Owner Driver 340 May 2021

ownerdriver MAY 2021 #340

DEDICATED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PERSON BEHIND THE WHEEL

OWNERDRIVER.COM.AU

Convoy return Kilcoy gets truck

show ball rolling See page 20

Charged-up Fuso eCanter at the top of

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See page 70

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Contents #340

MAY 2021

36 80 AIMING FOR HIGHER GROUND

Iveco Brisbane’s move to a new floodproof location has proved to be a boon for both customers and the dealership’s team members

20 KILCOY’S BIG CONVOY

The south east Queensland town of Kilcoy successfully produced one of the first community truck events of 2021

30 BUILT FOR BEER MONEY

The Kenworth T658 was the only choice for Brenda and John O’Brien in their road works business in North Queensland’s gulf country

36 LOOKING BACK AT RAZORBACK Barry ‘Sleepy’ Grimson has enjoyed a fulfilling life in road transport, from tending horses to participating in the Razorback blockade

“I was mixing with a lot of blokes looking for that adventure of truck driving.”

30

44 THE BOSS’S RESURRECTION

This 1982 White Road Boss may have been driven by sentimental attachment, but it’s still out on the road earning money with style and class

58 PLANE SAILING

Hauling a Mirage jet fighter through Sydney’s streets and motorways was easy as for the top gun team at Clein Transport Solutions

70 FUSO ON THE CHARGE

There’s an electric revolution sweeping the automotive world and in the light truck league Daimler’s exciting Fuso eCanter sits at the top of the tree

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28/04/2021 12:28:36 PM

There is nothing more important than ensuring the safety of all road users. That’s why the new Cascadia is designed to be one of the safest vehicles on the road – featuring excellent over bonnet visibility, Side Guard Assist (SGA) and ergonomic driver controls.

CASCADIA 116

The Cascadia is available with the Detroit Assurance® 5.0 suite of safety systems. By offering collision mitigation technology, we can assist with keeping our roads safer and help to reduce expensive repair and operational costs incurred when a truck is out of service.

A safer truck keeps you and your business on the road and fully equipped to seize new opportunities – ready and capable for what lies ahead.

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ownerdriver EDITORIAL

Editor: Greg Bush Ph: 07 3101 6602 Fax: 07 3101 6619 E-mail: Greg.Bush@aremedia.com.au Senior Journalist: Ben Dillon Ph: 07 3101 6614 E-mail: Ben.Dillon@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, Sarah Marinovic, Sal Petroccitto, Ken Wilkie Cartoonist: John Allison

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

ADVERTISING Industry Sales Manager: Adrian Christian Ph: 0423 761 784 E-mail: Adrian.Christian@aremedia.com.au Brand Sales Manager: Peter Gatti Ph: 0437 895 600 E-mail: Peter.Gatti@aremedia.com.au Sales Manager (Qld): Hollie Tinker Ph: 0466 466 945 E-mail: Hollie.Tinker@aremedia.com.au Sales Manager (Vic): Matt Alexander Ph: 0413 599 669 E-mail: Matt.Alexander@aremedia.com.au Sales Manager (NSW): Con Zarocostas Ph: 0457 594 238 E-mail: Con.Zarocostas@aremedia.com.au Sales Manager (SA/WA): Nick Lenthall Ph: 0439 485 835 E-mail: Nick.Lenthall@aremedia.com.au Agency Sales Manager (NSW): Max Kolomiiets Ph: 0415 869 176 E-mail: Max.Kolomiiets@aremedia.com.au

DISTRIBUTION Circulation Manager: Stuart Jones Ph: 03 9567 4207 E-mail: Stuart.Jones@aremedia.com.au

DISTRIBUTION QUERIES Distributed by Ovato Distribution

EXECUTIVE GROUP Are Media Automotive CEO: Andrew Beecher GM – Industry: Graham Gardiner Group Finance Manager: Cain Murphy Digital Director: Tim Kenington Commercial Director: Matt Rice Operations Manager: Regina Fellner People & Culture Manager: Nicola Ramsay ISSN 1321-6279

SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR ALL SUBSCRIPTION SALES AND ENQUIRIES

www.ownerdriver.com.au and click subscribe E-mail: tbm@magshop.com.au Ph: 1300 461 528, 8am - 6pm (EST) Mon to Fri Mail: Magshop GPO Box 5252, Sydney, NSW, 2001 OwnerDriver has an expanding national circulation, with emphasis on maximum saturation and readership throughout all Australian states and territories. Our efficient delivery service incorporating specialist delivery companies and Australia Post ensures that current editions of OwnerDriver are delivered to respective outlets within days of its publication. If you are having difficulty obtaining a copy within your area, or alternatively, are receiving requests for more copies than you are receiving, contact Stuart Jones on 03 9567 4207. No material may be reproduced in part or in whole without written consent from the copyright holder.

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BEHIND THE WHEEL Greg Bush

On with the big show

T

HERE’S a reasonably good chance that this latest issue of Owner//Driver magazine is being read while attending the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show in one capacity or another. Are Media, publisher of Owner//Driver, will have display stands near the main entrances to the show, and we will have ample copies of this and other transport and industry magazines to hand out to show-goers.

Of course, not everyone can make it to Brisbane for what is the biggest road transport event in Australia. What’s puzzling are the few notable industry absentees who, for reasons clouded in rhetoric, decided not to attend. Some hinted at the unpredictability of possible COVID outbreaks, others blamed the economy, while still more struggled to offer a valid reason for opting out, possibly hamstrung by directives from their foreign owners.

Nevertheless, this year’s Brisbane Truck Show is being touted as the biggest to date.

For starters, the show days of May 13 to 16 have been extended to encompass what the organisers – Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia – are calling Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week, kicking off on Monday, May 10.

The show will expand from the vast area within the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre – where the majority of truck, trailer, parts and accessories will be display – to places further afield.

Across the Brisbane River, the National Bulk Tanker Association will be holding its 12th edition of the annual Bulk Tanker Day, which will in effect be spread across two days and held at the Brisbane Show Grounds, or the EKKA for those who are hip to the local lingo.

As in 2019, there will be major heavy vehicle displays at South Bank Parklands, in and around Little Stanley St and Stanley St Plaza. Along with the trucks and trailers on show, there’s free live entertainment amid the watering holes, restaurants and cafes. And it’s at South Bank where strongman Troy Conley-Magnusson will attempt to haul a 12-tonne Freightliner Cascadia over 30 metres. This is certain to be a major crowd pleaser for both truck enthusiasts and the general public alike.

The South Bank Parklands will also host the HVIA National Apprentice Challenge, bringing together teams who will endeavour to rectify a series of programmed faults in identical Isuzu trucks. The heats will run from May 13 to 15, with the final being held on Sunday, May 16.

With so many of its members in town, Transport Women

Australia Ltd is taking the opportunity to hold its breakfast event on Friday, May 14 on the Convention Centre’s plaza level.

Further downstream and on the opposite side of the Brisbane River, the Civil Construction Field Days will run from May 13 to 15. Incorporating the Heavy Equipment and Machinery Show, this event will bring back memories from years past when the truck show, incorporating heavy machinery, was held at the EKKA. What’s pleasing is that anyone who buys a ticket to the Brisbane Truck Show will also be admitted to the Field Days at no extra cost. There are free shuttle buses for the commute as well.

Right now, those who chose not to play a part and promote their product at the show could be suffering from “FOMO”, which in today’s language means “the fear of missing out”.

Still, there’s always 2023, but it’s going to be a long two-year wait for the no-show party poopers.

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The Goods

NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

NHVR pledges to boost PBS processing The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator acknowledges the impacts of delivery delays THE NATIONAL Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has acknowledged personnel issues on top of higher demand have crimped its ability to carry out performance-based standards (PBS) scheme functions in a timely manner.

The issue made headlines a week ago, when Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) complained publically that months of its warnings and efforts to help overcome delays had failed to improve matters and that the situation is worsening.

HVIA chief executive Todd Hacking has called for “interim approval mechanism” to be introduced as a short-term measure to tackle an immediate crisis but that is not mentioned in the NHVR’s response.

“We are currently experiencing some operational challenges due to the significant increase in application volumes and departure of senior PBS team members,” NHVR vehicle safety and performance director Peter Austin explains.

“This has impacted our ability to assess and process applications within acceptable timeframes.

“We understand the impact that increased processing times has on all parts of the industry, and we are implementing initiatives and working with stakeholders to improve our service delivery.

“So far, we have allocated additional resources and streamlined our procedures to improve data consistency, automate processes and remove double

handling of vehicle data.

“We have also been working closely with PBS certifiers and assessors to issue approvals more quickly.

“Longer-term, we will continue to transition PBS services into the NHVR Portal and introduce more efficient processes for low risk applications.

“While we make these improvements, we understand that operators need certainty around when applications will be issued.

“For complete and accurate Vehicle Approval applications, the NHVR’s processing time is currently 25 business days.

“This timeframe will improve as additional remediation actions are implemented, and we aim to reduce turnaround as quickly as possible.

Above: HVIA chief executive Todd Hacking

“Moving forward, we will provide Certifiers and Assessors with a weekly update on processing times and volumes, and we have asked them to keep their customers advised of any changes.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Associations united over safer driving The ATA and AAA are seeking targets in a National Road Safety Strategy redraft THE LACK of clear targets and other flaws have seen the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and Australian Automobile Association (AAA) jointly push for a redrawn 2021-30 National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS).

Also central to their critique is what is described as a “severe lack of government accountability”.

The two organisations expresses concern that the draft strategy does not take into consideration the failings of the last 10 years that independent inquiries found were largely due to a lack of federal government leadership and an oversight of road safety.

“The AAA and ATA submissions in response to the draft NRSS have highlighted the inadequacy of the proposed strategy and present a forceful case that it must be rewritten,” ATA CEO Andrew McKellar says.

“The NRSS must be supported by measurable targets, as well as clear identification of who will be held accountable to ensure they are being met.

“Each item must also set out specified sub targets so it is clear what needs to be done and how exactly these targets will be achieved.”

They believe the draft strategy risks “undoing the good work of last year’s federal Budget and appeared to ignore key recommendations from extensive

relevant government and parliamentary inquiries”.

“The Commonwealth last year took a major step forward, by attaching strings to the safety funding it hands to states, which was the first step needed to ensure state governments meet their safetyrelated obligations,” AAA managing director Michael Bradley says.

“Now is not the time to let that progress slip.

“It is also a concern that the draft strategy doesn’t propose to use the national road toll as a measure of its progress or success; and it fails to include any other agreed performance indicators.

“If governments endorse a 2021-30 strategy that contains the same shortcomings as its predecessor, then we should not be surprised if it too fails to deliver the reduced rates of death and injury that Australians deserve and desire.”

The AAA and ATA say that while it is clear the draft NRSS had significant weaknesses, it is important the process of review and development continued.

“While we congratulate the government on establishing an Office of Road Safety and recognising the leadership role they have to play, it is more critical than ever they seize the opportunity to ensure the next NRSS has clear targets, clear responsibilities, clear actions and

Above: An image used by the AAA, which emphasises that performance indicators are lacking

clear penalties for those jurisdictions that don’t pull their weight,” Bradley says.

The ATA submission calls for several additional measures for governments to adopt in the NRSS, including the need for speed management and post-crash care measures, as well as strengthened driver licensing and training for both heavy and light vehicle drivers.

“Stronger and more comprehensive truck driver licensing and training would result in safer roads, safer people, and safer companies,” McKellar says.

“Training for novice car drivers in how to share the road safely with trucks would play a key role in improving driver behaviour and reducing the number of injuries and fatalities on our roads.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Melbourne loading zone cuts queried VTA says commercial vehicle drivers afflicted by delivery difficulties and increased congestion due to cyclists being prioritised A POST-COVID bike lane focus is eroding city loading zones and hampering delivery efforts, the Victorian Transport Association (VTA) charges, lamenting a lack of industry consultation on the matter.

If unresolved, the increased congestion threatens Melbourne’s economic recovery from forced business closures, Victoria’s peak transport body adds.

VTA CEO Peter Anderson says loading zones in the Melbourne CBD have declined significantly over the past two years, prompting complaints from members that deliver goods to retailers and fresh food, groceries and beverages to city bars and cafes.

“After 12 months of lost business and revenue, CBD businesses are finally getting back on their feet and servicing a steadily growing market of consumers as more people return to the city for work, yet we are hearing about deliveries having to be rescheduled or taking longer because there are fewer loading zones,” he says.

“This is creating a dangerous environment where drivers are having to wait to make deliveries or drive around the city until a loading zone becomes

available, which increases traffic congestion and associated delays for everyone.”

Dozens of transport companies make thousands of trips in and out of the CBD for deliveries every day with any delay inconveniencing customers and consumers and contributing to lost productivity, Anderson adds.

“We have one member that currently has around 200 drivers a day entering the CBD to make deliveries, saying that the time for them to do this has doubled in the last five years.

“The issue is being compounded every year with loading zones being reduced, forcing drivers to wait around longer to get a loading zone or park further away, which means that they are having to cart freight on trolleys a further distance, risking an incident or injury to a pedestrian or driver.”

Anderson says nearly 40km of kerbside protected bike lanes built by the City of Melbourne and Victorian government during COVID lockdowns was clearly a factor in greater congestion and fewer loading zones to service shops, restaurants and other businesses.

“Without any consultation with industry, bike

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lanes were built in Swanston Street, William Street, Bourke Street, Exhibition Street, Flinders Street, La Trobe Street and elsewhere in the city, with lanes and protection medians encroaching on loading zones and other parking and delivery infrastructure.

“While we appreciate the need to protect cyclists, a consequence of these decisions has been a blowout in delivery times, which increases the number of trucks and delivery vehicles in the city.

“The City of Melbourne is responsible for designating and enforcing loading zones and if they really want to support business recovery it is essential that more zones – not less – be set aside for transport operators to service their customers safely, quickly and efficiently.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Truck driver initiative underway in WA The transport labour shortage underlines skills course to bolster post-pandemic rebound in Western Australia

WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S Heavy Vehicle Driving Operations Skill Set training program has been given its ministerial blessing.

The Western Australian government’s $6.1 million Heavy Vehicle Driving Operations Skill Set (HVDOSS) has 12 students enrolled now in the pilot course two weeks after it kicked off.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how vital the freight industry and truck drivers are to our state and our economy,” transport minister Rita Saffioti says in explaining the need for the initiative.

Developed in consultation with the transport industry, the six-week course aims to address driver shortages, by training 500 new workers in Heavy Rigid (HR) licences and upskilling an additional 500 existing drivers from HR licences to Heavy Combination (HC) and/or Multi-Combination (MC) licences.

In what is described as an Australian first, the new course aims to increase skilled workers through both theoretical and practical hands on truck driving at the state-of-the-art Driver Risk Management facility located at Perth Airport.

On successful completion, participants obtain a Heavy Rigid; Heavy Combination; or Multi Combination class vehicle, and may apply for a forklift (LF) licence.

“These skill sets form an essential part of our COVID-19

recovery, providing affordable and accessible training options for Western Australians to upskill or retrain,” state education and training minister Sue Ellery says.

“The skill set aims to train 500 new entrants and upskill 500 existing workers to drive larger vehicles.

“Our training sector has been front and centre of our recovery, training workers in areas of need.

“Central Regional TAFE has partnered with Driver Risk Management to deliver the course and this is an excellent example of TAFE colleges and private training providers working together to address industry skills needs.”

The course is free for eligible students and the Practical Driving Instruction Training and Assessment and licencing costs $500 for concession students and $1,250 for non-concession students.

Western Roads Federation (WRF) has been advising the state government on issues affecting the industry, and has been instrumental in developing the expanded skill set to address unprecedented workforce demands due to COVID-19.

As the peak industry body, Western Roads Federation will mentor and support students on the path to employment, working to connect students to industry employers.

Central Regional TAFE is now taking expressions of

interest for future intakes and planning is underway to expand the training to the Mid-West, Goldfields and Great Southern regions in coming months.

“We have worked collaboratively with industry to create this program to make sure it gives truck drivers the skills they need while also helping jobseekers increase their employability,” Saffioti says.

“Western Roads Federation and the Transport Workers’ Union approached the premier, minister for education and training and myself, asking to create a dedicated training course for truck drivers.

“I’m so pleased we have been able to roll out a training program that delivers what industry needs.”

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27/4/21 11:31 21/04/2021 10:52:08 AMam

THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Undisclosed incident prompts WHS fine Company director described as “old school” following truck driver’s hospitalisation for a fractured skull after fall A TRANSPORT company was fined $5,000 for not reporting a serious workplace injury after an incident in which a worker was hospitalised for a week, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) reports.

The company, Cattletrans Pty Ltd, trading as Robertson’s Transport, pleaded guilty in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court to breaching the Work Health and Safety Act for failing its duty to report a notifiable incident arising out of the conduct of the business.

The court heard the small business specialised in livestock transport when, on March 8, 2018, two company workers transported a broken-down truck on the tray of a tilt tray truck to a site in Wacol for repair.

While at that site, one of the

workers fell from the tray of the stationary tilt tray truck, hitting his head on the ground below, WHSQ explains.

The other worker contacted the company director that same day to report the incident.

The injured worker was transported to hospital by ambulance where he was admitted as an inpatient for seven days and received treatment for a fractured skull.

WHSQ was first notified of the incident by the worker on or around June 18, 2019.

The company to that point had not notified the safety regulator of the incident.

Magistrate Kay Ryan says the company had failed its duty to notify through ignorance of its obligation, and observed the director

could be considered “old-school”.

“Her Honour noted that while ignorance of the law was not an excuse, it was a factor that could be taken into account to an extent,” WHSQ explains.

“Magistrate Ryan also took into account the company’s early guilty plea, its otherwise good character, having no previous convictions, and financial difficulties it had

experienced after being defrauded by a former employee and as a result of COVID-19.

“Her Honour also had regard to the fact that the injured worker was back working Robertson’s Transport, albeit in a limited capacity.”

The company was fined $5,000 and ordered costs of $1,100, with no conviction recorded.

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28/04/2021 12:11:25 PM

Lesson learnt from NSW tolls probe Gains, not bans, should be the incentive for road use, says NatRoad THE NATIONAL Road Transport Association (NatRoad) joins a chorus of appreciation for the growing political focus on New South Wales toll roads.

A long-term critic of the state governments’ approach to tolling, NatRoad welcomes the NSW review into tolls and will be making a submission to the current Parliamentary inquiry into this issue.

“In our view, toll roads and fees should be designed to provide sufficient incentive for heavy vehicle operators to use the toll,” NatRoad CEO Warren Clark says.

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

“The NorthConnex model should therefore not be repeated as it is inherently unfair to heavy vehicles.

“Governments could introduce toll reductions and multi-user discounts for heavy vehicles where further incentives to use toll roads are needed or during times of crisis, as currently exist because of the pandemic.

“Alternatively, discounted tolls could

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apply during low use periods at night, for example 12am to 6am.”

