Owner Driver 347 December 2021

ownerdriver driver DECEMBER 2021 #347

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Truck of the Year

Vote now for your favourite 2021 rig See page 20

On with the show Brisbane Convoy for Kids attracts 600-plus trucks See page 22

Hino 700 test drive

Putting an FR rigid through its paces See page 60

Two cultures unite in vibrant Kenworth T909

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Contents #347

DECEMBER 2021

40

20 TRUCK OF THE YEAR

60

Vote for your favourite 2021 Truck of the Month for a chance to win a set of Narva Mk2 Second Generation Ultimate LED Driving Lights

22 ON WITH THE SHOW

The Brisbane Convoy for Kids emerged from a COVID-enforced lockout with than 600-plus trucks making their way to Redcliffe

32 STEELY TRADITIONALISTS

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“I love my culture, I love the Aussie culture, I love trucks.”

52 MISTER FIXIT

Darcy Pollard arrived at Centenary Landscaping Supplies 32 years ago looking for a few days’ work driving trucks. Now, he’s behind the wheel of a brand new 8x4 UD Quon

60 CLASS ACTION

A first drive of Hino’s new 700-series trucks as we put an FR 6x2 rigid model put through its paces in everything from heavy metro traffic to fast freeways

66 CASCADIA DOES THE DEED

The aura of the Kenworth W-model is alive and well and living at the family-run Metal Transport Industries

More than a year ago a prominent family company put one of the country’s first Freightliner Cascadias to work. The truck has ticked every box since

40 ORANGE CRUSH

74 LIGHT DUTY HEAVY ON SAFETY

Two cultures come together with a sprucedup brilliant orange 2019 Kenworth T909. It’s OwnerDriver’s December Truck of the Month

A new Advanced Driver Assistance System is part of a major update to Isuzu’s N Series 4x2 light-duty range. And it’s all about safety

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ownerdriver EDITORIAL Editor Greg Bush Ph 0408 780 302 E-mail Greg.Bush@primecreative.com.au Senior Journalist Ben Dillon Ph 0423 312 298 E-mail Ben.Dillon@primecreative.com.au Technical Editor Steve Brooks E-mail sbrooks.trucktalk@gmail.com Contributors Warren Aitken, Polly Antees, Robert Bell, Frank Black, Warren Caves, Warren Clark, Adam Cockayne, Rod Hannifey, Belinda Hughes, Michael Kaine, Sally Tipping, Ken Wilkie Cartoonist John Allison

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

ADVERTISING Business Development Manager Hollie Tinker Ph 0466 466 945 E-mail Hollie.Tinker@primecreative.com.au Business Development Manager Con Zarocostas Ph 0422 222 822 E-mail ConZarocostas@primecreative.com.au

SUBSCRIPTIONS Ph 136 116 Fax 02 9267 4363 Web magshop.com.au Reply Paid 4967, Sydney, NSW, 2001

EXECUTIVE GROUP CEO John Murphy Publisher Christine Clancy COO Zelda Tupicoff Operations Manager Regina Fellner Trader Group Sales Director Brad Buchanan

Owner Driver is published by Prime Creative Media 11-15 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Telephone: (+61) 03 9690 8766 www.primecreative.com.au ISSN 1321-6279 OwnerDriver magazine is owned by Prime Creative Media. All material in OwnerDriver is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

Opinions expressed in OwnerDriver are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

behind the wheel Greg Bush

Looking towards 2022

T

he latest Safe Work Australia report into work-related traumatic injury fatalities during 2020 provided a stark reminder of how risky the road transport industry is compared to other vocations.

Still, there were positives in the report, despite 49 per cent of worker fatalities occuring in two industries, the first being transport, postal and warehousing, with agriculture, forestry and fishing not far behind.

While the transport, postal and warehousing recorded the highest fatalities during last year, it came in second insofar as highest fatality rate – 7.8 fatalities per 100,000 workers.

Looking further back, road transport accounted for 19 per cent of all worker fatalities in the period from 2016 to 2020. Not surprisingly, most of these fatalities in road transport over those five years were due to vehicle collisions.

Of the 165 road transport fatalities from 2016 to 2020 involving a vehicle, 140 were for driving and moving freight. For fatalities when loading or unloading was taking place, there were eight.

Looking closer, the year 2020 was an improvement compared to the average in fatalities over 2016 to 2020.

This could be due to the effects of COVID, despite freight transport continuing mostly as normal. The take-up of newer, safer trucks could also be having an impact.

Trucks nowadays have all the safety systems that belonged solely in the domain of luxury cars way back when.

As seen by the latest options to arrive from Japan, even the light duty sector has all the bells and whistles. Take a look at Isuzu’s new N Series and its Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. The chance of being added to the Safe Work Australia statistics has been minimised.

That includes any stray pedestrians and cyclists who will have a better chance of survival if they may wander into the path of a new Isuzu truck, thanks to the forward collision warning.

Hino is another to make safety a priority, incorporating the Hino SmartSafe safety packages into its 500 Series Standard Cab and 300 Series over the past couple of years.

Improved road conditions could also be playing a part in making trucking, especially long-haul, a safer industry.

It’s now possible to drive from Brisbane to Melbourne via

Sydney without any of the notorious black spots that existed in years past. Along the Pacific, the only holdups that remain are Coffs Harbour and around Hexham, although some may accuse the toll road and tunnel charges around Sydney as being on par with highway robbery.

Despite the much-publicised shortage, truck drivers are becoming more professional due to improved training, work diary requirements and the pressure on transport companies to stick to the guidelines while ensuring their workers are operating in safe manner.

Countering that is the festive season where transport and logistics operators are flat out in keeping up with demand while negotiating obstacles such as border permits. Incorporated in that is the increased amount of online shopping that Australia has embraced with gusto.

Let’s hope next year’s Safe Work Australia report shows more improvement in road transport. May we all make it through the Christmas-New Year period unscathed as we look toward a safe and prosperous 2022 with minimal COVID impact.

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The Goods

NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

NatRoad supports shift from petty fines Updates to the NHVR’s National Compliance and Enforcement Strategy suggests lenience for accidental offences

The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) is optimistic that the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is committed to moving away from prescriptive offences, as signalled in its recently released Heavy Vehicle Safety Strategy 2021–2025.

NatRoad notes that the strategy’s action plan includes updating the National Compliance and Enforcement Strategy and focusing on “risk-targeted” enforcements rather than prescriptive fines.

NatRoad CEO Warren Clark says he’s “quietly hopeful” the regulator’s words will translate into actions.

“We’ve been long-time critics of the tendency to apply fines to minor and obviously accidental offences, like not drawing a straight

line in a work diary,” Clark says.

“The overriding principle should be that punishment is in proportion to risk.

“We’re all for appropriate penalties for operators pushing the envelope on safety, but having poor handwriting or forgetting to sign a page should not be a hanging offence.

“Getting fined for minor diary offences doesn’t add to safety and means that it’s even more difficult for the industry to retain drivers.

“NatRoad would like to an immediate review of all Heavy Vehicle National Law prescriptive offences.

“We also want the brakes to go on for CPI annual increases in prescriptive offence amounts.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Truckies at breaking point says OzHelp Truck drivers are struggling to deal with constant rule changes while operating at near capacity in the lead up to the festive season National suicide prevention organisation OzHelp has called for compassion and understanding towards truck drivers as they work under unbearable pressures and restrictions.

OzHelp CEO Darren Black highlighted that the last 18 months have placed extreme pressure on drivers in an industry that has been described as one of the unhealthiest and deadliest in Australia.

“The transport industry remains one of the highest at-risk of mental ill-health, and truck drivers are the second-highest occupational group at risk of suicide, after construction workers,” Black said.

“The sentiment from drivers is one of frustration and fatigue as they continue to balance and juggle time pressures, isolation and long hours on top of changing restrictions, a lack of support and increased workloads.”

National Road Freighters Association (NRFA) president Rod Hannifey pointed to a confluence of issues adding to drivers’ burdens. ”It’s a difficult time for many drivers and the industry is running at near capacity,” Hannifey said.

“Some people have left the industry, many have lost work and there has been movement of drivers creating significant disruption.

“As an industry we have all too often been left chasing our tail, trying to comply with not only different interpretations of the rules, but complete rule changes, often weekly, but at times by the hour.

“Expectations for drivers to be across these changes add additional stress and with the unpredictable wait times for border testing and results, schedules are impacted and affect the ability to plan ahead to get a decent meal, take a shower

or even sleep,” Hannifey said.

“Living and working out of a truck is hard enough without this inconsistency and complexity and we are calling for a national focus and approach to the decisions being made.”

OzHelp said its support program, Health in Gear, is working to reassure drivers and their families that they are not alone.

Health in Gear was developed with drivers and offers a range of self-help resources on its website, a podcast titled Share The Load, and a 1800 line that provides support and counselling to drivers and their families.

“The industry is unique and often misunderstood and many people struggle to understand the complex challenges truck drivers face,” Health in Gear support worker Frank Arsego said.

The industry is quite literally the backbone of Australia’s economy.

“We’ve heard worrying stories of

{{{ SHIMMYING }}} OR PULLING

Above: OzHelp CEO Darren Black

drivers not being able to take a day off due to a shortage of drivers.

“Basic needs have not been met with shower facilities and toilets being closed.

“One driver said, with the mounting pressure, he cried for a whole day, claiming he’s not such a big tough truck driver after all.”

Truck drivers can access support by calling 1800 IN GEAR (1800 464 327) Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm AEST. For 24/7 crisis support call Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.

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

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

We are unfortunately experiencing shipping delays which means some products may not be in store on the advertised on-sale date. We are trying our best to limit these delays and at the time of publishing, advertised product sale dates are correct; however, they are subject to change due to factors outside our control.

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Warning against reinstating curfews Economy still hit by pandemic effects and faces supply-chain turmoil, says NatRoad CEO Warren Clark Victoria’s decision to reinstate delivery curfews following its rollback of COVID-19 lockdowns will worsen an already choked supply chain in the run to Christmas, the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has warned.

The order waiving curfews that applied across all of Victoria expired on November 5, while the Queensland government reinstated its own delivery curfews in May. NatRoad CEO Warren Clark says bottlenecks on the waterfront, industrial action, restrictions on inbound air mail and pandemic-related labour shortages were all creating a ‘perfect storm’ that was placing severe stress on the supply chain.

Of the larger jurisdictions, New South Wales remains the outlier where NatRoad successfully lobbied for an extension of curfews until March next year.

Clark says this is giving the state government time to research the case for a possible permanent lifting of curfews in NSW. “A 24/7 delivery schedule allows heavy vehicle drivers to make deliveries outside of peak hour times when the roads are less crowded,” Clark says. ”Trucks kept the country moving throughout the pandemic but it’s not just about heavy vehicles.

“Greater delivery flexibility benefits all road users by smoothing peaks and easing congestion.

“Curfews impact on safety because limited delivery timeslots interfere with truck drivers’ ability to manage their fatigue.

“We are still recovering from a global pandemic and transport regulators should recognise that.”

Victoria said a ‘ministerial order’ had previously suspended truck curfews and loading zone signs for

heavy vehicles transporting food and personal hygiene products to stores during the recent COVID-19 lockdowns, but this order expired on November 5, 2021.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator is monitoring and enforcing compliance in curfew areas.

“The Department of Transport continues work with local government, communities and industry to ensure that truck curfews are complied with

and enforced when necessary on local roads,” the VicRoads notice read.

“Truck curfews determine when trucks can use certain roads and aim to strike a balance between the local community and truck operators.

“Unless otherwise signed, restrictions apply to trucks above 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass. Access is restricted during the times listed on the relevant sign. If times are not specified on the sign then trucks are restricted 24/7.”

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Lindsay’s to implement CoR education

The NHVR says Lindsay Transport’s $750,000 enforceable undertaking program to improve safety training

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has provided detail of the enforceable undertaking (EU) Lindsay Transport agreed to this month.

Lindsay Transport will see some $750,000 contributed towards

implementing safety training and Chain of Responsibility education across the Lindsay group of companies.

The EU stems from an NHVR investigation into Lindsay Transport’s safety policies and procedures,

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following the death of driver John Bolton on the Logan Motorway in Queensland in November 2018.

Lindsay Transport was charged with three category 2 offences, for creating risk of illness, injury, or death contrary to the requirements of the primary safety duty provisions of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).

After charges were laid in Coffs Harbour Local Court, Lindsay Transport applied to the NHVR to approve an EU as an alternative to the court proceedings.

“The EU requires Lindsay Transport to spend almost $750,000 across two years to implement safety strategies that will ensure all practical steps are taken to prevent any further loss of life, and future public risks are effectively mitigated,” the national regulator states.

“The NHVR will review evidence submitted by Lindsay Transport and monitor the company’s compliance of the agreed activities, to avoid further legal action.”

About $400,000 of the EU will fund the development of a web-based driver education platform that will host training on safety topics such as drivers’ fitness for duty, returning to work after illnesses, and key risks relating to fatigue, speed, and vehicle mass.

The platform will be made available to the transport industry without charge.

The remaining funds will go towards a training program focused on fitness to drive, scheduling and fatigue for Lindsay Transport’s staff, a review the company’s safety policies, procedures and practices.

A $125,000 donation will be made to fund research into health issues facing long-haul drivers.

A focus of the strategies will look at better identifying and helping drivers with sleep apnoea and fatigue-related medical conditions.

NHVR director of prosecutions Belinda Hughes asserts the EU would achieve safety improvements for the heavy vehicle industry and wider supply chain, helping to reduce the chance of a similar tragedy occurring on our roads.

“We believe this death could, and should, have been avoided,” she says.

“We consulted with Mr Bolton’s family, who expressed their support to accept Lindsay’s EU proposal, given it will deliver activities that directly address the risk that caused this incident, compared to a prosecution where the only penalty available was a fine.”

In his reasoning for accepting the EU, NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said that, “on balance”, it was “an appropriate enforcement option, which will meet community expectations” and one that offered the “oppontunity for lasting organisational change within Lindsay and to the wider transport industry”.

Details of the EU can be found at: www.nhvr.gov.au/law-policies/ enforceable-undertakings

Below: NHVR director of prosecutions Belinda Hughes

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Accolades for HVIA award winners Transport industry praised for showing resilience in challenging times The winners of Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia’s (HVIA’s) awards for leadership and innovation in the heavy vehicle sector were presented at a November 19 gala event in Brisbane.

The presentation, sponsored by National Transport Insurance (NTI)

and Truck Assist, was also streamed around the country, where eager nominees and their supporters watched on.

Speaking at the event in Brisbane, assistant minister for road safety and freight transport, Scott Buchholz recognised and commended the

heavy vehicle industry’s contribution to the nation’s resilience.

“We really, really appreciate everything the transport industry does for our great country,” Buchholz said.

“The government is absolutely committed to getting our tax settings right, reducing the costs of doing business and providing an environment where, if you are manufacturing here in Australia, that your order book is full.

“And we did that during the pandemic, by bringing forward the instant asset write-off and implementing the accelerated depreciation.

“We heard from the likes of Todd Hacking, who chewed my ear and advocated that the existing $50,000 LEFT: Bob Martin (centre) receives the Industry Recognition Award from Scott Buchholz (left) and John Drake

threshold wasn’t working for industry; so we took it out to $150,000.

“That was good for jobs, good for Australian businesses, good for local manufacturing and is delivering a safer, more productive and modern fleet.

“Then the likes of Paccar and Volvo got in my ear and said you can’t buy a truck for $150,000 – just take the cap off – and so we did!

“We did – we did it by working together and hopefully all that work has flowed through to your ledgers.

“Now we’ve got some supply chain issues globally, that are coupled up with COVID. Those are the next challenges, the next frontier of issues that we are going to have to deal with, but collectively we will do it.

“In closing I just want to share with each of you how proud, how enormously proud, that I am to be able to serve you in this position.”

Buchholz presented the Safety Innovation Award, sponsored by SafeTstop, to Driverisk Australia for the Lytx Drivecam SF300, which combines machine learning and artificial intelligence to monitor risk detection.

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Scania’s Anna Maree Taylor accepted the Community Leadership Award on behalf of Scania Australia for the ongoing sustainability project undertaken by its Prestons dealership in NSW. Taylor said the program has been so successful it is rolling out across Scania’s network Australia-wide.

“This was a grassroots program, developed internally, though stimulated by Scania’s global shift towards a sustainable transport system,” she added.

“The changes we have made can be undertaken by every truck workshop, large or small.

“This may have started with Scania but everyone can follow us.”

The Product Innovation Award was presented to SEA Electric for Australia’s first volume produced range of all-electric trucks, from 4.5 tonne car-licence vehicles through to 22.5 tonne three-axle trucks.

Matthew Longridge of MaxiTrans in Brisbane won the Peter Langworthy Future Leader Award. Matt has recently stepped up as production manager at MaxiTrans’ newly-opened manufacturing facility in Carole Park, Queensland where he has excelled as a leader.

From a particularly deep field the winner of the 2021 National Apprentice of the Year Award, sponsored by Warby Tools, was Daniel

Steuten, from Royans Melbourne.

Steuten expressed honourable intentions to pay it forward, saying: “I look forward to continuing to advance my skills in our trade as well as assisting future apprentices, and maybe one day having an apprentice who I assist winning this award themselves.”

Four HVIA member companies were honoured with 50-year membership awards, having joined what was then the Commercial Vehicle Industry Association of Queensland (CVIAQ) at its first Annual General Meeting in 1971: The Brown & Hurley Group, Eaton Vehicle Group, MaxiTrans, and Rogers Axles and Springworks.

Former HVIA president Bob Martin was presented with HVIA’s Industry Recognition Award.

Currently celebrating 20 years at Jost Australia, Martin was the CVIAQ president when the organisation transitioned to become a national member advocacy body as HVIA. He also oversaw the relocation of the Brisbane Truck Show to its current home at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, and the construction of HVIA’s headquarters in Brisbane.

HVIA’s national awards are open to HVIA member companies and their employees, across Australia.

Full details of each award can be

found at hvia.asn.au/events/2021-hvianational-awards.

Buchholz congratulated award recipients in all categories: • Community Leadership Award sponsored by Moreton Hire: Scania Australia, sustainable products and operations • Product Innovation Award sponsored by NTI: SEA Electric, the first Australian produced all-electric truck (Winner); Parish Engineering, When in doubt, lock it out (Highly Commended) • Safety Innovation Award sponsored

by SafeTstop: Driverisk Australia, Drivecam SF300 – MV + AI risk detection (winner); Mass Products,

ABOVE: The team at Scania Prestons helped Scania Australia to pick up the Community Leadership Award

Road Pod (highly commended) • National Apprentice of the Year Award sponsored by Warby Tools: Daniel Steuten, Royans Melbourne (winner); Jayden Breuker, Daimler Trucks Mt Gambier (High Achievement Award); Wayne Taradel, Apprenticeships Qld (Drake Trailers) (Certificate of Merit) • Peter Langworthy Future Leader Award: Matthew Longridge, MaxiTrans – Carole Park • Industry Recognition Award: Bob Martin.

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DECEMBER 2021 17

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THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND

Industry icon Tom Lindsay passes away Tributes flow for the co-founder of Lindsay Brothers Transport who leaves a huge legacy in the road transport industry Tom Lindsay, one of two brothers who founded what has become one of the great names in transport and logistics, Lindsay Brothers Transport, has passed away at the age of 90.

The Lindsay family paid tribute, noting his and his late brother’s focus on the task with an eye to the future.

“Tom’s partnership with his

The late Tom Lindsay

BRING OUT THE

MONSTER IN YOUR TRUCK

brother, Peter (deceased), began in 1953,” the tribute reads.

“Tom and Peter Lindsay formed a unique partnership to guide their local Lindsay Brothers Transport venture to develop into the thriving national transport and logistics company that Lindsay Australia Limited is today.

“Through hard work and the dedicated work ethic of their employees, Tom and Peter built the Lindsay Brothers business through long-term associations and friendships with their customers and suppliers.

“The Lindsay Brothers were known for their willingness to embrace technology and were pioneers in refrigerated produce transport in Australia as well as early adapters to B-Double combinations and safety equipment on vehicles.

“Tom was a major contributor to the Coffs Harbour region. Lindsay is the largest private employer in the Coffs Harbour area and Tom was prominent in many local organisations, notably Rotary.

“Through the North Coast Cranes company Tom was involved in many large developments and was a driving force in the establishment of the Bonville International Golf Club in 1992.

“Tom was in fact a part owner of the club for some time, which is one of the premier courses in Australia.

In 2002, and following the death of Peter in 1999, Tom presided over the transition of the private Lindsay Brothers to the corporate Lindsay Australia Limited and stayed on as a director for several years.

“His experience was invaluable in helping to establish the new entity.

In 2003, Tom and Peter Lindsay were inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in recognition of their service to the Australian Transport Industry.

“Tom leaves a lasting legacy of a great organisation, family and friendships that he can be justifiably proud of and will be greatly missed.”

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) honoured his passing, noting that he grew the business from three second-hand trucks to a listed company with one of Australia’s largest refrigerated transport fleets.

ATA chair David Smith said Lindsay had made a huge contribution to the industry during his long career.

“Tom demonstrated a lifelong passion and dedication to the trucking industry, and made a notable contribution to our industry’s professionalism,” Smith added.

