the run was surprisingly good at 3.6km/litre, or 10.3 mpg.”

Above: Significant power and torque increases deliver impressive performance both on and off-road. An extremely versatile and capable unit Below: Off-road capability was impressive during a tough day in the bush. Cab entry, however, is something of an issue for ‘vertically challenged’ individuals

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bloody mountain goat climbing in and out of that.”

He was, of course, exaggerating a tad, but even so, mounted on 11R22.5 tyres it’s certainly a high climb and for anyone short on stature, it’s a long lift to the first step and a very long reach to the grab handle on the A-pillar.

Hino, however, might argue the chequered steel rim on the driver and passenger side wheels is to aid entry and exit, but as anyone who has skinned shins or twisted a foot sliding off such rims with muddy, slippery boots will attest, it’s far from ideal. In fact, given that most Japanese people aren’t particularly tall, it’s definitely an unusual aspect of the truck’s design.

Still, it wouldn’t be hard to fix. A swinging step below the cab step and a lower grab handle would go a long way to overcoming the issue while still retaining the Hino’s ground clearance.

As capable as the GT 1528 was off-road, however, the

greatest surprise was its on-road performance.

With the thought that fire trucks can be called in emergencies to districts far beyond their home turf, it was decided to take the Hino on an extended road run. First through the NSW Hunter Valley before a hard and tortuous haul via Bylong Valley to Bathurst in the central-west, south to Canowindra to fortuitously add 30 bales of hay to the load, then home through Bathurst and Lithgow, up Scenic Hill and across the brutal Bell’s Line of Road on a fearfully wet and windy night where the blokes at the Bell weighbridge were either bored or anxiously hopeful that anyone trying to slip across the mountains in such a truck on such a night must be up to no good. Seriously, chaps!

In a nutshell, the truck handled the entire task exceptionally well. Pulling power and tenacity were never in question, steering and road handling were surprisingly good for a truck with a necessarily high centre-of-gravity and, again, ride quality on sealed roads that ranged from downright dreadful to slick highways was easily acceptable.

The only questionable aspect was the apparent programming of the transmission to kick down a gear whenever the exhaust brake was engaged. In some instances, of course, it was beneficial, but more often than not, a case of overkill when all that was needed was mild retardation for a mild descent.

Meantime, on such diverse and often demanding road conditions, cruise control was rarely engaged. Equally, there were generally few opportunities to run at 100km/h where the rev counter ticks over at a twitch under 2,100rpm.

Yet, despite the significant demands of the day, fuel consumption over the first 500km of the road run was gobsmackingly good at 3.6km/litre, or 10.3mpg. Without question, the expectation was for a figure far less frugal given the severity of the run.

All up, the only conclusion is that Hino’s GT 1528 4x4 is a totally surprising and surprisingly capable truck whether hauling through the bush or barrelling along the bitumen.

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interview

AIMS OF MAY

If Michael May ever departs corporate life, he should perhaps pursue politics. The latest in a long line of managing directors at Iveco Australia, the astute former head of Mercedes-Benz truck operations in Australia has that prudent propensity for saying plenty without actually revealing much at all. Even so, and whatever his ultimate agenda, he may be just the cool-headed leader who delivers stability, direction and energy to an embattled brand. Steve Brooks writes

A

LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, Michael May was the head of Daimler Australia’s Mercedes-Benz truck and bus operations.

A brand on the boil, kicking goals and much like the shrewd, mild-mannered May, secure in success.

From the outside looking in, it appeared a productive, comfortable, satisfying existence continuing to evolve on the back of a modern, efficient and increasingly popular line of trucks far removed from problems of earlier generations. And as director of Mercedes-Benz Truck & Bus, supported by capable people above and below on the corporate ladder, May’s engineering background and steady hand had played a major role in ensuring the new Benz models were tested and tailored to Australia’s unique demands.

Sure, there was no resting on laurels but

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nonetheless, after the hard groundwork it was time to enjoy the bounty of a rejuvenated Benz business. Or so it seemed. Word was though, Daimler Australia Pacific’s leading lights were about to consign May’s considerable experience and abilities to corporate brother Fuso, where innovative new leadership was deemed an imperative.