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

What it describes as “missteps” include: • the lack of transparency and fairness in setting toll fees for heavy vehicles • the inconsistent use of tolling methods across the road network • the lack of competition in private toll road operation • governments forcing heavy vehicles to use tolled roads by banning them from alternative routes, as is the case with NorthConnex • heavy vehicle operators paying for road network improvements through increases in tolls without experiencing the promised efficiencies themselves, again as with NorthConnex.

“It is very difficult to find out from state governments how tolling fees are set, why toll increases are necessary

on a regular basis and why some increases above the rate of inflation are justified,” Clark says.

“All of these questions are matters of urgent consideration when looking

at the future of road construction and getting in place sensible, nationally agreed tolling policies.

“NSW can take the lead on these issues.”

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28/04/2021 12:11:55 PM

truck events

KILCOY BREAKS SHOW DROUGHT

It was a case of out of lockdown and on with the show as the Queensland town of Kilcoy successfully produced one of the first community truck events of 2021. Warren Aitken took his camera and hung out with the crowd at the Konvoy with a ‘K’ 20 MAY 2021

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ELCOME BACK to the truck show scene. It’s so good to be able to, at long last, write up a truck show review. It has been so long that the sunscreen lotion in my car had given up on itself and just formed an unusable, weirdly congealed lump. So, just like the good old days of 2019, I ended up looking like the warning post for the Slip, Slop, Slap ads.

I also ended up with hours’ worth of photos to process, over 13,000 steps for the day and wearing a smile so big it hurt my ears. Yep, it was awesome to be able to attend the first major truck show in Queensland for 2021 – the Kilcoy Konvoy and Rodeo.

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I never realised how much I’d missed them to be honest. Friday night charging batteries and formatting memory cards while scrolling Facebook to see who was still up cleaning and polishing, then an early start for the big drive to Kilcoy in Queensland’s Somerset region.

I arrived nice and early and was enveloped in a sense of familiarity. Rocking up to the checkin area and seeing drivers with their legions of unpaid workers, or family as they call them, frantically finishing off the final touches.

A quick drive through town and I spotted the plethora of truck photographers and enthusiasts already out and about, scoping out their favoured convoy locations, ready to snap some great shots.

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The locals starting to line the streets, kids warming their arms for the ever-necessary fist pump, eager to hear the sounds of our people (aka air horns). It was all very familiar and comforting.

One of the first big shows of 2021 also threw up some new sights. I am used to the emphasis on social distancing so that was pleasing to see. What shocked me was Marshall Watego, a regular character at many events with his outstanding Optimus Prime-inspired Peterbilt.

Seeing him at the Kilcoy Konvoy wasn’t the shock, it was seeing him turn up on time that nearly knocked my socks off. That was a sign it was going to be a cracker of a day.

You could not have picked a better show to

Top: Convoy time: the Mackay & Sons House Removal fleet makes its way towards the Kilcoy showground Above (L to R): Kel Stanton, one of the Kilcoy Konvoy team, is movie director as his son Levi films the trucks; Mark Tobin’s Truck of the Show-winning Kenworth was the perfect backdrop to highlight the team that put the event together Opposite (L to R): Danny Hinds’ immaculate T909 took out the silver medal in the best Kenworth category; New regulations meant everyone entering had to scan in, it’s just one of the procedures we’ll have to get used to for big events now

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“The committee members were adamant that they would go ahead with the 2021 event.”

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28/04/2021 12:02:05 PM

open up the start of Queensland truck show season than the Kilcoy Konvoy. It was my first time at this event and boy, do they know how to put on a show. For the second time the Konvoy has been tied in with the annual Kilcoy Rodeo, meaning you can take a break from the stainless and steel and wander over to see the bucking and bulldust. If you’re wearing an Akubra I think technically you don’t wander over, you mosey over. So, I had to wander.

Scanning in Back to the truck event itself. The Kilcoy show has been around for several years now. In 2019, it hooked up with the Kilcoy Rodeo and created the Kilcoy Konvoy and Rodeo. That year they had a massive Top: Three exceptional Anniversary model Macks led off the Karreman’s fleet.

Karreman’s picked up second prize in the Best Fleet category Above (L to R): They definitely came from far and wide for the show. This stunning Emerald Carrying Co K200 placed third in the Best Bling category; One of my favourites from the day was this 1966 Mack B-61 stock truck, owned by Stuart and Christine Retschlag (left). Also along for the day were Jessica Beare, as well as driver Ivan and Jesse Retschlag Right: B&K Bulk Haulage’s spectacular T409 SAR came down from Gladstone and picked up the Best Kenworth award for its effort Opposite top (L to R): Chris Dwyer was up until ungodly hours cleaning the MacTrans Heavy Haulage Southern Cross Mack in order to make it to the convoy. The effort was worth it as it picked up the Best Mack trophy; This immaculate Superliner may have sat at the end of the Karreman section of the convoy, but it made its presence felt.

What a rumble!

Opposite middle: Karreman Quarries turned out in force, displaying plenty of Bulldog pride Opposite bottom: It was great to see Laurie Williams with his Phat Cat Western Star and the Bullet Burnout truck in tow

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“There was a level of enthusiasm that just flowed through the entire team.”

Top: It may not please the environmentalists but seeing the old Mack Super-Liner with its foot to the ground definitely pleased the crowd Above (L to R): I first spotted Emma still cleaning her Snap-on rig before the convoy started. She’s definitely dedicated to her little F-Series Isuzu; It was great to catch up with Albert and Fiona Collins with their family truck.

The 1973 1310 Inter is still working and multiple generations of the Collins family use the old girl for all manner of tasks Right: Tyson Carter brought the old Mack tipper out for a play in the convoy. A big credit to his fiancée Andrea Reuter for putting in the hard yards and cleaning it for him the night before Bottom: I could lie and say it’s not often the Paddo & Sons Transport crew sit still enough for a photo, but Chook (right) is often spotted just leaning on his stunning T610. But it’s Grant Jones (left) and Ray Patton (centre) that keep the wheels turning

120 trucks turn up, another reflection of the growing popularity of the show. Obviously 2020 never happened, so we won’t even talk about that. The committee members were adamant that they would go ahead with the 2021 event, realising that all the new COVID-19 rules and regulations would eventually just become the new norm for events.

With the help of the Kilcoy Rodeo team, the committee set about filling and filing all the government required paperwork. The main issues needed to ensure the show’s success was that everyone attending needed to be scanned in, entrance bands were a must and people were made aware of the importance of social distancing. With such a large open area, the ground capacity was never an issue. There may have been slightly longer than normal waits to get in, as everyone had to login in via one of those QR codes. For the truckies though, we are used to having to do that at most truck stops up and down the country anyway.

All in all, the COVID-19 regulations caused very little stress. Well, for me as a visitor it was very little stress. For the marvellous committee members that had to submit the

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28/04/2021 12:03:29 PM

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forms and make sure they met all the requirements, it was a tad more tedious and stressful, but in the end successful.

All that rigmarole was what was needed to ensure that the show could go ahead. What made the entire day a success in my opinion was the people that ran it. A big thumbs-up needs to go to everyone involved.

There was a level of enthusiasm that just flowed through the entire team. I thought the bouncing-off-the-wall vibes would come from all the truckies finally getting to ‘shine on’, but that infectious atmosphere was started by the Kilcoy Konvoy team first. The community just oozed excitement, from the lovely old blokes that were getting you to scan your QR codes at the showground entrance to the fantastic ladies and gentlemen that were getting swamped with trucks trying to sign in, then the local police escorting the convoy and onto the Rural Fire Volunteers helping with camping and parking.

Record entries In the end they shattered their previous record of 120 trucks with an impressive 165 entries.

It wasn’t all show and shine though; there was plenty of stalls set up for people to purchase all the stuff they didn’t know they needed, from Smokey & the Bandit canvas banners to embroidered Kenworth chairs. Even the kids were covered, with The Jake Brake Kid there selling his awesome kids’ colouring books. Off course I wanted one;

“A big thumbsup needs to go to everyone involved.”

Top left: It wasn’t just the truckies enjoying the day. Those that had come for the rodeo took the opportunity to have a look at some of the cool gear. I caught Mal Wieland showing his troop of Chase, Paislee and Jasper around the big rigs Above left: This fully customised old classic Kenny sounded as good as it looks! I swear I heard cameras running out of batteries as they snapped away at her From top right: Paddo & Sons brought along a couple of their stunning trucks, including this Kenworth Legend 900 pearler; A huge thank you to this year’s judges John Streton, Barry Coop, Mick Taylor and local council rep Cheryl Gaedtke. These guys marched around in the sun with the hardest job of all – picking the winners; Harlin-based company H L E Smith & Co had most of its hardworking fleet scrubbed up for the event Left: The Followmont and Tobin Transport trucks may have slipped past me in the convoy, but you couldn’t miss them at the showgrounds

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Top: Masondale Logging had a great array of loggers shined up for the day.

I caught up with three of their drivers and convinced them to pose for me top blokes Grant Smith, Bradley Smith and Stewi Castle Above (L to R): Who doesn’t love a good fire truck! A big shout out to all these guys who helped out and showed off at the Kilcoy Konvoy; I sort of promised Marcus Fairbrother, who was standing with his three girls Temprence, Peyton and Ambrosia, that I wouldn’t share this photo. But how could I not?

Even Travis Scott, who drives the Followmont Western Star and the lovely Jade Harney, who is one of Followmont’s forklift drivers, would agree this shot is the best Below: Another of my all-time favourite rigs is the Mack Super Liner. Matt Kranenburg stands with his sons Parker and Kip in front of the Kranenburg Earth Moving bulldog

“The tarp tying comp looked interesting, until I realised I haven’t tarped in years.”

I just couldn’t find a kid to go buy me one – dammit.

When lunch rolled the barbecue stand produced an extremely good steak sandwich or, in my case, two really good ones. I was very tempted to have a go at a couple of the competitions they had running. The tarp tying comp looked interesting, until I realised I’m a tautliner driver and haven’t tarped in years. So I avoided that. Big congratulations must go to Kurt from HLE Smith & Co for winning that one.

Then there was the truck stopping competition. You had 30 seconds from the time you planted your butt in the driver’s seat to pull the truck forward, stopping as close to the bollard as possible with only one braking manoeuvre.

It was fun to watch actually. For the record that prize went to a fella called Healy who stopped 7.5cm from the bollard.

Impressive!

All in all it was a great day put on by the Kilcoy Konvoy team. My go-to lady for the day was the fabulous Debbie Dawes who, along with her husband Ian, are an integral part of the team. Ironically, I hardly spoke to Debbie as she was as busy as the rest of the team all day. So I thanked her lovely daughter Linsie for her assistance.

A huge shout out to the entire committee and the Kilcoy township for breaking our truck show drought with an outstanding show.

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ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 12:05:16 PM

T

NHVR Sal Petroccitto

HV health check Over the next 12 weeks the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator will inspect around 8,000 heavy vehicles Sal Petroccitto became Chief Executive of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) in May 2014, bringing an extensive knowledge of heavy vehicle regulation to the role. He also has extensive experience across state and local government, holding senior leadership roles in transport and logistics, transport planning and strategic planning, and has worked closely with industry and stakeholders to deliver an efficient and effective transport system and improved supply chain outcomes. He was the Queensland government representative on the NHVR Project Implementation Board and the Board of Transport Certification Australia. Over the past five years, as CEO of the NHVR he has led a significant program of reform across Australia’s heavy vehicle industry including the digital permit systems, or NHVR Portal, harmonising heavy vehicle regulations across 400 road managers and modernising safety laws for the heavy vehicle supply chain and heavy vehicle operators.

HIS MONTH the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) will embark on its second National Roadworthiness Survey (NRS).

The NRS will allow us to assess the mechanical condition of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet.

The inaugural survey was conducted five years ago and, since then, there has been increased education and improved efficiencies across heavy vehicles and operators. This survey will provide a progress update for the industry about where we have excelled and what we need to focus on.

It’s important the NHVR delivers an overview on how we are doing as a heavy vehicle industry so that, together, we can focus on improved safety and productivity outcomes.

So, what will take place and how might it affect you?

Over the next 12 weeks, approximately 8,000 heavy vehicles will be inspected by the NHVR and our partner agencies in every state and territory.

Each vehicle will undergo a detailed visual inspection and some mechanical testing by authorised officers using inspection trailers and brake-testing equipment.

It’s our intention to add as little disruption as possible to drivers and schedules and I have no doubt that our officers will aim to achieve this on every occasion. It goes without saying that the safer the vehicle, the smoother the inspection process.

I must stress that vehicles will only be inspected once as part of the survey. We understand the need to keep vehicles and supply chains moving and I want to thank businesses and individuals in advance for their cooperation and support as we carry out this important work on behalf of the industry.

WHY IS THIS SURVEY NECESSARY? Simply put, this is about ensuring the safety and condition of the heavy vehicle fleet.

We need to continue to understand what and who is operating across our road network so that we can support the industry and individuals achieve greater safety and productivity outcomes.

WHAT DID WE LEARN LAST TIME?

DAILY STEPS TO KEEP VEHICLES SAFE The NHVR is urging heavy vehicle operators to use a Daily Safety Checklist as a regular part of their pre-trip routine.

The checklist is a series of simple steps that every driver should undertake daily that align with the National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual.

A daily visual inspection should only take a few minutes and gives drivers peace of mind ahead of their journey.

Each checklist should include checking brakes, couplings, wheels, tyres and hubs, structure and body condition, lights and reflectors, mirrors, windscreens and windows, and the engine, driveline and exhaust.

For more information on Daily Safety Checklists visit www.nhvr.gov.au/ dailycheck

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“This is about ensuring the safety and condition of the heavy vehicle fleet. ”

As part of our 2016 survey, the NHVR inspected just over 7,000 vehicles across all states and territories except for Western Australia (WA). This time, WA vehicles and operators will be included as part of the survey.

Combined results from the initial survey, together with the National Transport Insurance Major Investigation Report (released in March this year) confirmed that operators who effectively maintained their vehicles were less likely to be involved in an accident.

Further, the report found that there were fewer claims on vehicles when they were properly maintained.

While these results will come as little surprise, it reinforces the fact that, with the right safety procedures in place for heavy vehicles and their operators, there is more to gain and less chance of error.

Once again, I thank you for participating in this important piece of work and for your ongoing commitment to making our industry a safe and productive environment for all. I look forward to sharing the results of our latest NRS with you.

MAY 2021 29

28/04/2021 10:34:53 AM

truck rebuilds

BUILT FOR BEER MONEY When it comes to having the grunt to pull a big load, the Kenworth T658 was the only choice for Brenda and John O’Brien in their road works business up in the gulf country of North Queensland. But getting their ‘Beer Money’ wasn’t an easy road. Ben Dillon writes

L

OOKING FOR the right truck to fit your needs is tough enough, but for the O’Brien family their search was made all the more difficult by the tyranny of distance.

Based in Normanton, Queensland, near the Gulf of Carpentaria, the O’Brien’s remit was simple enough; find a truck tough enough to pull a set of side-tippers and make it look schmick to promote the business. Oh, and it had to be done and delivered in a timeframe measured in days, not weeks or months. Simple, right?

Enter Jon Kelly, known for his hit TV show MegaTruckers, who is no stranger to turning out a top-looking truck on short notice, but when Brenda called him up on an ex-Curley Cattle Truck T658 he had for sale, even he knew it would be a tough test. We can imagine the conversation, the sharp inhalation of breath on both sides when talk turned to timeframes, but what you see here is the final product of those long distance phone calls in this stunning Kenworth.

“When I first contacted him on the phone we had deadlines to meet for a tender and I was just pushing him the whole time,” Brenda says.

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Photos by Ben Dillon and Brenda O’Brien

“I just needed the truck registered so we could put it into a tender and I don’t know if he got sick of me, but I just kept pushing him. Sometimes I reckon I could have reached through the phone and choked him but it was definitely worth the wait because we ended up with Beer Money!”

Brenda laughs.

“She was tough on me,” Jon smiles.

“She wanted to make sure the truck was perfect and we did a good job, and I said ‘Brenda, I haven’t done a shit truck yet, so you can trust I’ll do it right’.”

The fact that Brenda was dealing with someone more than 2,000km away on a truck that was a big investment for her business wasn’t her only worry, so with a tight deadline in mind she started to do her research on the bloke who was going to build her truck.

“I’m talking to this guy and I can honestly say I didn’t have a clue who Jon Kelly was when we started negotiations,” Brenda laughs.

“I have a daughter who is 25-years-old and a son who is 19 and they were telling me who Jon Kelly was and about HHA [Heavy Haulage Australia] and MegaTruckers and I can honestly

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28/04/2021 11:50:31 AM

“Sometimes I reckon I could have reached through the phone and choked him.”

Left: The whole unit looks spectacular hooked up to a set of Tristar side-tippers Opposite top: Gotta have a little ‘Beer Money’ in your life

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“He called me and said he had a peachy colour for the pinstripes on the truck and I nearly hit the roof.”

Top: Brenda and John O’Brien with their ‘Beer Money’ Kenworth T658 Above right: The T658 in the paint booth. Brenda O’Brien wasn’t impressed with the Curley colours Left: Peach pin-striping was an interesting choice but works surprisingly well with the colour scheme

32 MAY 2021

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say I’ve never seen an episode, and never knew about him.

“My kids sat me down and we watched an episode of MegaTruckers and I said ‘Jon Kelly doesn’t come across like that on the phone, I guess it’s a TV program so he has to act a bit’.

“You’d see him go off about stuff going wrong and my daughter looked at me and said ‘who does that remind you of’ and I’m like ‘yeah ok’, I don’t put up with a lot of shit either,” Brenda says.

This fact wasn’t lost on Jon either, who knows that you’re only as good as your last build in this game and was keen to deliver a truck that would hopefully surpass the O’Briens’ expectations.

“It’s one thing to sell to a customer who just walks into the yard and buys a bland truck, but for someone to entrust you with a couple of hundred thousand dollars and put their faith in you delivering the goods, is another thing completely,” Jon says.

“Like, this is Brenda and John’s first heavy truck so it’s a bit of gamble for them, it’s not just selling them a truck it’s about helping them take a gamble in the industry and I don’t think we’ve just delivered the product they wanted, we’ve delivered a showpiece.”

“We’re from a road works background and mainly had graders and water trucks over the years and we just wanted to diversify a bit and not have as many graders in the fleet and go into the side tippers,” Brenda says.

“This truck is an all new thing for us, we’ve been around graders for 30 years, my partner John is a final trim operator and a lot of people want him to do their roads.

“My father had trucks for 40 years so that’s how we got into the road works business, I used to wag school and go out in the trucks with him [laughs]. He’s helped us out as we are all in the same industry, he’s 75-years-old and he still has trucks and gives us a bit of a hand as well.”

Artistic licence The 2010 Kenworth T658 you see here is a 140-tonne rated truck, which did its service not too far from its new home with the O’Briens in Normanton but previously sported the white and green livery of Curley Cattle Transport in Cloncurry, Queensland, a colour combo that Brenda wasn’t a fan of.