Lindsay gained national recognition in 2020, being awarded medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the road transport industry, and to the community.

The statement on that award noted his service for the Long Distance Road Transport Association (now part of NatRoad) as a former board member and member since 1964, and being an inductee National Road Transport Hall of Fame in 2003, Queensland Road Transport Legends Hall of Fame in 2013, and being made National Road Transport Hall of Fame – Industry Icon.

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Karl Stadelmann, part owner of Stadelmann Enterprises, passed away suddenly at Wangaratta Hospital Monday, October 18.

Stadelmann’s last day was for him a typical 7am start workday in Bright, Victoria.

He had emigrated from Austria at the age of 18 in 1955 with his young wife, two suitcases, 10 pounds in cash and little understanding of English. Within the first week of his arrival at the Bonegilla migrant camp he had his first Australian job operating an excavator for the CRB. After 25 years with the CRB, Stadelmann and his son, Harald, set up Stadelmann Enterprises earthmoving, road maintenance and snow clearing group, which now operates throughout the alpine areas of Victoria and NSW. The headline of Steve Brooks’ recent article – The Indomitable Snow Man

Above: Karl Stadelmann passed away in October

(OwnerDriver October 2021, issue #345) – summed up Stadelmann very accurately as indomitable is defined as someone who is strong, determined and impossible to subdue or defeat.

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Future fuels strategy a big first step The Australian Trucking Association identifies scope for improvement on electric vehicle options The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has welcomed the release of the government’s Future Fuels Strategy (FFS) and has called for a stronger plan to help more businesses buy zero emission trucks.

“The Future Fuels and Vehicles Strategy recognises the importance of technology, choice and industry investment as keys to reducing transport emissions,” ATA chair David Smith says.

“Transport emissions will only fall through the investment decisions of transport businesses.

“We welcome the government’s focus on backing the industry to make those choices, rather than hitting businesses with more taxes and charges.

“The ATA welcomes the expanded $250 million Future Fuels Fund, including the focus on electric recharging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, heavy and long-distance vehicle fleets and commercial fleets.

“The strategy is an important first step, but the government should support the take up of both battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks.

“About a third of road freight in Australia is moved in our major cities. Battery electric trucks are available right now. Australia needs a plan to accelerate their uptake.

“It is critical that the roll out of electric recharging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure supports trucks, including in trucking depots, on freight routes and in urban hubs.

“The government needs to remove regulatory barriers that are reducing the availability of zero emission trucks, including our truck-width rules, which are out of step with both Europe and North America.

“Providing a purchase price incentive would also bring forward the point where zero emission trucks are cost competitive, and ultimately give industry greater choice to reduce emissions and embrace the economic opportunities of zero emission trucks.

“In California, vouchers of up to US$120,000 (A$160,000) have resulted in more than 7,500 zero emission and other clean trucks and buses entering service, which is 7,400 more

ATA CEO David Smith

than we have on the road in Australia.

“Zero emission trucks are not only critical for reducing emissions.

“They are a huge opportunity for any business that invests in them, with lower maintenance costs, lower fuel costs, the potential for curfew free operations and better conditions for drivers,” Smith says.

The ATA, in partnership with the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), says it is currently developing a policy report on electric trucks.

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DECEMBER 2021 19

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VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE AND YOU

COULD WIN BIG!

A set of Narva L.E.D. Second Generation Ultima driving lights valued at $1300 up for grabs HOW IT WORKS To be eligible, trucks must have appeared as a Truck of the Month in OwnerDriver magazine over the past 12 months.

The outright winner will be decided by popular vote – with the winner featured in the March 2022 issue of OwnerDriver magazine as well as online at OwnerDriver. com.au!

HERE ARE THE 12 FINALISTS FOR THE 2021 OWNERDRIVER TRUCK OF THE YEAR

T

he 2021 Truck of the Year Award marks the culmination of the fourth year of the highly-popular Truck of the Month feature in OwnerDriver.

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

YOU CAN WIN TOO Not only does your vote count towards your favourite truck getting the gong, but it also puts you in the draw to win a set of Mk2 Second Generation Ultimate L.E.D. Driving Lights courtesy of Narva– with the prize pack valued at $1,300 RRP.

HOW TO VOTE Simply jump online and head to OwnerDriver.com.au/TOTY, follow the prompts to the promotion entry page and complete the entry form (including your full name, mailing address, telephone number and valid email address), and vote for your favourite truck.

Voting commences on December 1, 2021 and closes at 11:59PM on January 31, 2022.

To help you make your choice, you’ll also be able to view the original feature stories on all 12 finalists on the site. You can only vote once, so make it count!

Conditions apply, see www.ownerdriver.com.au/toty21. Open to AU & NZ residents 18+. Starts: 01/12/2021. Ends: 23:59 (AEDST) on 31/01/2022. Limit 1 entry per person. Draw: at Prime Creative Media, 11-15 Buckhurst St, South Melbourne, Vic 3205 on 18/02/2022 at 11:00 (AEDST). Prize: A set of Narva L.E.D. Second Generation Ultima Driving Lights valued at up to AU$1300 RRP. Winner published on www.ownerdriver.com.au from 17/02/2020.

Promoter: Prime Creative Media (ABN 51 127 239 212) of 11-15 Buckhurst St, South Melbourne, NSW 3205.

THE CONTENDERS - VOTE NOW

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Jarred and Cassy Sacco’s 2013 Kenworth C509

Jarred and Cassy Sacco have come a long way, in both geography and adaptability, to operate one of the most professional heavy haulage outfits in north Queensland. S&S Heavy Haulage operates some of the coolest Kenworths in Australia, including this rebuilt 2013 C509 workhorse, rated to pull 220 tonnes.

TNS Logistics 2020 Mercedes-Benz Actros

The late Tom Norton, founder of TNS Logistics, is immortalised in the form of this top-of-the-line 580hp 2020 Mercedes-Benz Actros, the standout truck of the fleet. Not a fan of European trucks, Tom’s sons convinced him to look at Mercedes-Benz when the new Actros range was launched. The new Benz boasts enough extras to turn the head of even the most anti-European truckie.

Jarod Smith’s Kenworth C509

Although not made to order, Jarrod Smith’s Kenworth C509 has been modified to perfection in looks, practicality and performance. Although still a working truck for Burgundy Heights around Coffs Harbour’s timber country, the C509 turns heads at local truck shows thanks to the handywork of TruckArt and RC Metalcraft.

Garry Leeson’s 2006 Peterbilt

Leeson’s Logging & Cartage’s 2006 Peterbilt has done the hard yards, been placed in the retirement shed and then, following a load of TLC, is back doing what it does best – hauling logs in eastern Victoria. Initially, Kent Collision and Custom converted the big Pete to right-hand drive as well as making a few other modifications to set it up for Australian conditions. It was later fitted with a new Cummins EGR motor before being stripped, rewired and resprayed.

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THE CONTENDERS - VOTE NOW

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Wayne Martin’s 1982 White Road Boss

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 money with style and class for Wayne Martin Transport. Although it had been wasting away in a paddock, its Cummins N14 engine was still sound, and underwent a three-month restoration.

Gavin Sutton’s 1989 Mack Super-Liner

Gavin Sutton discovered a retired classic Mack Super-Liner, then spent close on two years refurbishing it with a view to take it around the truck show circuit. But this ’89 bulldog scrubbed up so well it quickly wound up back in the workforce, thanks to Alan Fisher Fabrications, RC Metalcraft, A&K Auto Electrics and a replacement replica Mack bullbar.

Jason Kemp’s Scania R620

Despite more transport companies opting for auto ’boxes, driver-trainer Jason Kemp added this big Scania R620 to his driver training business. With a 16-litre V8 engine, Jason had the truck setup from day dot with an airbag front end, as well as super singles fitted. The tank covers may look factory fitted but, in actual fact, they were designed and built by the geniuses at SLS Customs.

Jason Duell’s Kenworth K200

If there’s one type of truck that pleases the general public, it’s one that moves their furniture. Jason Duell’s Kenworth K200 not only performs that task, its eye-catching appearance does the family business proud. With the fuel tanks moved back down the chassis, it freed up some space, allowing Jason to get matching stainless wrapped battery boxes and AdBlue tanks on either side.

Justin Wenham’s 2021 Western Star 4900

Mahnew Transport’s small South Australian fleet was overshadowed by the arrival of this stunning, brand new spruced-up Western Star 4900. Boasting a 58-inch bunk, wrapped dash, eight-inch stacks, a custom built front bar and a striking Toyota Starlet Green paintjob, the truck turns heads wherever it runs.

McClintock’s Transport’s Kenworth T610 SAR

Easily the biggest rig in the company, this T610 SAR has proven to be a leap ahead for Kenworth in terms of safety features and technology. Its 54-inch bunk is a winner for Jayden McClintock, the lucky member of the family business who gets to drive the big rig. Although keeping with the company’s white appearance, Rocklea Truck Electrical added extra lights – and shine.

John and Tanja Hitchcock’s 367 Peterbilt

Nothing stands out better than a Peterbilt – especially when it’s a tri-axle configuration painted up in rose red. The showpiece of Dial-A Tow’s Adelaide-based fleet, this 2007 model is powered by a Cummins EGR engine, with a wheelbase of 12 metres from bullbar to underlift. The work gear on the back is a Century 70/35, which has a 35-tonne boom and 35,000lb winches.

Rusty’s 2019 Kenworth T909

Rasdeep Singh Bajwa, better known as ‘Rusty’, operates Flying Horse Transport. The pride of the fleet is this amazing bright orange-coloured Kenworth T909. Rusty added bling, extra lights and more shine than any factory-built truck, adding a souped-up stereo, microwave, TV and fridge to the interior.

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truck events The Brisbane Convoy for Kids emerged from a COVID-enforced lockout when more than 600 trucks made the trip from Brisbane’s south to the Redcliffe peninsula. Warren Aitken soaked up the action in ‘Dolphin territory’

W

aking up on a Sunday morning with a hard drive full of photos and a body covered in sunburn can only mean one thing. It’s truck show time! Now, don’t get me wrong, I wholeheartedly endorse the ‘Slip, Slop, Slap’ campaign or whatever iteration they are using these days. I even lecture folk about making sure they are lathered up when the Queensland sun is out in force. However, on Saturday, November 6, I will admit I got a bit lax.

Who could blame me, though – it was the Brisbane Convoy for Kids.

The trucks were shined up, the crowds were out in force and my cameras were fully charged.

It was the 12th running of the charity event and, this year, 620 trucks were registered and took part in the convoy. The 2019 convoy still holds the record with 624 registrations but that did include bikes and utes. Still, 620 is roughly 620 more than last year’s event after that dreaded ‘C word’ forced the cancellation of the convoy.

Of those 620 that headed off from this year’s new departure location – Paradise Road in Larapinta – 567 of them were then squeezed into the Redcliffe Showgrounds where they were greeted by a huge crowd of spectators and supporters.

I’d love to give you the number of folks that came into the showgrounds as well but it got that busy it actually crashed their gate system. I don’t know much about computers but I’m guessing that means there were a fair few people.

As is the tradition the lead truck spot was up for auction. It was quite a heated bidding war that ended with Jason O’Hearn from Karren Quarries in his Mack Trident taking out the number one spot with a bid of $5,500. All up, the top 20 trucks raised $32,305 – money well spent for the prime parking spots out at Redcliffe.

As soon as the clock hit 8.30am the lead truck headed off along its traditional route, down the Gateway Motorway and Deagon Deviation before

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Top, L to R: The army were out in force this year. I wrangled up part of the 5th Transport Squadron in front of their custom built MANs; The Gumdale Western Star is always a favourite with the kids, this time I caught Roman, Evelyn and Kyson whilst they were trying to count all the toys attached Above, L to R: Always a fan favourite – the Knights Heavy towing crew. This time, we caught Trent Ridsdale and Daniele Hanson who were in Knights’ new Hino tilt tray, along with Brenton & Nat Edwards who were in one of Knights’ T950s; Susie and Amy Carter were caught taking the young fulla out for a stroll. With a long way fron the end of Paradise Rd, he definitely had the best seat Opposite: The 2021 lead truck, driven by Jason O’Hearn with his daughter Sky-Lee

ON WITH THE SHOW ownerdriver.com.au

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“The 2019 convoy still holds the record with 624 registrations.” heading into Dolphin rugby league territory, Redcliffe.

‘Mother Nature’ popped in to spoil things a little, throwing in just enough rain to get some road spray up. But least she was considerate and rained only along the Gateway Motorway, ensuring that the hundreds of spectators that did line the available areas never copped any splashback.

After the little dampener, the only other drama was finding a park. Full credit to the volunteers at the gates and in the showgrounds who were running round like health and safety officers after catching someone on a forklift with no seatbelt.

It was a mammoth challenge for the volunteers as they dealt with what seemed like a never-ending stream of big shiny rigs coming through the gates. Thumbs up to all the guys and girls that managed to get nearly 600 trucks parked up. Also a big thumbs up to the truck show judges as well.

Those folk had to start their rounds from the moment the first trucks rolled in. Even with the early start it wasn’t until almost 5pm before all the votes were tallied up and the winners announced.

Decisions, decisions I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, truck showing judging has got to be the hardest job in the world. I know they say air traffic controllers have it tough but if you saw some of the quality trucks that rolled up for the convoy, I think you would have to agree with me. So, well done to the judges. They had to make some pretty tough decisions.

You will see in the photos there was a stack of trophies, which means a heap of winners. I could list them all but you are best to go check out the Brisbane Convoy for Kids’ Facebook page for the list of winners.

I will mention the Truck of the Show, though. It was the first truck show outing for Faadhil Deen and the Mactrans 100-year anniversary Mack Super-Liner and it cleaned up. It really is a working work of art.

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This page from top: (L-R) Di Armitage, Paul Konza (owner) Sarah Konza, Erynn Konza, Grace Martin and Suezette Martin.

Pemjays Transport is a local Brisbane company and, every year, they go above and beyond to raise money for the convoy.

This year, the team dressed up as villains and thrilled the kids all day. Well done; Just when I wanted the money shots Mother Nature came out to get my Nikons wet. Oh and it made it wet for the trucks as well; Along with the work by the volunteers the QPS are another integral part of the convoy team Opposite top: The Trademutt shirts drew me to the Speedy Reedy Excavation team of Jacob Mick and Kat Bliesner. Looking very loud and proud on Convoy day Opposite middle, L to R: Monaro Fuels turned up with a stunning collection of Kenworths; Seems everyone just wanted to pose in front of Hamo Excavations’ stunning Kenworth – I don’t blame them Opposite bottom: CNC Cartage turned out in force with a fleet of stunning Hinos, a couple of their trucks even picked up prizes in the Custom Graphics category. So, I made sure to rope in the team for a photo

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Top, L to R: Josh Broom with his immaculate X-QFM Western Star was another highlight of the Show, picking up best Western Star; The Northcott family Brenten, Sarah, Jatt Ryan (Blingman) and Ken were bringing the shine to the Convoy Above, L to R: Standing in front of his P3 T909 is Cameron Gaskell and his son, Jayden. BJ Munro drives P3s K200 just out of shot. BJ’s daughter had spent six hours white lettering the tyres compared to Cameron’s six mins spraying tyre shine. Yes, the K200 picked up best cabover Kenworth; Grant Larder (L) who restored the old Budweiser Transtar stands with the proud new owner Jason Huet Right: Another of the Pemjays Transport team, John Battersby, with his kids Braydon, Breanna and Lachlan Below: Bondwoods Transport were out in force with a stunning collection of trucks

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Left: It wouldn’t be a truck show without the Barnes Auto Co team Below: The team from All Kind Towing – owner Chris Vella, David Homan, Tristan Baartz and Michael Gray just showing off their varied range of tilt-trays Bottom: ‘Kingpin’ Mactrans’ stunning 100 year anniversary Mack quite rightly took out Truck of the Show Opposite top: Simons Transport turned up with a vast array of trucks this year, showing its support for the kids and Hummingbird House Opposite middle, L to R: More of the 5th Transport Squadron out of Enogerra; Regulars at the Convoy for Kids expect to get the odd marching orders from Mork, this year was no different Opposite bottom, L to R: The work never stops, I caught these two putting the final shine on before the convoy rolled out; Another group of hard working volunteers – Mork, Poddy Rowley, Clarrisa Rowly, Lynnette Dempsey and Tracey Oniga

“The top 20 trucks raised $32,305 – money well spent for the prime parking spots out at Redcliffe.”

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At the end of the day, after all the live entertainment, the many fair rides, visiting all the stalls and the massive charity auction, all the funds raised this year will be going the way of The Hummingbird House.

The exact figures are still being calculated but it’s fair to say, after a year’s hiatus, the Brisbane Convoy for Kids has come back stronger than ever.

Personally, I’d like to acknowledge all the volunteers that helped put this event together and were hard at work not just on the day, but before and after, doing all the behind-the-scenes stuff we miss.

A huge shout out also to all the drivers and companies that made the day special with hundreds of sparkling rigs.

My whinging about a little sunburn pales in comparison to the hours you guys put in getting your trucks ready for the Brisbane Convoy for Kids 2021.

Top: Lucas Lachlan Steven and Alara were having a blast checking out the trucks and the Hotwheels Above left: Donna Burgess and Dana Brown were swept of their feet at the Convoy for Kids merchandise stall; With so many trophies on offer it took nearly as long to hand them out as it did to park the trucks Above right: Two of the proud trucking woman from the Woman in Trucking Australia group, with their rigs – Corrina Riley was in the dark purple Peterbilt and Liz Armstrong in Nightingales’ classic Kenworth Left: Ian Wall, Gavin Lamb, Julie Poole and the token Pommy guy from the HSH Radio Control Tank and Truck group damn near talked me into a new toy. The detail in these model trucks was amazing

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IMPACT OF FATIGUE

NHVR Belinda Hughes

Prosecuting the leaders Decision makers are facing prosecution for negligence in monitoring driver fatigue

T

ragically, almost every injury or death involving a heavy vehicle could have been prevented. Investigators can often trace back how injuries or deaths occur and pinpoint the exact moment where the situation could have ended differently – if only those in charge had stepped in and done the right thing.

There is a clear push by many in the industry for the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to prosecute decision makers and those higher up the supply chain where appropriate – particularly where the actions of those in charge exposed a person to serious injury or death.

Primary duty legislation under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) exists for such offences, where a risk of illness, serious injury or death occurs.

These are the most serious offences and carry the maximum penalties available under the HVNL. For example, a Category 1 offence, where parties are reckless to the risk of serious injury or death, carries a

maximum penalty of $300,000 and/ or five years’ imprisonment for an individual and a $3 million fine for a corporation.

In addition to primary duty offences, executives also have an obligation to comply with the safe conduct of transport activities and eliminate or minimise hazards or risks, including public risk, associated with those activities. Depending on the level of breach, the offence may also carry up to five years imprisonment.

By prosecuting those in leadership positions, there is a much greater chance of real behavioural change from the top down. Industry has been calling out for us to prosecute the decision makers for negligence, and we’re answering the call.

It is incredibly motivating to be a part of an organisation that prosecutes these types of significant and serious offences, which help put a stop to unsafe behaviours and hold the small group of operators that cut corners and take safety risks for a commercial gain to account.

BELINDA HUGHES is an accomplished prosecutor, having spent more than a decade with the New South Wales Police Force. Belinda then moved to Transport for New South Wales and managed a team of lawyers, advocates and administration staff, prosecuting over 36,000 matters per year. Belinda commenced with the NHVR in 2020 and leads the National Prosecutions Team, based across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. The team prosecutes for the South Australian and Victorian Police, together with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s Safety Compliance Officers and Investigators.

“Companies have options for drivers when it comes to fatigue management.”

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In the last 12 months, we’ve seen a 2,000 per cent increase in prosecuting primary duty offences and we’re continuing to seek strong sentences for offences before the courts – nearly half of which involve fatalities.

Two dangerous themes that have emerged from serious incidents we are prosecuting are driver fatigue and insufficient load restraint on heavy vehicles.

In a current matter before the courts, the NHVR and Victoria Police have laid charges against a New South Wales company that had operations in Victoria – with the director based in NSW, national operations manager based in Queensland and state manager based in Victoria, failing to manage fatigue and fitness for duty risks. As a result of these failures, a driver drove fatigued and drug affected, colliding with two stationary police vehicles and tragically killing four Victoria Police officers.

Another matter involves a South Australian manufacturing company and its executive, who have been charged with primary duty offences.

The incident in question occurred when a poorly-restrained load on a trailer caused metal beams to smash the rear window of a prime mover cabin at a traffic light, exposing the driver to the risk of serious injury or death.

These examples – and others – detail the reckless and unnecessary risks some companies and executives are taking and how serious the consequences can be. What’s worse – these examples were not technical breaches. The leaders involved should and do know better, yet they failed to act.

LOAD RESTRAINT GUIDE There is no excuse for poor safety measures in any organisation.

Companies have options for drivers when it comes to fatigue management, and work and rest hours. There is also a load restraint guide available on the NHVR website to ensure the safe and efficient transportation of loads.

The role of a prosecution doesn’t take away the importance of education and prevention, which is why we continue to partner with police agencies and key associations to educate industry on their safety duties and responsibilities.