Even so, it was a tad surprising to see May at the upmarket launch of Freightliner’s new Cascadia in late 2019, and he appeared similarly surprised when asked when he might be taking the reins of Fuso. Apparently, the impending appointment was supposed to be secret, but typically, perhaps, the genial May just shrugged, smiled and said something benign like: “You never know, Steve.”

Indeed you don’t, because just a few weeks later came an announcement that shocked the socks off many people, not least his closest colleagues

inside Daimler’s Mulgrave (Victoria) corridors.

The erudite, savvy, calmly confident and carefully considered executive was casting aside the relative security and considerable success of a 20-year career with Daimler Australia Pacific to jump ship and become the latest in a long line of managing directors at Iveco Trucks Australia.

The big question was: ‘Why?’ After all, even on first impressions, May is a smart, highly professional man who, according to those who have worked closely with him, critically weighs all factors before coming to a conclusion.

But, Iveco? Let’s face it, when it comes to the ‘fling factor’ of executive appointments, the revolving door at Iveco Trucks Australia HQ in Dandenong (Victoria) has at times appeared to spin like a merry-go-round on methanol. A slight exaggeration of course, but it is no stretch of the

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imagination to suggest that over the past few decades, more senior management with good intentions and high hopes have walked through those doors only to be whisked out some time later (in very short time on occasions), than any other trucking brand in the country. Perhaps the world!

Mayday call For industry commentators in particular, keeping track of who’s actually calling the shots at Iveco Trucks Australia has become something akin to reporting on the weather; constant change and never entirely sure what’s coming next.

For instance, May’s immediate predecessor in the managing director’s chair was the rarely heard and largely unseen Bruce Healy, whose tenure was barely two years before it was announced late last year that he was returning to Iveco parent, Case New Holland (CNH), and specifically, its New Holland Agriculture division.

In the same statement came official news his replacement was May, scheduled to take up the managing director’s role in early 2020. February, in fact.

The timing wasn’t great, of course. There were reports of a severe epidemic on the rise in China and elsewhere, and before long the world would drop into economic and social shock as a global pandemic was declared.

‘Welcome to first grade’ could’ve easily been an appropriate epithet for May’s move to the managing director class, but with what was probably typical composure, he quickly took the reins, reduced production to three days a week, and resigned himself and the company to a constantly evolving business dynamic.

Yet, back on his thinking for the move to Iveco, it is an adamant May who says Iveco approached him, not the other way around. As for the reasons he took the job, it’s perhaps reasonable to suggest he would not have made the leap without an extremely attractive safety net written into the remuneration package. After all, Iveco’s reputation for management movements and executive exodus is second to none.

Still, there had to be much more to it than that. At 47 years of age and with a strong record of achievement, May is at the top of his executive game, but to be blunt, he’d maybe gone as far as opportunity allowed within the Daimler Australia fold.

Even from the outside looking in, it’s likely the only way to move up would come from moving out.

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Question Time So again, why Iveco, given the security of Daimler and Iveco’s ‘revolving door’ history of executive appointments?

“A fair question,” he says thoughtfully. “I felt I’d achieved good things at Daimler but I like that our industry continues to evolve and change. Iveco has new management right at the top and a new entrepreneurial outlook.

“It’s also a slightly smaller company than I’m used to. It’s not the biggest player but it can move at a different pace.

“At this point [Iveco is] looking to spin off from CNH and I was approached directly to consider the opportunity and I think it really is that: an opportunity. There’s a lot of potential here and that’s what I’m really interested in.

Across my career I’ve gone into places that haven’t been necessarily performing, transforming them and turning them around.”

Above: Daily deliveries. The lightduty Daily continues to enjoy strong support Below: Iveco X-Way is highly appointed but struggles for sales in a highly competitive market

“The loss of ProStar was certainly a disappointment.”

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“I’m excited by our potential to engineer and manufacture locally.”

It’s a role, he agrees, which also has plenty of professional challenges.

“I think that was the driving force to really take it on,” he says.

“The thing for me, it’s not a quick journey. I want to make sure we do what is right and sometimes that takes time and I think it particularly helps the company to have someone local who has understanding of the market.”