“Our son-in-law actually found the truck for sale at Heavy Haulage Australia for us,” Brenda says.

“Curleys are from up in our area so I guess a lot of people know they have really good spec trucks and that sort of thing so we knew it’d be a good truck to start with.”

Jon’s responsibility was to spruce the T658 and put his stamp on it, and that meant a full colour change, stripes and of course a name for the truck.

“Brenda wasn’t impressed with the Curley colours and she has a LandCruiser ute in Toyota’s ‘Merlot Red’ so I sent her a picture of a Renkie’s T909 I did in a similar colour and she loved it,” Jon says.

“I told Brenda that I wanted some artistic licence with the truck, with colour of the stripes etc. The Curley stripes are a cool design so we kept the stripes but just changed the colour of them and added some other touches.”

It’s usually about this time in any artistic endeavour where ‘creative differences’ start to emerge and the build of ‘Beer Money’ was no different.

“He called me and said he had a peachy colour for the

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 11:51:35 AM

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27/4/21 11:34 am

“The whole town is talking about it and we are just 100 per cent happy with how it turned out.” pinstripes on the truck and I nearly hit the roof,” Brenda says.

“I wondered how the hell that would look with the Merlot Red and the rest of it, but it came out really well.”

Country influence One thing they did agree on was that the truck needed a name, but coming up with a suitable handle was left to Brenda and John. John O’Brien is a big fan of country singer Kip Moore so with his favourite song being ‘Beer Money’ the choice was easy.

Getting ‘Beer Money’ from Brisbane to Normanton was a challenge also but luckily Jon was able to accommodate the O’Briens in this also.

“Brenda was a bit nervous to come down to Brisbane to pick it up and she’s been an awesome client and allowed

us to do this truck the way we wanted so I try and go that extra mile and help people out. So we took this truck up to Townsville and met her and the rest of her family there,” Jon says.

“My partner, John, and I are as happy as anything with it. I mean Jon Kelly hooked up all the hydraulics and also delivered it up to Townsville which was a big thing for us,” Brenda says.

“My John drove it back from Townsville, and he’s been operating graders for over 30 years so the truck is a new thing for him, but I don’t know if he’ll get to drive it too much because we work for local council and they’re wanting him to do what he does best and get back on a grader.”

The truck has caused a stir in its new home of Normanton, with the whole town following the build of ‘Beer Money’ and just as eager as the O’Briens to see the truck in the metal.

“The whole town is talking about it and we are just 100 per cent happy with how it turned out. Jon Kelly kept saying he wouldn’t let us down and that he’d deliver us a really good truck and he delivered on that promise,” Brenda says.

“We just want Jon Kelly to come up to the outback as the whole town has Jon Kelly stories and most of them probably have never met him before.”

Second chances to ride again are rare in this world, so to see this ex-Curley’s T658 get its mojo back and traverse its old stomping ground in a flash new suit is a pretty good deal for a little beer money, something we’re sure Jon Kelly, and Brenda and John O’Brien will agree with too.

Top: They don’t come any tougher-looking than the Kenworth T658 Above left: US country music star Kip Moore, whose 2021 hit song ‘Beer Money’ was the inspiration for the naming of the O’Brien’s Kenworth.

Photo by Wild One Publicity

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ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 11:52:10 AM

The legal view Sarah Marinovic

Opportunity to educate If a driver has made a minor, honest error, why doesn’t discretion come into play?

R

ECENTLY I’VE COME across a new example of over-the-top enforcement of work diary laws.

This time, it’s about pulling out the wrong duplicate pages.

As we all know, the Heavy Vehicle National Law has detailed rules about how to fill in the diary and what to do with the pages once they’re filled in.

Part of those rules require drivers to pull out and give their duplicate pages to their record keeper.

But did you know you could be taken to court and fined up to $11,390 if you accidentally pull out the wrong pages? And that’s for each page! I certainly didn’t until I met several drivers in that exact position and I must say they were equally surprised.

There were a couple of different mistakes these drivers made. One mistakenly pulled

out both the yellow and pink duplicate pages, and then dutifully filed them with their other records, ready to produce to the authorities if required. Another mistakenly pulled out the pink copy instead of the yellow.

Most importantly, though, these mistakes didn’t impede the proper investigation or enforcement activities of the transport inspectors in any way. The work diaries were still produced with the white pages dutifully filled out, and all the duplicates were available on request. All of the information the authorities needed to check whether the drivers had complied with their work and rest hours was available to them.

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

HONEST MISTAKES It’s situations like these that leave me wondering why they couldn’t have been dealt with as an opportunity to educate. A

conversation with the driver to explain where they had gone wrong would have done the job. Instead, valuable public resources are spent pursuing these cases through court.

In the end common sense often prevails once these get to court. The ones I’ve worked on have resulted in the Magistrate recognising that it’s an honest mistake and agreeing to waive the fine. But by that time the driver has been put to the effort and expense of attending court to plead their case.

I want to be clear that I fully support the sensible enforcement of the heavy vehicle and road transport laws. Making sure people are doing the right thing keeps all of us safe on the road. But at the same time, a bit of discretion in cases like these goes a long way.

Finally, in the hope of helping others avoid the same trap, it’s useful to reiterate the following instructions at the front of the work diary: 1. You must give the yellow copy to your record keeper within 21 days of the date recorded on it 2. You should keep the pink copy in the work diary unless: a. An authorised officer copies or seized it b. You have worked for two separate employers on that day in which case you should give the pink duplicate to the second employer.

3. Keep the white pages in the work diary and carry it with you for 28 days after the date recorded on it.

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MAY 2021 35

28/04/2021 11:35:52 AM

driver profile

LOOKING BACK AT RAZORBACK

Barry ‘Sleepy’ Grimson has enjoyed a fulfilling life in road transport, commencing with tending horses to participating in the Razorback blockade and currently behind the wheel of a Kenworth Legend 900. Warren Caves catches up with the evergreen truck driver in Shellharbour, NSW

A

SHORT HOUR-AND-A-HALF drive south of Sydney leads me to the quiet coastal hamlet of Shellharbour. My navigator announces, in her digitally sterile voice: “You have reached your destination.”

I had travelled here to interview Barry Grimson, although to most, he is more commonly known as ‘Sleepy’, a nickname given to him by his father.

If any additional confirmation was needed that I was at the correct address, I need look no further than the side fence adorned with the signage, ‘Razorback Range’ and ‘Truck Rest Area’. Yep, this is the place.

I am warmly greeted by an overall-wearing grey-

36 MAY 2021

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haired gentleman who is in mid-conversation with a neighbour out for his morning walk.

I first met Sleepy in 2016, at the BP Marulan truck stop, in strikingly similar attire. Overalls are seemingly the trademark garment of choice for Sleepy, with the only variation being the colour.

According to Sleepy, the overalls came to be after he completed a dangerous goods training course some time ago, during which the trainer explained that when transporting dangerous goods, drivers should be dressed appropriately at all times to attend to any spills or leaks should they occur.

Prior to this, Sleepy says he dressed predominantly in shorts and thongs and reasoned these did not suitably comply and, let’s face it,

running from a chemical spill in your ‘jandals’ would be no easy task. Subsequently the trademark overalls were implemented and have stuck ever since.

After chatting for a bit I get the impression that Sleepy was perhaps a bit of a larrikin in his day and has quite a few stories of the good old days of trucking that might not necessarily be seen as responsible to print. He’s a truck driver through and through.

If there was any doubt that Sleepy was not a dedicated truck driver of high standing, the fact that his wife Leslie delivered a cuppa to him during our interview in a Highway 31 travel mug drove it home.

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 11:42:23 AM

Four-legged horse power Sleepy, a post-war baby, was born into a transport family in 1945. His grandfathers – and later his father – were originally involved in horse drawn freight cartage, with one of his grandfathers, Alex Grimson, having a team of 100 horses.

Alex would cart building materials south from Sydney to somewhere along the track, meet up with other carriers carting wool and transfer loads for the return journey (who said changeovers were a recent tactic?).

Similarly, Sleepy’s other grandfather carted wood for charcoal among other things. Interestingly, according to Sleepy, both his grandfathers vehemently opposed this new-found mechanised transport system (trucks) that was evolving, citing that it would never last. In defiance, Sleepy says that neither of them ever got a licence to operate trucks when they did eventually prove as reliable as a horse.

Sleepy’s father fell into the transport business after spending his formative years tending the horse teams.

He originally carted timber with trucks to Melbourne for Slazengers, before returning with cement. This proved a handy additional income to the family sawmill and hardware business operating from Liverpool. For a time, timber was also carted from the Blue Mountains west of Sydney across the Burragorang Valley.

As a result of hanging around yards and sheds with his dad, uncles and other drivers, Sleepy would sit around listening to stories from the road and fell in love with the romance and adventure. These stories entranced him to a point where his destiny had been set.

“I was washing trucks from about the age of six or seven, I wanted to do what these guys had done,” Sleepy recalls.

“At the age of 18 I got a truck licence and started driving for my dad and uncles, firstly in a Ford F600 truck. When I started driving, I was mixing with a lot of blokes looking for that adventure of truck driving; blokes who enjoyed what they did.”

Sleepy admits to in the early days having a lot of jobs: “It was quite unbelievable; I had heaps of different jobs working for Noel Peterson and Tony Napoli among others. I didn’t really settle down until my 40s,” he laughs.

Sleepy spent many years “working on the coal” as it was known, carting coal from the Burragorang Valley to the Glenlee Washery and down to the coast for export. The black gold had been carted out of the valley for decades but had begun a slow demise with the flooding of the Burragorang Valley in 1960 by the construction of Warragamba Dam to quench the thirst of a burgeoning Sydney population.

Valley Coal was, at the time, serviced by 200 subbies and 200 company trucks operated by Foxies (S&M Fox) and Clintons, before being bought out by Cluthers.

“The road down into Burragorang Valley was that narrow, that on the descent from Nattai westbound we would have to pick our spots to pull up if another loaded truck was coming the other way, then drive onto the wrong side of the road as

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“I was mixing with a lot of blokes looking for that adventure of truck driving.”

Below: Trucks converge on Razorback for the 40th anniversary of the blockade

MAY 2021 37

28/04/2021 11:42:46 AM

to not put the loaded truck too close to the road edge, which was at risk of dropping away under the weight,” he explains.

“Work was tough at times and if a coal truck broke down, we would shovel the 20-ton load from one truck to another.”

In contrast to today’s health and safety regulations, working on the coal could be a hazardous vocation.

“If they ran out of coal at ‘the pit’ we would sometimes jump into the hopper and shovel out the remaining coal in order to make up a load, all the while keeping a keen ear on the conveyor belt above, [which kept running] listening for the first of the next lot of coal coming down before scrambling swiftly out of the way when it did.”

Blockade prelude It was during his time working on the coal that Sleepy gained experience in workplace industrial relations. “It was a unionised show and I became the delegate. That time as delegate for the coal drivers gave me the realisation that we should all get fair reward for what we did. The company paid the contractors well so that they could pay the drivers the award wage.

38 MAY 2021

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“While most of the contractors were good blokes, they did at times need reminding of what they were expected to pay the drivers.”

According to Sleepy, his dad was also known to challenge governing bodies on industry issues, being very vocal about having the Hume Highway upgraded at the infamous Tarcutta bog and other locations dating back to the early ’50s. Fighting for the transport industry it would seem for the Grimsons was somewhat genetic.

Around 1970 to ’72 saw Sleepy leave the coal game for different pursuits, including freezer van work for McGlashans of Mildura and many years working for Jimmy Bond on interstate. Eventually buying his own truck, an LNT Ford Louisville with a Cummins 903 under the bonnet. The year was now 1974.

Sleepy has many humorous tales of life on the road, such as tying his boot to the throttle pedal of an International ACCO he was driving because he had broken the return spring. This was the only way he could back off when needed.

All was going well until he was pulled up for a logbook check by the police at Kankool (Murrurundi, NSW), who asked him to get out of the cab. Sleepy replied: “I can’t, the boss ties me in here,”

promptly opening the door to show the officer the shackles binding him to the trucks throttle pedal.

Fortunately, the officer saw the funny side of the situation and Sleepy was sent on his way.

At the end of a particularly long week, Sleepy found himself northbound out of Picton in his Louisville for the final couple of hours before knocking off. With the big 903 sporting Lukey mufflers pulling up the hill and around the bend, the accompanying roar from the pipes scattered a bunch of cockatoos from their restful perches in the roadside trees. The screeching and frantic departure of the feathered flock brought bouts of laughter to Sleepy. The distraction was just what was needed to finish the run with his ‘bird-scarer’ engine living up to its name.

Sleepy had been operating his own truck for a few years but there was discontent simmering in the industry. Road taxes and what many saw as unfair competition from the rail transport sector (backed by the government of the day) were causing unrest. Tensions had been rising from the early ’70s with many letters and correspondence from concerned operators falling on deaf ears.

Without getting too political here and writing a complete history of the Razorback

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 11:43:20 AM

“When we got there we were taken by cab to a motel.”

Top: The Ted Stevens memorial parking bay at Razorback Left: Sleepy taking a break at Marulan in 2016 with Unanderra Tanker Hire’s Kenworth T909 Below: A big line-up of trucks for Razorback’s40th anniversary

ownerdriver.com.au

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blockade, I will paraphrase somewhat for this story.

According to Sleepy, the catalyst for the eventual blockade was the road tax, which was supposed to go into road and infrastructure funding, but was actually going into general revenue, leaving the roads in a less than satisfactory condition. Road transport was booming in direct competition with the rail network which the government was heavily invested in.

Some of the larger road transport players were also shifting road freight onto the rails, which left those exclusively in the road transport sector feeling as though they were subsidising rail transport via the road tax.

Many impromptu meetings and rallies were held in the years preceding the eventual blockade, with supporters concerns largely being ignored. In 1972, a group of 30 to 40 protestors blocked Macquarie Street in Sydney to draw attention to their plight. As Sleepy recalls, this rally turned into a wild brawl. The subsequent blocking of the union building in Sussex Street by a half dozen or so like-minded protestors is where Sleepy first met Ted ‘Greendog’ Stevens, lauded as one of the main instigators of the eventual blockade.

A general meeting of the Long-Distance Road Transport Association at Liverpool RSL was where the blockade idea was first discussed. Those in control of the meeting were imploring attendees to write to their local members to highlight their plight, but the letter writing had done nothing to address the situation and it seemed radical action was the only way forward.

Eventually a meeting was arranged to take place at Liverpool Speedway. According to Sleepy, 500 or more people turned up to that and another subsequent meeting at that same location, with pressure being placed upon the union for support. Under the prevailing Labor government, union backing was not forthcoming, leaving those in the industry to face the battle on their own.

Finally a decision was made to start a blockade. The top of Razorback Range on the Old Hume Highway just south of Sydney was deemed a suitable location.

“We went to the top of the hill to block the road, only to be greeted by a copper,” Sleepy recalls. “He asked if we were planning to block the road and if we were would we hurry up as his shift was about to end. Someone had obviously let the cat out of the bag.”

Sleepy says that he and the other blockade organisers expected that their trucks would simply be bulldozed off the road, but even in the face of that realisation, the determination to secure better working conditions was strong enough to prevail.

In the end, the union and TNT broke the blockade with a

MAY 2021 39

28/04/2021 11:43:48 AM

“As I get older the job has become easier.”

heavy police escort, but the point had already been made.

The eventual outcome was the abolition of the muchmaligned road tax, weight limits were raised from 36- to 39-tonnes and a moratorium on the repossession of trucks was introduced. A big win for the little guy!

The rest is already well documented by those who have researched the event more than I, but you get the idea.

Hello Comet

Top: Sleepy’s current steed – a Kenworth Legend 900 Above: Barry ‘Sleepy’ Grimson shares tales with old mates at the Razorback blockade’s 40th anniversary

40 MAY 2021

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After the blockade, Sleepy sold his truck and went back to working for Jimmy Bond before settling into a role with Comet for 10 years.

“Working for Comet was a fantastic job. We were paid one hour’s pay for every 57km we drove. We would leave Sydney for Melbourne and when we got there we were taken by cab to a motel. After our rest, we would get a phone call one and a half hours before our truck was ready to go back to Sydney.

This would give us enough time to freshen up and have dinner before we were again picked up by a cab to go back to the depot and head north again. The same was done for Brisbane runs.”

These days, as he has done for the past 16 years, Sleepy can be found at the wheel of a Kenworth Legend 900, owned by south coast-based company Unanderra Tanker Hire (UTH). UTH services the eastern seaboard of Australia, transporting bulk chemicals and liquid waste.

“UTH are a great company to work for. I started out with UTH driving a little Volvo before moving into a larger 600hp [447kW] Volvo, then later a Caterpillar-powered Kenworth SAR became available.”

Around the time of his 70th birthday, Sleepy was driving to his home after work when he spotted a lot of fancy lights in his driveway. Upon moving closer he identified the sparkling white T909 parked in his driveway was signed up with UTH branding.

“The boss Jerrimiah [JJ] had surprised me with the allocation of the new Kenworth [tanker] as a birthday present,” Sleepy says. “My wife had known all along, but didn’t let on.”

Similarly, as a 75th birthday present, Sleepy was handed the keys to a new Kenworth 900 Legend.

I asked Sleepy if he was planning to still be driving long enough to get an 80th birthday truck? He replied: “As I get older the job has become easier.

“With the compliance and regulation we adhere to it’s a lot easier than years ago. If I had to work like I did in the ’70 I wouldn’t be able to carry on, but these days all you have to do is be safe, cart the freight and get fair reward for what you do.”

Sleepy still holds a B-double licence and dangerous goods accreditation, and shows no signs of slowing down after nearly 60 years and millions of kilometres on the road.

Maybe JJ should start looking for a new truck and 80 candles?

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 11:44:19 AM

NatRoad Warren Clark

Price hike inaccuracies Despite government thinking, increasing fuel prices does not equal increased industry revenue

FINANCIAL DISINCENTIVE NatRoad has previously argued the need to consider a range of other charges that apply to the heavy vehicle sector when assessing increases in government charges.

That discussion has focused on increased costs of doing business through mandatory

ownerdriver.com.au

OWD_340_041_COL_NatRoad_GB.indd 41

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.

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HE GOVERNMENT recently announced a 2.5 per cent increase in heavy vehicle registration and road use charges from July 1, 2021.

The state governments wanted to increase these charges by over 10 per cent, but the federal government has agreed to a 2.5 per cent increase only; the first increase in two years. The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has fought to keep this increase as low as possible.

It seems that many in the state governments believe that an increase in operating costs can automatically be passed on to the customers of road freight companies. But the reality is different: very few operators have that kind of bargaining power.

The Heavy Vehicle Charges Consultation Report (Consultation Report) was released by the National Transport Commission (NTC) in January this year, where road freight industry stakeholders, such as owneroperators, were asked for their views on the proposed increases in registration costs and the road user charge. One of the questions asked was whether those increases could be passed on to their customers.