Regardless of the size of your business, having an effective Safety Management System (SMS) can be one of the best ways of ensuring you have a safety-focused business and are complying with your safety duty obligations. For more information, check out the NHVR’s 9 Step SMS Roadmap at www.nhvr.gov.au/sms.

You should also regularly assess your risk management processes and guidelines against those outlined in the Master Industry Code of Practice, also available on the NHVR website.

This is a guide to national standards and procedures for all heavy vehicle operators and supply chain parties to be safe and compliant.

Overall, we are a safe, efficient and productive industry. Let’s continue to uphold our standards to the highest level and ensure that everyone travels safely and arrives safely.

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trucking heritage

I

llawarra- based Metal Transport Industries (MTI) finds value in holding onto and maintaining its Kenworth fleet for the long-haul.

From its beginnings in 1979, MTI serviced the scrap metal industry almost exclusively for the best part of 25 years before pivoting toward the direction of heavy equipment haulage in search of increased business opportunities and profit margins.

Brothers Dave and Kev Murada are MTI’s co-managing directors. Dave gives OwnerDriver an insight into how the business began 42 years ago.

“The old man had machinery, bulldozers and the like and then got involved with excavators in the scrap game. It was Dad that got myself and my two brothers, Kevin and Peter, involved in the scrap metal transport game,” Dave says.

Under the MTI banner, the three brothers (triplets by the way) began carting scrap metal for companies such as BHP, Metal Recyclers and Simsmetal, first with one truck then, shortly after, increasing in size to four trucks.

“In those early days we did everything ourselves, from organising the loads, driving along with all the maintenance and breakdown work. It was just what we had to do,” Dave explains.

“It wasn’t until we got big enough to employ a mechanic that I found enough time to focus on the operations side of the business, enabling further expansion.”

Things went along nicely for the three brothers for a while until a loss of some contract work saw the fleet size reduce back to a single truck around 1984. It was at this point that brother Peter decided to pursue other interests, leaving the business to be carried on by Dave and Kev. This downsizing of fleet was only short lived, with Above: Jarrod Murada (left) caught the Kenworth bug from his father Dave

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The aura of the W-model is alive and well and living at the family-run Metal Transport Industries. Warren Caves takes a trip to Wollongong to discover the passion towards the Kenworth brand, especially the classic W-900

STEELY TRADITIONALISTS

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the remaining two brothers soon sourcing new opportunities within the steel transport game.

Interstate work was soon secured carting ‘pig iron’. Pig iron, also known as crude iron, is an intermediate product of the iron industry in the production of steel, which is obtained by smelting iron ore in a blast furnace. This work would see MTI transporting the iron between Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide for many years.

Kenworth connection Throughout these productive years a longstanding relationship formed with the Kenworth brand.

“We have had other makes come into our fleet from time to time but other brands just don’t compare,” Dave says. During the first 10 to 15 years of the company’s operation, Kenworth W-models and K100 cab-overs would dominate the MTI fleet.

During that first 10 years, the MTI fleet size hovered around nine trucks, working on both local and interstate duties carting scrap metal in tippers. In 1986, the company purchased its first

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“I could literally fit my fist through a hole in the firewall of that truck.” float trailer to assist with machinery movements for their father’s business. Unbeknownst to the brothers at the time, this type of equipment purchase would eventually provide the mainstay of MTI’s current business model.

The interstate work was continuing well and new contracts carting scrap steel from steel food can manufacturing facilities in Melbourne, Kyabram, Wodonga and Shepparton saw MTI establish a depot in Melbourne employing a subcontractor to pick up the scrap and bring it into the Melbourne depot for interstate transfers back to Sydney by the company’s trucks. This increase in workload saw the fleet size at one point total 36 trucks, but the winds of change were already starting to blow.

Annual rate increases well below minimum requirements for profitable operation and contract losses by being undercut by major companies encouraged Dave and Kev to look for alternate opportunities.

With a further breakdown in rate negotiations with prime contractors, even backed by an independent consultant being engaged during the negotiation process, additional rate increases in line with costs were not forthcoming, so MTI advised they would see out their existing contracts but would not be renewing future contracts. As a result, 18 of the company’s scrap metal trucks were sold off to another local carrier in 2007. This decision would form the catalyst of change for the company’s future direction.

As it would turn out, the timing was quite prudent indeed.

“We already had a couple floats running around and that business was increasing,” Dave says.

“Fortunately for us, it was around this time that machinery imports were transitioning from the Darling Harbour site in Sydney to Port Kembla, this was to make way for the Barangaroo development.

“We were ideally positioned to take advantage of this local development. The machinery floating business really picked up for us and with our yard being located close to Port Kembla we would also have other float companies call on us to move machinery off the wharf for them if they couldn’t get there within the three-day allotted window for pick-up off the wharf.”

For MTI, the lion’s share of the company’s freight is now carried on the back of float trailers, with just a few steel tipper trailers continuing to

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work, predominantly local. As for running the business as brothers, Dave says it has worked out great.

“We get along really well and have a lot of mutual friends.

We have played sport together and ride our Harleys together.

At work, we have never had a blue or bad word and we discuss everything to do with the business, except perhaps when I bought a T900 Kenworth for Kev to celebrate his, and mine, 40th birthday. I even got the guys at Kenworth to bring the truck down at night so he didn’t see it,” Dave smiles.

Iconic model As for this wonderful W-900, well let’s backtrack a bit to 1987, when MTI first got hold of it. Fresh out of Bayswater Victoria, this W-model was built in the last year of manufacture of the iconic Kenworth. Powered by a 400hp (280kW) 3406 Caterpillar engine driving through a 15-speed overdrive transmission and 3.9/1 ratio Rockwell diffs, this specification would have seen the old, un-speed limited rig truly hold its own on the highway. A big truck for the time.

MTI placed the new truck in the capable hands of driver Gary Boyce to operate on interstate work, which he did for around 10 years or so. By all accounts, Gary was a bit of a character. During my interview with Dave, some stories were told of the good times Gary had during the years with this

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truck, but I feel these stories are best left for telling around the fuel bowser. One thing is for certain, Gary loved this truck and looked after it really well during his time behind the wheel.

After making its mark on the highway for 10 years, first with Gary at the wheel then Kev, the 3406, although now opened up to 425hp (317kW) to try and keep up with more modern advancements, was feeling a little left behind in the pony department so the truck was unceremoniously relegated to local duties.

One of the truck’s last roles saw it placed within the ASMS facility at Port Kembla, dragging 30- to 40-tonne loads of steel slag around the site from 2011 up until 2016. It was this harsh environment that took its toll on the cosmetic appearance of the old W-Model, eventually seeing her baring more than her share of working life scars.

“I could literally fit my fist through a hole in the firewall of that truck,” Dave remarks.

During the course of its working life, however, the truck had been well maintained and looked after with a bit of a freshen up to the engine and the old unyielding torsion bar suspension being tossed aside (where it belongs, just ask my chiropractor) for a more supple air suspension system and aluminium wheels.

Top: The W-900’s interior has easily stood the test of time Opposite top: Left to right: Dave, Jarrod and Kevin Murada have long had a connection with the Kenworth brand. Photo supplied Opposite bottom: Nowadays, the W-model’s runs are restricted to truck shows

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Dave and Kev certainly have a soft spot for Kenworths, evidenced by the length of time they remain in service for the company (Dave still drives a 2003 T904). According to Dave: “It’s easy to find a driver to drive a well looked after 10-yearold Kenworth.”

With that in mind, in 2016 it was decided that this W-Model had well and truly earnt her keep, accumulating an odometer score of somewhere between 3.5 to 4 million kilometres. As a reward it would be treated to a makeover.

The truck was stripped down to bare chassis rails for what would be a near three-year restoration. It’s at this point we should introduce Jarrod. Jarrod is Dave’s son, who has also shown a keen interest in this truck since the age of 15, when he would come home from school with a few mates and start to remove components for the truck’s ultimate revival.

“The dad of one of my mates drove the truck for a while, so he was really interested in getting involved as well,” Jarrod says. This enthusiasm of youth seemed to spur things on enough to

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allocate one of MTI’s mechanics to get things moving a little more quickly.

Mechanically the truck was largely left as it was, testament to the maintenance it had received throughout its life. It is still running its original engine and transmission, but new Rockwell diffs were put in as a whole rear end replacement when the air suspension went in. The interior is in original condition and remains untouched.

While there was no real timeline planned for the job, Dave said they wanted to do it right, so the truck was completely rewired.

“The truck was at our electricians for months,” Dave says.

Cab repairs and painting were done by Kent Collision and Kustom before the truck returned to Signs, Lines and Scrolls so that Dennis Swinnerton could work his magic brush to hand paint the line and scroll work on the cab to exactly match the way he had done it some 35 years earlier.

With the truck now finished, the historic plates signify a leisurely life of show patronage and classic truck rally runs.

“Jarrod really loves the old trucks and he takes the W-model to all the shows and has driven it on the Haulin’ the Hume truck run,” Dave says.

“He goes to the shows and sleeps in the truck; he’s been driving it since he was 20-years old. He loves it.

“I learnt to drive on 18-speed Roadrangers, so the 15-speed overdrive transmission with its ’round the corner shift means I really need to concentrate when I drive it,” Jarrod adds.

It’s not all beer and skittles for 22-year-old Jarrod though. He has served his time as a mechanic, working both outside and within the MTI business and is now learning the ropes from Dave and uncle Kev to gain first-hand knowledge of driving and floating large machinery and equipment with plans of taking over, eventually.

“Kev has a son also, he is a fitter by trade, and we would really like to maybe one day see him take part in the business as well,” Dave says.

“But, for now, he is living in Canada and has met a girl, so we are not sure how that will go. It would be great for the two of them to take over someday.”

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Above: The 3406 Cat engine has been well maintained over the years Right: Metal Transport Industries’ letterbox. Every home should have one Left: It may not be environmentally friendly, but the old Kenworth looks great when it’s simply smokin’ Opposite top left: A well-deserved show award for the classic Kenworth

“He takes the W-model to all the shows and has driven it on the Haulin’ the Hume truck run.”

Learning from the ground up, Jarrod drives the scrap truck and is building on the experience already gained by riding ‘shotgun’ with Dave on school holiday trucking adventures. He has also done dolly jobs to the Snowy-Hydro project travelling with other drivers, gaining invaluable experience in the adverse conditions encountered on that job.

It’s good to see training and mentorship being given to young drivers in line with their experience. Learning the ropes from the ground level surely results in a greater understanding and appreciation of the task with fewer mistakes along the way.

Someone wise once said to me: “Listen to the old blokes [drivers] when they offer advice, they have probably made the mistakes you haven’t even thought of yet.”

In our ever-increasing throwaway society it’s nice to see some nostalgia at play when it comes to long serving trucks. I know these old trucks have poor emission standards (as evidenced by the big Cat sooting from the chimneys in some of these photos), but as an occasional show cruiser, surely the historical and nostalgic factor is worthy a few diesel particulates in moderation.

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EYES ON THE ROAD Rod Hannifey

Too close for comfort There’s little rest to be had when taking a break in a ‘stopping bay’ alongside a major highway

B

y the time you read this I hope to be driving the new – and most likely last – TruckRight Industry Vehicle (TIV). It has taken far too long to get it on the road, but I believe it will be worth it. Part of the issue has been simply trying to co-ordinate multiple suppliers. There were a few delays from some but each has contributed in one way or another. Without all of them the total would not be as good as it should be. So, here I will thank all who have contributed thus far.

I should have new trailers in 2022 and, like all things at the moment, you have to get in

line, especially when you want something different and want to supply components from many and separate suppliers. It simply takes longer to pull together but I am looking forward to having the whole rig on the road.

I have committed to a minimum of four years and maybe five if I can keep it all going. Then I plan to retire if Rod Pilon will let me.

THE SMALL STUFF I want to raise a couple of issues and seek your help and comments towards seeing things change. Now, as always, this is easy to say and hard to do. The National Road Freighters Association’s (NRFA) six-point plan has, even now as I write, received little support from other industry associations.

Why? One driver rightly commented when we put it up: “Haven’t all the associations being trying to do this stuff for over 20 years now?”

What do you believe they have achieved?

Yes, there have been some big ticket items fought for and solved. That’s good – you and I could not solve them, let alone be heard and get the government to listen. But what about all the little stuff?

Roads and rest areas, along with education of car drivers about sharing the road with trucks have been the biggest on-road issues for years. No wonder drivers are cynical,

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

LEFT: The outgoing TIV squeezes into an unmarked bay alongside the Newell Highway north of West Wyalong BELOW: A tree-less stopping bay for both cars and trucks eastbound on the Dawson Highway in Central Queensland

“This is where we then need a ‘national rest area strategy’.”

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frustrated and over it! Yes, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and the heavy vehicle funding efforts have gone some way to the education – though long overdue – but the NHVR has no control over roads and rest areas. It can comment and advise and, we hope, in the future it will have more say. Maybe then we can have a national road standard that will be not only put forth but monitored and pursued to ensure we have better and safer roads.

None or few of the pollies drive on them, none of them have to sleep on or near them, so the roads and rest areas are not important till they have to spend money.

Look at the new lights in Dubbo: months of traffic congestion, yes, a better final outcome for this intersection but now we have three sets of lights within 500 metres.

The middle one is on a slope. Are they, at the very least, co-ordinated so we don’t simply get three red lights for three separate cars? I have written to the new council CEO asking this question as well as asking his opinion on what the future transport needs for Dubbo are.

We need a strategy, a ring road to keep traffic out of the city and to see the city grow (and hopefully see some sort of truck stop here) as this is the crossroads of New South Wales. Many other towns on the Newell have bypasses, yet no other has the traffic and crossroads position Dubbo does. What will happen in a few years when the tunnels are built on the Western Highway and A-doubles can run out from Sydney?

The current proposal for a River Street Bridge will not solve the problems we have now. It will not floodproof the Newell and if built, will see Dubbo not get a ring road or bypass for the next 20 or more years.

Many vehicles bypass Dubbo through Narromine and into Tomingley, but that road is not a highway by any means, is in bad shape now and gets flooded and falls apart after rain. So, why not do the bloody job properly in the first place? This is where we then need a ‘national rest area strategy’.

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT I recently spent two weeks in Central Queensland where there are some good sites but we now have a proliferation of ‘stopping bays’, which look pretty and have big signs.

Many of these signs have been placed too close to the road and have already been hit, so more money wasted and will continue to be. In addition, the bays do not provide a safe and suitable place for a kip. They are too small, too close to the road and now the money has been spent we will again be told: “But we built them and spent all this money for you; why are you whinging?”

Within the NRFA’s six-point plan was a request for those two items, along with some COVID commonsense, but no one will support even this. No wonder drivers will not join any association.

However, again I will ask you to join one – any one of them – for one year. Get involved and push them to actually do something for drivers on the road. If they don’t, or you are simply not happy with their efforts, then join the NRFA and give me 12 months. It will cost you a few dollars, but you only get out what you put in. I have given you over 20 years and will give another four or five if you will give me one year.

Please have a merry and safe Christmas.

It has been a bugger of a year and we were recognised for a minute, but I fear we are now back to where we were, so all the best for a ‘Trucking Good 2022’.

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The legal view Sarah Marinovic

Configuration codes A change in configuration could be costly if there’s a failure to notify the authorities

L

et’s talk configuration codes. I’ll admit it’s not very exciting, but this information could save your business thousands of dollars.

For the uninitiated, the configuration of a vehicle is a description of how it is going to be set up and used, e.g. what type of vehicle is it, how many axles does it have and how may trailers will it tow?

Each possible configuration has been allocated a code. So, for example, the code for a prime mover with two axles hauling one semitrailer is SP2. A dog trailer with two axles is a TD11.

The New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), or Transport for NSW, uses the configuration codes to calculate the registration fees.

When you complete an application to transfer or register a vehicle, one of the questions asks you to nominate the appropriate configuration code.

So, everyone who owns a heavy vehicle will, at some stage, have indicated what configuration they intend to use it in.

When you nominate the configuration, you’re required to choose the highest configuration that the vehicle will be used in, e.g. if you have a semi-trailer that sometimes hauls one trailer and other times hauls two trailers, then you need to choose the two-trailer code.

The higher the configuration, the more the registration charges cost.

The government, of course, wants to make sure that they get their full payment. So, they’ve included an offence around using a vehicle under

the incorrect configuration code.

The law requires the registered operator to notify the RMS whenever there is a change in configuration that would increase the registration fees. There’s a maximum fine of $11,000 for failing to notify. You can also be fined up to $11,000 each time the vehicle is used under the incorrect configuration code. Plus, the RMS can make you pay back the underpaid registration fees.

This is where being aware can save you money. What most people don’t realise is just how common it is for vehicles to be operating under the incorrect code. Often, the wrong configuration was chosen on the original forms. Other times, there’s been a change in how the vehicle is used (e.g. it now tows an extra trailer) and no one has realised to change the nominated configuration.

You can’t assume that the codes are correct just because the vehicle is regularly inspected by RMS investigators without anyone commenting. I’ve seen several cases where a vehicle has been inspected multiple times over many years without the mistake being noticed, until a particularly eagle-eyed inspector picks it up and sends the business to court.

SAVING GRACES There are some simple steps businesses can take to avoid ending up in court: • Regular checks – include a regular review of your vehicle’s registration details into your business policies and procedures.

Consider how the vehicle is being used now and double check that it

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

matches the configuration code. Linking the check to a particular event, e.g. each registration renewal or vehicle service, is a good way to make sure it’s not overlooked • Educate – make sure everyone in your business knows about the configuration code rules. This avoid situations where people change how the vehicle is used without realising who they need to notify • Get help – if in doubt about which code to choose, ask for help. It’s important though to make sure you’re asking the right people. The codes can be confusing, and it’s easy to make mistakes if you’re not familiar with them. I wouldn’t recommend getting advice from the Services NSW registry staff because they’re not heavy vehicle experts. Instead it’s better to speak with the checking station inspectors, an authorised heavy vehicle examiner or a lawyer specialising in heavy vehicle law.

Finally, one last tip that can save you some money. Don’t forget that you can also notify when you change to a lower configuration.

This can reduce your registration charges.

You’ll need to tell RMS if you change back to a higher configuration, but enjoy the lower fees while you can!

“The RMS can make you pay back the underpaid registration fees.”

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truck of the month

ORANGE CRUSH Two dreams have come true for ‘Rusty’, the owner of Flying Horse Transport.

Relocating with his family to Australia and eventually becoming the proud owner of a spruced-up brilliant orange 2019 Kenworth T909. Not only has this colourful unit’s exterior been enhanced, the interior is simply luxurious, as Warren Aitken reports

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I

n a country dominated by cricket, rugby league and cross-country netball (or Aussie Rules), it’s almost sacrilegious that I start this story with a quote from one of the all-time greatest real footy (soccer) players, Pelé. I’m not to saying there’s probably no good lines from Ricky Ponting or Jonathon Thurston or some AFL player that I don’t know. It’s just that Pelé, in one quote, managed to sum up completely the journey to success of Flying Horse Transport and, in particular, the man behind the bright orange truck you see before you: “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and, most of all, love of what you are doing.”

That one quote sums up Rasdeep Singh Bajwa, who is better known as Rusty and is the man behind Flying Horse Transport.

I best clarify something here. Rusty is the driving force behind Flying Horse Transport’s amazing orange T909. Notice how I was very specific? That’s because Rusty is the first to point out the success of the company itself is down to so many other people, not just him. He makes it abundantly clear he is merely one of the several successful pillars of the company.

Rusty is not even trying to earn brownie points when he dobs in his wife Rajbir Kaur as the major force behind his success.

“She is the main person in this. She stands with me in all my ups and downs,” Rusty says.

So, how did this young Indian family man with a lifetime passion for trucks end up here, with arguably one of the most custom, colourful Kenworths in Australia? Allow me to elaborate.

Rusty was born and raised in Punjab in the northern part of India. Punjab is a state of around 50,000 square kilometres with a population of around 27 million. Just to put that into perspective, that would be like the population of Australia, around 25 million people, all camping

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“I was crazy for trucks, ever since I was a kid.” in Tasmania which has a land mass of around 65,000 square kilometres. Think about that.

Imagine how frustrating the grey nomads would be on those roads.

But, back to Rusty. Like so many of us truck nuts, he grew up with diesel in his veins.

“I was crazy for trucks, ever since I was a kid,” he admits.

“My uncle had about 50 trucks, mainly rigids to start with, then eventually into semis.”

The main workhorse of his uncle’s fleet was the legendary Tata.

“Tata is the top-of-the-line in India; like Kenworth is to Australia, Tata is over there,” Rusty explains. It’s worth pointing out that the company behind Tata also owns Jaguar and Land Rover.

“When the trucks would come to my village I would jump in for a ride,” smiles Rusty. His huge grin is one we can all relate to – I remember doing the same thing when my uncle would pass through town in his truck.

Rusty’s passion for trucks grew tenfold when access to the internet allowed him to literally view a world of trucks. His voice resorts to that of an excited kid as he recalls seeing the big Canadian rigs for the first time. I could easily relate, memories of seeing my first road train was the metaphorical fuel on my truck passion fire.

Hard study Rusty came to Australia with his family in 2007.