Asked if he has a set contract period, a candid May quipped: “As long as I keep it together. The last mob I worked for was 20 years, so I don’t know how long this will be [but] it’s an exciting time and the company has an opportunity to have a crack.

Above: Production was reduced to three days a week at Iveco’s Dandenong facility during the pandemic Top left: Gone! International ProStar was a better truck than slim sales suggested Left: The iconic ACCO is facing fierce competition from rival manufacturers

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“I’m still young and at this point in my career, and with what I can bring with experience and the organisation’s potential both here and internationally, it’s pretty exciting.”

The challenges, however, are considerable.

Iveco’s influence in the heavy-duty sector, for instance, has waned significantly over the past decade or so, with cab-over product such as the well-equipped X-Way and notably the iconic ACCO continuing to struggle for prominence under the intense pressure of modern competition.

What’s more, the company no longer offers a conventional model since the earlier demise of Iveco’s Powerstar and International’s recent announcement that it will not be developing a right-hand drive version of an upcoming replacement for the long-serving ProStar.

“The loss of ProStar was certainly a disappointment, but I understand International’s decision. Economically, it’s hard to justify investment in a right-hand drive product if the volumes aren’t there,” May explains.

“Still, we were starting to do better with ProStar.”

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In other areas, May suggests some rationalisation will be required to make the most of opportunities with trucks such as EuroCargo in the two- and three-axle rigid market. Battling the Japanese is never easy but it’s an upbeat May who believes the best is yet to come for EuroCargo.

In light-duty classes though, products such as the versatile Iveco Daily continue to do well.

In fact, with fewer people opting for overseas holiday travel during the COVID crisis, demand for motorhome chassis such as Daily has spiked considerably, along with consistently strong support in parcel van and courier applications.

Daily, in effect, has been one of very few growth areas for Iveco over a number of years and it’s no secret an updated Daily will debut here in the first few months of 2021.

All these factors, however, give weight to the assertion that perhaps May’s ultimate task is to wind down manufacturing and assembly at the historic Dandenong factory, cash in on the sprawling facility’s massive land value, and become a full importer.

The conversation stalled for a few seconds before he cautiously but somewhat optimistically comments: “I originally came into the industry as an engineer, so I’m excited by our potential to engineer and manufacture locally because I think Australians have the capacity to do that.

“We have opportunities to evolve provided we can bring adaptability and flexibility to the market and what it requires,” he says earnestly.

So, is that ‘yes’ or ‘no’ Michael?

This time, a short chuckle. “The door’s open for a number of possibilities but all things will be pragmatically assessed and evaluated. It will take time.”

Yet, perhaps the most important factor of all in any question on Iveco Australia’s future direction does indeed hinge on the door. Specifically, allowing the man at the top to do the job without worrying about ‘the fling factor’.

After all, for the first time in a long time, there’s a man at the helm with the experience and smarts to actually see the opportunities far clearer than the obstacles.

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tech briefs

Lights on for Volvo’s North American electric trucks VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA (VTNA) will start building battery electric vehicle (BEV) prime movers this year in the form of the Volvo VNR Electric model.

The Class 8 trucks, the heaviest class in the US, are now commercially available in North America and aimed primarily at local and regional distribution tasks They are available as a 4x2 heavy rigid, 6x2 and 6x4 configurations.

According to VTNA, the 264kWh lithium-ion batteries – charging at up to 80 per cent within 70 minutes through a 150kW charge rate with a CCS1 or CCS2 connection – have an operating range of up to 240km based on the truck’s configuration.

Power is put at 340kW (455hp), with 5,492Nm (4,051ft-lb) peak output torque, with a two-speed automated I-Shift transmission and a top speed of 105km/h.

Between 5 and 15 per cent of brake energy is regenerated back into energy storage system, depending on cycle.

“In launching the VNR Electric, we’re answering a very real need

from fleet customers across North America – to not just deliver a road-tested, battery-electric truck, but to provide them with solutions for the entire life-cycle of the vehicle,” VTNA president Peter Voorhoeve says.

“Before making the VNR Electric truck available to our customers, we thought through every aspect of electrification so they didn’t have to.

“We have worked alongside our fleet customers to plan beyond the vehicle and have developed an entire support system, ensuring this vehicle meets their needs day-in and day-out.”