NatRoad made a submission explaining that any changes to price are often regulated in one-sided contracts that are prepared by the customer. Customers wield significant buying power and almost always have a standard form contract that they require transport operators to adhere to if they want the work.

NatRoad’s submission demonstrated that that the view owner-operators can pass on most cost increases is deeply flawed. For example, the experience of NatRoad members is that increased fuel charges actually lower profit margins, a matter evidenced in the recent COVID-19 induced recession.

In fact, many of the customer contracts we examine show that with ongoing, longerterm contracts, the customer builds in a decline in prices for the transport operator under an assumed productivity increase in the range of 5 per cent per annum. These contracts are often presented on a “take it or leave it” basis and it is for that reason that urgent reform of the unfair contract law is high on NatRoad’s policy agenda.

Quite simply, these contracts drive down operator profits.

tolling, unacceptable landside port charges and stamp duty on the purchase of newer vehicles.

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NatRoad continues to lobby governments at all levels to address these concerns. If you would like to add your voice to this continuing effort to keep charges and costs in-check, contact the NatRoad team on 1800 272 144 to let them know your experience with contract price negotiations.

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27/4/21 11:34 am

truck of the month

The immaculate restoration of this 1982 White Road Boss may have been driven by sentimental attachment, but it’s still out on the Mackay roads, five to six days a week, earning its keep in style. Warren Aitken writes 44 MAY 2021

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THE BOSS’S ownerdriver.com.au

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RESURRECTION ownerdriver.com.au

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T

he motivation behind a good restoration is often traced back to sentimental attachment.

Resurrecting a piece of personal history. Creating a showpiece truck that will honour the hard work of years gone by. The opportunity to own an influential slice of mechanical history. Or something moving and inspirational.

Every now and then though, you get a restoration project that serves two purposes. In the case of WMT’s impressive White Road Boss, It may be a testament to the past, being that it’s one of the company’s founding vehicles and rebuilding one is a great way to honour the company’s history. But the other purpose of this rebuild is simply to make money. This amazing tribute to the company’s origins is still hooking up to trailers and putting money in the bank for the family-owned company in far north Queensland.

“Mechanically-speaking, the Cummins N14 was still very sound.”

WMT, or Wayne Martin Transport, has been part of the Mackay transport landscape for nearly 40 years. Wayne Martin started the company back in 1980 with a couple of strong Aussie icons: the first truck being a 1978 White Road Commander followed closely by a White Road Boss.

Those two original trucks helped launch the success of WMT, carting anything and everything around Queensland.

Its early success was built on the back of relationships with local companies. These relationships saw WMT carting everything from containers to tallow, general freight to sugar cane and its by-products.

As the company heads into its fourth decade servicing the Mackay area, it is still going strong, predominantly carting general freight but also still doing a lot of local work with all manner of sugar cane by-products – the major industry around Mackay. The fleet has consequently expanded past the original two White trucks to a fleet of 36, though now the fleet is dominated by Kenworths, with a sprinkling of Western Stars.

The interesting thing about the Stars in the WMT colours is that there are very few new models in the stunning green livery. Most of the sparkling Stars are rebuilds and restoration projects, just like the Road Boss. All those resto projects are in-house jobs as well, with the mechanical side done by the company’s workshop. The paint and panel work is also done in-house, overseen by Wayne’s son Josh. He’s the man I sat down with to learn a little more about WMT’s stunning Road Boss.

What I learnt is Wayne loved his old Road Boss; it worked tirelessly for him and the company for many years. As did the Road Commander. While Wayne has held onto the Road Commander (I’m hoping Josh will have this in his panel shop for a resto soon), he chose to sell the Road Boss to one of his drivers who was moving back down south and was keen to buy it for his farm truck.

Top: The old neglected White Road Boss was sitting in a paddock in a neglected state when Wayne and Josh Martin found it Above left: Once the truck was stripped down the extent of the ‘couple of rust holes’ became more obvious Left: The Martins ended up almost completely replacing the entire roof as well as a fair bit of the rotted-out fibreglass bonnet

46 MAY 2021

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28/04/2021 11:04:30 AM

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27/4/21 11:35 am

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28/04/2021 11:05:13 AM

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28/04/2021 11:05:40 AM

“The boys blew holes straight through the floor and the roof.”

Top: The end result – a 40-year-old truck that looks brand new

Neglected state Skip forward a couple of decades. Wayne is still driving, as it’s in his blood, but now three of his four sons have returned to the company after mastering their trades.

Darryl and Travis returned as diesel fitters and Josh as a spray painter. For the record, the fourth son Timmy became a butcher and keeps the company’s fridge vans stocked.

Not to mention, I’m sure, the family’s freezers full. So the mechanics went to work in the workshop and Josh set about building the paint and panel side of the company – his main job being maintenance and touch-ups on the everexpanding fleet.

I also learnt from Josh that his father Wayne is a fan of old-school trucks. He built WMT in an era where roadside repairs and in-house modifications required thinking outside the box rather than plugging into a computer. So he was more than happy to stack his fleet with trucks he knew how to maintain and knew he could rely on.

The purchase of an old 1982 White Road Boss, 30-plus years after it had first turned a wheel, wasn’t just because of his love for reliable, fixable rigs. There was a touch of emotion as well. It was a truck he loved and a proven beast of a working truck. His original White was not an option, though it would have been a good one to buy back. Wayne

50 MAY 2021

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Above left: The White Road Boss starting to look like its old self Below: Wayne wanted to run the lines that ran on his original Road Boss

did know of another one in the area. It’s a truck he knew well as the owner was a friend and had done more than his fair share of work alongside WMT through the years.

Sadly, when Wayne went looking for the old White it was in a rather neglected state, hiding in a paddock under a tarp. Wayne informed Josh when he told him he wanted it resurrected that it was “not too bad, a couple of rust holes here and there”. Josh’s summation was more like “pretty rooted”.

Mechanically speaking, the Cummins N14 was still very sound. The WMT boys knew the truck’s history, having replaced the gearbox and a few other issues over the previous years. Getting the engine back up to scratch was the least of the problems. Technically, the truck was a day cab, though at some stage in its life a WMT Western Star sleeper had been mounted onto it. When it was fitted they didn’t bother integrating the bunk, leaving external access

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 11:06:24 AM

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“Getting someone who knows how to change a spider these days is harder than overtaking a grey nomad on a Sunday.”

Above: Not a show truck, the ’82 White Road Boss is out and about on the Mackay still earning its keep Below: Wayne Martin started the company back in 1980 with a couple of strong Aussie icons, the first of which was a 1978 White Road Commander

52 MAY 2021

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to the sleeper only, which meant it was a fairly easy job for Josh and the team to remove without any scars.

That was the easy part. Once Josh and his panel beater Billy Cross got the truck stripped down the extent of the ‘couple of rust holes’ became more obvious. In fact, the boys blew holes straight through the floor and the roof.

There were a lot of structural problems as well, not just superficial rust. It didn’t dissuade Billy the panel beater maestro though.

“He’s an old woman when it comes to doing it right,” Josh admiringly admits.

They ended up almost completely replacing the entire roof as well as a fair bit of the rotted-out fibreglass bonnet. A true testament to the quality of work is when

the windscreen gets refitted, and in the case of the Road Boss the screen slotted straight – perfectly. Three months of hard work paid off.

Company heritage Once Billy had worked his magic, the truck was rolled into Josh’s spray booth and the next stage began. The current company colours were always going to be the call as it was to be a working restoration, but Wayne wanted to run the lines that ran on his original Road Boss. Two weeks in the spray booth, getting multiple coats of colour followed by multiple clear coats, and the Road Boss was done.

The next man to add his touch was the talented Tony Grey from Revival Pinstriping & Signs in Airlie Beach. He came down and spent a couple of days putting his skills to work with the old-school lines and stripes.

It was decided to leave it on 10 studs rather than go back to spider rims. I’m guessing, aside from the look, the decision might have been swayed by the fact the truck would be working and getting someone who knows how to change a spider these days is harder than overtaking a grey nomad on a Sunday. Bill and Josh spent hours bringing life back to the original bullbar and the truck’s original tanks.

The end result of nearly 300 hours of blood, sweat and cursing is a 40-year-old truck that looks brand new. It would be the perfect sort of restoration to set wrapped up in private shed and venture out for all the local truck shows. But not the WMT Road Boss. Yes, it’s a reflection of the company’s heritage, a damn fine looking one at that.

It is, however, an indication of what made the company so successful, and what continues to keep the company going. With a ‘never say die’ attitude, the 1982 White Road Boss is still out on the Mackay roads, five to six days a week, earning money with style and class.

So enjoy the path this truck has taken and keep an eye out up North Queensland way because this beast will be making many more miles yet.

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 11:07:05 AM

I’ve said it before: this nation spends heaps more on teaching sport than it does on saving lives via driver training.

WILKIE’S WATCH Ken Wilkie

GOOD SERVOS SCARCE

Singled out … again Bureaucrats appear to suffer from brain fog when it comes to persecuting the road transport industry

I

T LOOKS LIKE more shiny bums are trying to justify their existence. Don’t ever consider that I discount the importance of truckies being sufficiently competent to deliver our essential service in a safe manner.

Apparently folks from the National Road Safety Strategy are calling on governments to put regulatory pressure on industry operators to purchase latest model gear so that all the latest whizz-bang technology is available to improve our safe operation. I consider this to be persecution of truck drivers and persecution of the industry.

How many more half-baked ideas do we have to suffer, such as spray suppression and the likes? Again, this industry was forced by ignorant fools to spend heaps of brass on a wish. If all road surfaces were covered by low spray asphalt, all

vehicles would produce less road fog.

If one has been driving the Pacific Highway in recent times, they would be well aware of the fog created by heavy volumes of traffic on wet concrete. It’s not just B-doubles that create road spray. To give credit to industry associations, none have been too keen on the suggestion. However, none have suggested that every driver and a good many pedestrians would benefit from driver training in secondary schools.

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

“This nation spends heaps more on teaching sport than it does on saving lives.”

On the subject of enhancing road safety via providing more rest areas: I’ve heard that numerous service stations that used to provide good driver rest points, relaxation areas, food and parking have closed. Since all governments have gotten into throwing money around like confetti, why not subsidise fuel companies to provide an essential service for an essential industry? Knowing how greedy most fuel companies are, I’m sure they would not knock back such an offer. I’d reckon they’d add it to their community service portfolio.

The farcical road train break up/hook up point at Gatton? Extend the limit a little further to Hatton Vale, for instance, so that single truck operators could utilise the extra service stations then available and not be burdened by the restrictive time allowed at the current toiletless facility.

Another case of industry persecution! A light vehicle driver moved in front of a fuel tanker, which then overturned in an effort to avoid the light vehicle. The light vehicle driver received a $550-odd fine. Sure, there were demerit points, but in a sense, demerit points are similar to being on bail. Behave yourself and they are no impost. Compare that with almost $700 for four clerical errors over the space of many months.

My required reading for the month: Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy Gibson, VC DSO DFC. If we ever need reminding that we have been lucky not to have been born in that era, this read should do it. Gibson did not survive the war.

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27/4/21 11:36 am

Your Say

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

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

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

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

Remembering a giant among truck drivers We would like to pay tribute to our great mate Stephen ‘Tiny’ Monkhouse, one of the great characters of the highway, who passed away suddenly on April 4 following a short illness, aged 70.

It was only a few months ago that Owner//Driver profiled Tiny, a giant among truck drivers in more ways than one.

Since then Tiny virtually went straight from doing SydneyMelbourne five nights a week to hospital. He never got to enjoy the retirement racing his cars that we had been encouraging him to have for a long time.

His health had been very ordinary for years, but he was extremely tough both physically and mentally, and he loved life on the road – the camaraderie with all the mates he had out there; the loyalty to the same company he had worked for in various forms for more than two decades (Bunkers, Silk then Redstar); and the job itself, which he made seem easy.

We had the privilege of working with Tiny together for Bunkers since 2013, when we were all carrying TNT out of Sydney together.

Since then we talked with Tiny most nights, and we had the honour of being number one and two on his nightly call list. We had dinner and breakfast with him a couple of times a week too.

Tiny was the life of the lunchroom in the Melbourne depot of Bunkers/ Silk/Redstar. He made everyone feel at home, whether they had been with the company for years or whether they were a nervous casual on their first day. He loved talking and engaging with people.

It didn’t matter who you were, Tiny treated everyone the same, whether they were drivers, mechanics, office staff, managers or owners. He had the rare ability to get on just as well with the managers as his fellow workers.

They loved him too at his regular 30-minute logbook break spot, the Caltex at Tarcutta, where he was part of the furniture.

Tiny loved a laugh but was straight to the point when he had to be too.

He was the complete professional who did everything properly and expected the same of others.

He would help and advise anybody, and did so on countless occasions.

His brilliant technical knowledge (he was a mechanic by trade) and ability to improvise, got many

56 MAY 2021

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Vale Stephen ‘Tiny’ Monkhouse.

Photo by Warren Caves

people – including us – out of many sticky situations out on the road, with brakes, axles, busted fifth wheels, etc.

Tiny was a truck whisperer. He would hear different noises in trucks and tell the mechanics what was wrong, and he was usually right.

Sometimes his technical knowledge was too much – you’d need to do a TAFE course for 20 years to understand some of the stuff about racing cars that he talked about.

We had so many laughs and great times with Tiny and we will never forget our friendship. He’ll live on in our passenger seats forever.

Our sympathy goes out to Tiny’s beloved family – his wife Irene, daughter Alison, son Nathan, and grandkids Amber and Adrian.

Rest in peace old mate.

Craig Barsley and Scott Peden, former Redstar drivers

Alarm for aged heavy vehicle owners What part of ‘La La land’ do Austroads inhabit? I read with disgust the proposal to increase the registration of older heavy trucks as a means of getting them off the road and improving the age of the Australian truck fleet. Do you have any idea what flow-on effect this will have on the Australia-wide community, as well as putting many small business people like myself out of business?

You just haven’t thought it through. It all sounds lovely up there in the fluffy clouds away from reality.

There seems to be total unawareness among your well-paid minions who so easily survived the extreme measures mandated to “protect” the population. There are hundreds of thousands of genuine hard working people in all areas

of society trying to hang on and keep their businesses going – don’t mention those who have already been bankrupted.

Among those who kept us functioning as a nation, look at the truck drivers who have kept people fed by delivering the goods needed, or people who may only use their trucks for comparatively brief periods. Consider the families and businesses that rely on these trucks in so many ways who will go to the wall if the “studies” are implemented. The list is endless.

Come down from your well-paid ivory towers and think about what is happening in Australia as a priority.

We ourselves have not asked for any subsidies, loans or government assistance such as JobKeeper during this crisis. My remaining cash reserves have gone to develop my small business and endeavour to keep it going in these very trying times.

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 10:57:07 AM

We were hit by drought and poor harvests. Now the rains hopefully will give us the first decent season for four years but we still have a long way to go. It will take some time and hard work before we can make up the losses to get ahead.

Note that it will be some years, not an instant fix.

If you want to improve the age of the trucking fleet, I suggest you disband your noxious study groups and use the monies saved to buy us all the vehicles you seem to think we need. I hope your proposals end up where they belong – in the WPB. Private enterprise and minimal government involvement is what will help us recover, not punitive taxing measures, restricting road access, etc., to satisfy egos (not forgetting appeasing those really important international government think tanks) all the while filling depleted government coffers.

Apparently the rank depths of government feel all private enterprises are rich and can afford any dictatorial measures dreamed up in committees and research groups. I really don’t care and I am certain everyone else feels the same that: “Across the world, governments have taken action to reduce the impacts of aged trucks in their jurisdictions.” This is now; this is Australia 2021 with so many livelihoods destroyed and people

ruined. Reality and recovery after COVID-19 means private enterprise must be allowed to get back on its feet, but not by kicking it into a deep abyss.

Our enterprises must be allowed to flourish. Hard work and endeavour creates real wealth and growth, which amazingly produces the taxes to pay the wages of government people, not these endless costly studies.

To quote from your web page on the subject: “Our study presents examples of actions that could directly influence the aged truck fleet. These can be broadly classified into four types of action: road access restrictions, financial penalties, financial incentives, and retrofit/ repower programs.”

What a lot of hogwash. Nothing about encouraging private enterprises, and the “financial

incentives” and “retrofit/repower programs” (whatever that means in committee speak) will come at a cost. We all comprehend the threats of “road access restrictions” and “financial penalties”.

Private enterprise will in time recover, update and improve (we may even be able to afford a new truck), but not at the point of a gun.

Julie Tadman Wamuran, 4512

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oversize loads

T

HERE ARE A couple of really good reasons why I don’t get out to do many oversize shoots these days. Number one, because photographing them requires a special sort of skill set. Moving objects, at night, in poorly lit areas, yeah it’s tough. When you do jag some good shots it’s worth it, but there’s always a lot of shots just not sharp enough, or a little too dark. It is a real challenge. That’s not the main reason though.

The main reason is that you have to be up really, really early! Or sometimes really, really late. However, when you find out a classic fighter jet is going to be doing a lowlevel pass through the streets of Sydney, well you just can’t pass that up.

Boy, am I glad I sacrificed my much-

58 MAY 2021

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needed beauty sleep earlier this year and stayed up for this shoot though. Nearly 12 months of planning and preparation had gone into this and, finally, the Clein Group’s Kenworth K200 left Bankstown Airport with a huge piece of RAAF history in tow – a 1968 Dassault Mirage III Jet Fighter.

Lucky for me the first folk I ran into while we awaited the 9pm departure time for the Mirage were the delightful John and Anne Parker. John and Anne run Warbirds Online and are heavily invested in a lot of major airplane restoration projects. Along with the Hunter Fighter Collection board they played an integral part in this major restoration and relocation project.

Once the mighty Mirage is restored it will spend the next 10 years on display at the soon-to-be-opened Scone Warbird Attraction, obviously in Scone. When the

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 10:50:06 AM

PLANE SAILING

Hauling a jet fighter through Sydney’s streets and motorways is no mean feat, but for the top gun team at Clein Transport Solutions it was another day at the office. Warren Aitken tags along for the flight

museum is completed and opens at the end of 2021 there will be around 16 historic planes on display, as well as joy rides, flight simulators and plenty of other attractions.

It’s more than enough to entice me back for sure.

John and Anne were able to fill me in on the aircraft. It’s a 1969 Dassault Mirage III IIIO(F) and has spent its entire life based in Australia. Already I was learning stuff. I’d always assumed that, as a French aircraft, the Mirage originated in France. However, John informed me, like many, this Mirage III was built in the Government Aircraft factory in Victoria back in 1969.

The plane spent most of its time in the 76th Squadron and had the notoriety of being flown by the world’s oldest fighter pilot, squadron leader Phillip Frawley.