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Having grown up working on farms, the skills he learnt in India saw him easily employed in the same area here.

After getting settled, he took the opportunity to begin studying. When I listen to Rusty recall his early years in Australia it definitely makes me feel a little unmotivated.

Lazy might be more appropriate for me but unmotivated sounds more professional. For while my early 20s were spent enjoying my fair share of alcohol induced celebrations (mine and probably yours actually), Rusty was busy working and studying.

Rusty studied automotive engineering for a couple years, followed by a business management diploma. All this while working as a taxi driver for another of his uncles. However, with all this on his schedule, Rusty never lost his passion for trucks and, as soon as he got his HR licence, he found local work and his trucking career began.

By now it was 2010. Rusty was 22 and he stepped into a local body truck for Total Logistics Solutions (TLS) in Melbourne. Not only was the job a step into the industry he loved but it would also give him the nickname that would stay with him to this day.

“I was an HR driver at TLS. I remember Adam, the local dispatcher there. I’d spell my name Rasdeep and he said ‘Rusty?’ I said, ‘Yeah, just call me Rusty’,” he laughingly tells me. From there it just stuck.

Rusty spent a couple of years driving heavy rigids,

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Above: Another Thorpe addition to the Kenworth was this stunning mural on the bonnet, by the artist known as ‘H’ Opposite top: With a custom-built floor and completely overhauled seats and dash, the Kenworth is one-of-a-kind Opposite below: It took a fair bit of convincing to get Rusty to pose in front of his T909. Not because he wasn’t proud of the truck he’s worked decades to earn, but because he hadn’t brought his matching turban. He’s well known for his bright orange custom headwear

eventually progressing through the ranks and doing a year or so on the semis before moving onto B-doubles. His apprenticeship over the years saw him experience every aspect of the industry – freezer work, pallet work, flattops, multi-drops, local, interstate … you name it, he had a go.

“When I got into the semis I was introduced to the Roadranger ’boxes, mainly with Kenworths,” Rusty recalls. It was those Kenworth experiences that seeded the inspiration for owning his own T909. However, that idea never really took off until 2014.

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“I love my culture, I love the Aussie culture, I love trucks.”

Top: This Kenworth would seriously rival some American custom-built show trucks, especially inside Above: Just like all the Flying Horse trucks, Rusty ensures the drivers have all the creature comforts. His truck is just a little more colourful

Volvo detour

Right: Custom-made Flying Horse badges. Absolutely brilliant From opposite top: The Kenworth may be the flagship but Rusty has a soft spot for the Western Star badge as well. One of the company’s many Stars tries to hold its own against the big orange 909; Rusty had the big T909 on a regular MelbourneBrisbane run, hooked up to his rejuvenated Vawdrey single. It’s a sight you can’t miss

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“My dream was an Orange nine-O with a single trailer,” he adds. Lucky for him he has not just a supportive but also very smart wife in Rajbir.

“She said to me: ‘OK, if that’s what you want, how about you start with a rigid?’”

That’s exactly what Rusty did. He bought a little rigid truck; operating it himself for all of three months. It seems, when you are crazy for trucks and have been driving all the big gear, it is very hard to go backwards.

Rusty put a driver in the rigid and found himself buying his first semi, a cab-over Freightliner.

“I still sit down sometimes and ask myself why I did that,” Rusty jokingly tells me. He admits he did not have a lot of luck with that truck and, less than a year later, he sold it and went back on the road as a company driver.

Right about here I’d like to flip back to that quote right at the start. The truth is I simply wanted to highlight the “hard work, perseverance, learning” part of it. Rusty’s self-admission that he’s “crazy for trucks” meant his dream of owning his own trucks never died and owning his flagship Kenworth was as strong as ever. He still had his rigid and had in fact been asked by the company he was contracted to if he could put on another rigid. While all this was going on Rusty was back on the road, driving semis as a company driver.

After a couple of years another friend, Amrit, one of the men behind Auswide Transport Solutions, offered him some tow operator work. Here was the prime opportunity to get his big nine-O9, right? Nope, with a family to provide for, the outlay for his showpiece just wasn’t justified. Rusty’s business brain was firstly focussed on building a successful transport business. The showpiece truck would have to wait.

Instead, the first semi to re-join Flying Horse Transport in 2017 was a Volvo.

Following the purchase of the Volvo, Flying Horse Transport really took off (pun absolutely intended). In case you are wondering where the company name originates, well, there are a couple of really cool parts to that.

Firstly, back in India, the term ‘horse’ is a slang for a tractor unit. Secondly, in another example of Rusty’s trucking passion, one day, long before he had his first truck and when he was driving a taxi along one of Melbourne’s

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motorways, he was dwarfed on either side by two B-double units doing warp factor 12.

“My passenger was a bit frightened and exclaimed that they were just flying along,” Rusty recalls. That line formed a flying horse image and, before he even had a truck, he had his company name.

Since that first semi in 2017, the business has steadily grown. It now sits at 11 trucks, including the rigids, 13 B-double sets as well as two fulltime subcontractors. By the time Flying Horse Transport had grown to 10 trucks, it got Rusty thinking about his childhood dream. Actually, it became more of a childhood, adolescent and Gen Y dream for Rusty.

“When I got the 10 trucks and I saw the 10 were there to feed my family and to feed the rest I would get the 909 and get it special,” Rusty says.

And so it began.

Ever since the first Flying Horse Volvo, Rusty has always pimped his trucks out. With his passion for the industry and his love of trucks it was always just a given. All his trucks have added bling, extra lights and more shine than any factory-built truck. He also equips out the interior as well to allow his drivers to have all the creature comforts – souped up stereos, microwaves, television, fridges … all that stuff is included to make his drivers comfortable.

“Everything has changed, my work is depending on them. They have to eat well, eat healthy, be rested,” Rusty explains. The trucks’ setup also goes as far as extra training in load restraint and fatigue management when he brings on new drivers. His emphasis on skilled and informed drivers pairs up well with the top-of-the-line gear he gives them to pilot.

With that much effort put into the fleet trucks

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and drivers, it was a given that the flagship was always going to be something really special.

Orange image Rusty’s long-time vision had been a bright orange T909. The choice of Kenworth was a given for Rusty. With several already in his fleet, their worth had already been proven. Matched with the iconic aura that hangs over the T909 mantle, it’s about as obvious a choice as it would be picking Stephen Hawking for you pub quiz team.

Nick Gesovski, Rusty’s local Kenworth salesman, was used to doing up a T909 quote for him. Rusty had bought several Kenworths already and, each time he would also get a quote from Nick for the 909. But it would always result in Rusty shaking his head and having a little mumble under his breath about, “Ah, it’s too expensive”. This time, though, Nick received no shake of the head, no

reluctant mumbling. In fact, on Rusty’s birthday, he was given the go-ahead by his finance manager and called Nick to say, “Let’s do it!”

The choice of colour for the 2019 model is another reflection of Rusty’s deep appreciation for his culture.

“I love my culture, I love the Aussie culture, I love trucks,” he says. The Kenworth supplied the Aussie culture and Rusty’s Indian culture was covered with the colour choice. Orange is the most dominant colour of all in India; in the Indian flag it stands for courage and sacrifice.

The vibrant orange paintjob was performed inhouse at Paccar’s Bayswater facility. From there, the standard T909 was sent off for a four-month makeover at the home of cool – Thorpe Custom Trucks.

“Leon Thorpe and Lee Thorpe, they helped me a lot,” Rusty says.

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“The next one I’ll have a gearstick in, though.”

“They see the craziness in me – Leon is a crazy guy himself with the trucks.”

With a bit of influence from the Thorpe boys, Rusty had a pretty good Idea of what he wanted to do and what he wanted to add. First and foremost was a crazy sound system.

The truck has been pumped up with amps and subwoofers and could happily entertain a small- to medium-sized music festival. The interior is far from original, starting with the seats, which were removed and sent away for customisation.

The aluminium floor was fitted and orange effects added to everything from the dash to the cabinetry.

Exterior-wise, I’d love to list it all but it would turn this into a three-day read. Twin stacks were mounted to the truck even though the actual exhaust still runs underneath. If you spotted how clean the inside of the monster stacks are, that’s the reason.

Thorpe Custom Trucks built a one-piece grab handlemirror arm setup that looks amazing cool. Honestly, from front to back there is so much customisation, you really need to spend a bit of time looking at the images just to appreciate the work and creativity that has gone into this truck.

It didn’t leave Thorpe’s workshop fully finished, though.

Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t half-done either but actually

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Top, left to right: One of my favourite modifications is the single piece handrail-mirror arm. Not sure if it’s a Rusty choice or a Thorpe’s but it looks outstanding; The attention to detail in every inch of the truck is a testament to the team at Thorpe’s Custom Trucks. A fantastic finish Above, right: You can admire the rear end for days. If you’re wondering about the plate though, it goes back to another of Rusty’s loves – tractors. All the Flying Horse plates are tractor models Below: The T909 might be the flagship but Rusty and the Flying Horse Teams passion for trucks shows across the entire fleet

a plan by Rusty. Right from the start there was a long list of extra additions and alterations he was planning on making.

“I wanted to have other little things I could add cause then it feels like a new truck every time I do something different,” he adds. It works, too. Every time I get the pleasure of catching up with him there’s something new for him to show me. Which makes me feel like I should be shooting the truck again … and again.

While the big Kenworth was getting its makeup put on, Rusty had Justin and the team at Vawdrey Trailers hard at work as well. Not just matching a nice new B-double set to the Kenworth’s colour scheme – he’d also commissioned the revamp of a second-hand Vawdrey tautliner to go behind the big girl. Luke from Anytime Curtains played a huge role in revamping the old trailer with new curtains, lights, guards – the whole 10 yards.

The end result rolled out in early November 2019 and damn near broke the internet. Rusty’s lifelong dream had been reached and it was amazing. Rusty has huge admiration for all those involved and makes sure that credit goes where credit is due. He does admit, however, that he’d rather have a gear stick the 909 but, as a fleet owner, he also knows he won’t always be in the truck so needs it to be able to be used by other drivers.

“The next one I’ll have a gearstick in though,” Rusty cheekily remarks, out of his lovely wife’s earshot of course.

“My passion is my profession; I love what I do,” is one of the quotes that stands out from my time with Rusty. Ironically, it’s something he doesn’t even need to say. That passion is obvious from the state of all his trucks, to the standard he holds his employees to. He is a true truck nut, even the fact we conducted this interview on a Friday night when he was holding a barbecue for his team and helping clean the trucks just shows his passion for the industry. It is a passion that is rampant throughout Flying Horse Transport.

It’s this passion, along with the hard work, perseverance, constant learning and sacrifice that has ensured the success of Rusty and his team. Well done guys.

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As well as being involved in road transport media for the past 22 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

Songs for the season Eight albums to tuck under the Christmas tree

Country Corner LIONHEART Chris Cavill

Independent www.chriscavillmusic.com

IN PLAIN SIGHT Neal Francis

PAUL KELLY’S CHRISTMAS TRAIN Paul Kelly

EVERYBODY LOVES The Predators

ATO/PIAS www.nealfrancis.com

EMI Music/Universal www.paulkelly.com.au

Airlock Records www.thepredators.com.au

Chicago-based Neal Francis delivers nine eclectic tracks on In Plain Sight following on from his debut Changes where he was labelled “the reincarnation of Allen Toussaint”. The new songs range from the light pop of ‘Problems’ to ‘Prometheus’, a rock track reminiscent of late 1960s’ progressive music. Francis is a fan of Chicago and New Orleans blues music, and he delivers his own contribution to that genre on ‘Can’t Stop The Rain’, helped by guest guitarist Derek Trucks.

Francis’s understated vocals are not unlike those of John Mayer, which works well on ‘Sentimental Garbage’, a dreamy rock track with a lengthy guitar interlude, reminiscent of David Gilmour’s best work. ‘Alameda Apartments’ is a big production number that surprisingly boasts a Brit-pop sound.

A nice easy-on-the-ear album.

Paul Kelly has revamped a few old favourites and introduced a few new songs on his first festive season album. Although titled Paul Kelly’s Christmas Train, an impressive array of familiar names have climbed aboard, taking the Christmas theme to a wider audience. New Zealander Marlon Williams brings an operative performance to ‘Tapu Te Po’ (O Holy Night), sung in the Maori language, while Melbourne-based Lior teams up with Paul, Alice and Emily Lubitz for an a cappella reading of the Hebrew prayer ‘Shalom Aleichem’. Linda Bull and Kelly combine for a remake of the ‘Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)’, originally recorded by ’60s pop star Darlene Love. Traditional song ‘Silent Night’ is here, but in a twist classically-trained Alice Keath sings one of the verses in its original German language.

It’s Christmas with a difference.

The three main men of Brisbanebased rock band The Predators are, to all intents and purposes, an early incarnation of Powderfinger.

The three members – guitarist Ian Haug, bassist John Collins and drummer-vocalist Steven Bishop – founded Powderfinger three years before Bernard Fanning joined. Bishop left in 1990 but now the three originals are back as The Predators with Everybody Loves, a superb rock album that has been 16 years in the making. It’s full of invention, notably ‘The Sea Faded’ that is loaded with psychedelic guitar riffs, and the ominous ‘Taking Fire’, a rock track that wouldn’t be astray in a Foo Fighters’ set list. The band continues the trend on ‘Lead The Way’, while ‘Wrong Side Of Down’ is definite FM radio material. There’s more commercial possibilities with ‘Golden Handcuff’ and there’s a key-change experimentation on ‘Say My Piece’.

RAISE THE ROOF Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

THE TEARS OF HERCULES Rod Stewart

THE FUTURE Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

Rounder/Warner Music www.robertplant.com

Warner Music www.rodstewart.com

Stax Records www.nathanielrateliff.com

THE COUNTRY AND THE COAST (SIDE A) Morgan Evans

The unlikely pairing of rock vocalist Robert Plant with bluegrasscountry star Alison Krauss proved highly successful in 2007; their album Raising Sand scoring five Grammy Awards. Plant has long left his Led Zeppelin days behind, while Krauss is open to stretching her musical boundaries so it was a no-brainer for them to release this long-awaited follow-up Raise The Roof. Plant takes a back seat as Krauss delivers a haunting vocal on the old Everly Brothers' hit ‘The Price Of Love’, and again on the Bert Janschpenned ‘It Don’t Bother Me’. Plant steps up for ‘High And Lonesome’, a strong track with a pulsating rhythm. ‘Quattro World Drifts In’, written by Tex-Mex band Calexico, has an emotive, atmospheric tone, and there’s a retro flavour to the vibrant ‘Can’t Let Go’. Plant then ventures into swampy territory on ‘You Led Me To The Wrong’. A brilliantly produced album, perfectly timed for the festive season.

Having moved out of his lengthy Great American Songbook phase in 2010, legendary rock star then released a series of highly-rated albums with producer Kevin Savigar. The Tears Of Hercules is the latest chapter in Stewart’s rock-pop renaissance. In addition to producing, Savigar also co-wrote eight tracks with Stewart, including ‘One More Time’, a light, upbeat song about rekindling the good times. ‘Some Kind Of Wonderful’ is a soulful track first recorded

by Soul Brothers Six in the 1960s. Grinding guitars are a feature of ‘Born To Boogie’, a rock number dedicated to the late Marc Bolan, while sex is on Stewart’s mind with the upbeat ‘Kookooaramabama’. The title track is a piano-backed ballad, and he delivers an emotive take of the Johnny Cash-penned ‘These Are My People’. The Tears Of Hercules may not take Stewart back to his glory days, but it shows that you can’t keep a good Scotsman down.

Big-voiced Nathaniel Rateliff, from the US state of Colorado, has mixed a solo career with different backing bands, the most prominent being The Night Sweats. The Future, containing 11 tracks, is the third release for this combination. Rateliff questions himself on ‘What If I’, a catchy number that has also released as a single. There’s big band pop on ‘Survivor’ and a ’60s soul sound complete with a big brass accompaniment to ‘Love Don’t’. Rateliff describes a difficult relationship on ‘So Put Out’, but he’s in a happier place on ‘Love Me Till I’m Gone’, a track that echoes the sound of Van Morrison. He lays on the late night charm for ‘Baby I Got Your Number’, one of the album’s more laid-back tracks, and there’s a Bob Dylan tone to Rateliff’s vocals on the mid-paced country rockin’ title track. As expected from a Stax Records album, The Future is big on soul.

US-based Australian singer-songwriter Morgan Evans has adopted a trend of recent years, releasing "one side" of a new album. Hence, we get an EP of six tracks of The Country And The Coast.

Evans rocks it up in typical style on road anthem ‘Country Outta My Girl’ and turns on the romance for ‘Beautiful Tonight’. He hits the road again on another country rock track, ‘Love Is Real’, and he takes his old pickup for a long run on ‘American Dream Truck’.

Evans enjoyed success with the song ‘Day Drunk’ a few years ago, and he heads to the bar again on ‘Sing Along Drink Along’.

A remixed version of ‘Love Is Real’ rounds out this release. Bring on Side B.

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Melbournebased singersongwriter Chris Cavill has clocked up 15 years in the music industry, both with bands The Long Weekend and The Prospectors. The Americana-styled Lionheart, his third studio album, is a tribute to his father who passed away in 2017 after years of battling multiple sclerosis. With acoustic guitar in hand and a banjo in support, Cavill gets straight to the point as he senses his father’s presence on ‘Doin Time’.

The electrics come out for the rock track ‘Cold’, and there’s harmonica on the slow, reflective ‘Whatever You Become’.

Cavill says goodbye to his dad on ‘Don’t Wanna Let Go’, another emotive track. However, this is not a melancholy album – it's a presentation of quality singing, songwriting and production.

Warner Music www.morganevansmusic.com

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DIABETES NSW & ACT Polly Antees

Losin’ it while truckin’ A few tips for commercial drivers to help you lose kilos even when out on the road

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arvest has started and the roads are even busier with trucks, road trains, freighters and delivery drivers all doing long hours to make sure this fantastic country of ours keeps running smoothly. The long hours on the road can have a toll on the body and the waistline, however. Over time as the waistline increases so does our risk of developing type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea and back injuries.

Based in my hometown of Moree, the crossroads of transport between north, south, east and west, I have seen many clients in the trucking industry, all wanting to reduce their waistline and pass the medical to keep their heavy vehicle licence.

Reducing your waistline reduces insulin resistance and improves blood glucose levels. If blood glucose levels go too high it can cause sleepiness, while maintaining a steady supply of glucose to the brain ensures concentration levels are at their highest while driving. Three things every truck driver seems to have in common in regards to food are:

1. Over generous roadhouse staff Most roadhouses like to look after the regular clients. Based on the attitude of a well-fed customer must be a wellloved customer, the serve sizes are overgenerous. I recently ordered pork chops and vegetables in a country roadhouse for dinner. When the meal arrived it was three pork loin chops, one cup of mash potato and about two cups of steamed vegetables. The portion of mash and vegetable made the dietitian inside smile with delight. The 600g protein serve contained 5,500kJ of energy and 168g of protein. The average Australian needs to only eat 8,700kJ/day of energy a day.

Protein is fantastic for building and repairing muscle. The catch is, 30g of protein from about 100g of meat is the maximum per meal the body can digest and convert to muscle. The rest goes into the liver and gets converted to uric acid, which can cause gout, or is stored in the reserve fuel tank (aka the waistline) as fat for later.

TIP: Reducing your protein portion to a quarter of the plate can make a big difference in reducing the waistline. By consuming 600kJ of energy less a day you can lose up to seven kilograms in a year. One chop is 1,800kJ. Reducing your portion of protein down to two chops instead of three will result in a 20 kilogram weight loss in one year.

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2. Waiting time Waiting to load. Waiting to unload.

Waiting at the border check points.

Waiting in traffic. There is a lot of time wasted just sitting and waiting. Your hands and mind are no longer focused on the road and boredom sets in.

People sometimes use food to help make the time go by. Snacking on roadhouse snacks are going to add extra energy to your daily intake. These snacks are high in energy (kilojoules) and low in nutrients. All those excess kilojoules become stored fat around the waistline.

This increases insulin resistance and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

TIP: Take an esky in the cabin and fill up with low energy and high nutrient snacks. Eskies these days can keep food frozen for a week and can come in all sizes. Ensure you choose a good quality esky that claims to keep ice frozen for seven days.

• Vegetables are a great snack while driving. They are not sticky and don’t make a mess. Pre-cut carrots, capsicums, celery and cucumbers into sticks, snack on cherry tomatoes or cauliflower and broccoli – they are delicious raw. You can even purchase baby vegetables that are already in easy-to-eat sizes • If you have a portable freezer you can store peas. Frozen peas are like eating little bursts of sweetness • Unsalted popcorn. A 2/3 cup of popcorn

POLLY ANTEES is an accredited practising dietitian and credentialled diabetes educator with Diabetes NSW & ACT. For more information on diabetes or to talk to a dietitian, call the Diabetes NSW & ACT Helpline on 1300 342 238.

“People can use food to help make the time go by.”

is equivalent to 10 potato crisps • Flavoured water. Use mint, lemon juice, slice oranges, cucumber and strawberries to add interest. Tea infusion bags for water are now also available – you’ll find these in the tea section at the supermarket • Fruit. One punnet of strawberries is equal to an apple. A punnet of strawberries takes a lot longer to eat than one apple. Apples are still a healthy choice. A small chocolate bar is equillivant to two apples in energy but with a lot less nutrition.