The move in a progression from the Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) project, its collaboration with California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD), the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Targeted Air Shed Grant Program (TASGP) and 12 other organisations to develop a blueprint to introduce batteryelectric trucks and equipment into the market at scale.

“By collaborating with 14 other organisations in the Volvo LIGHTS project in southern California, we

A Volvo VNR electric 6x2

gained crucial experience as we worked together to demonstrate the real-world viability of the VNR Electric truck and its supporting ecosystem,” Voorhoeve says.

“We fully understand the steps needed to successfully deploy and operate electric trucks and can confidently offer the Volvo VNR Electric to our customers across North America.”

Victorian trial for Fuso eCanter electric light truck DAIMLER advises that Fuso’s allelectric eCanter local light truck has been driven “around the clock” on Victorian roads as part of a sixmonth test ahead of its launch here early this year.

For the local test program, three drivers have been taking turns during each 24-hour period, running the eCanter on designated loops before returning and charging the truck for the next driver.

It has been run empty as well at its maximum gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 7.5 tonnes in all-weather types.

This is in addition to a global testing program and the real-world experience of operators in the US, Europe and Japan since the eCanter’s introduction in 2017.

Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific president and CEO Daniel Whitehead says the eCanter was developed using Daimler’s R&D resources and offers Australian customers a fully-integrated original equipment manufacturer (OEM) allelectric truck.

“The eCanter test program is one small part of the testing and development program for this ground-breaking all-electric vehicle, but it is very important,” Whitehead says.

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“Our customers need to know that they are buying a product from a manufacturer that has done the hard work to ensure its vehicle has been properly developed and tested.”

Whitehead says there has been a lot of interest in eCanter from large Australian fleets.

“These customers are especially attracted by the fact the eCanter is a fully-integrated manufacturer developed and tested electric truck, rather than something put together by a third-party using a donor truck

and electric components from another source,” he adds.

Fuso presented an eCanter at the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show and select Australian fleets subsequently briefly trialled the vehicle.

Like all Canter 4x2 models, the eCanter is equipped with safety features including advanced emergency braking, lane departure warning, electronic stability control, hill start assist, reversing camera and driver and passenger airbags.

Royan Group expands with two new outlets TRUCK REPAIRER Royan Group announced its second acquisition in quick succession, this time in Victoria, adding Shepparton Motor Panels (SMP) to its ranks.

SMP is a commercial vehicle accident repair specialist and becomes Royans’ fourth branch in Victoria, alongside its Wodonga, Bayswater North and Dandenong sites.

Established in 1954, SMP says it repairs more than 450 trucks per year and offers 24/7 accident assistance.

The Royans purchase spree rolls on, having announced it had acquired Truck Bake in north Queensland earlier that same week.

“We are very pleased to have businesses with the reputation of SMP join the Royans family and we look forward to working with the entire SMP team as we transition the business,” Royan Group notes.

“Our continued growth allows us to merge the knowledge and experience from businesses like SMP, with Royans’ unparalleled network of locations along with our investment in systems, skills and more than 75 years of transport repair experience.”

Its network now consists of 12 branches across both Australia and New Zealand and a team of over 300 staff.

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US group takes on Daimler dealerships US-BASED Velocity Vehicle Group (VVG) is poised to become Australia’s newest truck dealers through a deal signed with Eagers Automotive.

Eager reveals in a stock market advisory that, in a deal said to be worth A$108 million, it has signed an agreement to divest its 15 Daimler Trucks dealerships and the Stillwell Trucks premises in Sydney’s Milperra.

“The divestment of our Daimler truck operations represents another key step in the ongoing simplification of our automotive retail business,” Eagers CEO and MD Martin Ward says of the move.

“VVG will be a great home for the Daimler truck business and offers an exciting future.”

Daimler Truck and Bus president and CEO Daniel Whitehead thanks Eagers for its partnership during a time of growth for Daimler commercial vehicles.

“We have achieved a lot together and I wish them all the best for the future,” he says.

Daimler points out that, as with its US operation, VVG’s Australian network will only sell and service commercial vehicles, with a focus on the needs of truck and bus customers.

It will also exclusively represent Daimler brands Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and Fuso.