Obviously, he wasn’t the world’s oldest

ownerdriver.com.au

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Right: One of the tightest squeezes in Sydney was the toll booths coming off the M2 Opposite bottom: Justin Clein takes centre stage as he gathers in his team and the team of pilots to go over the plan one last time before the fly off

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Top: Sitting outside Bankstown airport, the Clein’s K200 looks almost small compared to the big Mirage Right: The Clein Group team take a few minutes break to check everything is nice and secure before they tackle Sydney’s Pennant Hills Rd Opposite top: Just getting out of the city streets is a mission when you’re over 8m wide Opposite bottom: A police escort helped ease the way

60 MAY 2021

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ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 10:51:14 AM

when he flew this particular Mirage; that came in 2012 when he surpassed a 60-year-old F-16 pilot.

Delicate relocation The Mirage had spent the last decade at the Bankstown Museum, which has now closed, leading to John and Anne helping to arrange its restoration and relocation to Scone.

Enter Clein Transport Solutions. Justin Clein and his heavy haulage team have built up quite a reputation when it comes to these types of delicate aircraft relocations. Hence, they were the first port of call for this shift.

“It was 12 months in the making,” Justin informs me when I ask how long it takes to organise things, going on to explain that COVID played a massive hand in things as well. Clein Transport Solutions had been hired to not just move the Mirage to Scone but also an Aermacchi MB-326 jet from the Amberley RAAF base in Queensland down to Scone as well.

“When COVID hit they basically closed down the airbase to everyone.”

So as the coronavirus pandemic did to everyone, it threw a spanner at the Hunter Fighter Collection’s plans as well.

“We spent a good three to four solid months with different councils … TMR and stuff to get it approved,” he explains, adding that it was still getting worked on and finalised right up until the night before.

Preparation for a move like this saw Justin and his team doing a couple of dry runs, measuring out all the areas where it would get a bit tight with the 8.5m-wide plane. Their plan was then backed up by a third party who did an independent evaluation.

It’s worth noting that all the planning in the world can’t avoid last minute hiccups. Thankfully the only minor hiccup would have occurred during the navigating of Muswellbrook where a local company had installed new fencing and signs

“We spent a good three to four solid months with different councils.”

ownerdriver.com.au

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“The 330km journey took nearly eight hours.” that would have been an issue, if it wasn’t for an oversize load the night before ripping it all down. Timing, hey?

Obviously the old Mirage wasn’t moving to the truck on its own accord so on the early hours of Friday morning a crane was brought in and the eight-tonne aircraft was lifted over the airfields fence and delicately placed on the custom build setup on the back of the Clein Transport Solution’s Kenworth K200. The morning was spent strapping it down and making sure it was set to go when Justin’s driver arrived ready to head out at 9pm.

Intersections checked

Top: The final hurdle: A very tight roundabout straight off a narrow bridge, but easily managed by the crew, then it was just a simple run to the airport. Well done guys!

Above: Negotiating the streets of Scone; its airport the last challenge for team Clein and one it handled with ease Below: Pennant Hills Rd was definitely an easier journey at this hour of the night

62 MAY 2021

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Word can spread pretty quickly among both oversize load fans and aircraft enthusiasts when there’s a special move on. So, when the truck pulled out onto Milperra Rd, there was already a small crowd watching.

The stressful exercise of getting underway through Sydney’s narrower streets and onto the motorways required incredible finesse from not just the driver, Steve Sternberg, but also Justin and his chauffer Stephen Joyce, who were flat out checking every intersection and corner, jumping out and guiding the truck through, often with mere centimetres to spare.

Once the boys hit Sydney’s motorways it was fairly good running, with the police escorts ensuring there wasn’t your typical highway idiots trying to squeeze up the inside.

The 330km journey took nearly eight hours, concluding with a concentrated effort through the back roads of Scone to get to the airport. It gave me another opportunity to watch the high level of skill as the team squeezed round corners and roundabouts that bear the scars of a few 4WDs that failed to negotiate the roads.

The Clein team and the Mirage were greeted with a welcoming committee of around 400 people, a celebratory reception. They all watched as the Mirage was lifted off the truck and placed in its new home. It had been a year-long project, brought to an end by an eight-hour road trip.

Well done to all those involved. I can’t wait for the Scone Warbird Experience to open in late 2021; I’ll be there for sure!

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 10:52:13 AM

regulation of the top of the supply chain so that wealthy companies at the top can no longer blankly refuse to pay more for their goods to be transported, leaving other elements of the supply chain scrapping among themselves to stay afloat.

This is why we need a system of safe rates, backed by an independent tribunal, which can look at the entire supply chain and regulate to ensure transport operators and drivers are not financially squeezed.

TWU Michael Kaine

Sneaky stevedores Stevedores appear to be unstoppable in their pursuit of milking dollars from truck operators

T

HERE IS AN issue that happening at our ports that shows how our industry is in desperate need of regulation.

Out of the blue, with no warning or explanation, stevedores, which handle the containers coming in and out of our ports, began unilaterally imposing charges on trucking companies on a container basis. Since 2017 these charges have increased and new charges have been imposed.

The simple fact is that stevedores at our ports were able to impose the charge on trucking operators and there is no organisation or agency that can stop them. The financial burden on transport will cost jobs – and risk lives.

The hike in fees for containers reads like something out of an extortion racket. Since 2017, per-container charges have jumped from $24 to $121 in New South Wales. In Victoria charges have gone from $27 to $128. In Queensland the jump has been from $34 to $118.

The revenues and profits scooped up by the stevedores by these fees are huge.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in its annual port monitoring report states that: “As an industry, the stevedores collected $256.4 million in revenues from Terminal Access Charges in 2019– 20. This figure is 51.9 per cent higher than the $168.8 million recorded in the previous year.”

Total revenue increased to $1.4 billion in 2019–2020, with operating profit up almost 10 per cent. In 2018–2019 the ACCC reported that revenues generated by charges imposed on transport companies rose by 63 per cent.

Even last year the ACCC says port operators saw higher earnings last year despite shipping volumes plunging because of the pandemic.

But stevedores aren’t content to leave it there. They have begun introducing ridiculous charges that attack our industry’s efficiency and productivity. These new charges are piling on more pressure and costing operators subsisting on tight margins significant sums.

Stevedores have even been caught out at one point trying to explain the need for the charges by blaming rising rents by the ports. However, NSW Ports explained this wasn’t the case – and that in fact rent charged to stevedore Patrick at Port Botany had dropped.

What is occurring at our ports is corporate bullying and evidence that

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companies at the top of the transport supply chain know they can get away with doing what they like.

GOVERNMENT IGNORANCE The Transport Workers Union, along with reputable industry bodies, has been calling for years for an investigation into these charges and for regulation to ensure against this kind of financial squeeze on transport. Port operators like ACFS have bravely spoken out about the effect on the industry.

But the federal government has ignored the problem while the ACCC says it is powerless to act.

What this issue shows is just how vulnerable our industry is to exploitation.

Perhaps the stevedores are themselves under pressure from the clients that they deal with when it comes to moving their goods through ports, such as wealthy retailers and manufacturers.

But is the answer to this to go after the companies which can least afford to pay more and where all the risks to safety are borne? Wouldn’t it make sense to go after the multi-billion dollar companies at the top, like Amazon, which is responsible for so much freight movement nowadays, and make them pay instead to ensure their goods are being moved safely and fairly?

This is precisely why we need

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

PUSH FOR REGULATION Ports, like any other element of the road transport industry, are displaying the effects of the risks to safety that are a direct result of that squeeze.

Poor safety outcomes prompted the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal to open an investigation into the port sector, before it was torn down in April 2016. At a hearing on the inquiry in 2015, evidence was presented about how pay rates at the ports for drivers and operators do not cover the time or cost it takes to carry out work. It heard there was increasing pressure to speed, drive for long hours, skip breaks and overload trucks. One port driver gave evidence of how he lost a finger because of lack of maintenance on a side loader vehicle and how friends of his had died unloading containers at the ports.

This is what happens when safety is held to ransom for profits. This is what happens when road transport is left vulnerable to companies throughout the supply chain intent on gouging it.

This is why we are pushing for regulation and accountability at the top of the supply chain. We are fighting for this as a united industry of reputable employer associations, operators and drivers. For those interested in getting involved go to: www.twu.com.au

“We need regulation of the top of the supply chain.”

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28/04/2021 10:28:25 AM

EYES ON THE ROAD Rod Hannifey

Come along for a ride For suit-wearers who’d like to see life through a truck driver’s eyes, the passenger door is open

I

AM NOW a month into my sixth week of wearing a sling after shoulder and tendon surgery. It is a bugger sleeping with the sling on. But not only did I miss all of the flooding and detours many of you suffered, I’m not worried about getting tired on the road. Even trying to type is taking me much longer, but I was told if I did not have the surgery, I may not be able to lift my right arm above my shoulder within two years. I need to work a bit longer than that before I might get to retire.

I had an email problem when I got home after surgery and that took hours on the phone and is still not resolved properly. They now want me to pay to fix it, or I will have to sort through nearly 11,000 emails. Not something I am keen on doing at the moment.

I have done some Zoom meetings, one of which was the AGM for the National Road Freighters Association (NRFA). The AGM and conference last year was held in Dubbo, but I was away filming our ‘Sharing The Road With Caravans’ videos for Whiteline Television at Glendambo, so I could not attend. However, I got the call to say I had been elected vicepresident.

With the virus and members covering most states and to meet our statutory requirements, it was decided to do it via Zoom this year and hope to be back to a physical AGM and conference next year. Gordon McKinlay has done a terrific job representing members and was often ideally placed at Albury to be able to attend meetings. Gordon has now stepped down from the president’s role but has agreed to remain on the board and fill in if possible.

So I was elected as president with Trevor Warner as vice-president, plus there are some new and experienced board members

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filling other roles. Please have a look at www.nrfa.com.au for those names, roles and membership details.

I have been on the board of NRFA for a number of years, often as the only employed driver, among a passionate group of ownerdrivers. To me, they are the only truly grassroots group, all on the road seeking both representation and change. We currently have an agreement in place to work with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) on aims and issues. Sure, not everyone is a fan of unions, but they do look after members who work in depots and have the infrastructure and people to be able to pursue issues that a smaller group simply cannot hope to have.

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. Rod is the current president of the NRFA. Contact Rod on 0428 120 560, e-mail rod.hannifey@bigpond. com or visit www.truckright.com.au

RIDING SHOTGUN I welcomed the new CEO of the Australian Trucking Association, Andrew McKellar, and have phoned him with an invitation to come along for a ride in the next TruckRight Industry Vehicle. Glenn Sterle has also agreed to do a trip and so, subject to Covid settling down, I may well have a few passengers when I’m back on the road.

I have said many times – if you want change, you have to be involved. I started many years ago with the Australian Road Train Association, as the CEO John Morris was based in Dubbo. At the time John said to me: “You can’t do it all on your own; we will help a bit if we can.” They gave me a spot as driver liaison on their committee and even helped me get to Canberra for the National Inquiry into Road Safety in 2003 where I was the only truck driver to appear after I had put in a written submission before being asked to attend.

The biggest disappointment was that, of the

BELOW LEFT: Former ATA CEO Ben Maguire took the plunge back in 2018 and went along for a ride in the TruckRight Industry Vehicle with Rod Hannifey. Photo Whiteline TV You Tube

35 recommendations from the inquiry only two were specifically mine, one being the blue reflector marking of informal truck bays. The other, after having been asked by the chair to make a second submission, was regarding the marking of the length of overtaking lanes. I was a party to three other submissions but, even now, the government has never acted on any.

Still we try. Yes, you may well say I do most of my stuff alone, not through want of trying to get support from others, including the TWU, the ATA, NatRoad and others in the past. Each of them has their role and is committed to serving their members, so what I have sought help or support for has not been a focus for them, and that’s fine.

MEMBER POWER I won the NatRoad (2000) and then the ATA (2001) Driver of the Year awards and have been nominated for other ATA awards. Ben Maguire, the former ATA CEO, came along for a trip with me in the truck. In addition, both the ATA and NatRoad have, in recent times, been very vocal and strong on the need for more truck rest areas.

But no group can survive or achieve anything without members. While many people may join, it is always a core few that put in much of the effort. The three main groups mentioned above all have lots of members and paid staff, but the NRFA does not. However, it is still growing and I will be blatantly supportive of them. All I ask is that, if you don’t think you can get help with on-road issues elsewhere, please consider joining the NRFA and give them a chance to achieve more.

Well done to Health in Gear getting its website www.healthingear.com.au up and running. There are many useful hints and tips to improve your on-road health. I am one of six ambassadors for them and, along with the other five, hope to see you all consider and use this information.

If you know it all, well and good, but even if you pick up one piece of info that helps you, then it has been worth you looking.

“If you want change, you have to be involved.”

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28/04/2021 10:26:42 AM

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when continuously balanced with the Centramatic high capacity balancer. A standard 22.5-inch trailer balancer capacity is approximately 24–26oz/750g.

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Centramatic balancing media is solid Durametal spheres – a hardened alloy 10 times harder than lead. The rings are about a third full of a synthetic oil, the function of which is to lubricate, dampen vibration and help balance. However, a liquid alone would merely flatten out under centrifugal force at high speed and wouldn’t transfer the full benefit of its total weight, which is why Centramatic uses the benefits of a solid and a liquid.

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Above: US steer balancer Below: Centramatic also supplies in-house alignment tools

Give Centramatic a call today on 1300 822 765 or email info@centramatic.com.au for a brochure and to see how you can benefit from total vehicle automatic balancing on your trucks or use your own in-house alignment equipment.

“FITTING YOUR WHEELS WITH CENTRAMATIC WHEEL BALANCERS THEREFORE IMPROVES TYRE LIFE, TYPICALLY BY 15–35 PER CENT PLUS”

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28/04/2021 12:34:27 PM

brisbane truck show

QUEENSLAND MINISTERS PRAISE INDUSTRY FESTIVAL

Mark Bailey and Stirling Hinchliffe underline the importance of Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week

T

he Queensland government has rolled out some big guns in support of one of its biggest and most sustained industry events – the 2021 Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week (AHVIW) and the events under its umbrella.

Two ministers have put the state government’s weight behind the initiative, which is facilitated by industry body Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA), owners and organisers of the Brisbane Truck Show, and now the accompanying South Bank Truck Festival.

The heavy-duty showing is a tribute to the importance officially attached to it and HVIA chief executive Todd Hacking states that the Queensland government’s support enabled the expansion of the iconic industry event into South Bank Parklands and across the city.

“We are extremely grateful to the Queensland government and the City of Brisbane for coming on board to enable this initiative to come to life,” Hacking says.

“They recognise that the Brisbane Truck Show is a vital Queensland business, tourism and cultural asset, recognised internationally amongst the world’s leading industry business events.

“This is such an important occasion for our industry to get together. The business that is done at the show is incredibly important but this year, more than ever, it is an important reunion.

“It is a reward for the incredible job that has been done keeping Australia moving over the last 18 months through drought, bushfires and the pandemic.”

Tourism minister Stirling Hinchliffe welcomes the return of Queensland’s big wheels to Brisbane.

“Whenever big rigs and heavy machinery are on show in one location, they draw a crowd,” Hinchliffe says.

“Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week brings together an industry that’s vitally important to all Queenslanders, whether its delivering food to supermarket distribution centres or building the infrastructure our growing state needs.

“The 2019 Brisbane Truck Festival brought almost 40,000 visitors to the capital and contributed more than $21 million to our overnight visitor economy.

“In its new format, AHVIW is expected to provide a significant boost for the local economy.

“The Queensland government is investing in business events to help kick start the conference industry, which has been hit hard by the global COVID pandemic.

“This is great opportunity to attract interstate business visitors to Brisbane and support local jobs in the tourism, conference and logistics industries.”

Moving economy State transport and main roads minister Mark Bailey says his government’s support reflects all Queenslanders’ gratitude for the efforts of freight operators, businesses and industry, in keeping the economy moving.

“The heavy vehicle industry’s role in that effort, working with our government to establish dedicated freight lanes at border controls, was critical and helped ensure our state is today the place to be,” Bailey says.

“Our collective efforts mean the Palaszczuk government can now focus on the state’s economic recovery plan and keep construction powering on to create jobs.”

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Bailey points out that freight volumes in Queensland are expected to grow more than 20 per cent over the next decade.

“That is why we are delivering our fifth record roads and transport program: a $26.9 billion pipeline of work over the next four years to support freight efficiency and safety,” he says.

“While supporting greater productivity for our heavy vehicle industry, it will also spark 23,600 jobs at a time we need them most.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with heavy vehicle industry to support its growth in Queensland and beyond, and to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.

“I would like to welcome you all to this year’s Brisbane Truck Show – an event we’ve been able to host because of your efforts to manage the COVID19 pandemic – and congratulate the organisers for bringing together this industry despite the challenges of the pandemic.”

Family friendly Among the AHVIAW attractions are: • A new Future Fuels and Sustainability Hub at the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show • an expanded Technology and Innovation Centre • the South Bank Truck Festival featuring a truck and trailer display along Little Stanley Street and Stanley Street Plaza • the National Apprentice Challenge, staged live at the South Bank Piazza including Jobs Hub and innovation masterclass series • Laservision water projection spectacular at Streets Beach • family friendly Rainforest Play Zone and TruckFest Outdoor Cinema plus other live free entertainment • Civil Construction Field Days heavy equipment and machinery show.

HVIA notes that AHVIW is underpinned by a set of themes that exhibitors chose to represent the values of the heavy vehicle industry: safety, innovation,

sustainability, knowledge, careers and community.

“Those themes really do a great job of capturing our capability and our aspirations in just a few keywords,” Hacking says.

“The truck and trailer displays, along with all the other entertainment and events throughout South Bank, the Brisbane CBD, and other venues across Brisbane, shine a light on our industry in a way that has never been possible before.

“The opportunity to showcase our industry in this spectacular location provides the perfect opportunity to share our story with the community in a tangible and lasting way.”

Beyond the walls of the BCEC, the Jobs Hub and the HVIA National Apprentice Challenge, will showcase career opportunities to the broader community with free entry at the South Bank Piazza amphitheatre.

Hacking emphasises the heavy vehicle industry offers diverse and rewarding career paths.

“With hundreds of jobs available directly from Jobs Hub exhibitors, this will open doors to young people just entering the workforce and others considering something new,” he says.

“The Australian community has really come to appreciate how important our industry is to Australia’s resilience, and there has never been a better time to get on board.

He underlines that the week is about expressing pride in the heavy vehicle industry while starting a conversation with the broader community about its innovation, local manufacturing and sustainability; about road safety, skills development, education and careers.

“We’re having conversations around workplace safety, health and wellbeing and importantly, our connection with the community that we both serve and belong to,” he says.

“We encourage every participant to fully embrace the opportunities that the Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week offers and to be a part of sharing our great story.”

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28/04/2021 9:55:06 AM

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27/4/21 11:37 am

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

New music on show Six new release albums to cater for diverse tastes O.M. DAYS Raf Rundell

SWEEP IT INTO SPACE Dinosaur Jr.