• Packaged fruit. While having a rest snack on some Two Fruits in natural juice.

3. Limited healthy options on the road Healthy home-cooked meals can be hard to find when on the road. Sometimes distance between towns means that the kitchen is closed by the time you arrive at the roadhouse. To ensure healthy choices are easy, pack an esky and a 12-volt portable oven. Portable ovens can cost as little as $50. Put one-person meal packs in your esky. When it is time to cook add ingredients to your portable oven. Dinner will be served in one to four hours. For recipes, look for slow cooker meal ideas. If the recipe makes four meals then divide the recipe by four. Add all wet ingredients in a zip lock bag and freeze. Put dry ingredients in another zip lock bag. When it is time to cook add wet ingredients in portable oven and cook for two to five hours. Add dry ingredients when required.

TIP: • Baked beans. Cold or heated are a healthy snack or meal • Keep frozen dinners in the portable freezer and reheat while driving in the oven • Cook a baked potato or sweet potato in the portable oven. Takes about one to two hours. When you stop to eat, load it with tinned tuna or left-over roast meat and add a salad • Apple and steel cut porridge. Porridge will cook in a portable oven. Add oats, low fat milk, one to two tablespoons of apple sauce and a cut up apple. It will take about one hour to cook. Half a cup of oats will make one cup of cooked porridge • Spaghetti. Add lean mince, vegetables and pasta sauce. Cook while driving for about two to three hours. Add pasta to sauce. It will be cooked in about 30 minutes • Swap cream in recipes for canned evaporated skim milk. This reduces the kilojoules and saturated fat in the meal. Freeze evaporated skim milk in ice block trays. Then store in freezer.

Add about four cubes to a meal for a creamier sauce • It takes time to learn how to prepare meals with a portable oven. Have a can of baked beans or a sandwich as a back-up in case the meal is a disaster.

Make one small change each week or two. After a couple of months these changes will become habits. These healthy changes can assist in waistline reduction and improve insulin resistance and overall health.

Happy trucking!

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NRFA Sally Tipping

Maintaining momentum Road freight kept rolling along throughout 2021 as many other industries struggled

I

like to reflect on 2021 as the year of resilience. We have all had to show patience, strength and more importantly resilience during a second COVID year. The transport industry was no exception, swiftly adapting to rapidly changing regulations and requirements, all while keeping the show on the road.

Our industry has been classed as an essential service. However, during this pandemic, our ability to perform crucial tasks has been difficult. Society has come to realise how crucial deliveries are, and without trucks, supplies cannot be delivered.

Specifically, keeping Australia moving and reinforcing to all Australians that delivering freight is a critical component in maintaining a liveable lifestyle.

It has also seen a slight shift in gaining a positive public perception, so long overdue, for our industry. This should not be a lost opportunity. As a collective, we now need to carry this forward and develop ways to highlight and promote the impressive work that is accomplished.

Promoting our brand delivers extraordinary benefits and is a vital component in creating a strong, viable future. Every person involved in the transport industry has a role to play in this promotion, whether it be by saying a simple “thank you” to a work colleague or having a positive conversation to a person who has limited knowledge of the industry.

Greater understanding is the first step towards creating a positive

public perception, positive work force growth and positive engagement between all road users – leading to safer, calmer roads.

PROFESSIONAL DRIVER SHORTAGE Unfortunately, during 2021 the massive shortfall of suitable drivers became increasingly evident. Operations across Australia were scrambling to employ professional drivers to sustain the continual rise of the freight task growth.

Companies did not have a large scope or choice of professional drivers to employ, parking equipment rather than filling roles with inexperienced operators, impeding productivity.

The future of the transport industry depends on a secure, proficient workforce.

Creating a driver friendly work environment for the professional and skilled is crucial in sustainability; a mass exodus of this cohort because working conditions and regulations were beyond reasonable and bearable would have a severe impact on productivity.

Time is now the essence to invest and nurture not only a younger generation but also mature age people wanting to enter the industry, to fill the void of lost opportunities simply because roles cannot be filled.

Making the transport industry an attractive, professional, first choice career path is paramount in keeping an increasing freight task on track for future trajectory.

As a collective, associations collaborating as a strong united front

SALLY TIPPING is the managing director of family-owned Tippings Transport Pty Ltd, based in Dubbo, central west NSW. Sally is a board member of the National Road Freighters Association, a member of Transport Women Australia Limited and founder of the ‘Wave to A Truckie’ campaign which highlights and positively promotes the Transport Industry.

would initiate significant changes and a positive future together. The National Road Freighters Association (NRFA), run by volunteers, is gaining momentum and is being heard, not only by other associations but also has constant conversations and engagement with regulatory bodies. I would encourage anyone who would like to see positive changes within our industry to become active members and have a voice, gaining strength by numbers.

PRODUCTIVE YEAR AHEAD As our resilient year draws to an end we should applaud ourselves for the positive impact we have made on society; the fact we didn’t just deliver essential supplies but kept supply chains at full strength, swiftly adapting to evolving regulations, all while other industries were at a complete standstill. A job well done!

My wish for everyone this Christmas is to reflect on this crazy, busy year and to embrace joy and peace, while you can – 2022 will not stop for anyone and it’s going to be a cracker!

The year 2022 will be a massive one for productivity!

On behalf of the NRFA board and members, may your Christmas sparkle with moments of love, laughter and goodwill, and may the year ahead be full of contentment and joy. Have a Merry Christmas and we look forward to connecting with you in 2022.

And don’t forget to ‘Wave to A Truckie’ when you can. It’ll make you feel good and will make their day!

“Operations across Australia were scrambling to employ professional drivers.”

MOORE

Moore

trailer for you r money! TRAILERS

 07 4693 1088 www.mooretrailers.com.au ownerdriver.com.au

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driver profile

MISTER FIXIT

Darcy Pollard arrived at Centenary Landscaping Supplies looking for a few days’ work driving trucks. That was more than three decades ago – now he’s the go-to guy for any truck and maintenance issues while also driving around south-east Queensland in a brand new 8x4 UD Quon. Greg Bush writes

W

hen Darcy Pollard arrived at Centenary Landscaping Supplies at Darra in south-east Queensland just on 32 years ago, it was by all accounts a fairly modest operation. His arrival was only three years after the now managing director Terry O’Shea purchased the company, which itself hadn’t long been in operation.

Darcy recalls starting out in a little Centenary Landscaping Supplies’ 2.5 tonne Daihatsu.

“We had one loader and one forklift when I started, and maybe four little trucks and one big truck,” he says.

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He laughs when he says he would load a little more than the allocated payload on the Daihatsu, adding: “I had long hair and no grey hairs when I started.”

Darcy, a painter by trade, came to Centenary almost by accident. He was in the midst of painting a house but work in his industry was slowing down.

“A mate of mine who was working here said: ‘Do you want to do a couple of days a week driving a truck?’ And I said: ‘Yeah, got to pay the bills.’ And I’ve been here ever since.”

Due to the fair amount of cherry picker work that was part of his previous occupation, he came to Centenary already holding a truck licence.

Darcy eventually progressed from the Daihatsu,

stepping into a 12.5-tonne Mitsubishi for around 12 years with a Hercules tipper trailer on the back.

That suited him just fine, until a few months ago when he was handed the keys to a brand new 8x4 UD Quon.

“Honestly, nothing compares to these new ones,” he says.

“They’ve just got everything that you need, and they’re just a great truck to drive. The Mitsubishi is nothing.”

Darcy counts around 16 trucks of various makes and models in the Centenary Landscaping Supplies fleet with almost all hauling a Hercules trailer.

“We’ve got two more UDs down the back; they’re a

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“I think it’s the culture that we’ve built around people, not just product.” bogie drive and not twin-steer and they’ve proven their point,” he adds.

“They’re a good truck.”

Hercules has maintained its status as the preferred choice of trailer for Centenary. The fact that its facility is five minutes away is convenient but, more importantly, Darcy says it’s a problem-free product.

“The last truck I had for 12 years, never had a repair on it; nothing on the bin,” he says.

Driver comfort Darcy’s runs are mostly confined to south-east Queensland, mainly west to Toowoomba, north to the Sunshine Coast and south to the Gold Coast. However, his preference is for the longer runs up and down the coast, and not the stopstart around town deliveries. He was especially keen on an upcoming trip to northern New South Wales, taking loads of organic fertiliser for farms. At any rate, the 420hp (313kW) Quon is decked out with the driver in mind to make his day a lot easier.

“It’s got a cold box in there, which is good. You open a little flap and it’s always cold. You can turn it on or off, hot or cold.

“It’s comfortable; the dash is just laid out very easy to see.

When you drive some other trucks you’ve always got to move your head around to see all the gauges. With this you don’t, it’s all there.

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“The big thing is, when you’re driving 10 hours a day, you want to be comfortable.”

Another plus, as far as Darcy is concerned, is the 12-speed automated manual ’box. Gone are the days when he would be constantly hitting the clutch in city and suburban traffic. He’s also a big fan of the Quon’s reversing camera.

“They’re like a full HD movie,” he smiles. “Not like the old days when you would stick your head out the window.”

The term ‘movie’ has become more apt around the Centenary yard, with the newer trucks sporting a nickname belonging to a superhero of some description. Darcy placed his hand in the hat and came up with ‘Anarky’, a villainous character that originated in DC comics, although he admits he’s not a big movie buff.

Terry O’Shea believes it’s all part of promoting a positive culture within the business, which is also the reasoning behind introducing an internal communications system called Slack.

This gives the team the opportunity to share points of view,

Top: The new 8x4 twin-steer UD Quon, Darcy Pollard’s designated truck Above: Family business: Terry O’Shea (right) and son Kelby O’Shea

DECEMBER 2021 53

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jokes and birthdays.

“Because driving a truck can be pretty lonely, with this program they can communicate on their phones, they can make a complaint even, which we take very seriously,” Terry says.

“They can praise each other, they can give each other a clip in the ear if you like, but it’s all taken in good measure.

“But that has been a program that has cemented the relationship between, not just the drivers, but all the staff.

We’ve got other people who don’t drive that have been here for a long time as well.”

Terry says giving the drivers the best gear is also vitally important for morale.

“I think it’s the culture that we’ve built around people, not just product. We try and give them the best trucks that we can give them, we try to train them as best we can and we respect their points of view.”

And no-one knows the Centenary culture better than Darcy who Terry regards as more than a driver.

“He’s the truck supervisor; that’s basically his title,” Terry says.

“Darcy is a particular character insofar as he knows a lot about trucks, he knows about a lot about the culture of the company and he’s the guy that will crack the whip if people fall outside that. He doesn’t mince his words.

“Is that a good thing? I think it is,” he adds.

“He’s also the senior figure that people look up to. He’s the guy that nurtures all the drivers and their trucks. He’s the go-to guy at this point in time.

“Basically he’s a supervisor, particularly with maintenance.

He does all the ordering of spare parts; he organises mechanics to come in and fix them.

“He’s a fixer. Darcy is a fixer.”

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Designated driver Each driver has a designated truck at Centenary Landscaping Supplies. As mentioned earlier, Darcy, being one of the senior employees, scored the 8x4 UD Quon. Part of that arrangement is for drivers to look after their respective gear although Darcy says an external company calls in once a fortnight to wash the trucks. There’s also a Gerni on site.

While it’s not expected, drivers can take the trucks home if they’re keen to give them a more thorough tidy up.

“Most of the trucks are kept pretty up to date and pretty nice and clean,” Darcy explains.

“Terry likes all the tyres all done because they’re out on the road all the time.”

Darcy says he takes the Quon home “every now and then”, mostly to the delight of his grandkids.

“The two little boys, anything to do with motors they’re into.

They take after Pop; I’m an old revhead,” he laughs.

“Anything that goes fast, I’m into it.”

At age 57, Darcy says he has a few more years left, although he’d like to pull up around 60 to 62. He’s already cut back on working weekends.

“They’re a good company to work for,” he says of Centenary Landscaping Supplies. “They look after you and with an airconditioned truck you’re not sweating all day.

“It’s a little family company and I get new trucks to drive all the time. What else could you ask for?”

“I’m an old revhead … anything that goes fast, I’m into it.”

Above: Darcy is a big fan of the Quon’s driver comfort Left: Hercules is the trailer of choice at Centenary Landscaping Supplies Opposite top: Another of the Quon’s loading up at Centenary’s Darra depot Opposite below: When it comes to parts and maintenance, Darcy’s role includes “fixing things”

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TWU Michael Kaine

Get behind transport The federal government needs to ditch its shallow social media posts and high vis photo-opportunities

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f you were to survey members of the public on any high street or shopping centre around the country, you would struggle to find an Australian who isn’t grateful for the outstanding job truck drivers have done this year. Transport supply chains have been able to pump out essential stock, medical supplies and vaccines to where they are needed most because drivers put their shoulders to the wheel and got on with the job.

Yet, as it draws to an end, 2021 is a year many drivers will be happy to see in the rear-view mirror.

In many sectors of the industry, it’s been marked with extraordinary Christmaslike demand every week, inconsistent and constantly changing health information and knee-jerk policy responses from governments.

Drivers have been locked out of truck stops, forced to isolate in their trucks while waiting on COVID test results and held up for hours at border crossings. When drivers weren’t on the road, they were forced to compete for limited vaccine appointments because they were left off the priority list and wait in long testing queues under gruelling surveillance testing requirements.

And that’s all on top of the daily pressures drivers know all too well – not just the physical and psychological pressures of the task itself like fatigue and musculoskeletal impacts, but having to manage unrealistic delivery deadlines resulting from supply/ contract chain bullying, and serious below cost-recovery rates raising daily questions for owner-drivers and small fleet operators about how they can survive.

Yet, despite the odds, transport workers have proven themselves time and time again, overcoming terrible challenges to keep Australia moving.

While the pandemic has posed great on-road challenges, it has also assisted in highlighting the urgency for change and has helped foster a greater sense that real, effective and long-standing change can only be achieved through industry unity and cooperation.

VITAL REPORT In 2021, road transport achieved something momentous: the Senate’s landmark Without Trucks Australia Stops report.

The result of constructive industrywide consultation led by Senator Glenn Sterle, which brought together drivers, the union, transport companies and employer associations, the report is a cleareyed assessment of the serious flaws in our industry and government failures to address them.

The report resolves historic and

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conflicting views on how best to lift industry standards and speaks hard truths about the implementation issues that doomed previous initiatives intended to tackle crippling pressure on drivers and supply chains.

At its heart is a workable blueprint to ensure the long-term sustainability of road transport so that drivers and small fleet operators can actually make a decent living, without the constant fear of going out backwards or the frustrations of barely treading water.

It recommends the federal government establish an independent body to put in place minimum standards that cannot be undermined to address the economic, social and contracting factors which put so much pressure on owner drivers.

Protections of this kind would also target the system of exploitation peddled by likes of Amazon and Uber – the “gig freight” tsunami that has quickly become the next wave of the attack on the viability of owner-drivers and responsible transport employers.

Significant attention should quite rightly be given to this recommendation, given the whole-of-industry impact a body empowered to lift standards and ending crushing supply chain pressures

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

would have on road transport. But the report’s findings don’t stop there.

It spells out in black and white what many drivers know to be blindingly obvious: Australia’s national road infrastructure and the existing network of rest areas for drivers are not fit for purpose. The report calls for targeted federal investment to maintain and upgrade rest areas, particularly in rural and regional areas, so that drivers can more successfully manage their fatigue.

The report calls on the federal government lift the hood on the pressures injuring and killing drivers by expanding the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s power to investigate fatal truck crashes and recognise all commercial vehicle crashes as workplace incidents.

Finally, it calls for a Transport Advisory Group - a formalisation of the Senator Sterle type of successful consultation and industry collaboration that has brought these issues to the fore. A formal committee of this kind would cement road transport’s seat at the table, ensuring the experiences of drivers are front of mind during government decision-making.

The report is a holistic, root and branch assessment of where we are as an industry – and more importantly, where we should be.

DUST GATHERER

BELOW: Photo opportunity: PM Scott Morrison dons the fluoro at Volvo’s Wacol headquarters in January

“The existing network of rest areas for drivers are not fit for purpose.”

You would think that when presented with a once-in-a-generation report developed with such comprehensive industry consultation, the federal government would be hot off the mark to implement its recommendations.

And you’d be sadly mistaken: the report has been gathering dust on the Prime Minister’s shelf now for over three months.

As important as it is to see commonsense, practical solutions committed to paper, words alone won’t end the crushing pressures on drivers – action is what the industry needs.

And, yet, time and time again, our industry is being let down by a federal government shirking its responsibility to support us: to put an end to the deluge of bankruptcies; to massively boost the infrastructure spend, especially on road quality and quality truck stops and facilities; to reduce the carnage on roads.

This is more than just a missed opportunity: it’s a reckless public policy failure with real life implications for drivers and operators.

Ultimately, as we leave behind 2021, let’s send the Morrison government a clear message: the time for glib social media posts and high vis photo-ops is over – it’s time for action.

In 2022, Scott Morrison needs to do the right thing and give critical transport workers the support they need to build a safer, more sustainable industry for themselves and their families.

The industry’s formulated and supported blueprint is on your desk Prime Minister.

The hardworking men and women who keep Australia moving and the road-using community they interface with everyday need you to act on it right now.

To join the fight for a safer, more secure transport industry, send Scott Morrison a message about why it’s important for the federal government to implement the Senate recommendations.

Go to: twu.good.do/ protectsecuretransportjobs/

ownerdriver.com.au

24/11/21 10:14 am

NatRoad Warren Clark

Eyeing a greener future Road transport will be called upon to play its part

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ost heavy vehicle owner-drivers don’t have time for crystal ball gazing in the course of their working week, but it’s hard to ignore the broader community discussion about net zero and the global move towards taking emissions out of the atmosphere – or avoid the conclusion that road transport will be called on to play an important part.

The bare facts are this: transport is Australia’s second largest emitter, making up 19 per cent of greenhouse emissions on 2019 figures. Light vehicles were responsible for 62 per cent, and rigid and articulated trucks for 20 per cent.

In 2020, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said there were more than 600,000 diesel trucks on our roads. The number of trucks will only grow because the road freight task is increasing.

Diesel fuel in particular is the lifeblood of the heavy vehicle industry. The Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (AAEP) estimates that diesel currently fuels 99 per cent of trucks and around 50 per cent of light commercial vehicles.

We’re a big part of the business ecosystem and the markets are already moving towards a net zero future. Indeed, electric trucks are with us already but only in modest numbers. There are significant barriers to their widespread uptake. Cost is an obvious one and so is the lack of a refuelling network that makes their use for long trips precarious.

The federal government’s announcement last month that it was expanding its Future Fuels Fund to $250 million for electric re-charging and hydrogen fuelling stations to become a reality was an important step.

The federal opposition has a policy of

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.

exemptions from fringe benefits tax and import tariff on cars but is silent on what it will do for heavy vehicles.

NatRoad believes zero emission trucks represent a big opportunity for the industry, with their lower maintenance and fuel costs, lower noise and cleaner operation, but they also need to be more affordable.

Fuel costs are approximately 20 per cent of short-haul operators’ costs and about 35 per cent of long-haul operators’ costs.

There will likely be a place for both fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

Hydrogen fuel carries much more energy than the equivalent weight of batteries so that’s a major consideration for longdistance trucks.

FCEVs have advantages over BEVs for heavy (line haul) transport and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) expects they will make up the bulk of future trucks for road freight.

Change is never easy and there are plenty of hurdles in the way of this greener trucking future. For example, there’s no data to inform procurement planners about the full lifecycle cost of a hydrogen vehicle. Most fleet operators will want to see EVs operating at scale before adopting them.

There’s no second-hand market yet for hydrogen trucks, so what their re-sale value will be is anybody’s guess.

And what sorts of rules will regulators apply to make up for of fuel tax that supposedly pays for road maintenance?

We can expect to hear plenty as we head towards the 2022 federal election.

FULLY

VACCIN

ATED

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And we’re not just COVID-safe. Truck Moves Australia has been driving the highest standards of safety and compliance in the industry for over 30 years. We operate safely, pay our drivers correctly, and help keep you and your business compliant with all regulations. Give your business a shot in the arm and call us for a free quote.

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22/11/21 4:07 pm

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WILKIE’S WATCH Ken Wilkie

Uneven playing field The NTC and NHVR have been on the receiving end of critiques from, surprisingly, the ATA

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ell, bugger me. The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has been critical of the National Transport Commission (NTC). According to the ATA, the NTC has been sitting on its bum for how many years supposedly revamping the road transport regulations. Suddenly, when the ATA goes public with its displeasure at the lack of action, the NTC revealed that it had been considering lowering the legal time allowed to operate a heavy vehicle within a 24-hour time bracket.

So many of the current regulations promoted as fatigue management tools are a farce – and the NTC in its stupidity considers lowering the maximum time allowed. Heaven forbid and protect us from fools and dishonest revenue hunters. Any wonder this industry, my lifelong chosen profession, has difficulty attracting new blood.

All too often those with the ability to give direction for the industry have no understanding of the job description.