“We are extremely pleased to work with a group that has such an incredible track record with Daimler Trucks in the United States which consistently delivers on a core commitment to commercial vehicle customers,” Whitehead says.

A privately owned operator of 36 commercial truck dealerships focused on California, Arizona and Nevada, VVG

Velocity Vehicle Group co-president Brad Fauvre

deals in Freightliner, Western Star, Isuzu, Hino and Fuso brands as well as Great Dane trailers.

“VVG is one of the key global partners with Daimler Truck and Bus and provides customers with a complete lineup of commercial vehicles and services, including leasing, rentals, equipment financing, parts, service, specialty fabrication and collision repairs,” Eagers notes.

“Eagers will continue to own and operate its existing Webster Truck and Isuzu Truck businesses, which are currently part of the automotive retail division.

“Following completion of the transaction, the Hino and Iveco operations will be incorporated into the automotive retail division, removing the

requirement for a standalone National Trucks division.”

VVG indicates the move will see a relationship with Eagers continue.

“We could not be more excited to have the Australian Daimler dealerships of Eagers Automotive join the Velocity team,” VVG co-presidents Brad Fauvre and Conan Barker state.

“We have seen the dedication of everyone at each dealership, and we know that together with their US VVG colleagues, we will be able to deliver world-class service to the Australian truck market.

“We look forward to getting to know every customer and employee as we execute on our mission of ‘Speed, Value and Trust’ for all of our Australian customers.”

Daimler Truck and Bus Australia aftersales and network operations director Greg Lovrich says the significant investment of Velocity Vehicle Group represents a big step forward.

“We have long admired the Velocity Vehicle Group as a shining example of a best-practice commercial vehicle dealership network in a market where Daimler is number one and excellent customer service is critical to doing business,” Lovrich adds.

“Velocity Vehicle Group knows what it takes to provide the kind of service that truck and bus customers expect from Daimler and we are thrilled about the commitment it is making to the Australian market.”

Daimler is represented by 55 sales and service dealerships across Australia.

MAN TGX voted International Truck of the Year THE NEW MAN TGX has been voted the International Truck of the Year 2021 (ITOY), notching up one of the most prestigious awards in the commercial vehicle market.

The jury of 24 mostly European trade journalists recognised the TGX for its driving comfort, working and living conditions, safety, fuel efficiency, connectivity, innovative services, and operator control and display philosophy.

In a virtual ceremony, MAN Truck & Bus CEO Andreas Tostmann accepted the award from ITOY president Gianenrico Griffini.

“The title ‘International Truck of the Year’ is tremendous recognition for the outstanding work put in by our team at MAN,” Tostmann says.

“For more than five years now, the team has been working with a single objective in mind: to develop the best truck for drivers and our customers and to get it out on the road. This award just goes to show: we did it.”

Of note, judges highlighted: • In addition to driving comfort,

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the driver’s workplace with clearly arranged, fully digital display instruments, intuitively operable driving and multimedia functions incorporated into the new, adjustable multifunction steering wheel and the innovative, distraction-free rotary pushbutton control function of the MAN SmartSelect system • Euro 6d driveline, which offers fuel savings of up to 8.2 per cent compared to the previous version when coupled with the aerodynamic refinement of the cab design and the GPS cruise control system MAN EfficientCruise • A high level of safety, which, with functions such as the radar-based turn assist and lane change support systems, Lane Return Assist and assisted driving in traffic jams • A high degree of connectivity provided by its electronic architecture, which is the first of its kind in the commercial vehicle sector, and range of digital services.

“The new MAN TGX represents a major step forward in terms of driver

comfort, fuel efficiency, connectivity and human-machine interface,” Griffini says.

“So there is no doubt why the new MAN TGX was voted Truck of the Year 2021. It is a future-oriented truck that meets the transport needs of today and tomorrow.”

The International Truck of the Year (IToY) award was originally launched in 1977 by British journalist and editor

of Truck magazine Pat Kennett.

Today, the 24 jury members represent leading commercial vehicle magazines throughout Europe, along with Turkey and Russia.

In recent years, the IToY Group has expanded to appoint eight associate members in the growing truck markets of China, India, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Iran and New Zealand.