BE HERE INSTEAD Parker Millsap

Heavenly Recordings www.rafrundell.com

Jagjaguwar www.dinosaurjr.com

Thirty Tigers/Cooking Vinyl www.parkermillsap.com

Raf Rundell had worked behind the scenes of the British music industry before teaming with Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard in 2009.

However, Rundell’s serious attempt at a solo career came in 2018 with his debut album Stop Lying. For new release O.M. Days he continues along the rhythmic funk direction, with help from a few likeminded friends, including Chaz Jankel, formerly with legendary ’70s rock band Ian Drury & The Blockheads, who adds his distinctive sound to the danceable ‘Monsterpiece’. Soul singer Terri Walker takes the lead on ‘Always Fly‘, an R&B track stacked with rich harmonies, and ‘Luxury’ boasts ‘80s-style vocals from English band Man & The Echo amid offbeat percussion and other effects. Lias Saoudi, of English rock band Fat White Family, adds his subtle touches to ‘Ample Change’, one of O.M. Days’ more laid back tracks.

Sweep It Into Space, Dinosaur Jr.’s 12th album, was originally scheduled for release in 2020 but COVID put an end to that.

However, it’s been worth the wait for fans of the Michigan rock trio. Heavy guitar licks abound on ‘I Met The Stones’, and there’s grinding riffs on the opening track ‘I Ain’t’ amid lead singer Joseph Mascis’ familiar grungy vocals – not unlike those of Dave Grohl. Bass player Lou Barlow sings his own composition and softens the tone on ‘Garden’, and again on ‘You Wonder’. Guest guitarist Kurt Vile brings his 12-string to the upbeat ‘I Ran Away’, complementing Mascis’ almost subdued lead vocals. Dinosaur Jr. then takes a more aggressive tone on the quicker ‘Hide Another Round’, and there’s a hint of Jamaican music on ‘Take It Back’. Sweep It Into Space fits into the category of raw but melodic rock.

Singersongwriter Parker Millsap, from the US state of Oklahoma, is up to album number six with his new release, Be Here Instead. Written in parts during the COVID lockdown, his new music travels from the powerful pleading ballad ‘Empty’ to the mid-tempo ‘In Your Eyes’, a track on which Millsap lets his strong vocals run free. He takes time out to view life as a phase on ‘Passing Through’, a roots-type number, while ‘In Between’ is a quiet, acoustic guitar-backed track. ‘The Real Thing’, a song about touring and FaceTime catch-ups, starts off in similar fashion before evolving into layers of acoustic guitar riffs and a catchy melody, its impact aided by folk singer Erin Rae’s backing vocals. Arguably the best track honours go to ‘Dammit’, which starts with an incessant U2-style base line before building to a rock anthem.

TIMELINES Michael Fix & Mark Cryle

GET ON BOARD The Badloves

TOMORROWLAND Bob Evans

Independent www.michaelfix.com

Warner Music www.thebadloves.com.au

Universal Music www.bobevans.com.au

Award-winning guitarist Michael Fix has generally preferred to let his six-string Maton do the talking. However, a meeting with Brisbane-based singer-songwriter Mark Cryle (formerly of Brisbane band Spot the Dog) opened a new chapter in his long career. Hence, the resultant album Timelines – subtitled “Australian Stories In Song” – is an all-vocal affair. The pair gel well, especially on ‘The Lamps Of Valparaiso’, an emotive tale of Tasmanian convicts stealing a brig in 1834, while ‘Quarantine’, a cheerful ditty, is a timely reminder of the Spanish flu pandemic.

Fix recalls his Port Kembla upbringing on ‘Coppertown Blues’, a track that previously appeared on his 2014 album Lines & Spaces but gets a thorough overhaul here – it's a cool mix of rock, blues and Crosby-Nash style harmonies. ‘The Granville Train’, a poignant reminder of the 1977 rail disaster, is another strong track on what is a classy, well-produced album.

Australian rock band The Badloves, who have disbanded and reformed a number of times since the early ’90s, are back on the touring trail as well as recently releasing a couple of new tracks.

To embrace the occasion, Warner Music has re-released a "deluxe edition" of Get On Board, The Badloves’ debut album in 1993 that garnered three ARIA awards. The 11 original tracks have stood the test of time, notably the bluesy ‘Green Limousine’ and the soulful ‘I Remember’. And who could forget the duet with Jimmy Barnes on a cover of The Band's classic track ‘The Weight’. As with all re-releases, this deluxe edition features four bonus tracks, recorded back in 1993 as part of the "Triple J Live At The Wireless" series.

The Badloves don’t miss a beat on ‘Sugar Daddy’ with frontman Michael Spiby delivering a great blues vocal, and again on the live version of ‘Lost’. Definitely an album worth revisiting.

Australian singersongwriter Bob Evans (real name Kevin Mitchell), as well as fronting rock band Jebediah, has proved popular with his solo output.

Evans scored big with his 2006 album Suburban Songbook and the hit single ‘Don’t You Think It’s Time?’. However, he’s likely to surpass those efforts with Tomorrowland, his sixth studio album.

While his earlier work was mostly acoustic and “unplugged”, this new album has Evans moving more into rock territory.

He takes his vocals to a higher register on ‘Falling’, a vibrant rock track which contrasts with ‘Luxury Car’, a softer, smoother mid-paced number. There’s a Dylan flavour to the piano-backed ‘I Don’t Wanna Do Anything (Without You)’, and delivers one of the album’s best with ‘Born Yesterday’, a track that echoes The War On Drugs’ sound. Jangling guitars are a feature of the ’60s-flavoured ‘Concrete Heart’, rounding out a great album.

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Country Corner LEFTOVER FEELINGS John Hiatt with The Jerry Douglas Band New West Records www.johnhiatt.com

John Hiatt has one of the most distinctive voices in US contemporary music. As well as his releasing own albums since 1974, many other artists have recorded his songs over the years. In this new venture, Hiatt has teamed up with in-demand dobro and lap steel guitarist Jerry Douglas.

Recorded in Nashville, Leftover Feelings boasts 11 lyrically strong songs. ‘All The Lilacs In Ohio’, with its fiddle backing, is about an unrequited late night dalliance; Hiatt appears to be mimicking Elvis on the road song ‘Long Black Electric Cadillac’; and there’s nice blues harmonica to the slow but determined ‘Mississippi Phone Booth’. A meeting of two top musicians in country music territory, Leftover Feelings will be released on May 21.

FINALLY CLEAR Raechel Whitchurch Compass Bros/Universal www.raechelwhitchurch.com

Australia’s Raechel Whitchurch had already kicked a few goals before the release of Finally Clear, her debut album, earning praise for her 2016 EP Outlaw. Whitchurch wrote or co-wrote all but one of these 13 new tracks, the exception being Buddy and Julie Miller’s ‘Wide River To Cross’. She recruits The Flood’s Kevin Bennett for the witty duet, ‘I Used To Think I Was An Outlaw’, and delivers another whimsical track, ‘There’s Enough To Go Around’. Whitchurch salutes her parents on ‘Too Much Work To Do’, and presents a “reimagined” version of her previously released ‘Sure Thing’. Whitchurch possesses a pure country vocal and with a host A-grade musicians and Matt Fell’s production, she’s on a winner with Finally Clear.

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 11:32:42 AM

THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

WHAT’S ON upcoming events BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW

May 13-16, 2021. Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Qld Organised by Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA), the Brisbane Truck Show is held every two years and attracts approximately 290 exhibitors and up to 40,000 attendees. As the largest event of its type in the southern hemisphere, the Brisbane Truck Show stands alone as the premier event in Australia for the transport industry showcasing the latest in heavy vehicles, technology, engineering and innovation.

For further info see the website at www.brisbanetruckshow.com.au

CONVOY FOR THE CURE TOWNSVILLE May 30, 2021. Townsville, Qld

The Convoy For The Cure, expected to attract more than 200 trucks and 100 motorbikes, will start at 9am from Webb Drive, then Duckworth St, Dalrymple Rd, Thuringowa Drive, Riverway Drive to Ross Dam Park. Entry $100 per truck, $50 per motorcycle. Sponsored by radio station Power 100 and Brown & Hurley. All funds to be donated to children’s brain cancer research charity The Cure Starts Now. For further details see the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ Convoy-for-The-Cure-180333995784683. For donations see the website www.givenow.com.au/crowdraiser/public/convoyforthecure

Townsville Convoy back on track

ALEXANDRA TRUCK UTE & ROD SHOW

Convoy For The Cure will be run on May 30, with funds being directed into brain cancer research in children

SA TRUCK AND UTE SHOW

ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S largest charity convoys, and the biggest in north Queensland, is back on the calendar following COVID-19 restrictions in 2020.

The 2021 Convoy For The Cure, sponsored

by Brown & Hurley, will take place in Townsville on May 30.

“Last year the event moved simply due to COVID-19 issues, but this year we are moving back to its traditional month of May,” says convoy director Todd Martin.

Now in its fifth year, Convoy For The Cure participants are requested to pay an entry fee, with all proceeds going to the local charity The Cure Starts Now. Convoy registration is $100 per truck and $50 per motorcycle. However, individuals and companies are encouraged to bid for the lead truck position. In 2018, more than $20,000 was raised by Longpocket Earthmoving for the right to lead the convoy.

In addition, the 2021 ‘People’s Truck’, a refurbished 1985 Scania 112H 6x4, will cater for those who don’t have a trucking connection and wish take part in this worthy cause.

“We’re encouraging members of the public to make a donation to the cause and get their name or logo on the side of the tipper body. In previous years this concept has been a great way of including Australians who are not truckies, but who want to make a contribution to the fundraising.

“We’re sponsored by the local Power100 radio station which will promote the

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event throughout the run-up and during the day as well,” Martin says.

However, the Scania is also vying for the position of lead truck in the convoy.

The historic truck is owned by Ross Gofton, a cane farmer who lives just outside Townsville. A while ago he bought six Scanias on their retirement from the city council. The Scania 112 to be used in the convoy has been repainted, has new seats, and is in generally very sound order despite having had 35 years on the road as a tipper.

The truck is now dedicated to static display and charitable activities and has been painted throughout in two-pack paint. The cab is finished in Scania blue, with a red chassis. The tipper body is pristine in glowing white.

“The good people in our community come together with one aim to find a cure for a disease that doesn’t stop during COVID and neither will we in our efforts to beat cancer,” says The Cure Starts Now director Ren Pedersen, who lost his daughter Amy to brain cancer in 2009.

The cavalcade of trucks rolling through Townsville will exceed 15 km at its peak, with some trucks expected to arrive from as far away as the Northern Territory.

Radio station Power 100 will broadcast the convoy live with thousands expected to line the streets to witness over 200 trucks and 100 motorcycles along the route.

June 13, 2021. Alexandra, Victoria

Celebrating 25 years. Sunday Show ’n Shine on Alexandra’s main street.

Includes live music, Victorian woodchop tournament, exhibitions and trade displays, kids’ amusements. Be early for Saturday June 12 truck driver’s memorial service at 2pm and sponsors’ dinner at 6pm.

For truck show details email trucks@alexandratruckshow.com.au, or for further info phone Gordon Simpson on 0409 577 212, Andrew Embling on 0418 266 038 or see the website www.alexandratruckshow.com.au

June 13, 2021. Mannum, SA

Sponsored by The Truck Factory. Mannum’s main streetscape will become one massive trucking garage with polished prime movers, trucks and utes from across the state and over the border. Show ’n Shine, trade displays, live entertainment at Pretoria Hotel and more.

For further into see the website at www.satruckanduteshow. com.au or the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ SaTruckAndUteShowMannum

CASINO TRUCK SHOW

August 7, 2021. Casino, NSW Show sponsored by North Coast Petroleum. Westlawn Finance Truck Parade will roll through Johnston and Centre Sts from 10am on Saturday. Truck registrations ($30 each) from 6am at the Casino Industrial Area on the town’s east side. Includes live music, amusements and markets. Over $12,000 in cash and prizes. Presentation at 2pm. The blinged-up trucks from across Australia will be parked in the CBD. For further info email info@casinotruckshow.com.au or Darren Goodwin at dtgoodwin1@yahoo.com.au; website www.casinotruckshow.com.au and Facebook page. Phone 02 6662 8181 or 0424 340 330.

NATROAD CONFERENCE 2021

August 19 to 21, 2021. Gold Coast, Qld After a difficult year for road freight operators, NatRoad is pleased to invite members to the NatRoad National Conference 2021, to be held at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort, Gold Coast from August 19 to 21. Includes the ‘NatRoad Parliament’ and the NatRoad Awards presentation at the Gala Dinner.

For further info see the website at www.natroad.com.au/eventsnetworking/2021-conference

NATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORT HALL OF FAME REUNION 2021 August 23 to 29, 2021. Alice Springs, NT

The National Transport Historical Society and The Old Ghan Historical Society has the announced the inaugural ‘Festival of Transport’. As well as the regular reunion activities there will be new events to experience.

For info and nomination forms see the website at www.roadtransporthall.com, www.facebook.com/Trucks.n.Trains, email info@roadtransporthall.com or phone 08 8952 7161.

To have an event listed, phone (07) 3101 6602 or e-mail odonline@bauertrader.com.au

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truck technology

FUSO ON THE CHARGE There’s an electric revolution sweeping the automotive world and, in the light truck league, Daimler’s exciting Fuso eCanter sits at the top of the tree. The electric lightweight is now officially part of Fuso’s local line-up but don’t go thinking diesel developments aren’t also on the agenda. On the contrary, we now have first details of a bold initiative to turn Fuso’s Shogun into the most potent Japanese heavyweight on the market. Steve Brooks writes

70 MAY 2021

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“Ours is a complete truck. It is not a Frankenstein addition to an existing truck.”

D

AIMLER TRUCKS AUSTRALIA chief Daniel Whitehead is an affable, agreeable bloke. Most of the time. However, there are other times when, with his competitive instincts suitably stoked or umbrage taken at something or someone considered less than adequate, an abrupt and somewhat stern countenance can quickly surface.

Admittedly, those latter times are rare – at least in the public gaze – but such a transformation was briefly, and perhaps justifiably, evident at the recent media launch of Fuso’s electric eCanter at Daimler’s Mulgrave (Vic) headquarters.

“The eCanter,” he said earnestly at the start of the presentation, “is a full production electric truck.”

Then, with an instant change of tone and an intent most assuredly planned to hit a carefully targeted mark, it was a dour Whitehead who gruffly added: “Ours is a complete truck. It is not a Frankenstein addition to an existing truck.”

Thus, with a few seconds to let the barb bite and with the deliberate diatribe off his chest, a confident and entirely upbeat Whitehead returned to extolling the many virtues of both the eCanter and Daimler’s various paths to a sustainably cleaner automotive future.

Significantly, he would also outline the part Daimler Trucks Australia will progressively play in facilitating the local introduction of some of the most advanced powertrain technologies the commercial vehicle world has ever seen.

But why the Frankenstein jibe and, more to the point, was the entrepreneurial Melbourne-based SEA Electric company the target? After all, less than a week before the eCanter launch, SEA Electric appeared to steal Fuso’s thunder when it issued a detailed press release announcing it was about to start local production of electric trucks based on the cab and chassis of Hino 500 and 300-series models, which

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Top (L to R): Switched on. Daimler Trucks Australia chief Daniel Whitehead has pushed hard for eCanter to become part of the Fuso range; City specialist. Metro work is the obvious target for the electric Canter Above and opposite bottom: On the inside, differences between eCanter and its diesel counterpart are largely limited to a different dash and a better seat for the driver of the electric truck

would, the statement asserted, ‘place the brand [SEA] at the technical forefront for the industry”.

“No comment,” a blunt Whitehead answered at the end of the eCanter presentation when asked his opinion of SEA Electric’s announcement.

“We have the only full production [electric] truck in Australia … ours is a Daimler truck from front to back, with all Daimler support and warranty, and everything that comes with that.”

Likewise, it was an emphatic Whitehead who remarked: “It would be easy to do nothing but it’s what the market will need. This is a serious truck,” adding that the full gambit of standard Daimler Trucks’ safety systems – anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution and advanced emergency braking, an electronic stability program, lane departure warning, hill hold, reversing camera and driver and passenger airbags

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truck technology - first details

SHOGUN MUSCLES UP

For whatever reasons, Japanese brands have been reluctant to step into the modern world with a genuinely effective and efficient 500hp engine. Until now! Fuso has seen the light and will later this year introduce Daimler Trucks’ formidable 13-litre powertrain. Steve Brooks reports Continental competitors such as Volvo, DAF and Iveco are the prime targets for the flagship Fuso

74 MAY 2021

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T

o be blunt, it was a surprise when word starting filtering through late last year that Daimler Trucks Australia was extensively testing a 500-plus 13-litre engine in Fuso’s flagship Shogun model.

After all, Japanese makers have, over many years, appeared to have an historic and almost ritualistic indifference to engines of such size and output in their heavy-duty contenders.

Whether that apparent indifference has been driven

by European masters in the case of Fuso (Daimler) and UD (Volvo), or by a dearth of domestic demand in the case of Hino and Isuzu, is contestable. Whatever, the lack of an advanced, efficient and potently powered engine in Australia’s burgeoning 13-litre class has kept the Japanese contingent largely caponised as true heavy-duty contenders.

Take market leader Isuzu, for example. Sure, it sits consistently high on the heavy-duty leader board but much of that ranking comes from three- and four-axle rigids rather than prime movers, despite the fact that Isuzu’s Gigamax flagship is the only Japanese truck on the market with a 500-plus rating.

It is, however, easy to understand why Isuzu’s heavyweight doesn’t attract much business. With Giga’s lumpy in-line six displacing 15.7 litres yet producing just 512hp (382kW) and a comparatively timid 1,663lb-ft (2,255Nm) of torque, it’s not much muscle for such a big heap of heavy iron.

There has, of course, been plenty of talk and no lack of encouragement from Isuzu Australia insiders for an alternative power source for Giga. Indeed, it’s no secret a 13-litre Volvo prime mover was bought and tested here for a number of years in a bid to convince Japan of the need for a respectably efficient engine. Moreover, rumours were rife not so long ago that Cummins’ lively X12 engine was being considered for Giga but, to date, nothing has come of either enterprise.

Maybe Isuzu’s acquisition of UD from Volvo will deliver a more muscular contender but given Volvo Group’s long

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– are intrinsic features of eCanter, just as they are in its diesel-powered sibling.

Whatever or whoever was in Whitehead’s crosshairs, it was easy to appreciate his commitment and passion for the eCanter product. In the development of electric trucks, specifically at the lighter end, Fuso has been at the forefront of Daimler’s vast technological resources while on the local scene, Mulgrave’s senior management has advocated long and hard for eCanter to become part of the Australian operation. And for good reason.

During a trip to Japan in 2017, for example, in the wake of eCanter’s global launch, a small group of Australian truck writers were surprised with an opportunity to drive a loaded prototype model on Fuso’s strictly controlled Kitsuregawa test facility. It took just an hour or so to satisfy most of us that Daimler’s investment had the potential to change the world in shorthaul metro delivery work.