Worse still, there is the situation of industry prejudice that so much of bureaucracy and society harbours against road transport. The “he’s just a truck driver” comment might be subdued nowadays but the attitude is alive and well within the toffs of society.

For example, the idea of restricting the working class to the left lanes of several national freeways.

SWEETHEART REGO DEALS This ATA revelation has caused many thoughts to cross my mind. One is that, for decades, Australia has been given the tag of the ‘Lucky Country’. It’s obviously a term espoused by a bureaucrat. So well remunerated but so little output of effort based on logic and reasoned consideration. Also, going by the manner of that other poorly-performing transport industry bureaucracy, the not-so-National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), the ATA might find itself on the outer because it dares to be critical of another inadequately performing bureaucracy.

The issue also is that so much of industry condones behind-closed-door discussions when, in reality, it appears there is simply no discussion behind closed doors at all.

Another point that has received some industry media coverage of late is the sweetheart registration deal allowed for the primary producer industry. Finally, an app has been released to allow us who are outside the preferred status to check on

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the appropriateness of the registration being charged for a vehicle of interest.

My next audacious question is to demand a list of what type of businesses are ‘qualified’ to get registration relief?

Also, owing to this nation being so non-competitive internationally, how come all transport industry is not given the same relief?

I consider one obligation of governments who purport to administer a democratic style of administration is to ensure that business within that administration can operate within a level playing field. Currently, the notso-NHVR is placing considerable emphasis on distorting that playing field to the extreme.

Performance-based standards is a smoke screen embraced by business operators who share the NHVR’s lack of determination to ensure a level competitive playing field for all industry.

Level playing field! What’s a bloody level playing field?

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

TWO KILOMETRES OVER If COVID has highlighted one aspect of our nationhood it is the inability of many people in places of influence to appreciate the injustice created by giving preferential treatment to some who might be seen to be of special benefit in some manner. There have been

“The current regulations promoted as fatigue management tools are a farce.”

some callous decisions made of late.

Another example of leadership ignoring and/or failing to recognise the social implications of dispensing with the level playing field concept.

The head of the NHVR has expressed concern regarding the disabling of speed limiters and AdBlue exhaust metering equipment. I don’t condone such disabling but I think some of the rhetoric is a little exaggerated.

I restate that all driving is speeding.

That is why it is called a speed limit.

I think that the paranoia with one or two kilometres over is not only that but safety depreciating into the bargain.

That clique again reflects the ignorant, shallow and non-consideration of the real driving job description. When some thought is put into the subject one becomes aware that speed measuring equipment fitted to road-going vehicles cannot adjust for tyre wear or tyre pressures or the fitting of non-standard specification tyre sizes.

A big issue with driving in this day and age is friction within the traffic flow. Any altercation between moving vehicles – below or above the posted limit – is going to cause pain for those involved. The excessive attention paid to minor discrepancies over the speed limit worsens our safe driving outcomes.

I consider it’s time serious discussion was had in relation to the perils of friction in the traffic flow. There needs to be a benchmark road speed nominated – especially on roads designated as highways. A benchmark would involve advertising a statement of a more generous tolerance beyond that benchmark. Again, friction is the big issue.

A couple of points on Queensland’s worsening road safety outcome. Recently, I saw a newspaper report claiming the state’s greater use of illicit drugs. Can there be a correlation with the road toll? Secondly, the policing authorities are wont to totally shut down highways to ‘investigate’ serious road accidents.

Wouldn’t it be beneficial to road safety if detailed and timely results were available to the public?

In this day and age the Australian Design Rules should demand that speed measuring equipment fitted should be accurate at the time of the vehicle leaving the show room floor. It’s not like the European stuff loaned to a customer by a European truck maker as a courtesy vehicle while his truck was being maintained. GPS revealed a discrepancy of nine kilometres below the shown speed being shown on the dial. So it’s no wonder but still not right that trucks are frequently accused of tailgating.

There are other stupid things I’ve seen or heard usually emanating from those with more influence than intelligence. A civil court case to attempt to recover the cost of a heavy vehicle written off when the outcome could only be described as trying to get blood from a stone.

What message does it give to those who might consider joining the employed driver ranks and into companies who insist on having drivers monitored by driver-facing cameras? I’m sure the vast majority of insurance payouts would be the result of someone failing to comply with a road safety regulation. Has another negative precedence been set?

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24/11/21 10:06 am

HIGHWAY ADVOCATES

At that time, the Load Restraint Guide was the standard referred to in the legislation.

Adam Cockayne Robert Bell

QUASHED CONVICTION

Sticking to their guns A fastidious small business owner fights the legal system over an “unfair” load restraint offence

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oad restraint enforcement has always been contentious, with many operators and drivers being prosecuted or fined for seemingly innocuous reasons.

One such prosecution occurred to a small operator from regional Victoria, who owns a horizontal drilling and boring business, Wangaratta Horizontal Boring Pty Ltd. If you ever feel the need to be bored horizontally, these are the guys to see. Owned

by Wayne and Bev Suter, they are the epitome of a prosperous regional-based small business.

In August 2017, Wayne’s driver, Kevin, headed north on the Hume Highway towards Canberra. The truck contained a small rubber tracked excavator and some other items, all contained by a steel tipper body within the sides. Kevin was wheeled into the HVSS at Coolac, and what occurred next was later described by a judge as reminiscent of the fictional court case of Jarndyce v Jarndyce, from the Charles Dickens novel Bleak House.

Kevin was issued with a penalty notice for $540 for a substantial load restraint offence.

The Coolac officers had deemed an 80mm strap over the top of the excavator and smaller buckets inside a larger mud bucket against the solid steel headboard to be a risk of that magnitude.

Kevin’s employer, Wayne, is a pretty stubborn advocate for his drivers, and he knew that there was no way those items would move, let alone be dislodged under normal transit conditions.

As with all restraint matters, all bets are off in the event of a catastrophic rollover or similar.

So, off to Gundagai Court, they went, to be what can only be described as an ambush of sorts. A judge later described this as unfair because the prosecution failed to alert the magistrate to a “dramatic” shift in the prosecution case.

Convicted at Local Court Gundagai, with a $2,500 fine and $1,000 cost order, Wayne and Kevin headed off to the Wagga Wagga District Court for an appeal. By this stage, Wayne had secured legal representation, and the appeal took place in February 2018. This conviction appeal was dismissed, but the District Court judge substituted the original fine with one of $1,000 and confirmed the $1,000 cost order.

Wayne, still believing that the Court and the prosecution had got it wrong, instructed his legal team to have the case stated to the Supreme Court of Criminal Appeal.

Getting pretty serious and expensive by this stage, the matter was heard in July 2019, and the decision was handed down in August 2019: Jesse v Roads and Maritime Services NSW [2019] NSWCCA 176.

Appeals of this nature are typically decided on narrow, technical matters of law, and this was no exception. It came down to the definition, or lack thereof, of a “contained load” within the Load Restraint Guide 2014.

ADAM COCKAYNE is the legal practitioner director of Highway Advocates and is a lawyer with 25 years’ experience in criminal and administrative law.

ROBERT BELL, a former truck driver, and current law undergraduate and practising paralegal, is the CEO and a director of Highway Advocates.

Contact Highway Advocates on robert.bell@ highwayadvocates.com.au or phone 0491 263 602.

Below: Wayne and Bev Suter had their conviction dismissed at the Wagga Wagga District Court

The Appeal Court set aside the decision of Wagga Wagga District Court, quashed the conviction and penalty, and remitted it back to Albury District Court for disposal in accordance with law.

Wayne is starting to feel just a little vindicated by this stage, and the matter was heard again at Albury in August 2020. A selection of statements made by the District Court judge include: • The items were not unstable or safe • Due to their weight, they could not “bounce” out of the truck • The driver had travelled a considerable distance before being pulled over, and there was no evidence of movement.

The appeal was upheld, and all costs were quashed. However, Wayne was now out of pocket to the tune of $100,000 in legal costs, so back to District Court again for cost application hearing in October 2020.

Unfortunately, Wayne was unsuccessful on a narrow technical basis.

Battered and bruised, but still a hero, Wayne was right all along. The upshot of this decision is significant, as the load restraint guide appears to have been removed from the legislation.

So, hats off to Wayne and Bev Suter for sticking to their guns and exposing a significant flaw in load restraint enforcement and prosecutions.

How many others have suffered the same fate?

At Highway Advocates, we are like Wayne and Bev. We do not just accept the status quo; we change it. If you receive a dimension or load restraint fine or summons, give us a call on 0491 262 602 24/7

“The load restraint guide appears to have been removed from the legislation.”

Your Transport Manufacturing Specialist 5 Year Structural Chassis Warranty

12-16, Fowler Road, Dandenong South, Victoria 3175

38-40, Carrington Road, Toowoomba, Queensland 4352

Email: admin@bte.net.au

Email: scotta@bte.net.au

Ph: (03) 979 40330

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Ph: 0427 502 881

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truck test

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24/11/21 11:02 am

CLASS ACTION

After an impressive static display mid-way through 2021, we expected plenty from a first drive of Hino’s new 700-series trucks, and we certainly weren’t disappointed by an FR 6x2 rigid model put through its paces in everything from heavy metro traffic to fast freeways. Sure, with so much new technology on board, there were a few quirks but, all up, Hino appears to have done its homework well. Very well! Steve Brooks reports

B

efore we climb behind the wheel, let’s go back to early June and a big showroom tucked into a quiet backlot of an inner Sydney suburb.

Inside, Hino Australia’s leading lights were gathered, eager in this pre-Delta diaspora to showcase their new series of heavy-duty hopefuls. To be blunt, though, none of this was particularly surprising. After all, in the wake of new 300-series light-duty models and, later, advanced standard and wide cab versions of a newly crafted mediumduty 500-series range, it was plainly apparent that Hino would eventually follow suit with a completely reworked range of 700-series heavy-duty trucks.

What did surprise, however, was just how far Hino had gone in its bid to make the 700-series a far more competitive and appealing line-up: a line-up entirely capable of not only turning the screws on its Japanese rivals, but also giving the Europeans good cause to keep a wary eye. And, clearly, an obvious push to expand the entire range with a strong emphasis on heavy-duty rigid models.

To anyone who has been watching Hino’s Australian performance for a decade or two, it actually appeared that Toyota’s truck brand had finally honed in on its heavy-duty horizons and, as we subsequently reported, “… on first impression this is a heavy-duty lineup far beyond anything Hino has ever before offered in any weight class.”

For starters, the brand’s own nine-litre engine was being introduced to the heavyduty range for the first time in an obvious bid to bolster its rigid ranks. Joining the existing 13-litre engine, both displacements meet Euro 6 emissions standards through the combined effects of a selective catalytic reduction

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system, cooled exhaust gas recirculation and a diesel particulate filter.

As our report further explained: “In an innovative move which recognises an increasingly obvious trend throughout the road freight sector, every model in the expanded range is fitted with either an automated manual transmission or an Allison full automatic. There are no manual options.”

None. Nil. Nix. If you want to play with a stick, you’ll have to bring your own.

Or, as Daniel Petrovski, Hino Australia’s manager of product strategy, asserted: “Australian customers clearly prefer the convenience of two-pedal transmissions [and] Hino is the only Japanese manufacturer to offer a true automatic transmission option across the light-, medium- and heavy-duty model ranges.”

Simply explained, all nine-litre models are coupled to a six-speed Allison automatic and all 13-litre units, to a 16-speed ZF Traxon automated manual ’box.

But wait, there’s more. Much more, with safety technology making a major statement in Hino’s new heavies and the company citing its new 700-series as “the safest trucks Hino has ever produced”.

It all starts with an electronic brake system on every model and a move away from the traditional S-cam design to Hino’s ‘Taper Roller’ brake system, which the company insists “reduces tare weight, decreases compressed air requirements, provides a smoother and more consistent brake feel, and uses fewer moving parts, resulting in reduced maintenance requirements and lower operating costs”.

So, too, is auxiliary braking a strong suit with the inclusion of a Jacobs engine brake in all models.

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Above: On the inside. High standards of comfort and operational ease in an environment of modern and attractive quality Opposite: Tough hills tested the nine-litre engine’s tenacity but, as a city and suburban workhorse, it doesn’t come much easier for drivers

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Even so, the retention of drum brakes rather than the introduction of discs was a tad curious, given the extent of other advances in the new line-up. Maybe one day. Maybe!

Nonetheless, technology is the leading feature in a comprehensive safety story led by what Hino calls its ‘SmartSafe’ package and, notably, the introduction of ‘Driver Monitor’, which is explained as being a system that constantly monitors the driver’s attention towards the road using key metrics such as driving posture, face orientation and eyelid status via a camera integrated into the A-pillar. According to Hino: “The system provides a visual and audible alert if it detects drowsiness or a lack of attention from the driver.”

Indeed, advanced safety has been a significant focus for Hino since the introduction in 2011 of a vehicle stability control (VSC) system in the light-duty 300-series, while, in the new heavyduty family, VSC partners a radar-based pre-collision system working in conjunction with autonomous emergency braking.

Additionally, there’s a pedestrian detection system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, reversing camera and a driver’s airbag.

Not quite as advanced but obvious assets in any safety stack are LED headlights, daytime running lights, larger and electronically adjustable heated mirrors, a heated convex spotter mirror and spotters for the kerb and front of the truck.

Better connected While all these details were revealed back in June, only recently did Hino announce the standard availability in 700-series of a new telematics and business intel system called Hino-Connect.

It’s worth noting at this point that 700-series models come with a three-year or 500,000km standard warranty as well as a Hino-Connect service providing five years of complimentary remote diagnostics and specialist support and 12 months of complimentary business intelligence access.

A great deal is being made of the telematics system developed specifically for Hino Australia by local company Directed Electronics – designed to communicate directly with the driver via the truck’s dash-mounted multi-media unit and, according to Hino, “deliver comprehensive levels of data to business managers through an online portal and app”.

Have no doubt, this is ‘Big Brother’ sitting in the cab with the driver. As Hino explained in a recent virtual presentation: “Using real-time data and insights, Hino-Connect will automatically analyse the cause and effect of driver performance, safety and vehicle utilisation.”

The system “gathers live vehicle performance data to provide full operational visibility to business managers, including brake count, gear change numbers and even the amount of times a vehicle is operating within its optimum RPM band”.

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(940lb-ft) of torque, and 265kW (360hp) accompanied by 1,569Nm (11,57lb-ft) of torque. However, only the FY 3036 eight-wheeler comes with the 360hp rating, in addition to a 13-litre eight-legger with 480hp.

It might be a while before we climb behind the wheel of the new 8x4 as it waits for the full repertoire of safety systems to come on stream but, in the interim, Hino Australia’s offer of an FR 2632 6x2 rigid version and, several weeks later, a 480hp FS 2848 in a truck and dog configuration, were eagerly accepted.

(A drive report on the FS truck ‘n’ dog will appear in a forthcoming issue.)

Hino insiders willingly concede to the importance of a 6x2 in the 700-series stable, not least for the fact that, until the launch of the new heavy-duty range, the brand’s only 6x2 contender has been a 280hp (209kW) model in the 500-series wide-cab line-up.

What’s more, Hino Australia general manager of sales and supply, Brian Wright, reports strong early uptake of the new range, supported by official figures showing an improved sales performance by Hino since the new models hit the market a few months back. At the end of October, for instance, Hino held almost five per cent of the heavy-duty class and had already surpassed its full-year figures for 2020.

The introduction of the comprehensive SmartSafe system has, Wright exclaimed during an on-line presentation, been extremely well received, not only by existing Hino customers but also those showing an interest in the brand for the first time.

So, too, has the addition to of the FR 2632 6x2 been a welcome attraction, he remarked.

Built on a generous 6.38-metre wheelbase to accommodate body lengths up to 9.3 metres, the single-drive FR is configured specifically for local and regional distribution roles and for drivers, it’s an exceptionally comfortable, practical and aesthetically pleasing environment.

Wisely, Hino has ignored sceptics who suggested that its modern contemporary cab trim – first revealed at the 2019 launch of the standard cab

500-series range – was perhaps a touch too flash for a largely suburban workhorse, particularly from a Japanese maker.

However, as Hino’s Daniel Petrovski asserts: “Feedback from drivers has been overwhelmingly positive since we first introduced the new-look interior.” And it’s easy to see why!

Likewise, the exterior design has also been notably refreshed, with subtly effective style changes in a number of areas, most visibly in a striking three-slat grille in nine-litre units and a taller four-slat face in 13-litre versions.

Mounted on a four-point air suspension arrangement, the impressively refashioned cab stands reasonably tall but well-placed grab handles and wide non-slip steps make it an easy climb to a spacious, comfortable interior.

The driver sits on a quality Isri high-back seat with ample adjustment aided by generous tilt and telescopic steering wheel increments. It would, in fact, be an odd-bod that couldn’t find an agreeable driving position in the new Hino.

What’s more, there’s plenty to like with the new dash design. As Hino rightly states: “The ergonomically designed wraparound dash layout features all-new instrumentation with large, high contrast speedometer and tachometer, and a central seven-inch [17.8cm] multimedia display, which contains important information such as SmartSafe settings, driving economy, gear selection and vehicle maintenance data.” And, of course, a high quality radio with all the technical titbits such as Bluetooth.

Additionally, control buttons on the steering wheel offer fingertip ease for phone calls and adaptive cruise control settings, while column-mounted stalks are provided for the engine brake, wipers/washers, lights and the like.

Likewise, the control pad for the Allison auto is sited close by the driver’s left hand.

Indeed, given the high standards of comfort and operational ease in an environment of modern

“Feedback from drivers has been overwhelmingly positive since we first introduced the new-look interior.”

Likewise, and among many other features: “HinoConnect uses Driver Score Reporting to monitor key indicators, like harsh braking or acceleration, over-revving or speeding, to identify poor [driver] performance.”

In effect, the system records and reports whenever the truck’s integral safety and operational features detect something outside the square of technologically-defined normality. As we were to discover, though, technology and normality aren’t always on the same plane. But we’ll get to that soon enough.

Meantime, an expanded range of single and tandem-drive rigid models are critical to Hino’s heavy-duty aspirations and key models include the first introduction in the 700-series of a 6x2 unit and, after years on Hino Australia’s wish list, an eight-wheeler with a load-sharing twin-steer layout specifically developed for our market.

Vitally, the addition of the nine-litre engine to Hino’s heavy-duty repertoire finally provides the brand with what it says is “a Hino solution in the 300 to 400 horsepower area”. There are, in fact, two nine-litre ratings – 235kW (320hp) with 1,275Nm

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and attractive quality, it wouldn’t surprise if the great majority of drivers found the interior of the new Hino a cut above other Japanese contenders in an equivalent class. It’s simply a convenient, comfortable and altogether classier place to work.

Road work Sharing the FR 2632 with colleague and good friend Peter Shields of Prime Mover magazine, the curtain-sided model had already accrued more than 8,000km on test and demonstrations duties and, for this exercise, was loaded with bulk bags of sand for a gross weight around 18.5 tonnes.

Perhaps typifying the workloads that trucks of this configuration can be asked to perform on an almost daily basis, the Hino was run for almost 700km through Sydney’s congested urban areas to regional centres around Newcastle before running down to the southern-western districts, on roads ranging from fast freeways to suburban streets and badly mashed collections of country potholes. It was a diverse and demanding workout by any measure, and more than enough to gain an appreciation of the new Hino’s on-road traits.

The powertrain starts, of course, with the A09C turbocharged and intercooled nine-litre six-cylinder engine punching out peak power (235kW/320hp) at 1,800rpm and top torque (1,275Nm/940l-ft) from 1,100 to 1,600rpm. Even on paper, the engine is obviously giving its best across a wide rev range.

Dispensing the engine’s outputs is the Allison 3200 six-speed automatic – a double overdrive unit with a quick 0.653:1 top gear restrained by a low 5.25:1 rear axle

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ratio, together delivering 100km/h at a twitch under 1,800rpm.

Underneath, the whole package rides on taper leaf front springs and, at the rear, both drive and tag axle are suspended

by Hendrickson’s popular HAS airbag assembly equipped with an electronically controlled axle lift system for those occasions when the single drive axle might find itself struggling for traction. And, putting it all on the pavement, are 295/80R22.5 front tyres and 11R22.5 at the rear, mounted on stylish Alcoa 10-stud rims.

Behind the wheel for the first time, a few things became quickly apparent. Top of the list – ride quality, steering and overall road handling of the three-axle Hino were extremely impressive. Very good, even on some wickedly rough stretches of broken bitumen, and at no time did handling feel anything less than entirely secure and positive.

On the other hand, while forward vision is generally good and rear vision much the same thanks to wide and well-mounted side mirrors with the standard bonus of a reversing camera displayed through the multimedia screen on the dash, right side vision can be compromised due to the wide mirror housings.

Like a number of other cab-over makes, the Hino’s wide mirrors can significantly block a direct line of sight at roundabouts or roads on the right, forcing the driver to look around the mirror.

It’s certainly something Hino designers need to consider because, quite simply, it’s hard to be safe if you can’t see.

As for the powertrain, the engine and transmission relationship is as smooth and responsive as any in the business.