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were a barrier to health and safety: 1. Unrealistic demands 2. Financial pressures 3. Lack of respect and recognition 4. Compromised support systems.

FOR THE OWNER-DRIVER Frank Black

Supply chain pressure A few large transport companies are still running the gauntlet with defective trucks and tired drivers

A

S WE LEAVE a tumultuous 2020 behind, many around the world have been looking to 2021 with hope for a less stressful year. But truckies have been faced with a deadly industry for years, and unless the federal government starts to listen, we’re unlikely to see any improvements.

Although the border restrictions added an administrative nightmare to our workload, for truckies the problems we faced in 2020 are the same problems we’ve been expressing for years. In some ways, hope for us too came towards the end of 2020, around the same time as the positive vaccine announcements.

Hearings for the Senate Inquiry into trucking were held at the end of November, with a few more still to come in the first part of this year. This inquiry is shining a much-needed light on trucking and has given us the opportunity to put forward our case for what we want to see changed.

I appeared alongside the Transport Workers Union at the Adelaide hearing, via video conference. It didn’t take much preparation, as it’s easy to speak from the heart about the problems in trucking when you’ve been living through them and campaigning on them for decades.

There were a few points I made clear.

The first was that we need something to replace the torn down Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal to address rock bottom rates and conditions in the industry. We cannot continue to kill and injure truck drivers through financial pressures that ultimately force people to drive fatigued.

Trucking Association (ATA) to name a couple have shown to be detrimental to owner-drivers’ rights and safety.

These big players in the industry use their influence for personal gain. The ATA has failed to represent us or even any organisation that puts ownerdrivers’ needs first. Last year, the ACCC went after me for daring to talk about low rates in the industry rather than investigating my claim. Actions like this send a signal to transport supply chains. They reiterate that the power lies with the money, at the top of the chain, and that this won’t be challenged.

These actions condone the supply chain pressures that cause truck crashes, owner-drivers to go out of business and abysmal health and safety.

In December, Monash University released the results of an important in-depth study. Although this provided a depressing read, the results were not as shocking as they should be.

The study shared four themes that

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

He is the current ownerdriver representative on the ATA Council.

“These big players in the industry use their influence for personal gain.”

PRESSURE ON DRIVERS

Several drivers described the issues we’ve been raising for years: unhygienic facilities at truck stops, family and relationship breakdown, pressure to drive tired, unrealistic deadlines and poor mental health. Although we’re all familiar with these chronic problems, it still makes for a stark read.

This study and the Senate Inquiry go hand-in-hand. The realities of our industry are laid bare. Truck drivers have spoken out. Will this be enough to persuade our government to stand up and do something about it?

In November, a large concrete trucking company was exposed for extreme safety breaches following the death of one of their drivers, who ran off the road and hit a tree. In an investigation, the Major Crime branch and heavy vehicle enforcement officers defected 19 of the 20 trucks. It just goes to show, no matter how big, trucking companies will cut corners and we pay the price.

Imagine how many lives could be saved if we had a system in place to hold clients and companies to account before horror strikes.

All the issues we raise come out when there’s an incident. Why not listen to us in the first place, and prevent these needless deaths? We could save thousands of families from pain and suffering. Truck drivers could maintain good family relationships without the stress of financial hardship. Road houses could provide decent, healthy meals and obesity in trucking would go down.

There are simple solutions, and we know what they are. This year, let’s stand together and make sure our voices are heard. We must call out the associations that are holding down the industry under the pretence of representing us.

We must force the government to make drastic changes. Because without us, Australia stops.

FATIGUE CATASTROPHE

I think back to horrific truck crashes I’ve witnessed or come across. One that springs to mind is an overturned cattle truck, caused by the driver falling asleep at the wheel. Several of us rushed to the scene, right past the passenger, who had been thrown so far from the truck we completely bypassed him.

I stayed at the scene for over an hour, watching as the driver was air lifted to hospital. Police officers at this crash, and at so many others, repeated the words I already knew: this catastrophe was caused by driver fatigue.

The second point I made clear at the inquiry hearing was that organisations and associations that have considerable influence over the industry do not represent truck drivers. In fact, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian

70 JANUARY 2021

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