Two years later, with Whitehead openly keen to at least start putting light-duty electric trucks in front of carefully selected fleets, an eCanter trial unit was shipped to Australia from Japan’s specialist E-Fuso division and prominently displayed at the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show.

Almost immediately after the show, the truck started a short-term trial with Australia Post and soon after that, in the few days before the demo unit was shipped back to Japan, we had the opportunity to spend a day driving the truck around Melbourne.

insistence that its highly versatile 13-litre engine will definitely not be finding its way into UD’s likeable Quon, Isuzu’s local leaders would be well advised to not hold their breath in anticipation.

Then there’s the Toyota-owned Hino brand, the only Japanese truck with its own 13-litre engine and with a new 700-series heavy-duty range set to hit the Australian market later this year, there was some speculation the markedly updated line-up might actually crest the 500hp (373kW) mark. However, and for whatever reasons, the word from within Hino is a definite ‘No!’ So, back to Fuso and what is almost certainly the most overdue, enterprising and potentially rewarding move by a Japanese brand in the Australian heavy-duty sector for many years.

It’s fair to ask though, will the 13-litre Fuso with its Daimler-derived powertrain be viewed by buyers as a competitively priced alternative to an equivalent Mercedes-Benz model?

“We have no fear whatsoever that the Fuso will encroach on Mercedes-Benz sales,” affirmed Daimler Trucks Australia chief, Daniel Whitehead.

“There are more opportunities for incremental business than any negative impacts. A lot more.”

Quiet for a few seconds, he resolutely added: “This will not be a cross-over model but it will obviously have the full Daimler safety package and the target isn’t necessarily other Japanese brands. It’s more the likes of DAF, Iveco and Volvo. The way I see it, it simply gives the market more choice.”

Much the same response came in quiet conversation with the head of Mercedes-Benz truck business in Australia, Andrew Assimo.

“No, I don’t see the 13-litre Fuso being a concern. Not at all, but it’ll be a concern for our competitors.”

Nonetheless, Daniel Whitehead didn’t deny that it took a detailed business case with the surety of a reasonable return on investment to convince Fuso’s Japanese hierarchy that the installation and thorough testing of a 13-litre Daimler powertrain in Shogun (known in Japan as the Fuso Super Great) was a good move for the Australian and New Zealand markets.

“The potential here and in New Zealand for a higher powered Fuso was obvious to us,” he commented before quickly adding, “but it took a lot of time and a lot of negotiation between Australia, Japan and Germany before it was agreed to start development and testing.

“And it certainly wasn’t a quick or simple development process. There were plenty of engineering factors that needed to be considered before the project went ahead.”

The exercise actually started in 2017, when a team of Fuso engineers flew to Australia for secret tests of a 13-litre prototype Shogun.

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“Trucks will be leased for up to six years rather than bought outright.”

As subsequently reported: “… just like the Japanese experience, driving a small truck with no engine, no transmission other than an electric motor driving into a single-speed diff, and no noise other than the roll of rubber on the road, makes driving an entirely new experience. Early on, you’re waiting for gearshifts that never come but routine and acceptance soon set in.

“Judgements will vary, of course, but this exercise was something truly unique and entirely worthwhile. True, eCanter development remains a work in progress but even at this relatively early stage, it brings the future into stark focus.”

All up, and suitably impressed with the model’s dynamic performance in both acceleration and deceleration, it seemed just a matter of time before the electric truck would became part of Fuso’s local ranks.

Steady start Despite the positive feedback, a serious Whitehead says it took a good deal of negotiation and commitment to build the business case for Daimler Trucks Australia to join

It’s worth noting that at the time, this new generation Shogun hadn’t even been launched and was still known in Japan as simply the ‘Black Panther’ project.

With the prototype quietly shipped to Australia, the primary intent of early testing was to gauge the suitability of Daimler’s 12.8-litre OM471 engine in the Shogun chassis and ensure the truck’s cooling system was up to the job of coping with heavy weights in the heat of Central Australia. Consequently, and with sophisticated test equipment installed, the truck was hooked to a B-double set and at a gross weight of 63 tonnes, sent on a return run from Melbourne to Adelaide and Alice Springs.

Australia, however, hasn’t been the only testing ground for the 13-litre engine under a Fuso cab.

According to Daimler sources, test units have notched upwards of 500,000km in the widely differing demands of South Africa.

Following the positive results of early evaluations here and abroad, final assurances and tweaks of the 13-litre Shogun specification are being determined this year by a 50,000km test program (including 10,000km in New Zealand) covering 800km a day on routes through regional Victoria, running as a flat-top B-double grossing 61 tonnes.

Daimler Trucks Australia is currently keeping

Opposite top: Fully loaded, eCanter has a range of 100km and top speed of 80km/h. With instant torque, acceleration is extraordinary

Above: Inside the Shogun test truck. Daimler family features aren’t hard to spot

timing for the 13-litre Shogun’s launch under wraps but our guess is for some time in the third quarter of this year.

What we are sure about is that the powertrain will largely be the same as the current Mercedes-Benz 2651 model which sees the Euro 6 OM471 engine dispensing peak power of 375kW (510hp) at 1,600rpm and top torque of 2,500Nm (1844lb-ft) at 1,100rpm.

Likewise, the engine will drive through the same highly intuitive 12-speed overdrive automated transmission as its Benz counterpart.

As for the rest of the spec, Daimler isn’t hiding the details: The final drive ratio is likely to be 4.22:1, tyres will be 295/80R on the steer and 11R 22.5 on the drive, mounted on a taper-leaf front suspension and airbag on the rear, while stopping power will come from drums front and rear.

With a GCM of 63 tonnes, shorthaul and regional B-double work will almost certainly be a targeted application, along with anything else befitting a modern, efficient and proven 13-litre powertrain with more than 500hp on tap.

There’s little doubt the competition will be watching closely. Some enviously!

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SPECS AT A GLANCE

Model: Fuso eCanter 4x2 Wide Cab Drive System: Permanent synchronous electric motor Power: 135kW Torque: 390Nm (from standstill) Emissions: Zero local emissions Transmission: Direct drive automatic Wheelbase: 3,400mm Brakes: Front and rear discs with regenerative braking Tare weight: 3,280kg GVM: 7,490kg Top speed: 80km/h Range: Around 100km loaded Charging time: DC (Level 3) 1 to 1.5 hours using CCS Type2 plug type and 50kW charger and AC (Level 2) 8 to 10 hours using IEC62196 7.2kW with three-phase wall connector High voltage: 365-volt using six liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries. Total usable capacity is 66kWh, total capacity is 82.8kW/h Low voltage: 12-volt using two 100AH-760A lead acid batteries Safety Features: Advanced Emergency Braking (AEBS), Anti-Slip Regulator (ASR), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) ABS plus Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), Dual SRS Airbag and ECE-R29 Compliant cab Warranty: Five years or 180,000km, whichever comes first

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“The eEconic waste collection model and an eActros are already on the Australian agenda.” with counterparts in Europe, Japan and the US in adding eCanter to the model range. But now, the deal is done and, with production for Australia confirmed, a strategic path has been set to slowly, cautiously and selectively put eCanter into specific local delivery roles.

In fact, as this report was being prepared, Daimler’s local leaders were not prepared to identify eCanter’s first customer apart from logical indications it is a specialist provider of local delivery services. Even quiet questions post-press conference could not draw the customer’s name but as one insider mentioned, the high profile customer wants to make a big thing of being first with Australia’s first electric Canter.

However, it was at least confirmed that trucks will be leased for up to six years rather than bought outright to ensure Daimler’s ability to react quickly to any issues and implement inevitable technical upgrades as they occur.

“The technology continues to move at an incredible pace,” Whitehead commented.

Even so, according to several sources, demand is already outstripping Australia’s allocated supply. As Fuso’s press statement explains: “Given the global popularity of the eCanter, a limited number will be available for customers in Australia during the initial stages of the introduction but production availability is expected to increase in time.”

Meanwhile, future uptake obviously depends on recharging infrastructure and while local Daimler insiders concede the current situation is ‘very fragile’, fiscal and logistical partnerships between supplier and users will be vital in establishing a network of recharging installations.

Equally, the availability of interchangeable – slide in, slide out – batteries has still to be clarified.

Above: Fuso’s Vision F-Cell’ (fuel cell) hydrogen-based prototype at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. Fuso states it will have hydrogen-powered vehicles in series production by 2029

Yet, recharging infrastructure is, as Whitehead noted, all part of the evolution in electric vehicles and, critically, the local extension of Daimler Truck’s stated principle to be “the most advanced and capable CO2 neutral company in the world”. In fact, the global giant confidently states that all its new vehicles in Europe, North America and Japan will be CO2 neutral by 2039.

What’s more, eCanter is just one of 10 electric-powered Daimler trucks now in production and Whitehead confirms that Benz-badged electric trucks such as the eEconic waste collection model and an eActros are already on the Australian agenda.

So, too, is Freightliner’s eCascadia an eventual possibility for shorthaul work here. Two years ago, during a visit to Daimler Trucks North America, we were given a short, exceedingly rare, yet undeniably enticing, look at the vast extent of eCascadia development as Freightliner ramps-up plans to introduce an electric powertrain for shorthaul heavy-duty applications in the US. Accordingly, Daimler’s local leadership is paying close attention.

It is, says Whitehead, all part of a current Daimler Trucks clean transport strategy based on battery-electric systems for shorthaul roles and hydrogen technology for long distance operations, with series production of highly advanced hydrogen-fuelled models slated for launch in the 2025 to 2030 timeframe.

For its part, Fuso showcased its ‘Vision F-Cell’ (fuel cell) hydrogen-based model at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show and

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STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Fuso’s contribution to Daimler Trucks Australia’s market performance is perhaps easily overlooked but in sheer numbers, it leaves its big brothers well behind

“The timing is good. We are in the middle of a revolution.” states it will have hydrogen-powered vehicles in series production by 2029.

Well aware of Fuso’s critical involvement in Daimler’s rapidly evolving technology is the new head of Fuso in Australia, Alex Müller. Appointed to the role of director at Fuso Truck & Bus, COVID-19 delayed his arrival from Germany for more than a year, but at the launch of eCanter he was quick to insist: “The timing is good. We are in the middle of a revolution [and] today we are making history.”

According to Fuso’s press statement, eCanter has a range of more than 100km when fully loaded, and can be recharged to 80 per cent capacity in an hour using a 50kW rapid charger or fully charged in 90 minutes.

Six liquid-cooled lithium ion batteries mounted in the eCanter frame store 82.8kWh of electricity (with 66kWh of usable power) and feed a permanent magnet synchronous motor. Power output is rated at 135kW and 390Nm of torque can be delivered the moment the accelerator pedal is pressed.

Built at Fuso’s Tramagal factory in Portugal, whereas diesel-powered Canters are produced at the Kawasaki plant in Japan, the eCanter cab is fundamentally the same as the standard Canter but features a unique instrument cluster which shows driving range and how much energy is being recouped through regenerative braking when the vehicle slows.

Unlike its diesel brother though, eCanter drivers sit on a quality Isri suspension seat.

And, just as it did in 2019, eCanter will be a major Fuso attraction at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show. This time though, it’s here for good. In more ways than one.

Top: Thumbs up from Scott Buchholz, federal assistant minister for road safety & freight transport. The assistant minister is a regular guest at trucking events but the federal government’s support for cleaner trucks is neither clear nor consistent

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S

uch has been the coverage and promotion of the latest Freightliner and Mercedes-Benz models over the past few years, you could be forgiven for thinking Fuso is something of a poor cousin in the Daimler Trucks world.

But not so, and certainly not in Australia.

Fuso, in fact, sells many times more trucks in our part of the world than either of its high profile partners. Admittedly, the Japanese brand contests all three market segments – light, medium and heavy-duty – whereas Freightliner and Mercedes-Benz trucks are almost entirely dedicated to the heavy-duty class.

Even so, Fuso figures in 2020 leave no doubt of its critical importance to Daimler’s Down Under department, delivering 3,529 units for the year. Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, continued its steady rise with a respectable 1,291. Freightliner, however, notched just 257 units, due in no small part to COVID-19 and stalled supply of its new Cascadia.

In total, Daimler Trucks Australia last year delivered 5,077 trucks across the three market segments, and 69.5 per cent of them carried the Fuso badge – 2,022 light-duty, 1,074 medium-duty and 433 heavy-duty.

In the first quarter of this year, Fuso delivered 925 units, Mercedes-Benz 387 and Freightliner 90, still giving Fuso around 66 per cent of all Daimler Trucks Australia sales.

A year from now though, with its new 510hp (380kW) Shogun no doubt pushing for a bigger slice of the heavy-duty market, Fuso’s overall influence could be even greater.

A confident Daimler Trucks Australia boss Daniel Whitehead agrees but predicts substantial growth from all three brands, with Mercedes-Benz continuing to record exceptionally good figures and Freightliner Cascadia now starting to gain momentum after a slow start.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way things are going. We now have the biggest order intake for Freightliner in the past 10 years,” Whitehead commented on Cascadia, citing a recent order for more than 60 heavy-duty roadtrain units to Centurion Transport.

“And truly, that’s just one example of the momentum that’s now building, not just for Cascadia but across all three brands.”

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Seasons 1 & 2 now available online /

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truck dealerships

AIMING FOR HIGHER GROUND I The Iveco Brisbane dealership’s move to a new flood-proof location has proved to be a boon for both customers and the dealership’s team members.

Greg Bush writes 80 MAY 2021

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T WAS WITH a sense of déjà vu that I paid my first visit to Iveco’s new dealership in the Brisbane suburb of Wacol. It wasn’t until climbed the stairs to the reception counter that, despite the building’s major modifications, the realisation hit home that I’d been to this address before.

Back in 2018, the site was Volvo Commercial Vehicles HQ, before that company’s move to its current location just over 1km away. However, apart from the Iveco signage, there were quite a number of important changes to the facility since the Volvo days.

Once Volvo had signalled its intention to move on, Iveco grabbed the opportunity to set about vacating its old dealership at Rocklea, for a number of reasons, not least its close proximity to the flood-prone Brisbane River.

The other was that the previous premises were, to be put it bluntly, passed its use-by date.

“The old site was built in 1966 from

the International Harvester days, and it hasn’t had any real investment at all, apart from updates after the 2011 floods,” Brisbane Iveco dealer principal Geoff Buswell explains.

“We just outgrew it.”

With its end of lease looming in 2020, Iveco, like other truck dealerships, began to look elsewhere with the aim of relocating to higher ground well away from the flood area. Buswell says Daimler Trucks is another that’s on the move to Darra, opposite the Kenworth dealership. And, as far as Iveco is concerned, its new site is also a more convenient location.

“We’re a hop, skip and a jump to Cummins, and we’re near Penske, who do all our Allison transmissions.

“With this new truck hub at Wacol, all the dealerships are understanding now to just get out of the flood area.”

Essential service Iveco’s refurbishment of the old Volvo premises began in November 2019,

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commencing business at Wacol on Tuesday, December 1, 2020. In between were COVID lockdowns, with Buswell and his team continuing with hygiene and social distancing protocols that are still in place today. Indeed, apart from customers picking up spare parts, visitors must scan a QR code when entering the building. And there are definitely no handshakes on offer.

While it could be pointed out that this caution could have come via Iveco’s parent company CNH Industrial being headquartered in Italy, one of Europe’s most

“It’s about making sure that we can stay open as an essential service.”

Above: Iveco Brisbane dealer principal Geoff Buswell Left: Plenty of social distancing space in the parts and service showroom

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“You still get guys coming in with the old ACCOs.”

Top: The facility includes a 20-bay fully refurbished workshop Above: The Daily customer lounge Right: Queensland Police are among Iveco’s customer base Opposite: Parts warehouse: “There’s no-one in the Iveco network that holds more parts than we do,” says Geoff Buswell; The workshop boasts the latest diagnostic tools

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COVID-affected countries, Buswell says Iveco Australia adopted specific measures from day one.

“It’s not about being a germophobe; it’s about making sure that we can stay open as an essential service,” Buswell explains.

“We have a lot of interstate truck drivers coming in. If we get one case of COVID we could shut down, so from a customer point of view we’re not going to able to service vehicles and supply parts.

“We only had one day’s downtime last year. From an essential service point of view, we had to provide the service for the garbage trucks, transport workers, concrete trucks and water trucks.”

In addition, every vehicle that enters the workshop is sterilised, and the steering wheel wrapped.

The pandemic also played its part when it came to updating the premises, with Buswell playing a handson design role. The social distancing angle becomes apparent for customers entering the vast parts and service showroom. In fact, parts take up much of the building’s ground floor, from the awning outside the showroom way back through to the extensive warehouse.

In between are the one-way windows separating the showroom from the team’s lunchroom, making sure customers are not left waiting.

“The whole area here was completely revamped, so when a customer walks in all our guys can see them. The windows at the back are like a mirror and we can see them but they can’t see us,” Buswell explains. “There’s no-one in the Iveco network that holds more parts than we do.”

The dealership also maintains parts and service for the International brand stretching back decades, as well as catering for older model Ivecos with an eye on the growing interest in vehicle restoration. Under the spare parts counter sits a variety of well-worn catalogues from up to 50 years ago, and requests are filled where possible.

“You still get guys coming in with the old ACCOs,” Buswell says.

For service customers prepared to wait it out, there are two well-appointed lounges – one for Daily customers and the other for truck drivers. Both come equipped with toilets, coffee machine, books, free Wi-Fi and TV with Netflix.

For truckies, there’s the welcome addition of showers plus washing machine and drying facilities. There’s also a separate room equipped with four beds for long haul drivers.

“We had a guy in from Adelaide who slept for around

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five hours while he was waiting to get a radiator changed,” Buswell points out.

“From a retail customer experience, that’s the key. Whether you’ve only got one truck or 100 trucks, they all deserve the same level of respect.

That’s my motto.”

As far as servicing is concerned, the facility includes a 20-bay workshop, fully refurbished, including two drive-through B-double service pits.

“We can drive a B-double truck here without unhooking it,” Buswell says, adding that it’s an area of the business that he’s keen to grow.

ownerdriver.com.au

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As well as the latest diagnostic tools, the workshop boasts brake roller testing with shaker for Iveco’s range of commercial vehicles.

Employee wellbeing As well as customer comfort, the Wacol premises have also been designed with employees in mind. For the showroom’s exterior, including the customer drop-off area, awnings have been added or, in the case of the workshop bays, lengthened out to nine metres. No more being on the receiving end of the elements.

In addition, LED lighting is standard across

the Wacol facility, a welcome inclusion for technicians whose visibility was hampered by shadows from the old lighting at Rocklea.

“We took a long time in planning it,” Buswell says. “Did I get it all right? Probably not, but I think I got 90 per cent of it right.”