Around town, in city and suburban conditions, the combination

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“The engine and transmission relationship is as smooth and responsive as any in the business.” is slick and sharp. Super smooth and impressively responsive, it just doesn’t get much easier.

However, on undulating country runs the combination isn’t quite so content, occasionally migrating repeatedly up and down the shift scale as the Allison seeks to find the right slot for a particular hill. It only happened a few times, but it did happen.

Then, heading downhill, engaging the single-stage Jake brake caused an almost immediate downshift from top gear back to 4th (direct) when all that was often required was a soft retarding effect to trim speed back a little, or maybe a shift down one gear rather than two. A two- or three-stage retarder function would be a big improvement but, that said, the Hino also employs a ‘brake sync’ switch, which allows the Jake to be activated through slight pressure on the brake pedal instead of using the columnmounted wand. Either way, and despite the occasional drawbacks revealed in this exercise, the Jake is an effective and entirely worthwhile part of the new Hino’s standard inventory.

In performance terms, the 320hp nine-litre engine is a responsive and reasonably willing workhorse for three-axle rigid work. Sure, there were times when it didn’t fight as hard as the power and torque figures might suggest but, again, the smoothness and compatibility of the engine and Allison transmission combination are undeniably impressive and easily compensate for any shortcomings, perceived or otherwise.

In short, the FR 2632 6x2 will cope with country runs but it’s forte is undoubtedly the teetering traffic tempo of the city and surrounding ‘burbs.

And it will do the job efficiently. After a demanding and diverse run, the FR six-wheeler returned a fuel figure of 3.0km/litre, or a touch under 8.5mpg in the old measure. In our estimation, a good return that will only improve as mileage increases.

But, as mentioned earlier, technology has delivered a couple of quirks, which suggest the need for some refinement if Hino’s obvious advances are to be fully effective and, vitally, fully appreciated. The most consistent was a visual and audible warning about ‘excessive acceleration’ when, in fact, the throttle was being modestly applied at freeway on-ramps or sedately moving away from traffic lights. Ultimately, the unnecessary warnings became annoying and were inevitably ignored but, unfortunately, would be no doubt logged as driver blemishes in Hino-Connect, proving Big Brother can also be a boofhead.

However, Hino’s ‘Driver Monitor’ function proved to be considerably more concerning when put to the test. If, for instance, the driver reached across to the oddments tray on top of the dash, only a second or two passed before a bright and audible warning was given about driver inattention. Good, but the system provided no warning whatsoever when the driver purposefully drooped his head towards the steering wheel, spent an inordinate amount of time fiddling with the radio, or (don’t tell anyone) pretended to send a phone text message from his lap.

Yet, despite these apparent glitches, which time and technical refinement will hopefully overcome, there’s no denying the extraordinary advances in Hino’s new 700-series and the immense potential for a much healthier slice of the heavyduty market.

It’s early days and we’re still to climb behind the wheel of a truck ‘n’ dog version but even so, there’s plenty to suggest Hino has a hit on its hands.

Top: One of few foibles, wide mirror housing impedes right side vision at roundabouts and the like Left: Riding on Hendrickson’s popular HAS airbag rear suspension, the 6x2 configuration rides and handles extremely well Opposite: The Hino 6x2 copes well enough with regional runs but its true forte is city and suburban delivery work

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model review

CASCADIA DOES THE DEED

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Freightliner could not have picked a tougher time to launch its much-tested and much-touted Cascadia, a few short months before COVID-19 sent the world into a terror-stricken spin. But business goes on and, more than a year after a prominent family company put one of the country’s first Cascadias to work, the truck has ticked every box for both the owner and the driver. Steve Brooks reports

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F

or the most part, Brett Cleary is a bloke who likes to keep things relatively simple. Simply put, he is the third generation of Cleary Bros, an immensely proud and resourceful family company that, for more than 100 years, has built and operated quarrying, transport and civil construction enterprises from a base on the Illawarra coast, which nowadays is little more than an hour’s drive south of Sydney.

Similarly simple, within this family’s code resides a strong, historic appreciation for things that work well and, at the other end of the scale, an equally strong disdain for things that don’t. When it comes to equipment that doesn’t meet expectations, second chances are rare in the Cleary mould.

These formidable and sometimes fierce attitudes are in the blood. Brett’s 80-year-old uncle Denis Cleary is perhaps most resolute of all; a trait no doubt shared with his late brothers John and Brian, and inextricably inherited from their father and company founder, Jack Cleary.

Still, a liking for simple qualities doesn’t mean dislike or even disregard for the inevitable evolution of technology. Not at all.

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Above: Brett Cleary says he had confidence in Cascadia from the start but the truck has been even better than expected. Fuel consumption is especially good Opposite top: After more than a year of work, the Cascadia’s interior has retained its ‘new truck’ finish with no squeaks, rattles or squawks. Driver Kieran Pearce is impressed

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However, the Cleary credence is that the progression of technology into a piece of equipment – be it a truck, a car, an excavator, a phone, a computer, or whatever – does not, and should not, give licence to the loss of basic qualities like strength, durability and reliability. Otherwise what’s the good of technology?

Moreover, the way Brett sees it, it’s not for him to know the finer technical details or performance protocols of a particular piece of technological wizardry, but it is most certainly for him to know if it does or does not realise its maker’s claims or perform to the ultimate benefit of the company and its people. Simple as that.

So, as 2019 drew to a close and Brett and Cleary Bros transport manager Steve Crandell joined a big crowd of guests invited to Sydney for the stellar launch of Freightliner’s much anticipated Cascadia conventional, there was plenty of thought about how this newcomer, with all its advanced safety and operational features, might actually enhance and perform in Cleary’s truck and quad-dog work.

The only way to know was, to put it simply, bite the bullet. Thus, with the workload to justify an additional truck and quad-dog

combination, an order was soon placed for a Cascadia 116 model punched by a Detroit DD13 engine rated at 505hp (377kW) and 1,850lb-ft of torque, driving through the overdrive version of the DT12 12-speed automated transmission.

Was he nervous about the purchase, particularly given the truck’s blank record in Australia?

“No, not nervous at all,” Brett instantly answers.

“Freightliner is a recognised brand and they’re obviously out to make a statement with this model. Besides, from everything I’d read and heard about it, it has a good track record in America and supposed to be really good on fuel.

“We were confident it’d do the job.”

Similarly, it is an adamant Brett who says there was absolutely no inherent desire to be among the first to take delivery of a Cascadia but there was certainly the intention to see if facts matched the fanfare. Mostly in concrete agitator applications, Freightliner already has an established presence in a diverse Cleary fleet of around 100 trucks but the lone Cascadia would be running head-to-head in truck and dog roles where Mack, Western Star and a smattering of Kenworths were well established and largely liked.

Cascadia’s standard safety suite was, however, a powerful influence on Cleary’s considerations. Brett doesn’t shirk from a belief that safety features have become a societal, economic and largely elemental factor in modern-day trucking operations and, with Cascadia, Freightliner has taken a huge leap ahead of its conventional rivals. This alone was a decisive factor, but there were others.

Mack, for example, has a long history with the company but it’s a blunt Brett who asserts the bulldog appears to have grown complacent, quickly adding that the presentation of a new Anthem model did little to excite renewed regard for the breed.

“To be honest, I couldn’t see what all the fuss is about,” he says, seriously.

As for Western Star, specifically the 4800 and 4900 models, he contends it is possibly the most durable fleet truck in the operation but an uncompetitive price for an increasingly aged design is difficult to justify.

“Nothing’s changed on the truck for years but the price just keeps going up. Why?” he asks with a shrug. That said, though, the smaller 4700 model remains a consistent choice for Cleary’s agitator work.

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“They’re obviously out to make a statement with this model.”

A self-confessed fan of Kenworth, Brett again emphasises that the high price is difficult to justify given the relatively basic features of the standard specification for truck and dog duties.

Yet, when asked if Cascadia was substantially less expensive, an emphatic Brett Cleary says: “No, it definitely wasn’t cheap but you get more for the money. A lot more.”

And now, more than15 months after Cleary’s Cascadia finally went to work following a typically long wait for a new tipper body and four-axle dog trailer, Brett didn’t hesitate to answer the two most pertinent and revealing questions: ‘Has it been a good truck?’ and ‘Would you buy another one?’

“I haven’t heard any complaints, so it must be good,” he says with a smirk.

“Believe me, if there was something wrong with the truck, someone would be going crook about it but I just don’t hear anything. Not a word.”

A short pause precedes: “Except, I’ve been told a few times it’s good on fuel.”

In fact, over the life of the truck so far, the on-board computer records a fuel average of 2.04km/litre (5.76mpg) with the average improving to 2.08km/litre (5.89mpg) over the last 50,000km. Again, there are no complaints about figures that are an improvement on other brands in the same role at the same weights.

“I suppose the truck has surprised me a bit,” he says.

“We obviously weren’t negative to start with, but it’s definitely better than expected, by a country mile. So, would I buy another one? Yes, for sure.”

Still, a year doesn’t make a lifetime for any truck, and especially in the Cleary fold where the company’s

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tradespeople have an envied reputation for keeping equipment in good working condition far beyond a first life expectancy.

Nonetheless, it’s a thoughtful Brett who contends: “Next time, I’d probably go for the 16-litre (126) model, mainly for the climb up (Mount) Ousley. They’re pulling big weights up a big hill and the bigger engine (rated up to 600hp [447kW] and 2,050lb-ft [2,779Nm]) would just do the job easier. It might even be the same, or a touch better, on fuel.”

As for the standard of back-up service – an issue that has occasionally dogged Freightliner and its Daimler Trucks Australia master – he says, thoughtfully: “No complaints there either, but you don’t really get to test the service side when the truck’s doing everything right.”

Indeed, as the truck’s driver Kieran Pearce confirmed a day earlier, the only time the Cascadia has been off the road was a brief interruption in its early life for a Freightliner recall on the radiator.

“Seriously, I’ve got nothing to complain about,” Brett insists.

“Nothing at all, and so far I can’t see any reason why it won’t stay that way.”

In fact, the level of contentment now extends to Freightliner’s corporate cousin Mercedes-Benz and an order for a flagship 2663 model for an innovative high-gross combination currently under development.

As Brett explains, the Benz will tow a relatively short tandem-axle tipper trailer coupled to a four-axle dog and, operating under higher mass limit (HML) guidelines, gross weight will be around 70 tonnes.

“It’s a design that gives us a payload potential up to

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“I hate rattles and squeaks in anything but I haven’t had one so far.”

51 tonnes,” he comments, optimistic the combination will be up and running early next year.

As for the choice of Mercedes-Benz in a Cleary fleet where Kenworth and Volvo are the most obvious cab-overs, he says succinctly: “I haven’t heard any negatives about Benz. They’ve been keen to get a truck into the fleet and, from what I hear, they perform well and they’re good on fuel. I’m actually really keen to see how it goes.”

Meantime, it’s a forthright Brett who concedes that Cascadia isn’t the only thing that has surprised him over the past year and more. Despite the stifling impacts of COVID-19 and initial predictions of economic doom and gloom, he declares the Cleary business has stayed strong.

“It hasn’t been easy at times but it hasn’t been nearly as bad as expected, or predicted by some,” Brett remarks.

“Like everyone else, we’ve had to make adjustments in every area but the business has largely stayed strong and productive.

With all the negatives going around, we genuinely expected it to be a lot worse.”

Behind the wheel

Top & right: Visionary! ‘Cat whisker’ mirrors attract considerable comment but along with ‘side guard assist’ technology, they greatly enhance all-round awareness in traffic Opposite: Freightliner has an established presence in Cleary Bros, mainly in agitator roles.

Meantime, Brett Cleary says Western Star is a good fleet truck but price is too high for an aging design

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Back in early August 2020, the Cleary Bros Cascadia’s maiden loaded run was for our video and written report on the truck’s features and the reasons behind the company’s decision to opt for Freightliner’s latest, and possibly greatest, truck.

With a relatively light load, the Cascadia 116 did everything expected of a sparkling new truck and quad-dog combination.

However, like most of these exercises, it was simply a sample and there was no illusion that a true measure of the model’s qualities and specifically its all-important build quality would only come from time and toil in the real world.

And so it was that 15 months after that initial drive, Cleary Bros willingly agreed to another run in the truck, only this time we planned to do it from the passenger seat alongside driver Kieran, who has been at the Cascadia wheel for all but 3,000km of almost 150,000km now on the clock.

Forthright and considerate with a build typifying a passion for playing hardcore rugby league, even at the bruising age of 37, the farmer’s son and qualified mechanic originally from Harden in south-western NSW has definite views on Cascadia and isn’t shy about sharing them. What’s more, he makes no apology for views that are completely his own, unimpressed and uninfluenced by the random opinions and comments of those who haven’t spent any time in the truck.

In short, Kieran has an extremely high opinion of Cascadia for reasons that openly reflect an acceptance of modern technology

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and, perhaps more to the point, an acquired confidence to allow the truck to perform exactly how its designers and engineers intended. As he would soon state: “I’m just happy to let the truck do its thing and, as far as I’m concerned, it does it well.”

It’s 8am and obviously much later than his normal start time when we meet at Cleary’s Albion Park quarry weighbridge where he has the truck spotless. Inside, it’s as pristine as the day it was delivered and shows no visible signs of wear after more than a year’s work.

Better still, as he steers the truck up to the stockpiles for a load of blue metal, there’s not a squeak, squawk, rattle or moan anywhere.

“The cab seems to be holding up well so far.” He nods: “Yeah, real good. I hate rattles and squeaks in anything but I haven’t had one so far.”

The load is soon on and with the combination operating on performance-based standards (PBS), the weighbridge confirms a gross weight of 57.1 tonnes, which, according to Kieran, equates to a payload of 38.8 tonnes. Tare weight of the Cascadia combination is, he casually comments, several hundred kilos better than an equivalent Mack Trident towing a quad-dog.

“I don’t know how much of that is due to the new body and trailer or how much is due to the new truck, but I know this unit’s up to half a tonne lighter than others on the same work,” he insists.

We’re soon into a traffic stream contending

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with possibly Australia’s most costly and complex roundabout before finally heading north on a new stretch of freeway to Port Kembla and a Cleary Bros concrete plant. The conversation flows easily.

“I like what I do. It’s a good job with a reputable company,” he says appreciatively before admitting to some surprise when first offered the new combination after just a few years with Cleary Bros.

“Seriously, what driver doesn’t want to drive a new truck and trailer?” he grins.

“I wasn’t going to say ‘no’ but I knew the truck would be different in a lot of ways, and there’s plenty of people with an opinion about how it looks. Blokes in Kenworths particularly, but none of it worries me because most of them probably know nothing about the truck except that it looks different.”

Yet, one part of the truck that has attracted plenty of comment are the ‘cat’s whisker’ mirrors on the front of the mudguards. But, according to Kieran: “I wouldn’t be without them. They are the best things in traffic, especially when we’re running up to Sydney. I reckon they’re brilliant.”

Not quite so brilliant though is the placement of the ‘Detroit Assurance’ radar unit at the top centre of the windscreen. As we’ve also found in several stints of a few Cascadia models, the unit’s location can occasionally impede view to low hanging branches and the like while Kieran further comments that the driver’s side mirror housing can be obstructive

in some instances, especially at roundabouts.

Other than that, and a casual assertion that an external tool box would be handy for keeping grubby odds and sods out of the cab, his contentment and liking for Cascadia are entirely evident.

“For me, there’s just so much to like about it,” he says with blatant regard.

His appreciation is, quite simply, easy to appreciate.

Comfort and road manners are excellent and even on the fixed passenger seat, the truck’s ride quality is surprisingly kind. The dash and control layout are entirely functional and, he says: “I like the fact that everything you need is pretty much at your fingertips.

It’s really easy to like.”

Notably high on the list of likes is the truck’s turning circle. So good compared to others in the fleet, he smilingly suggests Cascadia is “… like turning a speed boat compared to the QE2.” A slight exaggeration, for sure, but in the typically tight wheel work of truck and dog duties, a sharp turning circle can make a driver’s day far less awkward.

However, as the DD13 engine finally hauls the combination up to cruise speed and Kieran engages cruise control, he admits it takes a while for the Freightliner to “get up to speed” even on relatively flat roads. In the next breath, though, he eagerly explains: “I never drive it in manual. Don’t need to and, besides, who am I to tell it what to do?

“Once it’s up to speed, I just put it in cruise and leave

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“I know this unit’s up to half a tonne lighter than others on the same work.”

Left: Cleary Bros driver Kieran Pearce has been in the Cascadia since new. “I just put it in cruise and leave it to itself. It’s just so easy to let it do the job.” Still, he concedes that at 505hp, it has a reputation for being slower on hills

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it to itself. It’s just so easy to let it do the job for you and, seriously, you could count on one hand how many times I’ve put it in manual. It picks the right gear at the right time, and just does it all so smooth and easy.”

Moreover, his opinions of Cascadia’s standard safety systems, especially adaptive cruise control and ‘side guard assist’ have become deeply entrenched.

“The adaptive cruise is really incredible if you just let the system do what it’s designed to do,” he emphasises, citing numerous instances where the technology’s ability to make a driver’s life easier and ultimately safer have been plainly evident.

“These days I probably just take it for granted, it’s that good.”

So, do you think the technology has at one time or another helped avoid a collision, big or small?

“Yeah, probably, because it makes you aware of exactly what’s happening around you,” he says.

Even so, Kieran is also well aware the truck’s reputation is that it’s comparatively slow to accelerate and slow up hills, notably on the long and demanding climb up Mt Ousley, which is a regular route in Cleary Bros’ operations.

At 505hp, the DD13 is 30hp less than the company’s Mack Tridents and, on the ascent of Mt Ousley, Kieran asserts the difference is noticeable but also negligible.

“If the Macks drop back to 30km/h, then you can be sure that, at the same weight, this truck will be about three kilometres an hour slower.

“Like I said, I just leave it in cruise and with a full load it drops back to 6th gear and shifts up when it needs to shift up. Seriously, it’s an easy way to drive and, at the end of the day, I might be 20 minutes or half an hour behind but every day I’m doing exactly the same number of loads as everyone else doing the same job.

And using less fuel while I’m doing it.”

Even so, would he prefer more muscle?

“Honestly, it doesn’t worry me,” Kieran answers abruptly.

“If there was more power, it’d be getting used but I wouldn’t change the way I drive the truck. Not at all. I’d still let it do its own thing, for sure.”

Soon enough, back at the quarry for another load, this time at maximum weight of 57.5 tonnes, it’s simply a repeat performance, guiding the Freightliner through traffic and, once on the highway, into cruise control and simply steer as the truck keeps a set distance from the vehicle in front.

“As it is now, I wouldn’t change anything,” a definite Kieran Pearce declares.

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truck technology

LIGHT DUTY HEAVY ON SAFETY A new Advanced Driver Assistance System is part of a major update to Isuzu’s N Series 4x2 light-duty range. And it’s all about safety

I

suzu Trucks has announced what it states as the safest Isuzu truck ever developed for the Australian market with major updates to its new N Series light-duty range.

Isuzu says the latest incarnation of its 4x2 N Series trucks will offer operators not only the brand’s famous promise of reliability, but the next generation of truck safety with the introduction of Isuzu Intelligent Safety.

There are a number of cosmetic enhancements to the range, notably the improved cabin appointments. These updates include a revamp in seat cover material. Behind the dashboard also comes a new CAN converter circuit and connector, making it a simple exercise to fit a fleet management or telematics system.

Outside, a new exterior lamp assembly with prominent foglamps gives the new range a distinctly different forward appearance.

As per other Isuzu line-ups, the new N-Series

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Opposite bottom: Isuzu’s NQR 87 cab-chassis model Left: Seats coverings in the Isuzu N-Series seats have been revamped

“The safest Isuzu truck ever developed for the Australian market.” ownerdriver.com.au

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DECEMBER 2021 75

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boasts a wide breadth of range to cater for customers’ needs in various vocations. In addition, all new N Series trucks receive at least 500kg increases in towing capacity – up to 4,500kg rating for models with 4HK1 engines (NPR, NQR and NPS models), and 4,000kg rating for all other models in the range.

Isuzu says Isuzu dealerships will match the towing increase, offering genuine towbars and a selection of 50mm or 70mm tow-balls rated to the truck’s capacity as an optional accessory, available at extra cost.

“ADAS is designed to be an extra set of eyes on the road.”

Urban assistance The main talking point, however, is the introduction of Isuzu’s new Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), which complements the existing safety suite, in all N Series 4x2 trucks.

Isuzu Australia Limited national sales manager, Les Spaltman, notes that new N Series trucks were built to support operators across a gamut of applications, but that urban operators would find particular benefit in Isuzu’s ADAS. “Isuzu’s data shows that most businesses needing a light-duty truck operate in urban settings, including freight movement in cities and residential areas, business-to-customer service or delivery, and operators needing their trucks on site within metro areas,” Spaltman says.

ADAS is said to have been cleverly and carefully designed to observe changing traffic conditions and assist drivers in maintaining a safe distance from other road users, pedestrians, cyclists and objects. This all works to help avoid collisions with a combination of warning alerts and automations that activate when an imminent crash or potentially dangerous change in driving environment is detected.

The ADAS features include: an advanced emergency braking

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Top: Crash test dummy: The forward collision warning system in action at the AARC proving ground near Anglesea, Vic Above, left ot right: What lies ahead: the dash-mounted Hitachi stereo CD camera; The distance warning system is part of Isuzu’s ADAS package Opposite: Typically, the N-Series covers a wide range of applications

system (AEBS) with forward collision warning (FCW); lane departure warning (LDW); traffic movement warning; distance warning system; and auto lighting system.

The eyes behind ADAS is a Hitachi stereo 3D camera, which Isuzu says has proven to be incredibly accurate in object detection, as well as speed and depth perception – whether it’s in daylight or night operation.

Isuzu points out that the dual-lens Hitachi camera is mounted inside the truck’s cab in a central dashboard position, which is not attached to the windscreen and thereby does not obstruct the driver’s view. The aim is to give the camera a superior field of vision to detect lower-height objects while in motion (such as children), aimed at operators working in built-up areas.

While emergency breaking and LDW systems have been regular safety items in modern trucks, Isuzu claims its AEBS with FCW works by way of the dual optical sensor camera, which monitors the environment in front of the truck. It is said to detect and determine the distance of three-dimensional objects such as vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles and other objects that appear in front of the truck.

If the FCW system determines a collision is likely and, depending on the circumstances and severity of the situation, the system will respond with either audible and visual alerts, or autonomous activation of the vehicle’s brakes.

Isuzu says that, under normal operating conditions, the

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system is designed to avoid a collision with a speed difference up to 50km per hour and can reduce the risk of a collision impact for higher speed differentials, even at night.

Similar to systems found in many new passenger cars, Isuzu’s LDW works via sensors that detect and monitor the vehicle’s trajectory in relation to lane markings on roads or the road edge itself, providing audible and visual alarms for the driver if the vehicle begins to wander out of the lane marking or over the road edge.

With the aim of improving safety even further, Isuzu’s DWS is designed to ensure the truck operator is travelling at a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. Isuzu states that this allows drivers to preset a desired minimum distance (depending on application or environment). The DWS will then alert drivers with a subtle visual warning on the dash when an unsafe distance is detected.

According to Isuzu, the system has been intuitively programmed to only activate when speeds exceed 30km/h, making it particularly useful for highway driving while preventing spurious warnings in situations such as traffic jams.

“It’s also in these dense, high-traffic situations

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that the most unfortunate collisions occur, with our data also showing pedestrian and cyclist accidents with trucks accounting for the largest percentage of serious injury and death,” Spaltman continues.

“Linked to the dual-camera placed for optimal visibility of low-height objects, our ADAS is designed to be an extra set of eyes on the road, helping the driver monitor everything from other road users, pedestrians and cyclists, through to changing traffic conditions.”

Traffic warnings Isuzu believes operators who do face those unavoidable traffic conditions, or who are operating in metro settings, will also appreciate the traffic movement warning (TMW) system, another feature unique to Isuzu’s N Series ADAS. The TMW system monitors stationary vehicles ahead and will alert the driver with a clear but subtle warning sound when forward traffic movement is detected more than five metres from a truck’s stopped position.

Rounding-out the Isuzu Intelligent Safety suite in the new N Series 4x2 range is an auto lighting system (ALS).

The ALS functions automatically when selected by the driver, adjusting headlight and taillight brightness to meet changing outside lighting conditions, providing drivers with optimum lighting for safe driving and road use.

Dependent on models, other additions to the line-up include a customisable speed limiter (set at the dealership), new cab-tilt warning device, and suspension seats in selected narrowcab models.

Isuzu says customers can also expect to see new product hitting its Ready-to-Work range, with tipper and tradepack line-ups expanded, plus additional models slated for 2022 release.

“We are incredibly pleased to offer our customers the next generation of safety in light-duty trucking with our updated N Series range,” Les Spaltman says.

“With confidence, we can say these are the safest, most advanced, diesel-powered light-duty Japanese trucks in the Australian market.

“In terms of work-smart features to keep drivers safe and comfortable, and capacity to get the job done, we believe operators will see a huge difference between owning a new Isuzu N Series truck compared with any other similar truck out there.”

DECEMBER 2021 77

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tech briefs

Scania 770hp R-series arrives in Australia

Scania has announced that its newest flagship, the V8-powered R-series prime mover is now in Australia, arriving 12 months ahead of expectation.

The initial arrival will be used as a company demonstrator, however Scania says the order books for the 770hp (574kW) are now open.

“We often say, ‘You’re never late in a V8’, but this time we’ve outdone ourselves, bringing the 770hp variant to Australia a good 12 months ahead of the rest of the revamped V8 family, and ahead of our target,” says Dean Dal Santo, Scania Australia’s director of truck sales.

“We’re very excited to be able to open our order books for the 770 for delivery during the second half of 2022. The 770 is the absolute pinnacle of Scania V8 performance and efficiency, together with low emissions and so it is easy to understand why we are so pleased to have it here so early,” he says.

“The new 770hp 16.4-litre V8 resets the benchmark for on-road power output and its 3,700Nm of torque, available from 1,000–1,450rpm, makes it the ideal truck for drivers who need the ultimate performance for heavy loads.

“The Scania V8 range was unveiled in updated and improved form late last year in Europe and this R 770 is the first of the new breed to arrive in Australia.

We will bring other variants to the market during 2022, but we’re leading from the front with the 770,” Del Santo says.

“We launched its predecessor, the R 730, in Australia in 2011, and it has been a very successful brand icon for Scania over the past decade, with many examples covering huge distances and pulling immense loads.

“All of their drivers have one thing in common, though, it’s the look on their face, especially while climbing the biggest hills.

“Now we are raising the performance bar still higher, and have refined and improved the technology, which allows the increases in outputs. The Scania R 770 will deliver all that the R 730 did and more, and will retain and improve on the fuel efficiency so admired of all Scania V8 diesel engines.

“We anticipate an improvement of two per cent in fuel efficiency

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compared with the 730, despite the increase in output, assisted in part by a new 3.07 rear axle ratio, and also by a significant 75kg saving in weight, over the steer.

“For the 770, we have re-engineered the exhaust emissions process to be able to achieve Euro 6D without exhaust gas recirculation, relying solely on SCR [selective catalytic reduction].”

Del Santo says Scania Australia will be showing the R 770 off to selected customers in the immediate future, with plans for a more widespread opportunity for customers and prospects to experience the whole V8 range later on in 2022.

“We could have waited to launch all of the new V8s together, but the 770hp variant was available to us in our market specification and right-hand drive now, so we have jumped at the chance in order to meet the needs of existing high output truck customers during 2022,” Del Santo adds.

“The 730 V8 appealed in different ways to different operators over the past decade, from owner-drivers to linehaul fleets and mining operators, all of whom prized the engine’s amazing power and torque and fuel efficiency.

The new R 770 will give our customers even more of that Scania V8 magic.”

While Scania says it is pursuing new fuels and powertrain solutions as part of its shift to a sustainable transport future, it confirms that the use of diesel will remain critical within high horsepower and heavy payload environments for the time being.

Alexander Vlaskamp, Scania’s executive vice president, head of sales and marketing, says while shifting to fossil-free transports, the manufacturer must do everything to improve its current solutions.

“You cannot let your house burn down simply because a new one is under construction. The transition must be seamless,” Vlaskamp says.

Scania says its attention to fuel use minimisation continues unabated, and the new V8 range, including the 770hp variant, offers improved fuel efficiency derived from extensive fine-tuning and development by Scania’s engineers.

Scania points out that within the all iron V8 engine there are more than 70 new parts, and significant

reductions in internal friction, higher compression ratios, improved aftertreatment-systems and a new powerful engine management system (EMS).

“A typical long-distance truck in Europe covers around 150,000 kilometres per year,” Vlaskamp continues.

“A reasonable saving on markets where longer and heavier combinations are permitted can be up to 3,000–4,000 litres annually for a truck with our new V8 – a tremendous achievement in every respect.”

The new 770hp variant is probably the most powerful, factory-built truck engine in production today, but it’s not ubiquitous, as Vlaskamp admits.

“The 770 is, of course, not for everyone, but we see a growing demand for trucks capable of handling GCMs [gross combined masses] of 60 tonnes and above, especially for road-going combinations,” he says.

“The fastest way to increase transport efficiency is with longer and heavier truck combinations. The added fuel for a heavier vehicle is compensated by the greater payload capacity. The CO2-pertonne calculation is favourable, and in addition there is the opportunity to run your Scania V8 truck on renewable biofuels.”

Scania says its V8 engines are in high demand in countries where greater GCMs are permitted – particularly in Scandinavia. The Scania V8 is also said to be very popular in Italy and Spain (and markets like Australia and New Zealand), due to hilly terrain with many steep and challenging roads.

“There is a strong rationale for ordering a truck such as the R 770,” Vlaskamp says.

“These customers are looking for the best total operating economy, well aware of the fact that more payload means better efficiency, increased revenue and higher residual value.

But I know that some of our customers also will be delighted by the sheer

joy of operating such a magnificent working tool.”

According to Göran Lindh, chief engineer for Scania’s V8 engines, the increase in performance also coincided with a significant reduction in fuel use across the V8 output range.

“The increased power comes together with huge fuel savings, a result we were able to reach thanks to the introduction of the latest technologies.

The new 770hp engine has SCRonly after-treatment, a robust, fixed geometry turbocharger and the same kind of single-bank exhaust manifolds as the other three V8s,” Lindh says.

According to Scania, the 16.4-litre V8 produces its 770hp with the help of bigger injectors and a fixed geometry turbocharger using ball bearings. The result is faster response and improved combustion. Shedding certain heavy components and simplifying others has lowered the weight by 75kg compared with its predecessor.

“The new single-bank manifolds actually come with an additional advantage,” Lindh explains.

“Not only are they lighter and more efficient but they also contribute to the distinctive V8 sound, the typical ‘blatt’ that so many Scania customers and V8 fans appreciate. It does not generate more noise, but this is rather the result of how the exhaust gases are allowed to collide, due to the firing order, inside the manifold on their way out.”

Scania Australia advises that the R 770 is available to order here now for delivery in the second half of 2022. It will be available in the usual range of axle configurations including 6x4 and 8x4, and in all-wheel drive for specific applications.

OwnerDriver’s technical editor Steve Brooks will be among the first people outside Scania to drive the world’s most powerful production truck when he soon climbs behind the wheel of the new 770hp V8 hauling a B-double in Victoria. Stay tuned!’

ownerdriver.com.au

24/11/21 10:54 am

Fuso unveils special edition Canter Fuso is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Fuso Canter’s Australian introduction with a special edition model.

According to parent company Daimler Truck & Bus, the 50th Anniversary Canter is based on a 515.

Already, 150 of these special models are available at Fuso dealers across the country.

The Anniversary Canters are built ready alloy tray models and feature special factory silver paint, 50th Anniversary Edition badging and custom seat covers.

Fuso has announced that it is also running a competition to celebrate the milestone. Three customers of the 50th Anniversary Canters, who purchase their vehicles before December 31, 2021, will win back the value of their trucks.

Fuso says the standard specification of the Canter in 2021 is a world away from the original truck, which was quite bare apart the “flowthrough ventilation” and “safety glass all-round” that were promoted in the advertisements of the time.

These days, the Canter 515 comes standard with a radar-based advanced emergency braking system,

lane departure warning system, a seven-inch (17.8cm) high-resolution touchscreen display and a driver’s airbag. While the original truck was manual-only, the new Canter is also available with an optional fastshifting fully automated dualclutch transmission.

According to Daimler, Fuso has sold more than 73,000 Canters since the

model was introduced in Australia after proving itself on the rough tracks of Papua New Guinea.

The current Canter boasts bestin-class payload and a generous warranty (five years/200,000km, whichever comes first) as well as 30,000km service intervals.

The Fuso Canter is available in a range of configurations from a 3.5

tonne car licence model to an 8.5 tonne version, along with city cabs, wide cabs, crew cabs, built ready tippers, tray trucks and pantechs as well as a 4x4 unit.

Fuso points out that it started a new chapter in the Canter story this year by introducing the first OEM fully-electric truck in Australia; the eCanter.

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tech briefs

eRoad offers clarity over dashcams Transportation technology company eRoad has announced the expansion of its flagship video telematics portfolio with eRoad Clarity Solo Dashcam. The new dashcam is described as a single, robust and cost-effective video solution that delivers carriers more operational visibility while ensuring driver safety and protection from false claims. eRoad says that, while the new product can be seamlessly integrated with any fleet management solution, eRoad Clarity Solo is a standalone dashcam that makes it easier for fleet operators to implement video telematics into more asset and vehicle types – ranging from mixed fleets to short haul heavy and light carrier vehicle (LCV) fleets, like construction, waste management and distribution vehicles.

Clarity Solo is reported to be designed with driver protection, safety and ease of use in mind, offering a contactless login to activate non-event based video recording as soon as drivers ignite their engines. This feature is said to enable more protection for drivers and fleet operators. eRoad recently released its inaugural sustainability sentiment survey, Road to Sustainability, which it says found that more than 50 per cent of all commercial

mixed fleets in Australia have installed dashcams in their vehicles. The adoption of this technology is largely aimed at mitigating risk, protecting the driver and assisting in exoneration with 66 per cent of total accidents involving trucks being caused by other motorists.

Clarity Solo is set up to search videos based on driver location rather than time of day, proven to be a more effective way to find the right video evidence to protect and exonerate drivers.

Konrad Stempniak, general manager of eRoad Australia said: “Today, driver exoneration by video is absolutely imperative for carriers to protect their drivers and their businesses. With Clarity Solo, we’re bringing the same highquality Clarity video telematics solution to more fleets that can gain significant advantages from the benefits of video.

“Importantly, this includes spending a lot less time combing through video clips, freeing fleet owners up to focus on driving their businesses forward, safely and efficiently,” Stempniak says.

Clarity Solo claims to offer carriers the flexibility to integrate with any fleet management system, giving eRoad customers the benefit of implementing the standalone dashcam with existing eRoad solutions.

MAN TGX RECEIVES SUSTAINABLE TRUCK AWARD MAN Truck & Bus Deutschland GmbH, headquartered in Munich, has announced that the 510hp (380kW) variant of its flagship truck received the prestigious award in the semitrailer tractor category at Italy’s Ecomondo, one of Europe’s leading trade fairs for sustainable and regenerative circular economy.

The jury, which was made up of international trade journalists, awarded the TGX 18.510 for being particularly fuel-saving, efficient, and environmentally friendly.

The title is one of numerous international awards that MAN’s new generation of trucks has already won since its market launch in February 2020, including the International Truck of the Year 2021 as well as the Red Dot Design and German Design Award.

“The Sustainable Truck of the Year 2022 award for the MAN TGX is a particularly important new success, as it honours our focus on environmentally friendly and sustainable transport solutions that make our customers’ demanding and hectic daily business as simple, safe, and efficient as possible,” says Göran Nyberg, executive board member for sales and customer solutions at MAN Truck and Bus. The ‘Sustainable Truck of the Year’ competition, now in its sixth year, was launched by the Italian magazine

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Vado e Torno, which specialises in sustainable transport issues. The focus is on sustainability innovations for road freight transport that are already available on the market.

The award is presented in three categories – tractor unit, distribution and van – on the basis of a detailed evaluation concept for sustainability and efficiency.

This takes into account not only the reduction of emissions, but also other aspects of the vehicle’s impact on the environment, safety and people’s quality of life, as well as the sustainability of the entire production cycle. Aspects of user comfort are also included in the assessment.

The jury justified its vote for the MAN TGX 18.510 by saying: “The latest generation of the MAN TGX has raised the bar for quality and efficiency. Further refined aerodynamics improve air flows to the benefit of lower drag, resulting in fuel savings and lower emissions.

“Efficient kinematics are ensured by the proven 12.4-litre engine with 510hp in combination with the TipMatic transmission. The comfortable and functional cab is designed to make you feel at home both while driving and during breaks on board.”

EATON PUSHES EMISSIONS REDUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Power management company Eaton has announced its vehicle group has demonstrated cylinder deactivation (CDA) as an effective technology for meeting future global emissions requirements for diesel-engine powered commercial vehicles. To date, the technology has been evaluated with a close-coupled selective catalytic reduction (SCR) aftertreatment system with and without a 48-volt electric heater.

“Our CDA technology has proven it can help our customers meet increasingly strict emissions regulations for diesel engines,” says Christopher Mancuso, business unit director, engine air management, Eaton Vehicle Group.

“This comes at a time when many global manufacturers are determining what technologies they will leverage in next-generation vehicles to reduce harmful emissions.”

New emissions regulations spearheaded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and European Commission (EC) are slated for adoption in coming years. These agencies, in concert with other national and international regulators, seek to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and harmful air pollutants produced primarily by heavy-duty trucks, vans and buses.

Eaton partnered with the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), one of the oldest and largest independent, non-profit, applied research and development organisations in the US, to demonstrate the feasibility of its Vehicle Group’s technology. The findings demonstrate that using

ABOVE: Eaton has demonstrated its cylinder deactivation technology is effective for meeting future global emissions requirements for dieselengine powered commercial vehicles

CDA and a close-coupled SCR catalyst reduced both nitrous oxide (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, with fuel consumption savings of up to 40 per cent at idle.

Eaton’s 2021 testing with SwRI showed further advancement, dropping NOx levels by 99.4 per cent on the composite federal test procedure (FTP) and lowering the LLC NOx to well within current guidelines. Notably, using the same aftertreatment system with the addition of a 48-volt electric heater located upstream of the SCR further achieved a reduction in CO2.

CDA technology can benefit vehicle manufacturers facing tightening emissions standards in Europe as well. The next set of requirements, known as Euro VII for heavy-duty trucks, is targeted for the second part of the decade.

In the US, CARB is introducing more stringent regulations as soon as 2024, while the EPA has circled 2027 to begin applying stricter emissions limits on new-model heavy-duty vehicles.

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Tow Operator Opportunity

Would you like to work with one of the leading concrete suppliers in Australia?

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this is not an attractive prospect.

For owner-drivers, we have the added pressure of running a business at the end of a supply chain that has already had several cuts taken from low-cost contracts.

FOR THE OWNER-DRIVER Frank Black

Unattractive prospect Reducing an owner-driver’s working hours without monetary compensation is unacceptable

D

river shortages and fatigue rules are two longstanding issues that have reared their heads again recently. The answer to both is simple, but we’re too busy fighting amongst ourselves to fight for the solution. We can be our own worst enemy.

Fatigue is the leading cause of truck crash fatalities. We all know that truckies are over-worked. Reducing working hours would give us more of our own time back, save hundreds of lives and improve our health.

It can’t be done if reducing hours will reduce income – so that must be addressed first.

Of course, no one wants, or frankly can, afford to lose out on pay. That doesn’t mean we should keep going at a rate that is killing and injuring more truck drivers than any other worker in Australia.

It means that the work done by truck drivers – whether owner-drivers or employees – needs to be compensated at higher rates.

The debate that fired up over the National Transport Commission proposal to manage fatigue by reducing hours just shows the mentality of the industry, and we’ve got it all wrong.

Our industry runs on such tight margins that any suggestion of

86 DECEMBER 2021

OWD_347_086_COL_Frank Black_GB.indd 86

limiting hours sparks fear for truck drivers trying to run a business. The federal government is only too happy for us to think like this. If we’re fearful, desperate even, we’ll work longer and harder for a pittance just to keep the roof over our heads. Meanwhile, the rich guys at the top of the supply chain keep raking in the profits.

We shouldn’t be fighting to work more hours to make ends meet. We should be fighting for the wealth at the top of supply chains to be shared so that all businesses can run safely and viably.

Owner-drivers can’t keep battling to maintain low rates in the industry.

It’s driving businesses into the ground and forcing people to find alternative employment.

Is it any wonder there is a driver shortage right around the globe?

It’s not because the actual work of driving a truck is not enjoyable. Most of us chose this job because we love trucks, we like to hit the open road and, for owner-drivers, we like to be our own boss.

The job itself isn’t the problem, it’s the broken industry.

An industry riddled with high rates of deaths, injuries and health conditions that keeps people away from home for days at a time but does not adequately compensate for any of

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.

ALL FOR NOTHING We all know people who saw no future in trucking and left to find an alternative arrangement. Some were owner-drivers who’ve tried to stay in the industry as an employee, though many end up getting shafted there, too. Most would tell you they’d come back in a flash if things improved for owner-drivers.

Owner-drivers who say they’re happy with the status quo are kidding themselves. Things have got to change.

Earlier this year, a Transport Workers Union survey showed three quarters of owner-drivers had done a run for no profit. One in two delayed maintenance on their trucks because they couldn’t afford it and nearly half didn’t raise concerns about safety in case it prevented them from being paid.

We can’t carry on like this.

As business owners we should be upgrading our equipment, but many can’t even keep up the repayments on the trucks they have. It’s saddening to meet some truckies and wonder if you’ll ever see them again, wondering if they’re going to go broke before you get the chance.

We know what needs to change.

A driver shortage won’t be solved by importing drivers on lower pay and with little training.

Long hours shouldn’t be maintained so we can scrape by.

Next time a reduction in hours is proposed we should provide a collective response: “Yes, working hours should be reduced. How will this be financed?”

“Most of us chose this job because we love trucks.”

ownerdriver.com.au

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