Buswell believes the move out of dusty old Rocklea to Wacol has also provided extra motivation for his team, which is a mix of new apprentices through to some who have been with Brisbane Iveco for around 20 years or more.

“By giving them a nice facility it’s put a smile on their faces.”

MAY 2021 83

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tech briefs

Hella lights up Brisbane

HELLA AUSTRALIA is back at the Brisbane Truck Show with what it says is a state-of-the-art array of signal and forward lighting solutions for truck and trailer manufacturers and operators, including the customisable Shapeline range.

The Hella stand will also feature the Scantrip work and inspection lamp ranges and Mahle thermal management aftermarket products, ABOVE: Hella’s LED Rallye 4000 lamp range will make its public debut in Brisbane BELOW: Hella’s DuraLED Combi-SR rear combination lamp

distributed nationally by Hella Australia.

“We will welcome visitors to our stand which is stacked with a broad selection of products aimed at the commercial vehicle market, both for original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket customers,” says Cameron Hoy, Hella Australia national manager, special original equipment – on-highway.

“All of our products are focused on providing premium quality, enhanced durability and unbeatable reliability.

“One of the stars of our show will be the new, all-in-one, slimline, fivefunction DuraLED Combi-SR rear combination lamp that incorporates a built-in retro reflector, saving both time and money on installation,” Hoy says.

“This makes the Combi-SR the ideal choice for vehicles with limited space to mount a separate reflector.

“Hella is a significant supplier to Australia’s trailer market with around 65 percent OE coverage. This market is now wholly LED, with Hella’s ‘Fit and

Forget’ engineering ensuring high levels of reliability and durability, with low current draw. The robust DuraLED Combi-SR tail lamp comes with an unrivalled lifetime warranty for the first fit,” he adds.

“The lifetime warranty is a statement of confidence in our DuraLED product range, which also ensures reduced downtime for truck and trailer operators.

“The opportunity cost of a trailer offroad to fix a blown globe is far greater than the cost of the replacement part. But with Hella’s quality and durability, there’s no vehicle-off-road costs to incur, just seamless, durable performance.

“They’re impervious to truck-wash and other chemicals commonly used in the transport industry, so they won’t breakdown or become brittle in typical Australian operating conditions.”

In addition to the DuraLED CombiSR signal lamp on show, Hella says it is also displaying its range of optical warning system lamps. This includes the low-profile mini and micro LED

light bars, plus the three LED or six LED surface mount BST slim series lamps, which it points out is ideal for owner-driver truck/trailers, tow trucks, compactors and general utilities vehicles.

The new K-LED Rebelution low profile amber warning ‘rotating’ beacon with its new-look smooth optical light-guide pattern is also on display, marking a step-change from the flashing matrix pattern of old.

Hella says its Shapeline signal lamp series is a true innovation in vehicle lighting, for the front, side and rear of trucks and trailers. The range of lamps is integrated and customisable, melding LED lighting technology with premium three-dimensional designs in contour and form.

“Hella Shapeline allows the vehicle or trailer builder or owner to add a variety of signal or marker lamps around the vehicle, providing a unique, customisable lighting signature,” Hoy continues.

“The lighting components offer simple and clever mounting methods, plus the added benefit of integrated AMP connectors. The Shapeline series is ECE compliant and multi-voltage, allowing for seamless connection to either 12V or 24V vehicles.

“A full range of regular and auxiliary lighting options will be displayed on our stand.”

In addition, Hella’s LED Rallye 4000 lamp range will make its public debut at the Brisbane Truck Show. For the forward driving lamp, in pencil or spread beam pattern, Hella says there is now an LED insert replacement for customers who want to retain their existing wiring, mount and lamp casing and update to LED illumination.

“The Rallye 4000 has long been a stalwart of the Hella range and the arrival of the LED Rallye 4000 will be warmly welcomed by a large portion of the truck driving market,” Hoy says.

“The new LED lamp will be quickly adopted by drivers who want the best and latest gear, and the Rallye 4000 continues in its position as a highlydesirable premium performance product.”

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28/04/2021 9:03:59 AM

Western Star’s blind spot radar option WESTERN STAR TRUCKS has announced that blind spot radar has been introduced across its range, which it says will give drivers even greater confidence behind the wheel.

By scanning the area alongside the truck, the ‘Spotto’ blind spot radar system is said to help eliminate the dangers associated with blind spots at all times and in all weather conditions.

Mounted to the passenger-side step, Western Star says the radar uses advanced microwave technology to detect objects that might be hidden from the driver’s view including vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians and infrastructure.

An indicator fitted in the passenger-side A-pillar, within the driver’s direct line-of-sight when checking their side mirror, provides visual and audible alerts to potential collisions with objects in the blind area.

The radar system is said to utilise intelligent algorithms to calculate the velocity and distance of objects relative to the side of the truck, resulting in a safety system that’s accurate and

EURO 6 FOR HINO 700

HINO AUSTRALIA has confirmed that the all-new 700 Series will be its cleanest heavy-duty truck yet, while also being designed for improved fuel efficiency.

“Like the 500 Series Standard Cab, the all-new Hino 700 Series will exceed the current Australian exhaust emission standards,” says Daniel Petrovski, manager of product strategy for Hino Australia.

“The new models will meet Euro 6 exhaust emission standards before they are legislated in Australia.

“The all-new 700 Series will break new ground for Hino in terms of safety and environmental commitment, which are key features in today’s competitive marketplace,” he continues.

In addition, Hino says its all-new Hino 700 Series will boast the most comprehensive safety package ever offered in a Hino truck for the Australian market.

The all-new 700 Series models will feature a pre-collision system with autonomous emergency braking, vehicle stability control, LED headlamps and daytime running lamps plus a suite of additional safety features.

Hino says the comprehensive safety package, Hino SmartSafe, features driver-assist technology, which takes an active focus on protecting the lives of drivers, passengers and other road users.

“At Hino Australia, safety is a central design principal and the all-new 700 Series is no exception,” Petrovski says.

“It will answer a lot of the major safety issues that confront the transport industry and other road users with the implementation of advanced driver assist technology, Hino SmartSafe.”

Further details about the all-new 700 Series will be released closer to its launch in June.

The launch of the new 700 Series follows the resignation of Hino Australia vice-president of brand and franchise development, Bill Gillespie, due to personal reasons.

Gillespie, whose last day was April 16, joined Hino Australia in February 2014 following a 30-year career in strategy, network development, marketing and sales in the automotive industry.

ABOVE: Hino says its upcoming 700 Series will feature the SmartSafe package

ownerdriver.com.au

OWD_340_084-87_TechBriefs_GB.indd 85

reliable, with minimal false alerts.

“The introduction of the option to have the blind spot radar option fitted to any vehicle across the Western Star range will give drivers that added assurance when changing lanes or making turns,” says Dale Christensen, national sales manager – Western Star Trucks, Penske Australia.

“By contacting one of our Western Star dealers, existing or new customers can have the radar system installed on their truck.

“And for customers who get in before the end of May, a special price of $900 is currently on offer.”

The Spotto radar has been developed in Australia by technology supplier FleetSafe, specifically to address the issue of collisions due to blind spots around trucks.

“It’s made for trucks and engineered to withstand the harsh environment of Australian trucking,” says Ian Kalmek, business development manager at FleetSafe.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Penske and the Western Star brand to enhance the safety of their trucks.”

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tech briefs

New Actros in Supercar support A NEW MERCEDES-BENZ ACTROS will haul the Red Bull Ampol Racing transporter for the 2021 Repco Supercars season.

It will carry the cars of seventime Supercars champion, Jamie Whincup, and 2016 Supercars championship winner and current series leader, Shane van Gisbergen, as well as a vast amount of spares and team gear.

Whincup was on hand to collect the keys to the top-of-the-line Actros prime mover at Daimler Truck and Bus headquarters in Mulgrave, Victoria, recently and took the truck for a quick drive.

The range-topping 16-litre Actros produces 625hp (466kW) of power, not far off the ‘635hp-plus’ output of Red Bull Ampol Racing Holdens it hauls, but the big Mercedes-Benz

also makes a hefty 3,000Nm of torque.

Mercedes-Benz says the Actros features predictive powertrain control, which uses topographic map data and GPS information to help the truck anticipate terrain and select the optimum shift pattern and engine response for maximum fuel economy.

It also features two 12-inch (30.5cm) customisable tablet screens that present information in super crisp detail, which Daimler says gives the driver more control and information in a clear and stylish manner.

Red Bull Ampol Racing also ticked the box for the optional MirrorCam system, which captures vision from cameras on aerodynamic wings and displays it on screens mounted on the A-pillars in the cabin.

Whincup, who has a multi combination heavy vehicle licence, enjoyed his drive in the Actros prime mover.

“The cab is a real stand out. It’s LEFT: Jamie Whincup, who holds a MC heavy licence, took the Across for a spin

really impressive how much of the technology you see in MercedesBenz cars is also in these trucks,” Whincup says.

“These screens and the touch controls on the steering wheel are excellent, because it’s really easy to keep on top of everything.”

Whincup, who is competing in his last full season of Supercars, welcomed Daimler Trucks on board as a sponsor and supplier of the team’s trucks.

“We always want to work with the leaders in each field and it’s clear that Daimler Trucks is a leader with advanced trucks like this Actros,” Whincup says.

Whincup is hoping to hit the road for a longer run in the Actros on the way to one of the events during this season, but regular driving duties fall to experienced transporter driver Dave Lewin.

Like all Actros models, the Red Bull Ampol Actros comes standard with the Mercedes-Benz active brake assist system, a radar/camera system that can automatically perform full emergency braking for vehicles and pedestrians.

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Janus to showcase electric Kenworth JANUS ELECTRIC has announced that it is set to unveil a world first patented exchangeable battery that will revolutionise the road transport industry. Its first proto-type - an electric converted Kenworth T403 – will be unveiled at the Brisbane Truck Show.

Developed by professional engineers led by co-founder Bevan Dooley and transport operators, Janus claims its batteries remove the need for heavy electric vehicles to plug in and charge for 12 hours.

Instead, the Janus “revolutionary solution” can be swapped out in three minutes with a ready to go battery thereby increasing vehicle utilisation.

Lex Forsyth, Janus Electric’s general manager, says the exchangeable battery is a game changer for the transport industry globally.

“The fact it’s exchangeable and can be done in three minutes at one of the charge stations located initially at key locations along the east coast from Brisbane to Sydney is world class, Forsyth explains.

“Janus Electric has solved the scale, price-point and battery technology challenge for conversion to electric.

“We want to lead the transition to

electric heavy vehicle road transport in Australia, and we want Australian businesses to be at the forefront of this next phase of road transport globally.”

This viable next-generation battery technology claims to deliver a carbon zero solution for the electrification of road transport fleets. Forsyth says the Janus Electric technology has the potential for a huge positive impact on the global environmental footprint.

“It features a battery that can be charged utilising renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro,” he says.

“Janus batteries can be charged when and where it makes sense both environmentally with renewable energy and economically when the electrical grid is not in high demand.”

The new technology is a significant boon for the transport industry looking to convert from diesel to electric. Existing fleets can now be converted to electric drive for the same cost as refurbishing a diesel engine.

Forsyth claims it takes less than a week for Janus to convert any existing heavy duty prime mover into an electric vehicle.

“This means fleet operators can

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cost-effectively undertake mass electrification of their entire fleet for the same cost of re-working a diesel engine,” he adds.

“There are substantial cost savings to fleet electrification.

“The Janus solution can deliver up to a 30 per cent reduction in maintenance and operating costs. There are positive benefits for the drivers fatigue management and overall health and

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“Janus is a technology led business with a smart solution that will benefit everyone within the transport ecosystem from governments to large scale fleet operators, individual owner drivers and renewable energy providers.”

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The publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for any losses incurred by a buyer responding to an advertisement in this magazine. Buyers are solely responsible for their own negotiations and transactions with advertisers. Bauer Trader Media advises buyers beware of negotiating by email only; of paying deposits to private advertisers for goods unseen; of transferring money (for example via Western Union) interstate or overseas. Buyers should contact Bauer Trader Media customer service on 1300 362 272 if they suspect an advertisement may be fraudulent. In the event that a buyer suffers financial loss as a result of responding to a private advertisement in this publication Bauer Media Ltd (The Publisher) shall not be held liable or responsible.

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FOR THE OWNER-DRIVER Frank Black

The squeeze on safety Will the increase in high productivity vehicles push owner-drivers out of the picture?

T

HE INCREASING push towards high productivity trucks could have dire consequences for owner-drivers, small operators and the travelling public.

I recently welcomed the opportunity to join a Heavy Vehicle Reference Group Meeting by the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, called the ‘SA Road Safety Strategy to 2031’.

The focus of some parts of this discussion was alarming – a push to reduce heavy vehicle numbers by increasing high productivity trucks and giving them greater access to cities.

The objective of this being to reduce heavy vehicle/light vehicle interactions, therefore supposedly reducing accidents.

That paints a very bleak future for owner-drivers and small operators.

Heading it up with a title of ‘road safety strategy’ is equally damaging.

The idea that swapping out smaller trucks for bigger ones will decrease fatalities is short-sighted and ignores the squeeze on transport that puts pressure on drivers to work long hours and take risks. It’s no great secret that there are drivers that take drugs to stay

awake. We constantly hear of drivers being detected driving fatigued or with drugs in their system, at times after horrific accidents with loss of lives and destruction of innocent families.

There are deep rooted problems in trucking that will continue to exist even if smaller trucks are wiped out entirely.

Switching to bigger, heavier trucks without addressing the fatigue, financial stress, health problems and other pressures on drivers is only going to make our roads more dangerous.

Opening up access for B-doubles, triples or road trains into populated areas could be disastrous.

Initially, B-doubles came about for efficient depot-to-depot runs of large consignments. Distributing smaller consignments from depots to customers is generally where us owner-drivers come in. Now, B-doubles are increasingly going straight to the customer, and it is clear the Department of Infrastructure and Transport is prioritising this type of freight as a misguided method for reducing death and injuries.

FRANK BLACK has been a long distance ownerdriver for more than 30 years. He is a former long-term owner-driver representative on the ATA Council.

SAFETY SQUEEZE

SPREADING THE MYTH

It’s no surprise that the Australian

“Very few ownerdrivers would have the upfront funds to buy a B-double.”

94 MAY 2021

OWD_340_094_COL_Frank Black_GB.indd 94

Trucking Association (ATA) is involved in steering the government in this direction. Touting a plan that protects the ability of wealthy companies to cut costs while squeezing out smaller operators and owner-drivers proves where the ATA’s interests lie.

The irony is that associations like the ATA were actively involved in spreading the myth that the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT) was bad for small operators and owner-drivers.

In actual fact, it would have provided a safety net with minimum standards that wealthy clients would have been forced to fund. It has now been five years since the RSRT was abolished and transport supply chains have continued to struggle under a race to the bottom on rates, causing owneroperators to do it tough and many to go out of business.

What is truly going to crush ownerdrivers and small operators is this emphasis on ‘high productivity’ trucks that the ATA is driving. Very few owner-drivers would have the upfront funds to buy a B-double and even fewer would have the means to store one.

To stay afloat with the trucks we already own we’d be forced to charge more to cover the dip in business, which isn’t going to work either.

There is, and always will be, a great need for transporting small consignments and the reality is that owner-drivers provide a flexible and versatile solution. We carry everything from bricks to medicine and can do so efficiently.

The government’s lack of action on trucking means there is no shortage of ways safety can be improved.

Stopping the squeeze through supply chains should be the first priority to ensure drivers can rest, drive within safe parameters and maintain their vehicles.

This applies no matter the size of the truck. It should be recognised as the first principle in saving lives on our roads, but it is overwhelmingly ignored.

Once this has been addressed there are many other methods to improve safety, like creating a minimum speed limit on highways to reduce overtaking, cutting the heavy vehicle speed limit through cities to 50km/h to assist with emergency braking, and improving roads and rest areas.

Australia relies on road transport to keep our economy going. Clearing the roads of smaller trucks is not going to make them safer by replacing them with B-doubles under the same shattered transport industry.

When it comes to B-doubles and triples, we need a cap on the amount of them on the road and their access to populated areas or busy routes for cars.

For the industry as a whole, we need safe, minimum rates and standards throughout trucking supply chains.

I do commend the department for bringing an owner-driver voice into the discussion and would welcome the opportunity to maintain a dialogue.

Driver representation on boards is crucial to success, especially when it comes to road safety.

ownerdriver.com.au

28/04/2021 8:58:23 AM

TRUCK | TRAILER | BUS | 4WD & INDUSTRIAL PARTS

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501.187

501.186

Complete Beam, Balance Arm Axle

Complete Beam, Balance Arm Axle

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

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Beam, Balance Arm Axle Replaces: D-20186-2, S-20186-2

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Specifications & General Dimensions 501.188 copyright © 2017 Sampa All rights reserved.

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Bracket, Balance Arm Axle Replaces: S-23790-2, C-23790-2

HEADQUARTERS Yavuz Sultan Selim Bulv. Alemdag Cad. Perla Vista AVM B-Blok Kat: 10 No: 92 34528 Beykent-Beylikduzu / ISTANBUL / TURKEY T : +90 212 707 59 00 F : +90 212 872 80 84

FACTORY & WAREHOUSE Sabanoglu OSB Mahallesi Organize Sanayi Bulvari No: 31 Tekkekoy / SAMSUN / TURKEY T : +90 362 362 63 00 F : +90 362 266 93 58 501.180 sampa.com

SP C7 D 001

SP C8 D1 002

37” 2” 185mm 152 kN 20 Tonnes 51041

38” 3.5” 190mm 260 kN 36 Tonnes 51042

Plate, Air Spring Replaces: C-20199-1

501.188

501.178 Bracket, Balance Arm Axle Replaces: S-23790-1, C-23790-1

Capacity: 30,000 lbs. (13,600 kg) 501.188 Suitable Axle Data: 5-inch diameter round, 5/8-inch wall, 15- and 16.5-inch brakes Benchmarking Parameters

SAMPA

Cataphoresis Coating Yes 501.181 Salt Sprey Test sampa.com

Plate, Air Spring Up to Replaces: A-20031

sampa.com

1000 h

IAM Competitor

OEM Competitor

No

Yes

Up to 480 h

Up to 1000 h

501.180 Plate, Air Spring Replaces: C-20199-1

Stress Relieving*

Yes

No

Yes

Welded Frame Material

St 52 S355MC / ASTM A 1018 HSLAS-F Grade 50 Class 2

St 37 EN 10025-2:2004 S235JR / ASTM A 1011 SS Gr.33

St 52 S355MC / ASTM A 1018 HSLAS-F Grade 50 Class 2

Air Spring Fatigue Test Cycles

5M+

1M

Failed at 3.4 M

*The parts shown are products of Sampa that can be used instead of the original part of the vehicle manufacturer. OEM numbers and trademarks are stated for comparison only.

ON DISPLAY AT THE TRUCK SHOW.

*The parts shown are products of Sampa that can be used instead of the original part of the ve

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